Planet Rugby Forum

England have to think they were bad that half. Sarah Hunter never passes when she has a run or breaks the line. Where as Cleall's passing is brilliant. Cattell screwed up that great pass from poppy by taking her eye of the ball, despite being part of a massive overlap. I suspect because she wanted to use the overlap to run into a gap for a try for herself, which is amateur stuff FFS!

eldanielfire wrote:

Nieghorn wrote:There've been a few moments where they've looked like the men's teams that are rigidly structured. Pod crash in the middle when a couple of long passes would have seen them with a 5 v 2 out wide.

I swear to god the well structured pod system has been the blight of English coaching, tactics and coaches since the mid-2000's. It's an outdated tactic that never worked at the top level. That's not to sey pods of players aren't effective, but these pre-determined pod formations are just crap.


Sadly last I checked English coaching badges still obsessed with them, even though Eddie Jones and the elite game has cast them aside because, well, it doesn't work because the game and opponents are't going to nicely place themselves in the theoritical position or follow your hoped for tactics.

Sadly I suspect lots of coaches of women's teams are the ones picked who have their high level coaching qualifications in the RFU system and thus obsess with this pod structure bollocks..

That's my big worry here, too, with the RC coaching courses being the only option. And even if we did get a lot of rugby on telly, it's not like there's much variation amongst the pro teams for a school/club coach to say "Hmm, I'll give that a try." (A few mad geniuses like me do try to do things differently, to be fair. )

I have an England game from the Gary Street era on my computer where the were playing very, very dynamically with multiple options in every phase and usually opting for the one that suited what the defence was offering. But even he seemed to go away from that in the World Cup... they won it, but in the tournament I wondered where the beautiful rugby went.

... case in point ... they just got a big linebreak from poor defending, but if Taylor had played that wider instead of tight, they were off to the races.

Tries from Hunter via a maul and Cleall off some good attacking passing (at last) put England in charge now.

Sarah Bern alone is winning this game.

Ellie Kildunne playing really well.

Nieghorn wrote:
That's my big worry here, too, with the RC coaching courses being the only option. And even if we did get a lot of rugby on telly, it's not like there's much variation amongst the pro teams for a school/club coach to say "Hmm, I'll give that a try." (A few mad geniuses like me do try to do things differently, to be fair. )

The good thing in England the RFU is clearly moving away from so much structure and pod tactics and the like. But ther is a generation of coaches who were drilled with that at prime coaching age. Some will adapt but many won't and talk about no structure but don't develop to evolve.

I have an England game from the Gary Street era on my computer where the were playing very, very dynamically with multiple options in every phase and usually opting for the one that suited what the defence was offering. But even he seemed to go away from that in the World Cup... they won it, but in the tournament I wondered where the beautiful rugby went.

Gary Street is a excellent coach. You can see at Harlequins Ladies, with Karen Findley, their dynamic, free flowing rugby, despite having the best set-piece in the league as well. I think they got tight in the 2014 world cup, same for the last one. Especially when New Zealand went out, their best game was against Ireland by miles and they actually seemed scared to screw it up. The Canada game was obviously a game of nerves, however credit, that first Waterman try by England was sublime team play. Street's England at their best.

Wendigo7 wrote:Sarah Bern alone is winning this game.

Ellie Kildunne playing really well.

Bern is a monster.

Kildunne was a bit poor in the first half. For some reason she didn't want to pass. But her move for Dow's try was superb. She is only 18 after all.

Good try from Killdunne. On the line.

Yellow card for persistent infringement.

Sarah Hunter hattrick takes it over 40 points makes it a good score after a slow first half. Some things to still work on. The England scrum a thing of beauty in the 2nd half. Poppy Cleall rightfully given player of the match.

Scotland's captain Lisa Martin has the most wild eyebrows in history:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M7tCGi8j4s&t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs3XsRc1PtU

They have a life of their own

eldanielfire wrote:Scotland's captain Lisa Martin has the most wild eyebrows in history:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M7tCGi8j4s&t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs3XsRc1PtU

They have a life of their own

... that's a brilliant spot!

I thought I'd be distracted by that, but that first one was a surprisingly refreshing, cliche- and rehearsed nonsense-free skipper's interview! (I never watch the men's ones as they're full of such bollocks.)

Bit dusty after watching this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/ ... name=wales

My take on England's women's 1st game:

Front row: All uniformly good with Sarah Bern as outstanding in the loose and Rocky always looking for work. Lark Davies had a good game though continued lineout practice will out out her rough edges. The replacements were monsters in the scrum.

Locks: Tammy appears ageless in her work around the park and willingness to be physical. Though I feel can enter rucks a little high at times but she is still an excellent lineout operator. Ditto Abby Scott.

Backrow: Poppy Cleall is my favourite player at the moment. She is great at everything a backrow could want o be be great at and her workrate is very high. Always an option, always makes the right decisions, high physicality and highly skilled. Sarah Hunter much of the same but at slight lower intensity, but I'd really love her to look around more and pass and link-up as an 8 should. Marley Packer didn't have her bets game but was always an attacking option and is insanely quick around the park.

