[2018 November Tests] England vs Australia (24/11/18)

[Ragey Erasmus]

Wales used to play 2 crash ball centres, it was identified as part of the reason they struggled after 2013 when sides worked them out. 2 crash balls doesn't give you enough tactical flexibility unless they also have good kicking/passing games, which neither Teo nor Tuilagi have.

 

[spartan32]

Really enjoyed that game. Positives for me

Big Joe was great. Just imagine what he will be able to do with some experience under his belt!!

May is just getting better and better. If EJ breaks him in training he shout be shot for treason.

Daly is lethal in attack, but as everyone has rightly pointed out he's out of position and even with most of the AIs to improve he hasn't really. Feels like he should be a starter,
but where?

Te'o i thought was ok. Solid in attack and D and getting through a good rate of work.

Slade has improved throughout the AIs but don't think he's done enough to oust JJ if fit and certainly not Manu.

Faz was really good today. Getting stuck in and leading from the front. Lucky to get away with yet another league special, but like I've pointed out with NZ, the better you are the more you get away with.

Sincklair was epic.
Wilson may have ousted Hughes
Shields has steadily improved and got through some great work, and I got a semi when he rescued that line out with a blind over the head pass.
Underhill another excellent performance. Surely a starter now?
Etoji much better.
Lawes strong as always.
George better at the line out which is a bit of a relief, and good in broken play.

Young's only seems to be able to box kick. What's happened to any other part of his game? Passing slow and laboured, running non existent. Feel like we have an issue at 9 overall.

And great to see Manu back. I know the Aussies weren't looking too hot when he came on but they looked terrified of him. He's just so distructive. Really hope he's back for the 6n and on full strength.

All in all I'm pretty happy. With players set to return and back in winning ways things are starting to look up again.

 

[Scotty]

10. Ford
11. Cokonasiga
12. Farrell
13. Tuilagi
14. May
15. Brown

Could be something special

So no JJ, no watson, no daly. Not disagreeing that that is a strong as team but damn out depth is really getting somewhere if we can leave out them players.

 

[Chief Pete]

Joe Cokansiga RWC19's Jonah Lomu?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So no JJ, no watson, no daly. Not disagreeing that that is a strong as team but damn out depth is really getting somewhere if we can leave out them players.

To be fair there's no way of knowing what state JJ and Watson will be in when they come back - JJ's form had dipped massively before his injury.
There was real talk of Watson not coming back his injury, such was the severity of it/his play style.

Atm Daly wouldn't get into my 15, simply because he's fallen into the jack of all trades master of none. It'd be him vs Joe C for the wing spot (a fit Tuilagi is nailed on 13), and I'm on record as not rating Daly's general wing play massively. 23 shirt, for me.

However if Tuilagi doesn't make the 6N, and JJ doesn't find some form whenever it is he's back (soon isn't it?) then I really want to see Daly given a shot at 13, because Slade hasn't exactly nailed that shirt down.

 

[Derpus]

As expected.

I wouldnt get too carried away as an English fan. This Wallabies team are about on par with Italy.

Also Farrell gets away with All Black level infringements. That shoulder charge lol.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I wouldnt get too carried away as an English fan.

Literally no one is

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

As expected.

I wouldnt get too carried away as an English fan. This Wallabies team are about on par with Italy.

Also Farrell gets away with All Black level infringements. That shoulder charge lol.

The shoulder charge was a penalty try imo but then Australia got away with a clear yellow card offense so it kinda balances out.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Seemed like a decent performance for Oz from the highlights. A little unlucky to have one try chalked off, looked every inch the penalty try and yellow card with Farrell. So they could have scored around 30 points.

Was there signs of life in the Wallabie 10/12 combo?

Also what was the deal with Kerevi jogging back for the English try that was disallowed. He only started sprinting when it was too late.

And finally, have to share the Sinckler love. I love a big front rower with nimble feet and soft hands. Reminds me of Ledesma.

