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RWC: ENG v Fiji (Twickenham) Pool A

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Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
Yes. He's only played 8 games for the Tahs since 2013 and 8 games in the NRC.

I'm not sure being in the Tahs squad is the same as playing amateur rugby. By that reckoning Hooper played amateur rugby at the Brumbies. What he did was not get a run due to the logjam of players that typify professional rugby.
 

djeff

Allen Oxlade (6)
Well there was nothing in this match that would really worry the Aussies. Combined with the unfortunate injuries to key Welsh players, the Pool of Death is not looking too scary at this point
Its still a few weeks before Aus v Eng, I suspect England will have their shit together by then.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
 

pjm

Billy Sheehan (19)
I'm not sure being in the Tahs squad is the same as playing amateur rugby. By that reckoning Hooper played amateur rugby at the Brumbies. What he did was not get a run due to the logjam of players that typify professional rugby.

Training professionally, playing amateurishly then? Hooper also had 31 caps at the Brumbies over 3 years at an average of 10.3 a year versus Volavola at 2.6 a year.

I thought it highlighted why he was "stuck playing amateur rugby for the last 3 years"

Yes my thinking as well. Perhaps the Crusaders will do the 'Nadolo' on him
 

The Snout

Ward Prentice (10)
I've watched England through the last 6 Nations and the lead up matches to the RWC and I failed to see the blind confidence the English seem to have in their chances. They seem to put a hell of a lot of stock in hosting the RWC to be enough to see them deep.

Scrum was ok but not great today against Fiji, their open field play looked sloppy. I'm not sure if Fiji scrambled well on their line or if England panicked making it harder than it should have been.

As for Fiji, time to grow up a bit. For decades they've been applauded for their athleticism and 7's ability. Yeah ok fine, but they haven't moved on. In that last 20 minutes they weren't up to fitness, their kicking was dumb, they had more leadership issues than an elected Australian Government. When England returned their penalty kick that didn't go out towards the end it was almost like Fiji weren't interested, probably due to fatigue. But no way it should have been returned nearly the full length.

I don't think Fiji are going to be much of an issue against a structured and smart team. But the game Eng vs Wal , I'd have given to England but going to be closer than expected.
 

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
Shoulda played Matevesi ahead of Volavola. I adore Niko, but I wouldn't want him in my starting 9 Jersey.

And why did we get Aussie commentators on the live broadcast? There's plenty of Aussie and minnow games for them to be at, why did we get them for this one too?
 

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Shoulda played Matevesi ahead of Volavola. I adore Niko, but I wouldn't want him in my starting 9 Jersey.

And why did we get Aussie commentators on the live broadcast? There's plenty of Aussie and minnow games for them to be at, why did we get them for this one too?

I think watching fiji I see great potential but I guess we have been saying that for years about pacific island sides but never goes beyond that - as unfortunately the economics means they are not aligned to professional leagues / comps like super rugby or rugby championship.....and probably unfortunately never will be....Would love a combined pacific island side in super rugby but know the commercials will never stack up....
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Shoulda played Matevesi ahead of Volavola. I adore Niko, but I wouldn't want him in my starting 9 Jersey.

And why did we get Aussie commentators on the live broadcast? There's plenty of Aussie and minnow games for them to be at, why did we get them for this one too?


It was the opening match, I guess they thought it was of enough value.

I expect we will see them for the Aus games and some of the finals matches, some random games as "pool" commentators & the final (unless they are sent home with the Aus side)
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Yes my thinking as well. Perhaps the Crusaders will do the 'Nadolo' on him

Possibly, from memory his game time at the Tahs was mostly at 15 & emergency wing

He has a great boot, a nice pass; but just plays so deep and flat that everything he does is lateral and well before the defensive line

Maybe the 'saders can encourage him to play flatter & squarer
 

BarneySF

Bob Loudon (25)
Just watched the game. Not sure what to take away from it other than it was probably a good hit-out for both teams. Thought both teams looked OK, I guess.

One question I had was – Was England foxing in the scrum? Fiji didn’t seem to have too much trouble in the set piece and even got a few scrum turnovers. But for his place kicking I thought Nadolo had a blinder and the obvious ‘if-only’ talk abounds (although fully aware he wasn’t great when he was in Oz). That try he scored should be scored by Izzy 4 out of 5 times. His kick chases were pretty good too - or at least the one I saw.


US commentary said something along the lines of “Volavola was being fast-tracked in the Australian system to get to national honours”. That is absolute bs right? Just didn’t cut it at the Tahs?
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Gees can anyone seriously be worried about England as a threat after that game...


I am, they will be better for the run and they have the exact grinding game that Aus doesn't enjoy.

I don't see the Aus wingers handing the continual rain of box kicks Eng will put up much better than Fiji and I expect Eng to go into their shell a bit more, play Farrell and punch the corners and pressure.

So "if" the Pooper is started against England I expect immense lineout pressure
 

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
I am, they will be better for the run and they have the exact grinding game that Aus doesn't enjoy.

I don't see the Aus wingers handing the continual rain of box kicks Eng will put up much better than Fiji and I expect Eng to go into their shell a bit more, play Farrell and punch the corners and pressure.

So "if" the Pooper is started against England I expect immense lineout pressure
My main concern was England dominating us scrum wise but given they were hardly earth shattering against Fiji scrum - does not suggest the English set piece is as big a threat to wallabies as one thought
 

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Let's see how we go against Fiji - they actually showed they have talent but had some pretty ordinary, scappy and mistake ridden wild brain implosions and poor skill / judgement execution at critical moments
 

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
England certainly got the rub of the green with the officials in this game.

The England LHP was boring in in every scrum as soon as the ball was fed. Finished at 90 degrees to the front row line every time, except for a couple where he went to ground. I don't expect Poite to pull this up any more than Jaco did last night.

A lot of talk here about how poor Vola Vola was, and rightly so. But Ford was really little better at 10 for England. Good kicking game, but was standing exceptionally deep in attack in the first half, didn't once take the line on himself that I saw, and didn't put any of his supports into space. England's attack was simply to send the ball to the wings with an overlap (reminiscent of the Crusaders for a lot of 2015 Super). Fiji was mostly able to cope with that attack by having the winger hit the second last player in line and having a very fast cover defender take the winger, and it worked for most of the game.

Nobody seems to be questioning England's second try. In my view, the lock who intercepted the throw was part of the lineout and left the 15 metre area before the ball crossed that line. Was he not offside?

All in all, despite the cheating in the scrum, England was at least matched by the Fiji scrum and should present little problem for the Aussie pack given fair refereeing. The England backline was almost pedestrian save for May and Brown, and really should be no threat to the Wallabies. Fiji, on the other hand, I thought played with more flair and pace, but as always looked like amateurs against professionals. Always beaten to the loose ball, and the high ball, and susceptible to making basic errors under pressure.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
My greatest fears about how referees were going to perform in relation to mauls and scrums were unfortunately confirmed this morning.

Note the first try on this clip. England form a maul from the lineout at 2.06 and begin driving towards the line, BUT, at 2.16 4 England players detach and not one of the 4 are in contact with a Fijian player - therefore the maul is over. These 4 England players continue driving downfield - with the player holding the ball BEHIND his three team mates - obstruction, truck and trailer or whatever you want to call it and England end up with a penalty try and Fiji with a player in the bin.

 
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