Quote ="FlexWheeler"FFS, it's the forwards. It nearly always has been. They can't build a good enough platform for the full 80. They drop off.
Common problems for england which 99% occur in the pack:
Stupid penalties
Sloppy kick chase
unforced errors
a lack of domination in the collision both in defence and attack
failure to control the speed of the ruck, due to above.
Consistently losing the territorial battle, due to a combination of all of the above.
You can't have 20 minutes of good everything in the pack, then have all of the above creep in and claim the pack dominated. England have some good individuals in the pack, but not enough depth. The bench is never strong enough. Bringing the likes of farrell off the bench, they don't add any go forward, they are dominated by their opposite and that's when england really start to fall off the pace because they are unable to spell the better forwards.
Let me tell you what is going to happen against NZ. England will not be able to control the speed of the ruck. The collisions will be 50/50 at best and otherwise 70/30 in nz's favour. The forwards will struggle to lay any real platform, which means the NZ defence will be able to aim up and shut everything down with ease, field position will be scarce and they'll be some penalties and knock on's from the forwards thrown in.
...........And then people will come on here and say it was all the fault of Chase and sinfield.'"
I expect this to happen in reverse. England will win the arm wrestle which will mitigate Luke's game as he has no creativity from a slow ruck and it will be the Kiwi's stamina and discipline that will suffer over the full 80
