Comments for The Rugby Blog

Comment on England team to face Scotland on Saturday by Iain Barton

Iain Barton — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:40:01 +0000

Deacon, Borthwick and Payne are the Dark Matter of English rugby. If you add up the combined mass, they should be there. If you look at the theories trotted out by insiders (the management), they should have an effect. But no-one has ever observed their impact or proved their existence in the real world. Therefore they only currently exist in theory and are currently of little or no practical use whatsoever.

Otherwise I agree with pretty much all that has been said above. My optimism remains intact, but then again I’m like this http://www.lechatnoirboutique.com/prodimages/Coffee%20Mug%20-%20Far%20Side%20Just%20Not%20Reaching%20That%20Guy.jpg

Comment on Expansion of Magners League delights Italian fans by Iain Barton

Iain Barton — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:16:12 +0000

Good news for the Italians and good news for rugby in general.

With this news and the admission of the Argentinian national side in the 3N, I think we may finally be seeing the back of those nobs Will Carling’s called “old farts” who used to run the game. Huzaar for progress!

On the topic; I think this inclusion is fantastic news for all concerned. More money on both sides, more competitiveness on all fronts (except perhaps in Connacht), and more income brightly coloured multi-sponsored shirt manufacturers.

Now to find a way of getting more talents from emerging nations like Georgia, Russia, Portugal etc into these competitions…

Comment on England team to face Scotland on Saturday by Proppie

Proppie — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:23:59 +0000

Guys, you are all right. Decisions are there to make and you can argue about them but the extreme obvious things like 2nd row is a real problem. Ashton not in or another fine try scorer like James Simpson-Daniel. I do not care but at least one of the on form killers must be in. 12 tries for Ashton (look at his last one against Sale, pure class!) it is not nothing. Lawes is a fantastick 2nd and backrower, very versatile. I also agree on the number 8. Easter is under pressure in my opinion. It means that Johnno will let him stay for 3 more years I am afraid.
I understand the trust in Delon Armitadge as I am a fan of him to be honest you only get the guy better by giving somebody else the chance now. Ben Foden should have played. Now there is no consequence on playing bad so why should you bother after all.

Good luck this weekend, I will be sleeping on the sofa during the match to copy the impact on the game Deacon will have

Comment on England team to face Scotland on Saturday by Rob M66

Rob M66 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:59:46 +0000

Johnson is a clown, he has to go. I cant be bothered with anything else its all been said, part of me want Scotland to win so that the whole of English rugby can begin a shake down from top to bottom.

Comment on England call up Geraghty, Morgan, Tindall, Palmer and Fourie by Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:38:07 +0000

Not an England fan, but good to see Geraghty in the squad. I feel like he is always overlooked, and with England’s problems with flyhalf (and perhaps a good run of form from him) he could take a chance in the next few months

Comment on Fantasy Six Nations: Time for some tinkering by Hutch

Hutch — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:44:01 +0000

Ah, they’ve changed the rules without me noticing. Last year, each player scored a point if they were on a winning team. I’ve been avoiding the Scots and Italians for that reason!

That’s why it’s Tom and not me in 3rd place overall…!

Comment on Fantasy Six Nations: Time for some tinkering by Ben

Ben — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:40:48 +0000

Winning team points????

Comment on France need more than a Grand Slam to prove they are the real deal by Stuart

Stuart — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:03:15 +0000

My point is James that they still haven’t built up any degree of consistency. They were excellent against NZ one week, awful against Oz the next; then strong against SA one week, woeful against NZ the next. If you do that in a World Cup, you are stuffed and they are yet to put together a sustained string of good performances (I’m talking 10 in a row).

I take your point about the NZ line-up but losing by 20 points at home to anyone is not the stuff of a world class team. If anything this fact proves my point further as it devalues the wins last summer because they were against half a team.

They will have to be competitive in the summer in SA and then into the autumn for me to be convinced.

Comment on France need more than a Grand Slam to prove they are the real deal by James Mortimer

James Mortimer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:52:26 +0000

Good article Stuart, but have to disagree on two minor points.

First, I think a Grand Slam is enough of a statement for World Cup intent. Wins over the AB’s and Boks last year followed by a Chelem would be enough evidence in most peoples eyes.

What more could they do to prove otherwise?

Methinks that if they down the Boks in South Africa, then we have our early World Cup favourites.

As for you comment – surrender to the same All Blacks they had troubled so much in the summer – that isn’t technically correct, as the AB’s didn’t have Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, and were missing their two first choice centres and had two locks in the 22 that were newly capped.

The NZ team that rolled up in Marseille was considerably stronger.

Comment on England team to face Scotland on Saturday by Tomy Guns

Tomy Guns — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:31:05 +0000

Uncle Matt, love your analysis of the Moody scenerio (moving to Bath) and I actually do think you may be right. Johnno and the coaching team obviously have their favourites, but it strikes me as somewhat weird that THEIR favourites wouldn’t feature anywhere near a team then any supporter would pick. Why is this? As i previously stated, the best we can hope for is devine intravention and everyone from captain upwards being sacked and the rfu appointing someone who knows what they are doing – preferably from the southern hemisphere!

P.s Buddha – how long do you think we should give Johnno and he’s team? He’s already had 2 years (Gatland achieved more in 2 months with Wales!!!)