NPR

JM2K6 wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 5:14 pm

Kawazaki wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 5:06 pm

JM2K6 wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:52 pm

"Any attempt to discuss England's failure that involves anyone other than Marcus Smith is whataboutery, no matter the context"

Great stuff

FYI, the context is an exchange specifically about the starting 10 losing every match bar a couple of captains runs against the Japs.

Hope that helps though I'm not optimistic.

Yeah, that's why I pointed out that famously England lost matches they were winning when the starting 10 got moved or subbed. I realise your schtick is based on the hope that no one actually watches any of the matches or has any memory of events, but it's really not that long ago.

Anyway, we've looped back round to the start again. Enjoy pissing in your own mouth, I'm sure it'll help assuage the continued pain you obviously feel over criticisms of Owen Farrell.

And now the ad hominem.

You should stay off the turps on a Sunday.

I've already shown how flawed your logic is, and besides, if Marcus Smith can't improve England's standard at fullback when he replaces Freddie Steward then he doesn't deserve to be in the squad.

And as for Owen Farrell, Marcus would sleep in Saracens pajamas to get his England win ratio.

Don't mean to dwell on the negative, but I was shocked at how poor the English backs were, especially on defence. Mitchell and Steward's efforts when JGP scored were almost comically bad, and Murley was just clueless anywhere near his own tryline. Imagine Scabby will have them hitting shitloads of tackle bags all week.

Gumboot wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 7:38 pm Don't mean to dwell on the negative, but I was shocked at how poor the English backs were, especially on defence. Mitchell and Steward's efforts when JGP scored were almost comically bad, and Murley was just clueless anywhere near his own tryline. Imagine Scabby will have them hitting shitloads of tackle bags all week.

Our defense system has been in a fair bit of flux over the last year. 2024 6N we were asked to be patient while Felix Jones bedded in his blitz system and the start of the tournament was certainly rough. Then Jones was gone by the autumn and we had Joe El-Abd come in at pretty short notice while still doing his club job in France. And they've apparently changed it again for this 6N.

Obviously individual errors happen, but it can't help that the players keep having to adopt a new system

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:12 pmOur defense system has been in a fair bit of flux over the last year. 2024 6N we were asked to be patient while Felix Jones bedded in his blitz system and the start of the tournament was certainly rough. Then Jones was gone by the autumn and we had Joe El-Abd come in at pretty short notice while still doing his club job in France. And they've apparently changed it again for this 6N.

Obviously individual errors happen, but it can't help that the players keep having to adopt a new system

Cheers, I didn't know about all the systemic issues. Tough spot to be in, but they need to sort it out pronto or France will cut them to shreds.

Gumboot wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 6:41 am

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:12 pmOur defense system has been in a fair bit of flux over the last year. 2024 6N we were asked to be patient while Felix Jones bedded in his blitz system and the start of the tournament was certainly rough. Then Jones was gone by the autumn and we had Joe El-Abd come in at pretty short notice while still doing his club job in France. And they've apparently changed it again for this 6N.

Obviously individual errors happen, but it can't help that the players keep having to adopt a new system

Cheers, I didn't know about all the systemic issues. Tough spot to be in, but they need to sort it out pronto or France will cut them to shreds.

It's also more evidence of the guys getting shagged out playing our high pace defensive system and the tactic of constantly giving possession away rather than going through phases.

Likely french team to eat rossbeef

starting XV : Ramos - Attissogbe, Barassi, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey - (o) Jalibert, (m) Dupont - Boudehent or Roumat, Alldritt, Cros - Meafou, Roumat or Brennan - Atonio, Mauvaka, Gros.

Bench : Marchand, Baille, Tatafu, Auradou, Guillard, Jégou, Lucu, Gailleton.

Brennan is one of the milkman's sons

Attisogbe will drop off if Penaud recovers (likely)

Gumboot wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 7:38 pm Don't mean to dwell on the negative, but I was shocked at how poor the English backs were, especially on defence. Mitchell and Steward's efforts when JGP scored were almost comically bad, and Murley was just clueless anywhere near his own tryline. Imagine Scabby will have them hitting shitloads of tackle bags all week.

Murley seemed completely lost positionally on a few occasions. His failure to gather a fairly routine box kick in the 43rd minute was a huge momentum shifting moment.

Yep, he had no idea he was meant to go for that. Of course, he's used to playing with a fullback with serious gas, but even so...

laurent wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 10:06 pm Likely french team to eat rossbeef

starting XV : Ramos - Attissogbe, Barassi, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey - (o) Jalibert, (m) Dupont - Boudehent or Roumat, Alldritt, Cros - Meafou, Roumat or Brennan - Atonio, Mauvaka, Gros.

Bench : Marchand, Baille, Tatafu, Auradou, Guillard, Jégou, Lucu, Gailleton.

Brennan is one of the milkman's sons

Attisogbe will drop off if Penaud recovers (likely)

Looks weak! England by 30

JM2K6 wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:04 am Yep, he had no idea he was meant to go for that. Of course, he's used to playing with a fullback with serious gas, but even so...

