July Internationals 2023 - matches not involving Australia

[Highlander35]

White injury, Fagerson suspension, Finn-Sione-Huw not quite gelling when dealing with the tighter running of BK as opposed to the wider style of Hogg.

Lots to figure out for return fixture against what will be a much Stronger French outfit.

4 boys dropped from the squad as well: Dobie staying around until we get details on White, and both Sebastian & Murphy for Zander , last decisions to be made are seemingly Crosby v Bayliss (Unless Ritchie's injury is more than let on) and the three into two for Cherry, Turner and Rambo.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Eng 19
Whales 17

Plenty of drama but ffs what a cripple fight.

If that's roughly Wales RWC XV then the Wobs haven't got a single solitary thing to worry about in their group. Poms were down to 12 at one stage and the Welsh gits still couldnt get their shit together.

Owen Farrell with yet another card from yet another head shot. Ah cahnt spake we all cahnt spake ref it were diabolical 6 match ban please Sir, right through RWC 2023

 

[molman]

England v Wales was a real mess of a game. The referee was struggling to to call everything and missed a bit to my eye, because if he had I doubt the game would have hardly moved as it was already stopping for dropped ball or infringement after infringement. England players warming benches, down to 12 at one point, 9 (Jack van Poortvliet) off injured, Owen Farrell red-carded for his same old crap tackle technique (heavens knows where this puts him for the RWC with his record). Maybe if he'd been correctly sanctioned years ago he might have been forced to genuinely sort it out.

The fact that Wales blow the opportunity and somehow loose a 17-9 lead even with 12 players on the field raising big questions for Gatland. The lineout in particular was an absolute mess and they didn't seem to have any idea how to fix it over the course of the game. The scrum was a lottery with both teams trying the same old shenanigans and sometimes getting away with it and other times not. A few players like Plumtree who is already under scrutiny for being Welsh enough had some real poor moments. Lots of work ons with many blown opportunities from failing set piece or poor driving mauls & maul defense.

England have some real power in this squad, but their attack is a mess. Any team that can get out of an arm wrestle with them and know how to string an attacking play together should beat this team as they look atm. Even when there is space or a clean break you spend half the time waiting for them to muff it. I'm not sure England know how to score anymore except from close to the line grinds, mauls or kicking for penalties.

Upside. Two imploding and poorly functioning teams on the Wallabies side of the draw. Both teams may come good, but lots of cracks and work ons which made where we're at not look so bad.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Saw that hit from Farrell. Good lord, the bloke never learns does he.

 

[cyclopath]

It'll get diluted down to a stern talking to after he sweeps the changeroom floor, something, something...

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Scroteland 27
France 30

LOL Frogs up 27-10 then give it the insouciant gallic shrug and clock off.

omfg Scroteland looked really sharp. Miles better than the dung-brained carthorses that represented Wales and England earlier today. The Scrotes should make some serious inroads at RWC. Would be funny if they tipped out a complacent NZ for their first ever victory versus them. LOL. The ultimate fozberried fozzie flop for the charlatan to add to his list of AB first-ever denouements and sign off with TLDR GTFO

Scrotes and frogs, 2 good teams to watch style-wise @RWC. Unlike the gangbang floor of exploded condoms that represented Wales and England earlier

 

[cyclopath]

Scroteland 27
France 30

LOL Frogs up 27-10 then give it the insouciant gallic shrug and clock off.

omfg Scroteland looked really sharp. Miles better than the dung-brained carthorses that represented Wales and England earlier today. The Scrotes should make some serious inroads at RWC. Would be funny if they tipped out a complacent NZ for their first ever victory versus them. LOL. The ultimate fozberried fozzie flop for the charlatan to add to his list of AB first-ever denouements and sign off with TLDR GTFO

Scrotes and frogs, 2 good teams to watch style-wise @RWC. Unlike the gangbang floor of exploded condoms that represented Wales and England earlier

Some of your finest wordsmithery, Dismal.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Saw that hit from Farrell. Good lord, the bloke never learns does he.

What I'd like to know is why wasn't it a straight-up Red? AR was looking right at it from 5m or less so even if Berry was unsighted should've said "Nic, that's a Red on White 10". Or don't AR's do that these days? Given Farrell's previous he needs to be gone for the year (but of course that won't happen).

 

[Dctarget]

Amazingly it was his first red card in an international match

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ how many in total, though? Gotta be three or four, I think, not to mention the ones he got away with: I seem to recall a particularly bad one v SA (?) a few years ago that ended up in a WR (World Rugby) "how not to tackle" video but went unsanctioned at the time.

Edit: Google says three previous making this no. four.

 

[molman]

Scotland v France was a joy to watch as a game. Whilst both coaches will see a lot to work on, the style and frenetic pace of both these teams in attack is just such a pleasure. Scotland for their part are playing a brand of heads up rugby where they are looking to keep the ball alive. This coupled with their set piece generally operating well (mostly) means that they are always looking for the space. Their short passing game and players running off the shoulder has really come on in recent years. Finn whilst not always getting it right is generally taking the correct option or creating something unexpected.

Scotland need to shore up some of the mistakes and unforced errors, admittedly some due to playing this brand of rugby and pushing things, but some at times unforced and costly. That knock on by Schoeman that meant they were under the pump at the beginning of the second half is something that will irk Townsen. Likewise, a couple of defensive lapses with poor communication or option taking meaning players pressed or failed to slide really allowed the French back into this game after what I thought was a pretty ho-hum first half from them. Their pool with SA & Ireland is going to be interesting. I can see them upsetting someone if they play to their potential and a few things go their way.

