Filed under: England, Rugby | Tags: argentina, Australia, Autumn internationals, Courtney Lawes, danny hipkiss, Joe Simpson, Joe Ward, Johnny Wilkinson, new zealand, Premiership, Shane Geraghty, Warren Gatland
Am I the only one who has to agree to an extent with Warren Gatland’s comments http://bit.ly/4e9qX1 that the Premiership has not been of the highest quality. Granted he referred to that tepid performance by Gloucester against Wasps but there has been a quality issue. Is it the ennui of a mid World Cup cycle point? Have we failed to adapt to the new ruck laws? Whatever the reason there is little excitement in the games. Premiership Rugby were quick to refer to increased attendances, but there is a serious flaw in this argument. Attendances have a response lag and when they fall, it will be too late to respond, indeed if we can.
Some individual performances have arisen from the mire however. Simpson, Ward and Lawes spring to mind reflecting attitudes without fear of contracts, the EPS, or image rights. Obviously a lot has been spoken about Saint Johnny’s performances across the sleeve. But from reading the reports, not many reporters have watched more than one game. He was solid rather than impressive against Saracens and not much could be gleaned. Or are we so short of quality fly halves that if JW can get out of bed pain free, the nation rejoices?
If there are two certainties in this country, it is that there will be a general election on May 6th and that England are looking at JW at 10 and Shane Geraghty at 12. Now I was led to believe that the edict was that you were eligible for the position you played at club level and only that one. SG hasn’t played at #12 in any big games this season and with sizeable opposite numbers, our Antipodean visitors will look to exploit any frailties in our midfield defence. If we squeeze midfield with the back row and Hipkiss, then this could crowd the area sufficiently but not at lineouts where Australia are the kings of attack.
I look forward to the autumn internationals although with a sense of fear. We must rise from being a side that can harry opposition to close defeats to one that can squeeze out tight victories against the big sides. Injuries cannot be an excuse. None of our visitors are at full strength and on can never count a full side in the big games. Argentina are facing a predictable dip from their 2007 heroics, and New Zealand are suffering a serious crisis in coaching personnel. Both teams are there for the taking. It is unfortunate to start with Australia, a team unpredictable in performances lately but who has, in my 30 (nearly) years of watching rugby, never failed to rise to the occasion of playing England.
Filed under: Rugby | Tags: new zealand, South Africa, Victor Matfield, Tri Nations, Graham Henry, Hamilton, Nonu, Chris Jack, John Smit, Bryan Habana
Don’t allow the scoreline to deceive you. South Africa thoroughly deserved their victory and were never behind on the scoreboard. The host’s lineout totally failed in the 1st half and despite having the better of the breakdown, this left Henry’s selection chasing the game. Steyn and Steyne were lethal with the boot, Francois kicking three from his own half (considering the Hamilton venue, this was exceptional).
New Zealand’s issue (besides the lineout) was in their midfield. Nonu had a bad day at the office, knocking on or being stripped of the ball at least five times. They also could not come up with a solution to the Bok’s defence strategy. It’s a variation on the rush as one midfielder will push up quickly leaving the opposition’s back three starved of possession. In the occurrence of a long pass, they backed their cover defence which did not let them down.
New Zealand have more questions than answers with two years to the RWC. Chris Jack has not been properly replaced and will probably be replaced by Chris Jack; Read does not yet look the part at the base; #9 is not dynamic enough; and of course the midfield. That’s a lot of questions for one of the favourites.
South Africa, can bask in the glow of victory for only a little while. Smit, Matfield and Habana may need replacing over the next two years and #15 is a constant worry. But they have a very good spine in the 2/8/9/10 positions so look best placed of the top 5 (Tri Nations + Eng & Fra)
Filed under: England, Rugby | Tags: Bloodgate, Dean Richards, Heineken Cup, Leinster, nick Evans, Steph Brennan, Tom Williams, Wendy Chapman
After the full transcripts, it reads like an Ealing comedy except that rugby is the landlady for the Lavender Hill aka Stoop Memorial Mob.
