Ashton tortures Azzurri
12 Feb 2011
SIMON BORCHARDT reports on England’s 59-13 thrashing of Italy that resulted in four tries for winger Chris Ashton.
After coming so close to beating Ireland last week, the Italians were expected to challenge Martin Johnson’s side at Twickenham, as they did in Rome last year. However, after a competitive first quarter, the visitors were taken apart and the margin of victory could have been even greater had England not emptied their bench in the second half.
The hosts opened the scoring in the third minute when Ben Youngs put Toby Flood into space. The flyhalf drew Italy fullback Luke McLean and found Ashton, who sprinted 20m before swallow-diving under the posts.
Two penalties from Mirco Bergamasco and one from Flood saw England leading just 10-6 after 20 minutes, before the Italian left wing pushed his third attempt wide of the right-hand upright.
Fifteen minutes later, Italy were dead and buried. Ashton scored his second try after Shontayne Hape bounced off a defender close to the line, and an inside pass from Flood allowed Mark Cueto to break his 19-Test try-scoring drought. An excellent hand-off and one-handed offload from Nick Easter then put Mike Tindall away to make it 31-6 at the break.
Things went from bad to worse for Italy when Martin Castrogiovanni was yellow carded early in the second half when he prevented Youngs from taking a quick tap penalty. The visitors’ defence did well over the next few minutes, but just when it looked as if they wouldn’t concede any points while their tighthead prop was off, Ashton went over for his hat-trick. With Italy back to 15 men, replacement scrumhalf Danny Care then dived over to make it 45-6.
The visitors restored some pride when substitute hooker Fabio Ongaro scored from a driving maul, but tries from James Haskell and Ashton completed the rout.
England will go into their next match, against France at Twickenham in two weeks’ time, full of confidence, while Nick Mallett will be hoping to get Italy’s season back on track against Wales in Rome.
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134 Comments
12 Feb 2011, 18:22 pm
Pomm Dragons?
12 Feb 2011, 18:22 pm
Keep an eye on Ashton
12 Feb 2011, 18:24 pm
Can Ashton tackle Matfield? Hahahaha, not that I know of
12 Feb 2011, 18:35 pm
Missed this whole game. Whoah!!! England must be playing good rugby. Never thought they would beat Italy by that much. England could be peaking just right for the wc. A dark horse there for the cup for sure.
12 Feb 2011, 18:37 pm
Good luck to Scotland for their game against Wales. Hope the Scots beat Wales. Hoping, see the game is at Murrayfield. Could have a good chance.
GO SCOTLAND.
12 Feb 2011, 18:38 pm
@Puma(Puma)-4: hello Puma, England played very well. They will be a threat come RWC time. There backs hit the ball at pace and looked creative – something we haven’t seen from our fumbling carthorses in years.
12 Feb 2011, 18:39 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-6: perhaps Eddie Moans can help you guys again? seems no one else wants to work with PDV..
though I believe its because of your 1st 5/8th..
12 Feb 2011, 18:40 pm
There POMS are a danger to everyone come the RWC.
and WPian’s you team is hondkak – fat Ricky and slow Bolla eish
12 Feb 2011, 18:42 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-7: any suggestion on who to select?
12 Feb 2011, 18:44 pm
@MTN RedLion Roars…(RL)-8: amazing how a team can thrash a, lets be honest, second tier nation and everyone rates them… yet they were ordinary in the EOYTs, showing they still had some way to go to compete with SA and NZ..
lets face it, there are probably 5 or 6 teams at the WC that are a threat, the rest just making up numbers, but lets not go overboard until we see Eng play France, I think that will be a much truer indication of where Eng are at..
12 Feb 2011, 18:45 pm
@MTN RedLion Roars…(RL)-8: …and next weekend your team breaks the record for the most consecutive losses in Super Rugby
12 Feb 2011, 18:46 pm
@JL1(JL1)-9: nope, no idea… but the fact he stands so far back in the pocket makes it much harder for your backline to penetrate IMO..
12 Feb 2011, 18:46 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-10: I posted something similar on another page
Eng has 2 wins against the Tri Nations and both were against Aus, their local derby game
12 Feb 2011, 18:47 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-6: Howzit Spooner,
Yeah, just looking at the score tells me something. Missed this whole game. Out for a early dinner. Think England gonna peak at the right time.
