England vs Australia - Sat 3.10pm

[Captainhaircut]

Great performance, could have won that 35-0.

Dingwall and Steward a bit disappointing and Ford was a bit clunky I thought. Need time for some of the combos.

Liked Freeman at 13. IFW confirmed he can play left wing. Replacements were excellent.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Great performance, could have won that 35-0.

Dingwall and Steward a bit disappointing and Ford was a bit clunky I thought. Need time for some of the combos.

Liked Freeman at 13. IFW confirmed he can play left wing. Replacements were excellent.

Thought Freeman looked like a winger playing 13. His awareness in attack was quite poor. Think we’d have looked different with Lawrence and Freeman in the back three.

[FKAS]

Great performance, could have won that 35-0.

Dingwall and Steward a bit disappointing and Ford was a bit clunky I thought. Need time for some of the combos.

Liked Freeman at 13. IFW confirmed he can play left wing. Replacements were excellent.

Thought Freeman looked like a winger playing 13. His awareness in attack was quite poor. Think we’d have looked different with Lawrence and Freeman in the back three.

I thought Steward looked nervous in the first half but grew into the second half well. He did the job he was there to do and stopped the Wallabies winning any of the contestable kicks but would have wanted to show a bit more, seemed to be looking for his support runners a lot as opposed to knowing where they were.

Dingwall looked under powered and nervy ball in hand as well. He didn't grow into the game, sadly. His lack of fluidity definitely hampered the attack as Ford didn't seem to trust him.

Freeman was a bit of a blunt instrument. Carried really well but the ball died with him every time. I'd agree with that he looked like a winger playing 13.

Ford controlled the game and gave young Edmed a lesson in tactical flyhalf play. Another one who seemed to be looking for things in attack rather than them being where he expected/knew they'd be in attack though. I wonder how much time was spent on attack this week? None of our boys looked like it was bedded in to the point of being instinctive.

[Which Tyler]

Bloody Ella-Mobbs trophy.
Who cares? Or eve nknows?
Reminds me of WHY we started up the whole Raeburn Shield thing in the first place!

[Captainhaircut]

Great performance, could have won that 35-0.

Dingwall and Steward a bit disappointing and Ford was a bit clunky I thought. Need time for some of the combos.

Liked Freeman at 13. IFW confirmed he can play left wing. Replacements were excellent.

Thought Freeman looked like a winger playing 13. His awareness in attack was quite poor. Think we’d have looked different with Lawrence and Freeman in the back three.

I thought Steward looked nervous in the first half but grew into the second half well. He did the job he was there to do and stopped the Wallabies winning any of the contestable kicks but would have wanted to show a bit more, seemed to be looking for his support runners a lot as opposed to knowing where they were.

Dingwall looked under powered and nervy ball in hand as well. He didn't grow into the game, sadly. His lack of fluidity definitely hampered the attack as Ford didn't seem to trust him.

Freeman was a bit of a blunt instrument. Carried really well but the ball died with him every time. I'd agree with that he looked like a winger playing 13.

Ford controlled the game and gave young Edmed a lesson in tactical flyhalf play. Another one who seemed to be looking for things in attack rather than them being where he expected/knew they'd be in attack though. I wonder how much time was spent on attack this week? None of our boys looked like it was bedded in to the point of being instinctive.

Agree with all of this. Freeman top the carries with 12 for 80m, made some good dents. I don’t think he was in any way worse than what we have generally seen from Lawrence at this level.

Nice to beat them comfortably with loads to improve on.

[SixAndAHalf]

A good performance overall. Defence, kicking game and set piece was largely strong. Looked a bit clunky in attack and didn’t convert our line breaks.


Steward looked out of place in the backline - Id play Daly ant 15 if fit (MSmith if not). I imagine LCD, Genge and Curry come into the team (for George, Baxter and Underhill). I’d like to see CCS and Lawrence on the bench (for Coles and FSmith).

[Epaminondas Pules]

Baxter was excellent

[Spiffy]

Great performance, could have won that 35-0.

Dingwall and Steward a bit disappointing and Ford was a bit clunky I thought. Need time for some of the combos.

Liked Freeman at 13. IFW confirmed he can play left wing. Replacements were excellent.

Dingwall is there as the glue player to organise, game-read etc. He is quite good at this at club level. He does most things pretty well but nothing outstandingly well, is not that fast and does not have a physical presence. He was poor today and threw some ropey passes at Freeman's head. He's a bit shot of real international standard.
The excessive box kicking snooze fest is tending to ruin the game.

