England V France

[cailin maith]

Popularity isn't the point. He got results and he won the backing of a team that contained some of the greatest players ever to wear an England shirt; that was proven after the '57 old farts' remark, when the RFU sacked him from the captaincy and the whole team refused to play without him.

True - I guess you can be very good at what you do but have everyone hate you anyway.

[Mich the Tester]

He never stands flat on the gain line, and the closer you can play to it the less momentum opposition backs have to line up and close down attackers.

It's an approach, but I don't think it's always right. I'd like to see more mauls at the breakdown instead of rucks, building pressure and rolling so that the fly half gets the ball going forward at a defense that's back pedalling; can be more effective than the so-called ' quick ball' approach, but you need the right players to do it.

[Mich the Tester]

True - I guess you can be very good at what you do but have everyone hate you anyway.

I don't think the players hated him. I think some of them hated Rob Andrew after the 91 cup final though.

[DodgyAgent]

I don't think the players hated him. I think some of them hated Rob Andrew after the 91 cup final though.

Guscott and Brian Moore couldnt stand him

[malvolio]

It's an approach, but I don't think it's always right. I'd like to see more mauls at the breakdown instead of rucks, building pressure and rolling so that the fly half gets the ball going forward at a defense that's back pedalling; can be more effective than the so-called ' quick ball' approach, but you need the right players to do it.

20th century thinking. The smart teams are not contesting the breakdowns very heavily, so they have more people to attack the recycled ball, usually on their side of the gain line.

[Mich the Tester]

Guscott and Brian Moore couldnt stand him

Moore didn't like him, but happily put his body on the line for him.

As for Guscott; don't start me on that individual. I might say some unpleasant things.

[DodgyAgent]

It's an approach, but I don't think it's always right. I'd like to see more mauls at the breakdown instead of rucks, building pressure and rolling so that the fly half gets the ball going forward at a defense that's back pedalling; can be more effective than the so-called ' quick ball' approach, but you need the right players to do it.

Fair enough, I know you forwards like to huddle together as much as you can . I still maintain that Wilkinson is not good enough to play for England and that his selection is down to the safety feeling and tactics that the Leicester dominated coaching team want England to play to

[Mich the Tester]

20th century thinking. The smart teams are not contesting the breakdowns very heavily, so they have more people to attack the recycled ball, usually on their side of the gain line.

They're not contesting the breakdowns because they're rucks, and you can't do anything to win the ball without being penalized. A team that can play rolling mauls can expose them.

[Churchill]

They're not contesting the breakdowns because they're rucks, and you can't do anything to win the ball without being penalized. A team that can play rolling mauls can expose them.

Send an email to Martin Johnson!

[Mich the Tester]

Send an email to Martin Johnson!

If anyone knows, does, and I expect we might see some Leicesterish tactics from the forwards.