What did you make of the first week and what are you looking forward to this weekend?
The first weekend saw a bit of a mixed bag for the northern hemisphere, France were excellent - or was it just a bad day at the office for Australia? England were pretty good - albeit against a very limited Fiji side. Ireland I thought played very well though they seemed to get a tough time in the media who seemed not to notice it was effectively the Ireland under 11 b side! Scotland were decent against the All Blacks, but I got the impression the ABs were holding some, and possibly a lot, back. That leaves us with Wales, who were at best underwhelming - are there problems in the Valleys we ask ourselves?
The pick of the matches in the second week would seem to be England - Australia, and it will be interesting to see if England can maintain some of their attacking game seen against Fiji and whether the problems at the scrum for Australia were a one off or the sign of something more serious. Elsewhere Wales really need a win against Samoa, who might see an opportunity in a rather limping dragon. Scotland face a tough challenge with the Boks, but they will look at how a vastly under strength Ireland did and might see the task as possible. Finally Ireland have an A-side up against Fiji, if Kidney can focus on the positives from the last game, this could act as a bit of a shot in the arm for the Irish ahead of a tougher game against Argentina.
As ever its 2 points for the right outcome, 1 pt for getting the score right to +/- 5 pts or better, 1 for being the most accurate and an additional point for correctly predicting all the outcomes
Wales v Samoa, 19:30, Friday: Actual - Samoa by 7
SARS - Wales by 7 - 1 pt (closest poster)
Aristodemus - Wales by 15 - 0
England v Australia, 14:30, Saturday - Actual: Australia by 6
SARS - England by 4 - 1pt (closest)
Aristodemus - England by 12 - 0
France v Argentina, 20:00, Saturday - Actual: France by 17
SARS - France by 7 - 3 pts
Aristodemus - Argentina by 2 - 0
Ireland A v Fiji, 17:30, Saturday - Actual: Ireland by 53
SARS - Ireland by 15 (N/A)
Italy v New Zealand, 14:00, Saturday - Actual: New Zealand by 32
SARS - New Zealand by 30 - 4pts
Aristodemus - New Zealand by 60 - 2pts
Scotland v South Africa, 14:30, Saturday - Actual: South Africa by 11
SARS - South Africa by 7 - 3pts
Aristodemus - South Africa by 10 - 4 pts
No grand slam bonuses, so it finishes:
SARS - 12
Aristodemus - 6
Autumn Internationals - Review & prediction
posted on 19/11/12
I agree SARS England was frustrating to watch, the team is the main issue for me. All those forward changes with Wood too I would like. IC is an issue for us, we need a creative 12 to get the most from Tuilagi. I thought when Youngs came on we moved it much quicker from the ruck which helped, I want him starting too. Youngs and Flood have been the half back partnership in virtually all of Englands best results from the last couple of years.
As for the game we didn't get going until the second half, ironic because we went in ahead. I thought the ref was poor, missing alot of stuff (aussie try included). The scrum was destroyed, Marler and Youngs are not good enough I feel. We have the makings of a world class side I think with just a few key positions to decide.
1-
2- Hartley
3- Cole
4- Lawes
5-
6- Croft
7- Robshaw
8- Morgan
9- Youngs
10- Flood
11-
12- *key*
13- Tuilagi
14- Ashton
15- Foden
We can win 2015 but we need to get these guys playing as much as possible together and see who stands up for the other positions I left blank.
posted on 19/11/12
We have the makings of a world class side I think with just a few key positions to decide.
=================
that was what i was trying to say but didnt quite dare.
posted on 19/11/12
there's a big difference though between having potentialy world class players in 11 positions, and having 2 world class players in almost every position, as england had 10 years ago.
posted on 19/11/12
1- Corbiseiro
2- Hartley
3- Cole
4- Lawes
5- Palmer
6- Croft
7- Robshaw
8- Morgan
===============
3 very good players in cole, lawes and croft, but not a world cup winning pack.
posted on 19/11/12
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 19/11/12
Woodman wasn't all that, Sheridan was much better and I think Corbs or Vunipola will both be better come 2015. Hartley and Thompson are close but I would go Thompson. Cole is a much better player than Vickery, no question. I would take Courtney Lawes over Ben Kay every day of the week. Hill was ridiculous, that guy was ten times more important than Wilkinson. Speaking of which I think Flood is better than Wilkinson, better for the backline. Wilkinson was a better at scoring points but if you want a comparisom of how they played look at our form in 2011 with and without him. He had the fortune of playing alongside Greenwood, another player under-rated in that team. Ashton is better than Cohen was. Lewsey played full-back and a case can be made that Foden is better, but I love Josh so won't say it myself
So that makes 8-6 with a draw for full-back in a more optimistic light!!
posted on 19/11/12
you massively underrate some off the 2003 players.
woodman and vickery before their injuries were 2 of the finest props ever produced in the british isles.
flood looks to me a vastly improved and matured player who can now command the back line. he's not in the same class as 2003 wilkinson though who was as good a defensive 10 as there has ever been.
lewsey was 14 in that side. he was a much better player then than a few years later and was only in the side because the senstional dan luger lost interest in the sport for personal reasons. cohen was one o the best defensive 11s ive ever seen.
1,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,15 are absoloute shoo ins for 2003 imo. dont forget that england put out a 2nd team in 2002 that beat wales's first team by 40 points and nearly beat france in marseilles.
posted on 19/11/12
Josh Lewsey was full back. Wilkinson was then like Morne Steyn a few years ago. Yes, he kicked all his points, his drop goals were amazing and he could tackle. He didn't ever in his career fire his backline, like I said he was lucky to play alongside Greenwood. I understand that many people and especially the media saw it different but I prefer Flood now. George Ford in three years could also be better.
The forwards won that world cup, but specifically it was the back row, Johnson and to a lesser extent Thompson. We were ten times the England of today but I stand by everything I said.
posted on 19/11/12
when you say wilkinson "could tackle" it sounds like you're saying he could do a job there if asked. the fact is though that he was the best tackling fly half in the history of international rugby.
i was wrong about 15 and 14. forgot robinson switched to 14 during 2003.
nevertheless, foden nor ashton would get into the england first team during that period. robinson was probably the best back 3 player in the history of english rugby, and cohen and luger were probably the best pair of wingers in the history of england rugby.
i am also astonished about your comments on woodman and vickery.
i agree that the most important players in that side were 1. johnson 2. hill, but let's face it it was england's best front row of all time, best 2nd row of all time, best back row of all time, best half back pairing of all time, and best back 3 of all time. not a bad combination, yet still only 'good enough' to win the w.c. in extra time.
for that reason alone, i would say that any expectation of england's current side lifitng the next world cup are fanciful.
posted on 19/11/12
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