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Sun 23 Nov 2014 | 09:24
Test Rugby Results - November 22nd weekend

41
Comments

We were treated to a great day of Test match rugby yesterday, with some thrilling games and top quality tries. After leading 17-0 then trailing 20-17, Ireland beat the Wallabies in what was probably the game of the day. Argentina also picked up a great win, with victory over France in Paris.

Wales looked like they were about to spring an upset over New Zealand when they led 16-15 with ten minutes left, but the All Blacks stepped up a gear to win 34-16.

England and Samoa battled it out at Twickenham after a controversial week for the visitors. The scrappy match ended with a home win and a great gesture, as both sides linked arms, formed a huddle and had a quiet moment, saying a prayer and showing great solidarity (see below).

Weekend results:

Romania 18 - 9 Canada | Portugal 29 - 20 Namibia | Fiji 20 - 14 USA 
England 28 - 9 Samoa | France 13 - 18 Argentina | Ireland 26 - 23 Australia
Italy 6 - 22 South Africa | Scotland 37 - 12 Tonga | Wales 16 - 34 New Zealand

More from each game to follow over the next few days. Do you think Ireland are now genuine Rugby World Cup contenders? Have Wales made progress, or were the All Blacks always in control? Are Argentina looking a more complete outfit? Discuss, dissect etc in the comments below.

Posted By: Grant Constable

41 Comments

  • danknapp
    4:20 PM 28/11/2014

    "If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times, play like England!"

  • desertcolt07
    12:58 AM 27/11/2014

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUgLQ2K8e2Q

  • drg
    7:58 PM 26/11/2014

    Makes perfect sense... how many times have you heard people say: "you going to training on ___day?" followed by "umm, I dunno, same old sh*t really"...

    Ever found it's the training sessions where the coach mixes things up a bit which are the ones that leave you absolutely wrecked but feeling well and truly satisfied, you've done something new, you've worked out a new move, you've learnt something you didn't know you could do...

    I personally get more satisfaction from pre training touch than I often do in the main training.. I'm a second row back row... call a lineout code for me and I'll jump and catch the ball... I'll do it all damn training session and get 99.99% of catches...Get a coach to pitch 1st against 2nd or something like that, and you'll get a real work. I can ruck, I can maul, I can scrum etc.. training those skills are important, but doesn't the management want to see what happens when I'm stuck out wide and someone throws me the ball? Do I tuck it up and go headfirst, or do I open my eyes and look for support, gaps, pass opportunities, opportunities to chip overhe-maybe not...

    I think we all know basic skills are key, but unless you mix things up, you'll always find a team that can out do you on the basics and leave you with nothing left to offer...

  • drg
    7:48 PM 26/11/2014

    You can imagine the pre match talks from Hansen:

    "Richie, for fuck sake, they're cottoning onto you being invisible, do something stupid for a while and stop CATCHING the ball!!!"

    "Dan, throw a couple interceptions and miss the damn goal for once, I'm trying to do something here and your passing is wrecking it for me!"

    "The rest of you, well you're the B team anyway, just do whatever you normally do, it's not good enough to get into my 1st team anyway, so it must be shit enough!"

  • drg
    1:28 PM 26/11/2014

    Agree with you regarding Farrell's attitude. That sort of behaviour was becoming of a cocky 9 who is well recognised. Take Jimmy Cowan for instance, a highly dislikeable on field character, I know nothing of him off the field, but his on field displays do his character no favours, however (consulting wikipedia here), he has 51 NZ caps to his name, 45 points for them, over 100 caps for the Highlanders etc etc.. basically he's been around for long enough to be worth something. Plus, he's a 9, so he's allowed to be a dick...

    Farrell however just comes across as someone that thinks he's the next Dan Carter/Jonny Wilkinson etc, or perhaps he's living off the fame of Dad and other notables in his family...

  • oldflyhalf
    8:25 PM 25/11/2014

    Sorry, sir, but ...is a wishful thinking. :)

  • reality
    6:52 PM 25/11/2014

    Home refereeing? After watching the World Cup 2011 I can assure you that home refereeing will never be a factor in a world cup - yeah right!

  • stroudos
    4:40 PM 25/11/2014

    To some extent I was playing devil's advocate. I'm a big fan of Ford and I hope he gets the gig long-term. I'd actually have Cipriani next in the pecking order ahead of Farrell, but I believe Ford offers a much more complete package than all other contenders currently.

    The stuff you describe in your last paragraph would definitely irk me if I'd been aware of it. Don't seem to remember any of those incidents to be honest.

    Now then. Here is a rhetorical statement that may well be proven or refuted over the coming weeks and months:
    Lancaster and his team (whatever their level of influence) have done Ford a favour, by introducing him gradually and allowing Farrell to play some very tough games and take the flak where they've not been successful. I mean no disrespect towards Samoa in saying that was a good game for Ford to play a full 80. Not least, in fact, because he was able to show that he was robust enough to deal with those monsters!

