The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

First topic message reminder :

Welcome to the virtual rugby pub - a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing the team photos of the World Cup finalists. Or the action shots (put up especially for Cari) of McCaw, Kahui and Corey Jane.

So pull up a chair....what'll it be?



Pāparakāuta tawhito/Hen dafarn/Old pub: https://www.606v2.com/t15995-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub#576035

Thomond wrote:Kiwi, Peterborough too far out? Leeds are playing there on Saturday. There are still tickets for that NFL game in Wembley on Sunday if that Canadian fella is interested.

I did think about Peterborough and Reading (Reading's easier for Heathrow) will check tomorrow as I don't have exact flight times

Evening all

Thanks for everyone's well wishes earlier. I am still not having a good day but cannot post why here so I have posted something in the facebook pub by way of explanation.

Pete I've just seen facebook. Not having a good day is a massive understatement. Im thinking about you pal.

^ what Stag said

for you Pete.

I think it puts the squabbles and WUMS of an online forum starkly in perspective.

Definitely.

[quote="greybeard"]I think it's the fact that England has hosted the tournament a number of times without winning it on home soil.

[/quotegreybeard,

I don't think England have done that much hosting of N Hemisphere RWCs. We may have been notional hosts in 1991, but games were played elsewhere, eg England's 1/4 F win that year v France was in Paris. In 1999, only about 6 games were played at T'ham, including both semi-finals. In 2007, a consortium of France backed by non-English 6N countries hosted the tournament.

The basic question was what do England need to do to win given their home advantage in 2015.

Get rid of the old guys, get a better forwards coach, and have more English players playing in the premiership, so they have more options to choose from for the national side. Imo.

Is that tinkering around the edges though? Is the Premiership sacrosanct? Do they need to embrace regionalism, if only internally initially?

- Win the favour of the neutrals
- Keep player morale high
- Have the media spin stories in a positive light - not a negative one.
- Develop a cult hero within the team

Greybeard - I said I rarely posted outside at the moment. The RWC will soon pass as will the WUMs. I have been posting on some club bits, and elsewhere on the forum outside of rugby union, so the forum isn't pointless.

I don't see how regionalism could work in England though?? I think it's too big.

What I can never understand is that at U20's in the 6N's, England are always brilliant. Yet very, very few of those players make it then in the senior squad.

What is going wrong?

Are they getting the opporunities for regular first team rugby in the premiership to allow them the chance to gain experience so they can slot in at international level? to be honest I don't think they are.(English posters feel free to prove me wrong, I confess I don't watch as much of the Jeff as I should!)

Also agree with Stag, the press is going to have a huge part to play. They are going to have to be exemplary off the pitch though to keep the press on their side though.

That's Tuilagi Stag. Bad boy come good. Always better than vice versa.

No regionalism for England. I don't see it as being needed.

It's not about replacing the premiership, but getting English players playing in a team full of English players against another team full of English players.

To be fair to England, it's only in the last 5 years or so that their U20s have been this good, so I'd expect them to come through more in the next couple of years.

They are deceptive those sides though as they are very robotic but not overly instinctive rugby players.

is it something about the coaching when they are younger then? are the basic insticts of the game being coached out of them?

Personally I don't think there is all that much wrong with England rugby and I hope with this review they don't make too many snap decisions. There is talent there, I just wish they'd get more game time/chances to prove themselves.

Cari wrote:Greybeard - I said I rarely posted outside at the moment. The RWC will soon pass as will the WUMs. I have been posting on some club bits, and elsewhere on the forum outside of rugby union, so the forum isn't pointless.

I understood that, cari. My point is once the rwc is over the wums are not going to go away, they'll move to other boards and bring the quality down there as well. I'm just debating with myself whether I care enough to bother with it all. I'm not suggesting other people should think that way, I'm just moaning out loud.

Glas a du wrote:It's not about replacing the premiership, but getting English players playing in a team full of English players against another team full of English players.

I don't think they need that IMO. They do need to make an effort to keep their best players in England.

dreamer is right, the talent is there, it's just not being brought through correctly.

Part of the problem is that at international level England are always looking for the quick fix rather than developing, and that is as a direct result of 2003 and a lack of foresight in relation to losing the whole core of the team post World Cup.

