RBS 6 Nations - France vs England - 11/03/2012, 15:00

[Eirian]

I stand by england being the best team, all this hysteria about wales having their "golden generation", this england side which had been given the bare minimum of support in the press goes to France and beats the French. Should also have beaten wales and be playing for a grand slam

How laughable. You bemoan how this Welsh team is so heralded but after one win - by two points - you are hailing your England team as the best in the 6N by a mile.

I think I'll let the results tell me who the best team in the 6N rather than an outspoken forum fan.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

So we went to Ireland and won and England and won, surely the team at the top deserves a little more credit Ted, in fairness today England donw well and deserved the victoy, all games have been very close between the top four and small margins mean big prizes unfortunately if you are not Welsh everyone seems to think we are being hyped up and are not that good all I will say is Ireland won Scotland won England won Italy won our team has all the element to go on to be an extremely good team are we there yet no we can improve some of course but to say we are not that good and over hyped (except for Jiffy and paper talk which is pants) is a bit below the belt.

You do not win the six nations by being a poor team.


Come to think of it I should of picked the right numbers on Friday night I would of been a millionaire now........:huh:

I think your'e right in that Ted needs to get rid of the if's and but's, which are irrelevant and all teams can lay claim to them. But, Rob, I can't help but notice you do slightly lurk on these threads waiting to defend against anyone making a point about the Welsh hype. It doesn't really need to be taken too seriously I don't think, we all know wales are a very good side. let's continue to talk about the excellent game we just saw however - which this thread is dedicated to - rather than going off on one about this.

 

[Big Ewis]

Three tries, yeah I'd say England was "the better team", and I'm not being bitter with the quot. marks...
I was devastated. I feel a little bit better now 15 min after the end.

I'll say this though: it's a tragedy we didn't score that first try in the opening 5min. That first try England got on the block confused France badly, and the second straight after just dismantled us psychologically.
This game easily, easily could have happened otherwise. It was a matter of messing up our momentum, and though we looked good for once in the opening minutes in this tournament, they got to us...

I can't even say "congrats" because this is just a disgusting loss "innit". Trinduc with a perfect trajectory, just not enough juice...NOW I know how Wales felt during the RWC semis.

 

[Big Ewis]

...and it's funny how even though I JUST SAW THE MATCH, I still ask myself "how the hell did England beat us ?!"
It barely makes any sense...
Now they're ACTUALLY in contention for the championship if we beat Wales, lol wtf ?!

 

[jack6161]

These comments make me scratch my head too.
Yes, he had a blinder today, but hindsight is a fantastic thing.

Ashton may well score 3 tries vs Ireland next weekend, but would I drop him now? In a heartbeat.

I would've brought on Brown for Ashton, and keep Sharples and Strettle on the wing in the future, Ashton has lost his touch. Croft has never lost his touch though!

 

[cyRil]

Easily the best game of the championship so far. Massive kudos to England, played some cracking stuff.

 

[barthelemy]

England has been opportunist, playing on french silly moves..but they have not dominated the french in the game, far from that. said that, this is rugby, there is a winner and there is a looser. England is the winner today...But I do not even think they played stunningly, France has played very very poorly, we should have insist on the forward , multiplying games times..like what we did at the end of the match.. the last drop goal was a big crap, they had to insist on the forward waiting for an english mistake...

 

[Markmedown]

Well done Mr Rolland...another sterling performance!
Shocking display and you nearly managed to gift the French the victory you were clearly trying to deliver when you missed the knock on just prior to the French scoring their try.

 

[Big Ewis]

So we went to Ireland and won and England and won, surely the team at the top deserves a little more credit Ted, in fairness today England donw well and deserved the victoy, all games have been very close between the top four and small margins mean big prizes unfortunately if you are not Welsh everyone seems to think we are being hyped up and are not that good all I will say is Ireland won Scotland won England won Italy won our team has all the element to go on to be an extremely good team are we there yet no we can improve some of course but to say we are not that good and over hyped (except for Jiffy and paper talk which is pants) is a bit below the belt.

That's one hell of a long sentence, right there...makes sense though.
Just one more for you guys next week ;p

 

[Big Ewis]

Well done Mr Rolland...another sterling performance!
Shocking display and you nearly managed to gift the French the victory you were clearly trying to deliver when you missed the knock on just prior to the French scoring their try.

What a way to start posting on this forum !

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

Well...

Very glad to see a self confident, talented, promising team, even if I'm talking about England !

Don't know if Mr Ellis departure from the management is a cause, but I don't recognize the blue who without being a revelation in attack where at least one of the most solid team in this sector.

I still don't understand PSA selecting Beauxis for this match. Anyone could see that kicking to a young, nothing to loose and a lot to proove opponent was the best way to shoot a ball in his feet.

 

[barthelemy]

Well done Mr Rolland...another sterling performance!
Shocking display and you nearly managed to gift the French the victory you were clearly trying to deliver when you missed the knock on just prior to the French scoring their try.

Rolland was **** I have to agree with this (the penalty against the guy who jump on Rougerie was not really fair...for the yellow card, it was discussable..in fact in the rules, it was a clear voluntary knock on has he did not try to get the ball with the 2 hands..read the rule, it is a clear wanted knock on for this reason..the problem is that generally referees are not giving yellow card for this..)...but there was no knock on on the french try between Parra and fofana.

 

[Markmedown]

What would you like me to start with? Please let me know and I'll certainly follow
I understood it to be a forum whereby people were able to discuss issues relevant to rugby
If its just a "love in" then maybe they should think of changing the name from the rugby forum!