No one comes out of this looking even remotely clean. Tom Williams’ statement looks like a ream of stupid naive actions and/or pure lies. Unfortunately it reads like a healthy mix. In fact the only victim appears to be Doctor Wendy Chapman who was coerced into making an incision in Tom William’s mouth and may pay for this lapse with her career.
Williams lays the blame firmly at the seat of Dean Richards. But does anyone, even Deano have this much influence over players? Why are the RFU not investigating the other four incidences of bloodgate stated by Steph Brennan the physio? Another cover up?
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bloodgate, Brian Moore, Daily Telegraph, Dean Richards, Harlequins, Heineken Cup, Leinster, Williams
The interview in the Daily Telegraph was very brief and of course leaves the traditional ‘more questions than answers’. The most notable point was how long Dean Richards has been aware of blood and ir’s tactical use being an issue. This clearly leads to the need for an independent medical officer present at all top flight matches. or verification by the opposition’s physio/medic. We should not be too quick to condemn Harlequins since it is clear that this wasn’t a novel idea.
I think that Williams has been lucky to get such a short sentence, clearly a reflection of his ‘co-operation’. One hopes that a similar degree of clemency will be afforded to Richards upon the production of a full account, not solely of this incident, but of all incidents with Harlequins and Leicester and indeed any suspicions regarding other teams. Now that an episode has been categorically proven, the RFU and IRB must do everything in their power to remove this stigma from the game.
Filed under: Rugby | Tags: Damian Hopley, Dean Richards, fabricating injury, Harlequins, Heineken Cup, Leinster, nick Evans, Tom Williams
I have waited some tim ebefore posting hoping that there would be an outbreak of commonsense but nothing so far.
The 12-month ban handed to Tom Williams for fabricating an injury is an absolute disgrace or “entirely disproportionate”, as stated by the Professional Rugby Players’ Association chief, Damian Hopley. How is it that deliberately trying to affect the sight of a player is worthy of a twelve week ban whilst feigning injury is a fifty two week ban? Both ‘crimes’ are despicable and place the game of rugby union in disrepute, but only one of these seeks to permanently disable a fellow human being. I could understand a substantial fine for the club, or points deduction or removal from Heineken Cup participation when they next qualified, but this censure seems almost vindictive. Where is the consistency?
- Trying to gouge someone’s eye out – 12 week ban
- Drug abuse – 35 week ban
- Fabricating Injury – 52 week ban
What was the Disciplinary Committee thinking?
The other factor is, does anyone think this was a case of ‘the lone gunman’? Tom Williams did not act alone and the investigation should be constructing a case against the officials involved, not the whitewash which was achieved.
Filed under: Rugby | Tags: all blacks, Australia, new zealand, Al Baxter, Tri Nations
It’s very hard to get excited about the TriNations, a parochial gathering of inbreds playing each other far too much for the filthy lucre offered by the Fox/Sky Faustian devil.
And the Eden Park hoodoo continues. Australia’s poor discipline told as a New Zealand side in transition just edged a tight encounter, but not what to ever get the dispassionate observer out of his seat. The home side still have a lot to work on: their lineouts were shaky in the first half, more a question of comms than individuals; the scrum was turned against the tight head at will, Baxter is not the player who was shafted by England’s Andrew Sheridan in RWC2007; and decision making was flawed. There is 26 months to go to the next world cup and despite this loss, I feel that Australia appear ahead in their development than New Zealand.
I did note one amazing moment, an Australian was pinged for taking a tap penalty without the ball leaving his hands. Now all we need is correct refereeing of the feed.
Filed under: England, Rugby | Tags: Danny Cipriani, England Saxons, England team, Rugby
No surprises there then. Why are we sticking with Julian White? He adds nothing around the park! Moyne’s gain is Sackey’s loss. I feel that Banaham should be the casualty but wing is one of our few strong positions. Most importantly, we’re looking competitive in the back row in both squads. I’m not sure what Kennedy can do to regain his place. His lineout action is key. Partnering Shaw would make a cracking combination!
