June International Test: Australia vs. England [1st Test] (11/06/2016)

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Quite possibly people forget he was found usually wanting last year just that Lancaster went for even poorer options in Barritt & Burgess when dropping him.

I think Ford/Farrell should be combo we'll use for some time unless a real 12 option turns up. It works it's won us Grand Slam now a game Down Under and may go onto getting us a series win. No point changing it which is why I was calling for it before the team was announced and why I thought EJ would go with it.

I can't help feeling that if you're gonna have Faz at 12 to kick goals, then why not have Cips at 10? Ah well, Ford did very well today so can't complain too much.

 

[spartan32]

On another note Burrell has surely lost any chance of breaking back into the England set up. Him being replaced changed the entire tide of the game. If EJ is going to put another heavy lad in at 12 it's going to be Te'o, although after that performance I'd imagine the Ford/Faz axis will be reinstated. The only other change of make would be Nowell for Yard, who took a walk in try but missed a good opportunity to score before that by showing neither good footwork, pace or power. Nowell is just better. Bit worried about Browns pace as well. A 15 being chased down by a 10 isn't great, also not convinced by LCD, but all in all pretty happy with the performances of the rest.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Cracking test match.

My one question from it, is that Burrell's last test?

I'd have thought that now, unless there is a (very) long line of injuries in the centres and fly halves, then yes it was. Gutted for him, he's clearly desperate to play and do well for England, but sadly he's had too many chances to have one more.

 

[ncurd]

I can't help feeling that if you're gonna have Faz at 12 to kick goals, then why not have Cips at 10? Ah well, Ford did very well today so can't complain too much.

I like Cips a lot. However sadly I dont think he'll never get picked again he's just too old to mount a big enough come back. He just doesn't offer enough more than Ford.

Faz isn't just there to kick goals but as a second decision maker and I've always felt England play better when we have one. Honestly it's tactical throughout the game not just kicking why I'd do it.

Plus we need to remember Ford and Farrell are 23 and 24 respectively they could be around for the next two world cup. Let's grow the team round them rather than hoping makes it at 32.

 

[j'nuh]

Let's go all out and have 10. Ford 12. Farrell 13. Slade 15. Cipriani

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Let's go all out and have 10. Ford 12. Farrell 13. Slade 15. Cipriani

Don't forget to put Alex Goode on the wing.

 

[ncurd]

Don't forget to put Alex Goode on the wing.

And send Itoje to the cloning vats for the forwards.

 

[stus768]

I like Cips a lot. However sadly I dont think he'll never get picked again he's just too old to mount a big enough come back. He just doesn't offer enough more than Ford.

Faz isn't just there to kick goals but as a second decision maker and I've always felt England play better when we have one. Honestly it's tactical throughout the game not just kicking why I'd do it.

Plus we need to remember Ford and Farrell are 23 and 24 respectively they could be around for the next two world cup. Let's grow the team round them rather than hoping makes it at 32.

What? He's 28!!! I think he's more of a big game player than Farrell. I remember his first cap where he tore Ireland apart and was bossing all the experienced England players.

 

[ncurd]

What? He's 28!!! I think he's more of a big game player than Farrell. I remember his first cap where he tore Ireland apart and was bossing all the experienced England players.

I meant for the RWC I think it's fair to say when a player is not established at 28 and there are two viable alternatives just as good who are 4-5 years younger that age plays a factor and making the world cup is important.

Look Cips is a career has been a missed opportunity for England but it's going to take injuries for him to make an international come back now.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

It was an excellent bit of management to remove Burrell. But before we laud Jones as a total tactical genius let's remember who selected him in the first place....

Very good performance but the amidst all the euphoria let's not forget that we were out scored in tries and the Aussies also created several other chances. The main thing that I took from today is the importance of taking your chances and the difference a top class kicker makes in games against the very best. Farrell hit 9 from 10 - if he'd have missed a couple of pens and the 2 early Aussie tries had been converted we'd have been looking at a 10 point swing and a completely different game. Whether he plays at 10 or 12, Farrell must start.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

what was majorly shown today was England's lack of strike runners. Aus had Phipps, Foley, Kerevi, Kuridarani and Folau all fully capable of breaking our defensive line, while we had no one able to do that to them. Our tries were due to handling errors or poor maul defence, so in reality, a fair bit of luck. If Cheika was to put out a back line of 9. Phipps 10. Foley 11. Kuridrani 12. Kerevi 13. Folau 14. Naiyaravoro 15. Haylett-Petty England would not be able to handle it. Sure that team defensively is questionable, but they don't need to defend if the only player in our line capable of attacking is Watson out on the wing. Every time Oz got they're strike runners hitting holes, they made major metres and as an England supporter I shat myself. If they can get Folau in the game more and get real fire power on the wings, England are f-ed. It'll be interesting seeing what Cheika does.

 

[spartan32]

It was an excellent bit of management to remove Burrell. But before we laud Jones as a total tactical genius let's remember who selected him in the first place....

