[EOYT] England vs New Zealand 16/11/13

[Tony Manx]

We are the most dominant team in history! We ve beaten them all .A very satisfying victory indeed! Nonu,Piatau,MCcaw,Read,Crockett ,Saveathey were all outstanding .i ll enjoy my Sauvignon blanc !!!

Right on all counts....cheers to a good team and to you sir!

 

[Groundhog]

right, because France and England are such bad teams !
nah but, I don't see Ireland winning for the first time ever, but anyways. Will be an interesting match.

No but I'd say we're all at a similar level at the moment, and as we're playing them at the end of a tough tour we should have the best chance. If we beat the Wallabies today we'll be very confident. We'll do it for BO'D. Fair play England well fought

 

[kesh]

I agree. If Ireland can show some dominance up front today and come away with a win I'd have some hope going into the AB game. I think Ireland's back line is better than the one England put out today.

Dont see any reason why Ireland couldn't come away with something. Expect Ireland to run them close at least. The injuries last year were pretty dreadful for Ireland, in the Italy game they could've started calling people from the crowd as they had no backs left to substitute.

 

[austingtir]

Something like this perhaps...?



I'm not a wild fan of how deliberate petty offending has come into the game (unless I'm doing it) but its an option open to every team and copied from the best.

I enjoyed that. Good game. Real puzzle as to what I think of this England set-up now.

No thats a totally different thing to what he was talking about.... every team in the world does what you see above. What we saw in the game today.... Every break England made around the 50minute mark was a direct result of someone directly obstructing a tackler.

 

[SecondRow04]

Considering the injuries and having Tomkins and Ashton on the pitch I thought we gave a good account of ourselves. Thought Billy Vunipola had a great game when he was on, his one man army carrying is impressive. Our pack kept us in the game tho. Glad we went to the corner and eventually got the try in the first half, could have so easily took the 3 points which would of been negative. Hope to see a fit Yarde and Wade start in the 6nations, and Joseph warms the 13 jersey until Tuilagi is fit.

 

[Aristodemus]

Both #8 were outstanding today, quite a battle for the starting shirt.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Both #8 were outstanding today, quite a battle for the starting shirt.

I would like to see Morgan start with Binny as an impact sub. Binny seems a bit more 1 dimensional than Morgan but probably more powerful.

 

[Tony Manx]

dont feed the troll.

Yeah you are right!!

 

[martinspoonboy1]

Very proud of England. With the addition of Corbs in the pack, Yarde, Wade and Tuilagi in the backline we have reason to be optimistic. Just need to consistently play with that desire and intensity. Congrats to Dan Carter and the AB's!

 

[racingmetrofan]

Excellent game from both teams and NZ showed why they are the best team in the world. Was surprised it took them so long to stop kicking it to Vunipola at the restarts!

Youngs had a shocker when he came on, Tomkins and Ashton weren't up to international standard at all. Don't want to see Tomkins in an England jersey again. Lancaster should bring in a hooker that can actually throw for Youngs. But it looks like we've finally got the foundation, and two 6 nations and a 3 match tour of NZ to bring all of the right players through! Brown and 12trees really stood out, and I think Farrell and Foden did pretty well too. We really missed Barritt and Tulagi in this game!

 

[Prestwick]

I'm pretty damn proud of England as well. When Farrell (who did everything that was asked of him and more) kicked us into the lead, you had Kiwi heads turning and mouthing "lightning DOES strike twice". Its just the inability of the subs to get into the game (bar Morgan who had a stormer after BV's storming 60 minutes) that undid us.

I'm sorry to say that Tompkins isn't really an England 13. It just isn't working out and despite all the promise he's showed it just didn't come together. He just doesn't do what we're expecting of him and thats to draw the defenders and offload. We need to try someone else. Ashton's road has also come to an end. Massive improvement on the week before but really? Kick to the corner when England have momentum really? Unforgivable in my books.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I'm pretty damn proud of England as well. When Farrell (who did everything that was asked of him and more) kicked us into the lead, you had Kiwi heads turning and mouthing "lightning DOES strike twice". Its just the inability of the subs to get into the game (bar Morgan who had a stormer after BV's storming 60 minutes) that undid us.