Now hope the Scots can beat Wales.
12 Feb 2011, 18:48 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-12: Howzit Poppa, How you bud?
Okay back later, gonna watch the start of the Scottish game. Love their anthem.
12 Feb 2011, 18:50 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-12: Yes, you need to be able to play flat but also need to be able to protect the channel
Butch can play that way but he is a liability imo
12 Feb 2011, 18:54 pm
@Puma(Puma)-15: hey Puma, enjoy the game in your kilt and with your haggis
@JL1(JL1)-16: yep, Butch has the stigma of his head high tackles, and that will always follow you around…both our teams do not have depth in the 1st 5 department, a real worry for both teams..
I also agree with you re Aus vs Eng, Eng seem to lift and have the confidence to beat the Aussies, but when they come up against both the Boks and the ABs they arent so sure and it reflects on the scoreboard..
12 Feb 2011, 19:00 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-17: Will Carter be covered in cotton wool?
Surely he is key, if he gets injured the Kiwis can almost kiss their RWC chances away
12 Feb 2011, 19:01 pm
Morne Steyn is a very one dimensional limited fly half Poppa’s right, him and Smittie pumpkin gonna cost us the Wc, plus Schalk the skulking hulk, anyone still thinking he’s anything closely resembling a captains behind is still living in delirious daydreaming delusions, as one dimensional flat track bully bumkin as they come, he belongs at Bulls. Oh and before I forget to mention it just for some good measure messiah FdP ain’t gonna be walking on any water this coming Wc you can take that to Boland bank and bank it.
.
12 Feb 2011, 19:03 pm
@JL1(JL1)-11: I do not think so, but at least my team won’t be wearing the 2nd fugliest jersey in Super history after that 1998 Stormers jersey.
12 Feb 2011, 19:04 pm
@skopiskoobidoo(ilanjo)-19: Sataing the obvious will ot help PdV
He needs suggestions
Schalk can still play a role from the bench so can Smit
Flyhalf we have issues
12 Feb 2011, 19:06 pm
@MTN RedLion Roars…(RL)-20: The llok of the jersey means nothing compared to 14 losses
I know which one I prefer and it is not the false sense that you will actually beat the Bulls
12 Feb 2011, 19:07 pm
@JL1(JL1)-22: yes it is fugly and I will wait for next weeks match.
12 Feb 2011, 19:08 pm
I think this Elgar Watts can really be the panacea for fly half ills that WP Stormers been missing last year since Grant left, he’s even better than M. Steyn or Patrick Lambiekins just don’t let him take any kicks at goal.
12 Feb 2011, 19:08 pm
Flower of Scotland is just beautiful
12 Feb 2011, 19:09 pm
The new Stormers jerseys are actually pretty good. Better than the Sharks “sun rising in the east” cheap looking cr*p!
12 Feb 2011, 19:10 pm
Go Jocks
12 Feb 2011, 19:10 pm
@skopiskoobidoo(ilanjo)-24: He is a good player, full of running
Maybe get Morne in at Fullback for kicks
12 Feb 2011, 19:11 pm
@JL1(JL1)-18: I certainly hope he wont be, nothing like game time no matter the risk… while he is a monumental cog in the ABs, too much reliance on one player IMO is the wrong approach…
its just GH wasted such an opportunity on the EOYT last year when he took Donald, who has shown he cant step up… should have trialled someone else IMO…
12 Feb 2011, 19:11 pm
the battle of the Celts vs the Norsemen at Murrayfield, all Her Majesty’s good subjects providing all the fun at the fair.
12 Feb 2011, 19:12 pm
Oh no that squeaky Welshmen is commenting again
12 Feb 2011, 19:14 pm
@JL1(JL1)-28: can Morne play FB? also, very hard to ask someone new to step into the breach in a WC…thats why this super season is so important for both countries chances, sort the wheat from the chaff so to speak..
12 Feb 2011, 19:14 pm
I been saying that two years running now JL1, M. Steyn to full back and Pienaar or Grant or even this Watts to 10. Things could turn around at the flick of an easy switch.
12 Feb 2011, 19:18 pm
@skopiskoobidoo(ilanjo)-33: you must have a crystal ball that really works skop! All these predictions of yours, coming true!
