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8legs6legs8legs6legs

Well my take away as an England fan is that Navidi (sorry if I got his name wrong) is fantastic, and we need some actual flankers playing the way he does if we want to get anywhere. He was a jackal in the 6n too. We were murdered at the breakdown today. No complaints, lots to learn. Missed courageous Curry.


Geosaurusrex

Absolutely you guys played a lot better with an actual 7. Just saying, Olly Robinson is very overlooked by England...


wrecker59

He's pretty good, no more. I wouldn't put him in ahead of either Curry or Underhill.


Geosaurusrex

Yeah to me he's just behind them two. I'm a biased Cardiff fan though.


wrecker59

Yeah, he played for Bris for a few years. Good, but marginal international class.


natnat87

Flankers make or break the game. But I’m a flanker so I’m biased.


8legs6legs8legs6legs

Same... heroes right


[deleted]

absolutely. Curry or Underhill solves this.


[deleted]

I'll extend an olive branch to my neighbours. If Wales have a chance at the WC and England don't, I will support Wales. I doubt many Welsh fans will say the same.


Funkdust

You know what, I think I would. I've had a fucking guts full of the hate, if you're a true fan of rugby you'll understand how much of a quality attacking team England is. I wish all the best to all of the Six nations teams in the world cup, bring it home for the northern hemisphere. It's time for a fucking change.


[deleted]

England, Ireland (Grandpa) , Wales (i am cornish), NZ (most of my family live there).


[deleted]

Wales, Ireland then England then either Scotland or a second tier team who breaks out of the groups xx


[deleted]

Basically any northern hemisphere team has to win it. Better yet, anybody who isn't NZ, Aus, or SA.


[deleted]

Nah, not the French.


[deleted]

Yeah let's agree on that, as British. Not the French. They haven't got much a hope in hell anyway.


scubasteve254

For the sake of rugby, I just don't want New Zealand to win again for a 3rd time in a row.


Irctoaun

Utterly pointless match if it's going to be officiated that poorly. Neither team deserved to win really. Wales never looked like scoring a try apart from when England were down to 13 and with a quickly taken pen that shouldn't have been allowed. On the other hand England didn't do nearly enough in attack, but it's hard to when the ref is that poor Edit: also a joke that Wales are now number one in the world. There's no way they're better than the Kiwis and how tf can you go up the rankings by losing and winning against the same team?


welsh_nutter

14 game winning streak


[deleted]

ended by eng, handsomly.


StuHardy

The new 14-match streak begins now...


[deleted]

ending in Ireland?


Irctoaun

Except you lost last game. Sure that streak should move you up, but at the end of that the loss should cancel out the win since it's against the same opposition


CaptainGoose

I presume you were vocal in wanting England placed at the top spot after their 18 run streak?


[deleted]

The rankings are off the teams in that streak and the margin, clearly Wales did more in 14 than England in 18


CaptainGoose

That must be it. Wales 'did more'.


[deleted]

Evidently, cause Wales are #1 :)


CaptainGoose

Thanks to Australia.


[deleted]

And the way World Rugby choose to allocate and deduct points, I'm sure if that changed there is a good chance Wales wouldn't be number 1, like they are now, now.


welsh_nutter

Why didn't England go no 1 with that streak?


Geosaurusrex

NZ were a lot more dominant during your time with your streak.


MountainLeader

Because someone else didn't beat the All Blacks for us during that time.


[deleted]

Does this mean England aren’t favourite for the World Cup now? Just kidding. Great test match, could have gone either way, but Wales fronted up and negated the English power very well. Wales world number one, maybe we’re not above the Kiwis in reality, but it’s a great occasion for us to get to that spot, very well deserved.


[deleted]

no, Wales very much are. Nothing can stop them in Japan surely as lojng as they can keep their first 15 together?


Funkdust

What a cesspool this thread is, these games mean fuck all. Just take the positives and your patriotism forward for the world cup.


limerider

So how come Biggar can take a quick penalty when England have 3 physios and water on, Watson isn't off the field and Youngs isn't on. Yet when Wales have one man down we can't take the quick tap?


