FORUMS > The Virtual Terrace > The post-mortem |
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| Just got back, so here's my thoughts as to the lessons to be learned.
1. Game was again lost before KO. I've seen the same on previous deciders and so had my head in my hands. Oz run through their routines crisply and with purpose. England were just going through the motions and at times were shambolic - people (esp. Tomkins, dropping the ball - a portent for the match), at one stage they all bunched up without purpose and bizarrely Wilkins nearly fell into his team-mates. So, both players and coaches need to get their collective acts together and behave like professional sportsmen.
2. Sinfield was one of my men of the series for us and his workrate is great. But, his short kicking game on attack was disastrous all series and he lacks explosiveness for a stand off.
3. Following on from that, we've got to get Tomkins playing stand off. He's our most skillful and dangerous player on attack. He's not an international full-back though. He can't get anywhere near a high kick - 3 times in the first half tonight and once against NZ. I would say his performance under the high ball was the worst I have ever seen from a GB / England full back (and I've been watching since the '60s).
4. Graham was stand out. We fell apart when he went off second half and, I think, conceded 3 tries then. His work rate far outstrips the other big forwards and our pack looked a sorry state in that period when Oz upped it and won the match.
5. The above was odd as shortly before the England pack really got on top and looked like they had battered Oz into submission. Thing is they hang in and come back. We don't seem to be able to pace ourselves and then run our of steam. We fell apart with 20 to go, whereas there was a series a few years back when we were lasting 78 mins against a much better Oz team.
6. Rangi Chase was a pleasant little experiment but quite frankly we have better and he offers little at this level.
7. Heightington - ditto.
8. Thought JJB was very good when he was on during the series and Westwood put himself about well.
9. Thought the scoreline flattered us tonight - they almost had 4 tries first half and is bordered on a miracle that we went in 8-8.
10. Despite all the talk (and, to be fair, the execution against NZ), we panicked everytime we got a chance tonight and were woeful on attack.
Overall, we ain't any nearer to Oz and, in fact, are further behind than we were a few years back. We need to get Sam Burgess and another couple like him to replace Morley and Peacock when they hang up their boots. We need 2 centres and a wing man and a full back (Tomkins to stand off, please) and a scrum-half. Just then might we have a chance.
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| Played part time with players having full time jobs.
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| Quote: arliebird "the number of games is a certainly a worry when you consider for example that was sinfields 42nd game when you compare that to the aussies that play about 30, now im not saying if the england team had played the same amount as the aussies that the scoreline may have been diffrent maybe it would or maybe not but we do have to look at ways to improve our chances and surley reducing games down and allowing a more lengthy pre season will be more benificial.
1. reduce the amount of super league games to 23, 11 at home and 11 away with the magic weekend.
2. introduce 3 game series against the exiles with no super league fixtures taking place that week and have england knights vs france in a 3 game series running at the same time.
3. for me id like to see super league clubs only play a couple of friendlies against lower league sides, it always takes 6-8 games into the new season before players and teams start to get in there stride so do away with playing against other super league teams in friendlies.'"
would be a definite 'no go' for the french team in mid season which would effectively mean three more games for the Catalan Dragons
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| Quote: Starbug "Since when is a face grab a RL tackle ?'"
Wrong thread, mate?
Though to answer your question, it's not.
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9005.jpg kcab sfrawdder
Luck is a combination of preparation and opportunity
Just to avoid confusion Starbug is the username of Steven Pike
SOMEBODY SAID that it couldn’t be done
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it!:9005.jpg |
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| Quote: CGD "Wrong thread, mate?
Though to answer your question, it's not.'"
So it was a penalty try then
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| Quote: sanjunien "would be a definite 'no go' for the french team in mid season which would effectively mean three more games for the Catalan Dragons'"
you could possibly have a 3 week break from super league mid season but id deffo start of by having a longer pre season and starting the season in late february time and have 23 league games 11 home 11 away and a magic weekend, mid season have 3 test england v exiles in the space of 6 weeks with the players selected for england unavailable for club selection. this way someone like sinfield for example instead of playing 28 games league and mid season test he will only play 23
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