England are they any good

[IanPepperwick]

?

 

[ncurd]

Man this a better first post than the guy about French refs.

You don't equal the world record for winning streak by being pants.

 

[McTallshort]

no we are crap.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Man this a better first post than the guy about French refs.

You don't equal the world record for winning streak by being pants.

Man I was just going to say. Thought that one was a shoe-in for Thread of the Year at the TRFies but this has gotta be the front-runner now.

In fact the overall quality of threads on this forum has taken a dramatic upturn recently...

 

[Goodey]

You don't equal the world record for winning streak by being pants.

Cyprus managed it

 

[Goodey]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39249287

It says compare, but all Jerry does is chat a bit. I'm going to compare.

1. Woodman v Vunipola

If you need a solid technical operator then Woodman is your man. But with the strength of this pack I don't really. Mako gives us so many options in attacking play.

2. Thompson v Hartley

Again choosing the more mobile player over the set piece specialist, but Thompson had great lineout figures too.

3. Vickery v Cole

Even though I feel Cole is unfairly maligned, the article says he doesn't carry well even though he's scored 3 tries in the last year, Vickery is one of the best scrummaging props England and the Lions have had.

4. Johnson v Launchbury

Best lock of all time vs Launchbury is a bit rough on Launchbury.

5. Kay v Lawes

Kay was an effective workhorse whose workrate looks pretty average compared to England's modern dynamic locks. Would have Kruis, Launchbury or Itoje here.

6. Hill v Itoje

Itoje is a potential great but for now is filling in the #6 spot for Robshaw, himself a poor man's Hill.

7. Back v Haskell

Pfft. Next.

8. Dallaglio v Vunipola

Billy is getting a rough break here again, he is 24 but you could already make the argument he is more impactful and more versatile than Dallaglio was. He just doesn't have the great man's body of work.

9. Dawson v Youngs

Youngs is another harshly treated England player but he blows hot and cold.

10. Wilkinson v Ford

If you put the best parts of Ford (kicking out of hand, footwork, distribution) with the best parts of Farrell (goal kicking, defense, tenacity) you'd have Johnny Wilkinson. Both good players who don't hold a candle to the 2003 vintage 10.

11. Robinson v Watson/Daly

Again the new players here perhaps do have an advantage in . But it's not enough to make up for the number of defenders Robinson left lying confused on the floor.

12. Greenwood v Farrell

Since I have Wilkinson in the side I don't really need Farrell to kick, so I'll take Greenwood's extra playmaking skill. But this is close and I would expect to see Farrell take over soon.

13. Tindall v Joseph

One that the modern team can be locked in for. Joseph has looked so good in attack over the last 18 months it's easy to forget how efficient a defender he is, so he more than makes up for Tindall's physicality.

14. Cohen v Nowell

I'll stick my neck out and claim that despite his try count Cohen was little more than a strong runner and finisher, essentially a proto-Chris Ashton who played in a better team. Nowell has similar stamina and winger's finishing ability but also brings a useful kicking game and surprisingly effective breakdown work.

15. Lewsey v Brown

The incisive, slippery Mike Brown of 3 years ago would have a good shout, but not any more. In a year's time we could well see Watson or Daly take this spot, however.
The 2017 vintage take 4/15 and I find myself being generous to them. But so many of them are just coming into their prime. Quite a few (most likely Farrell, Vunipola and Daly IMO) could be better placed to challenge the 2003 side in five years' time.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

We are completely ****, even Italy could thrash us. Honestly, it would be a miracle if we could even compete in the 2nd tier of Europe, let alone the 6 nations.

 

[Reiser99]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39249287

It says compare, but all Jerry does is chat a bit. I'm going to compare.

1. Woodman v Vunipola

If you need a solid technical operator then Woodman is your man. But with the strength of this pack I don't really. Mako gives us so many options in attacking play.

2. Thompson v Hartley

Again choosing the more mobile player over the set piece specialist, but Thompson had great lineout figures too.

3. Vickery v Cole

Even though I feel Cole is unfairly maligned, the article says he doesn't carry well even though he's scored 3 tries in the last year, Vickery is one of the best scrummaging props England and the Lions have had.

4. Johnson v Launchbury

Best lock of all time vs Launchbury is a bit rough on Launchbury.

5. Kay v Lawes

Kay was an effective workhorse whose workrate looks pretty average compared to England's modern dynamic locks. Would have Kruis, Launchbury or Itoje here.

6. Hill v Itoje

Itoje is a potential great but for now is filling in the #6 spot for Robshaw, himself a poor man's Hill.

7. Back v Haskell

Pfft. Next.

8. Dallaglio v Vunipola

Billy is getting a rough break here again, he is 24 but you could already make the argument he is more impactful and more versatile than Dallaglio was. He just doesn't have the great man's body of work.

9. Dawson v Youngs

Youngs is another harshly treated England player but he blows hot and cold.