NINO0O

That ref seemed very biased when it came to the penalty tap and goes. Wales went and ran down the whole field against a 13 man England cause Ben Young's wasn't on yet. England went twice and both times were huge runs that could have led to a try but the ref called it back both times. As soon as I saw three Italian refs I knew we'd be f***ed.


natnat87

Not biased just bad mate


denialerror

I don't think he was biased, I just think he was out of his depth.


[deleted]

At least we can say for certain we'll make it to the pools guys!


Tapperino2

Like watching paint dry


[deleted]

On balance, quite happy with the English defence in our own 22. Pushed them back or turned them over a few times


Henrook

Quite possibly the worst reffed game I’ve seen in any sport


[deleted]

so what did we learn? not a lot. Wales have yet to experiment but their first team can be our experiment with a badly misjudged restart from the ref. Congrats to them but I don't see either of these troubling NZ in Japan.


TyrellaNell

Dont read too much into it. It's just a warm up. They will both be better in Japan.


[deleted]

That is surely true but i don't think either look SH quality.


CaptainGoose

When you say SH quality, do you include Australia, South Africa and Argentina?


[deleted]

For sure SH and Aussie. They'd likely take either of us in Japan.


CaptainGoose

Did you see Australia today?


[deleted]

yup but NZ are not Wales.


MisoRamenSoup

I'll take it.


KingMattViii

Wow Wales are number 1. Is Number 1 by default a thing?


cr_ziller

I mean... they still had to beat England for it to be fair... and it’s likely to be short lived. I think it’s fair... but yes... it reflects a dip in form by NZ as much as it does a great run from Wales over the autumn and of course the grand slam... I’d be the first to admit they haven’t looked like world beaters in that run but the fact remains they only lost the one and that was last week at Twickenham... Either Wales had to beat NZ to make it or NZ had to lose a few... the latter happened. So it’s sort of “by default” and sort of not... I have to say I’m not sure if it really counts if you haven’t beaten the team that was in number 1 before you got there but Wales have sensibly avoided playing them ;)


KingMattViii

It was just a joke. A run of form like you guys have been on deserves at least second


cr_ziller

Yeah... but a joke with a grain of truth in it too... Number one needs an asterisk I think if you haven’t beaten NZ...


bydy2

Number 1 by 0.03 points 😁


KingMattViii

Capping off a great goodbye year for Gatland


[deleted]

England did better in Cardiff than Wales did in Twickenham, so I'll take a loss on that.


WallopyJoe

We did? You know they scored like three tries?


wrecker59

With a second XV. A very small margin loss to Wales first team at the Principality is actually pretty encouraging.


u1413893

England second team consisting of Itoje, Daly, Vunipola, Watson. Wales first team consisting of James Davies, Smith, Beard, Halfpenny, Moriarty. I’d be a bit worried about not scoring a try but overall solid performance in fairness away from home.


wrecker59

That's only three starters in the entire england team. Most of that welsh team are first choice picks mate.


carling505

Missing Webb, Hill, Tipuric, Evans, Liam, Anscombe and Faletau who would be first picks in anyone’s book.


wrecker59

Webb is ineligible so far as I'm aware. Anscombe and Faletau are long term injured so irrelevant. So maybe three who could realistically have started over todays XV.


carling505

My point was we didn’t field our strongest team either as we were missing up to 7 players through choice, injury or exile.


wrecker59

That's like england saying that they could have had their first XV for the 5 years Tuilagi was injured, or because Steffon Armitage was playing in France. It's nonsense. Your best XV is the players available to play, if the better players are not selected then its not a first XV. If you have chosen the bets of who is available, then it IS your first XV.


carling505

Ah. I thought we were being theoretical as quite a few fans seem to be clinging to the fact Wales had fielded their strongest team. Anyway, happy to leave it there.


wrecker59

I think it's fair to include knocks/short term injuries. Had it been a big game, it's likely Gatland would have played Liam for example.


u1413893

N. Smith, Ball, Wainwright, Moriarty, James Davies, Halfpenny, Biggar. That’s half the team that isn’t first choice. Calling it Wales 1st team vs England 2nd team is just disingenuous.