We have never had great stability since then and have struggled introducing youngsters as a result, as they never have a chance to make mistakes and learn to be top internationals.

MBTGOG wrote:To be fair to England, it's only in the last 5 years or so that their U20s have been this good, so I'd expect them to come through more in the next couple of years.

They are deceptive those sides though as they are very robotic but not overly instinctive rugby players.

Run Ffarerst, run!

Anyone else see the Welsh apparently want to call up Tipuric as a specialist 7 to replace Warburton. However ironically he has been cited for a tip tackle against Munster

Richie Pugh?

Nooooo Glas!

Anyway, I thought Wales had decided they weren't going to call anyone else up?

dreamer - https://www.606v2.com/t16390-wales-attempts-at-replacements-for-aus-match-and-other-news

Dreamer,

I do think that they are over coached. The more class players are shackled in the systems.

ah okay Stag. Hey perhaps Shanks is right, and seeing as Martyn Williams is out there, he'll play??

I'm sure I read somewhere else though that they weren't going to bother calling someone up just for this match.

I'd be more than happy with a backrow of 6. Jones, 8. Faletau, 7. Lydiate.

Munsty - is that just England you think or young players in general.

Dreamer - I read an article today suggesting Faletau at 7.

hmmm Toby at 7? I think he fits too well in at 8 to be honest, and I'd rather him at 8 over Jones. Lydiate has played 7 before, and by no means is he as good tehre as Warbs, but he can do a pretty decent job I reckon.

I agree with you. Falatau at 7 surprised me.

red_stag wrote:Munsty - is that just England you think or young players in general.

Dreamer - I read an article today suggesting Faletau at 7.

I think the England underage sides are an extreme example of it but in general, it is symptomatic of rugby in general which is sad.

Gavin Thomas?

If they had to call anyone up I would say Williams or McCusker. That's it (as Tipuric is being cited and Turnbull is injured).

I honestly don't think they will call someone up though.

And with that I am off, have lovely evenings all

Evening everyone.

Is Martyn William's arm healed enough to play and has he been training?

Jonathan Edwards?

?

The triple jumper?

Dreamer will be upset.

I would have thought it would be too late to move someone from Wales to NZ this close to the game. Is anyone else there?
Any chance Powell at 8 and Toby at 7?

Interesting what Greybeard was saying earlier about WUMS out on the boards. I have noticed a fair few new posters over the past few weeks. They might not be WUMS rather that they are new and aren't interacting with regular posters in the way that people who have been members for a while do. It does take some time to figure out how some people express themselves. Anyway I'm like Cari, I have tended to stay away and let them get on with it. Except maybe when I've had a couple of Or

Hi folks. Surely a team are not allowed to call up a replacement for a banned player.

I've generally been too busy to post very much. I mean, thats me just in now from another packed day. I posted a bit in the main forum but obviously emotions are running high amongst some members... very little really positive posts about rugby. Swamped in posts about spear tackles, red cards and referees. I'd rather talk rugby.

Good evening everyone, by the way

Maybe they were thinking of replacing Adam Jones with a 7?

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:

Hi folks. Surely a team are not allowed to call up a replacement for a banned player.

Yeah I was a bit confused about that too. Even if they can it seems foolish. If they call up a player now, they'll arrive in NZ on what- Wednesday? And then the game is on Friday. Whats the point?

If I was a coach of a region I'd tell them there was no way I'd agree to release a player for what amounts to an exhibition match. What if a player gets injured now?

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:

Hi folks. Surely a team are not allowed to call up a replacement for a banned player.

Jones is injured

Can we have the action shot of Vincent Clerc being upended by Sam please too?! 9 more episodes of cities of gold then it's onto Family Ness, Mr Benn, Charlie Chalk and Transformers

Ok, fair point about AJ; I forgot he got crocked.

But yup, it's pretty pointless to bring out another player now.

Whatever happens, the Welsh team will be given a great reception when they get back. I hope they can cope with that and move on.

I think a lot depends on the future of Gatland and Edwards; I believe Edwards is moving on- with Wales success could Warren Gatlands name be thrown into the hat of possible successors to Henry as NZ coach?

I thought it was already in the hat?

They've gone with Faletau at 7 and Ryan Jones at 8. Hook's still at 10, why? [No need for a discussion here]. Paul James in for Adam, I think that's it. I'm not sure about any bench changes.