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#Post#: 104842--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: Camquin
Date: February 26, 2023, 4:35 pm
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Steward had a good game because Wales kept kicking aimlessly at
him.
I am not sure if he saw the ball from a white shirt.
#Post#: 104844--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: poorfour
Date: February 26, 2023, 5:14 pm
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Willis, Ludlam and Dombrandt are really starting to work as a
back row. None of them are entirely conventional for their
roles, but they combine well enough that I'd not want Tom Curry
to come straight back in.
Steward did take a couple of passes - most notably at first
receiver for Lawrence's try. But I don't think he did anything
that 2016 Mike Brown wouldn't have done... and 2023 Brown might
not give up the Tigers shirt without a fight.
Personally, I thought both Wales and England were better than
they had been in their earlier games. Wales has a decent amount
of intensity in defence and a lot of effort in attack without
being very effective; England sustained the positives from the
Italy game for more of the match - and successfully closed out
the Welsh rally at the end - but still had far too many errors
in attack that stronger teams will capitalise on.
#Post#: 104845--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: Seequin
Date: February 27, 2023, 2:40 am
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When you look at how brilliant Scotland’s attack looks now they
have allowed Russell to play his game with Jones outside him it
only makes you wonder what smith could do for England if he was
given the same freedom.
Russell is 30 and more experienced and has had to wait to be
trusted but against France he was brilliant. Yes there were
mistakes but you have to factor that in with creative players.
Russell and Smith play in similar ways and Russell isn’t known
for his defence.
#Post#: 104846--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: never sleep
Date: February 27, 2023, 2:50 am
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--- Quote from: MaidstoneQuin link ---
>
> I think even staunch Sarries fans will struggle to defend OF
recently.
>
> ❌ free flowing back play
> ❌ poor goal kicking
> ❌ regularly coughs up possession by kicking the ball
away, be it with the high ball or those atrocious grubber
kicks, which most fail to even get past the defensive line
>
> What does he offer as a positive? His leadership? Even that is
very questionable. There’s literally no case for him to be there
>
--- End Quote ---
You would think so wouldn't you.
But, I wandered over to the Saracens board.
"Time to talk about whether Farrell should be kicking anymore.
His stats are way down and have been for a while. Otherwise I
thought he played well"
"Owen played well ball I’m hand" [sic]
"I thought he had a huge game in defence. Like having an extra
backrower at times and he got a couple of turnovers plus was
involved in a a few covering tackles when our defence got
broken. I also felt that ball in hand he worked well with those
around him."
"he distributed well yesterday"
"how good and important his shift in defence was yesterday"
"I thought Fazlet had a better game this week,"
#Post#: 104847--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: February 27, 2023, 3:36 am
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Thats worrying people can be that deluded.
It’s all fine saying his defence is great and it’s like having
an extra back rower, but that isnt his primary job. They are
nice extras to compliment his actual role, which he isn’t doing
at all.
I don’t think SB will make any major changes anyway, and I also
don’t think SB has the bottle to hook his captain when he should
do in reality (Ie 50 minute mark). It begs the question, if he
dosent trust Marcus in these close games which the Wales game
was (but only close due to the missed kicks and poor back link
up play), why have him there at all.
#Post#: 104848--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: Yareet
Date: February 27, 2023, 4:12 am
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--- Quote from: MaidstoneQuin link ---
>
> Thats worrying people can be that deluded.
>
> It’s all fine saying his defence is great and it’s like having
an extra back rower, but that isnt his primary job. They are
nice extras to compliment his actual role, which he isn’t doing
at all.
>
> I don’t think SB will make any major changes anyway, and I
also don’t think SB has the bottle to hook his captain when he
should do in reality (Ie 50 minute mark). It begs the question,
if he dosent trust Marcus in these close games which the Wales
game was (but only close due to the missed kicks and poor back
link up play), why have him there at all.
>
--- End Quote ---
On that note, on today's BBC pod Warburton is discussing Wales'
options at 10. He mentions that many of them are great going
forward but that is only half the game (for reference, the stats
I saw were England had 49% possession). If you have Lawrence,
Fickou or McCloskey running down the 10 channel, the fly half is
expected to make his tackles.
England are re-building under a new coach and it is not unusual
for that to start with defence. In that context, I can
understand wanting a 10 who gives you 9/10 for defence with 7/10
for attack (8/10 when at his absolute best) rather than the
other way round.
The issue at the moment is that Farrell is giving 5/10 in
attack.
#Post#: 104849--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: Camquin
Date: February 27, 2023, 4:32 am
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Farrell's kicking has rarely got above 70%.
His defence is suspect - though I admit his worst mistake come
when playing as a centre.
And he kicks away too much ball, and you cannot attack without
the ball.
#Post#: 104850--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: Man From LA
Date: February 27, 2023, 4:34 am
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Scotland and France both do well with fly-halves who aren't
known for their massive defensive qualities. Anyone would think
that Farrell doesn't miss a lot of tackles.
#Post#: 104851--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: February 27, 2023, 4:43 am
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I don’t even really get where Smiths defence being crap has come
from. He tackles way above his weight. As for Faz, he has at
least one red card in him per season for his tackling. England
have gotten lucky so far with poor kicks being run back at them,
but I don’t think France/Ireland will be as forgiving.
Sod’s Law dictates Faz will try a grubber, it will bounce off
DuPonts shin, for him to collect and run in for a score. Angry,
the next phase Faz will poleaxe him for a red
#Post#: 104853--------------------------------------------------
Re: Smith gets 15 second
DIR By: poorfour
Date: February 27, 2023, 4:51 am
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Smith rarely misses a tackle and is very brave in defence, but
he does give away yards and teams need to plan their defence
around him rather than expect him to hold the line. Ford is a
similar size but stops a higher percentage of runners on the
gainline. That's not saying he shouldn't be played (how many of
the missed chances would Smith have turned into tries? We'll
never know, but kick passes and contestable grubbers are a
strong feature of his game).
The irony of the debate around Farrell is that if you take what
he's doing well at the moment, he's - erm, I don't quite know
how to say this - playing more like a 12 than a 10.
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