The rugby

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Ramos the difference.
What a finale to the championship.
Best match by far.
If I were French or English, I would have had to switch off ages ago. It when the tension reaches having a stroke levels.

Strangely I can always watch games like that, although that probably came from a position tonight of England having nothing to lose! After the dross of the previous few games it was just a relief to see them play good rugby!

 

[Pross]

Listened to most of the game and it sounded like a cracker. I arrived at my daughter’s hotel just as they were having what seemed to be the final play and England were holding on for the win. I was a bit surprised to then get in the car about 10 minutes later to hear them talking about France winning the championship. Such a shame Pillock appeared to cost them the game, such a lovely and likeable young man.

 

[Beebo]

Such a shame Pillock appeared to cost them the game, such a lovely and likeable young man.

As an English man I think he is a dick.

 

[Rusty Nails]

As an English man I think he is a dick.

I think he's definitely a dick, especially with that shush sign to the crowd and his ensuring he's always in the frame for photo opps with scorers, even when he's not actually yet playing, but am unsure yet whether he is as good as the initial publicity about him claimed.

He has flashes of skill in a winning side, especially round the edges of rucks and mauls, but does not seem prepared to put in the grunt work that other back rowers like Curry, Earl, Underhill, Chessum etc.do. For example he did well to win a ball in a late breakdown with less than a minute left on the clock but then wasted the good work with a speculative pass when he should have helped run down the time.

I don't really follow English club rugby so perhaps I am only seeing the flash side of him.

 

[Dorset Boy]

Pillock is very immature and a complete show pony. His shush to the crowd was pathetic and Ramos rammed it back down his childish throat.
Now you mention him always getting in the celebrations, that's so true.
He has a lot of potential but needs to do the graft more often, reduce the arrogance and stop trying to wind up people

 

[avsd]

A quote from an Irish rugby thread:
You're leading the game by 1 point, at your own 10m line with 2 mins left on the clock!

Do you :-

A, Hit the green button, get the ball to the forwards with firm instructions not to drop it and to commit numbers to retain possession for the next 2 mins before giving it to Smith to welly it into the car park.

Or

B, Hit the red button, whilst under no pressure, kick the ball back to one of the most dangerous running attack teams in the tournament, who are fighting for the title, with one of the best place kickers in world rugby, who only need a penalty or drop goal to win the match/tournament, in their home stadium with roaring fans egging them on and let them have 1 last go at you.

England

A vintage tournament with little mention of the bonus point when Ireland played Italy. Well done France.

 

[laurentian]

Italy winning two and giving everyone a proper game - now a full on force to be reckoned with.

Scotland putting 50 on France and losing to Italy (no disgrace in that!)

Wales gradually clawing their way back over the tournament from an awful start to a convincing final performance and creation of a new cult hero in Rhys Carre.

Ireland in with a shout of winning until the very last kick of the tournament

England stuttering for three games and then playing their part in a 6 Nations match for the ages

France, majestic at times with the human cheat code that is Bielle-Biarrey, "no miss" Ramos and a plethora of talent from 1-23 deserved winners.

Whilst every nation had weakness exposed to a greater or lesser extent, every nation has huge positives to take from the Championship in one way or another.

An absolutely amazing tournament . . . surely the best there has ever been.

. . . who needs a "Nations Championship"?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Agree that it was a vintage tournament, but I really don't think England have "huge positives" to take from the Championship.

They kinda saved face a bit on Saturday but that's it. Played 4 won 1. Against a lacklustre Wales. 5th in the table. With the performance in Paris it's not as bad as it could have been but it's still bad. Or at very best, not very good.

Oh, and why the hell did Chessum not dot the ball down between the sticks (or at least nearer to them), which he could easily have done, instead of diving over unopposed and leaving a harder conversion, which was missed. Pollock (rightly) comes in for some stick for poor decision making in the dying seconds but that's often the way because people only think about the last few moments in a match like that. There were a ton of moments (on both sides) that could have swung it either way.

 

[Pblakeney]

I think he's definitely a dick, especially with that shush sign to the crowd and his ensuring he's always in the frame for photo opps with scorers, even when he's not actually yet playing, but am unsure yet whether he is as good as the initial publicity about him claimed.

He has flashes of skill in a winning side, especially round the edges of rucks and mauls, but does not seem prepared to put in the grunt work that other back rowers like Curry, Earl, Underhill, Chessum etc.do. For example he did well to win a ball in a late breakdown with less than a minute left on the clock but then wasted the good work with a speculative pass when he should have helped run down the time.

I don't really follow English club rugby so perhaps I am only seeing the flash side of him.

I specifically watched him to see what he brought to the game. Your summary is spot on.
Didn't do much work, pointed a lot, joined in celebrations, and wound up the French.

 

[matticus]

I specifically watched him to see what he brought to the game. Your summary is spot on.
Didn't do much work, pointed a lot, joined in celebrations, and wound up the French.

That'll do me. 👍

 

[BrumJim]

No one else want to talk about Leicester Tigers convincing win in the Premiership Rugby Cup yesterday?

 

[laurentian]

Agree that it was a vintage tournament, but I really don't think England have "huge positives" to take from the Championship.

They kinda saved face a bit on Saturday but that's it. Played 4 won 1. Against a lacklustre Wales. 5th in the table. With the performance in Paris it's not as bad as it could have been but it's still bad. Or at very best, not very good.

Oh, and why the hell did Chessum not dot the ball down between the sticks (or at least nearer to them), which he could easily have done, instead of diving over unopposed and leaving a harder conversion, which was missed. Pollock (rightly) comes in for some stick for poor decision making in the dying seconds but that's often the way because people only think about the last few moments in a match like that. There were a ton of moments (on both sides) that could have swung it either way.

I think the "saving face" was the positive. They went toe to toe with French side out to prove a point as much as England were out to prove a point.

Pollock is an interesting chap! If they're going to persist with him (which I think England should), I think both England and Northampton need to find a way to refine his back row skills without knocking the "maverick" out of him. It's a very fine line.

Since first seeing him, I have always maintained that he is a centre who can jackal/tackle rather than an out and out back row player. It's also not his fault that every camera and pundit and commentator focusses on him in any match. He's a 20 year old lad who is full of energy and enthusiasm and very much a product if the social media generation he has grown up in. Despite some people's perception of him, I've never heard a team mate say anything other than good things about him. Yes, they take the p1ss and see him for what he is and I understand how he gets under the skin of some people (usually the supporters of his opponents) but he does seem to "back up" his antics with performances on the field - I'd rather play with someone like that than against them.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think the "saving face" was the positive. They went toe to toe with French side out to prove a point as much as England were out to prove a point.

Oh I agree it was positive but on balance the campaign was if not a total disaster, still something of a disaster.

Agree on Pollock btw. Or at least, I'm prepared to reserve judgement until we see how the turns out as a player over the next few years.

 

[laurentian]

Oh I agree it was positive but on balance the campaign was if not a total disaster, still something of a disaster.

I guess that depends on your definition of "disaster". Losing to Scotland and Ireland not really a disaster if each match is taken in isolation - losing to Italy perhaps the shock result. Add all three together in the context of a tournament however and it don't look great.

England had won 12 matches on the spin before the 6 Nations with essentially the same squad. They have some very, very good players and the biggest positive for me was that they proved that on Saturday night (outscoring France 7 tries to 6 in the process). I believe they have got it in them to be serious contenders at the next WC - they just need to find an "identity" (if that's the right word)

 

[Pblakeney]

That'll do me. 👍

Didn't really work in the end though, did it?
I'd rather he put his efforts into proving himself in the game.