Off Topic Other Sport

Amazing to think that Stanley Matthews was still playing football for Stoke.

 

I don't like these day/night matches. They shouldn't be used for test cricket. The 3rd session, every day, will always heavily favour the bowling side.

 

Rugby Union: Wales 10 - England 20. A few rambling comments!

Scrappy old game. Farrell had a poor game and drives me round the bend with all his kicking during play. Missed a few conversions too. How can England afford to leave a young talent like Marcus Smith on the bench? Do not understand that at all. Steward was outstanding and deserved to get the best player award at the end of the match. Anthony Watson played a fine game too on his return to the England squad after a 3-year absence, scored an excellent try and was always a danger to Wales with his speed on the wing.

Good game tomorrow on ITV, I think, France vs Scotland.

 

Not the best of games, grant you that, but from what I saw I thought you could see that Borthwick has started to implement his ideas and at times, though not enough to really say that they have turned a corner, they looked good with the ball, moved it at pace and had a plan. Unfortunately they are still a long way back from the Irish, Scots and French, but it gives us hope that they might just be getting their house in order after the boredom of what Eddie Jones was serving us up at the back of his reign...!!

 

Well, if the way England are going to play Test Cricket means that they, and the watching public, are going to be involved in a roller coaster of emotions where no one knows who could win it, lose it, throw it away or snatch a win from the grasps of defeat then sign me up...!!

I know that in the past Test cricket was all about not losing first if you were slightly in trouble, but the attitude shown by both sides in the recent Test in Wellington shows that going for it and going down fighting is by far a better watch for the supporters. This will keep Test Cricket alive and kicking if all Test sides take this route and mind set, and long may it continue...

 

Swanny, he isn't in the squad for the France game at the weekend...!! Things do change, players come and go, so i am wondering if Borthwick is looking at the World Cup with the tried and 'trusted' than rather go with youth and talent...??

Only time will tell...

 

Maybe to get his average down a bit...

 

And Pidcock today too.

 

Sunday, March 5th:

Liverpool 7 - Man.Utd. 0

 

In the RU 6-Nations, I understand Owen Farrell has been dropped to the bench for the game against France at Twickenham, and young Marcus Smith has been brought back into the side at fly-half. I am glad to see that Marcus has been given a real chance to show his stuff. A great talent, IMHO. He doesn't miss many penalty kicks and conversions either. France are always tough opponents and have some very talented players, but England seem to do better against them on home ground, rather than in Paris. Can't wait for the game, really looking forward to it.

 

I hope that Borthwick gets England back to the top of the 6 Nations, and a potential good World Cup run but he's already picking and choosing too many formations and line ups that im not sure he has a set plan yet for this team...

Time will tell, starting with a very good French side that will take all the beating in the world this weekend...!!

 

Half-time: England 3 - France 27.

This is a horror story, and I don't like horror stories. France play on a different planet, they were magnificent. Hope to hell England get one or two tries in the second half to ease the pain a bit, but I doubt it.

 

Ooo la laaah, those Frenchies taught us a real lesson in the art of how to play the modern power packed style of rugby that the top sides now have. Quick of mind, quick of tactical awareness and quick on the counter we can only dream at the moment of even beginning to get to that level of team.

The Irish also have these qualities in abundance, leaving us just about on par with the Scottish team, and we have 10x times the players, revenue and size of field to choose from...!!

The World Cup can be put on hold for us for now, we will just be making up the numbers at this rate...!!

 

Yep, wise words, Red. Still, there's plenty of time and money in the England kitty, I'm sure, for Steve B. to get a first-class nose job? Seriously, he's a tough old bird, admit to being pretty sorry for him at the moment. He has to build from absolute scratch, which will surely take a few years?

 

I’m very disillusioned with England’s ‘style’ of rugby at present. Borthwick yet to select a forward gear. Dull to watch, an aimless kicking game that I can predict watching the gogglebox so hardly likely to test the decent teams around. It seems we’re waiting for the oppo to make a mistake and when they don’t we’ve no idea what to do. It’s the cricket equivalent of bowling for run outs. And for some years now we seem unable to adapt to the referee with horrendous penalty counts against us most games. As has already been said it’s not a lack of players or funds. We’re just ****.