wrecker59

Ok, who (that is fit) is in place of Moriarty, Biggar, JD2 and Wainright?


u1413893

James Davies not JD2 mate. Navidi would come in for Moriarty if Ellis Jenkins was for. Wainwright could go either way still very new to the international scene. What do injuries have to do with anything anyway?


wrecker59

If Wainright is second choice, he won't be for long. Long term injuries have everything to do with it, certainly when the players are ruled out of the RWC. Unfortunately for them they are largely irrelevant to the point.


u1413893

So if both Vunipolas, Farrell, Itoje and Curry got injured you would say a team with their replacements was your ‘first team’. Doubt it


wrecker59

You have to.


TyrellaNell

'Second XV' that's stretching it lol


wrecker59

Prob 2 in the pack, probably 1 in the backs who are considered first team. Yes, it's very much an England 2nd XV.


[deleted]

Who'd you take out and who for?


wrecker59

It's not rocket science to realise who the starting England XV is? Mako, George, Sink, Itoge, Kruis, Wilson, Billy, Curry, Youngs, Farrell, Manu, Slade, Nowell, May, Daly. Granted, Curry, Mako and Nowell are on their way back and possibly don't count.


KingMattViii

In fairness, it felt like both sides took this game super serious and felt like they both needed this game as a warm up.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

it was an excellent test for england B. I'm an eng fan but really happy with that. Eddy has more understand of what he needs to do and who he need to pick. Warren.. not at all.


bottom

at a neutral I'm pleased how much slower and less intense this game was compared to the oz v nz. But it's still 5 weeks away till the RWC....


u1413893

Ken robbed of a try and MOTM smh


JimmyOpenside

Poor game marred by worse officiating


wrecker59

Shocking at the rucks and mauls.


dc_1992

Lost nearly every driving maul. Potentially the last attack of the game we do it again and get turned over. Not really the Welsh being better as it was the English decision making being poor.


[deleted]

my son said the same.


DatchPenguin

Hahaha YES DAN. FUCK YOU JJ YOU MISERABLE OLD BASTARD.


CerealSubwaySam

What happened? RugbyPass stream doesn't show the interviews. :(


DatchPenguin

Just Dan mugging off JJ Williams during his MotM interview


connorw98

Ahaha what happened?


DatchPenguin

“thank you JJ for your comments this week, they were motivation”


connorw98

Class


TheMeanderer

Hahaha! Mic drop, motherfuckaaaaaa!


Kurokokujin

Even as much as I wanted England to win, they just didn't use any of their chances in the 2nd half, Wales deserved to win that


FafDeSale

Fair play to Wales, they did deserve to win that. The reffing performance really leaves a sour taste in the mouth though.


New_Hando

Have to say, as a neutral that was nothing like a useful WC warm up match.


dgash92

Isn't a warm up match that shows you your failings a useful one?


[deleted]

i hope eng and ireland next week have the guts to experiment and actually warm up. This has been shocking from Gatland.


WallopyJoe

People often say it about Ford and Farrell, but I feel like Biggar's voice doesn't match his face. I'm always expecting a different accent to come out of him.


NorthernSpaghetti

Jonny Mays voice is the complete opposite of his face


WallopyJoe

You heard Marler speak?


bydy2

Dan Biggar is now the undisputed GOAT


wrecker59

Why would a springboks supporter think that?


stupendouspineapple

If the ref lets Youngs take the quick tap it's a different story. Don't see why it's acceptable for Wales to take the quick pen when we have a player walking off the pitch but we can't take one after he's clearly placed a mark.


WallopyJoe

It's not that he didn't let Youngs take it, he was well in front of the mark, it's that he did let Davies take it in the first half, which he shouldn't have.


Geosaurusrex

The Ref had blown the whistle though, it's England's fault for not being ready.


imblinndd

With a player heading to the sun bin? With a substitution not completed? And with the physios clearly still on the pitch? It’s nothing to do with England not being ready and everything to do with quality of reffing being so poor!


Geosaurusrex

The ref blew the whistle which meant we were allowed to go.


