Last I checked 2 aussie teams in top six. Last two spots being fought over by one Fijian team, one kiwi and 2 Aussie teams

The main difference with this incident to other high tackles is that Ireland only collect the ball a split second earlier. Both players are sprinting at full speed for the ball. Steward probably has one second to judge who is getting there first. He is upright anticipating the bounce of the ball not anticipating a tackle. He realises he is losing the race but then where can he go? How can he avoid the collision. He attempts to slow down and brace for impact.

What is the player meant to do in this situation? Continue full speed, attempt to wrap and clothesline Keenans head off?

I think there was enough mitigation to say he attempted to reduce the force by slowing down. I don’t think many players would have an issue with that being yellow.

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Yes the ref called the ball out when clearly under the hindmost foot of the ruck. He also verbally didn’t call ball out but indicated to NZ it was out. JvP threw an intercept and had one charge down but make no mistake raynal and his team mates made him look much worse than he actually played.

Need to consider the relative strengths of team faced as well. For example 2015 scotland, Italy, Wales, Ireland were a lot weaker than DR era teams. The gap between NH teams has closed significantly if not been extinguished.

Just to be clear hill got a yellow card for the hair pull. Also the referee was Doleman not Paul Williams.

Whilst what white did wasn’t in the spirit of rugby, I think we all agree being slapped in the face isn’t a legal part of rugby anyway.

What white did was the smart thing, how many times in a game would a ref ignore what white asks/tells him.

A captains challenge here could help white act with more dignity

France send a b team due to club country clashes. So it’s not really out of choice and no disrespect but most teams send b teams to tour Japan or Argentina. Even scotland rested a lot of their players this year and nearly got the series win.

Nick

Why did the wallabies struggle to exit in the 1st half?

How would you rank the top 10 in world rugby?

And why was the penalty count lopsided? Because Australian defence infringed when under pressure. England were on the front foot making yards with each carry. Show me a defence that stops try scoring without infringing when under pressure. Bullied in the first 30 that’s why you lost the match.

Similarly in 2nd half england started infringing and brought pressure on themselves

Agreed that here the refs and commentators always seem to complain about cards whereas in Europe often the commentators call it red a lot sooner.

I felt sorry for ikitau as he is completely bent at the hips and at pretty much the same height as white. In fact I think it is only whites tackle so close to him that causes the head contact as instead of ikitau arm collecting the player and shoulder hitting shoulder the shoulder makes head contact.

Franks would be red all day long up north. Of the two tackles I would have suggested franks is more likely to be a red. It’s like the tackles slipped up or there was a passive collision. Frank’s brought all momentum amd left his head in a dangerous area.

Highlander, Brian Moore made a similar point. Tadgh went from long arm to underarm bind. I’m no expert but in examples provided by NB I saw both sides move forward on the scrum @16 mins. Not many refs after seeing both sides of scrum go forward and then it wheel are going to give it against the team going forward. And the second example it looks as though the AR is communicating with Raynal maybe relaying the underarm bind.

Also french referees have panache for seeing a picture and continuing to reward even if not every scrum is the same. exact same thing happened in world cup final to england. No doubt most scrums were fairly awarded to SA but there were at least two when considered in isolation where penalty should have gone to England. Not sure how you sort that issue out.

Can’t believe how seriously all these pundits take Eddie’s verbals. He is on the record multiple times saying he views part of the head coach job to increase interest in the game and that he throws this stuff out to generate interest in the game.
If clive seriously thinks that EJ’s comments contributed to the red card, I think he needs to go to the Dr’s.

Brett

What are your thoughts on developing these gain line 12s at international level. For years England have been reliant on Tuilagi and a similar theme seems to be developing in australia with Kerevi (going off last years form at least, interesting to see if it is backed up this year). Paisami may get there with another couple of years but there seems to be a lot of 12’s who can get that gainline at club level but very few who translate that into internationals. Any idea what the players that make it do vs those who don’t?

NB, to my untrained eye Genge had Tadgh on toast. Did you agree with the penalties given? Also what do you make of EJ comments saying england didn’t get a chance to play with advantage?
Lots of people saying the game was ruined by red card but I thought it was a thoroughly entertaining match and one that shows England are going places if the attack can sharpen up.

Before 6N EJ commented that Farrell @12 would help MS organise the attack. Is this what is missing? Or do england just need chief tuilaigi back? A smith/farrell/tuilagi axis seems to cover all basis for me.

the first test against Australia in june, villiere was the standout player for me. Villiere, woki & danty wre the main players to come through from that tour, not bad for evolution of the french team. Fascinating for the 6 nations though, scotland go in as underdogs which then means they have a much better chance, england beat them last year. We are lucky for it to be so competitive.

