ly, preview the huge contest in the no | Forum
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Mar 7 '18
Stuart Barnes reviews Englands performance against South Africa, assesses their chances against Fiji and gives his opinions on Wales squad in this weeks talking points. Justin Williams Jersey . 1. Another Saturday, another win for England as Eddie Jones made it 10 out of 10 since taking charge. From day one he has cracked the whip and demanded more than any of these players have ever given. The result is a team mentally tougher than the one that was so similar in terms of personnel to this current one. The boundaries between success and failure are as much in the strength of the mind as the body. Highlights of Englands opening Autumn International against South Africa at Twickenham. The Jones regime has a perfect strike rate but has yet to deliver a performance that would be described as memorable. For example, Jones England has never been near in terms of quality to what we saw from Joe Schmidts Ireland against New Zealand in Chicago. At some stage England will have to find a level of performance beyond what we have so far seen. But Jones is in no great hurry. His team are fit, determined, confident and dont have to face New Zealand until 2018. That is the game Jones will have inked into his planner. To be world champions, you have to be good enough to know you can beat the All Blacks. Ben Youngs rips through the South African defence on Saturday All he gave his team was a pass mark for ending the run of a decade and 12 games without victory against the Springboks but Englands discipline was sloppy and South Africa are currently at their least formidable. To see them pick a pine forest of lineout forwards and watch them fail to even compete in the air against England was to scratch your head and wonder.On the plus side was a magnificent performance from Joe Launchbury, a eye catching 70 minutes from Ben Youngs and an absolute gem of a first phase try....give them a pass. Joe Launchbury competes with Eben Etzebeth in the lineout 2. A pass mark should be enough to see them to Eddies 11th straight win against Fiji this Saturday. The Pacific Island teams are so nomadic in terms of their players global travelling that it takes time to bring a team together.In the World Cup, Fiji produced a brave performance against Wales and a more than half decent one against England at Twickenham. Australia drove them around the fringes and demolished them in the tight in their pool game in Cardiff. I wonder if England will start with the ambition witnessed for the Jonny May try or if they might attempt to pummel the Fijian forwards in the tight. It is not going to be a question of whether they will win but how.The make up of the team will also be interesting. Jones is not one of giving away caps but he wants to get as much depth as possible in his squad. It could be an exciting day for a few fringe players. Billy Vunipola has praised his England teammates for their performance against South Africa on Saturday 3. Irelands fringe players did their job against Canada, scoring in excess of 50 points to keep morale high ahead of what is arguably the game of 2016. Highlights of Irelands opening Autumn International against Canada from Dublin. Schmidt has said he is wary of New Zealand revenge. A good Kiwi, he knows how much those rare defeats hurt an All Black. Schmidt is smart and will know that Steve Hansen and his management will not allow themselves to be outsmarted as they were in Illinois.The same from Ireland will not suffice because New Zealand will have shrugged off what looked like a hint of complacency and changed the game. Ireland prepared for months to win in America, Schmidt has only a fortnight to mastermind what would be an even greater victory.4. Congratulations to Beauden Barrett for being named World Player of the Year. Beauden Barrett spills a high ball in the game against Ireland How ironic that the award came in the wake of a quite naive performance against Ireland. He was an easy target for Ireland to read, playing harder and flatter without it ever dawning on him that Ireland were not for cracking. A few chips to turn them would have made Irelands defence think, instead it just dominated. Still, we all have our bad days.It has crossed my mind that New Zealand could even start Aaron Cruden at fly-half in Dublin... but what a season Barrett has produced, a fly-half who has ripped the rule book up when it comes to Test match selection.He has made and scored so many tries that the kicker isnt the first name on the New Zealand team sheet. He has been the most positive player to have emerged on the world scene in years.5. Positive is not a word that springs readily to mind when considering the Springboks. Five away games this calendar year (if you include the Barbarians match) and not a victory or performance worthy of note. Lourens Adriaanse, Bongi Mbonambi and Adriaan Strauss show their disappointment after the defeat to England on Saturday If they dont break that sorry sequence against Italy we can start throwing around words such as `crisis like if we were tossing spaghetti.6. So close again for Scotland....they played some superb stuff against Australia and again came up short.Vern Cotter has got them playing some excellent stuff and the South African Scot with a Welsh name appears quite a find but now is the time to turn performances into wins.They beat Argentina convincingly prior to the World Cup, a similar result is needed if Scotland are going to grab themselves some of that self belief upon which Jones feeds his England team. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half 7. Australia played some good rugby too with Bernard Foley, Israel Folau and the tearaway flankers, Michael Hooper and David Pocock all impressive. But Scotland found a few more defensive chinks than Michael Cheika would have liked. Israel Folau stood out in a scrappy game against Scotland If Guy Noves France play with power and pace it could be quite a game between these teams. It is an `if as big as a French pack.8. Wales won but the question marks continue to surround Rob Howleys team.The return of Alun Wyn Jones and Sam Warburton added some beef in the pack and this was probably the reason Wales just about saw Argentina off in Cardiff.The Pumas look tired as their season and thin squad nears its end but where is a sign of something special from those talented Welsh backs?Liam Williams is an honourable exception to that particular question. I reckon this versatile man is going to make it to New Zealand as a Lion.9. Bristol recorded their first win of the season against Sale in the Anglo-Welsh Cup. Mitch Eadie is tackled by Ben Curry as Bristol beat Sale It came too late for Andy Robinson and, in all honesty, isnt likely to lead to a trophy but when losing becomes a habit like it has for Bristol, any win is important.I refer you back to Eddie, England and psychological strength.10. Back to where we started, Twickenham.It is fair to say that HQs pre and half-time entertainment with the military marching bands and Essex Dog shows have never done it for me but what a wonderful few minutes at the interval as Laura Wright sang `Hallelujah in tribute to the great Leonard Cohen.Whoever came up with the idea, a heart- felt thanks on behalf of we Cohen devotees who happened to be at Twickenham. It was a most moving gesture.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Well bore Fiji to death Itoje wins World Rugby award Beware All Blacks backlash Giles set for Wales debut Jaccob Slavin Jersey . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Hurricanes Jerseys .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. http:///...s-glen-wesley-jersey . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46.Sunderland and Newcastle legends Michael Gray and Rob Lee look ahead to arguably the biggest Tyne-Wear derby ever on the Soccer AM sofa. The rivals head into the match at St James Park on Sunday lunchtime, live on Sky Sports, struggling near the foot of the table and both in desperate need of a win. And Gray and Lee, who represented the Black Cats and the Magpiies respectively, preview the huge contest in the north east. Cam Ward Jersey. atch the above video to hear what the duo had to say about the game... Also See: Portsmouth video Portsmouth fixtures Portsmouth stats Bet ￡5 Get ￡20 Free Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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