fivepointer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 06, 2026 9:46 pm
Not pretty but England found a way to get back in the game and come out on top.
My Mum always used to say about anyone looking lethargic, "Needs a pin up his arse." Somebody must have applied that all around the HT dressing room. That begs the question, "How good was the preparation?"
The Welsh had a cracking FH and a team of triers. We should have at least achieved par right from the KO if we were playing anywhere close to our collective ability AND applying ourselves as well as the opposition. There is credit in snatching victory but a better team than Wales would have been out of sight by HT.
I agree that the coaching was found wanting. Let's hope that lessons have been learned.
fivepointer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 06, 2026 9:46 pm
Not pretty but England found a way to get back in the game and come out on top.
My Mum always used to say about anyone looking lethargic, "Needs a pin up his arse." Somebody must have applied that all around the HT dressing room. That begs the question, "How good was the preparation?"
The Welsh had a cracking FH and a team of triers. We should have at least achieved par right from the KO if we were playing anywhere close to our collective ability AND applying ourselves as well as the opposition. There is credit in snatching victory but a better team than Wales would have been out of sight by HT.
I agree that the coaching was found wanting. Let's hope that lessons have been learned.
I think it was a change in tactics at half time. We picked a big and mobile side. The tactics seemed to be, kick long chase hard and force the to kick back to Pater and we'll counter attack. If they try and run it back we'll smash them in defence. Issue was Pater had a mare and their flyhalf mullered us with an excellent tactical kicking display. Ball in hand we'll play, spread it use our backs to make yards, weather conditions killed that as well as the Welsh backs being good in defence.
Second half we kicked to compete and played the power game. Smashed them. Main issue I have is why we had to wait until half time to make that change.
fivepointer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 06, 2026 9:46 pm
Not pretty but England found a way to get back in the game and come out on top.
My Mum always used to say about anyone looking lethargic, "Needs a pin up his arse." Somebody must have applied that all around the HT dressing room. That begs the question, "How good was the preparation?"
The Welsh had a cracking FH and a team of triers. We should have at least achieved par right from the KO if we were playing anywhere close to our collective ability AND applying ourselves as well as the opposition. There is credit in snatching victory but a better team than Wales would have been out of sight by HT.
I agree that the coaching was found wanting. Let's hope that lessons have been learned.
I think it was a change in tactics at half time. We picked a big and mobile side. The tactics seemed to be, kick long chase hard and force the to kick back to Pater and we'll counter attack. If they try and run it back we'll smash them in defence. Issue was Pater had a mare and their flyhalf mullered us with an excellent tactical kicking display. Ball in hand we'll play, spread it use our backs to make yards, weather conditions killed that as well as the Welsh backs being good in defence.
Second half we kicked to compete and played the power game. Smashed them. Main issue I have is why we had to wait until half time to make that change.
Not as though the likely weather conditions weren't known in advance...
Hopefully so. Scotland will be a tough ask for sure, but it’s getting a bit criminal now. This is the best U20s backline we’ve ever produced, in terms of starters and also depth. The ten, yet again(!) is a major issue when there are yet again(!) better options available!
Having Friday, Newman and Stewart Harris at 9 is really strong, Linegar, Davies and Keylock as ten options is about as good as we’ve ever had. Knight, Lumley, Worsnip, Lilley is a great set of options in the centres, albeit only one is a natural 12 and then in the back three it doesn’t get much better than Pater, Pearson, Caluori, Winters and Offiah!
It’s an incredible set of backs available!
And then a serious set of forwards who should provide great ball to play off!
My Mum always used to say about anyone looking lethargic, "Needs a pin up his arse." Somebody must have applied that all around the HT dressing room. That begs the question, "How good was the preparation?"
The Welsh had a cracking FH and a team of triers. We should have at least achieved par right from the KO if we were playing anywhere close to our collective ability AND applying ourselves as well as the opposition. There is credit in snatching victory but a better team than Wales would have been out of sight by HT.
I agree that the coaching was found wanting. Let's hope that lessons have been learned.
I think it was a change in tactics at half time. We picked a big and mobile side. The tactics seemed to be, kick long chase hard and force the to kick back to Pater and we'll counter attack. If they try and run it back we'll smash them in defence. Issue was Pater had a mare and their flyhalf mullered us with an excellent tactical kicking display. Ball in hand we'll play, spread it use our backs to make yards, weather conditions killed that as well as the Welsh backs being good in defence.
Second half we kicked to compete and played the power game. Smashed them. Main issue I have is why we had to wait until half time to make that change.
Not as though the likely weather conditions weren't known in advance...
Puja
Same conditions for Wales. To be fair they’ve got a bloody good team this year also. 9, 10 and 12 are real talents!
