England vs Wales - minute-by-minute

[p/d]

We need an out and out finisher. Daly ain’t it and I wouldn’t sacrifice Freeman for one.

If our selection policy is must have a good kicking game and can chase well then we will continue to leave points out there.

Minute 71 can’t come soon enough…..

[Stom]

We need an out and out finisher. Daly ain’t it and I wouldn’t sacrifice Freeman for one.

If our selection policy is must have a good kicking game and can chase well then we will continue to leave points out there.

Minute 71 can’t come soon enough…..

I agree. But I do understand it's a hard balance.

Us on the sidelines hate keeping older players around "past their sell by date", but coaches love the fact they know the systems inside out. Which seems crazy when they can't execute, but it's less the systems they can't execute and more the skills...

[Crash Hamster]

I'm not sure I'd consider many of them to have more "pace and deception" than Daly. You're really just talking Ibitoye from that list, and he's not got any of the rest of the game Daly has.

One post previously, you'd selected Murley, who was on the list.

You're seriously suggesting that (2024) Daly = Radwan, in terms of pace and deception. Blimey.

Also, IFW is in the squad for precisely that reason, and you agree on Ibitoye.

That's four people who would make better finishers than ED and there's only one vacancy.

When people call for a player to be dropped, it's fair to ask who could replace them. There are several candidates.

The "knows the systems" argument is dead in the water when there's a completely new defensive system this 6N; looks like an ideal opportunity to bring in a new player to me.

[p/d]

We need an out and out finisher. Daly ain’t it and I wouldn’t sacrifice Freeman for one.

If our selection policy is must have a good kicking game and can chase well then we will continue to leave points out there.

Minute 71 can’t come soon enough…..

I agree. But I do understand it's a hard balance.

Us on the sidelines hate keeping older players around "past their sell by date", but coaches love the fact they know the systems inside out. Which seems crazy when they can't execute, but it's less the systems they can't execute and more the skills...

Aye. And there in lies the problem. In all honesty I would have Malins over Daly, simply because he is a good finisher

[fivepointer]

Daly has never been a good finisher. Its what he can do as a distributor/kicker that offers a point of difference. I think he was very good for a while but his defence has never been up to much and if he isnt doing anything creative, you have to ask what he's there for?
I'd prefer someone new - Radwan would be interesting but i really like Murley.

[Oakboy]

Exactly. Why, oh god why, are we so scared of youth and inexperience . These aren’t kids who have shown pace running from a shoplifting jaunt, these are sportsmen who have been brought through academy’s in a competitive environment in a professional sport. Carrying players just because they have a bag of caps and experience will always be hinderance to our return as a true powerhouse

This. A hundred times this!

[Oakboy]

Daly has never been a good finisher. Its what he can do as a distributor/kicker that offers a point of difference. I think he was very good for a while but his defence has never been up to much and if he isnt doing anything creative, you have to ask what he's there for?
I'd prefer someone new - Radwan would be interesting but i really like Murley.

Presumably, Roebuck is next in line after ISW. Till those two are tested and rejected (if that happens) why spread the net wider at this stage?

We can argue that XYZ winger should have been ahead in selection ranking (just as many of us wanted T Willis ahead of Dombrandt in the last 6N) but SB has made his choices and they need testing first.

[Banquo]

We need an out and out finisher. Daly ain’t it and I wouldn’t sacrifice Freeman for one.

If our selection policy is must have a good kicking game and can chase well then we will continue to leave points out there.

Minute 71 can’t come soon enough…..

Freeman is an excellent finisher, but never gets the ball- maybe because passing left to right puts too much strain on the poor souls. Daly used to be an excellent finisher when he was perma-wing briefly and backed his pace, of which he used to have a lot.

I'd agree we need an out and out finisher if we were creating chances.

[Banquo]

Daly has never been a good finisher.

I dispute that, remembering tries for the Lions and v Wales. Suspect he's lost a bit of pace since then tho.

[Banquo]

So much this, thought it at the time. Daly's line seems to be 'direct for the try line' with no threat of a step. He seems to be lacking guile and pace.

It's all very well picking wingers for aerial and/or defensive capabilities (not sure Daly entirely qualifies, though I am contractually obliged to mention his huge left boot) but how many points do England leave out for not having a pacy, mazy finisher to give the ball to in those positions? France seem to have picked Bielle-Biarrey, who scored a great try from nowhere against Scotland. Why is Sniff Bostik scared to do so?