Very good performance but the amidst all the euphoria let's not forget that we were out scored in tries and the Aussies also created several other chances. The main thing that I took from today is the importance of taking your chances and the difference a top class kicker makes in games against the very best. Farrell hit 9 from 10 - if he'd have missed a couple of pens and the 2 early Aussie tries had been converted we'd have been looking at a 10 point swing and a completely different game. Whether he plays at 10 or 12, Farrell must start.

I think that's a far point. We were out scored in the try department, and the Aussies were always posing a threat, but it felt like we had good control of the game for the most part. Plus the first two tries were scored past a back line containing Burrell who was clearly out of his depth, had we started how we finished would that have meant a different story?

Anyway it's clearly a good match up with both teams brining different threats to the table. Pressure is on the Aussies in this next game which is going to have at least some effect on them. It's going to be very interesting.

 

[McTallshort]

what was majorly shown today was England's lack of strike runners. Aus had Phipps, Foley, Kerevi, Kuridarani and Folau all fully capable of breaking our defensive line, while we had no one able to do that to them. Our tries were due to handling errors or poor maul defence, so in reality, a fair bit of luck. If Cheika was to put out a back line of 9. Phipps 10. Foley 11. Kuridrani 12. Kerevi 13. Folau 14. Naiyaravoro 15. Haylett-Petty England would not be able to handle it. Sure that team defensively is questionable, but they don't need to defend if the only player in our line capable of attacking is Watson out on the wing. Every time Oz got they're strike runners hitting holes, they made major metres and as an England supporter I shat myself. If they can get Folau in the game more and get real fire power on the wings, England are f-ed. It'll be interesting seeing what Cheika does.

Sorry that's wrong. At test level most of the scoring opportunities come from opposition mistakes. The ability to spot those and capitalise on them makes a great test side.the all blacks have been doing that for years

 

[spartan32]

what was majorly shown today was England's lack of strike runners. Aus had Phipps, Foley, Kerevi, Kuridarani and Folau all fully capable of breaking our defensive line, while we had no one able to do that to them. Our tries were due to handling errors or poor maul defence, so in reality, a fair bit of luck. If Cheika was to put out a back line of 9. Phipps 10. Foley 11. Kuridrani 12. Kerevi 13. Folau 14. Naiyaravoro 15. Haylett-Petty England would not be able to handle it. Sure that team defensively is questionable, but they don't need to defend if the only player in our line capable of attacking is Watson out on the wing. Every time Oz got they're strike runners hitting holes, they made major metres and as an England supporter I shat myself. If they can get Folau in the game more and get real fire power on the wings, England are f-ed. It'll be interesting seeing what Cheika does.

Yes the Aussies have some threatening strike runners and yes they out scored us in the try department, but they also failed to convert several opportunities and Foley leaked points like a sieve. England controlled most of the game with the Aussies desperately trying to attack from deep and time after time running out of steam before they made it over the white wash. They also gave away twice the number of penalties and lost a player to the bin, and I can't be certain but I think we managed more turnovers and dealt really well Pooper, and what's more we've still got buckets of potential.

EJ was right, we didn't play anywhere near as well as we could have, and that should make the Aussies worried, very worried.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Yes the Aussies have some threatening strike runners and yes they out scored us in the try department, but they also failed to convert several opportunities and Foley leaked points like a sieve. England controlled most of the game with the Aussies desperately trying to attack from deep and time after time running out of steam before they made it over the white wash. They also gave away twice the number of penalties and lost a player to the bin, and I can't be certain but I think we managed more turnovers and dealt really well Pooper, and what's more we've still got buckets of potential.

EJ was right, we didn't play anywhere near as well as we could have, and that should make the Aussies worried, very worried.

I think the reason they failed to convert all of their opportunities is because this game they're 2 least threatening backs in attack were their wings. The centres, Foley and Folau were busting holes all game but they didn't have the wings to finish it, which is why I think they should shift Folau to 13 with Kuridrani on the wing.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/8-smoking-hot-observations-from-england-vs-australia/

Lack of Australians on this board commenting on this thread so thought I'd put link above to the Green and Gold rugby article from Hugh Cavill's thoughts on the match.

 

[ncurd]

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/8-smoking-hot-observations-from-england-vs-australia/

Lack of Australians on this board commenting on this thread so thought I'd put link above to the Green and Gold rugby article from Hugh Cavill's thoughts on the match.

Pretty fair assessment a little salty about the ref though. Thought Poite was alright with no real clunkers. The YC was legitimately though three in a row and it was partially because Aus penalty count was getting so high.

 

[Peat]

More upbeat than I was expecting for an Australian point of view. I'd be seething about the way the basics went wrong and a good early lead got thrown away.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

[video=youtube_share;IFBVNx8RV_g]http://youtu.be/IFBVNx8RV_g[/video]

Highlights of the tries of the game courtesy of Rugby Dump.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Who does Haskell step after he breaks from the maul before a try?

Very very embarrassing for those involved :')