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Rugby World Cup 2015
[2015 RWC] Warm Up Match: England vs France (15/08/2015)
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<blockquote data-quote="Every Time Ref" data-source="post: 739773" data-attributes="member: 71826"><p>He didn't get tested much in terms of outside breaks that I recall, but the one time I remember that he had to deal with space outside him he got sucked in and made the tackle, allowing France to use the overlap when he should have held off and drifted. However, he didn't once mistime running out the line for a big hit and expose himself*, which was another issue he used to have defending at 12 for Bath.</p><p></p><p>Defensively there's no question fro me that Barritt and JJ are leagues ahead of any other partnership. Burrell and Twelvetrees are both somewhat prone to errors (putting it kindly), picking Burgess means a weakness in the channel between 12 and 13, putting pressure on JJ in defence, Slade is a very good defender but hasn't played inside centre much (at all?) this season.</p><p></p><p>Barritt's major weakness is of course not offering much in attack, but then neither has Burrell at 12 for England, and Twelvetrees issues are well-documented. The thing is, for all his power and his league reputation, Burgess's attacking game still isn't that blinding either - it's very one dimensional, he doesn't offer a playmaking threat, adn he deosn't actually make very many breaks. He hits the gainline hard and gets go-forward ball, and he uses up tacklers whether he runs or passes (the second Watson try is a perfect example) but he doesn't actually break the line very often, he hits men rather than hitting gaps. Also, I think his offload game is overtalked - yes he makes a lot, statistically but the offload statistics never measure failed offloads. For me, the best offloaders are the best at not offloading, the players you regularly see free the arms, move as if to offload then pull the arm back in and present the ball instead. But when they do offload, it goes to hand. Anyway, offloads are very rarely how high pressure RWC games are won, if we're halfway sensible then offloading ability will be an entirely irrelevant skillset in 2 of our pool games and all the knockouts.</p><p></p><p>To be honest, I've been strongly anti-Burgess at centre but that performance on Saturday ... while it didn't "wow" me, the bar is pretty damn low and for me he did enough to convince me he at least belongs in the conversation, and in fact put himself ahead of Burrell and Twelvetrees. Slade I don't think is being considered as a twelve, since he hasn't been playing there. For me it's Burgess Vs Barritt now, although I'd still choose Barritt (assuming his injury won't affect the World Cup which is what I heard)</p><p></p><p>*Fnar fnar!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Every Time Ref, post: 739773, member: 71826"] He didn't get tested much in terms of outside breaks that I recall, but the one time I remember that he had to deal with space outside him he got sucked in and made the tackle, allowing France to use the overlap when he should have held off and drifted. However, he didn't once mistime running out the line for a big hit and expose himself*, which was another issue he used to have defending at 12 for Bath. Defensively there's no question fro me that Barritt and JJ are leagues ahead of any other partnership. Burrell and Twelvetrees are both somewhat prone to errors (putting it kindly), picking Burgess means a weakness in the channel between 12 and 13, putting pressure on JJ in defence, Slade is a very good defender but hasn't played inside centre much (at all?) this season. Barritt's major weakness is of course not offering much in attack, but then neither has Burrell at 12 for England, and Twelvetrees issues are well-documented. The thing is, for all his power and his league reputation, Burgess's attacking game still isn't that blinding either - it's very one dimensional, he doesn't offer a playmaking threat, adn he deosn't actually make very many breaks. He hits the gainline hard and gets go-forward ball, and he uses up tacklers whether he runs or passes (the second Watson try is a perfect example) but he doesn't actually break the line very often, he hits men rather than hitting gaps. Also, I think his offload game is overtalked - yes he makes a lot, statistically but the offload statistics never measure failed offloads. For me, the best offloaders are the best at not offloading, the players you regularly see free the arms, move as if to offload then pull the arm back in and present the ball instead. But when they do offload, it goes to hand. Anyway, offloads are very rarely how high pressure RWC games are won, if we're halfway sensible then offloading ability will be an entirely irrelevant skillset in 2 of our pool games and all the knockouts. To be honest, I've been strongly anti-Burgess at centre but that performance on Saturday ... while it didn't "wow" me, the bar is pretty damn low and for me he did enough to convince me he at least belongs in the conversation, and in fact put himself ahead of Burrell and Twelvetrees. Slade I don't think is being considered as a twelve, since he hasn't been playing there. For me it's Burgess Vs Barritt now, although I'd still choose Barritt (assuming his injury won't affect the World Cup which is what I heard) *Fnar fnar! [/QUOTE]
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[2015 RWC] Warm Up Match: England vs France (15/08/2015)
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