In the Saxons, this could be Simpson’s year. Ben Foden should stick to FB/wing
England elite player squad:
Forwards:
G Chuter (Leicester), D Hartley (Northampton), L Mears (Bath), T Payne (Wasps), A Sheridan (Sale), P Vickery (Wasps), J White (Leicester), D Wilson (Bath),
S Borthwick (Saracens), L Deacon (Leicester), B Kay (Leicester), S Shaw (Wasps),
S Armitage (London Irish), J Crane (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins), T Rees (Wasps), J Worsley (Wasps).
Backs:
D Care (Harlequins), H Ellis (Leicester), T Flood (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), J Wilkinson (Toulon).
R Flutey (Brive), D Hipkiss (Leicester), M Tait (Sale), M Tindall (Gloucester)
D Armitage (London Irish), M Banahan (Bath), M Cueto (Sale), U Monye (Harlequins), O Morgan (Gloucester)
England Saxons squad:
Forwards: R Blaze (Leicester), D Cole (Leicester), A Corbisiero (London Irish), N Kennedy (London Irish), C Lawes (Northampton), M Mullan(Worcester), T Mercey (Saracens), L Moody (Leicester), L Narraway (Gloucester), D Paice (London Irish), C Robshaw (Harlequins), W Skinner (Harlequins), G Skivington (Wasps), D Ward-Smith (Wasps), R Webber (Wasps), N Wood (Gloucester), B Woods (Leicester).
Backs: N Abendanon (Bath), B Barritt (Saracens), D Cipriani (Wasps), B Foden (Northampton), S Geraghty (Northampton), T Ojo (London Irish), S Myler, (Northampton), P Sackey (Wasps), J Simpson (Wasps), D Strettle (Harlequins), J Turner-Hall (Harlequins), S Vesty (Leicester), D Waldouck (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale), M Young (Newcastle).
Filed under: Rugby | Tags: Bakkies Botha, bans, gouging, lan Quinlan, Schalk Burger
Botha gets a 2 week rest. Burger gets 8 weeks.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8122711.stm
When one considers that Quinlan received 12 weeks, shouldn’t we work some way towards global harmonisation of sentences?
In the match itself, Burger should have received a red card but let’s not dwell on what was an exciting and passionate game for the following 79 minutes.
Filed under: Rugby | Tags: 2nd Test, Jaques Fourie, keith earls 2nd test, Lions, lions 2nd test rugby, Lions test rugby 2nd test, Morne Steyne, Rob Kearney, Ronan O'Gara, ronan o'gara performance 27 june 2009, sa 28 lions 25, Simon Shaw, South Africa
What a MATCH!
It all came down to 54 metres in Pretoria and the last kick of the game. Morne Steyne kicked the penalty to win the series.
The intensity and aggression in this game was a marked step up from the last match and ther Lions started well allowing Kearney to score in the corner. Even though Pietersen scored in reply, the penalties were being kicked allowing the Lions what seemed like an ample buffer.
The Lions were unlucky to lose two props after 45mins as the scrum had proved to be their strongest set piece, leaving us with unopposed scrums. The lineouts were not as efficient as they could have been and the Lions lost key lineouts (the choice of Rees effectively sacrificed the lineout). Thankfully South Africa did not use the set piece as a launch pad for their driving mauls as often as the 1st Test. But Rees must be dropped for the 3rd Test.
Tactically the Lions seemed to have it right, working through the midfield with Roberts as the anchor or decoy. But as the Lions tired, South African possession and territory grew and with it their resolve. Crucially South Africa brought on Morne Steyne and Jaques Fourie to turn the game against tired opposition.
Individually Simon Shaw (man of the match performance) was a rock as was Rob Kearney, Before he went off A Jones had been exceptional in the set piece and around the park. But it was the loss of key individuals: both props and especially both centres which turned the game. ROG came on and it was his missed tackle that led to the South African try and his reckless taking out the man to concede the penalty. How we wished that the Lions had picked James Hook and Keith Earles as their replacement backs.
The scrum is solid, the only penalty being awarded to the Lions.
The lineout is shaky as expected, with Rees’ throws giving the Boks a decided advantage.
But the main difference is the Lions are leaving the opposition 22 with points.
Individually Kearney is having a great game.
South Africa: Pietersen T, F Steyne P
Lions: Kearney T, Jones C, 2P, DG
