The Silver Fern

A realistic view of England's performance

Four talking points after England's narrowest-ever win over Italy Four talking points after England's narrowest-ever win over Italy

Steve Borthwick sure has his particular way with words. Save for the well-taken Elliot Daly try that saw the ball flash through numerous hands from one side of the Stadio Olimpico to the other, England were dull as dishwater trying to get across the gain line on Saturday.

Indeed. Instead they are moral high ground claiming, hard done by kants!

@Dodge said in RWC QF: England v Fiji:

@booboo said in RWC QF: England v Fiji:

@Luigi said in RWC QF: England v Fiji:

@Bones said in RWC QF: England v Fiji:

@Dodge said in RWC QF: England v Fiji:

@Bones said in RWC QF: England v Fiji:

Holy fucking shit.

Comms pull the old "south sea islanders".

Now they get it

I didn’t know that was an insult.

Really? I still remember my ex's families embarrassment when her geriatric grandfather called me a colonial. I had a laugh but many probably wouldn't. Same thing. Jingoistic slang from the early to mid 1900's.

I used to play rugby against an Aussie team called London Colonials.

@dodge and @Luigi ...

... England still in the World Cup?

in name only IMO

Previous RWC winners, so strong they don't even need Eddie Jones to coach them.

@antipodean said in RWC Week 5: England v Samoa:

I can not believe the TMO came in after the conversion attempt to rule out that try when Itoje's hand is clearly on the ball.

If I was Mapusua I'd blow up deluxe. It's not even like England were arguing about it.

@Catogrande
https://thesilverfern.com/post/755-england-v-chile/

@cgrant said in RWC Week 2: England v Japan:

A win is a win but it was more a poor performance from the Japanese than a great English one. The game against Samoa should be interesting.

Undoubtedly. We’ve been lucky two games in a row now. I’d hope that we have learned some lessons around keeping the ball in hand and in particular not kicking away possession in an attacking position. I am not holding my breath.

@antipodean

Ah! I got the wrong end of the stick. I thought you were against it in principle but you just hate Squidge.

As you were then. 😀

Thankfully this made the crushing AB loss on the weekend a little more palatable, can't believe how far England have fallen but super pleased for Fiji who always had bucket loads of talent but not quite the forward pack to get the job done.

Massive boost for Fiji going into the RWC, I can only but hope they continue their momentum.

@Stargazer said in RWC warmup - Ireland v England:

@MiketheSnow said in RWC warmup - Ireland v England:

@Stargazer said in RWC warmup - Ireland v England:

6 - good record - sorry - early guilty plea? = 3

3 - Tackle school = 2

That’s even fucking worse

@Machpants said in RWC warmup - England v Wales:

The previous panel were fucking incompetent, it was always a shoulder charge, not tackle. Therefore no mitigation allowed, useless Ozzie fluffybunnies

Agreed. It seems to me that as a matter of consequence the three witless muppets constituting the panel should never be involved in rugby judicial processes again. Clearly couldn't understand what everyone else could read and understand regarding the law and process flowchart, and see with their own eyes when watching the footage. To have been hoodwinked into rescinding the card demonstrates they aren't fit for the role. Utterly, incomprehensibly, fucking useless.

Almost as bad is the appeal panel tying themselves in knots to let Farrell the Fuckstick an avenue into the RWC. Amateurs running (and ruining) a professional game.

@MiketheSnow

Looking at it short term, I sort of agree with you, in that if we made the SF it would be above immediate expectations. However, in truth, with our resources, a SF place should be a minimum. We have so much going for us, numbers, funding, support, but we seem to have this handbrake applied about 80% of the time and an acceptance that this is ok and “the done thing” 90% of the time. It ceased to be amusing some years ago.

Here's the decision on that red card:

Zach Mercer red card dismissed

The Montpellier Hérault Rugby No 8, Zach Mercer, has had the red card shown to him during his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round of 16 match against the Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park, dismissed following an independent Disciplinary Hearing.

Mercer was sent off by the referee, Andrew Brace (Ireland), in the 50th minute of the match for tackling the Exeter Chiefs back row, Christ Tshiunza, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.

