Parling is genuine top class and a natural leader. Personally I'd be looking at him as captain and dropping Robshaw to allow a proper 7 to play. Wood looked like having potential to be top top class when he came on to the scene but he hasn't had enough big moments or big steals.
Don't agree. Robshaw is a damn good captain liked by the players. He leads by example. I don't give a damn whether he's not the best No.7, that is nit picking and there are more important things to consider. It would be wrong to drop him.
At this stage it is yes. I actually think the guy might make a good 8 if we switched him. I think for his size he ought to be a good ball carrier and that's where we will really need him this tournament for our game plan to work. Looks like we are going to play a very physical game so it's gain lines and support the name of the game. I just hope he plays out of his skin and really hammers the breakdowns. Parling should offer some great lineout leading so hopefully that will be a big area of improvement. Just would like that better balance in the back row and that's not to say he doesn't belong in it, it's more which role that would be my question. Important game this weekend to really map out our style and build momentum.
If youre looking for a good bet in this the USA are priced with the spread betting firms to come bottom of the group. Pretty sure that wont be the case and it will be Japan. Ive had a very big bet. Think they could be a surprise package, Manoa is a beast and they have some half decent players. Wait for the weather but think there will be some very good bets on the handicaps to be had i
How does the England football team have anything to do with rugby?! No one thinks we will win, we hope we come together and pull something off. When was the last time a team ranked 6th in the world even go to the semi final? Zero expectation other than the hope that home advantage makes a big difference and our young guns front up. League really thriving..... 3 teams in their World Cup
Cannot match your knowledge of the technicalities of the game, Toppy, it's just that I've always had a high regard for Robshaw as a skipper. Tough and always does his best, and is respected by his team mates. Moving him to No.8, reading what you say, makes sense, must say.
Good luck with your Rugby and Football bets, Don. I wouldn't bet on either with potato chips, no way! Squire, when ready to go, suits me much better.
Clearly you need to go back and read what I actually wrote again. I did not compare our rubbish football team or our rubbish cricket team with the rugby team. I drew a comparison with the failure of the football and cricket teams in their respective WORLD CUPs (2014, 2015). When we go into tournaments in both of those sports, we have no expectation because they habitually fail. There is an expectation of possible victory in Rugby Union. If the Rugby Union team fail at the Group stage, they will attain the same status as the others. Perhaps you can understand that much longer version of what I originally stated in one sentence. Now please tell me where I mentioned the Rugby League World Cup? I will help you – I did not. At the moment, the Super League ‘Super 8s’ are being played, which will culminate in the Super League Grand Final on October 10th. I think it is likely to be much more entertaining as it is fast-paced and competitive. Lots of the game is not wasted with six or seven attempts to set up scrums before the referee penalises one side or the other for collapsing it. They do not spend lots of time with a pile of a dozen players chewing each other’s ears and tossing each other off until the referee blows the whistle because somebody touched the ball. Do you want to go and edit your rant again as you have done so once while I was typing this reply?
"There are 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those who don't." QMII, funny, I managed to get along without understanding it for donkey's years, and did moderately well in life. Binary? Who gives a rat's ass? When PC's started to really rear their cocky heads in the '90s, I mean really started, I pondered, this is great, but who the hell is going to do the real work, i.e. not sitting on one's backside at a desk staring at a screen all the time? The problem of course never came up, but I did wonder at the time.
If you are referring to ‘Super League’, Cyc, that is the name of the top Rugby League competition over here, for which an oval ball is used like Rugby Union. Our Rugby League is played during our summer months for Sky TV coverage purposes.
Cyc, Super 8s are the Super League (UK Rugby League) playoffs. The top 8 teams in the league at the end of season battle it out between themselves to get to the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford I believe.
Cyc, sad to read last week that the racing world lost the legendary Bart Cummings. What a Flemington record that man had!
Yep, a great loss Toppy. The man had a wonderful career, starting out in the late 40s working for his dad. He had his first taste of Melbourne Cup success in 1950 when he was the strapper for the mighty Comic Court, trained by his father. It will always amaze me that a man can train 268 G1 wins. He leaves the love of his life, a lady he married better than 60 years ago.
Here you go Cyc, something for you Aussies to be proud of: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-34135805
Here we go folks - an attempt to grab the moral high ground, complete with the "they're all a bunch of homosexuals" cliche from a proponent of the sport that gave the world John Hopoate