I really enjoyed the game on Saturday.
Why?
Because my money was on Argentina. With the weather forecast looming and knowledge of England’s poor out of hand kicking, I viewed the 5/1 on offer as fair game and well it proved. I laid off mid-game at 5/2, job done.
And thank goodness because without the added financial incentive, the game was utterly depressing from an England perspective.
Matt and I were at the game three years ago when we lost to Argentina at Twickenham under the gloom of the Andy Robinson years. Gloom that was perceived then as short-lived. However, except for a brief run in the RWC 2007 (very brief, mind, who can forget the depths of the pool games), this England team have gone nowhere, done nothing.
The list of complaints continues. It’s tempting not to reiterate as they’ve nearly all been said before but:
- Where’s the joy and spirit which should come with pulling on the white jersey?
- Where’s the white jersey?
- The continued poor kicking out of hand?
- Whither the rolling maul?
- On-field leadership?
- Steve Borthwick?
- Louis Deacon?
- All forwards other than Lewis Moody?
- The backs?
- Wings playing full-back?
- Quick ball?
- Playing the game as you see it?
- Looking to the bench for instructions? WTF?
- Do they practice any backs moves?
- Ford?
- Wells?
- Callard?
- Rowntree?
There is something rotten in the state of English rugby.
How hasty have we been with the likes of Ashton and Robinson? Good second-in-commands who should not have stepped up to the position of first receiver. (How ironic would it be for Andy Robinson’s Scotland to claim an English scalp in the coming Six Nations?)
No-one doubts having Martin Johnson in the picture, but he should not be head coach. We called for the heads of the two above, we called for MJ to be installed. A man who would cut to the chase. Are his hands tied? Does he know what is wrong?
We now call for action again.
The three amigos have to go – Ford, Wells & Callard. Maybe more.
Again, we have to ask the question where does Rob Andrew fit into all this? We question the whole hierarchy. The entire RFU.
If their role is to create a conveyor belt of young talent, what good if the conveyor belt dumps them into the pit of joylessness which seems to be international rugby with England.
This has to stop or an entire generation will be lost.
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3 Comments
November 16, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I was very disappointed with all the rugby served up this weekend. As a Welshman I’m absolutely devastated with the way our game has gone after so much hope in 2008, but I just think it is the way the game is going today. Teams are scared of running and so we see all this aimless kicking which is killing our game. What do you think the future is?
November 16, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Mike, I just don’t know.
This gutless kicking really bugs me.
If done well, tactical kicking has a place.
The All-Blacks seem to have it licked mostly, turning the big wings and forcing them into the corners. But even they are guilty of overdoing it.
And England are just sh1t at it.
I just think that they’re afraid of making mistakes and rudderless. It’s like the England forwards looking over to the bench for ideas/guidance against Argentina. What’s that about?
When Christian Cullen was lurking at the back, you wouldn’t have dared to keep hoofing it to him would you?
How do we stop it? If a team starts to run in two or three tries from aimless kicks then it will make them think twice. Alternatives… how about extending the mark ability up to the 10 yard line or even better allow the opposition to restart with a scrum if they take a kick cleanly up to the 10 yard line or even half way.
I wonder what Dave Alred thinks about it.
Finishing on a positive, I was really impressed by Halfpenny again on Saturday. What a shame he was injured for the Lions. A class player.
November 17, 2009 at 10:48 am
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