Autumn Int. other countries

[blockhead]

NZ win by 8pts. Their 2nds don't look too hot. Lots and lots of knock-ons and other errors by the All Blacks.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Thought NZ were terrible at half back. The back up hooker had a nightmare too.

Their handling and breakdown work were unusually poor.

Scotland didn't even play particularly well, they definitely could have won.

[Vamos los azules]

You have to wonder what Mike Catt is actually doing in camp! I thought that he could be a really positive influence on England as a backs' coach, but they are absolutely moribund behind the pack.

Well whatever it is he has a contract until 2020 to keep on doing it.

Wonder if the RFU are starting to doubt the wisdom of the 6 year contract extensions yet?

[John23]

Not a bad match here with France and the Aussies

[blockhead]

Who is this Teddy Thomas lad!? Shocking defense, brilliant attack.
Great game so far.

[Oldschool]

Thought NZ were terrible at half back. The back up hooker had a nightmare too.

Their handling and breakdown work were unusually poor.

Scotland didn't even play particularly well, they definitely could have won.

Msybe hopefully Dan and Richie are in decline.
Perhaps heaslipped might be able to run a new thread for us. He seems to be good at that sort of thing.

[Oldschool]

Not a bad match here with France and the Aussies

France's lack of 80 min fitness will decide this. They needed to keep that 17-6 lead to ht.
They were starting to flsg a bit after 30 mins in firdt half.
Aussies willsoak up the pressure defensively and finish it off in the last 15 mins.
HT 17-16 btw.

[John23]

Not a bad match here with France and the Aussies

France's lack of 80 min fitness will decide this. They needed to keep that 17-6 lead to ht.
They were starting to flsg a bit after 30 mins in firdt half.
Aussies willsoak up the pressure defensively and finish it off in the last 15 mins.
HT 17-16 btw.

Real ding dong test match. Close on the prediction OS

[simonokeeffe]

England 28-31 SA.

Another late try(unconverted) masks the margin of victory. Farrell was poor, went off injured. You have to wonder what they were doing rushing him back.

You have to wonder what Mike Catt is actually doing in camp! I thought that he could be a really positive influence on England as a backs' coach, but they are absolutely moribund behind the pack. Their tactics are unimaginative, their execution is sub-par, and their selection doesn't make a huge heap of sense.

The more often I see England play, the more I think Sam Burgess has a chance of making their World Cup team. The time is rapidly passing for them to put together a fully functioning backline of the sort they fielded from 2000-2004 [when they scored 20 tries in 6N '00, 29 tries in 6N '01, 23 tries in 6N '02 and 18 in 6N '03] – in fact, I reckon the time has probably passed for them.

There's a pretty reasonable chance that they decide on a very simple, uncomplicated gameplan with a centre combination of two from Burgess/Burrell/Tuilagi to get them over the gainline with regularity and give their pack front foot ball. Pick two fullbacks in their back three to give them more kicking options and a bit more football [probably Foden on the wing and Brown at fullback] and you've got a pretty pragmatic selection which plays to both their actual and their traditional strengths and doesn't demand anything that their players aren't comfortable doing.

Most of the forwards and their midfield dont seem comfortable passing the ball

They seem wedded to Farrell and desperate for Tuilagi to come back; Joseph worth a shot at 13 outside Tuilagi? But again need Ford at 10 to make anything happen
Theyll still make a lot of other teams score less than them either way mind

No clear counterattacking strategy either and the overreliance on Vuniploa is almost comical

Special mention for Hartley who by my estimation if banned as a result of today goes over 1 full calender year of bans.
Eejit makes big play of slapping the guy on the ground and shouting at officials to get their attention and a penalty and THEN stamps on him

[kermischocolate]

Scotland are giving a really good account of themselves so far today (just into the final quarter as I write). You'd have to give Cotter (not to mention Townsend) a lot of credit for the turnaround in their play

Put it this way Adam Ashe started at 8 for Scotland today. He has more international caps than professional starts for his club I believe. Which is fairly astonishing.

There is an awful lot of young talent in the Scotland squad- here's hoping Cotter can make good use of it.

[RichardP]

NZ win by 8pts. Their 2nds don't look too hot. Lots and lots of knock-ons and other errors by the All Blacks.

Doesn't say much for Scotland's 1sts does it?

[RichardP]

Special mention for Hartley who by my estimation if banned as a result of today goes over 1 full calender year of bans.
Eejit makes big play of slapping the guy on the ground and shouting at officials to get their attention and a penalty and THEN stamps on him

I fully agree. I was watching in a pub in Canada with some friends who know nothing about rugby. I yelled "Ah you f%~king idiot Hartley"; two more yelled "What an asshole" and one woman said quietly 'That guy's a moron". You couldn't have made it up.

[JB1973]

Scotland are giving a really good account of themselves so far today (just into the final quarter as I write). You'd have to give Cotter (not to mention Townsend) a lot of credit for the turnaround in their play

highlights how bad a selector and a coach Scott Johnson was. Have the all blacks already peaked?

[Dave Cahill]

France have dropped Teddy Thomas for missing a team meeting - Medard will start instead.

Playing a scrum half at scrum half, an out half at out half and now squad discipline - just what is going on in France? Has Serge Blanco put the screws on PSA?

[berniemac67]

France have dropped Teddy Thomas for missing a team meeting - Medard will start instead.

Playing a scrum half at scrum half, an out half at out half and now squad discipline - just what is going on in France? Has Serge Blanco put the screws on PSA?

Could be bad news for everybody in the 6N if France actually organise themselves. Unless of course the rest of the squad stage a revolt in response to such gross injustice.

[Peg Leg]

France have dropped Teddy Thomas for missing a team meeting - Medard will start instead.

Playing a scrum half at scrum half, an out half at out half and now squad discipline - just what is going on in France? Has Serge Blanco put the screws on PSA?

Could be bad news for everybody in the 6N if France actually organise themselves. Unless of course the rest of the squad stage a revolt in response to such gross injustice.

You would imagine it's only a matter of time before Blanco puts a few noses out of joint within the squad!
Hopefully they'll come a cropper in the 6N

[berniemac67]

You would imagine it's only a matter of time before Blanco puts a few noses out of joint within the squad!
Hopefully they'll come a cropper in the 6N

We can only hope the players react as they normally do when their noses are disjointed. Better go light a few candles ...

[LeRouxIsPHat]

France have dropped Teddy Thomas for missing a team meeting - Medard will start instead.

Knew he reminded me of Mal O'Kelly as he sprinted towards the line the other day...the comparisons grow.

[simonokeeffe]

Basteraud is on the bench too so think the wings actually get to see the ball now

[neiliog93]

France battered Australia but I don't think they've exactly rekindled any semblance of a threat in the backline. One individual try brilliantly taken but in general they still lacked a bit of cohesion out there.