RWC QF2: England v France (W Pool B v RU Pool A)

[pete88]

As Blue said, Stevens is mainly a tighthead when he plays for Saracens.

Corbisiero is a young prop who has been around in the Premiership with London Irish and has about 50 matches with them under his belt, and came on about 20 minutes into the Six Nations game earlier this year against France and held his own against their tighthead. Johnno should have noted that Euan Murray dominated Stevens last week but when Corbisiero came on, the scrum stabilised. Playing against France, Stevens should have been on the bench to cover both sides, with the specialist loosehead prop playing.

Never mind though Mr Johnson, all will be forgiven if you lead us to victory in the 2015 RWC at home!

Ah I missed last weekend and just caught highlights packages. Yeah having read that those selection changes would seem logical. Ah well, us fans always have 20/20 hindsight on our side. How stable is Johnson's position by the way? Any Ewen McKenzie-equivalent coaches lurking in the Premiership? Cockerill for example? Or is a QF exit with a somewhat young side and a 6N title this year enough? Could be exactly what we're looking at this time tomorrow :/

 

[tranquility]

France just peaked. The revolution has been run and won. They can't do it two more times- doubt they can do it even once more. Us or the Saffas for mine.

What do you base that on? Just curious.

French not only have the talent, but the experience and the combination of graft and creativity. I am not saying they can't be beaten next week against Wales, but tonight was certainly not a flash in the pan.

 

[pete88]

I'd agree with Hardtackle, reasons for me are that that first 40 minutes was better than anything else they've produced in... years? They were stuffed at the end, and the problems in camp aren't going away. Wales on the other hand have been playing that well all tournament. France aren't exactly the model of consistency.

Mirroring you however I am not saying they won't stomp Wales next week simply because they will still be written off to a degree by many but believe they can beat a side like Wales. I actually wonder if overconfidence might be an enemy for them as well, but at the end of the day I have no fucking clue what goes on in their heads, that's the beauty of the NH semi, I can't wait.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

This is so good, I'm going to have to go out back for a wank!

Jesus Groucho, Are you going for the G&GR 2011 quote of the year.
Last year Moses won it on the back of a post in the live call with related to Gilbert's kick which won the game for the Men in Gold. Your effort must be close to a winner for the 2011 awards, well before the award nominations are announced.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

holy shit. huge result.
Back to the bar.

F*king pearler.

England Rugby Team, your one way tickets from AKl to LHR will be available at Mangere airport upon your arrival. Schadenfreude ++++. The only thing left for the Soap Dodgers is a pardon for Harry Harbord Morant. Swallow your colonial pride and do the right thing your bastards.

It may be wrong to feel like the entire Jarse household and invited guests does tonight, but you have cheated, and CHEATS NEVER PROSPER.

Your mob have been a disgrace from day 1. Glad to see you go.

Allez Lez Blues.

 

[Hardtackle]

What do you base that on? Just curious.

French not only have the talent, but the experience and the combination of graft and creativity. I am not saying they can't be beaten next week against Wales, but tonight was certainly not a flash in the pan.

Of course they can play but what I'm hearing is that they are in general dissaray. Did you see the debacle against Tonga? They were crap. Those last four minutes were totally daft. It made for some of the best viewing of the cup so far with the Tongan hooker and LHP going nuts against a pack of numb nuts. The largest part of their weaknesses is that the players hate the coach.

They got up tonight in spite of him. Maybe even to spite him. That kind of emotion will get you up for one game, may be two, but there is sfa chance they'll be able to go three in a row against increasingly good opposition. Didn't we beat them 59 - 16 in France last year?

They are more inconsistent than us. And that's saying something.

 

[Toby Lerone]

How stable is Johnson's position by the way? Any Ewen McKenzie-equivalent coaches lurking in the Premiership? Cockerill for example? Or is a QF exit with a somewhat young side and a 6N title this year enough? Could be exactly what we're looking at this time tomorrow :/

Don't really know in all honesty: with the RFU board being a total mess (and they'll probably have to deal with the fallout from the Blackett Report now that the World Cup isn't a distraction) it's impossible to say who would decide whether he stays or goes.

I believe Johnson's contract expires in December: Jim Mallender, coach at Northampton, would be my personal choice to take over after all he's done there, but if he is going to take charge, I imagine Johnson would be given a short term contract to do the 6 Nations and then Mallender taking charge when the domestic season is finished.

 

[Cardiffblue]

tommorrow's papers.

What we will see is 9 pages of crap about orcs being unlucky and about 1/2 page on us.

Gotta lot of time for Johnson, but he is no head coach and as for the bunch of arrogant shits he has around him-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yewer going home!

 

[Groucho]

What do you base that on? Just curious.

French not only have the talent, but the experience and the combination of graft and creativity. I am not saying they can't be beaten next week against Wales, but tonight was certainly not a flash in the pan.

My experience of 30 years watching rugby is that ALL great France games are a flash in the pan. They are occasionally followed by another good game, but are more often followed by the most astonishing reversal.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

My experience of 30 years watching rugby is that ALL great France games are a flash in the pan. They are occasionally followed by another good game, but are more often followed by the most astonishing reversal.

true - but they have a pretty good record at world cups despite there being some sort of permanent feud between the players and the coach, irrespective of who he has been at each of those world cups.

 

[dobduff11]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

 

[BarneySF]

This is no doubt a stupid question by why would we have gone home if we lost to Russia but France could afford to drop 2?

 

[Tordah]

This is no doubt a stupid question by why would we have gone home if we lost to Russia but France could afford to drop 2?

you wouldn't have gone home, you'd still be in front of Italy

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Depends on the points others have gained in the pool including bonus points for 4 tries or losing by less than 7, I think


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[ScepticalScotty]

A few more hours of just living it up at the Poms expense until we face the Boks. Yeah, life is good.....

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

Goes to show that losing pool games is not that big a deal. Was the peak of schadenfreude watching England lose.

 

[Ruggo]

What did he do, I missed it?

He gave one of the Argies a kiss in the first week being a total smart arse.

 

[BRIX]

Just watched the replay again. Inspired game by Bonnaire, this is how Rocky has to play from 6 at the weekend - short clip doesn't really do it justice but you get the picture. Strong carries, big tackles. Would love to see Harinordoquy's highlights too. He had a superb game himself.

[video=dailymotion;xll8df]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xll8df_bonnaire-face-a-l-angleterre_sport[/video]

 

[Cardiffblue]

Why is this thread still going. Haven't the orcs gone home yet? Or are they just going to keep hanging around auckland like a bad smell

 

[Braveheart81]

A mate of mine works at the hotel where England were staying. He took great pleasure in wishing them a pleasant flight home yesterday.