Thanks so much for these mbms. They're a highlight of the 6N for me.

TBF, who do England have available who is a pacy, mazy finisher?

I, like many, think Murley should be in this squad, even in this 23, but he's not exactly the first name that comes to mind when you think of "mazy". Arundell isn't available, for whatever reason, so we can't harp on about that.

And I do kind of get putting Daly there considering the alternatives right now.

I'd still pick Murley ahead of him, though.

Murley is the obvious choice, but there are several possibilities of back three players with 'more pace and deception than Elliot Daly' for the role:
Obvious choices:
Murley
Radwan
In the squad:
IFW
Muir
Roebuck
Wider premiership:
Ibitoye
O'Flaherty
Cokanasiga
Hassell-Collins
Thorley
Slightly leftfield:
David
de Glanville
Wyatt
Missed the boat:
Reed
Lynagh

I've probably missed a few.

Obviously, some are more serious suggestions than others, but I'd consider each of them to be more wingery than ED; I just don't see Daly as anything other than an OC and I can't see picking a backline with 3 OCs is the best use of England's playing resources.

Eliot Daly is still pretty quick tbh, and much higher skill levels than a fair few you've mentioned.

[p/d]

We need an out and out finisher. Daly ain’t it and I wouldn’t sacrifice Freeman for one.

If our selection policy is must have a good kicking game and can chase well then we will continue to leave points out there.

Minute 71 can’t come soon enough…..

I'd agree we need an out and out finisher if we were creating chances.

Maybe. But it doesn’t have to be from us creating chances, it could be from a number of other plays that create an opportunity for a gas man.

I can’t help feeling that little Italian flyer would have had fun against us if his ringer wasn’t on fire

[Banquo]

We need an out and out finisher. Daly ain’t it and I wouldn’t sacrifice Freeman for one.

If our selection policy is must have a good kicking game and can chase well then we will continue to leave points out there.

Minute 71 can’t come soon enough…..

I'd agree we need an out and out finisher if we were creating chances.

Maybe. But it doesn’t have to be from us creating chances, it could be from a number of other plays that create an opportunity for a gas man.

I can’t help feeling that little Italian flyer would have had fun against us if his ringer wasn’t on fire

That's a non sequiter tho- our defence was ripe for the unpicking, and he looks to counterattack. You were talking finishing, but now you've tacked to 'gas man'. Sid again.

[p/d]

I'd agree we need an out and out finisher if we were creating chances.

Maybe. But it doesn’t have to be from us creating chances, it could be from a number of other plays that create an opportunity for a gas man.

I can’t help feeling that little Italian flyer would have had fun against us if his ringer wasn’t on fire

That's a non sequiter tho- our defence was ripe for the unpicking, and he looks to counterattack. You were talking finishing, but now you've tacked to 'gas man'. Sid again.

I thought we bottomed out with Big Band, now I just feel dirty

[Banquo]

Maybe. But it doesn’t have to be from us creating chances, it could be from a number of other plays that create an opportunity for a gas man.

I can’t help feeling that little Italian flyer would have had fun against us if his ringer wasn’t on fire

That's a non sequiter tho- our defence was ripe for the unpicking, and he looks to counterattack. You were talking finishing, but now you've tacked to 'gas man'. Sid again.

I thought we bottomed out with Big Band, now I just feel dirty

entirely your own fault laddie

Sorry Puja, wrecked your thread.

[Crash Hamster]

TBF, who do England have available who is a pacy, mazy finisher?

I, like many, think Murley should be in this squad, even in this 23, but he's not exactly the first name that comes to mind when you think of "mazy". Arundell isn't available, for whatever reason, so we can't harp on about that.

And I do kind of get putting Daly there considering the alternatives right now.

I'd still pick Murley ahead of him, though.

Murley is the obvious choice, but there are several possibilities of back three players with 'more pace and deception than Elliot Daly' for the role:
Obvious choices:
Murley
Radwan
In the squad:
IFW
Muir
Roebuck
Wider premiership:
Ibitoye
O'Flaherty
Cokanasiga
Hassell-Collins
Thorley
Slightly leftfield:
David
de Glanville
Wyatt
Missed the boat:
Reed
Lynagh

I've probably missed a few.

