This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/dec/01/rugby-union-talking-points-international
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rugby union: Talking points from this autumn’s internationals | Rugby union: Talking points from this autumn’s internationals |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| England have plenty of positives going forward | England have plenty of positives going forward |
| It took longer than they might have wished but England have finally cracked the code and beaten a major southern hemisphere side this month. Their forward strength, in particular, is increasing. Joe Marler was one of his side’s most consistent players of the autumn, with Alex Corbisiero, Mako Vunipola and Matt Mullan now queueing behind him. Dave Wilson was a set-piece rock at tighthead, where Newcastle’s Kieran Brookes also made a positive impression and Dan Cole is hoping to resume. Courtney Lawes had one of his best games for his country at the weekend alongside Dave Attwood, with Joe Launchbury and Geoff Parling completing a very handy second-row quartet. Tom Croft is another lurking Lion and Billy Vunipola will have to roar back very strongly to displace Ben Morgan, England’s equal top try-scorer this autumn along with Jonny May. On top of all that there is Manu Tuilagi – when he is finally fit to resume – to add some arrowhead directness in midfield. England know they still have to raise their game significantly in 2015 but not many teams will push them around. Robert Kitson | It took longer than they might have wished but England have finally cracked the code and beaten a major southern hemisphere side this month. Their forward strength, in particular, is increasing. Joe Marler was one of his side’s most consistent players of the autumn, with Alex Corbisiero, Mako Vunipola and Matt Mullan now queueing behind him. Dave Wilson was a set-piece rock at tighthead, where Newcastle’s Kieran Brookes also made a positive impression and Dan Cole is hoping to resume. Courtney Lawes had one of his best games for his country at the weekend alongside Dave Attwood, with Joe Launchbury and Geoff Parling completing a very handy second-row quartet. Tom Croft is another lurking Lion and Billy Vunipola will have to roar back very strongly to displace Ben Morgan, England’s equal top try-scorer this autumn along with Jonny May. On top of all that there is Manu Tuilagi – when he is finally fit to resume – to add some arrowhead directness in midfield. England know they still have to raise their game significantly in 2015 but not many teams will push them around. Robert Kitson |
| Tactical variation a must if Wales’s World Cup dream is to come true | |
| Victory at last over one of the southern hemisphere powers prompted the Wales head coach Warren Gatland to say that his team could win the World Cup. They have to get out of a pool that includes England and Australia first, but a month that started in frustration ended with Gatland’s men finally seeing out the closing moments. Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb emerged as Test quality half-backs, Samson Lee has halted the questions about Adam Jones on the tight-head and there is strength in depth in most positions. Biggar has made Wales’s approach slightly more nuanced but more tactical variation will be needed to fulfil Gatland’s dream. Paul Rees | |
| Ireland impress ahead of the Six Nations | Ireland impress ahead of the Six Nations |
| Ireland are not ranked third in the world by accident and they were the form side of the autumn. The Springboks left Dublin forced to rethink their game if the World Cup is played in the wet and the win over the Wallabies was an exceptional Test, suggesting Joe Schmidt’s side will be favourites for the Six Nations, especially with talent to return. Schmidt has done a remarkable job, aided and abetted by a top-notch pair of half backs. Who thought Brian O’Driscoll would be so little missed? Shame Dublin wasn’t on the All Black itinerary. Mike Averis | Ireland are not ranked third in the world by accident and they were the form side of the autumn. The Springboks left Dublin forced to rethink their game if the World Cup is played in the wet and the win over the Wallabies was an exceptional Test, suggesting Joe Schmidt’s side will be favourites for the Six Nations, especially with talent to return. Schmidt has done a remarkable job, aided and abetted by a top-notch pair of half backs. Who thought Brian O’Driscoll would be so little missed? Shame Dublin wasn’t on the All Black itinerary. Mike Averis |
| Plus signs all over the place for Scotland | Plus signs all over the place for Scotland |
| Beware false dawns over Murrayfield, but Vern Cotter’s side came through the autumn with plus signs all over the place. The same fly-half, Finn Russell, started all three Tests, Jonny Gray looks the part alongside brother Richie in the second-row and Mark Bennett adds snap to the midfield. With back-row options there’s a bit of depth to the squad and they were not frightened of the All Blacks even if Steve Hansen fielded a distinctly experimental side with an eye on next autumn rather than this. Mike Averis | Beware false dawns over Murrayfield, but Vern Cotter’s side came through the autumn with plus signs all over the place. The same fly-half, Finn Russell, started all three Tests, Jonny Gray looks the part alongside brother Richie in the second-row and Mark Bennett adds snap to the midfield. With back-row options there’s a bit of depth to the squad and they were not frightened of the All Blacks even if Steve Hansen fielded a distinctly experimental side with an eye on next autumn rather than this. Mike Averis |
| All Blacks leave all the rest playing catch-up | All Blacks leave all the rest playing catch-up |