It was only slight but Parra knocked on when he picked the ball up at the back of the scrum

 

[monkeypigeon]

What would you like me to start with? Please let me know and I'll certainly follow
I understood it to be a forum whereby people were able to discuss issues relevant to rugby
If its just a "love in" then maybe they should think of changing the name from the rugby forum!

Just about anything but the 'criticising the ref' crap that everyone's sick of.

It wasn't that bad. there's mistakes in every match, there just happens to be some overly sensitive souls out there. (that's you).

 

[racingmetrofan]

I'm not sure Lancaster is a good enough thinker or selector, but he does seem to be a good coach, and a bloody good motivator. I'd think very carefully before dropping him. Lancaster with Smith to run the backs would interest me... mindyou, so would Mallet with Smith. Hmm.

Lancaster's brief as caretaker coach was essentially to make sure that England don't have to 'start again' before SA after 'starting again' after the world cup. As long as we don't get absolutely battered by Ireland, then he will have done his job as well as can be expected.

I don't understand the hype about appointing a coach for 4 years to take us up to the world cup. Surely as England grows or regresses or whatever, the coaching needs of the team will change?! I'd give the job to Lancaster up till 2013 and see what he can do - and we can headhunt backs/forewards/defensive coaches as needed (as the RFU have enough money to do this).

Mallet did pretty well with SA - but they had just won a world cup and were the top of their game. He did pretty well with Stade, but they were the French giants with a load of money then so essentially another great team. He then didn't do anything massively noteworthy with Italy. Mallets only real claim is that he is an international coach with lots of experience, which isn't enough of a reason for hiring him imo.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Lancaster's brief as caretaker coach was essentially to make sure that England don't have to 'start again' before SA after 'starting again' after the world cup. As long as we don't get absolutely battered by Ireland, then he will have done his job as well as can be expected.

I don't understand the hype about appointing a coach for 4 years to take us up to the world cup. Surely as England grows or regresses or whatever, the coaching needs of the team will change?! I'd give the job to Lancaster up till 2013 and see what he can do - and we can headhunt backs/forewards/defensive coaches as needed (as the RFU have enough money to do this).

Mallet did pretty well with SA - but they had just won a world cup and were the top of their game. He did pretty well with Stade, but they were the French giants with a load of money then so essentially another great team. He then didn't do anything massively noteworthy with Italy. Mallets only real claim is that he is an international coach with lots of experience, which isn't enough of a reason for hiring him imo.

The idea is that growing a team takes more than a season of two. There's some merit to it as well, seeing how long they gave Sir Clive and the results he eventually delivered.

I'd be inclined to give Lancaster the job. Whatever his failings (and those can be got around with the right management panel), he brings a great attitude and spirit to the England panel. They're no where near as hate-able as they were under Johnson.

 

[Big Ewis]

What would you like me to start with? Please let me know and I'll certainly follow
I understood it to be a forum whereby people were able to discuss issues relevant to rugby
If its just a "love in" then maybe they should think of changing the name from the rugby forum!

Yeah !! You tell em Mark !...
Take a pill buddy, you must come to realize it's a pretty ironic situation to start with "Yeah, this game was fixed !!!!!!!" as an intro to the forum.
On the other hand, yes, it is rugby related. Touché...

 

[monkeypigeon]

The idea is that growing a team takes more than a season of two. There's some merit to it as well, seeing how long they gave Sir Clive and the results he eventually delivered.

I'd be inclined to give Lancaster the job. Whatever his failings (and those can be got around with the right management panel), he brings a great attitude and spirit to the England panel. They're no where near as hate-able as they were under Johnson.

Aye, and he's playing many of the players people were calling for under MJ. Just give them time to gel.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I don't know what others thought but I reckon Parling was immense today. Growing into a quality player. Great to see Croft have a good game, and also Cole who I thought was immense.

 

[Peat]

Lancaster's brief as caretaker coach was essentially to make sure that England don't have to 'start again' before SA after 'starting again' after the world cup. As long as we don't get absolutely battered by Ireland, then he will have done his job as well as can be expected.

I don't understand the hype about appointing a coach for 4 years to take us up to the world cup. Surely as England grows or regresses or whatever, the coaching needs of the team will change?! I'd give the job to Lancaster up till 2013 and see what he can do - and we can headhunt backs/forewards/defensive coaches as needed (as the RFU have enough money to do this).

Mallet did pretty well with SA - but they had just won a world cup and were the top of their game. He did pretty well with Stade, but they were the French giants with a load of money then so essentially another great team. He then didn't do anything massively noteworthy with Italy. Mallets only real claim is that he is an international coach with lots of experience, which isn't enough of a reason for hiring him imo.

I'd agree with most of that, I'd prefer to have a coach up until 2015 for continuity, but its not essential. But yes; sod experience, I want quality. Which Mallet may have, I'm not sure. Right now I'd probably give the job to whichever of Mallet and Lancaster comes across with the most coherent identification of where they want England to go in the next two years and how that's going to happen. My three big questions to Lancaster would be how are we going to win more turnovers, are we going to put more ball carriers in the pack, and how are we going to manufacture some space for the back three to run in. Right now those are the major failings of England for me, and I wouldn't be happy with him unless he had good answers for these, but elsewise it looks fairly good...

I don't know what others thought but I reckon Parling was immense today. Growing into a quality player. Great to see Croft have a good game, and also Cole who I thought was immense.

You sure you're a Wasps fan? Agreed on all of them though, particularly Dan Cole, he's becoming our version of Gethin Jenkins.