Date: Saturday, November 2 Venue: Twickenham Kick Off: 14:30
The autumn internationals have become a steadfast tradition in Rugby Union. They offer northern hemisphere national teams a chance to test themselves against their southern hemisphere counterparts. These test matches are fiercely competed and offer an important platform for players to stake claims for upcoming tournaments.
This year’s tests have added importance for England. They are set to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and will want to show that they can compete against the very best. Victories in the upcoming fixtures will provide valuable momentum ahead of the Six Nations in 2014 and the World Cup the year after. This momentum can be vital in achieving success. Clive Woodward, who was head coach when England won the World Cup in 2003, when speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live spoke about how important getting a run of wins is.
“If you keep winning...
The autumn internationals have become a steadfast tradition in Rugby Union. They offer northern hemisphere national teams a chance to test themselves against their southern hemisphere counterparts. These test matches are fiercely competed and offer an important platform for players to stake claims for upcoming tournaments.
This year’s tests have added importance for England. They are set to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and will want to show that they can compete against the very best. Victories in the upcoming fixtures will provide valuable momentum ahead of the Six Nations in 2014 and the World Cup the year after. This momentum can be vital in achieving success. Clive Woodward, who was head coach when England won the World Cup in 2003, when speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live spoke about how important getting a run of wins is.
“If you keep winning...
- 11/2/2013
- by Nathan P. Gibson
- Obsessed with Film
England faces South Africa in the second test of this three game series. After losing last week in Durban, Stuart Lancaster’s men must win on Saturday to draw the series and take it to a winner takes all game next week. Leave your predictions or comments either in the comments below or as always on Twitter @ballintouch
England’s best chance of beating South Africa on this tour was probably last week, at sea level against a side with barely a week’s preparation together and several new caps. The result if you missed it was a narrow 22-17 loss for Stuart Lancaster’s men that showed some encouraging stuff that ultimately fell short.
The next game this Saturday is in Johannesburg at Ellis Park, a stadium renowned for being at altitude and a happy hunting ground for South Africans, especially in 1995. Besides the extra week of getting-to-know-you time...
England’s best chance of beating South Africa on this tour was probably last week, at sea level against a side with barely a week’s preparation together and several new caps. The result if you missed it was a narrow 22-17 loss for Stuart Lancaster’s men that showed some encouraging stuff that ultimately fell short.
The next game this Saturday is in Johannesburg at Ellis Park, a stadium renowned for being at altitude and a happy hunting ground for South Africans, especially in 1995. Besides the extra week of getting-to-know-you time...
- 6/15/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
Having ridden a wave of support since taking charge as caretaker and then full time, the honeymoon period will be well and truly over on Saturday for Stuart Lancaster as he unleashes his young guns on South Africa in Durban for the first Test of the three match series. Let us know your thoughts on the team or predictions for Saturday either in the messages below or on Twitter @ballintouch
For all their hospitality off the pitch,South Africa will be far from welcoming on it. Any fresh faced men in white who pause to take in the moment, be it their first cap or trip to the Southern Hemisphere, will find themselves flattened by a tsunami of South African aggression. If you ain’t local, you’re in trouble.
Counting in England’s favour is that this is Heyneke Meyer’s first game in charge and there are also...
For all their hospitality off the pitch,South Africa will be far from welcoming on it. Any fresh faced men in white who pause to take in the moment, be it their first cap or trip to the Southern Hemisphere, will find themselves flattened by a tsunami of South African aggression. If you ain’t local, you’re in trouble.
Counting in England’s favour is that this is Heyneke Meyer’s first game in charge and there are also...
- 6/7/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
Ireland travelled to a damp Twickenham as England looked to secure an previously unthinkable runners-up medal with their young and inexperienced side. Let us know your thoughts on the game either in the comments below or on Twitter @BallinTouch
With the destination of the Six Nations Trophy already decided, this was a battle for second place. Like in Cardiff the weather was a bit grim, a sheen of rain lying on the pitch.
The first scrum of the game yielded an immediate penalty for England which Farrell slid over for the three points. It was to be a telling omen for the afternoon.
Ireland’s first chance came after a series of turnovers for both sides ended up in the mitts of Keith Earls, the centre causing the Twickenham crowd to catch their breath with his speed before ignoring the man outside and ending up enveloped in the arms of the covering Ben Foden.