Obviously, some are more serious suggestions than others, but I'd consider each of them to be more wingery than ED; I just don't see Daly as anything other than an OC and I can't see picking a backline with 3 OCs is the best use of England's playing resources.

Eliot Daly is still pretty quick tbh, and much higher skill levels than a fair few you've mentioned.

I'll say again:
you don't get to international level without being a good player; this is not one of those awful 'crap/genius' binary discussions. Of course he's pretty quick and pretty skillful, but he's not the quickest/trickiest runner/best finisher on the list (nor is he the best defender, nor the most experienced in a defensive system which we've used for 2 games.)
There's only one vacancy, but there's more than one player on that list who has better pace/a better step/both than ED.


If we're going to go for a necessarily narrow blitz, I'd like a speed merchant on the wing for covering purposes.

I understand that it's desirable to have a winger who can chase attacking, and field defensive, high balls. Steward's a freak at this at full-back, he obviously has both height and talent, but most kicks are 50-50 between two gifted but not freakish players. I would venture, with no evidence whatsoever, that it's the cheat lines run by the retreating players which have the most influence on the outcome of a contested kick. It therefore seems to me that 'good in the air' is used quite lazily and given more importance than it should be. Aerial competence is surely coachable, learnable and improveable with practice. Pace and instinctive finishing much less so.

[FKAS]

We need an out and out finisher. Daly ain’t it and I wouldn’t sacrifice Freeman for one.

If our selection policy is must have a good kicking game and can chase well then we will continue to leave points out there.

Minute 71 can’t come soon enough…..

Freeman is an excellent finisher, but never gets the ball- maybe because passing left to right puts too much strain on the poor souls. Daly used to be an excellent finisher when he was perma-wing briefly and backed his pace, of which he used to have a lot.

I'd agree we need an out and out finisher if we were creating chances.

It was one of the big disappointments for me from the Wales game how little the ball got into Freeman's hands. Against Italy we used him coming off the wing in a freer role and got some good results. Need him more involved. Was a bit unlucky for him that space seemed to come down Daly's side more than his.

[Banquo]

Murley is the obvious choice, but there are several possibilities of back three players with 'more pace and deception than Elliot Daly' for the role:
Obvious choices:
Murley
Radwan
In the squad:
IFW
Muir
Roebuck
Wider premiership:
Ibitoye
O'Flaherty
Cokanasiga
Hassell-Collins
Thorley
Slightly leftfield:
David
de Glanville
Wyatt
Missed the boat:
Reed
Lynagh

I've probably missed a few.

Obviously, some are more serious suggestions than others, but I'd consider each of them to be more wingery than ED; I just don't see Daly as anything other than an OC and I can't see picking a backline with 3 OCs is the best use of England's playing resources.

Eliot Daly is still pretty quick tbh, and much higher skill levels than a fair few you've mentioned.

I'll say again:
you don't get to international level without being a good player; this is not one of those awful 'crap/genius' binary discussions. Of course he's pretty quick and pretty skillful, but he's not the quickest/trickiest runner/best finisher on the list (nor is he the best defender, nor the most experienced in a defensive system which we've used for 2 games.)
There's only one vacancy, but there's more than one player on that list who has better pace/a better step/both than ED.


If we're going to go for a necessarily narrow blitz, I'd like a speed merchant on the wing for covering purposes.

I understand that it's desirable to have a winger who can chase attacking, and field defensive, high balls. Steward's a freak at this at full-back, he obviously has both height and talent, but most kicks are 50-50 between two gifted but not freakish players. I would venture, with no evidence whatsoever, that it's the cheat lines run by the retreating players which have the most influence on the outcome of a contested kick. It therefore seems to me that 'good in the air' is used quite lazily and given more importance than it should be. Aerial competence is surely coachable, learnable and improveable with practice. Pace and instinctive finishing much less so.

just think you, and others, are doing Daly a pretty chunky disservice, whllst accepting he is past his best....and especialy putting many of those names near the same bracket.

Blitz point well made, but first and foremost you need centres and wings who make good decisions and communicate well, alongside coaching to develop it.

