Comments on: England v New Zealand predictions

By: Uncle Mat

Uncle Mat — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:49:08 +0000

Interesting to see Baron’s reign is coming to an end. I wonder if he will be replaced by someone with balls, who knows the game and is committing to making us the best team in the world. If so, then Andrew will be following Baron pretty quickly out the door.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:27:39 +0000

England talk a good game and play a poor one. They should be building towards 2011 not “falling back” on the old guard. Garnetto and Rob Watson are right – England don’t appear to think beyond the next game. Does anyone know what Rob Andrew, the ELITE Director of Rugby, actually does? He doesn’t even appear to attend the games!!

By: Garnetto

Garnetto — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:14:09 +0000

Stella? I’d go for intravenous jaegermeister Igbo were you…

And as for wetpants – well it’s quite simple. What kind of man lays up on an 90yd par 3 pitch and putt? A man with very soggy underwear clearly…

By: Uncle Mat

Uncle Mat — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:41:06 +0000

Rob, start drinking the Stella at breakfast and tomorrow will be lot more bearable.

By: Spike

Spike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:29:42 +0000

gave you wet pants? the swine!

By: Wetpants

Wetpants — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:00:21 +0000

Uncle Mat ask Garnetto he gave it to me!

By: Rob Watson

Rob Watson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:58:30 +0000

Bamberio – I hear what you’re saying, and totally agree that we should stand a lot flatter and take opponents on. But it’ll take more than that to match 2003. Selection is still the main problem.

Let’s compare the backlines:

(A) Dawson, Wilkinson, Cohen, Robinson, Greenwood, Tindall, Robinson, Lewsey.

Or…..

(B) Hodgson, Wilkinson, Monye, Erinle (why???), Hipkiss (I like him, but his form is crap), Banahan (why??) and that well-known highly experienced specialist international full-back Cueto.

Just reading that first set of names almost brings a smile to my face. Reading the second just makes me depressed.

I remember watching the final in 2003 and having to drink Stella at breakfast time (which I don’t normally do, honest), because it was just so tense that I could barely stand to watch.

I have a feeling that tomorrow will be pretty hard to watch too, but for very different reasons.

By: Uncle Mat

Uncle Mat — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:52:34 +0000

I think I’m with Garnetto. We’ve seen enough to know that Johhno’s not going to be successful in this role. His only hope would have been to get a bunch of decent coaches together, but his defiant insistence that the coaches are fine demonstrates that he doesn’t get it (I know he’s not going to admit they are weak publicly, but to put up such a vehement display in their defence tells me he really means it – in other words he doesn’t know what good looks like). And his whole selection philosophy is a joke. So for me, this needs to be ugly.

I don’t think it’s too late for us to make a change before RWC 2011. It’s pretty clear that nobody at HQ has the balls to admit their mistake and fire him, but I like Wetpants’ (how did you get that nickname, please share) suggestion that he could be a decent forwards coach, and maybe that could be a face-saving move for everyone.

I will go for the AB’s by 25. We will start fairly well, but will leak tries in the second half. Taking into account the comments from some of the AB players this week that they need to be more ruthless in putting points away once they have secured a commanding lead, it may be more like 35.

By: Spike

Spike — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:49:36 +0000

The management do not believe that the tactics they are employing are wrong. The players might but they can’t say it because then they’ll be black-balled.

What is this drivel from Cueto?:

“Regardless of how you play, you’re going to be criticised.

If we win by 20 points, the press will find something to criticise us for.”

That’s the exact opposite of the reality! Play positive, attractive and innovative rugby and lose narrowly (a la Lions) and the press, public and even the opposition can see that you deserve almost the same praise as the winners!

YOU’RE NOT TRYING TO PLAY POSITIVELY! YOU ARE NEGATIVE AND APPEAR DISINTERESTED ON THE PITCH! WHY AREN’T YOU ALL TRYING AS HARD AS LEWIS MOODY IN EVERY BREAKDOWN/KICK-CHASE/ATTACK?

Nick Heath – can you ask them why there is such a discrepancy between what 90% of the press and public are seeing and what they think is actually going on?

I’ve never felt this negative about English rugby – and i’m certain that it’s not me that’s changed!

By: Wetpants

Wetpants — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:16:59 +0000

I never understood why they didn’t bring MJ in as Forwards coach he could have done that with his eyes closed and it would have given him the expericence needed to then go on to become the Head coach later on. Throwing him in with no prior experience was a massive error! I say demote him to frowards coach get Shaun Edwards back to England no matter how much it costs and get Toby Booth in as head coach that would be a brilliant setup! And england might finally move out of the rutt we have been in for the last 6 years!

By: Garnetto

Garnetto — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:56:16 +0000

I hate saying it Rob – no one likes a neersayer – but having staunchly got behind MJ and the lads i just get so depressed seeing such abject lack of ambition. I honestly can say that my £70 last week was the worst cash i have ever spent on sport (and i’ve been to some proper stinkers…)

I remember the chat in the last days of Robinson’s reign with everyone saying “you can’t change this close to the World Cup” but we did and got to the final (although granted that was nothng to do with the coaches!).

Look how quickly Gatland et al turned around the Welsh team. It happens in football all the time – look at Capello Vs. McLaren.

You’ve just got to have the balls to do it – and that is something sadly lacking inside Rugby House i fear

By: Bamberio

Bamberio — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:06:55 +0000

To stand any hope of not being humilated England need to secure quick ball from the breakdown and the backline needs to play much flatter than they did against Argentina. Simple. If any of you saw the Rugby Club last night, the comparision between England’s back play last weekend and in the halcyon days of 2003 was shocking. How many times did England cross the gainline last weekend? Exactly. Most of the time they went backwards then kicked the ball away. I just hope they don’t try the same this weekend otherwise Carter and chums will have a field day.

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