  • straightenup
    6:30 AM 25/11/2014

    Exactly, Guy, which is why I started off by saying I agreed with your main point. The rest is just for anyone who was curious about the explanation of the name. Glad you found it of interest.

  • guy
    6:18 AM 25/11/2014

    Interesting article, thanks. actually, I am not someone to believe anything that can be found on wikipedia. My point is that more than a 100 years ago the entire team seemed to play like backs. And they still do, maybe more so than ever. So in that respect nothing much changed over the last 11 decades, and especially not the inability of the rest of the world to consistently catch up with them.

  • straightenup
    1:15 AM 25/11/2014

    I think your point is a fair one, Guy. But just regarding the origins of the name "All Blacks", for people's interest, the "all backs" typo story has been pretty much debunked. The Wiki page you quote says it's most likely a myth, while the Wiki "Original All Blacks" page goes further and points out that the UK press had described them as "All Blacks" since the very first 1905 tour game against Devon.
    There is also a report in the Wellington Evening Post in 1904 which says that "the chances favour the all blacks" against the visiting British side; although it appears that NZ was still wearing white shorts at that stage. The point is that the term was already recorded before 1905.
    When I was a boy I believed the typographical error story because it was so widely reported. Wallace was the last of the Originals to pass away and his version was given much credence, despite not making a lot of sense in the light of the historical evidence, or common sense really.
    This link has some more info.
    http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/allblacks.html

  • 07015678
    8:30 PM 24/11/2014

    Hi Stroudos,
    I agree that Lancaster is strong minded enough to make his own mind up, but like you say he's stuck with his decision of Farrell as first choice 10. Andy Farrell is a very intelligent coach but the fact is his son hasn't got the ability or discipline to ignite the back line, intuitive reaction skills, or intelligent decision making required at the level the England squad want to reach. Yes he'll put the ball between the posts and he'll put in bigger hits than most if not all other choices, but that's not enough for what is the most important position in the team. Ford can beef up, work on tackling and goal kicking technique. Farrell can't work on playmaking talent he wasn't born with.

    I strongly feel Lancaster has justified Farrell as a starting 10 for his tackling and goal kicking on top of Andy's bias persuasion. Everyone knew of Ford's talent and aside from his unfortunate injury prior to the NZ tour he should have been better built into the England 10 jersey ahead of Farrell.

    If I'm really really honest with myself though. I'd have to say that I do have a strong dislike for Farrell's character too, and I know a very high percentage of rugby fans will as well. This may be having an effect on my opinion of his game potential. His behaviour on the Lions tour was an embarrassment and his post try celebratory shove on Cusiter at Murrayfield was disgusting to name a few.....there are many many more detestable displays of poor sportsmanship by an individual who seems to ooze with arrogance. English rugby fans should aspire for much much better in their star man.

  • guy
    8:11 PM 24/11/2014

    Wikipedia: 'A representative New Zealand team, since referred to as the Originals, first toured the British Isles in 1905. The emergence of the name All Blacks occurred during this tour when, according to team member Billy Wallace, a London newspaper reported that the New Zealanders played as if they were "all backs".[14] Wallace claimed that because of a typographical error, subsequent references were to "All Blacks".'

    So you might say that in more than a century, nothing has changed really. And the funny thing is: the rest of the world still just can't seem to catch up with them.

  • 7:29 PM 24/11/2014

    Yeah but still, I think there is a problem in coaching. I've played rugby since i was 5. If I would have learnt something different or new each training sesson, just little things like receive the ball and pass it, without taking the ball to your chest and having to 'reload', each time...by the age of 20, the level would have been a lot higher. I think in small clubs in Europe the coaches are just old players who do the same routine training sesson they were taught and so on. There is no progression. For me training should be a lesson, and ok you should still keep working on the things you know, but you should get the opportunity to learn as much as possible. If that's what you want. Of course for the guy who wants to just have a piss up on a sunday and train twice a week, fine, but ypungsters should get the opportunity to learn the game more, and not just repeat. Rugby will evolve and get better by learning not by repeating...if that makes sense. Lol

  • stroudos
    6:18 PM 24/11/2014

    Indeed. Fingers crossed we get this kind of "home refereeing" next autumn... ;)


  • stroudos
    6:16 PM 24/11/2014

    Lull 'em all into a false sense of security. Oldest trick in the book.
    NZ just can't bring themselves to actually lose games though...

  • reality
    5:57 PM 24/11/2014

    I was more surprised about England's first try being awarded. A Samoan player was blatantly taken out by Barrett, then a nice forward pass and they're in. It wasn't even a case of Barrett running a good dummy line and committing the defender - he just ploughed into him and knocked him to the ground.