10. Wilkinson v Ford

If you put the best parts of Ford (kicking out of hand, footwork, distribution) with the best parts of Farrell (goal kicking, defense, tenacity) you'd have Johnny Wilkinson. Both good players who don't hold a candle to the 2003 vintage 10.

11. Robinson v Watson/Daly

Again the new players here perhaps do have an advantage in . But it's not enough to make up for the number of defenders Robinson left lying confused on the floor.

12. Greenwood v Farrell

Since I have Wilkinson in the side I don't really need Farrell to kick, so I'll take Greenwood's extra playmaking skill. But this is close and I would expect to see Farrell take over soon.

13. Tindall v Joseph

One that the modern team can be locked in for. Joseph has looked so good in attack over the last 18 months it's easy to forget how efficient a defender he is, so he more than makes up for Tindall's physicality.

14. Cohen v Nowell

I'll stick my neck out and claim that despite his try count Cohen was little more than a strong runner and finisher, essentially a proto-Chris Ashton who played in a better team. Nowell has similar stamina and winger's finishing ability but also brings a useful kicking game and surprisingly effective breakdown work.

15. Lewsey v Brown

The incisive, slippery Mike Brown of 3 years ago would have a good shout, but not any more. In a year's time we could well see Watson or Daly take this spot, however.
The 2017 vintage take 4/15 and I find myself being generous to them. But so many of them are just coming into their prime. Quite a few (most likely Farrell, Vunipola and Daly IMO) could be better placed to challenge the 2003 side in five years' time.

For me this is a ridiculous article, mainly for two reasons. First is that the game is played differently and so trying to compare skills sets is hard, especially for some positions like 7. Second is the age. This is a very young team by comparison, many players have plenty of time to get better. England in 2003 were pretty much at their peak. Compare 22 year old Hill to Itoje at 22...on the other hand those players went through the professionalism transistion and so did not have the coaching level they do now.

 

[McTallshort]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39249287

It says compare, but all Jerry does is chat a bit. I'm going to compare.

1. Woodman v Vunipola

If you need a solid technical operator then Woodman is your man. But with the strength of this pack I don't really. Mako gives us so many options in attacking play.

2. Thompson v Hartley

Again choosing the more mobile player over the set piece specialist, but Thompson had great lineout figures too.

3. Vickery v Cole

Even though I feel Cole is unfairly maligned, the article says he doesn't carry well even though he's scored 3 tries in the last year, Vickery is one of the best scrummaging props England and the Lions have had.

4. Johnson v Launchbury

Best lock of all time vs Launchbury is a bit rough on Launchbury.

5. Kay v Lawes

Kay was an effective workhorse whose workrate looks pretty average compared to England's modern dynamic locks. Would have Kruis, Launchbury or Itoje here.

6. Hill v Itoje

Itoje is a potential great but for now is filling in the #6 spot for Robshaw, himself a poor man's Hill.

7. Back v Haskell

Pfft. Next.

8. Dallaglio v Vunipola

Billy is getting a rough break here again, he is 24 but you could already make the argument he is more impactful and more versatile than Dallaglio was. He just doesn't have the great man's body of work.

9. Dawson v Youngs

Youngs is another harshly treated England player but he blows hot and cold.

10. Wilkinson v Ford

If you put the best parts of Ford (kicking out of hand, footwork, distribution) with the best parts of Farrell (goal kicking, defense, tenacity) you'd have Johnny Wilkinson. Both good players who don't hold a candle to the 2003 vintage 10.

11. Robinson v Watson/Daly

Again the new players here perhaps do have an advantage in . But it's not enough to make up for the number of defenders Robinson left lying confused on the floor.

12. Greenwood v Farrell

Since I have Wilkinson in the side I don't really need Farrell to kick, so I'll take Greenwood's extra playmaking skill. But this is close and I would expect to see Farrell take over soon.

13. Tindall v Joseph

One that the modern team can be locked in for. Joseph has looked so good in attack over the last 18 months it's easy to forget how efficient a defender he is, so he more than makes up for Tindall's physicality.

14. Cohen v Nowell

I'll stick my neck out and claim that despite his try count Cohen was little more than a strong runner and finisher, essentially a proto-Chris Ashton who played in a better team. Nowell has similar stamina and winger's finishing ability but also brings a useful kicking game and surprisingly effective breakdown work.

15. Lewsey v Brown

The incisive, slippery Mike Brown of 3 years ago would have a good shout, but not any more. In a year's time we could well see Watson or Daly take this spot, however.
The 2017 vintage take 4/15 and I find myself being generous to them. But so many of them are just coming into their prime. Quite a few (most likely Farrell, Vunipola and Daly IMO) could be better placed to challenge the 2003 side in five years' time.

Obviously never watched Ben Kay play

 

[Maverick1987]

I'm not sure if England are any good really but I've spoken to a few of my Celtic mates and they tell me we are as lucky as **** .....