[RWC2023] England vs Chile (23/09/2023)

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Tbf Ludlam is a first choice lineout target for club and (often) country - he's not just a backrow option
With Ribbans (presumably) calling the lineout I wouldn't be surprised if he just called to him and Ludlam as that's the moves he runs at club level and feels most confident in

Don't know about Martin's lineout prowess though, tbh - I think @LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan) said he's been working on it over the last season and been noticeably improving

Yeh he's basically in the top 2 line out takers for tigers when he starts

 

[whocaresaboutthetruth]

Being realistic isnt slating tho is it.

As I said I think that Argentina performance was top class in managing a red card, all the credit in the world for me...

But come on. Running in 10 tries against dentists, doctors, and ice cream salesmen isnt any sort of achievement!

Whoever wins this World Cup, nobody will give a **** who they did or didn't beat and how well they played in the group stages.ice cream men or not

 

[ncurd]

Whoever wins this World Cup, nobody will give a **** who they did or didn't beat and how well they played in the group stages.ice cream men or not

You're kidding yourself if you think England will win the tournament. Any of the top 4 would destroy them.

 

[whocaresaboutthetruth]

You're kidding yourself if you think England will win the tournament. Any of the top 4 would destroy them.

I didn't say England would win the tournament but it's nice to have hope

 

[dirty harry]

I didn't say England would win the tournament but it's nice to have hope

I mean you intimated it...

Having watched Ireland SA, every team on the other half of the draw should thank their lucky stars!!!

36-0 would be a dream result for England currently

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Billy ran from our own 22 to score an epic try. Strong armed 34 players to make it

Look it was only a matter of time right

 

[duncanb]

Happy with win and way we played,under no illusions about quality of opposition.
Would be nice to try and play this rugby against top 4 rather than a Conservative game plan when it comes to knockout end.

 

[whocaresaboutthetruth]

I mean you intimated it...

Having watched Ireland SA, every team on the other half of the draw should thank their lucky stars!!!

36-0 would be a dream result for England currently

Your making it a fact based on your opinion that England won't win the tournament.I'm open to the possibility that they may win it.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Not that anyone gives a ****, but here are some of Lemoine's (Chile HC) after the game

"For years we've been asking to have these sorts of experiences before playing in a world cup. I am disgusted. At the end of it, there's us clowns and then there's the circus owners. I'm saturated"

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Not that anyone gives a ****, but here are some of Lemoine's (Chile HC) after the game

"For years we've been asking to have these sorts of experiences before playing in a world cup. I am disgusted. At the end of it, there's us clowns and then there's the circus owners. I'm saturated"

Granted I'm ten wines in but I couldn't figure out what this means

 

[Reiser99]

Granted I'm ten wines in but I couldn't figure out what this means

My interpretation, those in control reap all the benefit (circus owners) and those at the bottom look like clowns when playing them because they don't get to play better teams outside world cups and he's had enough of it (saturated)

 

[Zed]

It's crazy Marcus Smith can't make the England side, I know it was pretty average opposition, but he was easily the sharpest, most dangerous player out there. If he can't find a spot at 10 or 15, then I'd have him on the wing and use him coming into the line as another playmaker like Ireland do with Mack Hansen (ex flyhalf). And same with Arundell, yeah my Gran could have scored most of his tries, but he's obviously got bags of talent. Quick, strong and can read the play a lot better than someone like Johnny May. Not sure how he has pushed him out the team. Both those players would make the Wallabies XV. Although that's not saying much at the moment. lol.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I didn't say England would win the tournament but it's nice to have hope

It's the hope that kills. Hope has to be based on something; not the performances so far this year IMO rather than wins. This is just the pool stage as well. It all changes come knockout time.

