Re: Eng Vs. NZ : Sun Nov 09, 2014 7:00 pm  

Nice post UR.
Im not the biggest fan of the laptop n radio thinking coach.
okay have him on board but sometimes that rolled up shirt sleeve motivation coach approach has more effect on performance from heart than brain.

Re: Eng Vs. NZ : Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:57 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Whitehead played yesterday.
I would have had Ratchford on the bench to allow Clark a rest, and move Smith to #9 for that period.

I'm not a Steve McNamara fan but think he's done reasonably well with such a young / inexperienced squad. If you want to look at abject failure go back to the 2008 World Cup. I was over there for the whole tour and it was the most embarrassing England / GB performance I have witnessed.

Anyone who was in the same hotel in Townsville as the players will tell you how bad the chemistry was between them.

Really? I haven't actually watched the game yet I've recorded it.. I heard it was an unchanged team..
I have to disagree I don't think he's done well at all... There is a post on the VT that McNamarra has had 20 games 8 of which are against NZ or Aus with only one win... We've also lost to Italy and a thrown together team of Aussies and Kiwis (The Exiles) during his tenure..

Re: Eng Vs. NZ : Mon Nov 10, 2014 12:12 am  

We have improved immensely since 2008 but that might be more down to clubs' academies or just chance that a decent crop have come through at once. I don't actually rate MacNamara that highly; he picked the wrong half backs last year for the WC and Bret Ferres at dummy half yesterday?and the inclusion of JTomkins after half a season of fairly average rugby league?

We did play some attractive rugby in this tournament but we didn't make the most of too many good situations and we were poor in the second half against Aus. But I suppose he's still learning as a coach.

There's no reason we can't build on what we've done in this tournament though as our players progress and get older/wiser/better. Maybe a 2016 Four Nations win?!

Re: Eng Vs. NZ : Mon Nov 10, 2014 5:49 am  

More chance of the Pope getting married than England winning under McNamara.