As for the Aussie connection, I thought Dempsey had a pretty solid game. His footwork going into contact is looking good.

France has built some really great depth and are generally looking good across the park. It wasn't champagne rugby the whole time and there were some unforced errors at times that they'll want to iron out, but players like Ramos are really hitting their strides. The teams ability to be hard on the ball 1-15 and attacking threats aplenty mean that they will be hard to contain this RWC. Villiere was unlucky not to score, loosing the ball in that try saving tackle by Smith and Dupont likely would have scored in the first half if the AR had got his out call right.

Hopefully for them Dante (who looked to take a knock) and Ntamack's (who went off) injuries aren't too serious.

Likewise Van der Merwe who went off for Scotland isn't someone they'll want to loose to injury. Scotland unlike France doesn't have the depth to loose someone of Van der Merwe's caliber.

 

[molman]

^ how many in total, though? Gotta be three or four, I think, not to mention the ones he got away with: I seem to recall a particularly bad one v SA (?) a few years ago that ended up in a WR (World Rugby) (World Rugby) "how not to tackle" video but went unsanctioned at the time.

Edit: Google says three previous making this no. four.

He has a bunch more, many that never went officially cited however much to peoples annoyance as the optics never looked right (especially when others were being pinged for similar or lesser incidents). He's never fixed his technique and has often had a league style of tucking his arm and leading with the shoulder to put a hit on.

I always thought Gus got it wrong in that Eng v. SA game where Farrell was all leading shoulder on Esterhuizen with a wrap as effective as a T.Rex's useless arm.

 

[cyclopath]

What I'd like to know is why wasn't it a straight-up Red? AR was looking right at it from 5m or less so even if Berry was unsighted should've said "Nic, that's a Red on White 10". Or don't AR's do that these days? Given Farrell's previous he needs to be gone for the year (but of course that won't happen).

Because Farrell. I think he gets a dispensation from his eyes being a tad too close together. He's a special case for World Rugby.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

What I'd like to know is why wasn't it a straight-up Red? AR was looking right at it from 5m or less so even if Berry was unsighted should've said "Nic, that's a Red on White 10". Or don't AR's do that these days? Given Farrell's previous he needs to be gone for the year (but of course that won't happen).

Oops, just realised Berry wasn't the ref: watched too many "minis" today is my defence.

 

[Highlander35]

Oops, just realised Berry wasn't the ref: watched too many "minis" today is my defence.

Berry was the weakest link in an otherwise excellent game played by the 49 other individuals.

 

[Dan54]

What I'd like to know is why wasn't it a straight-up Red? AR was looking right at it from 5m or less so even if Berry was unsighted should've said "Nic, that's a Red on White 10". Or don't AR's do that these days? Given Farrell's previous he needs to be gone for the year (but of course that won't happen).

I actually don't think we will hardly ever see straight red with the TMO being able to upgrade tem, and np problem really, a ref will rightly make dead sure before ussuing a red as it a proper red at test level, so a quick look, send to bin and let the TMO decide mitigating reasons etc, and the rest of us can watch the game. The AR can't say it's a red, he can only recommend, so then you got to look at replay after f***en replay.

 

[Blue]

White injury, Fagerson suspension, Finn-Sione-Huw not quite gelling when dealing with the tighter running of BK as opposed to the wider style of Hogg.

Lots to figure out for return fixture against what will be a much Stronger French outfit.

4 boys dropped from the squad as well: Dobie staying around until we get details on White, and both Sebastian & Murphy for Zander , last decisions to be made are seemingly Crosby v Bayliss (Unless Ritchie's injury is more than let on) and the three into two for Cherry, Turner and Rambo.

As a Saffa I am very worried about Scotland. I'd say it's 50/50. Scotland need to get off to a flyer and make us play catch up. That;s their best chance. We will want to suck them into a dirty arm wrestle from the outset. What a well coached side they are.

 

[Highlander35]

As a Saffa I am very worried about Scotland. I'd say it's 50/50. Scotland need to get off to a flyer and make us play catch up. That;s their best chance. We will want to suck them into a dirty arm wrestle from the outset. What a well coached side they are.

It'll be interesting. We need to be more lethal than we have been to be in with a chance but the type of rugby is good. You could still blow us off the park at scrum time and at rucks, our props are a hodgepodge and our backrow, while highly skilled players who punch above their weight are not powerful in a game breaking way like a Valetini.

That represents a lot of my own concern: that Toonie will look at the pack as underpowered and continue with the 6 forward bench we saw in France rather than having faith in Gray and Gilchrist to go the distance. Chris Harris and Ollie Smith or Healy and Redpath/Steyn I think provide more to the side than having both Skinner and Cummings come on fresh.

Final squad named this evening though. Exciting stuff even if the selection should be obvious (Rambo, Walker, Crosbie and Dobie out), we might see a couple of surprises like Rambo in Cherry out, (which I disagree with as I see Cherry as 2nd behind Ashman but Toonie really rates Turner) as Rambo has domestically retired so keeping him fit and with the team may be the more sensible "squad management" move.

Doubt we'll see a Saffa style "retain all 4 halfbacks" either: Horne and Dobie are both good enough rugby players that you can chuck them in the back 3 if needed but they're not good enough to keep the remaining outside backs away from the squad.

 

[Derpus]

As a Saffa I am very worried about Scotland. I'd say it's 50/50. Scotland need to get off to a flyer and make us play catch up. That;s their best chance. We will want to suck them into a dirty arm wrestle from the outset. What a well coached side they are.

I initially read this as 'suck them dry'.

 

[KevinO]

Strong line up to give England a hiding this weekend.

Congratulations to Earlsey in his 100th off the bench.