EJ has form when it comes to screwing around with young player’s careers. The 15 he maoved up looked accomplished and contributes with the boot. Wonder what Bernard Foley and Quade Cooper are thinking right now?
Having a laugh I would think Quickbean not to mention a couple of other promising fly half’s that I thought were ready for a shot
Pity that
Even though Foley and Cooper can blow hot and cold they arew capable of reading the game and reacting to what they see. Wonder whether Jones or Foster is going to be testing the ejector seat first?
Dupont apparently has a facial fracture. Hard to imagine him playing again in the tournament. Big blow for France, and generally you want to see the best players out there.
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Have to question the logic of keeping him on for second half.
Upper jaw apparently, I feared the cheek had been smashed; update it nearly was.
Apparently his replacement was just warming up!
Bruce
England v Chile - who have England upset to be gifted Peyper and Jonker as match officials again?
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Survived and played some excellent rugby ball in hand. Don’t think any of the second string did their cause any harm at all. Not sure what Borewick will be looking at v Samoa but has to have one eye on the QF.
Now for the main event. This will be red meat only. No vegetarian option.
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I cannot help but think we need Smith at FB (far better as a running option than Steward just catching a few kicks!) and pace out wide i.e. get Arundell involved. One question is why play Manu? He’s good defensively but running-wise his best days are behind him.
If we are going to play solid defence, then choose a 10 and play Manu and Lawrence, with proper pace out wide i.e. not Daly. We need a spark somewhere in the team.
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Lots to applaud going forward. Can they carry that into a QF against a better side? Lots of potential markers put down.
Not sure we should be making huge assumptions about a match against Chile. It still looked a bit clumsy and predictable to me.
Smith injects pace and invention for sure, but if England revert to plan A with kick and chase in the next truly competitive match then I’m not sure where he ‘fits’ with Steward generally excellent catching contestable and defensive high balls. I have said it before; Scotland built a team and a style around Finn Russell. England should do the same around Smith at 10, not just dump him into a dull and conservative team and expect him to add the fireworks. Too late for ths tournament no doubt.
I still don’t see a really threatening back line up in this squad. Care was accurate and energetic for a while today at least. Billy V really is history isn’t he. Ditto Daly in my book. Sort of utility player not really good enough wherever he is played.
Samoa next might not tell us much either of course although a tougher test than today.
Bruce
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Watching Ire v SA, it’s pretty clear you need two very competent and rock solid centres, which rules out the likes of Daly, and also Marchant in relative terms. Playing centres as wingers is a pure cop-out for me, as they’re often deployed as covering FBs.
As much as I like Steward, England need running threat to my eyes which, one assumes, was the (failed) plan a few years back when Daly had the shirt. Pace wins games in creating space.
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Watching SA v Ireland…both sides would just destroy England!
What a ferocious game. A few missed attacking lineouts might cost Ireland later, it feels to me that SA will get stronger. Great stuff.
Bruce
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Can only agree with the opening sentiment – but I’m not a fan of the constant stoppages, which don’t always look to be for injuries? And why is the ref constantly have to tell the players how to scrum and line-up at line-outs?
…what’s the odds on SA using all 8 subs in H2, probably replacing 7 of 8 forwards?!
Almost certain. The likely winners of the cup are these two or France. What an arm wrestle tonight. 17 minutes left and too close to call.
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Goodness me. I cannot see the ABs besting either of these teams next round. To much skill and speed both sides. Looks like it might be Ireland.
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Ref gifted match to Ireland - ball coming out of maul at the end 
Think only France could take either of these. What a marvellous match.
So Ireland v ABs and SA v France likely QFs in top half
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