12 Feb 2011, 19:20 pm
James Hook is a consumate No.10 very similar to what Pienaar could have been if only he’d had proper mentorship or coaching.
12 Feb 2011, 19:22 pm
its amazing what you can see if you just apply a little common sense all you gotta do is open your dreary half shut eyes.
12 Feb 2011, 19:25 pm
Even Lionel Cronje is much better than Watts at 10.
12 Feb 2011, 19:26 pm
@skopiskoobidoo(ilanjo)-36: but skop, with your very wide open eyes you still predicted the Sharks would lose to the Bulls in the CC semi, and then lose to WP in the CC final last year
Bound to get one right eventually!
12 Feb 2011, 19:27 pm
@skopiskoobidoo(ilanjo)-33: Will Watts even get some game time with the Stormers?
12 Feb 2011, 19:30 pm
@JL1(JL1)-39:
Highly unlikely, maybe occasionally off the bench, but he will never start.
12 Feb 2011, 19:32 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-40:
12 Feb 2011, 19:35 pm
Afternoon All…Nice to see a good score for us at Twickenham today!!
Nice try from Shane Williams in the Scotland v Wales game just now.
12 Feb 2011, 19:41 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-40: What is this Gary van Aswegen like?
12 Feb 2011, 19:42 pm
@carol(carol)-42: The Poms were fantastic – congratulations on a fine win.
12 Feb 2011, 19:44 pm
@carol(carol)-42:
Hi,
Much better than the rubbish the Stormers are dishing out at Newlands.
I think they might be scared of the Bolanders who are playing in pink jerseys – it is a south effrikan thing- be aware of a man who wears pink, lol
12 Feb 2011, 19:45 pm
@MTN RedLion Roars…(RL)-44:
Why thank you very much MTN Red Lion !!
I missed the game…
Feel a bit sorry for Nick Mallett.
12 Feb 2011, 19:45 pm
Shaun Lamont is having a storming game.
12 Feb 2011, 19:46 pm
@JL1(JL1)-43:
He is very talented- a good solid all round flyhalf that can kick goals as well – a bit green still, but imo he must be the back up for Grant (might even replace him before too long)
12 Feb 2011, 19:48 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-45:
Some men look fantatic in pink…..Saffa men should not be afraid to wear it on or off the rugby field.
Looks great with a tan!!
12 Feb 2011, 19:50 pm
MSteyn is no fullback’s arse, the time for sticking the least mobile player in you team @ fullback just to take the kicks is OVER… Remember Jouba?…teams have lethal & dynamic fullbacks like Beale, Mils, Foden, Dagg o’Connor – on occasion -, Kearny, Jane, Aplon who counter-attack. The days of staid Percy-like fullbacks are over.
Unless bloody skop & jag is your bread & butter!
12 Feb 2011, 19:50 pm
Max Evans quite busy, shame his brother Tom had that horrible rugby accident last season, he is now an actor in America!!
Makes a change from becoming a commentator or a rugby coach!!
12 Feb 2011, 19:51 pm
@carol(carol)-49:
What do you think of Jonny’s new longer hairstyle?
I always thought that older men should wear their hair short?
12 Feb 2011, 19:52 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-50:
Percy may be staid…but he looks great in pink!!
12 Feb 2011, 19:52 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-45: the way you punt aswegen is so much like Skop’s obsession with PG
is he your son 
12 Feb 2011, 19:53 pm
I’d be surprised if Scotland wins this one. They just don’t look good enough right now.
12 Feb 2011, 19:54 pm
@carol(carol)-53: that is hardly the criteria for slection in SA
12 Feb 2011, 19:54 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-52:
As long as he refrains from wearing a hairband a la Beckham and Tevez I can cope!!
Do you wear your hair long, being a surfer?
12 Feb 2011, 19:55 pm
Half Time Scotland 3 – 16 to Wales
12 Feb 2011, 19:57 pm
@carol(carol)-53: Percy Percy percy… thats some infatuation Carol…
12 Feb 2011, 19:58 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-54:
JL1 asked me for an opinion- and that is what I gave him – cannot help that you do not agree with it
12 Feb 2011, 19:59 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-56:
Well you have to start your selection somewhere…..
