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Josh Navidi out of the World Cup with hamstring injury. Big loss.
Another one for the PC brigade! It's just a joke for heaven's sake. I thought he did an excellent job refereeing that game.Originally Posted by jon1959
On another matter, did anyone else notice the Welsh supporter in a tartan suit and jester's hat running back and forth whipping up support for Wales? That wasn't the famous Dai Hunt by chance?
Agree, that is not good news. Feel sorry for the lad.
There's no such thing as a PC brigade, don't be so sensitive. This a pretty idiotic move by a professional match official to do this with the fans of the team that benefitted from his decision the night of the game. Imagine if say Mark Clattenburg sent off Sean Morrison for an elbow against Swansea then took a photo recreating that elbow and laughing with a bunch of Jacks that evening, there'd be riots amongst our fanbase.
The only saving grace for Peyper is that it was the most clear cut red you could imagine so his impartiality shouldn't be called into question. He's definitely going to get reprimanded though, which is a shame because he reffed the game well as you say.
It was 100% not Dai.
Agree that Peyper was naive in posing for the photo and his further involvement in RWC will be affected, BUT I can't agree he had a good game. Despite being 4 yards from that maul, he failed to spot the choke on Wainwright- you could see and hear our lad shouting at Peyper to alert him. To then miss the blatant elbow was piss poor. Once alerted by the TMO he was decisive. He missed a clear crossing by the Boks in midfield which prevented our tackle. He also fails to hurry scrum halves up at the base of rucks - he never shouts 'Use it now' like the top referees do. There was a lot of off the ball holding onto our players to slow them getting back into defence which he allowed. Doesn't deserve semi or final based on his performance rather than media outcry.
Crossing by French in midfield.!
It’s a real shame but Moriarty will now start and I suspect Shingler will come onto the bench so still strong options.
Both these points about what he missed are fair
Liam Williams out of the semi final with a training ground ankle injury.
That will be a big, big miss!
Halfpenny in I suppose. Certainly not a like-for-like replacement.
This is a huge loss. Once again injuries are hitting. Liam Williams, Ellis Jenkins, Corey Hill, Gareth Anscombe, Taulupe Faletau and Josh Navidi all out. In contrast England have not lost a single player to this World Cup which I just cannot fathom.
Halfpenny is ****ing yseless compared to Williams..can't even trust him as a 100% kicker anymore..
I was onky thinking yesterday Liam is due a match winning performance..jeez
Poor strength in depth isn't going to help in this one. Looking at how we have played, even with a fit squad I'm not sure we would have had enough to turn them over, against Japan they looked so strong and are a very different looking boks to the last couple of years.
poor fitness?
I think more down to bad luck. Ellis Jenkins stood no chance when he was injured at the breakdown right at the end of the game last year.
Anscombe suffered a similarly appalling injury whilst running with the ball in the warm up. Faletau is now brittle I’m afraid.
Cory Hill’s injury is a strange one. He seems to be taking an age to get fit. Navidi pulled his hamstring which let’s be honest can happen to any player.
England’s conditioning must be incredible. They have a fully fit squad.
Ah bugger :-(
Was going to be tough even with him.
Big underdogs for Sunday, which could help us slightly
The injury setbacks we've had have primarily come from dropping down the rankings pre-draw and having to gear up for a series of really tough tests. Although we had a break between Aussie game and Fiji game, it also seems that weather and scheduling has meant we've played more rugby and in a shorter space of time than the other three.
Regardless, teams who want to be world champions are challenged and find a way to come through. It may even help us: New Zealand tactics in the opening game against SA were to use their 10 and 15 as play-makers on either side of a central scrum (spreading out the SA defensive line) and then to use a kicking strategy to get past the rush defence from the SA wingers, and doesn't Patchell frequently play as a full-back for the Scarlets which would give us the same options? SA are also facing more of an unknown now in terms of our attacking play which considering the extensive work their head-coach does to plan for every possibility may also advantage us/make things more even.
Do you think Gatland will chose Patchell at 15 instead of Halfpenny? Not a bad shout.
The risk would be that if, and it's a fairly large if, it did come off then we could easily lose one of them to injury late in the game and be even weaker for the final. At this point I think you have to go for it and if we end up getting embarrassed in the final then at least it's a final rather than 3rd/4rth place game.
I'd like to see him throw the dice, not that it'll happen. Biggar will start at 10 and we'll have two centres held together with gaffer tape.
Williams out is out only real threat of making serious yards from broken play.
I'd like to see Patchell start at 10 with Owen Watkin at 12. He's a good 1-1 defender and is a 12 not a 13.
North needs to offer something this weekend or I'd give him the hook at half time and get Lane on.
In contrast England have not lost a single player to this World Cup which I just cannot fathom.[/QUOTE]
The postponement of the England v France game could be the defining moment of this World Cup. Whilst NZ also benefitted from a day off, the break in England’s run of 5 Tier 1 games (also with the Argentina’s red card helping them out) is making them likely champions if they win on Saturday.
The postponement of the England v France game could be the defining moment of this World Cup. Whilst NZ also benefitted from a day off, the break in England’s run of 5 Tier 1 games (also with the Argentina’s red card helping them out) is making them likely champions if they win on Saturday.[/QUOTE]
They are very lucky. We have six top players out now.
At the risk of being pedantic, the England v France game was cancelled not postponed.
Agreed Pearcey3, but actually we have arguably have 8 missing from our best squad with Rhys Webb(unavailable due to stupid rule that you have to have 60 caps to play abroad? ) and Scott Williams( just coming back from year long injury so not fully fit)?
I would like to have seen Scott Williams selected for the squad in the first place. He could have played his way back to full fitness. Not too worried about Webb. We have two good uns in Gareth Davies and Tomas Williams. The loss of Liam Williams is just so frustrating. How the hell have England had a fully fit squad prior to World Cup selection and not lost a single player since?
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