[Oakboy]

Great performance, could have won that 35-0.

Dingwall and Steward a bit disappointing and Ford was a bit clunky I thought. Need time for some of the combos.

Liked Freeman at 13. IFW confirmed he can play left wing. Replacements were excellent.

Dingwall is there as the glue player to organise, game-read etc. He is quite good at this at club level. He does most things pretty well but nothing outstandingly well, is not that fast and does not have a physical presence. He was poor today and threw some ropey passes at Freeman's head. He's a bit shot of real international standard.
The excessive box kicking snooze fest is tending to ruin the game.

Was Dingwall bad or did Ford make him look so? Argue for and against Dingwall and Freeman but why not start Fin to complete the Saints connection? I thought Mitchell and Ford were on different wavelengths. Either pick the Saints back line or build a different one around Ford.

[Mellsblue]

Think we should give the backline more time. Three training sessions to gel… plus Freeman looking like the wing playing 13 that he is.

[FKAS]

Baxter was excellent

Starting front row showed up really well, Special Bigpack will be very happy to see them making it such a competitive area. We do need a little depth in behind that six but having two full front rows you can rely upon is a nice place to be in.

Does free up Borthwick to go these horses for courses selections which he likes.

[Puja]

Think we should give the backline more time. Three training sessions to gel… plus Freeman looking like the wing playing 13 that he is.

Very much agreed - we looked like a side who hadn't had a training camp. Hopefully we can play the same backline for the next two weeks and they won't look quite so much like they met in the car park by the time we play NZ.

Puja

[Beasties]

I’ve had to reluctantly admit Earl’s been actually quite decent in the last couple of seasons, but seeing him pick up MOM when T Willis would’ve won it today by a distance is a bit annoying to say the least.
Not sure anyone deserved it today it was that clunky.
Things will improve though.
Genge and Stuart still recovering from the Lions tour in spite of the salivating from Healey and Key.
Flatman in the stadium and we have to listen to those two instead…

Oh, and Amashukeli actually got a couple of things wrong today for the first time ever.

[Beasties]

Baxter was excellent

Starting front row showed up really well, Special Bigpack will be very happy to see them making it such a competitive area. We do need a little depth in behind that six but having two full front rows you can rely upon is a nice place to be in.

Does free up Borthwick to go these horses for courses selections which he likes.

Heyes has improved a lot in the last year. Thoroughly deserves his place in the squad now.

[Danno]

Can we drop Pollock until he understands that looking like Alexander Boris De Pfeffel Johnson means you're a cunt.

[fivepointer]

On reflection an 18 point win despite being individually and collectively below our best says a lot about where this team is right now. There is plenty of room for improvement but winning while playing below capability is a very good thing.

I felt that none of the backs hit any great heights. I'm not convinced by Freeman at 13 but having made that call, SB will surely stick with him. We will be better for another week together and the same backline selected for the Fiji game.

[SixAndAHalf]

Great performance, could have won that 35-0.

Dingwall and Steward a bit disappointing and Ford was a bit clunky I thought. Need time for some of the combos.

Liked Freeman at 13. IFW confirmed he can play left wing. Replacements were excellent.

Dingwall is there as the glue player to organise, game-read etc. He is quite good at this at club level. He does most things pretty well but nothing outstandingly well, is not that fast and does not have a physical presence. He was poor today and threw some ropey passes at Freeman's head. He's a bit shot of real international standard.
The excessive box kicking snooze fest is tending to ruin the game.

Was Dingwall bad or did Ford make him look so? Argue for and against Dingwall and Freeman but why not start Fin to complete the Saints connection? I thought Mitchell and Ford were on different wavelengths. Either pick the Saints back line or build a different one around Ford.

What would be the reasoning for Ford hindering Dingwall? I can’t see how you can blame Ford for his intercept for example

[jngf]

Can we drop Pollock until he understands that looking like Alexander Boris De Pfeffel Johnson means you're a cunt.

Why do I think Pollock’s immediate future in test terms is best served as a threequarter rather than in the back row ?

[jngf]

Can we drop Pollock until he understands that looking like Alexander Boris De Pfeffel Johnson means you're a cunt.

Why do I think Pollock’s immediate future in test terms is best served as a threequarter rather than in the back row ?

