Blood & Mud

What to make of the England 16 - 20 Ireland result?

For England fans, unlike the performance against Italy, which raised emotions of misanthropy and despair, this game induced an altogether more ambivalent feeling.  Was it a half decent performance or a mostly rubbish one?  It certainly wasn't fabulous or terrible, but somewhere on the scale in-between.  It was however, pretty mediocre, and it certainly wasn't the weather that caused it.  The lineout was a nightmare, the go-forward from the pack was poor, Danny Care had one of those headless chicken matches he is far too prone to, and two of the back three can neither kick or run with any quality - the difference when Foden came on to the cutting edge was marked.  However, the commitment was good, the scrum went OK (although the Irish front-row are not the most testing of opponents), and the ball went through hands a damn sight more than usual.

Ireland showed that even when not playing especially well, having players who can capitalise on whatever chink of scoring light shows itself through the gloom is invaluable at this level.  Sexton's awareness and poise for the opening score was even more impressive when you consider he'd hardly seen the ball, never mind touched it, in the opening ten minutes; and the masterful timing of the first phase move for Bowe's second try was - like the crane technique at the end of The Karate Kid - startling in its devastating simplicity of execution.  You cannot blame defences for tries life that, remember that Bryan Habana did it twice in one game to the Lions.  And as Mr Miyagi says, "If do correct, no can defence" 

Irish fans will feel better than the English this morning though.  While Ireland did not play brilliantly, their fans can at least console themselves with thoughts of Sexton getting even better, some genuine class being shown at times, and a manager who seems to want to give talented youth its head.  In other words, something they can build on going forward.  

England fans, on the other hand, can comfort themselves with thoughts of, er, well, hmm - anyone? Help would be appreciated in the comments as I'm a bit stumped. 

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What to make of the England 16 - 20 Ireland result?

For England fans, unlike the performance against Italy, which raised emotions of misanthropy and despair, this game induced an altogether more ambivalent feeling.  Was it a half decent performance or a mostly rubbish one?  It certainly wasn't fabulous or terrible, but somewhere on the scale in-between.  It was however, pretty mediocre, and it certainly wasn't the weather that caused it.  The lineout was a nightmare, the go-forward from the pack was poor, Danny Care had one of those headless chicken matches he is far too prone to, and two of the back three can neither kick or run with any quality - the difference when Foden came on to the cutting edge was marked.  However, the commitment was good, the scrum went OK (although the Irish front-row are not the most testing of opponents), and the ball went through hands a damn sight more than usual.

Ireland showed that even when not playing especially well, having players who can capitalise on whatever chink of scoring light shows itself through the gloom is invaluable at this level.  Sexton's awareness and poise for the opening score was even more impressive when you consider he'd hardly seen the ball, never mind touched it, in the opening ten minutes; and the masterful timing of the first phase move for Bowe's second try was - like the crane technique at the end of The Karate Kid - startling in its devastating simplicity of execution.  You cannot blame defences for tries life that, remember that Bryan Habana did it twice in one game to the Lions.  And as Mr Miyagi says, "If do correct, no can defence" 

Irish fans will feel better than the English this morning though.  While Ireland did not play brilliantly, their fans can at least console themselves with thoughts of Sexton getting even better, some genuine class being shown at times, and a manager who seems to want to give talented youth its head.  In other words, something they can build on going forward.  

England fans, on the other hand, can comfort themselves with thoughts of, er, well, hmm - anyone? Help would be appreciated in the comments as I'm a bit stumped.