theboyangel Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 Oh dear - just checked the score. England really are dogshit at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted August 26, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted August 26, 2023 (edited) On 24/08/2023 at 15:56, choffer said: Last time I was there, I was on the back row of the top shelf. Half the pitch obscured by the scoreboard (which they'd blu-tacked two tiny telly's to the back of so we had an indication of what was going on in the bits we couldn't see. £125 a ticket. Absolute insanity, quite apart from the fact that it's generally impossible to find any tickets. Then again, it's England and that's not generally something I'm all that interested in (). it used to be. they're much easier now for obvious reasons. i got tickets to all 3 home games in the 6 nations (sold the france one luckily) i wasn't convinced jones needed to be sacked. some of the best rugby, if not THE best rugby i've seen an england side play was under him. i didn't watch today, but losing at home to fiji (warm up match or no warm up match) is a borderline sackable offence on its own. borthwick won't be the head coach for the 6 nations if the world cup goes as badly as we all expect it to Edited August 26, 2023 by tomav84 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bielesibub Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 what a mess! I honestly didn't think England could be any worse, in the World Cup I think it'll be an over-achievement if we manage to finish bottom of our table. ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choffer Posted August 26, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted August 26, 2023 2 hours ago, tomav84 said: it used to be. they're much easier now for obvious reasons. i got tickets to all 3 home games in the 6 nations (sold the france one luckily) i wasn't convinced jones needed to be sacked. some of the best rugby, if not THE best rugby i've seen an england side play was under him. i didn't watch today, but losing at home to fiji (warm up match or no warm up match) is a borderline sackable offence on its own. borthwick won't be the head coach for the 6 nations if the world cup goes as badly as we all expect it to I didn’t think Fiji were much cop today. England were abysmal though. If that’s what England fans have been being served up since Jones left, I almost feel sorry for them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyeddie Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 As captain, Borthwick used to be interviewed after games, explaining why England were shit, now he does it as manager. This Autumn is going to be painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 Borthwick seems really awkward in his interviews. Often sounds like he’s reading a press release or stumbles and stutters his way through what he’s saying. The nerves actually make me root for him a bit more as he seems like a decent guy but I don’t think it’s going to happen. Mate of mine has just messaged our group saying that he was at a party and met the Leicester general manager. Apparently he said that the mood in the camp is terrible - even lower than it seems - and the coaches are finding it really tough. There are a few more injuries that haven’t been disclosed and that Sinkler is definitely out of the World Cup. At this point it would be a big surprise if we made it out of the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 (edited) I went down to Twickenham today. What a steaming pile of turf that was. England are so easy to play against. So predictable in attack, no one can change what the “plan” (I use that term loosely) is, and attack space. There was one period in the first half Fiji were in the attacking 22, they had sent all the players left, England turned over and all it took was one pass to our left and Johnny May had the length of the pitch to run into, instead Lawrence stepped back inside and kicked, May was rightly going ballistic about it. In defence time time again, a simple ball back inside by Fiji and we were ripped open. Borthwick nice guy, did well at Leicester, but he’ll be gone post World Cup that’s for sure. Edited August 26, 2023 by mikeyp102 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 Half time in the opening match of the World Cup. A pretty nervous half, especially from France. However New Zealand are not as ruthless as some of the great NZ teams of old. Not much in it so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted September 8, 2023 Author Share Posted September 8, 2023 This is the ABs first ever pool loss! France have got to be the favourites to win it, even if this is a weaker than usual NZ side, only SA I think get near them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 I don't think there can be any argument that the aura of the once mighty All Blacks has somewhat evaporated. Got to be Franxce or Ireland for the trophy. South Africa can't be easily dismissed. My money is on Ireland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, MessiWillSignForVilla said: This is the ABs first ever pool loss! France have got to be the favourites to win it, even if this is a weaker than usual NZ side, only SA I think get near them You're not even giving Ireland a chanc?. If they bring their A game, then they're a