turnbull Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Not a fan of Lancaster, Robshaw as captain (not a true leader IMO), or Burgess either.We should have replacements who can actually change the game, the coach's selections and whole approach is just too safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Burgess played well. Barritt, on the other hand, was utter gash. Not an international 13. Not sure how he made the squad given how well others performed in his absence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted September 27, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted September 27, 2015 I think going for the corner was… a brave and bold decision, got to be able to back it up thoughMagnificent game of RugbyI actually think it was the opposite of brave.I think they weren't confident they would make the kick. Right out on the touchline.I think kicking for the corner there was the safe option in their eyes. I don't think they were going for the win, they were just going for field position to work it back to a drop goal position, and if they'd got a try from it then all the better.Unfortunately, Wales' defensive line out in that situation was superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 A great weekend at Villa Park. Beers in the stands and no police road blocks in place. There was a big build up of fans at Witton station post game on Saturday with SA fans (of all ages) overheard being advised to walk into the city centre by the police as an alternative to waiting for a train (could a few buses not been put on)? Had to laugh when SA fans mentioned that the stairs at the Scottish stand (Witton Lane) were painted in their colours . The stadium looked great with those posts in place. Two games at Villa Park and Villa were never in danger in losing either! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_c Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Burgess played well. Barritt, on the other hand, was utter gash. Not an international 13. Not sure how he made the squad given how well others performed in his absence. I'm more of a league fan and Burgess will eventually be one of England's best players, he is an absolute monsters He put so many tackles in on Saturday , that Roberts did nothing until he went off was so telling. But I totally agree that Barritt was gash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Exactly. So much for the "open gate"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissmith921 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 The closest he got to Scott Williams all night was when Burgess was subbed off and Scott Williams was in the ambulance!He stopped Roberts but no way would he last the full 80 and the second he went off Roberts bullied Ford for the remaining 20 minutes.Lancaster's going to lose his job for that decision - Wales are weak outside defensively, always have been under Gatland - but our back row, 9,10,12 will tackle everything so what does Lancaster do? Plays two backrowers in the centres as he's terrified of Roberts... People have questioned Biggar before - if they still do they're muppets. The best 10 in Britain and Ireland by a mile - none of the others have the big game temperament that he does.England played well, and admire the go-for-it-all late on - but 3 things:a) Scrum was dominant, why go for LO when could tie up Falatau, Tipuric and Warburton?b - when hitting lineout, why go front!?c) Charteris is unreal at stopping rolling mauls - why throw where he's stood waiting?Lancaster will lose his job on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I agree with nearly all of that. Sitting back and not attacking that makeshift Welsh back line was pathetic and Ford for Burgess was a shocking call. I've always quite liked Lancaster but I've lost count of the number of games we've lost (or at least not put out of sight) due to lack of discipline and the fact that he seems to have done nothing about it speaks volumes. That and picking Barritt over, well, pretty much anybody. Nearly all my Welsh mates hated Biggar when he first started getting in the team but as you say, he's been awesome for the last year or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissmith921 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I remember seeing Biggar kick a conversion from the touchline to win the Pro 12, in Leinster, in the 81st minute - that game (iirc it was Shane Williams' last for the Ospreys) Biggar was the star of the show - he's a big game player who performs.Burgess was never going to last the full 80 - there was plenty of debate this side of the bridge about Tipuric not starting, Bradley Davies starting ahead of Charteris etc but everyone knew what England were bringing to the plate - and Gatland called it to a tee. Had the ref not allowed Marler to burrow in, or yellowed one of Englands many many 'off the feet' penalties - I think it would have been different.Very impressed with Farrell - he's never really played well against Wales previously - superb on the weekend, just behind Biggar and Falatau for man of the match for me. Don't think he missed any of his own tackles, and I count just 2 of his covering tackles he missed - v Scott Williams in first half after Burgess and Barritt were staring down Roberts, and v North when he broke away after the kick off leading to Mike Brown conceding the penalty on the half way. Really good performance by Farrell - maybe him at 12 and Joseph (even if half fit) for effectively a knock-out game v Australia on Saturday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Really good performance by Farrell - maybe him at 12 and Joseph (even if half fit) for effectively a knock-out game v Australia on Saturday?A big worry is that they do pick an unfit Joseph and that he comes off after about twenty minutes with a recurrence of the injury. I know it would be a very tough ask for Slade to play but if he's not an option why did we bother picking him in the squad ahead of Burrell?I hope I'm wrong but I think they may go again with Farrell - Burgess - Barritt on the basis that the win is the only thing and they'll want to keep it as tight as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croydon_Villain Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissmith921 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Really good performance by Farrell - maybe him at 12 and Joseph (even if half fit) for effectively a knock-out game v Australia on Saturday? A big worry is that they do pick an unfit Joseph and that he comes off after about twenty minutes with a recurrence of the injury. I know it would be a very tough ask for Slade to play but if he's not an option why did we bother picking him in the squad ahead of Burrell? I hope I'm wrong but I think they may go again with Farrell - Burgess - Barritt on the basis that the win is the only thing and they'll want to keep it as tight as possible. IMO Australia are going to win the whole thing - considering that, I cant see how England can afford to keep the same against them. Giteau isn't going to go charging at Burgess as Roberts did, he's going to stand off and put players in, given the inexperience of Burgess there in this sport full stop - it would be a mistake imo. Imagine Folau going full tilt against Anthony Watson? I think its time to go big or go home - Ford 10, Farrell 12, Joseph 13 with a 4-4 split on the bench. I'd hope Youngs is fit, because Wigglesworth is terrible. For what its worth, I'm hoping for Wales top, England 2nd - rather us northern hemisphere through than the Aussies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyVillans Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Being an aussie it was nice seeing a team i support win at villa park so comfortably! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 28, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 28, 2015 Surely that is a pisstake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croydon_Villain Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Its from the comments section of the Daily Mail, so who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Billy out and Nick Easter drafted in - I guess he plays on saturday if Morgan's not 100%? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 TBH I'm still trying to understand why Luther Burrell is sitting on his arse back home. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissmith921 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) TBH I'm still trying to understand why Luther Burrell is sitting on his arse back home.my only thought is he's had the order from above - the money the RFU have spent to bring him* over.Wales bring in James Hook and Gareth Anscombe to replace Scott Williams and Hallam Amos respectively. Expecting Hook to start 13 on Thursday, Priestland 15 and Cuthbert 14, with the rest of the side the same that started Saturday.*edit - him = Burgess Edited September 29, 2015 by chrissmith921 clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I might be wrong here but I'm pretty sure the RFU didn't contribute towards bringing Burgess over? Seem to remember Mike Ford saying something along the lines of England not being able to dictate what position Bath play Burgess in because the RFU didn't finance any part of the deal. As I say, I might be wrong, though. Anyway, I'd like to have seen Burrell AND Burgess and no Barritt. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I might be wrong here but I'm pretty sure the RFU didn't contribute towards bringing Burgess over? Seem to remember Mike Ford saying something along the lines of England not being able to dictate what position Bath play Burgess in because the RFU didn't finance any part of the deal. As I say, I might be wrong, though. Anyway, I'd like to have seen Burrell AND Burgess and no Barritt.As far as I'm aware that's right as it's what I've seen reported about the finances.I agree with you on the second bit, too. And if they're not going to play Slade or Goode (apart from in a possibly dead rubber at the end) then I'd have much rather had Cips in the squad to cover for several spots and provide some possible magic from the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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