With the destination of the Six Nations Trophy already decided, this was a battle for second place. Like in Cardiff the weather was a bit grim, a sheen of rain lying on the pitch.
The first scrum of the game yielded an immediate penalty for England which Farrell slid over for the three points. It was to be a telling omen for the afternoon.
Ireland’s first chance came after a series of turnovers for both sides ended up in the mitts of Keith Earls, the centre causing the Twickenham crowd to catch their breath with his speed before ignoring the man outside and ending up enveloped in the arms of the covering Ben Foden.
- 3/17/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
With France on course for a Grand Slam, England travelled to Paris looking to make amends for a narrow loss against Wales in the last round.
With England having made steady progress this tournament, the trip to Paris had been highlighted as the most difficult challenge for Stuart Lancaster’s men in this year’s Six Nations. England started brightly with a break by Lee Dickson, much like Chris Ashton was making last year off the inside shoulder, but there wasn’t the support and the move broke down. An early high, wide and short drop goal from Beauxis when nothing was on gave an indication of what we could expect from the French half backs.
The sight of Dylan Hartley popping up at the first scrum would have worried England scrum coach Graham Rowntree and amissed penalty kick quickly followed by a conceded penalty on the England try line did nothing for English nerves.
With England having made steady progress this tournament, the trip to Paris had been highlighted as the most difficult challenge for Stuart Lancaster’s men in this year’s Six Nations. England started brightly with a break by Lee Dickson, much like Chris Ashton was making last year off the inside shoulder, but there wasn’t the support and the move broke down. An early high, wide and short drop goal from Beauxis when nothing was on gave an indication of what we could expect from the French half backs.
The sight of Dylan Hartley popping up at the first scrum would have worried England scrum coach Graham Rowntree and amissed penalty kick quickly followed by a conceded penalty on the England try line did nothing for English nerves.
- 3/11/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
England cross the Channel for their fifth game of the tournament as they take on France at the Stade Francais this Sunday at 3pm.
Despite the constant media buzz of speculation over the future of his role as England manager, Stuart Lancaster has insisted it is business as normal and picked the same side that just lost to Wales in the last round as he continued to show faith in a side that sees Lee Dickson, Ben Morgan and Geoff Parling make their second starts, while Farrell continues at fly half.
The loyalty to those players who had served him so well so far this tournament meant that Charlie Hodgson returns to the bench after a hand injury meaning Toby Flood was sent back to his club, much to the consternation of the Tigers coaching staff.
Despite their criticisms, Flood has yet to show sparkling form that could justify a place in the starting xv,...
Despite the constant media buzz of speculation over the future of his role as England manager, Stuart Lancaster has insisted it is business as normal and picked the same side that just lost to Wales in the last round as he continued to show faith in a side that sees Lee Dickson, Ben Morgan and Geoff Parling make their second starts, while Farrell continues at fly half.
The loyalty to those players who had served him so well so far this tournament meant that Charlie Hodgson returns to the bench after a hand injury meaning Toby Flood was sent back to his club, much to the consternation of the Tigers coaching staff.
Despite their criticisms, Flood has yet to show sparkling form that could justify a place in the starting xv,...
- 3/10/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
After two games, both sides were at risk of losing their unbeaten streak, as an inexperienced England took on a mountainous Wales at Twickenham. Let us know what you thought of the game either in the comments below or on Twitter @Ballintouch and remember to use our handy beginners A-z guide to rugby, here.
With Wales in the unique position of favourites for this match at Twickenham, all the talk was about the callowness of the starting England side and the size of the Welsh backline.
It was the gigantic George North who almost drew first blood, two scything runs cutting the England defence to pieces and taking the Welsh into the English 22. Unlike the Irish in the earlier game of the day, Wales were in no mood to start slowly.
The sound of Swing Low reverberated around Twickenham early on, the crowd clearly keen to encourage their team and...
With Wales in the unique position of favourites for this match at Twickenham, all the talk was about the callowness of the starting England side and the size of the Welsh backline.
It was the gigantic George North who almost drew first blood, two scything runs cutting the England defence to pieces and taking the Welsh into the English 22. Unlike the Irish in the earlier game of the day, Wales were in no mood to start slowly.
