 I was referring to his earlier sexist comment, Rocky, but you can add the other too if you like!
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 I was referring to his earlier sexist comment, Rocky, but you can add the other two if you like! 
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 Wilko didn't get a chance to prove his worth today. Whenever he got possession he was bereft of support. None of England's backs ended this game with any credit. I just cannot understand their unerring instinct to move with ball in hand away from outside support, often with an overlap, inside straight into a massed forward defence line taking the ball to ground. That is not a natural thing for a half back or a centre (or any three quarter, come to that) to do. I expected great things of England this season but for me, for much of the game, Scotland played better and looked the more threatening, more often.
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| Edited: 13/03/10 21:57 |
Hardly an eagerly awaited match,can,t think of a more yawn inducing fixture than the current Scottish versus English sides playing at Murrayfield.Ahh well scrappy dull affair with both sides looking very average. Englands attack look bereft of ideas.Suppose they could kick the ball...for a change.
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 England now remind me of the confusion and muddle before Geoff Cooke took over. There's no structure or plan. The players seem confused and inhibited. I'm afraid Johnson and his team don't have what it takes. I think they should resign. I wonder if Jake White is still available (or perhaps Ian McGeechan!). I only watched the first half of yesterday's game as I had to drive home during the second half. I've recorded it, but there's not much incentive to watch it. I'm so disillusioned with England. They just don't seem to want to give it a go. The only decent performance in the Johnson era was the defeat of France last year. Before the Welsh get all excited, I thought their performance against Ireland was pretty dire. Ireland seem to be winning at the moment on scraps, good finishing and the oppo giving it away. France has definitely been the best side this year, although there are still signs of the Gallic self-destruct tendency. A French implosion is the only way, England will win against them. If France are on song they could win by 20-30 points.
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 None of England's backs ended this game with any credit. I just cannot understand their unerring instinct to move with ball in hand away from outside support, often with an overlap, inside straight into a massed forward defence line taking the ball to ground.
Sadly, I think this is deliberate team policy, based on the theory that passing carries a risk of the ball being intercepted, while running into the opposing forwards has a fair chance of them doing something silly and giving us a penalty. If however our outsides get the ball within kicking range of our own goal the safe option is to boot the ball into the opposition half and hope that they will make a mistake. Even if these tactics were winning games I wouldn't like them. I would genuinely prefer to see England lose while trying to play real Rugby rather than win with the present tactics - but I think they'd be more likely to win if they tried more real rugby.
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 I think your right Frum, it's a bit like watching paint dry... or Leicester!  
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I'm looking forward to today's game - French flair V Italian forward grunt. The result is fairly predictable but it should be worth watching, and the French are always capable of blowing themselves up unexpectedly.
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That was a joy to watch. What you notice is the support running and the offloads. England need a miracle!
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Robin Evans said, "Before the Welsh get all excited, I thought their performance against Ireland was pretty dire" What's that supposed to mean? I don't think there is a Welshman alive who doesn't agree with your assessment, outside of mental institutions at least. There is a great deal of disappointment and disillusionment in the Principality. I am French.
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| Edited: 14/03/10 16:53 |
I am French.
Glad to hear it. Your French won't be as incomprehensible as that Welsh you normally spout.
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Ah well, Frum, Martin Johnson is in charge of England and he was team captain of England for their succesfu 2003 world cup campaign. With a few minor differences England won that tournament using similar tactics but then they had the players and discipline to carry it off. It was pedestrian, uninspired and unattractive rugby but it got results so why would someone like Johnson try anything different, is he capable of thinking up any other strategy?
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Robin Evans said, "Before the Welsh get all excited, I thought their performance against Ireland was pretty dire" What's that supposed to mean? I don't think there is a Welshman alive who doesn't agree with your assessment, outside of mental institutions at least. There is a great deal of disappointment and disillusionment in the Principality. I am French.
Just a little banter, as the Welsh usually take consolation when they lose from a poor England performance in another match. Mind you there's been quite a lot to choose from recently. 
I think Wales have lost their way as well this year.  I think that's even more of a mystery than England's form as Wales at least have a manager with a great track record.
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England are France's bogey team, they have beaten them in the last two world cups, mind you I can't see it happen this year in the 6 nations.
Then there is the stupid kick off time of 9 pm, how spectator friendly is that? I went to the Stade de France in 2004. After the match you've got to dash to the RER to get back to Paris from St Denis about midnight and then start looking for a restaurant that might be open.
I would advise anyone who has a ticket to sell it, go to Paris and enjoy the city and find a good bar with a big screen and watch it there, you will probably see more of the game that way anyway.
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It was pedestrian, uninspired and unattractive rugby but it got results so why would someone like Johnson try anything different, is he capable of thinking up any other strategy?
That is a bit misleading, as the 2003 England team were also capable of playing some of the best rugby seen (and they did in the couple of seasons prior to 2003). Come the WC year they started to play a much more pragmatic style which was massively disciplined. They knew though that they had the players to play more expansively if need be - Billy Whizz, Catt, Back etc. Having said which the current crop are just plain dull - in the way they play, the way they are coached etc. I fully expect to be crying into my beer by the end of Saturday night.
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The only good performance during the entire match was my descion to change from drinking Brains 'Bread of Heaven' to Courage Directors! The French are gonna destroy us
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I wouldn't quarrel with, "massively disciplined", but pragmatic? That's a strange word to describe such a drear style of play. Where did I make reference to their style of play prior to 2003, by the way?
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2003,Powerful,disciplined with a cutting edge when needed.Away series win in New Zealand followed by winning the world cup in Australia.Thats like winning the football europeans in Italy followed by the world cup in Brazil! The 2003 side had peaked well before the w/cup but were still a great side.
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