 

[BPM]

It's crazy Marcus Smith can't make the England side, I know it was pretty average opposition, but he was easily the sharpest, most dangerous player out there. If he can't find a spot at 10 or 15, then I'd have him on the wing and use him coming into the line as another playmaker like Ireland do with Mack Hansen (ex flyhalf). And same with Arundell, yeah my Gran could have scored most of his tries, but he's obviously got bags of talent. Quick, strong and can read the play a lot better than someone like Johnny May. Not sure how he has pushed him out the team. Both those players would make the Wallabies XV. Although that's not saying much at the moment. lol.

I'm not sure about the idea of Smith as a winger, but 100% agree on your assessment of him being 'easily the sharpest, most dangerous player out there' yesterday.

As ever, the biggest issue is that 'Farrell must play' which overrides all other decision making and forces the likes of Smith or Ford to play with a handbrake outside them at 12, or to be moved out of position themselves.

With all that said, Farrell at 10 and Smith at 15 looked infinitely more comfortable than Smith at 10 and Farrell at 12. Even accounting for poor opposition, they at least looked like they were broadly on the same wavelength.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Not getting carried away by Arundell's tries yesterday, but given our other wing options (or total lack of them) he must be given a shot against Samoa.

Smith at FB is interesting. Undoubtedly adds vision and a bit of devil to the attack. How he'd get on against better teams who will give him less space and test him infinitely more in defence remains to be seen. Says something that the idea came from our defence coach, not the attack or head coach.

 

[OldSchoolRugga]

Another cricket score. Hilarious.

 

[Zed]

Not getting carried away by Arundell's tries yesterday, but given our other wing options (or total lack of them) he must be given a shot against Samoa.

Smith at FB is interesting. Undoubtedly adds vision and a bit of devil to the attack. How he'd get on against better teams who will give him less space and test him infinitely more in defence remains to be seen. Says something that the idea came from our defence coach, not the attack or head coach.

I don't want to take all the credit but I suggested on here that Smith move to 15 a few weeks back. Borthwick must have read my post.

 

[Which Tyler]

Not getting carried away by Arundell's tries yesterday, but given our other wing options (or total lack of them) he must be given a shot against Samoa.

Smith at FB is interesting. Undoubtedly adds vision and a bit of devil to the attack. How he'd get on against better teams who will give him less space and test him infinitely more in defence remains to be seen. Says something that the idea came from our defence coach, not the attack or head coach.

I actually think he might be a better FB than FH - eventually, if played there for 20-30 straight matches (club and country).
His weakness at FH is still in game management, and seeing mismatches and opportunities wider out than a single pass from himself; his strength is broken field running. The first is both absolutely key for a FH, and also easier to learn for a FB; whilst the latter is more easily maximised at FB, with a right a roam.

Sew him into the Quins 15 shirt (will never happen) and sit him in front of every minute we've got of Jason Robinson playing Union (also sit him in front of videos of Alex Gode playing FB, to show game management from FB, and the imporatance of keeping momentum whilst trying to change direction - as a comparator to Billy Whizz); and I think his ceiling is higher there.

It'll still never happen, because Quins want him at FH, he probably wants himself at FH, and both Quins and England have alternative FBs who are currently better, and who also have a high ceiling there - if managed properly (always our achilles heel)

 

[Zed]

Not getting carried away by Arundell's tries yesterday, but given our other wing options (or total lack of them) he must be given a shot against Samoa.

Smith at FB is interesting. Undoubtedly adds vision and a bit of devil to the attack. How he'd get on against better teams who will give him less space and test him infinitely more in defence remains to be seen. Says something that the idea came from our defence coach, not the attack or head coach.

You'd think any weaknesss in defence would be exposed more at 10 then 15? Or you mean the added difficulty of tackling someone at pace/stepping when defending at 15?

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

You'd think any weaknesss in defence would be exposed more at 10 then 15? Or you mean the added difficulty of tackling someone at pace/stepping when defending at 15?

That, and the fullback makes the most critical tackles as the last line of defence (scramble defences not withstanding).