 

[Scotty]

So after that for me id be stuggling to get a team together all available

So(first name my first choice)

LHP mako genge moon
Hooker george hartley LCD
THP sinkler williams cole
Lock itoje lawes launchbury
BSF wilson shields mercer
OSF underhill curry
No8 billy hughes simmonds
SH youngs care wiggs
FH Farrell ford cips
IC teo(farrell when ford is 10)
OC JJ Manu Slade
Wing may watson Big joe nowell ashton
FB brown

11,13,14,15,23.....Daly

I dont hate daly at 15, he just needs time to get himself there at club level by playing week in week out...which wont happen with le roux at wasps. Great talent and care ford daly is a great impact bench.

 

[The5thOfficial]

At least we didn't labour to a 9-6 win too.

All good today. Lot to think about. Some exciting options but also decisions to be made. But at least we have decisions to make

Yeah you didn't labour to a 9-6 win. And we didn't labour to a 12-11 win either

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

10. Ford
11. Cokonasiga
12. Farrell
13. Tuilagi
14. May
15. Brown

Could be something special

How can your takeaway of Farrell playing 3 strong games at 10 and providing game changing impact off the bench in the one other game be: "so obviously we're going with Ford at 10..." Ford is good to have off the bench if we need to change things up. But Farrell is the captain, the fly half and our most important back.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Didn't see the game so I'm talking about the Farrell tackle in isolation... Jaco Peyper is dangerous and needs to be taken off the circuit.

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

Problem is it's difficult to bring in someone from outside the group now.

I would have liked Woodward to been given some international experience even if he hasn't been at his best for this season so far. A fresh environment and surrounded by quality would have paid dividends IMO.

What about Watson?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

How can your takeaway of Farrell playing 3 strong games at 10 and providing game changing impact off the bench in the one other game be: "so obviously we're going with Ford at 10..." Ford is good to have off the bench if we need to change things up. But Farrell is the captain, the fly half and our most important back.

Who would you have at 12 instead? The back line clearly functions so much better with the Ford-Farrell axis. I genuinely don't see how anyone can contest that at this point.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

How can your takeaway of Farrell playing 3 strong games at 10 and providing game changing impact off the bench in the one other game be: "so obviously we're going with Ford at 10..." Ford is good to have off the bench if we need to change things up. But Farrell is the captain, the fly half and our most important back.

This is less a question of who should be our 10 and more a question of who should be our 12. If we decide Farrell is our best 12 then someone else obviously must occupy the 10 slot. Cirpirani is the poster boy but I think he comes with too much baggage that could affect the team long term.

 

[Reiser99]

Didn't see the game so I'm talking about the Farrell tackle in isolation... Jaco Peyper is dangerous and needs to be taken off the circuit.

I've always thought he wasn't international standard and certainly every English person I've heard or read from said it was a penalty try.

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

Who would you have at 12 instead? The back line clearly functions so much better with the Ford-Farrell axis. I genuinely don't see how anyone can contest that at this point.

I firmly believe England will be more competitive with Farrell - Te'o than Ford - Farrell. Having the option off the bench is nice for the last 20 if the game goes that way. I'm personally hopeful that Tuilagi can slot in at 12 ahead of Te'o and JJ can return at 13. If you're lucky enough to have one of the best players in the world, in the most important position on the pitch, why do you shoehorn him into a position that he is definitely less effective in? If Ford was similarly talented in that position, then fine, but he's not.

I'd rather have a 9/10 fly-half with a 6/10 inside centre than I would have a 7/10 fly-half and a 7.5-8/10 inside centre. Also as an aside, whilst I think he has been rusty, I don't think Te'o has been that bad since the defensive **** show that him and Slade put on against SA.

 

[Mr Ruggleby]

This is less a question of who should be our 10 and more a question of who should be our 12. If we decide Farrell is our best 12 then someone else obviously must occupy the 10 slot. Cirpirani is the poster boy but I think he comes with too much baggage that could affect the team long term.

As I said above. 10 is a more important position. Even with Te'o as the next best option, the gap between Farrell and the next best 12 is about the same as between Farrell and the next best 10. 10 is a more important position, so I'd rather have my best there. Also, Teo/Tuilagi bring things that Farrell doesn't ball in hand. I'm not sure on current form that Ford brings anything significant more than Farrell in any aspect of his game. I like him on the bench so that if we want to open up later in the game, he can do that alongside Farrell then.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

If Tuilagi comes back I reckon you need to try Lozowski at 12.