Eng v Ire - spoiler alert.

[Shugs]

Felt like an easy win in the end. Defence was solid but didn't create much really against a poor Ireland side. Intensity was great. Footnote: Daly is a liability at fullback, both positionally, in the tackle and under the high ball.

[hookender]

How come Ant McPartlin was captain for Ireland?

[mike909]

Odd game, all in all. England played like it was a defence session - aided by a ref not exactly "at one" with Law application (we were offside most of the time) and a ref having a pedantry issue too. He was plain wrong too often too at the breakdown.

That said, England were incredibly impressive in terms of organisation, but created little if anything. Sure, some nice moves (or move in the second half) here and there - Daly helped that to be possible (going fwd) but I got nothing from JJ at wing or Slade at 12 and it was clear when Robson came on that England looked capable (if not fab) with Robson, Ford, Farrell, Slade as 9, 10,12,13. Before that it was like a Sarries game, when they had control and kicked the opposition to death.

Elsewhere, lots of Eddie fans are saying how great England are - but....they are still the team that looked lost when matched up front in the RWC Final and a team with nothing to add beyond tackle and kick.

I want England to win, but improvement such that England can be confident vs NZ and SA (if not France) might need a bit of a game or two when things do not go well....Perhaps France will provide that "check"?

[wasps]

I keep thinking back to when Eddie took over and essentially hated all of our open side flanker options.
The solution was to choose a player (Haskell) and give him a limited game plan that he could excel at which would provide the basics that Eddie was after.


When I look at our backs with essentially 4 outside centres on the pitch, I kinda think Eddie is doing the same.
He doesn't feel that he can get an Australia style free flowing back line and is therefore looking outside the box for a solution using as many natural ball players (that he actually likes - i.e. not Cips and some others) and just getting them on the pitch somewhere.
He's then giving them a limited plan that can be replicated ad nauseum, and if they find a little space they'll likely have enough nous to use it.



I don't mind outside of the box thinking, but only when you've explored the ideas inside the box first.

To me, it feels like Eddie started with a somewhat traditional line up when he started with us, decided he didn't really like it and it's still experimenting with positions.... But he's overlooking that it's now 5 years later and there's a whole new crop of players who could possibly solve the original problems

[wasps]

It was an excellent solo try by May, but did the Irish scrum half virtually match him for pace?

[coddy]

It was an excellent solo try by May, but did the Irish scrum half virtually match him for pace?

Nearly, but May still outpaced him even though he had further to run.

I think Cobus Reinach would of been the only Scrum Half with the pace to save that try.

[westwaleswasp]

Thought that it looks like Ireland and Wales are clearly behind England. That does not make Eddie's England better, it means the benchmark has changed. England have spent a decade losing just one 6n match, bar the awful 5th place finish, and that is with two class teams on their level. Now we just have to worry about France in the 6n, and although there can be muggings away as ever.  With Australia looking weak ish, ,  France, SA and NZ are the visiting teams to worry about.
England created very little, but looked comfortable. The set piece dominance and kicking was enough for a weak Ireland team. If they recover to former strength - I can't see it under Farrell- then our game won't be enough. Right now England are much, much better. I expect another fine 6n.

[Brandnewtorugby]

With the footwork to beat a few defenders, the chip through and re-gather. May's try reminded me of someone...

[backdoc]

I don't think Christian would have needed to kick.   

[hookender]

Unfortunately Wade never allowed opportunity to find out

[westwaleswasp]

Wade and May played on a tour of SA together. Iirc  it was a Saxons tour, and I believe they played on the same pitch. What a wing pair that would have been....

[Shugs]

Just shows how silly the omission of Wade was. The fractionals between wingers defence amounts to nothing and he was miles out in front in terms of attack. Heyho-that ship has sailed. But it still rankles.....

[Bloke in North Dorset]

It would be interesting to see a poins scored against points conceded for Wade. Difficult to do but my guess is that points scored >>> points conceded through defence blunders. Not least because the team understood that and was set up to mitigate his perceived defence weakness.

We should also add to Christian’s tally the points scored because defences were so scared of him they got out of position and someone else scored.