I think it was a change in tactics at half time. We picked a big and mobile side. The tactics seemed to be, kick long chase hard and force the to kick back to Pater and we'll counter attack. If they try and run it back we'll smash them in defence. Issue was Pater had a mare and their flyhalf mullered us with an excellent tactical kicking display. Ball in hand we'll play, spread it use our backs to make yards, weather conditions killed that as well as the Welsh backs being good in defence.
Second half we kicked to compete and played the power game. Smashed them. Main issue I have is why we had to wait until half time to make that change.
Not as though the likely weather conditions weren't known in advance...
Puja
Same conditions for Wales. To be fair they’ve got a bloody good team this year also. 9, 10 and 12 are real talents!
I was more decrying that they went in with the tactics of relying on Pater's speed in counterattack and hands down the backline when it was well known we would be playing in a quagmire. Good that we managed to pivot to a successful Plan B at halftime, bad that Plan A was so poorly chosen for the conditions.
Not as though the likely weather conditions weren't known in advance...
Puja
Same conditions for Wales. To be fair they’ve got a bloody good team this year also. 9, 10 and 12 are real talents!
I was more decrying that they went in with the tactics of relying on Pater's speed in counterattack and hands down the backline when it was well known we would be playing in a quagmire. Good that we managed to pivot to a successful Plan B at halftime, bad that Plan A was so poorly chosen for the conditions.
Puja
To be fair the pitch held up pretty well. Pater crapping the bed in the first half was more on him than the tactics.
I don't mind us backing the boys to deliver plan A but by 20 mins there should have been a call gone down to change to plan B. Halftime was leaving it too long.
For me, the first half was about the 10 & 15 for both teams. Ours were both having a mare, and theirs were both MotM contenders.
Wales were so dominant in the first half, they really should have been further ahead, but they weren't, and paid the price.
What a turn around at HT though, especially giving Friday control of the game, rather than Davidson
I'm no-one to comment intelligently on scrums, but Tonga'uiha looked like someone who'd coasted on being the biggest boy, and now finding that they're all (very young) adults now.
I'm sure he'll come good, but he's got a lot to learn (or I've a hell of a lot to... or two things can both be true)
Puja wrote: ↑Fri Feb 06, 2026 11:07 pmAgreed with the commentator who mentioned the Welsh 10 in dispatches when talking about PotM. He was an absolute menace - really talented player who's going to be a massive problem for us when he starts playing for Wales proper in a few years time.
Puja
Recall being impressed with Leggatt-Jones when he was playing at the U18 Six Nations festival. Still eligible for U20 next year as well.
Wonder if Wales might even end up taking him to Australia for the Senior World Cup.
Puja wrote: ↑Fri Feb 06, 2026 11:07 pmAgreed with the commentator who mentioned the Welsh 10 in dispatches when talking about PotM. He was an absolute menace - really talented player who's going to be a massive problem for us when he starts playing for Wales proper in a few years time.
Puja
Recall being impressed with Leggatt-Jones when he was playing at the U18 Six Nations festival. Still eligible for U20 next year as well.
Wonder if Wales might even end up taking him to Australia for the Senior World Cup.
He's already played a couple of games for the Scarlets. Looks like he's on the fast track. Wonder if he'll make a move with Costelow and Hawkins already at the Scarlets.
Not sure flyhalf is the biggest problem for Wales currently. LH, back three and openside are ok but the rest a bit of a mess.
I'm guessing Linegar is needed by Bath. It is the only rational reason not to include him. Davies is banned still sadly. Keylock is a good lad. Much better than Davidson, so I'm not displeased in that sense. Back three is lively! Great to se Winters get the start.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Thu Feb 12, 2026 12:59 pm
I'm guessing Linegar is needed by Bath.
Linegar is again on the bench for Bath. Threlfall starts at 15 for Tigers in a backline that has two 9s and two 10s with neither 10 wearing 10. Be interesting to see which of the four potential goalkickers gets the tee.
Keylock looks more like 12 covering 10 than a 10 so far. The missed kick to the corner was less than ideal.
Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Fri Feb 13, 2026 7:58 pm
Why is this side so bad with the talent they have?
The ref seems very pro Scotland which doesn't help but the forwards discipline is awful and most of them look like filler as opposed to genuine prospects. The 6 has all the hitting power of a marshmallow, speaking of marshmallows Sonny at tighthead is all size no skill. The pack really is so underwhelming, Treacy at 8 the only one with any real credit so far.
Backs look like they've met in the carpark pre game. Passing accuracy really is woeful.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Fri Feb 13, 2026 8:37 pm
Ainsworth-Cave with the most moronic penalty ever!
Then having had the warning, doesn't listen and gives away the free kick a few metres from the Scotland line. Really not sure what he's meant to be offering.
