Wales vs England - 16/03/2013

[Ragey Erasmus]

I think England could suprise Wales if we utilise Brown. He's actually a decent runner, even in tight spaces. As he's outside Tuilagi, if the Welsh expect the ball to end with a typical Tuilagi crash then maybe we can catch them out by actually having the ball go beyond him to our guy on the wing who can actually run. He might be able to zip past a defence that has come inwards expecting to stop Tuilagi.

 

[McTallshort]

Wales by 10 I think, fact is they have been getting steadily better where as we have been getting steadily worse. I really hope we raise our game as losing the grand slam would add to the already despairing chapters of nearly grand slams we have suffered down the years but I just dont see where the points are going to come from against Wales.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Why does everyone think Robshaw and Wood are 6's?

Wood plays 7 for his club since forever and Robshaw has played 7 for the past 5-6 years in a winning A Prem team?

So everyone who think wales has 2 x open sides playing really don't know much about rugby because england have 2 x open sides playing to!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Robshaw's been playing 7 fulltime for about two years - before that he played 6 and covered 7 or 8 when others were injured.

 

[Peat]

Robshaw's been playing 7 fulltime for about two years - before that he played 6 and covered 7 or 8 when others were injured.

And Wood only moved to 7 when he moved to Northampton if we're going to be pedantic.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

and Steve Diamond thinks James Gaskell is an 8.

I can't remember what we're talking about.

 

[Peat]

and Steve Diamond thinks James Gaskell is an 8.

I can't remember what we're talking about.

Bergamasco, the greatest scrum-half ever to put hand to ball.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Like a young/old/any Mike Philips.

 

[dullonien]

Why does everyone think Robshaw and Wood are 6's?

Wood plays 7 for his club since forever and Robshaw has played 7 for the past 5-6 years in a winning A Prem team?

So everyone who think wales has 2 x open sides playing really don't know much about rugby because england have 2 x open sides playing to!

By using my eyes.

They are obviously the best option at their clubs at 7, doesn't make them traditional/genuine opensides. Josh Turnbull plays almost all of his rugby at 7 for the Scarlets, he's still a 6. Pretorius has played a year at 8 for the Blues, still a 6. SOB plays his rugby at 7 for Ireland, still a 6. McCusker plays at 8 for the Scarlets, still a 6. Jon Thomas plays at 8 for the Ospreys, still a 6. And I could go on....

 

[Ospreylian]

I think England could suprise Wales if we utilise Brown. He's actually a decent runner, even in tight spaces. As he's outside Tuilagi, if the Welsh expect the ball to end with a typical Tuilagi crash then maybe we can catch them out by actually having the ball go beyond him to our guy on the wing who can actually run. He might be able to zip past a defence that has come inwards expecting to stop Tuilagi.

I don't think England can win just by utilizing Brown. I don't think that's something England should even think about until they've tried to sort out Brown and Ashton's defensive work. All the matches in this tournament have been won on defence, and this one won't be any different. Brown will not be able to get through the tight spaces in Wales' defense, which has arguably been the best defense of the tournament. Tuilagi will be crucial, but that's only because of his size and pace. He can match Wales in terms of their physicality.

Why aren't England playing Waldrom at 8? Is he injured or something? I only say that because surely he would be the obvious replacement for Morgan, very similar style of play, and would give the back row more balance if you moved Wood back to blindside. I've been underwhelmed by Haskell, so that would be no big loss. I just don't understand Wood at 8, he is definitely not an 8. England miss something massive when they don't have a big ball-carrying no.8, and it could cost them against Wales, who have a team of huge brutes.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Waldroms been off form since he was first capped.
If he was on his pre-cap form I'd definitely want him at 8, but he's been poor recently - or at least not half as good as he was.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

On the face of it neither pack has a huge amount in the way of ball carriers... I certainly think we might miss a big carrying 8 like Morgan, but then look at Wales: I'd say the chief carriers are Hibbard, Wyn-Jones, Faletau and Tipuric(more though his agility than anything) Bearing in mind I see Faletau's strengths elsewhere than ball carrying, it's not a bunch to be sniffed at but nor is it an intimidating lot. However, I suppose you have to add to that the back's who can and will get involved when they see the chance.

Now looking at England: Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola if he starts, Parling, Robshaw a bit...I certainly wouldn't say we're out of our depth. I'd be tempted to keep the Hask at 6, if only for some semblance of balance.

I suppose it's what Peat said, though, about how much our current game relies on quick ball.

I really hope Tuilagi can increase his impact this game; I've seriously never seen a team deal better with Tuilagi than Italy did last week. They gavenew meaning to 'tackling low' and really did a job on him. Given better territory, I think he can do better.

In general though, it infuriates me to see us struggle for creativity at international level, when week in week out I watch my club side which contains the likes of Simpson, Daly, Wade, Varndell... This said, I definitely don't believe that Manu s our only threat. Both Youngs and Care can rip teams to shreds on their day, whilst Brown is doing a relatively good job out of position. There are good things that could come out of a loss this weekend; it would no longer be defensible to play guys out of position, and we'd be able to see the combination's we want.. e.g Twelvetrees playing with Tuilagi

 

[ratsapprentice]

Now looking at England: Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola if he starts, Parling, Robshaw a bit...I certainly wouldn't say we're out of our depth. I'd be tempted to keep the Hask at 6, if only for some semblance of balance.

