Autumn rugby internationals....

[Nobby Diesel]

So, there is a whole raft of games approaching.
What are the predictions for the home nations fortunes?
As an England supporter, 3 months ago, I would have said that we should win 2 and could win 3.
I'm now thinking 1, possibly 2.

What do you say.......?

[baptistsan]

Off to Twickers on the 10th. Really looking forward to it

[Inverness]

Nobby Diesel said:

So, there is a whole raft of games approaching.
What are the predictions for the home nations fortunes?
As an England supporter, 3 months ago, I would have said that we should win 2 and could win 3.
I'm now thinking 1, possibly 2.

What do you say.......?

Well this will all depend on the team Lancaster picks on Thursday.

And as for this http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19815580 what was he smoking

[Pinky and Perky]

I'm at Twickers on the 10th as well, and expecting an England victory in this instance.
In the other matches, I think the games against Australia and South Africa will be very close, England will again need to rely upon forward power to help especially against the Boks the physicality of the last tour was just incredible, but i just can't see us turning over the all blacks.

Prediction, two wins out of four.

[rhinochopig]

Tickets for England V Aus. Woo, and indeed, hoo.

My guess is England by a whisker.

[z4chris99]

England to beat Fiji and lose the other 3

[Cheib]

Pinky and Perky said:

England will again need to rely upon forward power to help especially against the Boks the physicality of the last tour was just incredible, but i just can't see us turning over the all blacks.

I've not really seen any evidence that the England pack can win games based on physicality....been found wanting in the physicality stakes over the last couple of years on more than one occasion.

[hornetrider]

I'll be at Wales v Crims, but had to turn down Wales v Kiwis

Every year I think we'll turn over Australia and pretty much every year we narrowly miss out. For some reason I don't have the same confidence in the team under Howley as I do under Gats, so I think we'll miss out to the big two, we'll beat Samoa... and I'm not sure about Argentina. They've learnt a lot in the "Quad Nations" and I fear they may catch us cold.

[DJRC]

hornetrider said:

I'll be at Wales v Crims, but had to turn down Wales v Kiwis

Every year I think we'll turn over Australia and pretty much every year we narrowly miss out. For some reason I don't have the same confidence in the team under Howley as I do under Gats, so I think we'll miss out to the big two, we'll beat Samoa... and I'm not sure about Argentina. They've learnt a lot in the "Quad Nations" and I fear they may catch us cold.

Well the Welsh have looked pretty ste in the HC so far, so their big guns are going to have to pull out some performances that they havent been showing so far. The Irish look the chaps most up for it...how much of the Ulster team is Irish these days?

Fear not my leeky friend, I havent exactly got great faith in England being brilliant either

[Melchett]

Tom Youngs get a call up, great news (although not for Tigers)!

[Kermit power]

The last time I watched England play from the South stand, they won 53-3 against South Africa.

Ten years on, and my tickets from our club allocation arrived, putting me back in the South stand on December 1st for the first time since. Somehow I doubt we'll win by the same margin, but one can but think like Ross Ford in these circumstances!

[Nobby Diesel]

Kermit power said:

The last time I watched England play from the South stand, they won 53-3 against South Africa.

Ten years on, and my tickets from our club allocation arrived, putting me back in the South stand on December 1st for the first time since. Somehow I doubt we'll win by the same margin, but one can but think like Ross Ford in these circumstances!

Kermit,

I love your reminiscence. I was there for that game too.
I share your caution.
I'll be there for all the Autumn games and have my fingers crossed for 2 wins.

[Pinky and Perky]

Cheib said:

Pinky and Perky said:

England will again need to rely upon forward power to help especially against the Boks the physicality of the last tour was just incredible, but i just can't see us turning over the all blacks.

I've not really seen any evidence that the England pack can win games based on physicality....been found wanting in the physicality stakes over the last couple of years on more than one occasion.

Sorry not made myself clear. IMHO We do not have the all round talent in the backs to meet the southern hemisphere teams head on. As such to have any chance we need to beat them in the forwards and for that we need to have the edge in the Physicality stakes, I'm not saying we have that power, all I'm saying is that we will or could need it.

[DJRC]

Have we lost Courtney Lawes or is it just a knock?

[anonymous-user]

hornetrider said:

I'll be at Wales v Crims, but had to turn down Wales v Kiwis

Every year I think we'll turn over Australia and pretty much every year we narrowly miss out. For some reason I don't have the same confidence in the team under Howley as I do under Gats, so I think we'll miss out to the big two, we'll beat Samoa... and I'm not sure about Argentina. They've learnt a lot in the "Quad Nations" and I fear they may catch us cold.

I wouldn't trust Howley to run the hospitality bar. Couple him with the shambolic performances at the regions this season (even though they tend to step up at international level) and I'm not expecting much from all of this.

[Pinky and Perky]

DJRC said:

Have we lost Courtney Lawes or is it just a knock?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20112274
According to the BBC Hartley and Lawes are both doubts following their matches at the weekend.
It appears we have a number of injury doubts on top of the injuries preventing initial selection.

Good opportunity for those players coming from the saxons, although is worrying when we want to put out our strongest squad.

[hornetrider]

Symbolica said:

I wouldn't trust Howley to run the hospitality bar. Couple him with the shambolic performances at the regions this season (even though they tend to step up at international level) and I'm not expecting much from all of this.

I think the regions thing is more due to the exodus to be fair. It is alarming though.

[Cheib]

Pinky and Perky said:

Cheib said:

Pinky and Perky said:

England will again need to rely upon forward power to help especially against the Boks the physicality of the last tour was just incredible, but i just can't see us turning over the all blacks.

I've not really seen any evidence that the England pack can win games based on physicality....been found wanting in the physicality stakes over the last couple of years on more than one occasion.

Sorry not made myself clear. IMHO We do not have the all round talent in the backs to meet the southern hemisphere teams head on. As such to have any chance we need to beat them in the forwards and for that we need to have the edge in the Physicality stakes, I'm not saying we have that power, all I'm saying is that we will or could need it.

We either don't have the talent or the ability to execute in the backs that's for sure! England's midfield has been a mustery to me since W Greenwood esq retired.

[epom]

Brian O'Driscoll missing for us, bad start !!

[Pinky and Perky]

Cheib said:

We either don't have the talent or the ability to execute in the backs that's for sure! England's midfield has been a mustery to me since W Greenwood esq retired.

Agree

We've been struggling to find a truely effective centre combination since the 2003 RWC, yet the all blacks find them without too much trouble, look at the most recent combos, SBW and Conrad Smith with Nono, Nono and Umanga.
We've struggled to find that elusive mix of pace, power, handling and tackling skill that all the best centre partnerships have.