Autumn Internationals 2013 General Discussion

ScissorPaperRock

Think I'm rooting for England. It would no harm to dampen the Aussies' confidence ahead of our match.

Also I think it's pretty impressive what England are doing. They're gelling well as a team and executing effective tactics, allowing them to beat teams that on paper look like they might have better players. You have to respect that.

Kayless

ScissorPaperRock wrote: »

Think I'm rooting for England. It would no harm to dampen the Aussies' confidence ahead of our match.

Also I think it's pretty impressive what England are doing. They're gelling well as a team and executing effective tactics, allowing them to beat teams that on paper look like they might have better players. You have to respect that.

One things for sure if England do win today Ireland vs Aus will be some match because lets face it even though Aus have been on the losing end for a while now I'm sure they still regard themselves as one of the best teams in the world so losing to both England and Ireland would not bode well down under

wonton

sorry if this has been talked about, but how has sexton being playing in racing overall? I know he's played like 12 of 13 games or something?

danthefan

wonton wrote: »

sorry if this has been talked about, but how has sexton being playing in racing overall? I know he's played like 12 of 13 games or something?

Generally he's been pretty good. They still play quite a turgid game and a they're still gelling as a side but he's had some pretty important moments which have won them games.

Thekidneybean

England still need to sort Farrell distributing the ball to the backs, yarde and twelvetrees do have the potential to cause trouble with ball in hand

toomevara

Thekidneybean wrote: »

England still need to sort Farrell distributing the ball to the backs, yarde and twelvetrees do have the potential to cause trouble with ball in hand

Farrell way too one-dimensional in my book. The quintessential 'safe pair of hands'. Know he tried a few darts on Saturday, but he isn't going to trouble the AB's in any way. As for Australia, utterly woeful. Their 8 is fast becoming a laughing stock and if this is the best McKenzie can get out of them, well the dark days are going to continue. Be interesting to see how England fare next week against the Pumas up front. I'd imagine their pack was extremely flattered by a powder puff performance form the Wallabies, both in the loose and the set piece. Also as an aside, reckon the aussies are going to have to get a handle on the amount of chuntering they're doing to the referee. It was virtually non-stop and no question it (rightly) got Clancy's back up.

ssaye2

http://inpho.ie/media/vnCerQp4UyduBqTcrLpI0w..a?ts=OQqzSXUg4eGQ7IDl0PJa6A..a

Samoa training in Blackrock

Gerry91

Yeah England were cat on saturday. Still a win is a win and all that jazz

To be fair, Parling, Croft will obviously make a huge difference in the pack and Youngs will improve them at 9 if he finds his best form

Yarde should be nowhere near that team bar one near-try effort, he contributed zero constructive. They need to throw Foden in on the wing, he's on sick form for Saints- too good leave out

Add to that Barritt and Tuilagi should make them more solid, but at the moment he should really play Burrell for 12x3

I'd say the All Blacks will royally annihilate them though, and I've a feeling they could be in for a mare of a 6n- the Italians are due a win v them by now

EDIT- forgot Corbisiero who will replace Vunipola. Big addition

Gerry91

toomevara wrote: »

Farrell way too one-dimensional in my book. The quintessential 'safe pair of hands'. Know he tried a few darts on Saturday, but he isn't going to trouble the AB's in any way. As for Australia, utterly woeful. Their 8 is fast becoming a laughing stock and if this is the best McKenzie can get out of them, well the dark days are going to continue. Be interesting to see how England fare next week against the Pumas up front. I'd imagine their pack was extremely flattered by a powder puff performance form the Wallabies, both in the loose and the set piece. Also as an aside, reckon the aussies are going to have to get a handle on the amount of chuntering they're doing to the referee. It was virtually non-stop and no question it (rightly) got Clancy's back up.

Flood would be the better from open play, but usually Farrell is so solid from the tee he's hard to leave out in fairness. He's young yet, his open play is bound to improve

Very uncharacteristic of him missing a few early kicks, but to be fair he recovered well

I always found Flood quite underrated myself though

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Gerry91 wrote: »

Flood would be the better from open play, but usually Farrell is so solid from the tee he's hard to leave out in fairness. He's young yet, his open play is bound to improve

Very uncharacteristic of him missing a few early kicks, but to be fair he recovered well

I always found Flood quite underrated myself though

Believe it or not Flood actually has a better record from the tee

Flood is one of the most underrated 10s in world rugby IMO. Fantastic distributor of a ball and always plays right on the gainline

Gerry91

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Believe it or not Flood actually has a better record from the tee

Flood is one of the most underrated 10s in world rugby IMO. Fantastic distributor of a ball and always plays right on the gainline

Yeah fully agree.

As for him being statistically a better kicker, that is interesting!