I may be wrong but there are very few if any covid restrictions for rugby players in the UK now. I think at the end of the month they are getting rid of all restrictions even the requirement to self isolate. At least nothing like last years 6 nations where the English players couldn’t even mingle in the evening in person together.
With regards summer tours Australia have very few covid restrictions now anyway so don’t see england being that affected. The key is actually the crowd so if NZ is only half full or whatever else I would be very wary of Ireland. Surely in 4/5 months time NZ will be open?

I’m putting my head above the parapet here but this was a game England should have won and were denied by a very 50/50 scrum pen on 70 minutes. I don’t think you can criticise eddie jones for this loss at all.
He picked a team to tactically kick scotland to death which they did. The first half england had all the territory & possession. Scotland have had the best defence of the 6 nations last year. I think it is a pretty sound game plan to fatigue the defence and constantly give marcus smith the possession around the 22 mark to pick holes in the defence.

The reason we lost was because the attack didn’t take its chances. Smith overkicked to slade when under pen advantage & second half maul broke early and ended up held up. Conversely scotland had two real chances and took both. Even then LCD could have caught the ball or literally done anything else and england are likely to win that match.

Subbing smith is a complete non event, england has one passage of attacking play with ford which went pretty well the rest of the time was with a man down or on defence. That substitution made no change to the end result.

A lot of the decisions that you claim eddie made such as kick for posts instead of going for touch or who kicks for touch is decisions left to on field leadership no?

I think its far too early to judge eddie. 6N champions in 2020, autumn nations cup winners, A clean sweep in autumn series versus one bad campaign (COVID affected) and a tight loss to scotland at home. Its not hard to see why eddie is still in a job.

Furthermore lets look at 2019 RWC semi finalists:
NZ last three major tests SA, Ire, France all losses
SA 60% win ratio since world cup
Wales ranked 8th in the world

None of the four teams have had outstanding seasons since but france scotland & ireland have all improved.

Yes this is the issue I have the referee has given a match winning penalty with less than 10 minutes to go on what I observe as a very 50-50 call. The inconsistency with which he calls the penalty against England is frustrating as opposed to the non call for England.

I dont know what the solution is though, I’m not sure if there is any sort of physchological training the ref’s could have to make them treat giving penalties the same way regardless of time left on the clock.
I dont envy their job though it is a lot of pressure they put themselves under for not that big a reward

Nick, interested in your thoughts about the ease in which refs give penalties earlier in the game as opposed to the last minutes. I’m no expert in the scrum but the penalty scotland got at roughly 70mins looked as though the scrum was never stable and an early drive by scotland yet they were rewarded with the match winning penalty.
With the english scrum on 80 minutes surely at any other point in the game the ref is blowing the whistle for an english penalty rather than 4 resets? I was interested in what england would have done with a penalty take the draw or go to the lineout?

Not to take away from scotland, one of the best defensive displays and they iced their chances very well. Why LCD didn’t just catch the ball and mark it we’ll never know.

I disagree with this entirely. I’m English, wife Australian and my son is born in Australia. If he grows up playing rugby and we live in Australia all through his teenage years but he chooses to play for England why should Australia be compensated? We would have paid to put him through the junior system etc. If talented he is paid to develop, if the system then in Australia doesn’t contract him or he decides to move somewhere else why should the union be compensated?

The thing Australian union needs to sort it out is its finances (2027 world cup should help) and pathways and competition format.

Isn’t this englands problem in a nutshell? When do you pick on continuity and when on form. If you picked people on form too much churn, too many new combinations. Even you stick with plan to blood smith you are leaving out someone potentially better. Only england and france with this problem.

I can’t think of a time when tuilagi has not been picked when fit. Autumn nation series played 3 won 3. 2021 6 nations injured england lose 3. Eddie even picked him on the wing to get him into the team. I would argue tuilagi attracts more defenders than kerevi and in the above team don’t think you need any more kicking options White, fly half, slade. I would argue tuilagi gets gainline more and has better awareness of when to pass. Kerevi is much more likely to run into contact and get turned over from my memory. Haven’t looked at the stats but from watching the reds thats what I remember.

Speaking of centres – Tuilagi is noticeably absent from this combined team – I would rate tuilagi much higher than kerevi.

Nowell will come back in I think probably to add grunt to Smith, Farrell, Slade axis. Malins/marchant versatility puts them on the bench. Also three scrumhalves picked for the first time I think.

Not to mention players who have been in the same team as Farrell. My understanding is that he is the one driving standards all the time in camp. Don’t know where this idea that he isn’t in the best 50 players come from. There is a reason farrell got picked for the lions and ford didn’t. I think rightly or wrongly people don’t like him because he’s english, chats back to referee and SA are still butt hurt he got away with a no arms tackle few years back.
I think nearly all the 6 nations teams would have farrell at least in their matchday squad and he would start for all bar france maybe.