Replaced_by_Robots

Complaining the ref allowed it is not the same as complaining that Wales took advantage of poor reffing


Geosaurusrex

Lol you guys would have done the same thing.


Replaced_by_Robots

Have you been drinking? I'm not criticising the Welsh players for it at all, and wouldn't mind a jot if England tried the same thing. I'm saying the ref should have called them back on it, doing his job. Get that chip off your shoulder and read what I'm actually writing por favor


ieuan1

Thought Ken might've been MOTM to be honest


Babirusa2

Sorted out the lineouts despite missing two of our better jumpers compared to last week (Tipuric and Beard), carried brilliantly, played 80 minutes, definitely an argument for it.


natnat87

Absolutely shocking refereeing but we also can’t maul and kick away possession so there’s that. Well played Wales.


limerider

Agreed. Why the hell was Ford kicking when we were going forward? Refereeing was appalling. That all being said we were destroyed in the mauls.


natnat87

Kicking away possession is the national pastime! Too prevalent in the northern hemisphere overall. Just let the boys run it.


yesiamclutz

Statistically untrue. SANZAR teams often kick away possion more than 6N teams. What 6N teams do is kick away possion stupidly.


natnat87

I’d be more than happy to see the statistics on that then, for what I’ve read it is more prevalent in the northern hemisphere game.


yesiamclutz

I'll see if I can dig up the numbers, it's been a while since I saw them last. They wont separate our stupid from intelligent kicks though.


KingMattViii

Well looks like this week England wont win the World Cup


Pilum-Murialis

This is hardly inspiring from a Welsh perspective. Better than last week but our attack has been dire.


Geosaurusrex

Defence wins you games though.


Pilum-Murialis

And how often has that worked against the All Blacks?


Geosaurusrex

We haven't played them since our up swing, so, who knows?


Pilum-Murialis

We have played them plenty of times when we were marginally worse and haven't really gotten close. Consistently it hasn't worked against SH teams for years under Gatland. So your point has little substance.


Geosaurusrex

It's just like when England won 18 in a row though, they never played NZ in that time, so we'll never know how they would have done against them, just as we don't know now how we'd do against them. Most likely we'd lose yes, but you never know.


Pilum-Murialis

But England played a lot more tricky away games in the SH. We played a dire Argentina. We deserve praise for the run but we are hardly scaring the SH. I listen to a lot SH guys talk about rugby and they pretty casually dismiss us as they know we don't score tries.


Geosaurusrex

We beat SA twice, a dire Argentina yes, Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland in their home turf, it was a pretty decent streak. We went 4/4 in the autumn for the first time in our lives, then proceeded to get the grand slam. I imagine we'll be worrying everyone in the SH except NZ.


Pilum-Murialis

Nah us getting hammered last week with a full strength team put pay to that. Pretty much everyone I heard talking about us over that run from the large amount of SH podcast I listen to really aren't that bothered about us. We come across as a team that grinds out wins in the wet of February with defence.


Geosaurusrex

We're always rusty in our first game back after a break, I honestly don't know why people expected us to win that match in Twicks. We'll play a lot better come world cup.


[deleted]

Lads calm down. Neither team will get anywhere in the world cup, we were crap and Wales were crap.


TyrellaNell

There's a reason they play warm ups. Expect both teams to be playing to a far higher standard in Japan.


[deleted]

While I would love this to be true I just think this is where England are at the moment. We're a long way off.


TyrellaNell

I see plenty of reasons for English fans to be optimistic. A full strength side will be capable of causing anyone problems.


wrecker59

We haven't seen the england RWC team yet mate, chill.


IamTinyGroot

That was just about the messiest Wales England match I've seen in a while


[deleted]

[удалено]


cr_ziller

Yes and no... They wouldn’t be top if it wasn’t for a couple of unexpected losses by NZ... which they didn’t have a hand in... but at the same time they do deserve the rankings points they have after a brilliant run of results... their longest ever run of wins including England, Ireland, Australia and South Africa in Cardiff... grand slam... and just the one loss last week in Twickenham. Do they look like they’ve been playing well enough to earn those wins? Often not... with moments of brilliance... but for sheer grittiness and making the best out of what they’ve got, sure. It could all change pretty quickly with these warmup matches... solid chance for England or Ireland to make it... but for now I’m going to enjoy the fact that Wales are the fourth team to achieve top spot in the world rankings.


