Alright, so Farrell now has his record points tally and sentimental indulgence has been granted (well done that lad) - can there be any remaining reason why he isn't given the shove? If his abject performance on Saturday isn't enough to have him dropped, Borthwick deserves everything that follows. Fiji might just about be sufficiently shaken that they can be beaten in the quarters using muscle-memory alone: but an England appearance in the finals seems highly unlikely with Farrell on the pitch in any other capacity than water carrier.
Farrell père, now that's a different matter. No obvious sign that the Irish have peaked too early, is there?
ND
24 comments:
I agree. The final straw was getting timed out on his kick. It very nearly cost us the match. As for scoring more points than Wilkinson, I suppose congratulations are in order but me heart is not in it. Wilkinson at his peak was a match winner….
Mind you Rugby has changed out of all recognition since I played it. All improvements to make the game better to watch, not sure that they have worked really.
Regards
Charles
"Mind you Rugby has changed out of all recognition since I played it. All improvements to make the game better to watch, not sure that they have worked really."
This heretic from a rugby mad family suggests that the League form is a far more exciting and swift-moving sport....
And the Irish indeed are looking good...
Not to mention the Cricket World Cup, with England looking fools against the Kiwis the other dayy, better this morning.
As one who has listened to TMS since it started, as we always had cricket on the radio or TV on in the house, it's sad how poor so many of the new commentators are. Yesterday we had Dan Norcross, who cannot stop talking, whose main weapon is hyperbole, meaning he has to rephrase everything he says three or four times in different ways.
So delighted in the sound of his own voice is he that he often messes up handovers, and one starts to realise that the cricket is incidental to his witless anecdotes. Sad as he knows the game
Even worse when paired with Alex Hartley, who really I am afraid is witless about the game, has nothing enlightening to say, and will collapse into giggles at the drop of a hat. Yesterday we had a long interlude about what photos they had on their phones.
Spare me.
I have turned off TMS a couple of times in the past couple of years, something I never saw myself doing.
The above two remind me - older readers may remember them - The Chipmunks. Endless high-pitched squeaking.
Both could benefit from listening to Arlott and Johnston who knew enough to allow the listener space to use their own imagination. Rather than talking at us non stop.
Rant over.
I sadly think Farrell is regarded as wonderful by people in the England management. They should be forced to watch the England Argentina game over and over again.
"Yesterday we had a long interlude about what photos they had on their phones."
Yes, give me the avuncular tones of E.W. Swanton & Co. discussing the pavilion cakes, if we have to have that.
But it's everywhere - Football Focus presented by an "England Player", and the wonderful Fiji-Portugal game almost destroyed by a commentator who just had to keep talking - or shrieking.
One of the wonderful things about Richie Benaud on TV was that he knew when NOT to talk.
Arlott, Benaud were word artists who could make a passing bus at the Oval, or a pigeon on the pitch interesting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tcAOBbDtfY
Arlott, Benaud were word artists who could make a passing bus at the Oval, or a pigeon on the pitch interesting...........
Maskell - he of the understated Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm after an exceptional tennis shot & Longhurst - he of the long silences between shots on the golf course, deserved to join the pantheon
Oh I say.
"that's going to hurt in the morning"
With so many new laws in rugby, I guess we'll all be watching a version of tag rugby soon, and don't forget, the girls are better than the boys at that particular game!
It's a contact sport for God's sake, not a test for some idiot with a Brownie 125!
Sorry, Nick...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2023/10/11/george-ford-dropped-england-rugby-world-cup-quarter-final/
Ford dropped and Farrell starts. They may get lucky having got the "easiest" QF
@anon
Commentators. Yes - Benaud was magnificent. And I'm glad that it is not just me that finds the incessant inane chatter of the modern commentator a pain in the neck. Digging up a large bed in our front garden yesterday for a large replant, I listened to the India Afghanistan game. No contest really, but Carlos Brathwaith, Prakash Wakanker and a couple of others were perfect - just the cricket was what we got, from learned commentators who know how to present the game.
Carlos B as with the likes of Michael Holding I'd be happy to listen to whatever he was talking about is a delight. For those of you who didn't hear him reading the Shipping Forecast a couple of years back, here you go!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwT-VZRhPwQ
A journo in this morning's Telegraph wrote an article outlining, he claimed, Borthwick's logic in selecting Farrell and Smith but not Ford. Two points:
(i) But he didn't deign to list the selected XV.
(ii) My guess is that Borthwick is planning a kicking and carrying game so there's no point having a good footballer at fly half since he will have no worthwhile three-quarters to release.