match for any team. Edited September 8, 2023 by sheepyvillian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 On 26/08/2023 at 22:29, mikeyp102 said: I went down to Twickenham today. What a steaming pile of turf that was. England are so easy to play against. So predictable in attack, no one can change what the “plan” (I use that term loosely) is, and attack space. There was one period in the first half Fiji were in the attacking 22, they had sent all the players left, England turned over and all it took was one pass to our left and Johnny May had the length of the pitch to run into, instead Lawrence stepped back inside and kicked, May was rightly going ballistic about it. In defence time time again, a simple ball back inside by Fiji and we were ripped open. Borthwick nice guy, did well at Leicester, but he’ll be gone post World Cup that’s for sure. I knew what we would get with Borthwick, and how he proved me right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted September 8, 2023 Author Share Posted September 8, 2023 3 minutes ago, sheepyvillian said: You're not even giving Ireland a chanc?. If they bring their A game, then they're a match for any team. I just don't fancy them for it. Probably the third best side in the world, but unfortunately for them I think that means a narrow loss to SA in the pools and then getting knocked out by France in the QFs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyeddie Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 (edited) 7 minutes ago, sheepyvillian said: You're not even giving Ireland a chanc?. If they bring their A game, then they're a match for any team. It's a big ask for a team who have never won a World Cup knockout match to put together three big performances in three consecutive weekends. This is made even more difficult by their reliance on a 38 year old injury prone fly half. I don't think he can do three high intensity matches in such a short space of time and prepare during the week. This is what undid England in 2019, Aus, NZ then the Boks, it's brutal and Ireland do not have that experience. Edited September 8, 2023 by luckyeddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 10 minutes ago, luckyeddie said: It's a big ask for a team who have never won a World Cup knockout match to put together three big performances in three consecutive weekends. This is made even more difficult by their reliance on a 38 year old injury prone fly half. I don't think he can do three high intensity matches in such a short space of time and prepare during the week. This is what undid England in 2019, Aus, NZ then the Boks, it's brutal and Ireland do not have that experience. I beg to differ. They are a machine as they proved by beating the All Blacks on their own turf, it doesn't get much more intensive than that. And just as that was a first, I'm pretty confident about them winning this for the first time. Let's see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 15 minutes ago, MessiWillSignForVilla said: I just don't fancy them for it. Probably the third best side in the world, but unfortunately for them I think that means a narrow loss to SA in the pools and then getting knocked out by France in the QFs Not for me, on their day there's not a better team to watch, imo. I think they will beat SA convincingly, I certainly hope they do. No better team to see get beat than them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyeddie Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 Just now, sheepyvillian said: I beg to differ. They are a machine as they proved by beating the All Blacks on their own turf, it doesn't get much more intensive than that. And just as that was a first, I'm pretty confident about them winning this for the first time. Let's see. I would love a northern hemisphere team to win it, Ireland are a formidable team. If I was a betting man my money would be on France, then the Boks, then Ireland. If Sexton stays fit, then I think they will be there or there abouts. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 I think some people are getting slightly optimistic that England will come good like they did when they reached the final in 07 and got kicked off the Park by SA. Still think that try should have stood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepyvillian Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 5 minutes ago, luckyeddie said: I would love a northern hemisphere team to win it, Ireland are a formidable team. If I was a betting man my money would be on France, then the Boks, then Ireland. If Sexton stays fit, then I think they will be there or there abouts. I've always admired the Irish Rugby team especially for their dismissive stance towards sectarianism, unlike the football team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyeddie Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 Just now, sheepyvillian said: I've always admired the Irish Rugby team especially for their dismissive stance towards sectarianism, unlike the football team. Yeah, I do like the way the team has always been a mixture of Northern Ireland and Eire Catholics and Protestants Working class (forwards) and middle class (backs) in the old days This is the best aspect of rugby union. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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