I think Flood had a serious chance to become 1st choice in the Italian game during the 6n when he was given a chance but wasn't at the races at all iirc in a woeful all round team performance. Pity for him, cos he's usually rock solid

Remember that year when they annihilated France in Twickenham, prob bout 4 years ago now and how brilliant he was that day!

toomevara

The Wallaby take on last Sat. Interesting stuff..Clancy not flavour of the month down under…

http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/11/04/spiro-wallabies-cook-cup-cock-up/

Thekidneybean

The aussies weren't happy that the English pack cut pocock off and he wasn't able to do his job that he does nearly better then anyone

Deano7788

Thekidneybean wrote: »

The aussies weren't happy that the English pack cut pocock off and he wasn't able to do his job that he does nearly better then anyone

Ah, Pocock wasn't playing, he's been injured all season. Do you mean Hooper?

Swiwi.

toomevara wrote: »

The Wallaby take on last Sat. Interesting stuff..Clancy not flavour of the month down under…

http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/11/04/spiro-wallabies-cook-cup-cock-up/

Clancy is terrible not a patch on Rolland...but Australia were awful too so they can't complain too much.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Swiwi. wrote: »

Clancy is terrible not a patch on Rolland...but Australia were awful too so they can't complain too much.

player ratings on that site well worth reading, few 2/10's and all!

molloyjh

toomevara wrote: »

The Wallaby take on last Sat. Interesting stuff..Clancy not flavour of the month down under…

http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/11/04/spiro-wallabies-cook-cup-cock-up/

I completely understand their frustration over the two incidents in the run up to the tries. Brown was blatantly in touch and obstruction is obstruction. This idea that foul play was committed but it wasn't enough foul play is daft. Hartley clearly checked his jog back to open up a gap.

And the Brown cock-up to me was the momentum changer. Instead of an attacking line-out 5m from the English line they ended up with a defensive line-out 5m from their own.

.ak

The Hartley block was a thing of beauty - until the officials spotted it and thought nothing of it. The mind boggles.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

.ak wrote: »

The Hartley block was a thing of beauty - until the officials spotted it and thought nothing of it. The mind boggles.

It was an awful awful call and I'm surprised more hasn't been made out of it

Moore would undoubtedly have been in a better position to tackle Farrell had Harley not backed into this path

former legend

Scotland have announced their team for the game against Japan; Maitland at FB in the absence of Hogg

Sean Maitland, Tommy Seymour, Nick De Luca, Matt Scott, Sean Lamont, Ruaridh Jackson, Greig Laidlaw
Ryan Grant, Ross Ford, Euan Murray, Tim Swinson, Alastair Kellock, Alasdair Strokosch, Kelly Brown (capt), David Denton.

Replacements: Pat MacArthur, Alasdair Dickinson, Geoff Cross, Richie Gray, John Barclay, Henry Pyrgos, Duncan Weir, Duncan Taylor.

Not an awe-inspiring line-up really...

Grimebox

WALES TEAM TO FACE SOUTH AFRICA:

Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Eli Walker (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Unattached),
Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Sam Warburton (Blues, Capt), Toby Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Bath), Scott Andrews (Blues), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) Lloyd Williams (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

No Dan Biggar?

Fireball07

Still playing Phillips?

Where's Cuthbert?

Gerry91

Interesting to see how Warburton does now, no doubt a few poor showings and they'll be calling for Tipuric again

Swiwi.

Grimebox wrote: »

WALES TEAM TO FACE SOUTH AFRICA:

Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Eli Walker (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Unattached),
Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Sam Warburton (Blues, Capt), Toby Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Bath), Scott Andrews (Blues), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) Lloyd Williams (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

No Dan Biggar?

I'd predict SA to walk all over Wales. They are the Great Pretenders of NH rugby. In saying that, they have chosen a pretty strong side. But SA have been something else this year, much more expansive, in addition to their usual forward-orientated game. Must be short odds on Willie Le Roux crossing the chalk.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Liam Williams on the bench, the Welsh national team are about to get a whole lot more dislikable

Where's Cuthbert?

Buer

Cuthbert has been injured since the Toulon game. He wasn't in the squad.

Buer

Nice to see they've finally seen sense and called Hook up to the 23. It was fairly idiotic not to have him involved. He has been doing well in France since going there and can cover a multitude of positions. He's the ideal bench option and, on this season's form, should be starting ahead of Priestland.

Fireball07

former legend wrote: »

Scotland have announced their team for the game against Japan; Maitland at FB in the absence of Hogg

Sean Maitland, Tommy Seymour, Nick De Luca, Matt Scott, Sean Lamont, Ruaridh Jackson, Greig Laidlaw
Ryan Grant, Ross Ford, Euan Murray, Tim Swinson, Alastair Kellock, Alasdair Strokosch, Kelly Brown (capt), David Denton.

