https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46160207 Rugby Union: England women get a big win over the USA. I caught the last twenty minutes...good game. I knew there was a USA men's rugby team, but hadn't realised there was a ladies team as well. Not sporty myself in my youth, but I approve of women taking part in sport...too many youngsters are obsessed with vacuous pursuits*. A variety of interests and opportunities is always a good thing *Was always true, so not picking on modern youngsters.
Thinking about the England v NZ game this afternoon. Feeling slightly edgy as I know NZ are expected to win (I hope so as they have set a template as to how rugby should be played) but something nags me that England could spoil the party by playing a kind of game that is attritional with backs to wall defending, kicking penalties and scoring the only try of the game.
Fine by me if England win. You play to suit your own strengths...I'd be perfectly happy if Saints beat Watford by boring play and a lucky goal off a bum. We are long overdue for a lucky win.
I do think the players have a responibility to entertain the paying public, plus the advertisers and media outlets who are backing the match with serious money. It would be a let down if it turns out to be a dour match. If England could somehow perform at the level of the All Blacks and play a running game, that would be wonderful. As for the "box" kick, I think it is awful. Players should have the confidence to use their hands as they are professional. PS: One way to speed up the game is to put a time limit for the ball to be released when a player is tackled, his side gather round to protect possession. Sometimes the wait seems eternal. I shall count the seconds when I see this. 6 Nations sides are masters of this "slow" play.
There is a time limit: 5 seconds from when the ref says “Use it”. What you are describing is called Rugby League. Personally I love seeing teams going through the phases, using the power of the forwards to suck defences in to create space for the backs to run into. I also love seeing back row forwards running in the line with backs to overload defences. I agree up to a point about the AB’s, but rugby in NZ is structured totally differently from in the Northern Hemisphere, with everything geared to producing the best possible national team. Until we have a similar structure in Europe we will always struggle, such are the demands of professional club rugby. England had 17 players missing through injury for the South Africa game.
Today England have 9 Lions that toured New Zealand in 2017. That is what is making Hansen apprenhensive as he realises that England are the powerhouse that provided the backbone to that Lions squad, a squad that surprisingly did very well. Hansen was to nail this one for NZ this afternoon. What is staggering is how these two nations have been kept apart since before the last World Cup. It is surely that match that every rugby fan wants to see.
Phew! That was close. Wonderful that NZ managed to keep their heads despite being under the cosh and riding their luck.
Absolute bollocks Ides. NZ were bloody lucky and didn’t deserve anything from that game. England’s perfectly good winning try was unfairly disallowed.
As you seem to be a good person to ask Chilco, why are people so caring about these rugby friendlies? I was in a pub for the last 15 mins or so and it was packed and everyone was going crazy. I asked one of the people I was with what the game was for and he said it was basically just a friendly, but New Zealand were the best team in the world. So is it like England playing France in an international friendly in football? I can't see people getting so worked up over that though. I probably just don't get rugby but I don't see why people get so invested in what is essentially a nothing game
A "friendly" in name only. I agree with you that in football international friendlies are largely meaningless, but as these two nations hardly ever meet, and England have pretensions of becoming World Champions in the autumn of 2020, this was an opportunity for a challenger to lay down a big statement of intent. And because NZ are the best, many wanted to see how close England could match them.
The Aurumn Internationals are a sort of annual Northern Hemisphere v Southern Hemisphere series which don’t have any trophy attached, but are important all the same, particularly this year as this is the last time the teams will play each other before next year’s World Cup. Beating the All Blacks, the reigning World Champions and by far the best team in the world, would have been a huge morale boost for England, but even in a narrow defeat there were lots of positives. This was the first time for 4 years the 2 sides have met, for one reason or another, so another good reason to get excited, as a big part of England’s build up to the 6 Nations and then the World Cup.
Mysterious how England were so abysmal in the 6 Nations, yet pushed the All Blacks, who usually demolish all the other 6 Nations sides, this was so close. For the record, 5 of the nations in the championship are all at a similar level, with winning margins being quite small. Basically, there is little to separate England and Ireland. PS: What has happened to the immensely talented Joseph?
Let´s hope they make a full recovery!! Hate seeing players who should be in their prime missing out. I suspect the fans of Bath have sorely missed them. PS: Are you are Bath supporter, Chilcs?
There was a time when the biggest club match was Leicester and Bath, the dourness and power of the Leicester pack against Bath´s creative back line. The likes of Saracens and Wasps have put paid to that. Talking of which, are Saracens and Wasps, closer in set-up to the franchises that constitute the "Gaelic and South African" league, rather than the traditional clubs?
Bellew made a great start, but started tiring and Usyk had far too much class. Yes Bellew may have been ahead on scorecards but the fight totally turned in that final round and Bellew would never have won.