As we know, Percy could look hot in a plastic bin bag!
12 Feb 2011, 20:02 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-59:
Poppa, if you knew how much I have spent going to games only to watch Percy running on with the Powerade bottles…..!!
Does he show any gratitude?
Anyway, I am coming to Cape Town next month and intend to take him out for coffee!! How could he refuse?
12 Feb 2011, 20:02 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-60: I have to say I have heard that he is pretty good
Lionel Cronje, was he not the SA under 21 player of the year?
12 Feb 2011, 20:03 pm
watts, get serious, m steyn is a great flyhalf, butch and ruan both able backups, peter grant is pretty unlucky not to get an international call up, they all going to waltz down under and pick up the trophy, with the old boys doing their bit both on and off the pitch. SA dont have any playmakers, jdv imo a little overrated in SA, its been a while since we;ve really had one. lambie, watts, cronje – still babes, no ways they ready for the rwc. MS is perfect for the RWC, most accurate placekicker in world rugby, tackles like a demon, massive big match temperament and can hit the gain line (afterall he used to play 12) – but yes he could work on his creative skills.
12 Feb 2011, 20:03 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-17: Hahahahaha. Never eat Haggis Poppa..haha. Not keen on it. But do have a kilt…LOL
Bought it many years back for all the weddings I go to in Scotland. All my mates sons, and daughters weddings that is. Everyone wears a kilt there for that. Enjoy it though. Good fun.
Love the Scottish anthem, the best anthem ever. Then the saffa anthem.
Okay Scotland not doing well there, but will support them through the whole of the 6 Nations.
Just one try here and it could change. Hoping.
12 Feb 2011, 20:04 pm
@carol(carol)-57:
Short, but I have a blonde wig that I sometimes wear, but never in the water.
12 Feb 2011, 20:05 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-60: not based on your comment from a couple minutes ago
12 Feb 2011, 20:06 pm
@carol(carol)-62: lol… so if he goes for coffee Im assuming hes going to need all that powerade??
12 Feb 2011, 20:06 pm
@carol(carol)-61:
i pity WRS
12 Feb 2011, 20:08 pm
@JL1(JL1)-63:
Yes, he was. Since coming down to Cape Town he had very few opportunities – Alister was quoted in a local paper of saying that Lionel has the X factor but makes too many mistakes – He actually looked quite good today during the 30 minutes that he played at flyhalf today.
12 Feb 2011, 20:09 pm
@cab(cab)-64: I think Steyn will be looking better when he gets FDP back
12 Feb 2011, 20:10 pm
@Puma(Puma)-65: so you own a kilt? any specific clan represented by the one you own? and it must be good to get the pipes out once in a while Id imagine..
12 Feb 2011, 20:11 pm
@Puma(Puma)-65:
Hi Puma, haggis is delicious served with mashed swede and mashed potato.
Makes me quite peckish thinking about it!
12 Feb 2011, 20:11 pm
@cab(cab)-64: i wouldn’t use MSteyn & great i the sae sentence…he is adequate.
12 Feb 2011, 20:11 pm
scots cowards getting caned by the dragons at home.
12 Feb 2011, 20:13 pm
where is my buddy jockshyte?
12 Feb 2011, 20:13 pm
@cab(cab)-64:
“they all going to waltz down under and pick up the trophy, with the old boys doing their bit both on and off the pitch”
gees Cab, werent kiwis accused of making bold statements like this in 07? gee,. setting yourself up for a fall mate, but continue..
12 Feb 2011, 20:13 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-66:
Blonde wig….
Any other things you feel you should tell me?
12 Feb 2011, 20:13 pm
@JL1(JL1)-71:
yes maybe, but i think Bokke effectively got three crashball centers in midfield, so perhaps thats why backline looking average?
12 Feb 2011, 20:14 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-69:
Why? His team is beating Scotland at the moment so he should be happy
12 Feb 2011, 20:14 pm
@cab(cab)-64: Howzit Cabbie, I reckon we judge the young ones after the S15. They will have plenty under their belt by then. Watch out for Lambie and Jantjies.