| New Zealand finished the month even more secure at the top of the world rankings than at the start. South Africa looked shot, England had an identity crisis and Australia were far from being able to say Cheika mate to opponents. Only Ireland were as impressive in November and they have never beaten the All Blacks. Their enduring success is based not just on the ability of players to think their way out of difficulty but a refusal to stand still, something fertilised by an incessant competition for places. Daniel Carter was used as a water-carrier for last month, Tony Woodcock and Ma’a Nonu were absent and Corey Jane was injured during the romp in Chicago en route to Europe, but still Steve Hansen’s men trampled over all before them. They will be the team to beat in the World Cup, but they could find themselves facing France in the quarter-finals in Cardiff as they did in 2007, their darkest day in the professional era. It is from the ashes of that defeat that the All Blacks have developed into arguably the most formidable team in any sport. They assume nothing and live for the moment. The rest play catch-up. Paul Rees | New Zealand finished the month even more secure at the top of the world rankings than at the start. South Africa looked shot, England had an identity crisis and Australia were far from being able to say Cheika mate to opponents. Only Ireland were as impressive in November and they have never beaten the All Blacks. Their enduring success is based not just on the ability of players to think their way out of difficulty but a refusal to stand still, something fertilised by an incessant competition for places. Daniel Carter was used as a water-carrier for last month, Tony Woodcock and Ma’a Nonu were absent and Corey Jane was injured during the romp in Chicago en route to Europe, but still Steve Hansen’s men trampled over all before them. They will be the team to beat in the World Cup, but they could find themselves facing France in the quarter-finals in Cardiff as they did in 2007, their darkest day in the professional era. It is from the ashes of that defeat that the All Blacks have developed into arguably the most formidable team in any sport. They assume nothing and live for the moment. The rest play catch-up. Paul Rees |
| Poor tour for Australia but they will improve | Poor tour for Australia but they will improve |
| A tour that started with a scare against the Barbarians and a customary comeback against Wales ended with a third straight defeat as the Wallabies fell at Twickenham, the ground where they will play their World Cup matches against England and Wales next year. Their new head coach Michael Cheika was always going to be up against it having been installed three days before the squad flew out, but despite their usual problems in the tight-five, their losses were all in single figures. He has a dangerous set of backs, although he needs the Will Genia of old at scrum-half, and options in the back row. He lacks a tight-five, although he has two hookers to return from injury, and only has four Tests before September to mould one. Australia will be more solid by then, but it is a question of degree. Paul Rees | A tour that started with a scare against the Barbarians and a customary comeback against Wales ended with a third straight defeat as the Wallabies fell at Twickenham, the ground where they will play their World Cup matches against England and Wales next year. Their new head coach Michael Cheika was always going to be up against it having been installed three days before the squad flew out, but despite their usual problems in the tight-five, their losses were all in single figures. He has a dangerous set of backs, although he needs the Will Genia of old at scrum-half, and options in the back row. He lacks a tight-five, although he has two hookers to return from injury, and only has four Tests before September to mould one. Australia will be more solid by then, but it is a question of degree. Paul Rees |
| Springboks send out mixed messages | Springboks send out mixed messages |
| South Africa went into this tour with high hopes after their win over New Zealand, but they suffered an ignominious defeat by Ireland, secured two nondescript wins, then ended on a miserable note — defeat by Wales and, worse still, the sickening injury suffered by their captain, Jean de Villiers. Despite his centenary of caps, he’s had no luck when it comes to injury and World Cups. We hope this latest will not prove terminal to his hopes of making the next. | |
| For now, the Springboks must add their names to a host of countries who go into World Cup year issuing mixed messages. They will improve, though, with the return of Francois Louw, Willem Alberts and Fourie du Preez. Then they need one of their young fly-halfs to make an unanswerable case. All in all, it’s shaping up to be an intriguing World Cup. With Ireland in the ascendancy, England at home, France, Wales and Australia being France, Wales and Australia, New Zealand and South Africa having to work for their wins – and sometimes, get this, actually losing – it could prove the most competitive World Cup yet. Michael Aylwin | For now, the Springboks must add their names to a host of countries who go into World Cup year issuing mixed messages. They will improve, though, with the return of Francois Louw, Willem Alberts and Fourie du Preez. Then they need one of their young fly-halfs to make an unanswerable case. All in all, it’s shaping up to be an intriguing World Cup. With Ireland in the ascendancy, England at home, France, Wales and Australia being France, Wales and Australia, New Zealand and South Africa having to work for their wins – and sometimes, get this, actually losing – it could prove the most competitive World Cup yet. Michael Aylwin |
Previous version
1
Next version