GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
In these parts the replacement ref would be given a bollocking and consigned to doing under 13 games for the rest of the season as our league rules preclude this sort of nonsense.
6 Nations Prediction Thread - 2015 Edition
- Thread starter AndyRM
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Aperitif
Meme bar
Sigh. Another weekend that promised good things, but with seemingly little to hearten the soul. England were ponderous maximus - almost lacking a leader, and the kicking it up in the air game is not one of England's specialities, but if the scrum half is not energising the backs, what else to do? Oh well. Roll on next week.
swee'pea99
Legendary Member
Ireland were worth their victory, and England the chief architects of their own downfall, but am I the only one thought the ref played a part? Again and again, it seemed to me, he halted England's momentum just as they'd hard-fought Ireland onto the ropes, with decisions that were questionable if not just plain wrong.
Having said which, as I say, Ireland were good for their win and good luck to them. And England really need to stop losing their own lineout, and conceding silly penalties.
Having said which, as I say, Ireland were good for their win and good luck to them. And England really need to stop losing their own lineout, and conceding silly penalties.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
Part of the art of Rugby, at that level, is to make the Ref's job easy, and all his/her decisions clear cut by cutting out the dubious stuff. But some of the England players can't stop cheating no matter what. And as to elite players who collect the ball and play it when offside at a knock-on? Oi Vay! That's almost up there with staying on the ground waiting for a bomb to come down when the oppo are charging to challenge you, or letting the ball bounce.
swee'pea99
Legendary Member
Indeed. *sigh*. When Will They Learn? (And how many times have I asked myself that?) The only thing I would dispute about that is the reference to 'cheating' as being the issue. Call me naive, but I do believe that as with your knock-on example, it's actually incompetence that's more often the issue.
Kestevan
Last of the Summer Winos
There has always been a certain level of "flexibility" with the laws of the game.... especially in the depths of the scrum.
An "elite" player should surely have developed a fine understanding of exactly where the ref is looking, and what level of "interpretation" he can get away with.... The English too often disregard the eleventh commandment in areas where it just doesn't matter. Stupid penalties given away when there's no immediate danger have cost them so many penalty points over the last few seasons that surely its about time for the coaches to start cracking heads.
An "elite" player should surely have developed a fine understanding of exactly where the ref is looking, and what level of "interpretation" he can get away with.... The English too often disregard the eleventh commandment in areas where it just doesn't matter. Stupid penalties given away when there's no immediate danger have cost them so many penalty points over the last few seasons that surely its about time for the coaches to start cracking heads.
BrumJim
Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
I thought England were naive, and not adapting their game during play. Three times they kicked off to the same person, and all three times regretted it. Then two consecutive lineouts lost to identical throws.
Thought that when they found the right holes, England worked well, but never turned it into points, and were too far behind to make any difference. Against a side that were clearly well up for it, and well drilled.
Yes, and indiscipline clearly made a big difference too.
Thought that when they found the right holes, England worked well, but never turned it into points, and were too far behind to make any difference. Against a side that were clearly well up for it, and well drilled.
Yes, and indiscipline clearly made a big difference too.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
They cheat habitually in their own half every week in the boshership and so continue to do so, and this despite the lectures they get from Lancaster, because the habit of cheating is ingrained. It has been coached into them since they were kids. They literally cannot stop themselves doing it.
Yes you Dylan Hartley.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
In the average premiership game giving away a stupid avoidable penalty, of the sort that would get a Colt hair-dryered by his coach of a Sunday morning, is rarely a certain 3 points to the oppo, more likely a kick to touch, because there are not the sorts of deadly kickers in the bosherleague that you encounter in test matches.
Only when the serial offenders get dropped from the England squad will it change.
Great defence wins test matches. Gifting the oppo points doesn't.
Chromatic
Legendary Member
This^
This habitual cheating is the cause of all the scrum problems in the game too in my opinion. Nobody scrummages legally these days.
Kestevan
Last of the Summer Winos
It's just slightly more blatant nowadays.
psmiffy
-
Yup - but on Sunday it wasnt just Harley was at fault - I think there was 10 different offenders - Between a savvy Irish pack at the scrum and in the ruck plus the purposeful kicking of the Irish 9 & 10 England were always on the back foot - adding to that England didnt or seemed to be unable to compete at the opposition restarts, the lineout or catching the high balls meant that they were almost doomed to give away penalties - The Irish had honed their game in the previous two games - pressure means points.
The thing that illustrated it to me was the lack of turnovers that England forced - also Forde was pretty anonymous - The only bright side that I saw was the composure of Goode - although he never seemed to get into the positions that Brown does to retrieve the high ball probably because it was supposed to be the job of the cente and wings none of which seemed to know whose role it was to compete for those balls