>Law 9.13 A player must not tackle an opponent dangerously
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 relating to dangerous tackling carries the following sanction entry points – Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.

An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising David Martin (Ireland), Chair, Gordon Black (Ireland) and Bogdan Zebega (Romania), viewed footage of the incident and heard evidence by video conference from Mercer, who accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but did not accept that it warranted a red card.

The committee also heard submissions from the Montpellier Hérault Rugby Director of Rugby, Philippe Saint André, from the club’s Defence and Laws Coach, Alex Ruiz, from the club’s Team Manager, Tom Whitford, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan. The club’s legal representative, Joris Loupien, was also present during the hearing.

The committee decided that although Mercer had committed an act of foul play, the tackle did not warrant a red card. The sending off was therefore dismissed and Mercer is free to play.

EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

@nostrildamus said in 6N 2023 England v France:

@Catogrande said in 6N 2023 England v France:

Don’t assume my gender, bitch.

Don't assume @Bones' species!

That is far too difficult to call.

@Crucial said in England v France 6N:

If he was a kiwi I definitely think he’d have a fair few supporters.

New Zealand doesn't have a shortage of highlight reel fans.

@MiketheSnow But where to now for Wales, Mike? Ok get players contracts/pay sorted, but after that? Coaches have already been swapped out. Some older players need to be dropped but not all. Wales is a proud rugby country. Need a new direction/thought pattern and fast.

@Catogrande said in England v Italy 6 Nations:

@Victor-Meldrew said in England v Italy 6 Nations:

@Catogrande said in England v Italy 6 Nations:

@Victor-Meldrew said in England v Italy 6 Nations:

@Bones said in England v Italy 6 Nations:

@sparky said in England v Italy 6 Nations:

@Bones Ollie Lawrence has had a decent game

So has Chessum.

Itoje pretty anonymous. Can't work out if he was engine-room mode or just, well, anonymous.

You sure you weren't watching a recording of last week's game? Itoje played well and came up with one or two really big plays.

Nothing wrong with being anonymous if you're in the tight 5 - means you're doing the hard yakka. Thought it was a pretty uncharacteristic game for him though.

Aah! I take your point. Not as gobby as before. I did pose the question on here during the Autumn series that Itoje is not the whooping, hollering dickhead for Sarries that he is for England and whether that was an Eddie stratagem. Maybe Borthwick doesn't go for the same mind games?

Eddie has openly admitted that he encouraged it. Itoje did buy into it though and it only built on what he was doing anyway.
Let’s hope this is a sign that he’s grown up.

@Catogrande said in England v Scotland 6N:

@Machpants said in England v Scotland 6N:

@antipodean said in England v Scotland 6N:

@Machpants said in England v Scotland 6N:

SA mark 2

70 open-plays kicks in the game against Scotland on Saturday, 34 by England and 36 by Scotland. The difference looks negligible: but scratch the surface, and 13 of the England kicks were launched from positions inside the Scotland half, compared to only two by their opponents.

Testatment to the attacking brilliance of their five-eighth...

Which one?

Evans?

Nah, it was mainly from 9 as I recall and not just a shit option, shit execution too.

Yeah it was very FafDK, but crapper

@Joans-Town-Jones said in All Blacks v England:

@TheMojoman said in All Blacks v England:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v England:

@TheMojoman Stevenson or Lam?

I'd love to see Stevenson in the mix but IMO he would be competing for the 14 spot with Jordan, Telea and Reece potentially as 15 cover. Lam is a maybe, not sure he has the same impact as Clarke though as a power winger.

Foster (rightly IMO) clearly wants to play a power winger/finesse winger combination with his 14 also an extra FB with kicking etc. Leads me to believe Jordan will be the first choice 14 when fit. Telea has been the find of the northern tour.

I'm on the Shaun Stevenson bandwagon. He needs to be and AB.

an

@Billy-Tell said in England v Japan:

Japan tactics are baffling. They are not going to win by taking 3s.

Or running it from everywhere