Eddie Jones insists he is pulling knives out of his back having anticipated the turbulent period currently engulfing his England reign.
"Every coaching job is the same," he said.
"When you are doing well, everyone pats you on the back and when you are not doing well, you're pulling knives out of your back. That's the reality of it."
Yeah Ringrose just makes us look so much better in both attack and defence. I like both Aki and Henshaw but neither are 13s for me. Farrell is most definitely second choice outside centre but unfortunately he's out too.I'm personally much less confident now. Ringrose had a great game last weekend. He also nailed a few shoot tackles that Henshaw made a balls of in the first test. Leavy's also had a fantastic season. Conway will be absolutely gutted that his chance is over due to a knee drop.
I got that Aussie team lineup from Facebook and quite a lot of negative comments were there about Phipps. Maybe it does even out as @diarm says.
Yup, that's the silver lining. All 32 players brought will have been involved in the three tests.Yeah Ringrose just makes us look so much better in both attack and defence. I like both Aki and Henshaw but neither are 13s for me. Farrell is most definitely second choice outside centre but unfortunately he's out too.
We'll be competitive either way and it's good practise for the squad to adapt to different lineups. We couldn't handle exactly that when we lost a few players at the last world cup so this is all great experience at such a high level.
I imagine Larmour is the long term plan with Conway there as an option as well. Joe doesn't seem to rate O'Halloran and Zebo is gone so I don't know who else is breaking through. There's a young lad at Munster called Fitzpatrick and IQ Haley coming from Sale but neither of them have shown enough to suggest they'll be good enough yet.Yup, that's the silver lining. All 32 players brought will have been involved in the three tests.
Ireland need to start working on 15 now though - it's a big potential weakness for the future with a lack of experienced replacements for Kearney.
"... but we're not highlighting it to the referee or anything. Just saying like." *holds up hands and shrugs."They do that thing where they get two players connected beforehand and they try to ram you, one through the other, they’ve been good ‘cause they are big and strong.
"They’ve been tackling, folding in, rolling in the way ‘cause they want to slow our ball down so you need a physical presence to be able to do that.
"We’ve just got to get there before them, not let them [in] there and if they’re there we’ve got to get them out of the way with whatever means we need.
"It’s more about how you adapt as the series goes on because you do get to know the other team pretty quickly when you’re going back to back and then three games in a row."
I think, sad to say, that O'Halloran's chance looks gone - he never even got one really. I think it's become the most pressing area because Marmion has shown he can do a job at international level and Carbery has done OK at 10 with Byrne to hopefully get a go this weekend.I imagine Larmour is the long term plan with Conway there as an option as well. Joe doesn't seem to rate O'Halloran and Zebo is gone so I don't know who else is breaking through. There's a young lad at Munster called Fitzpatrick and IQ Haley coming from Sale but neither of them have shown enough to suggest they'll be good enough yet.
I wonder might we see Henshaw there at some stage? With 4 quality options at centre, Joe might be tempted to try him at the back - he has played there before with some success for Connacht.
Rightly so. Genia is probably a 9/10 scrumhalf. I'd rate Phipps a 7.5/10. Phipps is a good super rugby player but i don't think of him a great test match scrumhalf. Did any of the negative comments refer to Phipps pissing on bar at his bucks party? I hope Phipps puts in a man of the match performance on Saturday though.I'm personally much less confident now. Ringrose had a great game last weekend. He also nailed a few shoot tackles that Henshaw made a balls of in the first test. Leavy's also had a fantastic season. Conway will be absolutely gutted that his chance is over due to a knee drop - I hope they're looking at making that a yellow card offence.
I got that Aussie team lineup from Facebook and quite a lot of negative comments were there about Phipps. Maybe it does even out as @diarm says.
Wasn't even aware of that until I read your post now.The Springboks have named their team to play England in what could be the last test played at Newlands in Cape Town.
Ha! No, I didn't see any of that. Just general slagging of him, his kicking and Waratahs.Rightly so. Genia is probably a 9/10 scrumhalf. I'd rate Phipps a 7.5/10. Phipps is a good super rugby player but i don't think of him a great test match scrumhalf. Did any of the negative comments refer to Phipps pissing on bar at his bucks party? I hope Phipps puts in a man of the match performance on Saturday though.
Yep, a load of comments about him too. What's the story?Bloody hell, powderpuff Hanigan was picked.
Hanigan's problem is he's not quite physically ready for test rugby. yet he is picked for the Wallabies. It must be said that It's not Hanigan's fault Cheika picks him. The fact he plays for the Waratahs is brought up by those who don't agree with his selection like it does with Phipps and to a lesser extent Michael Hooper. Michael Cheika has been accused by some fans of showing favouritism to Waratahs players even though haven't been the best super rugby team in AUS for a while now.Yep, a load of comments about him too. What's the story?
By being thoroughly, thoroughly outplayed it seems!Sooooo, how are France going to get screwed over today then?
France started pretty well, but it went downhill as could be expected. Oh well.By being thoroughly, thoroughly outplayed it seems!
Very impressed with Scott Barrett and Damien McKenzie. The game the French chose to play couldn't have played into the young outhalfs hands anymore, but he's taken his chance and really run with it.France started pretty well, but it went downhill as could be expected. Oh well.
New Zealand's 3rd try probably shouldn't have stood. Unfortunately for the French, they appeared to wilt again after being on the receiving end of a tough call.Sooooo, how are France going to get screwed over today then?
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Haha. Michael Hooper has just been asked what Nick Phipps will bring to proceedings? Hooper's response: ''Lots of fitness, he's been waiting in the wings''. I hope your blokes are quaking in their boots.
They've said something similar on Sky here, "Phipps is really quick".Haha. Michael Hooper has just been asked what Nick Phipps will bring to proceedings? Hooper's response: ''Lots of fitness, he's been waiting in the wings''. I hope your blokes are quaking in their boots.
It's been an awful series for refs.How could he say he was happy with that? The pass looks forward as well.