Cipriani

To be honest, I think ghost made a decent point, about cips at least. I think Farrell has more about him, and better people around him to fall into that trap.

DC is not beyond redemption but he has long way back.

Strange game to highlight Cips as being a rubbish player....The rebels (last years wooden spooners) just lost to the reds (last years champs) by five points and played pretty well despite not having much possesion. If I was you, I would have made this article last week when they got smashed by the waratahs.

Yeah maybe, but I was watching this one

For me, Farrell has been impressive but I get a little worried when the press start to apply their pincer grip on a guy a couple of games in. When Inverdale starts getting misty eyed the warning bells start to go off for me.

Now Haskell as an impact sub for the highlanders on the othe hand has looked like a handy option. He'll learn a lot playing in that pace of rugby and I wonder if there is any route back for him.

GG
Don't you think that Lancaster(should he stay) is the right kind of coach to keep the players grounded?

He does seem to have stamped out any and all off field shenanigans, and he did it right from the word go. (quite impressive)
If a player starts to go down the Cipriani route, i would expect him to be promptly dropped.

That's going under the assumption that Lancaster stays on.

Cipriani is a special talent watched him alot for the England youth teams

Since he broke his leg he has never been the same! Plus that time off th pitch he started hanging around with the wrong people starting buying into his hype

Alot of talk about George Ford but for me Cipriani is our most talented 10 his pace was just unreal and his ability to create from nothing is what sets him apart.

Agree about Lancaster, completely. He seems to be a doing a good job. It has been said that he was targeting the France game (makes sense - time to build and then a real benchmark against the RWC finalists at home).

He seems to have nailed that assignment, and was desperately unlucky to lose to Wales in controversial circumstances (I think George North deserved a red card for deliberately tipping the ball into touch), that would have been a penalty try England with minutes left to play for the win.

Cipriani - I thought he made a couple of mistakes in his first couple of outings and was crucified for it. Farrell seems to have been treated a bit more reasonably so far and has responded with some confident play. The offload to set up Tuilagi today was very composed.

Ye Farrell is a different sort also. Lets look at the facts.
Lancaster is having no messing, and promptly mover the whole squad out of their cushy 7star accommodation up to the north of England for an old fashioned get together before the competition began. You just know that was a mile stone moment.

Also Farrell has the added grounding force of his father LMAO watching every move he makes from the sideline.

Over all England look a completely different side and are just playing good, honest rugby. As it should be. They are young and have it all in front of them. I'm quite impressed and thats big from an irish man.

On cipriani. i wouldn't give you 5€ for his services. Take a good set of players and keep them together. You dont need to drop a poison apple in the basket and ruin the rest of them. And thats just off the field. On the field he had show absolutely nothing fantastic for England but acted like he was the second coming. He is a throw back to a very bad England set up 4 years ago and its in the past now. The past is exactly there "Cips" should stay

Yep, great comment DingBatMan.

"Honesty" is great word to apply to this team and epitomises everything I've been trying to say.

Lancaster's post match interview was also indicative of a passionate English rugby fan, he was clearly juiblant (deservedly so), straight forward, level headed, appropriate, grounded, ... all of those other things.

It's nice to see someone openly smiling and enjoying the win, being open and honest in his responses and not stiffling a smug holy-than-though smirk and talking crap.

Have you seen that big burly brooding dark-haired man in the coaches box when England play?
All 6'3" and 16 stone of him?
Nah, don't see wee Owen stepping far from the straight and narrow somehow.

For who much longer though Taras? Will Big Daddy Farrell be on the scene when the new regime are appointed?