Not sure if you checked which kick is talked about, but that was his all day long... His fullback could have been lying on the floor, and that still would have been Murley's 100% of the time. I don't understand why he was stood so relatively shallow.

If the box kick had gone a good contestable distance, he'd have been under it, and had nowhere to run onto it anyway, he should have been a good 10m further back (in my uneducated opinion). Sure the boxkick wasn't necessarily the obvious incoming play, but he clearly wasn't needed in the defensive line on his side, and even if the kick had come from the 10, he would have needed to be further back to stand any chance of stopping a kick aimed to bounce into touch.

It seemed to be a repeated thing, of him standing too shallow and having to chase the ball back, or not being able to run onto it properly.

The one time he wasn't too shallow (late in the 2nd half from memory), he didn't run onto it, and just seemed unsure of what to do, and let it bounce.

JM2K6 wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:04 am Yep, he had no idea he was meant to go for that. Of course, he's used to playing with a fullback with serious gas, but even so...

It was actually a terrible kick by Gibson Park. You can see Steward standing 20m behind Freeman who is pushed up in the defensive line on the openside. If Murley didn't realise a kick to that side of the pitch wasn't his to claim then he is an even worse player than I thought.

p.s you do realise the foot injury news is bollocks as well. He's been given the service revolver and glass of whisky and told to fuck off.

Dan Cole with some excellent grumpy old front row harumphing

inactionman wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:12 pm Dan Cole with some excellent grumpy old front row harumphing

Fair though.

I was agreeing with you, guys, and having a gentle jab at Steward at the same time.

Not touching the conspiracy theory stuff though. I also don't care - I don't need to be told he deserved to be dropped, because of course he did

Seeing that the most powerful person in the world, Co-president Musk, is a South African, I wonder how long it will be until he implements tariffs on the 6N countries ( yes, I know that most of Ireland, Scotland and Wales aren't real countries) to encourage them to invite South Africa into the tournament.

Suddenly a veil is lifted and I now see that Musk is, in fact, truly representative of the Saffa character. Previously, I just thought they were all fairly boring agricultural types overcompensating madly in a form of repressed self hatred.

Guy Smiley wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 6:36 am Suddenly a veil is lifted and I now see that Musk is, in fact, truly representative of the Saffa character. Previously, I just thought they were all fairly boring agricultural types overcompensating madly in a form of repressed self hatred.

That's us

We've seen the value SA sides can bring after their much hyped franchises joined European club rugby. We're good, I think.

Enjoyable read!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-unio ... ewly51n6o

SaintK wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:20 am Enjoyable read!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-unio ... ewly51n6o

Good club setup however they have always pillaged surrounding small clubs, now with moneybags at Racing and SF they struggle a bit more

adding Suresnes (A really shitty bunch) with money as well not sure they will last much longer. They are mid table in Nationale this year.

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:32 am

SaintK wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:20 am Enjoyable read!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-unio ... ewly51n6o

Good club setup however they have always pillaged surrounding small clubs, now with moneybags at Racing and SF they struggle a bit more

adding Suresnes (A really shitty bunch) with money as well not sure they will last much longer. They are mid table in Nationale this year.

Pillaged might be a bit harsh, but yes. Macalou, for example, is a Sarcelles product.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:40 am

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:32 am

SaintK wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:20 am Enjoyable read!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-unio ... ewly51n6o

Good club setup however they have always pillaged surrounding small clubs, now with moneybags at Racing and SF they struggle a bit more

adding Suresnes (A really shitty bunch) with money as well not sure they will last much longer. They are mid table in Nationale this year.

Pillaged might be a bit harsh, but yes. Macalou, for example, is a Sarcelles product.

I come from the area they have always done that. Raiding may be harsh however we are experiencing the same from a club (affiliated to Massy) trying to raid our U18 ladies.
They are relentless and brass necked...
Last year they were actively trying to recruit in front of our vice president (who told them to stop) then did it again straight in front of Union reps (and vice president).
We are playing one league lower than Massy/Chilly in that age group and it's only in our 2nd season at that level.
PS our club is https://competitions.ffr.fr/clubs/a-s-c ... ments.html
Massy/Chilly is there https://competitions.ffr.fr/clubs/rst-c ... ments.html

inactionman wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:12 pm Dan Cole with some excellent grumpy old front row harumphing

So true, my pet hate is seeing backs square up against big forwards knowing that are not going to get lamped. it never happened 20 years ago. There should be some sort of amnesty for any second row giving any half back a thick lip

Poshprop wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:12 am

inactionman wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:12 pm Dan Cole with some excellent grumpy old front row harumphing

So true, my pet hate is seeing backs square up against big forwards knowing that are not going to get lamped. it never happened 20 years ago. There should be some sort of amnesty for any second row giving any half back a thick lip

A pink card maybe - "fair enough but try your best not to do it again or it *may (wink wink)* change to yellow.