Morne, we play him at fh we have no chance it the wc. He is brilliant at kicking at poles, but not much else. Need more than that Cabbie. He too will just kick away all our ball. Not what we need with the new rules. Then again will judge him after the S15, just to see if he has moved on from just, kick, kick and more kick. He cost us in the 3Nations and the eoyt. If you kick please, kick it out or find space. He never even done that, just kicked into opposition hands. Then we never seen much ball after. BUT without a doubt he will be our fh for wc, if Victor has any say. So don’t worry about that. But I really don’t think he is our man for fh Cabbie. This wc we need a attacking fh.
Agree JdV is overrated. Also a bit of a selfish player, never passes. I would play Frans Steyn there or De Jongh. I know Steyn also don’t always pass, but think he is better than JdV. Also can kick those monsters over.
Okay back to the tv.
Go Scotland. Just hope they can.
12 Feb 2011, 20:15 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-68:
Hummmm…your imagination!
I was only planning a skinny latte…..!!
12 Feb 2011, 20:15 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-77:
but Popps i made the same prediction 4 years ago this time, i am even more convinced this time round, suzie just gotta slip something into SBWs powerade, and if barnesey refs cheater mccaw, the tears will flow. get your hankies darned matey.
12 Feb 2011, 20:17 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-69:
12 Feb 2011, 20:18 pm
@carol(carol)-73: hahaha. NO Carol, no matter what is is served with, don’t enjoy it…hehe.
@poppa69(poppa69)-72: hahahahaha. Never played the pipes in my life, but love the damn things…….hahahahaha. Yeah, own a kilt, but only ever wear it over there…lol.
Gonna now go and watch the rest of this game. Back later.
12 Feb 2011, 20:18 pm
@carol(carol)-82: just a little bit of frothing then?
12 Feb 2011, 20:18 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-74:
how about very good?
@Puma(Puma)-81:
yep still early days, but no ways lambie or jantjies anywhere near RWC2011 – lets see how they go in the S14 for a couple of years.
12 Feb 2011, 20:18 pm
@carol(carol)-78:
Well, I do not own a speedo or wear birkenstock sandals.
12 Feb 2011, 20:22 pm
15 phases and the cowards kick the ball away!what a sad bunch of tossers!
12 Feb 2011, 20:23 pm
@cab(cab)-87: Cabbie, those two youngsters could prove you wrong. This S15 is such a long tourney, they both will have so much game time at a very high level behind them.
Watch em Cabbie. Those two our our future. Remember Butch never kick for poles in the last wc either, but he was pure magic every where else. We have that in Lambie and Jantjies. Morne only can kick. Are we gonna play the kick and chase in NZ? Jeepers hope not. We will be out before we finish the pool games. We have Wales, Fiji and Somoa in our pool. Will have to keep possession against those teams and not kick everything away.
Okay now back later. Missing this game sitting at the pc. Catch up later Cabbie.
12 Feb 2011, 20:23 pm
@cab(cab)-83: I also recall you making predictions about 2010 3Ns that went belly up… you think your team is going to waltz into a country where they have only had 2 wins in 12 years and walk away with the trophy?
whats the point of everyone else turning up?
perhaps if you had a decent coach youd have a valid point, but with PDV there I dont think you guys will take the prize. he has shown his complete ineptitude to create strategy, and the way he handles his substitutes wouldnt fill me with confidence..
but like I said, continue… I’ll certainly remind you of these posts if you guys DONT win the trophy..
12 Feb 2011, 20:23 pm
@Puma(Puma)-90: double our
Meant – are
12 Feb 2011, 20:24 pm
@Puma(Puma)-85:
Never let them tip whisky on the haggis..it renders it nearly inedible!! You would really struggle with that!!
12 Feb 2011, 20:26 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-86:
Yes frothy and a small nibble on the side!!
(Love those little Italian biscuits) !
12 Feb 2011, 20:26 pm
@Puma(Puma)-90:
yep good luck to them, but they looked very nervous on tour. lets see how they go in the S15.
@poppa69(poppa69)-91:
yes, but we now have the Chosen One at the helm who knows how to win downunder, u should be v worried. you dont go to war with a cannon in your canoe. brilliant strategist and mindgame specialist.
12 Feb 2011, 20:27 pm
the trinations has not started yet, I’ve just watched the some of the 6 nations games, god the northern hemisphere are worthless, rugby was just not born there, they are trivial really rubbish.
