26-8-19 RUGBY UNION FRIENDLIES
RUGBY UNION
FRIENDLIES
SCOTLAND 17-14 FRANCE
HAPPY HARRIS
Peter Horne was the culprit when he forced a pass under
pressure towards Stuart Hogg, which was picked off by French wing Damian
Penaud, who galloped home unchallenged.
Scotland recovered to narrow the gap through a Greig Laidlaw
offside penalty, and they had a few more half chances during the next 20
minutes, although they struggled to click as an attacking force and were
hesitant in defence.
France, on the other hand, looked far more comfortable on
and off the ball, and they extended their lead on 26 minutes when Russell
failed to gather a high ball.
From the turnover, Sofiane Guitoune swept outside Ryan
Wilson before sending Penaud in for his second try of the afternoon.
Scotland struck back just before half-time when Ramos
directed a hospital pass at Penaud on his own 22. Chris Harris made the hit,
Kinghorn scooped up the loose ball, and Harris got straight back into the game
to collect Kinghorn's offload.
The centre was pulled down just short of the line, but
Scotland recycled quickly. Pete Horne had a dart in midfield to suck in the
French defence, then another quick recycle gave Russell the chance to send Sean
Maitland in for a score in the corner with a trademark floated pass over
Charles Ollivan's head. Laidlaw struck the conversion.
Murrayfield came to life when Hogg sent a long kick up the
right touchline and Kinghorn did well to close down the French as they tried to
clear the danger. A few minutes later, Harris hit the line like a runaway train
to score under the sticks.
MY
OPINION
This says hat Scotland are
getting better and are learning from their mistakes and they have a real chance
of getting the Irish on the hop as they do not look good but we all know
famously about the French blowing hot and cold
ENGLAND57-15 IRELAND
COKANASIGA CLEARS
DOUBT ENGLAND ARE IN THIS
From the restart Ireland have it back with Rob Kearney who
sets off on a mazy run and feeds Larmour who is into the England half and into
touch. Iain Henderson does a great job of ripping the ball from the England
maul on halfway, it goes left through hands to Stockdale who chips and chases.
It’s a horrible bounce for England, it goes backwards over their heads as they
give chase for Larmour to pounce on it and score.
Well, there was certainly some pattern there! England get a
good heel on the scrum and it’s a first phase move that uses Tuilagi as a decoy
in midfield, it pops to May and Daly joining the line and they’re in down the
right. Cokanasiga polishes it off in the corner
Ross Byrne strikes it beautifully from 45 metres out and it
bisects the posts.
England have it back and are driving into the Ireland 22
through some fast ball and carrying phases with Vunipola and Itoje prominent.
It goes all the way left to May who can’t get away, but when recycled Tuilagi
cuts a lovely angle where he is tackled but the run stopped the defensive
drift. When it comes out and away right there’s an empty meadow for daly to run
into to score
Vunipola has to work hard to get ball away from the
base, but it’s worked to Tuilagi who turns on the power setting and bustles
over. Farrell has no problem with the conversion.
England are on it and into the 22, it’s recycled and
and inside pass to Itoje on a lovely line for him to accelerate though the
tackle and away under the posts. As simple for England as it is infuriating for
Ireland.
England have a lineout on Ireland’s 22 after Ross Byrne puts
it out on the full after taking it back into his 22. The home team win it with
little fuss and start to inch forward before May isthis close to
going over but drops it in the tackle, play goes on and Kruis is over. It looks
like it might be held up, Nigel has given it on the field
Sinckler shows some beautiful soft hands at first receiver
to put the ball in Underhill’s hands on a cracking angle that sends him through
the line. Curry is on his backrow partner’s shoulder and Underhill draws the
man, pops the ball and Curry is in
Another lovely pattern from first phase finds Cokanasiga
arcing off his wing into midfield and he’s through the gap and all the way to
the line from 40 metres. Tuilagi on the decoy plus Ford and Farrell interacting
beautifully once again
Ireland have some
possession in the England half which they recycle to Bundee Aki who has run,
goes through Itoje and steps left to gas and fend around Elliot Daly for a
lovely finish in a tight space in the right corner.
Elliot Daly dinks one in behind for Cokanasiga to chase but
it goes into touch. The full mental disintegration of the Ireland lineout is
complete as they overthrow again and Cowan-Dickie says “ta very much”, gathers
it and walks over
MY
OPINION
Ireland needed to show that they
had leaders in back up and we did not get the chance to see that so will they
be relying on the likes of Rory Best and Johnny Sexton I think so but this is a
friendly so there is still very little to worry about right now but their could
be if things don’t get sorted out soon. As for England this was impressive
Comments
Post a Comment