Replacements: Pat MacArthur, Alasdair Dickinson, Geoff Cross, Richie Gray, John Barclay, Henry Pyrgos, Duncan Weir, Duncan Taylor.

Not an awe-inspiring line-up really...

Can Scotland ever be awe-inspiring with the players they have? Solid, at best, I would have thought. They should beat Japan, but just looking at the team, Hogg is a big loss. Thought Visser might get in... maybe move Lamont into the centre. Scott is a good player.

Gray on the bench in the 2nd row, and I still think they miss Ross Rennie.

CGD

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

It was an awful awful call and I'm surprised more hasn't been made out of it

Moore would undoubtedly have been in a better position to tackle Farrell had Harley not backed into this path

Could you imagine if the same calls went against England with the same outcomes. Not a fan of Clancy at all! Brian Moore would have had a coronary on air!!!

molloyjh

Fireball07 wrote: »

Can Scotland ever be awe-inspiring with the players they have? Solid, at best, I would have thought. They should beat Japan, but just looking at the team, Hogg is a big loss. Thought Visser might get in... maybe move Lamont into the centre. Scott is a good player.

Gray on the bench in the 2nd row, and I still think they miss Ross Rennie.

Visser has a fractured shin and is expected to be out until Feb/Mar IIRC.

jacothelad

Fireball07 wrote: »

Can Scotland ever be awe-inspiring with the players they have? Solid, at best, I would have thought. They should beat Japan, but just looking at the team, Hogg is a big loss. Thought Visser might get in... maybe move Lamont into the centre. Scott is a good player.

Gray on the bench in the 2nd row, and I still think they miss Ross Rennie.

Any team with De Luca in it deserves a hiding i.m.o.. He's not very good and he is a filthy, cheap shot merchant akin to the slurry that is Felon Armitage. On the other hand I'm happy to see Tommy Seymour get a cap. He is a good player, he played very well with limited opportunities for Ulster but obviously his face didn't fit for McLaughlin. McLaughlin's choice of players was often downright crap. McIlwaine over Seymour was a classic example of his muddled thinking. Ulster and Ireland's loss is Scotland's gain. He might never have set the world on fire here but playing in a better side might have liberated him.

Buer

Sometimes I wish jaco would just tell us what he really thinks.

former legend

France have trimmed down their squad for Saturday; Bastareaud, Mermoz, Guitone and Pelissie are gone. So we have the pants-wetting prospect of Fickou and Fofana in the centre (or maybe Fritz), either Tales or Lopez at fly-half but Parra at scrum-half not passing it to them.

irishbucsfan

Duncan Taylor should be playing for Scotland the way he's been playing this season. But the fact he's not an SRU product may be held against him.

Swiwi.

former legend wrote: »

France have trimmed down their squad for Saturday; Bastareaud, Mermoz, Guitone and Pelissie are gone. So we have the pants-wetting prospect of Fickou and Fofana in the centre (or maybe Fritz), either Tales or Lopez at fly-half but Parra at scrum-half not passing it to them.

I hope France put up a fight. Outside of RWCs, France actually have a pretty dismal record against NZ, last victory in France 2000, last victory in Paris 40 years ago.

I want NZ to win of course, but it would be nice to have the Parisian crowd on the edge of their seats, rather than whistling at their compatriots as NZ canter to victory.

Judgement Day

I'd settle for 'cantering' to victory with no injuries ahead of the main event at Twickenham.

jamiedav2011

Serious Springbok team for Wales, should be a good game:

15. Pat Lambie 29 caps 55 points
14. JP Pietersen 48 caps 70 points
13. Jaque Fourie 69 caps 160 points
12. Jean de Villiers (captain) 93 caps 120 points
11. Bryan Habana 92 caps 265 points
10. Morné Steyn 51 caps 618 points
9. Fourie du Preez 65 caps 70 points
8. Duane Vermeulen 13 caps 5 points
7. Willem Alberts 27 caps 30 points
6. Francois Louw 25 caps 25 points
5. Flip van der Merwe 31 caps 5 points
4. Eben Etzebeth 20 caps 0 points
3. Frans Malberhe 0 caps 0 points
2. Bismarck du Plessis (v-captain) 54 caps 40 points
1. Tendai Mtawarira 50 caps 10 points
Replacements:
16. Adriaan Strauss 30 caps 25 points
17. Gurthrö Steenkamp 46 caps 30 points
18. Coenie Oosthuizen 11 caps 5 points
19. Pieter-Steph du Toit 0 caps 0 points
20. Siya Kolisi 8 caps 0 points
21. Ruan Pienaar 71 caps 130 points
22. JJ Engelbrecht 10 caps 20 points
23. Willie le Roux 9 caps 15 points

8 top quality backs in that 23.

ssaye2

If only we had Habana for the next 3 games, 11 shirt sorted :pac:

bilston

jacothelad wrote: »

Any team with De Luca in it deserves a hiding i.m.o.. He's not very good and he is a filthy, cheap shot merchant akin to the slurry that is Felon Armitage. On the other hand I'm happy to see Tommy Seymour get a cap. He is a good player, he played very well with limited opportunities for Ulster but obviously his face didn't fit for McLaughlin. McLaughlin's choice of players was often downright crap. McIlwaine over Seymour was a classic example of his muddled thinking. Ulster and Ireland's loss is Scotland's gain. He might never have set the world on fire here but playing in a better side might have liberated him.