On good in the air, take the point on cheat lines offering protection, and definitely can improve the chasing/competing, and to some extent reception, though getting to a Steward or Biggar level imo is a function of talent. Funnily enough its a weak point for Daly, tho not as obvious as at 15, where his positioning was always average.

on Daly as o\c.. would be fine there intly but for pi55 poor defence at 13. Imo his best intl play was on the wing for england and esp Lions around 2017...very rapid then.

[Crash Hamster]

Eliot Daly is still pretty quick tbh, and much higher skill levels than a fair few you've mentioned.

I'll say again:
you don't get to international level without being a good player; this is not one of those awful 'crap/genius' binary discussions. Of course he's pretty quick and pretty skillful, but he's not the quickest/trickiest runner/best finisher on the list (nor is he the best defender, nor the most experienced in a defensive system which we've used for 2 games.)
There's only one vacancy, but there's more than one player on that list who has better pace/a better step/both than ED.


If we're going to go for a necessarily narrow blitz, I'd like a speed merchant on the wing for covering purposes.

I understand that it's desirable to have a winger who can chase attacking, and field defensive, high balls. Steward's a freak at this at full-back, he obviously has both height and talent, but most kicks are 50-50 between two gifted but not freakish players. I would venture, with no evidence whatsoever, that it's the cheat lines run by the retreating players which have the most influence on the outcome of a contested kick. It therefore seems to me that 'good in the air' is used quite lazily and given more importance than it should be. Aerial competence is surely coachable, learnable and improveable with practice. Pace and instinctive finishing much less so.

just think you, and others, are doing Daly a pretty chunky disservice, whllst accepting he is past his best....and especialy putting many of those names near the same bracket.

Blitz point well made, but first and foremost you need centres and wings who make good decisions and communicate well, alongside coaching to develop it.

On good in the air, take the point on cheat lines offering protection, and definitely can improve the chasing/competing, and to some extent reception, though getting to a Steward or Biggar level imo is a function of talent. Funnily enough its a weak point for Daly, tho not as obvious as at 15, where his positioning was always average.

on Daly as o\c.. would be fine there intly but for pi55 poor defence at 13. Imo his best intl play was on the wing for england and esp Lions around 2017...very rapid then.

I wasn't putting *all* of those names in Daly's all-round bracket, just suggesting that there's more than one player on that list who has better pace/a better step/both than ED. Certainly, I'd rather see Murley or Radwan; higher potential and on the way up, probable (though arguable) higher ceiling. As I say, one vacancy, a lot of quick, tricky runners in the Premiership and I'd rather see England select and attack with intent.

The 'Lions peak' I'd undeniably agree with; I had to check, but he scored just one penalty for the Lions, no tries and he was 24-25 at the time (after an England debut when he was 23.) I'm not sure that he was ever an absolutely World XV finisher, but certainly not now.

I have my suspicions that we're violently agreeing. I'd not pick him for England now and I suspect that you wouldn't either.

Meanwhile, Mercer is absolutely ripping up trees for Gloucester. Different class from everyone else on the pitch at the moment.

[Banquo]

I'll say again:
you don't get to international level without being a good player; this is not one of those awful 'crap/genius' binary discussions. Of course he's pretty quick and pretty skillful, but he's not the quickest/trickiest runner/best finisher on the list (nor is he the best defender, nor the most experienced in a defensive system which we've used for 2 games.)
There's only one vacancy, but there's more than one player on that list who has better pace/a better step/both than ED.


If we're going to go for a necessarily narrow blitz, I'd like a speed merchant on the wing for covering purposes.

I understand that it's desirable to have a winger who can chase attacking, and field defensive, high balls. Steward's a freak at this at full-back, he obviously has both height and talent, but most kicks are 50-50 between two gifted but not freakish players. I would venture, with no evidence whatsoever, that it's the cheat lines run by the retreating players which have the most influence on the outcome of a contested kick. It therefore seems to me that 'good in the air' is used quite lazily and given more importance than it should be. Aerial competence is surely coachable, learnable and improveable with practice. Pace and instinctive finishing much less so.

just think you, and others, are doing Daly a pretty chunky disservice, whllst accepting he is past his best....and especialy putting many of those names near the same bracket.

Blitz point well made, but first and foremost you need centres and wings who make good decisions and communicate well, alongside coaching to develop it.