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:07 am

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:40 am

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:32 am

Good club setup however they have always pillaged surrounding small clubs, now with moneybags at Racing and SF they struggle a bit more

adding Suresnes (A really shitty bunch) with money as well not sure they will last much longer. They are mid table in Nationale this year.

Pillaged might be a bit harsh, but yes. Macalou, for example, is a Sarcelles product.

I come from the area they have always done that. Raiding may be harsh however we are experiencing the same from a club (affiliated to Massy) trying to raid our U18 ladies.
They are relentless and brass necked...
Last year they were actively trying to recruit in front of our vice president (who told them to stop) then did it again straight in front of Union reps (and vice president).
We are playing one league lower than Massy/Chilly in that age group and it's only in our 2nd season at that level.
PS our club is https://competitions.ffr.fr/clubs/a-s-c ... ments.html
Massy/Chilly is there https://competitions.ffr.fr/clubs/rst-c ... ments.html

My cousin's girls played at Sarcelles with Macalou, Cancoriet and know Slimani well. He would lean towards your view of Massy "encouraging" players to leave, including from the womens' teams.

Poshprop wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:12 am

inactionman wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:12 pm Dan Cole with some excellent grumpy old front row harumphing

So true, my pet hate is seeing backs square up against big forwards knowing that are not going to get lamped. it never happened 20 years ago. There should be some sort of amnesty for any second row giving any half back a thick lip

I remain convinced that given we’d just been knocked out the world cup and they were all going to have a break anyway, that someone from England should have clocked Le Roux when he ran 25 yards to celebrate in their faces

Latest French starters

15. Ramos ; 14. Penaud, 13. Barassi, 12. Moefana, 11. Bielle-Biarrey ; 10. Jalibert, 9. Dupont (cap.) ; 7. Boudehent, 8. Alldritt, 6. Cros ; 5. Meafou, 4. Roumat ; 3. Atonio, 2. Mauvaka, 1. Gros

Baby orcs


Froglets

sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:25 pm Baby orcs


Froglets

Just watched the highlights of the irish game these are very indisciplined baby orcs.

the Bleuets may have a chance (they were against a fairly weak welsh team so hopefully did not flatter to deceive)

New thread please

Slick wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 12:09 pm

Poshprop wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:12 am

So true, my pet hate is seeing backs square up against big forwards knowing that are not going to get lamped. it never happened 20 years ago. There should be some sort of amnesty for any second row giving any half back a thick lip

A pink card maybe - "fair enough but try your best not to do it again or it *may (wink wink)* change to yellow.

Pink would be perfect for the forwards. All that posturing and threats they do, handbags at 10 paces sort of thing. Massive drama queens obsessed with their own image.

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:34 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:25 pm Baby orcs


Froglets

Just watched the highlights of the irish game these are very indisciplined baby orcs.

the Bleuets may have a chance (they were against a fairly weak welsh team so hopefully did not flatter to deceive)

Highlights don't really show discipline. Ireland conceded 17 penalties to our 10. It was a very interesting refereeing performance.

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:05 pm

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:34 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:25 pm Baby orcs


Froglets

Just watched the highlights of the irish game these are very indisciplined baby orcs.

the Bleuets may have a chance (they were against a fairly weak welsh team so hopefully did not flatter to deceive)

Highlights don't really show discipline. Ireland conceded 17 penalties to our 10. It was a very interesting refereeing performance.

Did Kpoku get cited? Surprised he's not in the squad against France otherwise

SaintK wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:24 pm

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:05 pm

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:34 pm

Just watched the highlights of the irish game these are very indisciplined baby orcs.

the Bleuets may have a chance (they were against a fairly weak welsh team so hopefully did not flatter to deceive)

Highlights don't really show discipline. Ireland conceded 17 penalties to our 10. It was a very interesting refereeing performance.

Did Kpoku get cited? Surprised he's not in the squad against France otherwise

3 game ban.
https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 79760.html

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:05 pm

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:34 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:25 pm Baby orcs


Froglets

Just watched the highlights of the irish game these are very indisciplined baby orcs.

the Bleuets may have a chance (they were against a fairly weak welsh team so hopefully did not flatter to deceive)

Highlights don't really show discipline. Ireland conceded 17 penalties to our 10. It was a very interesting refereeing performance.

I doubt you would dispute the cards, both quite blatant.

sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:27 pm

SaintK wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:24 pm

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:05 pm

Highlights don't really show discipline. Ireland conceded 17 penalties to our 10. It was a very interesting refereeing performance.

Did Kpoku get cited? Surprised he's not in the squad against France otherwise

3 game ban.
https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 79760.html

Aaah! Thanks

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:34 pm

JM2K6 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:05 pm

laurent wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:34 pm

Just watched the highlights of the irish game these are very indisciplined baby orcs.

the Bleuets may have a chance (they were against a fairly weak welsh team so hopefully did not flatter to deceive)

Highlights don't really show discipline. Ireland conceded 17 penalties to our 10. It was a very interesting refereeing performance.

I doubt you would dispute the cards, both quite blatant.

The red was.

Are all teams being announced today?

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