[Other Sport] France v England

[Hamilton]

I thought we just looked lacking in ideas. Jonny May’s try was amazing, but a moment of brilliance rather than a result of concerted team play.

Like others, I will put this down to being a bad day at the office.

Meanwhile, the French at last look like they want to play a full 80 minutes.


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[Pavilionaire]

I think these factors were key in why we had such an absymal first half:

1. No Mako Vunipola - always high on the tackle count, great going forward, Mr. Dependable, a better palyer than Marler.
2. No Billy Vunipola - a natural No. 8, a terrific ball-carrier, a powerhouse who can smash through tackles. Curry - filling in - is simply not a No. 8.
3. No Anthony Watson - a decent full-back / wing, big lad, bags of pace. Really poor decision by Eddie Jones to pick Furbank - Paris in Game 1 of the 6 Nations in front of a French crowd baying for blood is not the place to give a young full-back his debut.
4. England's kicking - poor from Ford, Farrell, Youngs, Furbank.
5. Ewers - not as good as Launchbury in the second row.
6. The Saracens factor. Despite these boys being top professionals I find it inconceivable that collectively they would be unaffected by getting relegated from the Premier League. Breaking the salary cap is the fault of the management, not the players, yet the powers that be announce the club's relegation just days before England leave to prepare for the 6 Nations. I worry that the way this has been handled and the fallout will scupper the England team for the next 2 years. If you want the big bucks and the big trophies France is the only destination and that means you can't play for England, so big career choices to be made at precisely the wrong time for players and their families.

 

[keaton]

I thought we just looked lacking in ideas. Jonny May’s try was amazing, but a moment of brilliance rather than a result of concerted team play.

Like others, I will put this down to being a bad day at the office.

Meanwhile, the French at last look like they want to play a full 80 minutes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In all the time he's been in charge Jones' plan has only been, give it to a Vunipola or Tuilagi and bash. When that doesn't work or they're injured we've nothing. We've spent a lot of money on him and coaches and essentially we win games because we've a lot of good players, rather than anything Jones has done

 

[Icy Gull]

In all the time he's been in charge Jones' plan has only been, give it to a Vunipola or Tuilagi and bash. When that doesn't work or they're injured we've nothing. We've spent a lot of money on him and coaches and essentially we win games because we've a lot of good players, rather than anything Jones has done

Tha lack of imagination, flair and plan B was a worry to me. France did get all the breaks, sometimes that’s just the way it is though.

Didn’t we have a really unexpected poor run under Jones not so long ago, year before last?

When England are good, they are very good though

 

[Eeyore]

I think these factors were key in why we had such an absymal first half:

1. No Mako Vunipola - always high on the tackle count, great going forward, Mr. Dependable, a better palyer than Marler.
2. No Billy Vunipola - a natural No. 8, a terrific ball-carrier, a powerhouse who can smash through tackles. Curry - filling in - is simply not a No. 8.
3. No Anthony Watson - a decent full-back / wing, big lad, bags of pace. Really poor decision by Eddie Jones to pick Furbank - Paris in Game 1 of the 6 Nations in front of a French crowd baying for blood is not the place to give a young full-back his debut.
4. England's kicking - poor from Ford, Farrell, Youngs, Furbank.
5. Ewers - not as good as Launchbury in the second row.
6. The Saracens factor. Despite these boys being top professionals I find it inconceivable that collectively they would be unaffected by getting relegated from the Premier League. Breaking the salary cap is the fault of the management, not the players, yet the powers that be announce the club's relegation just days before England leave to prepare for the 6 Nations. I worry that the way this has been handled and the fallout will scupper the England team for the next 2 years. If you want the big bucks and the big trophies France is the only destination and that means you can't play for England, so big career choices to be made at precisely the wrong time for players and their families.

Some very good points here- especially the last. There was a lack of energy in that performance yesterday. Like the stuffing had been taken out of England. I worry that we may see more of it.

It's easy to forget that performance against New Zealand back in October. These are a very good team....

Still, the bonus point was crucial. It keeps England alive in the tournament. There is a period of adjustment and change coming. But as for Jones, he's an outstanding coach who occasionally gets it wrong. Like every outstanding coach.

Rather surprised about the questions concerning his tenure. We've not long played a World Cup Final. We didn't so much get that wrong as were bullied off the park by a quality Saffer game plan. Shit happens.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Why isn't there more opposition - not least from top players - to the absurd rule about not being able to play for England if you don't play in England?

It is just mental and totally at odds with other sports. No need for it - it probably costs less for coaching staff/scouts to fly to some of these French cities than it would to get a train in the UK.

Not to mention virtually every game is either shown live, or a stream/highlights available, or full videos of the match can be dispatched immediately to the UK (as happens for all UEFA international and club competition matches).

There is no upside - apart from international coaches who can't be bothered to do their job properly getting to be lazy - and all downside. Players miss out on better salaries and livelihoods, and getting to know different styles of rugby and knowledge of opposition which in turn might have been useful yesterday. And coaches are denied a full hand to pick from if a player has had enough and just goes anyway.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Have the French got a giant SEAGULL on the front of their shirt? Is Mr Bloom expanding his influence..... despite BREXIT.

EUeeeeew!

 

[Gwylan]

Why isn't there more opposition - not least from top players - to the absurd rule about not being able to play for England if you don't play in England?

Wales have a similar rule - that's why Rhys Webb had to move back to be available for selection. The Welsh rule is not so dogmatic though.

I do think it's crazy in an era of extensive live coverage and fast transport links

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Why isn't there more opposition - not least from top players - to the absurd rule about not being able to play for England if you don't play in England?

It is just mental and totally at odds with other sports. No need for it - it probably costs less for coaching staff/scouts to fly to some of these French cities than it would to get a train in the UK.

Not to mention virtually every game is either shown live, or a stream/highlights available, or full videos of the match can be dispatched immediately to the UK (as happens for all UEFA international and club competition matches).

It isn't anything to do with that, is it?

I always understood that it was about 'protecting' the strength of the English Premiership, by preventing the best English players running after the big bucks in France?

 

[Tooting Gull]

It isn't anything to do with that, is it?

I always understood that it was about 'protecting' the strength of the English Premiership, by preventing the best English players running after the big bucks in France?

It is exactly that. You are just parroting the weak RFU spin line they use to try and justify the decision. But it is bollocks and doesn't hold water.

If the only way we can attract the best players is by artificially skewing the market with emotional England blackmail, or by cheating and paying people more than the salary cap, then maybe our league isn't so great. And addressing that should be a priority.

But punishing players who want to play for a top French club is madness, it hurts them and hurts the international team. Imagine telling Harry Kane he couldn't play for England if he accepted an offer from Barcelona. Ludicrous.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

It is exactly that. You are just parroting the weak RFU spin line they use to try and justify the decision. But it is bollocks and doesn't hold water.

If the only way we can attract the best players is by artificially skewing the market with emotional England blackmail, or by cheating and paying people more than the salary cap, then maybe our league isn't so great. And addressing that should be a priority.

But punishing players who want to play for a top French club is madness, it hurts them and hurts the international team. Imagine telling Harry Kane he couldn't play for England if he accepted an offer from Barcelona. Ludicrous.

I wasn't defending it

Just questioning your suggestion that it was outdated because coaches could now watch them on telly.