What a Bath man in instead of a cherry and white, wash your mouth out old chap!

Seriously though I was surprised Rokodugni didn't make the 23, I think May actually is better, but I'm not so sure on Marland Yarde who can be brilliant and can be a bit dodgy, but I was surprised that Rokodugni didn't make the bench - you could also make a case for Goode (sadly Alex, not Andy) who has been fantastic this year and last.

I think Jones is trying to light up the back line which is why Daly gets 13 rather than Joseph, who seems to have been a little off form since the Six Nations (in my view). I reckon Hughes will be great for impact later on, though where he will play - perhaps 7 I'd tend to guess - will be interesting.

It may be ironic - and a little sad - that Hughes and Rokodugni get to stake their claim against Fiji next week, and if they can prove their ase may get a shot against Argentina and possibly Australia

Does anyone know the score on the various injuries - I know Haskell is out of all 4 matches, as I think are George Kruis & Jack Nowell but what about the likes of Itoje, Jack Clifford and Anthony Watson - I'm guessing the latter is gone for all four?

Anything on Tuilagi as well, I know he's down the pecking order a bit now, but I'd like to see him back -I guess it would be at 12?

Nowell might make it back before the end of the AI, Watson won't. Manu might be back before the end (Leicester quite rightly are being very precautionary) but he won't be playing for England. Clifford is definitely out. Not sure on the others mate, I doubt a broken hand heals that quick, but we are talking about a T-1000 here.

As for May > Roko pfft. The only reason I see is that Roko plays right wing for us, but as someone who sees the huge potential of Yarde I'm not too disappointed with his selection on the right.

So the SA team has been named, couple guys I know little about. Ventor and Paige (who I'm not sure why has leapfrogged de Klerk) but I guess we will see how they go, I'm certain Eddie knows what they are about! Whiteley and especially Combrinck (who I see so much of Lewsey in) are both top quality, we need to watch those guys. They are definitely set up for a physical bosh em style, and although the media are certain that's no threat I'm not as sure.

Hyped and nervous now, bring it on!

OK folks, here's my forecast for this weekend

Friday 11 November
1930: Barbarians v Fiji - Barbarians by 7, probably something like 70-63

Saturday 12 November
1400: Italy v New Zealand - New Zealand by 28, as Bruce Banner would have put it, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry
1430: England v South Africa - England by 7
, Scotland v Australia - Australia by 10, think weather will help the Scots, but not by enough, the Aussies looked very good last week
1645: France v Samoa - France by 4, this will either be a classic match or an almighty punch up, both of which would be fun!
1730: Wales v Argentina - Argentina by 10, would love to see Wales do it, but their heads just seem down right now, even Shaun Edwards'
1915: Ireland v Canada - Ireland by 10, even though it is the rugby equivalent of the under 11 b side in plimsolls

Let's see how these games on out today

hmm

got a bad feeling about today

Got back in late but thankfully twitter has all the replays you'l ever need. May proving he's a great finisher again

Binny and Ford made that try easy for May, second try was fortunate to say the least.

Overall we have been poor, such a lack of discipline too, it's a good thing this Bok side has nothing. Binny knocking Etzebeth into next week whilst carrying a prop was good ha!

Sprinkboks look like theyve just stepped out of 1995.

Less errors in the 2nd half please England.

From the angle i saw that finish didnt look that easy. He had a lot of ground to make, it was a pure speed thing though

Brown made a poor pass, but the timing of those Binny/Ford passes with two good dummy runs made it. Was a class move to be fair, May did more for the other try chasing down Combrinck imo.

Feck sake Scotland. Dont blow this

Well they did

oh well, come on England

Very good win for us today. Springboks going through a difficult period.

Disappointing performance for me, without Binny and Youngs (who made PSdT look a fool) it would have looked quite different. Thought the SA try was a disgraceful decision, good thing it didn't matter.

Scotland have had a terrible weekend of sport!

I thought Daly was excellent today.

Farrell is just such a solid player these days too.

I have long thought that Care was England's best scrum half simply because of his potential to something unexpected. I can no longer think that, Youngs,B was outstanding.

Good result, reasonable performance, two things to to take away.
1. South Africa were awful, way below expectations.
2. Play like that for the first 20 minutes against NZ (lucky you don't have to) or even Australia and you will be punished.


As for Scotland, didn't see it because I was at Twickers, didn't need to, the result says it all. And please don't patronise me about it, the plucky loser tag is no longer wanted.

Still, I'll be back at HQ in March to see us win by 2.

I noticed your latest English recruit got MotM on his debut, maybe your lot should work harder combing ancestory.co.uk for some more Seriously though, watched it this morning, it was a good test match.

Care and Youngs have been doing this dance for years now. Not a bad problem to have

comment by Aristodemus (U3765)
posted 5 hours, 49 minutes ago
I noticed your latest English recruit got MotM on his debut, maybe your lot should work harder combing ancestory.co.uk for some moreSeriously though, watched it this morning, it was a good test match.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Would this be the Englishman with the Welsh name who was born in Edinburgh?

See your latest Polynesian, born bred and buttered in Fiji was lucky to stay in the park within minutes of coming on. Should have been carded as every Englishman around me expected him to be. Discipline is a problem with that one I think.

Discipline still a problem with the whole team

I agree on Hughes, discipline is his biggest flaw by far. He is a merc too I'm pretty sure you know what I think about him, just like that bok you just called up. You and I both know Jones is English, Martin Luther King isn't German is he.

Tom Wood didn't last long

JSpurs

Why the laughter at Tom Wood. I actually thought he had an OK game, but he's never a 7.


Demus

Don't hold with this non-heritage stuff, so you're right, I don't agree with the du Preez selection. You feel the same about Hughes, but what about Rokoduwhatsit? Does being in the army give him some exemption from your ire, or is that a Bath thing?

As far as Jones is concerned, he was born in Edinburgh, so dry your eyes and wind your neck in, you missed the boat and he's ours. . He's certainly more Scottish than Tuilagi and the Vunipolas are English.



Any road up, has anyone seen this little gem. Outrageous or what!!!???

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37995114

Hypocritical of me to not have a problem with Roko in some ways but yeah, if someone is willing to put their life on the line and serve the country as he has I won't begrudge him wearing an England shirt. Nothing to do with his club.
Hughes is a merc, Te'o is a merc, from the residence and heritage rules. Matters not.
Hartley (who also happens to have an English mother), Manu and both Vunipola brothers all came here as children, went through the English rugby system and have played 100% of their competitive rugby careers here. I've no problem with that.

So Jones, born whilst his English parents were working in Scotland very short term. Grew up, was educated and went completely through the English rugby systems, then moved to South Africa. Sorry mate, he is a perfect example of a merc, simple as that. Not good enough for England or South Africa, that's the only reason he made that decision.