On good in the air, take the point on cheat lines offering protection, and definitely can improve the chasing/competing, and to some extent reception, though getting to a Steward or Biggar level imo is a function of talent. Funnily enough its a weak point for Daly, tho not as obvious as at 15, where his positioning was always average.

on Daly as o\c.. would be fine there intly but for pi55 poor defence at 13. Imo his best intl play was on the wing for england and esp Lions around 2017...very rapid then.

I wasn't putting *all* of those names in Daly's all-round bracket, just suggesting that there's more than one player on that list who has better pace/a better step/both than ED. Certainly, I'd rather see Murley or Radwan; higher potential and on the way up, probable (though arguable) higher ceiling. As I say, one vacancy, a lot of quick, tricky runners in the Premiership and I'd rather see England select and attack with intent.

The 'Lions peak' I'd undeniably agree with; I had to check, but he scored just one penalty for the Lions, no tries and he was 24-25 at the time (after an England debut when he was 23.) I'm not sure that he was ever an absolutely World XV finisher, but certainly not now.

I have my suspicions that we're violently agreeing. I'd not pick him for England now and I suspect that you wouldn't either.

Meanwhile, Mercer is absolutely ripping up trees for Gloucester. Different class from everyone else on the pitch at the moment.

I think Daly is being selected with intent, and delivering on it. Its just not the intent I'd have- but I do still rate him. Its true that other players maybe should have had more than a shot, though as I said 'many' of the names you propose wouldn't be on my list as contending v Daly.
On the Lions he showed great pace and deception on the wing as a creater, in a side that was effective clearly, but not that ambitious; there are plenty of examples of him finishing well outside this too. Anyhow, going in circles- think he's a little under rated by fans, and maybe a bit over rated by coaches.



And yes, Mercer is a mystery- that's two england head coaches who haven't liked the cut of his jib.

[Mellsblue]

B-B was also selected alongside Penaud and Ramos two experienced internationals. Best part of 90 caps between them. If we were to select a rookie to pair with the rookie Freeman and Steward who despite his number of caps is still only 23 we'd have less than half the caps France had to call on with a lot less big game experience. Daly serves a purpose in the short term.

Same with Care on the bench and to a lesser extent Ford and Slade. Wales made a lot of poor choices towards the end of the game on Saturday. England made more savvy ones to see out the game. It's what that experience gives us in the short term whilst we bed in some of the younger guys, the three Saints in the backline have about 20 caps between them.

As you say rebuilding as well. As fun as it would be to throw the young guys in with a brand new set up in attack and defence (I still don't think it's a good idea to have done the full rebuild again) it would probably do more harm than good once the old boys that make up the rugby media get on their backs and start calling for the return of probably the Ice Man and anyone else with significant numbers of caps.

All very well and good but a team containing Marler, Genge, George, Cole, Itoje, Earl, Underhill, Mitchell, Ford, Slade and Steward could probably afford to carry a rookie winger, and I’d actually include Freeman as a known quality test player despite Slippery Barnacle’s refusal to select him until now. That is the vast majority of the team that you told us performed very well in the World Cup so how picking IFW, Roebuck etc against Italy and a poor Wales is akin to picking B-B against the double world champions I’ll never know.

Selecting B-B probably cost France that game.

Before the 6N Freeman had played four times for England, including one game against the Baabaas, he wasn't a known quantity at international level.

I'm not a Daly fan and if you look back I wouldn't have picked him for the Italy or Wales games but he played well against Wales and Borthwick's decision is reasonable in the context of the backline.

If we can get the set up sorted so the team is playing more cohesively then hopefully we can transition on some of the younger guys over the summer.

Probably but I’ve already said I think it’s a red herring so, imo, isn’t a relevant point for debate.

Yes, I know Freeman only has a handful of caps - I did allude to it in my post - but it was clear he was a test player just from those caps.

He may have played well but I’ll repeat my point that against Italy and a crap version of Wales we shouldn’t need an end career Daly on the wing to help us win. Imo, it’s a bit like the pyrrhic victory in the 2020 autumn comp in microcosm. It got us a win at the time but stunted development long term.

I wouldn’t change the team now but, as above, I wouldn’t have started where we did.

[FKAS]

All very well and good but a team containing Marler, Genge, George, Cole, Itoje, Earl, Underhill, Mitchell, Ford, Slade and Steward could probably afford to carry a rookie winger, and I’d actually include Freeman as a known quality test player despite Slippery Barnacle’s refusal to select him until now. That is the vast majority of the team that you told us performed very well in the World Cup so how picking IFW, Roebuck etc against Italy and a poor Wales is akin to picking B-B against the double world champions I’ll never know.