I'm sorry to say that Tompkins isn't really an England 13. It just isn't working out and despite all the promise he's showed it just didn't come together. He just doesn't do what we're expecting of him and thats to draw the defenders and offload. We need to try someone else. Ashton's road has also come to an end. Massive improvement on the week before but really? Kick to the corner when England have momentum really? Unforgivable in my books.

It is kind of funny that Tomkins biggest contribution was when he had a pass miss him that ended up in 12trees hands for the try against Argentina.

 

[Prestwick]

The guy was there to pop offloads all over the place. And yet despite making all these little half breaks and with england guys hanging so close to his shoulders they may as well be sitting on him and then...nothing?

For a guy coming from an excellent rugby league background at Wigan and International level he needs to sit down and wonder why he doesn't have the confidence to do that.

No. He just isn't good enough.

 

[SelimNiai]

I had a nasty feeling about the hour mark in this game in that England could have won and we'd have to endure the smugness (but then it would last till the 6N where we'd crush you again but thats beside the point).

Thought Billy Vunipola had a great game (I'd been a bit "meh" about him in the previous ones because of the hype around him) and 36 played well, he's slowly adjusting to International Rugby and didnt look out of place.

Also, dat lump on Robshaws eyelid, impressive.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Tomkins did exactly what I thought he'd do - not be a liability.
I wasn't expecting him to do anything special, because he doesn't for Sarries.

Tom Youngs' seems to have regressed in his hooking fundamentals after he had improved last year - the lineout looked decidedly **** when he came on.
That also brings Parling's supposed benefits under scrutiny.

I really, really am not happy with Ben Youngs. He makes me extremely nervous the second he comes on.

On the whole I think everyone will agree our forward pack is very good.
Now we need to have a look at Kvesic - we cannot leave him without experience.
If Robshaw or Wood are injured then we don't want him to be getting his first senior cap in a 6N decider.

 

[Aristodemus]

I had a nasty feeling about the hour mark in this game in that England could have won and we'd have to endure the smugness (but then it would last till the 6N where we'd crush you again but thats beside the point).

Smugness you say

I think most England fans are happy with today, we didn't win but after conceding two early tries it could have all gone wrong. A lesser nation like Wales would have fallen apart (all in jest my good man).

 

[SelimNiai]

Smugness you say

I think most England fans are happy with today, we didn't win but after conceding two early tries it could have all gone wrong. A lesser nation like Wales would have fallen apart (all in jest my good man).

And they should be happy.

It may be jest but theres truth in what you say. Theres a comparison between England and us that I was pondering over and that it is England have the belief rather than the man to man talent and we have the talent but not the belief.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Can't remember if it was here, or elsewhere, but I saw someone say:
The All Blacks have different effects on sides. Some treat them like any other side (ie Springboks) some raise their game (England/France) and some sh*t themselves.

 

[Zapphod]

Smugness you say

I think most England fans are happy with today, we didn't win but after conceding two early tries it could have all gone wrong. A lesser nation like Wales would have fallen apart (all in jest my good man).

Really I would be a bit embarassed by all the diving going on, I thought we were playing the Italian soccer team for a minute (firmly believe that people milking penalties should be cited and banned for a game)and the amount of sheparding I wont get into.

On the whole it was exactly as expected from the All Blacks constant attack at the expense of solid defense fortunately we attacked better than you defended but it isn't a great way to play rugby and it will come unstuck sooner or later.

On the whole I just do not think the All Blacks played very well.

 

[SuperEagle]

Great game of rugby. On balance, the all blacks deserved the win but, considering he injuries, England can take a lot of heart from their performance.

I was very disappointed by the impact of the English subs. The trio of Youngs, Parling and Youngs were far from their best and Flood was ineffective. A bad outing for the Tigers cohort.

Why did the AllBlacks stop their wide-wide game that was so effective in the first quarter? Is it because they just could keep the intensity up?