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kiwififer

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I’m a casual rugby fan, so don’t understand the rules in enough detail to judge, but I find on here that a lot of posters absolutely slate the ref every single game. Every single ref can’t be dreadful, so I’m guessing it’s just the typical emotional fan response in thinking any decision against us is a bad one.

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Would like to see this tournament lead to a European/North American Championship held every four years between world cups.

 

You could have 12 countries. Say the 6 nations, Georgia, Romania, USA, Canada and a couple of European qualifiers. Whilst Australia, NZ, Japan, SA, Argentina and the Pacific islands do something similar.

 

Only way these tier 2 nations are going to improve between world cups tbh

 

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3 minutes ago, GAD said:

I didn't think the defence was very good today, comparative to recent games anyway. I'd need to see the stats, but I expect our missed tackles was way up and our turnovers were way down. Obviously the second one was partly affected by something we are not allowed to talk about, and probably by Ritchie's injury as well, but the missed tackles were disappointing.

That's true actually, just ruined my narrative haha. That being said our relative level defensively has been raised to the point we'd have been happy enough with that a year ago.

I feel like I've been thinking the same way re carrying for a while, what do you think?

Edited by Genuine Hibs Fan
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3 minutes ago, Genuine Hibs Fan said:

That's true actually, just ruined my narrative haha. That being said our relative level defensively has been raised to the point we'd have been happy enough with that a year ago.

I feel like I've been thinking the same way re carrying for a while, what do you think?

Yeah, definetely agree. Italy have a big abrasive back row. Polledri is one of the best carrying back row players in the world right now for me. Our back row is also good, but in a different way, more focused on the ground work and creating turnovers. Most of Italy's turnovers today seemed to come from their hooker. 

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Much improved second half after a fairly poor first. We didn't match the Italian intensity first half which put us on the back foot. Bonus point win is as much as you can ask for in a game. Toonie has clearly moved from all out attack, to a bit more of a conservative game which is clearly paying dividends. I think we missed Ritchie as Haining and Thompson dont add enough to the back row

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11 minutes ago, GAD said:

Yeah, definetely agree. Italy have a big abrasive back row. Polledri is one of the best carrying back row players in the world right now for me. Our back row is also good, but in a different way, more focused on the ground work and creating turnovers. Most of Italy's turnovers today seemed to come from their hooker. 

My point is more how we use carrying as well, Thomson and Watson in particular are more threat carrying at pace from deep, but more often than not we're stock still. That being said we are much better carrying close in than we have been for a while. VdM, Cummings and Fagerson tries we were more clinical than we would have been a year or two ago.

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That wasn't great, but much like the 6N game over there, I never felt we would lose it. BP win is decent enough.

Luke Pearce is a shite ref who would be out of his depth in a P6 C team game. I don't think he was with us or against us, he's just fucking awful. Highlight would be "I have a feeling he knocked it on" - well, in that case, you didn't see it, and nor did either of your ARs, so your on-field decision should be "Try", you fucking moron.

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19 minutes ago, Genuine Hibs Fan said:

My point is more how we use carrying as well, Thomson and Watson in particular are more threat carrying at pace from deep, but more often than not we're stock still. That being said we are much better carrying close in than we have been for a while. VdM, Cummings and Fagerson tries we were more clinical than we would have been a year or two ago.

Yeah, I know what you mean actually, and I do agree. We need more like the run from deep Cummings took for his try.

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Just now, GAD said:

Yeah, I know what you mean actually, and I do agree. We need more like the run from deep Cummings took for his try.

Aye. I mind watching a squidge video a while back where he said Scotland could score from anywhere and were good close in but getting from halfway to the 22 was where we struggled. I think that's still the case, although we're less likely to score from anywhere now. 

It feels like we mainly get through that area through penalties which is decent enough. Put together a more dynamic carrying game and provide more of a genuine threat in the centres and we're going to ask a lot more questions though. Would allow Hogg and Russell so much more lee way as well.

The first we can coach into the team (and pick one 8 consistently - Fagerson the best carrier for me), the second we can find room for Hutchinson at 12 without removing Harris who's a bit of a lynch pin defensively.

I'm fully prepared for this to get shown up as nonsense with stats but that's how it's looked trying to watch Scotland attack since the World Cup started for me.

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Last game of the final round of Mitre 10 Cup games about to kick-off in Christchurch between Canterbury and Auckland. Auckland already finished top of the Premiership division and Canterbury must win to avoid relegation to the Championship division which might be a first for them. Could be a cracking game.

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2 hours ago, Eednud said:

Last game of the final round of Mitre 10 Cup games about to kick-off in Christchurch between Canterbury and Auckland. Auckland already finished top of the Premiership division and Canterbury must win to avoid relegation to the Championship division which might be a first for them. Could be a cracking game.

And it was!

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Fiji game against Italy now off as Fiji have 29 Covid cases. The game v France was awarded as a bonus point win to France, so expect the same will happen here. It's shit for both teams, Fiji for obvious reasons, but also Italy who I think would have fancied their chances, though it could set them up for a crack at Wales in the play offs, which I think they would be right up for at the moment.

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Team for Sunday. A few changes in there, with Duncan Taylor, who I didn't even realise was in the squad, on the bench.

I guess with the Fiji game cancelled, this is it. Win and we are top and go to the final, with a rest week thrown in for good measure.

IMG_20201120_131804.jpg

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Think Jones has been consigned to the naughty step for the foreseeable. Warriors player of the month is he not? And Taylor, who hasn't played in months, is in there ahead of him. 

Not sure the reasons for Berghan and Kinghorn starting, not much need for rotation with the Fiji game off, but they shouldn't let us down. Hope Matt Fagerson has a big game, although anyone playing well enough to cement the 8 position would be a plus.

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8 hours ago, GAD said:

Team for Sunday. A few changes in there, with Duncan Taylor, who I didn't even realise was in the squad, on the bench.

I guess with the Fiji game cancelled, this is it. Win and we are top and go to the final, with a rest week thrown in for good measure.

IMG_20201120_131804.jpg

Didnt realise taylor was in the squad eiether

apart from zander its our strongest first 15 available given the injuries

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