Selecting B-B probably cost France that game.

Before the 6N Freeman had played four times for England, including one game against the Baabaas, he wasn't a known quantity at international level.

I'm not a Daly fan and if you look back I wouldn't have picked him for the Italy or Wales games but he played well against Wales and Borthwick's decision is reasonable in the context of the backline.

If we can get the set up sorted so the team is playing more cohesively then hopefully we can transition on some of the younger guys over the summer.

Probably but I’ve already said I think it’s a red herring so, imo, isn’t a relevant point for debate.

Yes, I know Freeman only has a handful of caps - I did allude to it in my post - but it was clear he was a test player just from those caps.

He may have played well but I’ll repeat my point that against Italy and a crap version of Wales we shouldn’t need an end career Daly on the wing to help us win. Imo, it’s a bit like the pyrrhic victory in the 2020 autumn comp in microcosm. It got us a win at the time but stunted development long term.

I wouldn’t change the team now but, as above, I wouldn’t have started where we did.

Then we agree. We'd have both picked someone else but the Borthwick selection does make sense.

[Puja]

Minute 71: Wales offer England the front from the lineout and we gleefully take it, forming a decent maul and defending some sharp tactics from Wales. Care wrests it free and feeds Slade at first receiver, who feigns to send Dingwall on the crash before pulling it back to Ford. Wales have got very narrow and their last two midfield defenders are focussed on the line that Freeman is running. Ford shows quick hands and good decision-making to catch and then pass across the face of Freeman, to Steward who is arcing around from the blind. If the ball makes it to Steward, then it's a guaranteed try - it's a 2-on-1 in 40m of space with Daly on the outside and wouldn't even require particularly good play to score - but it doesn't make it there, as Grady aborts his charge on Freeman to lunge with one hand and slap the ball down.

It is a clear yellow card, because it is the most cynical play you will ever see - Grady realises he's been suckered and the ball is going past him, and he just sticks out a hand to stop it from going. A penalty try is a judgement call - the referee doesn't give it on the basis that there's defenders coming across, and I do see that logic. However, the wording of law says whether "a try would probably have been scored" without the offence, not "definitely" and frankly, it's an insult to any two competent international backs to say that a try wouldn't probably have been scored in that position.

The Welsh board got very grumpy with Grady when commenting live, but it's probably a pretty good decision. Saved a try at the cost of a penalty and yellow.

Minute 72: Ford sets up his penalty about 10m further across than the offence, in just about the optimal spot for a right foot kicker. He's allowed to do it by the ref, but it's a very cheeky bit of play - probably would've scored it anyway, but may as well maximise your chances.

Dan is on for George. Itoje now captain, ahead of Ford - interesting.

Wales's kick-off is a wobbly one - Earl gathers and runs into contact, but get stopped dead on the 22. We recycle and set a very hungry caterpillar indeed.

Minute 73: ... such a big one that it drifts over into the next minute. Care has all the time in the world to put in an excellent box-kick up past halfway. Roots comes off for Alex Coles - I don't like having a lock at 6 (I may have mentioned at some point before?), but it's a reasonable option to close out a game.

Chessum makes the most of his reprieve by reading the lineout call and competing hard and the ref calls it not straight for an England scrum.

Minute 74: Scrum takes a time to set up and the ref calls England for an early engage, although it did look like both sides folding together under the pressure of waiting for his interminably slow cadence on the calls.

Ioan Lloyd puts up the high ball, but it's no !!!SPIRAL BOMB!!! and poses no problem for Steward at all.

Minute 75: We're not too interested in playing now that we've got the lead and it's another forward carry to set up the caterpillar and box-kick. It's a good kick though and the Welsh phalanx is lacking because Freeman makes it through to regather the ball.

Earl passes it out, possibly to stop Care from setting another caterpillar, but it's a sub-Youngs pass, making Dan stop and reach behind him to bring it in. Dan does amazingly from a standing start to accelerate between two players and drive a full 10m in contact. The ball comes back quickly and it does look like there's space on the left as Wales have got narrow, but Ford goes indecisive again, and once again is left with the final decision of kicking to the corner. This time Dyer is there and he gathers and kicks down the tramlines for Ford to gather. He puts up a high kick and Steward chases and takes it just outside the Welsh 22.