I don't care about the Rugby anymore since I stopped supporting New Zealand. It was stressful at the best of times but I have latterly passed Norman Tebbit's test. Only took 54 years. New Zealand are misogynist sporting cheats who happily have men compete in women's international competitions. I haven't noticed if they are doing that with Rugby, but the Olympic weightlifter was enough for me. I only get excited when NZ lose these days.
OT but I see NATO have threatened action if they find out who stuck a big crowbar down the side of the Estonia/Finland gas pipe.
Have they found the NS2 villain yet?
Lilith, I've got a pair of cufflinks made from silver and lapis lazuli in the shape of a Kiwi! They came from an uncle who tried to emigrate to NZ over seventy years ago, then came back after two years...
I'll send you a picture of them if you like!
I really miss the days of Colin Meads, Syd Going and Brian Lahore etc., and often went to Twickenham with my dad to watch these great players!
I've still got some of the programmes too - I think...
Colin Meads was the dirty brute who ended Ken Catchpole's career. Am I the only one here old enough to remember Catchpole and Hawthorne? Lovely footballers.
anyone remember Keith Murdoch? Have to feel rather sorry for the guy.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/apr/01/keith-murdoch-disgraced-all-black-who-went-bush-in-australia-dies-at-74
"he had every reason to be in a glorious mood after scoring the match-winning try in the All Blacks’ 19-16 victory over Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on 2 December, 1972. The New Zealanders celebrated long into the night at the Angel Hotel near the ground, but Murdoch refused to take no for an answer when told the bar had shut. He stormed into the kitchen searching for more beer and became involved in a fight with security guard Peter Grant, who ended up on the floor with a black eye. Murdoch awoke with a hangover expecting to apologise but, as media pressure mounted, within two days he was on a plane back to New Zealand. He never arrived, opting instead to go bush in Australia. It was a vanishing act unprecedented in New Zealand, a small nation where All Blacks past and present are feted by adoring fans.
The BBC HUS on England selection is hilarious (if you support Wales)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67095694
"Well done Borthwick. You have surpassed Eddie in mindless selections."
What happens when Farrell is yellow-carded (or red)? Smith moves to fly-half I suppose. Who goes to full back? Is there a back row forward who can fill in in the backs?
I'm surprised Wales haven't got 1/2p on the bench. If it's a close game and Biggar gets crocked early (Argentina play a 'robust' game) they are really going to miss his kicking ability, especially from distance. I still rate him at FB.
"Liam took a heavy blow to his knee but we were always confident he would be ok. He's up and running but we have kept him out of the contact stuff, as we have with Dan."
Ten minutes in, two big tackles, 10 and 15 off the pitch?
Saw Colin Meads was back in the day with the old man, at the long defunct White City in Manchester;
https://manchesterhistory.net/manchester/gone/whitecity.html
All Blacks playing the North West Counties. Remember when county level rugby was a big thing? And Cornwall usually won the cup every year? What I do recall is that Meads was a man mountain, and kicked one goal from their own half. Oh and that they won.
Sadly, it wasn't this game in 1972, when the NW Counties beat the All Blacks.
https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/featured-post/31474/november-22-and-its-significance-in-the-annals-of-english-rugby/
I'm thinking 8th January 1964, me a callow 12 year old, was the match we attended
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963%E2%80%9364_New_Zealand_rugby_union_tour_of_Britain,_Ireland,_France_and_North_America
Following his return from the tour he captained Australia, New South Wales and Sydney in matches against a touring Irish side in 1967. He was honoured with the Australian captaincy later that year in the 75th Jubilee Test played to mark the anniversary of the New Zealand Rugby Union. The following year he was selected as captain again for a two test series against the All Blacks. In the first of those Tests in 1968 he suffered a career-ending injury when Colin "Pinetree" Meads grabbed and wrenched Catchpole's leg while he was pinned under other players in a ruck, tearing his hamstring off the bone, and severely rupturing his groin muscles. He was aged twenty-eight and his rugby career was finished.[10]
Oh bugger, Dearieme, I didn't know this...
And to think that Meads used to train by holding a sheep under each arm, and run up a hillside!
I knew they'd regret leaving 1/2p out of the squad. When some of your best players are only half fit it's a no brainer. Plus the missed lineouts early on ... and when they nearly scored they should have gone inside not outside - Ireland would have scored from that position 9 times out of 10.
Ireland did a Scotland by not kicking early penalties and going for the try - just get some early points on! Great game but NZ made very few errors and Ireland made just enough. Lowe needs better studs!
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