The sound of Swing Low reverberated around Twickenham early on, the crowd clearly keen to encourage their team and...
- 2/25/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
Ball In Touch: England travelled to a snowy Rome as Italy looked to win for the first time in 18 attempts against the English. Let us know what you thought of the game or anything else either in the comments below or on Twitter @Ballintouch and remember to use our handy beginners A-z guide to rugby, here.
England 2.0’s journey continued in deepest Rome as they came back from behind against Italy on a patchwork quilt of a pitch, as evidence of heavy snows across Europe remained across two thirds of the field.
The cold was no hardship for the home fans filling the Stadio Olimpico. England seemed keen to attack after having seemingly spent 80 minutes defending in Edinburgh last week, a promising early drive failing at the hands of some forwards hanging out on the wing.
Neither side was in any mood to spend too much time standing still, but...
England 2.0’s journey continued in deepest Rome as they came back from behind against Italy on a patchwork quilt of a pitch, as evidence of heavy snows across Europe remained across two thirds of the field.
The cold was no hardship for the home fans filling the Stadio Olimpico. England seemed keen to attack after having seemingly spent 80 minutes defending in Edinburgh last week, a promising early drive failing at the hands of some forwards hanging out on the wing.
Neither side was in any mood to spend too much time standing still, but...
- 2/11/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
The Rfu announced the new England Elite Performance Squad on Wednesday, revealing the names of those expected to take England forward into the Six Nations.
The squad has 15 players who were not in New Zealand, with the older heads of Mike Tindall and Nick Easter failing to make the cut.
Nine players are uncapped, with the likes of Own Farrell and Ben Morgan getting their chance as has been predicted in the media for some weeks now. Four others have one cap to their name, in the form of Mouritz Botha, Charlie Sharples, Chris Robshaw and Joe Simpson.
Other players getting a chance include young Harlequins prop Joe Marler, who is likely to celebrate with a typically outrageous hair style, the perennial nearly man Phil Dowson in the back row, alongside fellow Saint Calum Clark, raising the prospect of a all Northampton Back row with Tom Wood.
Louis Deacon is...
The squad has 15 players who were not in New Zealand, with the older heads of Mike Tindall and Nick Easter failing to make the cut.
Nine players are uncapped, with the likes of Own Farrell and Ben Morgan getting their chance as has been predicted in the media for some weeks now. Four others have one cap to their name, in the form of Mouritz Botha, Charlie Sharples, Chris Robshaw and Joe Simpson.
Other players getting a chance include young Harlequins prop Joe Marler, who is likely to celebrate with a typically outrageous hair style, the perennial nearly man Phil Dowson in the back row, alongside fellow Saint Calum Clark, raising the prospect of a all Northampton Back row with Tom Wood.
Louis Deacon is...
- 1/11/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
Ball In Touch: The latest edition of WhatCulture’s first regular rugby column by our rugby correspondent, Jeff Ball. With the new England Elite Performance Squad to be announced on Wednesday, we discuss who is likely to be picked.
England Reborn
A new year traditionally is seen as a fresh start, an opportunity to clear out the clutter and begin again. Therefore is it particularly apt England will be naming a new Elite Performance Squad (Eps) for the forthcoming Six Nations with 2012 barely two weeks old.
With what has went before dissipating into the haze of 2011, a wave of mid-season optimism is washing over the England set-up, a curious sensation given it is a feeling normally only seen around clubhouses in the middle of summer as boots are dusted down for the start of pre-season.
The man at the middle of this mood is Stuart Lancaster, king-in-waiting whilst the king...
England Reborn
A new year traditionally is seen as a fresh start, an opportunity to clear out the clutter and begin again. Therefore is it particularly apt England will be naming a new Elite Performance Squad (Eps) for the forthcoming Six Nations with 2012 barely two weeks old.
With what has went before dissipating into the haze of 2011, a wave of mid-season optimism is washing over the England set-up, a curious sensation given it is a feeling normally only seen around clubhouses in the middle of summer as boots are dusted down for the start of pre-season.
The man at the middle of this mood is Stuart Lancaster, king-in-waiting whilst the king...
- 1/10/2012
- by Jeff Ball
- Obsessed with Film
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