It's some more good ruck work and we've got quick ball to play with - Care goes blind and I'm screaming at him initially, but he puts in a beautiful flat miss-pass to send Freeman through a half-gap.

[Puja]

Minute 76: Freeman is hauled down, but it's quick ball again. We go wide, via some laboured pull-backs and what we've mostly achieved is losing 15 metres; Steward does well to straighten and attack the line to recover some of that ground. It's lightning quick ball again, and Ford picks the right option to turn the ball back inside to Dan on the burst, who again makes a good 6-7m gain through contact.

We go right and Earl makes a pig's ear of an offload before contact, passing to the floor instead of Ford, but Dingwall does well to gather the loose ball and make a half-break into the 22. Unfortunately, Reffell does a superb job - he's tracked the tackle and got himself in over the ball before anyone could get there and then holds onto it even through a very solid clearout from Cole. Just beautiful technique and you can't even be mad at anyone because that's a world-class player doing a world-class thing.

Minute 77: Wales have kicked the penalty up to near the halfway line, but we don't get to see the lineout because of artsy replays. Wales have got the ball, but the maul appears to have been sacked, as it's on the ground.

They go through a couple of one-out runners to no avail against the England defence, but then Itoje tries to drive through a breakdown, and Genge sees he's getting somewhere so joins in. It's a decent counter-ruck and nearly catches the 9, but nearly isn't any good when Genge is supposed to be the guard defender and Hardy nearly goes through the Genge-shaped hole in our defence. We scramble well and defend some more one-out runners again.

Minute 78: The linespeed is not what is was earlier in the game and Wales are under significantly less pressure, but they're still not looking like they're going anywhere in particular. Solid tackles from Dan, Dingwall, Slade, CCS keep Wales at bay. Eventually Wales have slower ball and we have a bit more organisation, so we blitz up and shut down the options, pushing Wales back to where the lineout started.

Minute 79: England are happy to miss tackles if it drives the man back inside - first Dingwall, then Genge come flying up, getting stepped on the inside, but shutting down the pass outside and forcing players back in towards the tight defence. Cunningham-South tries it too, but creams Wainwright as he receives the ball instead.

Phase 17 and England are up hard again - Winnett does get a pass over the top of them under pressure, but it's so loopy that we're across and in the faces of the wing before they can do anything with it. By Phase 20, Wales have lost over 20 metres in this action, so Lloyd steps back and tries a chip over the top - it looks like there's space, but Steward has come in from a massive distance away to take it on the run. He steps the sole Welsh chaser and is clean through!

Minute 80: Steward accelerates away from two Welsh defender and then chips over the head of the full-back. It's a good kick, but the bounce of a rugby ball always hates you, and it jags sideways away from him. Would've been an interesting race to the corner if that one had bounced into his hands, but instead it rolls towards touch before being swept in by a diving Wainwright.

Wales regather and autopilot towards a caterpillar before realising that there's 40s left and they're losing. They pass the ball out and Lloyd cross-field kicks - it's risky, but perfectly executed for Dyer to run onto it. Ford doesn't realise Dyer is jumping and gets in the landing zone, causing Dyer to fall into touch. To my mind, it's a clear penalty (although not a yellow as some more fervid Welsh supporters have claimed). However, the ref is unbothered and gives England the lineout. We throw simple front ball to Coles and form a basic maul for Care to kick out and finish the game.

[Puja]

Conclusions from watching that:
- We have lost just 5 attacking rucks in 160 minutes of rugby. Strawbridge is worth his weight in gold.
- The attack still has moments of incohesion, but we are creating chances and actually trying things. I'm willing to give it a bit more time.
- The defensive system is coming together and looks to be an absolute weapon. Still got plenty of errors in it, but if we can get that right, it's going to be a menace.
- Stuart, Dingwall, Care, and Daly all had much better games than reported, although I would still replace the latter on the basis that IFW is the young thruster available to take over.
- CCS is going to be some player. I don't know if I'd start him yet, but he's a weapon to bring off the bench and is certainly looking to the manner born. Good selection call by Straw Berryman.

Puja

[Danno]

@Puja Ah perfect timing. Just about to settle down with a beer to read the whole schebang