Well I've left it till this late to have my say on the game because I knew there would be a huge backlash from the end result and the match winning/losing decision made by the TMO. I began to power through the many pages of Rants but seems to be the same things being said, So I stopped at page 50 odd and going to have my say.
All in All, one hell of a match and was exactly as I expected. A bruising encounter full of errors but ultimately one that left the viewers on the edge of their seats.
Firstly, I'm gonna get my view over and done with..... The diss-allowed try. For me, without the TMO I would have said try time for England (quite frankly was a great effort on Strettle's part). The Linesman must have been daydreaming to not call it there and then - He had the best view in the house. As soon as Steve Walsh went to TMO I got the feeling that the evidence would be inconclusive - due to the number of Welsh defenders that Scrabbled to prevent the try. For me, had Steve Walsh had gone with benefit of the doubt (without using the TMO), the try should have been given. But considering he bottled it and left the decision to someone else showed how poor of a game he had (He missed things on both sides throughout the match).
For those that claim that the welsh came with a level of arrogance, then Its the English media's doing. I may be rather tunnel visioned with what I read, but all the "arrogance" was written within English press claiming to quote the Welsh team in the run up to the match. As per usual I presume the western mail did their usual antics of stirring a huge caldron of steaming s!£t (but we all expect that anyways). The real rugby fans that actually follow rugby (and don't just watch it as an excuse to get p!s!ed) were never doubting a highly contested match - quite frankly England at HQ is a hell of a task for any side!!!
England have lots of things to be optimistic about, regardless of the result. Lancaster has done a superb job of developing a team spirit within the camp, and their willingness to put their bodies on the line for each other is evident in their defensive efforts. At first I didn't think the Center combination of the two bruising "crash ballers" Tuilagi and Barrett would work, but having Farrell orchestrating the show really seemed to work (Superb game from him and a turning point was certainly he's substitution). I'd like to see the press Prevent themselves from putting him on a Pedestal though, let him play and don't hype him up and pile on the pressure (The guy is clearly talented, let him play rugby!!!). For me, If England are to keep progressing as they are, I'd keep Lancaster in charge on a permanent basis (why ruin a good formula that is evidently starting to develop nicely)
Sam Warburton, what an absolute work horse!! He amazes me every game how much he puts his body on the line. That Bootlace tackle on Tuilagi was a showstopping moment for me. I thought the Pack in general had a very good game. Considering the injuries to the second rows, Ian Evans and Alun Wyn worked nicely as a paring (I know they play together at the ospreys but Club and Country are two different matters). I've read lots criticizing Ken Owens' performance, I honestly thought he had a solid game. There were instances where the line out creaked, but that was mostly down to England being extremely competitive.
So Italy next, I do hope there are no unforced changes to the side. Consistency is key to developing a winning habit. A nice weekend off will cure the bumps and bruises. If Fit, I hope Roberts is not used as a battering ram like Saturday. Its just a lazy 1 dimensional play from us, and we play better when his power is combines with some dummy lines to draw in defenders. I'm really looking forward to the Italian Match. Italy are progressing nicely (for 50 mins on the weekend they matched Ireland) and will certainly prove a worthy opponent towards a Welsh team High on
Confidence.
Dare I say If Roberts is deemed unfit, then a certain Orange one may make a Cameo???? (nice touches in his games at 12 for the Blues
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