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14 Nov: 3rd Test - England v New Zealand (Wigan, KO 1pm) Match Thread

John Drake

Who will win?  

42 members have voted

  1. 1. Who will win?

    • England by 13 poimnts or more
      4
    • England by 7 to 12 points
      11
    • England by 1 to 6 points
      15
    • Draw
      0
    • New Zealand by 1 to 6 points
      6
    • New Zealand by 7 to 12 points
      2
    • New Zealand by 13 poimnts or more
      4

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redjonn

redjonn

Posted
Posted

Bateman hasn't disgraced himself...plus dean whare is probably the form center in the world at the moment...

Would cudjoe do any better???

I think our 2nd row rotation is working..faz does the 80 min as a tackling machine and whitehead & ferres add the impact....certainly would swap one of the out for westwood

 

We won't know unless Cudjoe plays.   The attack is not functioning well and depends upon where one see the problems.  I just don't think Bateman is an international centre let alone a club centre. I'd rather have him as a 2nd row option.

 

The half back situation is a problem but we have whatt we have in the squad, for me that was a squad mistake by the coach.  Personally no matter how the much fan-fare about the youngster I wouldn't have risked expecting him to be an international lynch-pin at this stage. Yes, have him in the squad for development and even maybe have him available to come off the bench.  I mean at Leeds Liam Sutcliffe was playing as well as Williams and getting lots of fan-fare but unfortunately got injured,,, our we saying that if he had continued as he was we would have had him in as well. Yep, I know the adage, "if he's good enough he's old enough", but then he has to be truly outstanding or covering for lack of choice when it comes to international rugby in the full time professional age.

 

We now have limited choice as alternative half back whether down to loss of form or international experience, so whatever choice it is a risk.   May as well stick with it.  Never-the-less it is a balmy and ridiculous situation for such a key position to be in.

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Father Ted

Father Ted

Posted
Posted

The poor squad and team selection is down to McNamara.

Shaun Wane said he thought Williams should be in the squad but not play. McNamara played him.

Cudjoe is nowhere near Intl standard but is in the squad, Shenton is Intl standard but omitted.

Bateman isn't a centre, he's a back rower who played centre at Wigan due to Sarginson's injury.

Playing him centre in an Intl series is just downright daft!

 

McNamara hasn't a clue. Remember last year when Clark was the form 9? He dragged him off and put Ferres on as hooker. This year, playing a kid when told not to. Leaving our the form left centre in SL and playing a back rower left centre who's only there due to injury at his club.

 

We could have a squad of real quality now the only trouble is we have a coach who's just not up to it.

The sonner McNamara is replaced the better.   

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Allora

Allora

Posted
Posted

      england   won   the   first   game   because   the   kiwis   ran   out   of   steam   in   the   second  half.maybe   they   over celebrated   the   all   blacks  winning   the   r.u. world   cup.last   week   englands halfs   were  very   poor  and   did   not   give   the   outside   backs a   chance.very  suprised   jammer  tried   to   pick   up   a   moving   ball   over   the   try   line   when   all   he  needed   under   the   current  rules   was   to  reach   out   and   get  a   finger  to   the   ball.this   weekend  i   think   the   kiwis   will   cut   out   some   of   their   errors   ;;ie  overplaying   at   times.the   british   game   needs   to   produce  our   own   half   backs  over   the   next   ten   years   or   we   will   continue   to   lose  in   series   against   the   kiwis   and   aussies.on   saturday  kiwis  to   win   by   10.

Why would you post like that?

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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Futtocks

Futtocks

Posted
Posted

We don't like new fonts around here.

At least it wasn't Comic Sans.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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steef

steef

Posted
Posted

Thought our biggest problem last week was the speed of our play of the ball. The forwards were generally making good metres after contact but due to this and the tacklers this attracts they were getting put on their backs to often. The kiwi forwards seemed to be hitting the ground very quickly and giving quick play the balls letting their forwards make most of their meters before contact or have the chance to offload before contact. It was like a death by a thousand cuts.