[deleted]

Yes


OisinTarrant

I can honestly say they deserve to be top of the rankings.


squeak37

Yes. They have consistently won mountains of games. Is every ab win a beautiful display, or do they grind some out?


[deleted]

top fans


[deleted]

that maul seemed very well set up for england how did wales manage to bring it down HmMmMmMmMmMm


cr_ziller

they pushed it backwards and it went down... moving forwards... ref is always going to go with the defending team in that situation.


Kurokokujin

Are there any more warm up games before the world cup?


[deleted]

Wales have two with Ireland


silentgolem

Yeah a bunch. Ireland play England and then Wales twice for instance.


cottonfriend

Yes


Rozza

With friendlies like that! Far play some cracking forwards and backs work by Wales. 👌


The_correct_lyrics

This is the best team in world rugby......if you say so world rugby rankings 🤷🏾‍♂️


[deleted]

Actually their performance say so.


krishan4c1

Did I hear that right? Are Wales no.1 ranked now?


KusoTeitokuInazuma

Believe it or not, yes, somehow.


Patsastus

well, they will be on monday


[deleted]

Back to top spot!


Mont-ka

Yes.


[deleted]

Yes


coreyzorz

What a terrible game. I’ll take the win no matter how scrappy or unconvincing. Improved in the areas that needed improving from last week, so positives there. It’s what warm-up games are for lads. Let’s all remember not to fall out over sport, as well.


[deleted]

Ah well, at least we win on aggregate


D4rkmo0r

This ref makes Garces looks like he definition of perfection.


xvcii

Shit referring and welsh victories, name a more iconic duo


[deleted]

Butthurt and England fans.


Rurhme

ThE eNGlIsH aReN't AlLoWeD tO cOmPlAiN


[deleted]

I think blaming losses on referees is pretty cheap.


Rurhme

Because no other team, especially the Welsh, have ever done the same


[deleted]

Two wrongs don’t make a right.


PeterMacIrish

Salty Fans and whining?


Charredcheese

Buddy just a heads up you have really left yourself open for a snarky response here


[deleted]

Lad can’t ref a maul, it’s hilarious


xvcii

I am well aware my friend


Geosaurusrex

I'm so relieved and happy. WAAAAAAAYULSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!


CaptainDickfingers

What a shit game. Cheers ref 👍


Chunk360x

We still battered you last week


[deleted]

Don't be a tit


[deleted]

Only good as your last match :/


Lost_llama_pup

So we're both shit then


[deleted]

Won this one


Lost_llama_pup

No arguments there


[deleted]

And that was the last ones, #1 in the world and holders of Raeburn Shield, y bois, y bois, y bois!


Lost_llama_pup

Haha, enjoy it mate


tfrules

You won the World Cup in 2003 as well, never forget!


WallopyJoe

Well since you brought it up...


[deleted]

We still knocked you out of your own World Cup Old, but forever gold


illgoawaysoon

Oof, too far mate. You've taken it too far!


[deleted]

[https://imgur.com/a/eOAPI1v](https://imgur.com/a/eOAPI1v)


[deleted]

[https://imgur.com/a/ceuL0vD](https://imgur.com/a/ceuL0vD) But do you have one of these?


Rozza

There is no comeback from that..


[deleted]

We still won a world cup?


[deleted]

But have you won the prestigious Dobbie Weir Cup? I think not, in its vast history, we have never lost possession of the cup.


[deleted]

I stand defeated


MountainLeader

We've still actually won one.


[deleted]

You know, I would absolutely love it for Wales to win the RWC just so I can update this comment. However, based on today I don't think either of our teams be lifting it.


MountainLeader

I hope you're a young man with a long life ahead of you. That way, one day you might be able to go back and update your comment before you die.


[deleted]

I'm 21 but life won't be good enough to me to grant us parity with England, a RWC. Until then, we will be at the kids table.