He was good Jaco and certainly better than McIlwaine but I doubt getting half a dozen games a season for Ulster was likely to keep him in Ireland when he had the opportunity to go to Scotland become an international.

He isn't better than Bowe, Trimble or Gilroy and he is probably about the same as Michael Allen IMO albeit a bit more experienced.

razorblunt

I have never seen a player as universally disliked as De Luca, the Scots here don't have anytime for him either. Even a few guys that played schools with him are very, very suprised he got anywhere near being a professional.

That said though, I would never have categorised him as being a dirty player, are there some examples of this?

Tempted to go along to the Japan game on Saturday, tickets are 15quid, I'm away for both the SA and Aussie game.

thomond2006

former legend wrote: »

France have trimmed down their squad for Saturday; Bastareaud, Mermoz, Guitone and Pelissie are gone. So we have the pants-wetting prospect of Fickou and Fofana in the centre (or maybe Fritz), either Tales or Lopez at fly-half but Parra at scrum-half not passing it to them.

Possible team:

Forrestier, Szarzewski, Mas, Maestri, Papé, Dusautoir, Lauret, Chouly;
Parra, Lopez, Huget, Fofana, Fritz, Médard, Dulin

Bench: Kayser, Debaty, Slimani, Vahaamahina, Nyanga, Doussain, Tales, Fickou

Liam90

Is the All Black game on any other channel apart from skysports? I really want to watch it but dont have skysports

ssaye2

Liam90 wrote: »

Is the All Black game on any other channel apart from skysports? I really want to watch it but dont have skysports

RTE have rights to every game

former legend

thomond2006 wrote: »

Possible team:

Forrestier, Szarzewski, Mas, Maestri, Papé, Dusautoir, Lauret, Chouly;
Parra, Lopez, Huget, Fofana, Fritz, Médard, Dulin

Bench: Kayser, Debaty, Slimani, Vahaamahina, Nyanga, Doussain, Tales, Fickou

That pack just doesn't look like it's good enough. NZ to win fairly handy I'd say.

Liam90

ssaye2 wrote: »

RTE have rights to every game

I don't see it

If it on the internet I can't watch it either because my internet to too crap at the moment to stream video.

ssaye2

Liam90 wrote: »

I don't see it

If it on the internet I can't watch it either because my internet to too crap at the moment to stream video.

Samoa and Aus are on Saturday, NZ is on Sunday, its all their on the EPG's, 100% confirmed

Swiwi.

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Serious Springbok team for Wales, should be a good game:

15. Pat Lambie 29 caps 55 points
14. JP Pietersen 48 caps 70 points
13. Jaque Fourie 69 caps 160 points
12. Jean de Villiers (captain) 93 caps 120 points
11. Bryan Habana 92 caps 265 points
10. Morné Steyn 51 caps 618 points
9. Fourie du Preez 65 caps 70 points
8. Duane Vermeulen 13 caps 5 points
7. Willem Alberts 27 caps 30 points
6. Francois Louw 25 caps 25 points
5. Flip van der Merwe 31 caps 5 points
4. Eben Etzebeth 20 caps 0 points
3. Frans Malberhe 0 caps 0 points
2. Bismarck du Plessis (v-captain) 54 caps 40 points
1. Tendai Mtawarira 50 caps 10 points
Replacements:
16. Adriaan Strauss 30 caps 25 points
17. Gurthrö Steenkamp 46 caps 30 points
18. Coenie Oosthuizen 11 caps 5 points
19. Pieter-Steph du Toit 0 caps 0 points
20. Siya Kolisi 8 caps 0 points
21. Ruan Pienaar 71 caps 130 points
22. JJ Engelbrecht 10 caps 20 points
23. Willie le Roux 9 caps 15 points

8 top quality backs in that 23.

Willie Le Roux can consider himself unlucky. And Pat Lambie lucky. Otherwise hard to argue.

wowy

I presume he means the France-NZ match this weekend, and not the Irl-NZ match?

Buer

Swiwi. wrote: »

Willie Le Roux can consider himself unlucky. And Pat Lambie lucky. Otherwise hard to argue.

Bleedin' said they wouldn't need Kirchner....

*Grumble grumble mutter*

ssaye2

wowy wrote: »

I presume he means the France-NZ match this weekend, and not the Irl-NZ match?

Wires crossed