2014 Autumn Internationals

[Kofi Annan]

French are reaping what they sow. Their league is full of high paid imports, they are suffering as a result. Where are their next generation coming from?

More than the the Aviva ??

[Russ]

French are reaping what they sow. Their league is full of high paid imports, they are suffering as a result. Where are their next generation coming from?

More than the the Aviva ??

England naturalised their players faster
France went for capped internationals

[rumncoke]

I expect the French Union to impose a few changes on the Clubs after the World Cup which may upset a couple of current investors who will of course issue the usual threats of breakaway and boycott until they realise Rugby isn't soccer


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[Shan]

Yes Bazza they need to ensure they are performing at 100% for 80 minutes. There is no reason to expect an Ireland team now not to do this. We need every player to contribute at his optimum. This should be a requirement anyway. At home we need to be expecting to win regardless of the opposition. We are Northern Hemisphere Champions. We are not some second tier team coming out to play our heroes.

The expectation from this series is 3 wins from 3. Anything less is a disappointment.

Prepare to be disappointed then

So glad I didn't make those unnecessary preparations Rooster.

[bazzaj]

Ah ha shan you've been waiting on that one!
We can be a miserable lot up north and success and expectancy don't sit well with some of us.
Hopefully joes success can help to change perceptions.

[Shan]

Ah ha shan you've been waiting on that one!
We can be a miserable lot up north and success and expectancy don't sit well with some of us.
Hopefully joes success can help to change perceptions.

I have indeed Bazza. Since the day it was posted I was waiting to come back with that....but even I didn't dare to do so until we had secured the 3 wins. Optimism is a different thing to fecking lunacy or idiocy- Maybe some of you Ulstermen and women should print that bit out and hang it somewhere in yer houses.

[bazzaj]

Sadly shan we would have to take our flegs down to create space and thats not going to happen.
NEVER NEVER NEVER!

[bazzaj]

Just watched last 2 weeks `highlights,` of the Aviva premiership which I had sky plussed and it made me grateful for the pro 12.
Its easy to see why England are in the position they are in, lacking creativity and stumbling to find a back line that can perform the most basic of skills.
I had to watch most of it on x30 it was so dull.

22 of the tries were from forward drives and very few sides showed any sort of creativity to score as most of the other tries were through pressured defensive errors and most of the points were penalties.
Dire stuff really and it translates into their national side.

At the top international level that is not good enough and they may bully Italy or Scotland but not the ABs and the Springbox.
Whether its good enough against the Australians we will see but England tend to do traditionally better against them as they are not as strong up front.

There needs to be a higher level of intelligence against the top sides which is virtually non exisitant in English rugby as a whole.
Their victory over the All Blacks a few years ago now bought them time but that is all but a distant memory as it looks like complete flash in the pan stuff when compared to their more recent performances.

The few bright moments I saw came from Burrell, Cipriani and Wade and there maybe half a hope if they get them involved.
However I fear that its too late for England as they are badly in need of an entire cultural overhaul rather than quick fixes.

[Russ]

Guscott tried to slag off the P12 in the Wales analysis and Ali Williams soon shut him right up

Basically Guscott was like, Wales will never win anything with the P12 ans Williams was like, Ireland and Scotland are doing well with the right NZ model. What have England won

Guscott soon shut up until Jiffy rambled on

[Setanta]

Yes, that was most amusing! Unfortunately only those that wish to listen will have heard and the comments were hurriedly passed over and on to anything else.

[Shan]

Just watched last 2 weeks `highlights,` of the Aviva premiership which I had sky plussed and it made me grateful for the pro 12.
Its easy to see why England are in the position they are in, lacking creativity and stumbling to find a back line that can perform the most basic of skills.
I had to watch most of it on x30 it was so dull.

Etc......

Feck Bazza you are truly a warrior or is that a sucker for punishment.

Agree with you. The only way a limited game plan could work is if your forwards were so superior to the opposition you dominated the game and locked down your opponent. England have good strong forwards but they are not good enough to dismantle any of the top teams.

Some folk were saying last year that England were better in the backline than us. I can't think of a single one of their players from 9 to 15 that I would take a present of for Ireland. Not even sure I'd take any of their forwards either. Certainly none from 4 to 8 anyway.

I think we got caught by the snaps last year. I expect us to beat them this year.

[Shan]

Sadly shan we would have to take our flegs down to create space and thats not going to happen.
NEVER NEVER NEVER!

Love it.

[bazzaj]

I want to hear your opinions on the munster v ulster thread and all shan.
A potential fire cracker of a game!

[Russ]

Just watched last 2 weeks `highlights,` of the Aviva premiership which I had sky plussed and it made me grateful for the pro 12.
Its easy to see why England are in the position they are in, lacking creativity and stumbling to find a back line that can perform the most basic of skills.
I had to watch most of it on x30 it was so dull.

Etc......

Feck Bazza you are truly a warrior or is that a sucker for punishment.

Agree with you. The only way a limited game plan could work is if your forwards were so superior to the opposition you dominated the game and locked down your opponent. England have good strong forwards but they are not good enough to dismantle any of the top teams.

Some folk were saying last year that England were better in the backline than us. I can't think of a single one of their players from 9 to 15 that I would take a present of for Ireland. Not even sure I'd take any of their forwards either. Certainly none from 4 to 8 anyway.

I think we got caught by the snaps last year. I expect us to beat them this year.

Any of their 12s

[Shan]

I want to hear your opinions on the munster v ulster thread and all shan.
A potential fire cracker of a game!

Done Bazza. Fire at will.