I really hope Tuilagi can increase his impact this game; I've seriously never seen a team deal better with Tuilagi than Italy did last week. They gavenew meaning to 'tackling low' and really did a job on him. Given better territory, I think he can do better.

In general though, it infuriates me to see us struggle for creativity at international level, when week in week out I watch my club side which contains the likes of Simpson, Daly, Wade, Varndell... This said, I definitely don't believe that Manu s our only threat. Both Youngs and Care can rip teams to shreds on their day, whilst Brown is doing a relatively good job out of position. There are good things that could come out of a loss this weekend; it would no longer be defensible to play guys out of position, and we'd be able to see the combination's we want.. e.g Twelvetrees playing with Tuilagi

Agree with all that.

Except that it was not so much Italy's defence that was impressive, only Flood's determination to only pass the ball to Manu.
Watch the game again, almost every single move from set-piece was one pass straight to Tuilagi.

 

[j'nuh]

Waldroms been off form since he was first capped.
If he was on his pre-cap form I'd definitely want him at 8, but he's been poor recently - or at least not half as good as he was.

Wasn't it around that time that Cockerill decided he was a flanker for a bit too?

 

[mstar]

Has anybody noticed Goode when he is tackled opens his mouth wide like a fish gasping for air? its really funny watch him in the last couple of games.

what a fool lolzzzzzzzzz

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I don't think England can win just by utilizing Brown. I don't think that's something England should even think about until they've tried to sort out Brown and Ashton's defensive work. All the matches in this tournament have been won on defence, and this one won't be any different. Brown will not be able to get through the tight spaces in Wales' defense, which has arguably been the best defense of the tournament. Tuilagi will be crucial, but that's only because of his size and pace. He can match Wales in terms of their physicality.

Not saying just by utilising him but against Wales we need people who can run well. Brown is fast and agile whilst being very poorly used in pretty much all our games. We shouldn't build our entire chances on him but he should at least be an option that Wales should look out for. Currently teams know that when the ball reaches Tuilagi, it's unlikely to go further along the line. This allows them to focus their defence and nullify him. If they did this and instead the ball went out to Brown, there could be a chance to get past a defence that was expecting Tuilagi to simply try to bash through.

 

[Draggs]

I hear plenty of people say Wales have plenty of attacking potential, but don't use it.
********, our gameplan is designed around low risk factors. Our inside backs are not those for playing a fast game, rather a low tempo, controlled game of low mistakes. Look at our fixtures over the past 18 months, we have had quite a few matches with huge amounts of possession.

Phillips, Biggar, Roberts, North, Cuthbert are not about rapid moves and inside ball, but hard yards. I'll get giffed to death, but Cuthbert is one of the few who actually poses a threat in attack. The only 'creative' set piece tries we have scored (against Ireland and Italy) were moves involving him. North is used as a battering ram through midfield with no effect. He slows down and drops before contact. Compare him to Savea last weekend. Goes into contact and pace and with a strong body position. Davies is a tough one to pin down. He has good moves, but that is useless in our gameplan. A creative inside centre with a pass could put the ball in his hands at pace. BOOM! as Jiffy would say.

Halfpenny is developing well at fullback. I was critical of him in attack before the Six Nations, but he joined the line numerous times against Ireland, scoring one try and almost a second. (Davies might have blown the pass, but Faletau's position didn't help and Halfpenny was too flat to get the pass out that wide). I like Eli Wales and Richard Fussell, amongst others, but they would be completely lost in our gameplan. Likewise, Beck wouldn't have a purpose in this setup (also he needs time to recover from his injury). I really like our young centres coming through, Jack Dixon and Cory Allen. Hard and fast runners but able to pass. Allen was superb against Scotland. Making breaks and feeding his three quarters. An outside centre in red passing?!?

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I can hear the sound of innumerable George North gif's flying your way...eta 3 minutes...

 

[Big Ewis]

You really are a glass half empty kind of guy aren't you?

actually to be brutally honest with you....no I'm not.

See, told you. Brutal...

No but srs: I just complimented the hell out of that delicious English upper body, again...mmmmmmmmm.......and then called Jenkins a beautiful faced/voiced but cold chick...and yes I do believe Wales will win this by.....very little ?

 

[Aedaphon]

After the last performance I've got a fair bit of dread coming into this game. We really just need to ramp up the intensity at the moment, the same players that knocked the All Blacks flat on their faces are still in the squad, we've just looked slow and imprecise over the last few games. Wales certainly comes into this with the momentum over us but I can see either team stepping up to take this game.

Agreed with the above, our game plan of Flood was too predictable. We just need more confidence that our backline can actually achieve something if we give them some time with ball in hand, rather than trying to get Tuilagi to make all the yards himself.

I am honestly worried about Ashton & Brown vs North & Cuthbert though. They're both severely out matched in size and I feel that if Wales carry down the wings we could get blown through.

Come on England