[Oakboy]

Dingwall is there as the glue player to organise, game-read etc. He is quite good at this at club level. He does most things pretty well but nothing outstandingly well, is not that fast and does not have a physical presence. He was poor today and threw some ropey passes at Freeman's head. He's a bit shot of real international standard.
The excessive box kicking snooze fest is tending to ruin the game.

Was Dingwall bad or did Ford make him look so? Argue for and against Dingwall and Freeman but why not start Fin to complete the Saints connection? I thought Mitchell and Ford were on different wavelengths. Either pick the Saints back line or build a different one around Ford.

What would be the reasoning for Ford hindering Dingwall? I can’t see how you can blame Ford for his intercept for example

I saw no cohesion between the two. Ford is just a traffic cone in defence (whereas Fin is a decent defender). That puts pressure on the IC. In attack, did they do anything together? Ford is the form FH but yesterday he did not get the best out of situations as they arose, arguably his strong point over competitors usually. Dingwall looked ordinary but would have looked better with Fin at 10. That's all I am saying. I would like to see the one change for the next game - Fin for Ford. After that, if it does not work, maybe Dingwall should go.

I have advocated Freeman at 13 and saw enough good to want him retained there. I think he needs Dingwall inside him for now. Let's face it, there are three games to get it right or bloody Farrell will be back for the 6N.

[Oakboy]

Can we drop Pollock until he understands that looking like Alexander Boris De Pfeffel Johnson means you're a cunt.

Why do I think Pollock’s immediate future in test terms is best served as a threequarter rather than in the back row ?

The transformation at the breakdown when Curry and Pollock came on should give them the 7/8 shirts for the next game.

[p/d]

On reflection an 18 point win despite being individually and collectively below our best says a lot about where this team is right now. There is plenty of room for improvement but winning while playing below capability is a very good thing.

I felt that none of the backs hit any great heights. I'm not convinced by Freeman at 13 but having made that call, SB will surely stick with him. We will be better for another week together and the same backline selected for the Fiji game.

Agree.
Pack in general good - George line out aside.

Even more disappointed by Atkinson’s untimely injury after yesterday. As backs performance thought Roebuck top pick

[p/d]

On reflection an 18 point win despite being individually and collectively below our best says a lot about where this team is right now. There is plenty of room for improvement but winning while playing below capability is a very good thing.

I felt that none of the backs hit any great heights. I'm not convinced by Freeman at 13 but having made that call, SB will surely stick with him. We will be better for another week together and the same backline selected for the Fiji game.

Agree.
Pack in general good - George line out aside.

Even more disappointed by Atkinson’s untimely injury after yesterday. As backs performance thought Roebuck top pick

[jngf]

On reflection an 18 point win despite being individually and collectively below our best says a lot about where this team is right now. There is plenty of room for improvement but winning while playing below capability is a very good thing.

I felt that none of the backs hit any great heights. I'm not convinced by Freeman at 13 but having made that call, SB will surely stick with him. We will be better for another week together and the same backline selected for the Fiji game.

Agree.
Pack in general good - George line out aside.

Even more disappointed by Atkinson’s untimely injury after yesterday. As backs performance thought Roebuck top pick

I do wonder if our pack are really big and powerful enough against a stronger team than the Aussies presented us with? If you look at our front row, back row and especially second row do we have the players to really put fear into opposition ( I’d make an exception of Underhill, T Curry and Genge from this as I do feel they have this quality )?

[FKAS]

On reflection an 18 point win despite being individually and collectively below our best says a lot about where this team is right now. There is plenty of room for improvement but winning while playing below capability is a very good thing.

I felt that none of the backs hit any great heights. I'm not convinced by Freeman at 13 but having made that call, SB will surely stick with him. We will be better for another week together and the same backline selected for the Fiji game.

Agree.
Pack in general good - George line out aside.

Even more disappointed by Atkinson’s untimely injury after yesterday. As backs performance thought Roebuck top pick

I do wonder if our pack are really big and powerful enough against a stronger team than the Aussies presented us with? If you look at our front row, back row and especially second row do we have the players to really put fear into opposition ( I’d make an exception of Underhill, T Curry and Genge from this as I do feel they have this quality )?

I don't think we have the massive blokes that will physically intimidate but when you've got a pack like ours that is that aggressive and mobile we can cause concern. Particularly if we keep swarming the breakdown at the right times, some of our counter tucking yesterday was brilliant. Tied a lot of Aussie forwards into breakdowns.