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International Test Matches
[2014 Mid-Year Tests] New Zealand vs England (3rd Test)
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<blockquote data-quote="The Jones Boy" data-source="post: 654194" data-attributes="member: 70721"><p>Agreed on all counts.</p><p>Let us all remember that this English squad is very young and they have a decade or more of International rugby ahead of them if they can stay fit.</p><p>They have just endured a very long season of club rugby punctuated with the 6 Nations Tournament.</p><p>Those blokes have played an awful lot of rugby.</p><p>We are in the same boat every year with our long winded end of the year tour in the northern hemisphere where our boys have played a huge amount of top level rugby and then they have to go around the world and shine every weekend without fault.</p><p>Here was an England squad that arrived in the world champions back yard knowing that they have a massive task ahead of them and I wonder if they let us off the hook in the first couple of tests because they are genuinely weary from the long season of top level rugby the squad has had to play.</p><p>It's a bloody big ask to expect players to finish a season that long and that intense, then to board a plane and go around the world and play at the top of their game week in and week out to semi-hostile crowds and environments.</p><p>Then, the Poms didn't have several first choice players to call upon in the first test (just as well for the AB's) and it can't have been easy trying to slot in for the second test.</p><p>These are real tangible problems that touring teams have to hurdle successfully to be able to launch a uniform assault on any hosting nation.</p><p></p><p>I'm impressed with the English because they are very young across the board and they are competitive in pretty much every area of the park.</p><p>They have depth in the front row where Webber looks like the find of the tour.</p><p>They have ridiculous depth at lock where Parling and Lawes stand out for me but Launchbury is close to them and young Slater who captained the victory over the Crusaders looked impressive. I'm deeply envious if England's depth at lock.</p><p>Ben Morgan improved his status on this campaign.</p><p>Danny Care is class and Ben Youngs showed today that good players benefit from a kick up the behind. He played well today.</p><p>Marland Yarde is a quality attacking force.</p><p>Cipriani was awesome against the Crusaders.</p><p>He looked really good when he came on in the first test for ten minutes after Burns had played well.</p><p>Cipriani looks the 'form' English no.10 at the moment. Good luck to the bloke he has put his head down and done the hard work required to bring out his natural talent.</p><p>Tuilagi needs to be paired with Barritt in the centres, the other blokes rate all waaaaay too young for centre, it's a position that requires old heads.</p><p>Mike Brown had an awful tour, he was a shadow of the guy from the 6 Nations, and I put this down to suffering from fatigue of a long season. He simply needs a rest. Foden is there if required and he's a quality player.</p><p>Where is Delon Armitage, he was excellent at fullback as well.</p><p>I would like to see England with a sniffer at no.7 a la Neil Back but that doesn't seem to be Lancasters game plan with the back row at this time...</p><p>England did themselves proud and they were unlucky not to get a test off the AB's, particularly the first one where Nigel Owen was truly awful.</p><p>Next year at home England will be tough and I can see the Saffers beating us in one semi final, and the Poms going into the final against them.</p><p>The RWC after that is where England will be favourites as their young fellas start to get 50-65 caps each throughout the squad, then watch out.</p><p>Thank you England for giving the AB's one helluva fright and waking them from their slumber in time to get ready for the dodgy convicts onslaught.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The Jones Boy, post: 654194, member: 70721"] Agreed on all counts. Let us all remember that this English squad is very young and they have a decade or more of International rugby ahead of them if they can stay fit. They have just endured a very long season of club rugby punctuated with the 6 Nations Tournament. Those blokes have played an awful lot of rugby. We are in the same boat every year with our long winded end of the year tour in the northern hemisphere where our boys have played a huge amount of top level rugby and then they have to go around the world and shine every weekend without fault. Here was an England squad that arrived in the world champions back yard knowing that they have a massive task ahead of them and I wonder if they let us off the hook in the first couple of tests because they are genuinely weary from the long season of top level rugby the squad has had to play. It's a bloody big ask to expect players to finish a season that long and that intense, then to board a plane and go around the world and play at the top of their game week in and week out to semi-hostile crowds and environments. Then, the Poms didn't have several first choice players to call upon in the first test (just as well for the AB's) and it can't have been easy trying to slot in for the second test. These are real tangible problems that touring teams have to hurdle successfully to be able to launch a uniform assault on any hosting nation. I'm impressed with the English because they are very young across the board and they are competitive in pretty much every area of the park. They have depth in the front row where Webber looks like the find of the tour. They have ridiculous depth at lock where Parling and Lawes stand out for me but Launchbury is close to them and young Slater who captained the victory over the Crusaders looked impressive. I'm deeply envious if England's depth at lock. Ben Morgan improved his status on this campaign. Danny Care is class and Ben Youngs showed today that good players benefit from a kick up the behind. He played well today. Marland Yarde is a quality attacking force. Cipriani was awesome against the Crusaders. He looked really good when he came on in the first test for ten minutes after Burns had played well. Cipriani looks the 'form' English no.10 at the moment. Good luck to the bloke he has put his head down and done the hard work required to bring out his natural talent. Tuilagi needs to be paired with Barritt in the centres, the other blokes rate all waaaaay too young for centre, it's a position that requires old heads. Mike Brown had an awful tour, he was a shadow of the guy from the 6 Nations, and I put this down to suffering from fatigue of a long season. He simply needs a rest. Foden is there if required and he's a quality player. Where is Delon Armitage, he was excellent at fullback as well. I would like to see England with a sniffer at no.7 a la Neil Back but that doesn't seem to be Lancasters game plan with the back row at this time... England did themselves proud and they were unlucky not to get a test off the AB's, particularly the first one where Nigel Owen was truly awful. Next year at home England will be tough and I can see the Saffers beating us in one semi final, and the Poms going into the final against them. The RWC after that is where England will be favourites as their young fellas start to get 50-65 caps each throughout the squad, then watch out. Thank you England for giving the AB's one helluva fright and waking them from their slumber in time to get ready for the dodgy convicts onslaught. [/QUOTE]
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[2014 Mid-Year Tests] New Zealand vs England (3rd Test)
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