Half backs: I felt McLean didn't make a lot of great decisions in the first half, but that seems largely due to the forwards based game plan. She can sometimes be slow to pass but when she caught fire in the 2nd half she was at the center of everything. Leann Riley was excellent all game, firing off fast ball constantly, always an attacking option, unlucky that Poppy Cleall's sideline offload didn't land in her hands for a easy try.

Centers: Lauren Cattell had a get to forget. I mean literally besides her dropping a pass from Cleall when they had an easy 3 on 1 I barely recall seeing her. Burford was her usual excellent self, talking charge, making the right decisions delivering inch perfect passes constantly or threatening a break when the pass is not on.

Back 3: Waterman shows that no matter how little space she has she some how works her feet forward. Dow was always a threat and took her try well, I think Mclean kicked forward for her to much hoping she could use her speed to collect the ball but it was usually an impossible task. Killdunne is a work in progress, guilty of not passing in the first half when she should or could and occasionally be lost when she should be collecting the high ball are flaws. Her defense is also untested, sadly Waterman was insanely good as a defender (so much so England lost even with Emily Scarrett played 15) and that's a big defensive gap to fill. But then her round the defender pass to Dow and her try while being tackled were examples of her immense talent that could well make her the best full back in the world. She also seems far stronger then you would think and I suspect with Waterman mentoring her the sky is the limit.

eldanielfire wrote:Good win for France. Ireland look like a spent force in women's rugby right now.

The french #13 was fantastic

Just seen Italy-England. Sarah Bern is amazing for a tight head, she gets around the pitch like a Transit van driven by a joyrider.

Ramming Speed wrote:Just seen Italy-England. Sarah Bern is amazing for a tight head, she gets around the pitch like a Transit van driven by a joyrider.

If ever there was a quotable quote!

Ramming Speed wrote:Just seen Italy-England. Sarah Bern is amazing for a tight head, she gets around the pitch like a Transit van driven by a joyrider.

England's team for Wales.

Kildunne at 13 is exciting! Same side largely, Pearce at 14. Can see England running riot with that pack and backline.

Tuima on the bench too.

Great to see Charlotte Pearce get a start, she is rapid, has an insane side-step and got increasingly better as the season has gone on. Also great to see Tuima on the bench, hope she gets some good game time.

Wales team sheet.



The addition of Sioned Harries is a big plus for Wales.

Wendigo7 wrote:
England's team for Wales.

Kildunne at 13 is exciting! Same side largely, Pearce at 14. Can see England running riot with that pack and backline.

Tuima on the bench too.

It will be interesting to see Kildunne at 13 and more involved, we'll see if she gets her defense right. But with McLean and Burford inside her nailing passes she could really rip up the attack.

Kildunne's natural position is apparently 13, I now see why she's called Scarratt Jnr.

I shouldn't laugh but there's a welsh lock called Lillicrap?

Wendigo7 wrote:I shouldn't laugh but there's a welsh lock called Lillicrap?

Yeah, she played Number 8 last week and is on the rugby board at, I think, Swansea university. She's a real physical carrier as well.

Ramming Speed wrote:Just seen Italy-England. Sarah Bern is amazing for a tight head, she gets around the pitch like a Transit van driven by a joyrider.

England vs Wales game is 12:15 kick off this afternoon.

Wendigo7 wrote:England vs Wales game is 12:15 kick off this afternoon.

Can't wait. I only expect an England win, but I'm genuinely hoping to see how much progress Wales, very much a country making good development in women's rugby, have made.

Which channel on Sky?
..Action ... found it.


Very wet

message #2527204 wrote:Which channel on Sky?
..Action ... found it.


Very wet

Mix

Good to see Prince Harry in attendance!

Paltry crowd - very disappointing - The Stoop looks 60% empty

welsh ladies are really pushing that offside line at the rucks

ovalball wrote:Paltry crowd - very disappointing - The Stoop looks 60% empty

It is. The RFU may be investing in the women's game, but they barely advertise the tickets for their games. When I looked for tickets before Christmas I couldn't find any, only for the men's. Oh and you can only buy tickets for this game through the Harlequins website.

To put it in context Harlequins ladies-Richmond Ladies in march have already sold more tickets than this because Quins they have been advertising the game since November and really pushing for a good attendance. Though the home atmosphere's in the one England stand is immense.

Abby Scott is stealing the lineout whenever she wants. Wales need to make their shuffling less obvious.

Dow get's England's second (after Cleall's forwards try) and a good dummy from Waterman.

eldanielfire wrote:Dow get's England's second (after Cleall's forwards try) and a good dummy from Waterman.

Very crisp pass from Burford to get them going. Great to watch from all involved!

Riley sees the gap and scores. You can really see how England's backs train together so much more then Wales' team.

Massive cock up in the welsh defence.

One way traffic - BP score already and it looks like there's many more to come. England looking much better than last week.

Klldunne turns on the afterburners through weak tackles.