As others have said we really need to be more expansive at Wigan, especially if the kiwis defend so narrow again. Would bring smith in for Williams as I don't think it's the kind of game to be handing out a debut to gale. Would be tempted to put cudjoe in too and have Bateman on the bench, with ferres starting and farrell missing out.

"surely they've got to try somthing different now, maybe the little chip over the top?2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stufod/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stuarts-photography/156268557729980

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JohnM

JohnM

Posted
Posted

As of early afternoon today, for this Saturday at Wigan, ground definately fully sold out. However, there are tickets available in the various hospitality  categories Sliver, Super Silver, Gold and Diamond, but you have to phone rather than try on line.

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amm

amm

Posted
Posted

It'd be nice if the hospitality seats were all full - what about a draw you can enter if you have cheaper seats already? Then if you win some, your own tickets then become available for others, and we have a chance of a real sellout? Perhaps just a 24 hr thing starting tomorrow. 

Whilst I do not suffer fools gladly, I will always gladly make fools suffer

A man is getting along on the road of wisdom when he realises that his opinion is just an opinion

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

It'd be nice if the hospitality seats were all full - what about a draw you can enter if you have cheaper seats already? Then if you win some, your own tickets then become available for others, and we have a chance of a real sellout? Perhaps just a 24 hr thing starting tomorrow.

Was thinking the same thing. What you lose out on in the hospitality profits you gain in selling more tickets for the game and maybe those people will buy a program, pie, drinks etc. it's all profit.

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amm

amm

Posted
Posted

Was thinking the same thing. What you lose out on in the hospitality profits you gain in selling more tickets for the game and maybe those people will buy a program, pie, drinks etc. it's all profit.

 or as someone has just said to me on twitter, maybe just sell off the seats at cost without the hospitality bits....I think that they should offer first option to those who've already bought but couldn't get anything better online - we ended up with £27 ones but were willing to pay more but couldn't get 2 together.

Whilst I do not suffer fools gladly, I will always gladly make fools suffer

A man is getting along on the road of wisdom when he realises that his opinion is just an opinion

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Clarold

Clarold

Posted
Posted

NZ players will be comfortable facing the same formation that increasingly they have been able to deal with, so we need to give them something new if we want to win.

Watkins has had very little ball on the right, because for some reason most of our moves have going to the Farrell Bateman Hall side. Watkins would adapt better to the left than Cudjoe and so give their defence new combinations to deal with on both sides. Then JMcG on the wing to give us more power in the kick return.

Whitehead has looked laboured and Ferres must start in his best position on the fringes, where he has the skills to run or pass to his centre. Bateman to the bench. Gale deserves a chance, so perhaps have him on the bench instead of Hodgson to add spark if needed.

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Tonka

Tonka

Posted
Posted

I very much think it's about tactics rather than team selection. if they are going to keep it in the forwards all afternoon then they'll have to speed the whole show up and start offloading. Play one out football again against 17 blokes who play in the NRL and we're ed.

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yipyee

yipyee

Posted
Posted

The play-the-ball was really slow at the weekend; absolutely suited New Zealand.

Cudjoe wouldn't do any better as neither of our centres have had any ball in space; that is the problem as we've discussed elsewhere. I'd still prefer Cudjoe despite Bateman having done nothing wrong simply as he is a specialist centre and played well at international level before.

other than chase a ball only to then boot it in touch...and kept falling over...and only broke the line once despite several chances...at least farrell scores when he breaks the line!

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WireDom

WireDom

Posted
Posted

Definately some changes need to be made, unsure of weather McNamara has the guts to change it up but I hope so! I would go with: (england by 4)

 

1. Hardaker

2. McGilvery

3. Watkins

4. Bateman / Currie

5. Hall

6. Widdop

7. Gale

8. Graham

9. Roby

10. Hill

11. Farrell

12. Westwood

13. SOL

 

14. Hodgson

15. T Burgess

16. Cooper

17. Currie / Bateman

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GazTheDon

GazTheDon

Posted
Posted

I've gone for England by 7 - 12 points. Especially as McNamara has said that he plans an attacking game on Saturday - if the  Kiwis let us!

If it's not broke,

Fix it until it is!

 

Come On You Dons!

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