England v Wallabies, Twickenham, Sun 10th Nov 2:10AEDT / 1:10AEST

[Brumby Runner]

That one was Pietsch I think you are referring to, when he was shouldered into the sideline chasing a kick where he may well have scored if he regathered.

The Kellaway one was where he perfectly executed a kick chase, smashed the receiver, stood up and went for the jackal and got penalized for no clear release.

Both were very poor officiating.

In a chase between two players for the ball, hip and shoulder contact is legit - or it was when I played eons ago. Nothing illegal in that contest imo.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Lolesio was very solid in the air. We missed a couple of contested kicks but were certainly much better than in the RC. Williams was a revelation receiving kick offs and JS the same contesting ours.

Was a comforting feeling seeing a kick off reception not sail over the outstretched arms of a 2m tall bloke not lined up right. Simple things done well go a bloody long way in winning games.

I'm just looking for areas we need to fix to continue a positive trajectory. Hard for a FB or Wing when England do chase and contest the kicks well with speed in the Backs but we do need to be better or get bodies back there to essentially take the rebound like they do in 7s.

 

[Yoda]

Someone convince me that this will be worth watching and not the usual England at Twickenham grinding us into the dust.

It was worth watching!

 

[Derpus]

OK, so now we've all finished rubbing each others' backs and other body parts, we need to discuss the downsides.

Because I'm a miserable prick, that's why. A famous win doesn't override the need for improvement, despite the many positives out there.

Conceding 37 points to this England side is, quite frankly, not acceptable. The only positive is that they couldn't really crack our defensive structure meaningfully, so kicks through were the spark for this. Maybe on another day, Smith's magic doesn't quite fire this well, but yesterday it did.

On Smith's kicking - we didn't cover the short kicks well in the middle of the field in the first half. The back two defenders were way too wide, leaving too much space in the middle for the ball to bounce. Typically that was Wright and Lolesio so a point for improvement for them, and whichever 9 is in the chariot.

Later when he was grubbering through, we did line defence instead of having a sweeper. Even near your line, you need someone back there or you're inviting tries like Sleightholme's.

Scrum smarts need improving. I don't think Tupou is anywhere near 100%, and got outfoxed a couple of times as I've mentioned previously. If the ref thinks you're the problem, it is increasingly harder to prove you're not.

There have been comments here that Skelton doesn't offer as much as LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto). I'll tell you what LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) offers over Skelton as a concrete point: at least one brainfart penalty per game. Coming into that cauldron, knowing the referees had chubby for retreating players on the kick, and he basically lines up and shoulders a guy in the head chasing back. Fuck. Me. Dead.

Our work under the high ball was simply not good enough. We either got out jumped or weren't committed to the space. England has some good options there and maybe we need JAS to defend there longer term.

That penalty from LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) was worth it just to see Sleightholme's tooth go flying.

 

[upthereds#!]

My conundrum of making changes from England to Wales has perhaps been done for me through injury.
Wilson - concussion
Pietsch - he was limping... - I do want to see kerevi get a go, we need him to do well to keep our centre contingent depth strong next year as a 80% kerevi at 31 years old is still better then a 100% 3 F's - Flook, Feliuali & Foketi.


1. Bell 2. Faessler 3. Tupou
4. Frost 5. Skelton
6. Williams 8. Valetini 7. Mcreight
9. Gordon 10. Lolesio 11. Jorgensen 12. Ikitau 13. Sua'ali'i 14. Kellaway 15. Wright
16. BPA 17. Slipper 18. Ala'alatoa 19. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) 20. Gleeson 21. Mcdermott 22. Donaldson 23. Kerevi

 

[Tomthumb]

My conundrum of making changes from England to Wales has perhaps been done for me through injury.
Wilson - concussion
Pietsch - he was limping... - I do want to see kerevi get a go, we need him to do well to keep our centre contingent depth strong next year as a 80% kerevi at 31 years old is still better then a 100% 3 F's - Flook, Feliuali & Foketi.


1. Bell 2. Faessler 3. Tupou
4. Frost 5. Skelton
6. Williams 8. Valetini 7. Mcreight
9. Gordon 10. Lolesio 11. Jorgensen 12. Ikitau 13. Sua'ali'i 14. Kellaway 15. Wright
16. BPA 17. Slipper 18. Ala'alatoa 19. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) 20. Gleeson 21. Mcdermott 22. Donaldson 23. Kerevi

I know we keep trying to tell ourselves this, but I don't know where this confidence comes from. He was diabolical last year and all reports from 2nd division Japanese club rugby are he's just another guy over there which is pretty concerning

Personally I don't think he'd be able to keep up with the fast play that I think we are best playing. I do hope to be proven wrong though

 

[Derpus]

I know we keep trying to tell ourselves this, but I don't know where this confidence comes from. He was diabolical last year and all reports from 2nd division Japanese club rugby are he's just another guy over there which is pretty concerning

Personally I don't think he'd be able to keep up with the fast play that I think we are best playing. I do hope to be proven wrong though

I think the general theory is that he was returning from injury last year & also everyone was shit because Jones.