12 Feb 2011, 20:31 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-91: with that fat-arse john smit as captain the boks won’t win anything,so you can sleep soundly at night!
12 Feb 2011, 20:32 pm
@carol(carol)-94:
biscotti is it?
@cab(cab)-95: the chosen one? bwahahaha true, shame it wasnt solely for rugby reasons though huh? imagine if you guys had a coach that actually was chosen for his rugby nous..
but hey, funny how we kiwis were accused of arrogance and such for some fans talking like you are before 07, yet not a whisper now that youre doing exactly the same? and therein lies the conundrum, good to see the double standards still exist on this site, Ive missed em..
12 Feb 2011, 20:33 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-88:
No speedos, no Birkenstocks…..you are not a mahogany brown, wrinkled European bloke (of a certain age) with a pot belly that likes to stride up and down the shoreline.
You can see then on all Eur0pean beaches from May to September.
12 Feb 2011, 20:35 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-91: 2 more wins than any other country I guess
12 Feb 2011, 20:36 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-98: OK so I am arrogant
Show me the rules where it states that I should not be
12 Feb 2011, 20:37 pm
@JL1(JL1)-100: its just a shame that if our teams do meet, it wont be the final (assuming both top their pool of course)…
12 Feb 2011, 20:39 pm
@JL1(JL1)-101: Im not saying you shouldnt be, it always makes for such a bigger fall when it happens, ala 2010 3Ns…
12 Feb 2011, 20:40 pm
Wow, Scotland have been surprisingly rubbish this game.
12 Feb 2011, 20:40 pm
end of the road for the cowards!williams settles it!
12 Feb 2011, 20:41 pm
@capo(capo)-97: Now you’re making daddy proud!
12 Feb 2011, 20:43 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-103: Yes, the risk and reward is pretty high
One should live by it
RWC are structured to help a NH to get to the final
WRONG!! This should never happen
12 Feb 2011, 20:43 pm
@Porto(Porto)-106: don’t feed the monk ey and it will scamper off.
We were all doing so well ignoring it.
12 Feb 2011, 20:45 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-108: But it’s so much fun
12 Feb 2011, 20:47 pm
this is a bloody poor coward team and they even have a scots dar key coward running aimlessly around in the backline!
12 Feb 2011, 20:48 pm
@Porto(Porto)-109: it’s far more fun watching the monk ey gnash his teeth not getting a response then scampering off with its tale between its legs…than engaging in monk ey talk with it.
12 Feb 2011, 20:49 pm
@JL1(JL1)-107: I thought it was based on what happened at the last WC? which I think is wrong..
they should base it on rankings going into a World cup year, that way the intervening years would actually encourage teams to get away from the “building for the WC” excuses, and trying to better their rankings continually… just IMO..
12 Feb 2011, 20:49 pm
@capo(capo)-110: Stop it now, that’s your half brother
12 Feb 2011, 20:50 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-111: big boy when you behind a keyboard?
12 Feb 2011, 20:51 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-111: Good thing about toying with a ******, you just stop when you get fed up. We can handle it, it’s just a dumb animal after all
12 Feb 2011, 20:52 pm
Not a great game but Wales deserve the win entirely. Maybe a turning point for them.
12 Feb 2011, 20:52 pm
Well that stuffed up my superbru.
12 Feb 2011, 20:53 pm
@Porto(Porto)-115: Asterisks for ******! wow, SA just hit a new low in racial paranoia
12 Feb 2011, 20:53 pm
congrats wales!scots played like a bunch of cowards with english d.icks up their arses!
12 Feb 2011, 20:53 pm
@Porto(Porto)-118: Mon key ya wankers!
12 Feb 2011, 20:54 pm
Bring on the real rugby, bring on the S15!
12 Feb 2011, 20:55 pm
@capo(capo)-119: We bow to your superior knowledge
12 Feb 2011, 20:55 pm
beautiful – sounds like byron or yeats.
12 Feb 2011, 21:01 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-112: The draw takes place well in advance
Just have a look at the pools, they ensure (The IRB) that SH play NH and that the NH have a good chance to go through. Why are Wales in the SA pool and they they did jack at the previous world cup
12 Feb 2011, 21:16 pm
@JL1(JL1)-124: my mistake, it was actually done on rankings..
