Rugby A Game For Gentlemen

On a camping holiday in Scotland my Dad dragged us all off to see the Corries. I was disgusted by the whole thing being 15 and knowing everything and being freshly into the whole prog scene.
It was all like this, I doubt you will last more than 30 seconds

Then they wrote one stupid song ā€¦

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We were predicable and clumsy.

But the ref ignored a whole lot of offsides and didnā€™t seem to give us more than one or two decisions.

Woke up too late and it was over.

And I left a bake off early for it on record. :see_no_evil:

I got the feeling that England got nothing from Owens. They were penalised at the breakdown when Scotland were not for the same offences. Thing is that often happens in favour of the team on the front foot and England ceded that with their lacklustre performance until it was too late.

benteke

John Inverdale said the same thing. Paul Oā€™Connel shot him down straightaway.

The ref was right nearly all the time. England were just too slow and lacking ideas other than pass left or right. Hughes / Lawes was a disaster. Launchbury had his worst game for England. Ford and Farrell were shown up for what they are. The first three times Watson touched the ball we lost possession due to his greadiness. May never got the ball, JJ was completely ineffective and starved of the ball by Farrell.

In thought and deed. They were lumbering like the orcs of yesteryear. Scotland and Ireland showed how to play the breakdown this weekend.

The ref issue was more about what he didnā€™t see than what he did. Encroaching, side entry and handsā€¦

That said England were one dimensional. They didnā€™t get any chance to create a rhythm and when they eventually managed it they were chasing too hard and forced it badly.

Owens has always reffed like that which England must have known and that the Scots would seek to take advantage of his approach. And yet they were ponderous at the breakdown through most of the game. Some player changes required methinks.

Personally, I would look at replacing Mako Vinipola, Hartley, Lawes, Hughes and one of Ford / Farrell and play 12ā€™s at 12 and 13 at 13.

Real shame that Daly is injured as he is a ideal 13, with Teā€™o at 12. JJ on the bench.

The England back row is a real problem without Billy Vinipola, Sam Symonds & the better Curry being available. Not a fan of Underhill as he is too slow for a 7, but he is as good as we have got at 7 at the moment. I would put Don Armond at 8 and Robshaw at 6. With Hughes on the bench with Lawes.

Jamie George should definitely start at hooker, with Marler at LHP.

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We miss a world class seven.

There are several hopefuls, like the younger Willis at Coventry Franchise and the better Curry at Sale.

^^^this

The form 7 at the moment is the older Willis at Coventry Franchise.

He has outshone lardy welsh boy Dai Youngā€™s son at Coventry Franchise.

I donā€™t get why Hartley keeps being selected.

Not sure about Brown either to be honest, not sure i have ever seen him pass the ball, he always takes it into contact.

He passed at least twice on Sat. Once to the touchline and once to a player.

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England has by far the biggest pool of players of any of the home nations to pick from so why does Jones stick by a limited few? In any sport wouldnā€™t the right thing be to encourage massive competition for the few places available?