I think it's worth finding out if he still has something to bring and better to do it now against Wales than next year against the Lions.

Yeah, its great that Ikitau and JAS showed great potential as a pairing but we are still one injury away from Stewart or Feliuali at the moment.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I know we keep trying to tell ourselves this, but I don't know where this confidence comes from. He was diabolical last year and all reports from 2nd division Japanese club rugby are he's just another guy over there which is pretty concerning

Personally I don't think he'd be able to keep up with the fast play that I think we are best playing. I do hope to be proven wrong though

There's a bit of hopium going on, but he was only 12 months back from an ACL at the WC, with literally no games to get fit beforehand. He only started 6 games in Japan after that last year, so again, very underdone

12 months on, hopefully the injury recovery part is done, but he still has no matches under his belt so match fitness issues remain

 

[stillmissit]

As I was proven wrong about Schmidt not including Skelton and Kerevi it is a bit much to assume that neither of them is good enough for the Wallabies now. We have 3 more games to play and Scotland appears to have put a big scare into SA. We are going to need the whole squad and it's a pity that Skelton won't be available for the Ireland match.
JUst watched SA v Scotland good fight but certainly not what was reported.

 

[Tomthumb]

I think the general theory is that he was returning from injury last year & also everyone was shit because Jones.

I think it's worth finding out if he still has something to bring and better to do it now against Wales than next year against the Lions.

Yeah, its great that Ikitau and JAS showed great potential as a pairing but we are still one injury away from Stewart or Feliuali at the moment.

There's a bit of hopium going on, but he was on 12 months back from an ACL at the WC, with literally no games to get fit beforehand. He only started 6 games in Japan after that last year, so again, very underdone

12 months on, hopefully the injury recovery part is done, but he still has no matches under his belt so match fitness issues remain

Yeah, and I understand the hope. But he played almost every test last year and didn't improve at all, if anything he got worse. And why doesn't he play many games in Japan? Seems more like a country club than rugby competition

 

[Tomthumb]

As I was proven wrong about Schmidt not including Skelton and Kerevi it is a bit much to assume that neither of them is good enough for the Wallabies now. We have 3 more games to play and Scotland appears to have put a big scare into SA. We are going to need the whole squad and it's a pity that Skelton won't be available for the Ireland match.
JUst watched SA v Scotland good fight but certainly not what was reported.

I'd put Skelton and Kerevi in much different boats. Skelton is playing top level rugby in Europe and actually played well for the Wallabies last year

 

[Strewthcobber]

And why doesn't he play many games in Japan? Seems more like a country club than rugby competition

Potentially it's because he was returning from a major knee injury that he hadn't really recovered from?

But probably more because he's in the same team as Samisoni Tua

15/16 games in the Japanese season. Bit like our Super Rugby players - if you aren't playing tests, or you are sharing the role, it's not many games

 

[Tomthumb]

Potentially it's because he was returning from a major knee injury that he hadn't really recovered from?

But probably more because he's in the same team as Samisoni Tua

15/16 games in the Japanese season. Bit like our Super Rugby players - if you aren't playing tests, or you are sharing the role, it's not many games

Wait, he's not even the first choice 12 for his 2nd division Japanese Club team?

 

[Pfitzy]

That penalty from LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) was worth it just to see Sleightholme's tooth go flying.

Wasn't his tooth? Was a wad of cotton he had stuffed in his nose.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Even as a foreigner that match had one of the most satisfying "narratives" to it that I've seen in a match in years.

The mad ups and downs on the scoreboard.

The drama was HIGH.

The climax was a surprising and deeply satisfying BOOMFA.

The sniggering dismissive pommy media were handed their motherf****** ARSES.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

It was worth watching!

Cmon Yoda

Worth watching, it was.

 

[Dctarget]

How good was that cover tackle from Sua'ali'i on Sleightholme I think, Sleightholme evaded everyone else except for Jo who absolutely clattered him at pace.

 

[LeCheese]

How good was that cover tackle from Sua'ali'i on Sleightholme I think, Sleightholme evaded everyone else except for Jo who absolutely clattered him at pace.

I could be wrong, or possibly thinking of the wrong tackle, but wasn't that Ikitau?

 

[Derpus]

Wasn't his tooth? Was a wad of cotton he had stuffed in his nose.

Aww you ruined it for me.

 

[stillmissit]

Yeah, and I understand the hope. But he played almost every test last year and didn't improve at all, if anything he got worse. And why doesn't he play many games in Japan? Seems more like a country club than rugby competition

I read a fair bit about this kind of thing in Robbie Deans article a few months ago and his view is that the Japanese club scene is not a sinicure anymore and the speed and strength of the game has improved dramatically over the last 5-10 years.