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#Post#: 119734--------------------------------------------------
Re: Times reporting Sinfield is set to replace Flannery.
DIR By: Yareet
Date: February 8, 2024, 4:32 am
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--- Quote from: deadlyfrom5yardsout link ---
>
> I believe he was demoted from Defence Coach to skills coach.
>
--- End Quote ---
Is skills below defence?
A couple of things have led me to believe it may be slightly
different. I get the impression that Sinfield let it be known
that he's off in the Summer and the RFU didn't want to (couldn't
risk having to) wait to bring Felix Jones in.
Jones is defence and Borthwick likes having Sinfield around so
found him another role.
#Post#: 119741--------------------------------------------------
Re: Times reporting Sinfield is set to replace Flannery.
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: February 8, 2024, 5:35 am
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I think England's defence was quite poor in the 6N, build up
games and WC last year so I would have a worry that if it takes
time to adjust to his thinking, could derail a season and make
us out of contention by Christmas.
Accepting that working with players everyday is better than what
he would have had at England in that period.
#Post#: 119745--------------------------------------------------
Re: Times reporting Sinfield is set to replace Flannery.
DIR By: poorfour
Date: February 8, 2024, 6:26 am
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--- Quote from: Banstead Quin link ---
>
> I think England's defence was quite poor in the 6N, build up
games and WC last year so I would have a worry that if it takes
time to adjust to his thinking, could derail a season and make
us out of contention by Christmas.
>
> Accepting that working with players everyday is better than
what he would have had at England in that period.
>
--- End Quote ---
In the 6N, Borthwick's view was that England were severely
lacking in fitness for the pace of game they had to play. The
warm up games were essentially sacrificed to get that fitness -
for instance we were told during the tournament that England
played a full intra-squad match in camp on the Tuesday before
the Ireland game.
On that basis, I think you can only fairly judge Sinfield's
defence by how it performed in the RWC (and even then you have
to consider what the fitness workload was for the squad before
the "easier" matches).
On that basis it was pretty good. England's 3rd place finish was
built on defence rather than attack. The Argentina game was a
case in point: England played 65 minutes a player down, and
didn't concede much until the game was already won. The South
Africa game was similar; although England lost they were in
control of the game until the Bomb Squad got the upper hand in
the scrum in the eyes of the ref.
#Post#: 119802--------------------------------------------------
Re: Times reporting Sinfield is set to replace Flannery.
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: February 9, 2024, 9:37 am
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Slightly undermined by the pace that England played at in the 6N
and the world cup being charitably described as similar to the
printing speed of a fax machine
#Post#: 119803--------------------------------------------------
Re: Times reporting Sinfield is set to replace Flannery.
DIR By: poorfour
Date: February 9, 2024, 9:44 am
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--- Quote from: JammyGit link ---
>
> Slightly undermined by the pace that England played at in the
6N and the world cup being charitably described as similar to
the printing speed of a fax machine
>
--- End Quote ---
In the 6N, yes. Defensive line speed in the RWC games where they
hadn't overtrained in the week (basically Argentina and SA) was
excellent - look at how rattled SA were in the first half.
#Post#: 119804--------------------------------------------------
Re: Times reporting Sinfield is set to replace Flannery.
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: February 9, 2024, 10:13 am
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--- Quote from: poorfour link ---
>
> In the 6N, yes. Defensive line speed in the RWC games where
they hadn't overtrained in the week (basically Argentina and SA)
was excellent - look at how rattled SA were in the first half.
>
--- End Quote ---
That's not the same thing as playing the game at pace, though.
You can have good line speed while playing an incredibly slow
game. The fitness requirements for fast line speed are much
lower if you don't play fast with the ball.
SA were rattled because England refused to play into their
defence and were beating them in the air and with the boot.
Ironically it's only when they finally realised England weren't
going to get bored but could actually be attacked with ball in
hand, because England's defensive system was not great, that
they turned the game around. I guess they hadn't watched
literally any of England's earlier matches!
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