Italy v England - Match Thread

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Nobody seems to be doing these so.... here....?

Stheno

Is it half two ko?

aimee1

Stheno wrote: »

Is it half two ko?

2pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Stheno wrote: »

Is it half two ko?

2 o'clock according to RTÉ.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I haven't watched any of RTÉ's in studio stuff this year, 15 minutes today was all I could take before muting it.

It's great to see a shake up of panelists but yer man O'Brien is painful. He was talking about conversion rates on 1st down in the opposition 22, I thought ROG was going to punch him.

Then he suggested if Ryan had put that hit on a French 10 we'd all be sitting around today saying how great it was. O'Shea looked appalled.

Buer

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Then he suggested if Ryan had put that hit on a French 10 we'd all be sitting around today saying how great it was. O'Shea looked appalled.

He's a poor presenter who allows his personal opinions competely colour his work and regularly digresses into his own punditry.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Buer wrote: »

He's a poor presenter who allows his personal opinions competely colour his work and regularly digresses into his own punditry.

It's like he doesn't even listen to what's being said. A bit like Cooper on TV3 in that respect. They were talking about yesterday's match and how there were a lot of annoying things happened, 2 possible yellows etc. but ultimately Schmidt can only look at the things that were in our own control. To which O'Brien replies "so you're saying it came down to the 2 yellow cards and that's it." :rolleyes:

Anyway... Italy v England.

Ben Youngs said yesterday they've been "given permission to play". Let's see how that goes.

Teferi

Man, Italy have been playing some lovely stuff. I can't wait to see what Conor O'Shea does with them.

Ghost Train

Italy very good start

BBDBB

Great start by the Italians, Eddie Jones comments seemed to have got their dander up

LuckyGent88

Great pressure so far from Italy so far. Hopefully they can keep this intensity up.

razorblunt

Camagnaro has gone up another three notches in my book for losing the scrumcap, the hair and that tackle on Farrell.

Buer

Still trying to work out why Ford is starting for England.

This fixture is tailor made for his style but he has been a passenger so far.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Buer wrote: »

Still trying to work out why Ford is starting for England.

This fixture is tailor made for him but he has been a passenger so far.

Jones has been spared having to make that Ford/Farrell decision but once Slade is fit again it'll be interesting to see who he goes with.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Farrell thought he was being sent off there when going for HIA. He's either concussed or gotten so used to it he just assumed.

errlloyd

Looks like we didn't give Italy enough credit last week.

sydthebeat

Silly mistakes cost Italy points. Same old same old

LuckyGent88

Italy decimated by injury in this first half. Not what they needed at all

aimee1

Italy running out of players, bench will be empty soon

razorblunt

Haskell putting in some great hits.
Italy need Zanni back on.

errlloyd

Garcia was great for 30 mins.

aimee1

errlloyd wrote: »

Garcia was great for 30 mins.

The beard... Been much better since he grew that

wp_rathead

that was stupid from Cole

LuckyGent88

Strange for Italy to go for line out instead of scrum there

razorblunt

Farell stole a good yard or two for that kick there, miles ahead of Jackson.

Buer

razorblunt wrote: »

Haskell putting in some great hits.
Italy need Zanni back on.

An unfairly criticised player. He's probably one of the most consistent players in English rugby over the past decade. If it wasn't for his few years abroad, he would be a contender to make 100 caps.

Boscoirl

wp_rathead wrote: »

that was stupid from Cole

That's what they will write on his head stone

Pudsy33

I find myself saying this every time I see Italy, but Campagnaro is a magnificent player.

razorblunt

Buer wrote: »

An unfairly criticised player. He's probably one of the most consistent players in English rugby over the past decade. If it wasn't for his few years abroad, he would be a contender to make 100 caps.

I'd agree with the unfair criticism but he was very flaky when younger. Becoming Wasps captain was the making of him really.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Only half watching this but England look a bit like us yesterday in that they're trying to pass it and run it but ultimately they're not executing it.

razorblunt

Just saw the ITV panel at half time, nicely balanced.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

razorblunt wrote: »

Just saw the ITV panel at half time, nicely balanced.

Who is on it?

The Rape of Lucretia

SCW, Wilko, and a dame. Didnt catch her name.

razorblunt

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Who is on it?

Wilkinson, Woodward and Alphonse.

Monye on the touch line.

Flatman and Kay on comms.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

razorblunt wrote: »

Wilkinson, Woodward and Alphonse.

Monye on the touch line.

Flatman and Kay on comms.

Think they could have scrapped up an Italian from somewhere

BBDBB

Was Frankie Dettori not available?

razorblunt

BBDBB wrote: »

Was Frankie Dettori not available?

It's ITV, I'd have half expected that small chef to be dragged out.

Pudsy33

England getting ridden at maul time by Jackson. Right call though.

LuckyGent88

England's line out has been awful

The Rape of Lucretia

General question relevant to Irelands travails with injury yesterday as well as Italy in the first half :

- should tactical subs be taken out of the game again.

Before subs existed, it was an unfortunate loss to a team to lose a player. Subs were brought in to redress this element of fortune. Then tactic subs free-for-all. Which made the game not a 15 man one any more but now a 23 man one, players generally subbed to maintain the intensity and speed level rather than any truly tactical motivations (as football could argue where a chasing team brings on a striker to rejig their formation - rugby doesnt lend itself to playing 9 backs for eg). But his has had the effect of putting back the element of bad luck on a team needing to make genuine injury substitutions, particularly early in a game. Blunting their capability to keep up with the opposition in the last 20-30 minutes influx of fresh legs. To to row back on this one ?

Pudsy33

That's gotta be a card?

aimee1

Haskell. Should be card. No attempt at the ball.

LuckyGent88

Just penalty for me

wp_rathead

Trademark Haskell

errlloyd

This tmo is a joke.

Akrasia

Pudsy33 wrote: »

That's gotta be a card?

It should have been. Just because he didn't injure him doesn't mean it wasn't reckless

aimee1

England getting away wit a lot. Poor discipline and no warning yet

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Same TMO from our game yesterday.

aimee1

If this was italy committing these fouls there would be warnings or yc

kilns

FFS Italy

errlloyd

Ffs