2011 Rugby World Cup qualifying began at the 2007 tournament in France where the first 3 teams in each pool earned a place in the finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Seeding of teams for the 2011 World Cup was based on their respective IRB World Rankings. The top four at the 2007 Rugby World Cup (South Africa, England, Argentina, and France) were not therefore allocated top pool spots, but “the rankings are now very well established and provide us with a credible and succinct way of seeding teams for the rugby World Cup pool draw”, according to Rugby World Cup Ltd chairman Syd Millar
The draw was conducted in December 2008 and used the World Rankings as of 1 December 2008, after the Northern Hemisphere Autumn internationals. The teams were placed into three bands depending on their seedings at the time, with one team from each band in each of the groups.
12 Feb 2011, 22:44 pm
@capo(capo)-97:
ahaaaaaaa….
so we all see now why grant10 hero worships you.
nothing to do with liberating the poor masses…
everything to do with john smit?
do you also live with your fellow eco-warrior in clifton?
waving your pink flag, sipping your windhoek, admiring the sunset over the magnificent atlantic ocean while all the time bemoaning the injustice of your fellow capetownians languishing in the ghettos on the flats?
wow, what a wonderful contribution you guys make to the less privileged.
i am suitably impressed.
12 Feb 2011, 23:59 pm
Italy were extremely poor today they made England look far better than they are, that being said i do think England are playing the most consistently and think they do stand the chance of a slam this year, however they are the best of a bad bunch from what i have seen so far, folk fail to realise that 3 of the tries France scored against Scotland last week were from mistakes and not from structured play, and Scotlands ‘revival’ was exposed today
13 Feb 2011, 01:02 am
Nice performance by the English while Italians, well, Malett or somebody else, no matter, they are 2nd tier and will remain there. Decent team who will have wins over big boys as often as blind hen stumbles on corn.
13 Feb 2011, 06:50 am
The Poms have done well at Twickenham under Craig Joubert,
It is now developing a solid correlation.
The Poms beat the Wallabies under Joubert refereeing but were taken apart by the ABs and the Boks within 3 weeks and at Twickenham,
might make the cynical wondering.
13 Feb 2011, 09:11 am
This world cup isn’t designed very well if its supposed to get a NH team to the final! England will most likely meet France in the Quarter finals whereas AUS NZ and SA all have fairly comfortable routes to the Semi Finals by their standards. As the only challenge from the Northern Hemisphere in world cups comes from England and France, having them play each other early on doesn’t give the North much of a chance in getting a team to the final.
13 Feb 2011, 11:35 am
Of course the RWC isn’t designed to get any one team from any one hemisphere to the final.
It’s just a simple matter of numbers and the resulting ‘luck of the draw’….
13 Feb 2011, 16:08 pm
Not sure how much can be taken from this game, Italy had an off day and they’re already not a strong team. Ashton’s finishing is superb, what a player. Wilko just one point off the record again…
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-130: yep England nearly always play France in the knockouts, it’s almost as if it’s designed the other way!
@Hondo(Hondo)-129:
you always infer a reffing conspiracy when England win. For the record however, Joubert was terrible in this game, missing forward passes, inconsistency, nit-picking…poor.
13 Feb 2011, 17:11 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-132: @Big Hit(Big Hit)-132: @Big Hit(Big Hit)-132: Thats true there were 2 blatant forward passes, one of which was the inside flick from Castrogiovani, how that was missed.
I agree Italy were piss poor the All blacks and Boks would have stuck 80-100 on them, Italys backs are extremely impotent on attack, not once did they look like scoring.
pople forget that Italys status in world rugby was cemented by 3-4 players in the 90s and early 2000s they were Diego Dominguez (who was 60% of the team and probably the best goalkicker there has been in rugby), Troncon and Carlo chechinatto, one or two other average players, those guys left a massive void which has not been replaced
14 Feb 2011, 17:52 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-132: Sure, Italy are no yardstick (unlike France) but so far England are looking really well. Far from dumb crash and bash, pleasure to watch most of the time.
Meanwhile Italy look terrible. Neutralize their scrum power and the rest is as impotent as it can be.
What about Jonny, wasn’t he injured again?
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