Comments on: England Player Ratings versus Ireland

By: proppie

proppie — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:36:25 +0000

I agree on most of it. It is simply not acceptable to select Deacon anymore now. I am sorry for that but stop it. Take Lawes and if you don’t like him take anybody else, I do not care at all who it is as long as it is not Deacon because he ruins my weekends lately. The funny thing is that injuries now will make the changes needed. A good lock in for Shaw and Ben Foden in from the start. I was very impressed by Ben Foden as I still think he will be too light for the international job at the end of the day, but he had a fine performance (with one very nice fast and sexy offload after a half break). Very Dynamic. Let’s see what he brings against Scotland. What I really do not understand is the the line out. Hartley is throwing like a monkey and there is no clue what to do about it. Why is his throwing at the saints very good and why is their linout very good. Is it Hartley to blame or is it total lack of Line out tactics?
Totally agree on Dan Cole again. What a fantastic young character!

Nevertheless I am expecting a star performance against Scotland. England win by 15 and at least 3 tries!

By: Duncan Borrowman

Duncan Borrowman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:08:01 +0000

Jonny was nearer 3/10 in my reckoning. Care was slowed down by constantly having to get the binoculars out to see where he Jonny was. Which was usually stood back waiting for a ball to kick. The rest of the backs spend half their lives waiting for ball. I used to be a Jonny fan but his time is up. The one big change needed is to replace him with Flood or several other flatter playing faster no10s

By: Uncle Mat

Uncle Mat — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:48:55 +0000

Give me Hodgson every time. Care’s delivery is too slow and his impetuous nature costs us too often.

By: Paul smith

Paul smith — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:44:14 +0000

Care is too slow to breakdown, too slow at diggin, pass isnt good enough and gives away penalties. moody was the only quick eng forward andhis colleagues let him down; all far to slow. No clearing out or driving over. Far toomany incidents of taking ball into contact no off loading.

By: Kemlo

Kemlo — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:21:44 +0000

I think Jonny actually had a decent game and I’d argue off first phase that inside of Jonny is for back-row/scrum-half/blind-side winger’s responsibility.

I also thought Cueto had a shocker. Our only decent line break he kicked the ball away completely unneccesarily and his defence for Earls’ try was shocking.

So, looks like all we need is a new second-row and back-row (Ireland’s 6/7/8 completely dominated) and a new back three including Foden!

By: Hutch

Hutch — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:55:49 +0000

I thought Care was better this week, and I don’t think Hodgson is a better alternative. Ben Youngs needs to come into the setup very soon, as I think he might be the man for RWC11.

I was disappointed in Hartley this week, but I really don’t think Mears should start ahead of him at the moment. Just because we haven’t seen Mears hanging around on the wing for a while, it doesn’t mean he’s stopped doing it – he just doesn’t get the chance anymore on the bench!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:33:07 +0000

Good round up Hutch, the only one I’d possibly disagree with is Care. He needs to go back to Quins and work on his basics, delivery was slow and laboured, and game management and temperament is as usual dodgy. Still a threat in attack but is that enough? Awful, horrendously untidy and slow ball from the breakdown didn’t help mind. Does Care boss his forwards enough? Hodgson certainly would.

Still waiting for Hartley to have a good game for England. Mears outperformed him in 20 minutes and our lineout has gone from one of the most reliable, secure and accurate in Europe in recent years to one nearly as bad as Wales’.