  • drg
    5:40 PM 24/11/2014

    I'm with you on this one. It's been highlighted quite a few times on here how if you go to most parks/beaches on a sunny day/normal day, in the NH, you'll see folks kicking a football around. In the SH, it tends to be someone tossing an egg around... until 'picking up a rugby ball for a mess about' becomes the norm, I'm afraid the NH will tend to be already starting on an uphill...

    Don't know what the 'elf n safety brigade are like down south, but when I was at school in the NH we tended to pick up a rugby ball during lunch breaks and have a run around on the grass, quick passing, fast hands and some tackles, most of the time it ended up with us being threatened with 'detention' as we were not being properly monitored and because we were in a mixed age group (year above and below) and someone could get hurt.... brings the hammer down a tad...

  • drg
    5:34 PM 24/11/2014

    Ah, correct, I have missed Ireland. There are 2 reasons for this; 1 because I genuinely forgot to write them in - no disrespect intended, and 2 because I unfortunately didn't see a single game of theirs (which is probably a reason for point number 1!)

    They have however seemed to come back in all guns blazing. I recall someone mentioning '13' and how it's nice that there is literally 0 pressure on that shirt because no one expects a player as good as BOD to walk on the field.

    Regarding the NZ bit, I'm just amazed that Scotland could keep them down to 2 points? and nearly win the game in the first place. Then Wales, who are playing some pretty pitiful stuff at the moment were close to clinching the game - (minus the floodgates being opened at the end). - Then I see your comment below (had me laughing by the way!), perhaps this was always their tactic for all the games, people will head into the RWC thinking NZ is on decline...

  • 2:38 PM 24/11/2014

    Did anyone watch the bbc commentary with Guscott, Davies and Ali williams? When John Inverdale asked him (this was after the Wales-New Zealand match):
    "How do the All blakcs keep the same level of intensity and skill set? How are they just so far ahead?"
    And Ali williams said in the Northern Hemisphere forwards are taught to ruck, maul, tackle and lineout whereas in New Zealand the forwards train with the backs skills coach.
    They highlighted when I think it was Dan Coles (all black 2) broke the line and straightened up his line to create a great 2 on 1 against...Halfpenny. I think.


    And I would like to know who agrees with this? I totally agree, the All blakcs have 15 players who can all run and pass, and probably kick. For me this is the future of rugby, or the way forward. Why don't the northern hemisphere coaches do this? Or...do they?!

  • stroudos
    1:32 PM 24/11/2014

    07015678: Lancaster unprofessionally let Andy Farrell talk him into fielding his ... son

    Did he though? I mean, yes it does seem more than coincidental that he's been in favour for so long, but Lancaster's his own man and I get the impression he's happy to make his own decisions and stand by them.

    Personally I'm delighted to see Ford play. If I were Lancaster I'd pick him ahead of Farrell and I reckon he can inject some much-needed creativity. I hope he gets a run against Australia. But Farrell's selection is not without merit, he offers distinct advantages, for example reliable goal-kicking and defence.

  • stroudos
    1:07 PM 24/11/2014

    I suspect Mr Dump will have a separate post on this in due course, but I'd just like to record, as an England fan, that I thought the yellow card for Leota's tackle on Ford was ridiculous.

    Big hit? Yes! And a beauty too. (By the way, very impressed by how Ford absorbed it and even managed to get the ball away cleanly).

    Penalty? Not in my view - I suppose you could make a case it was a bit high, but I don't know when chest-height became "high". Timing was impeccable, by the way.

    Yellow card? No way. And the ref's admonishment to "keep the game clean" (or was it safe?) was well over-the-top.

    Although I was pleased to see England actually capitalise on the numerical advantage, the next try felt a little bit hollow for me as it shouldn't have been so easy to score.

  • stroudos
    12:52 PM 24/11/2014

    RD: "Have Wales made progress, or were the All Blacks always in control?"

    From the way they went up through the gears in the last 10-15 minutes to ultimately win the match by a very convincing margin, I can't help the feeling that they were taking the piss out of Wales for the first hour!!

  • stroudos
    12:48 PM 24/11/2014

    Mate, you seem to be missing Ireland from your summary. They are a team transformed and this is while they're missing a couple of important players too. Bit of a shame they didn't have a crack at NZ this tour...

    Love this bit: "take NZ, they've had a pretty awful Autumn by their standards". It comes to something doesn't it, when winning all your games on tour is (quite reasonably) considered awful!

  • stroudos
    12:35 PM 24/11/2014

    Surely you mean Gold? ;)

  • feddderico
    12:25 PM 24/11/2014

    Idiot.

  • colombes
    10:08 AM 24/11/2014

    i far prefer argies scoring drop-goals than trying insults in english

  • danknapp
    9:13 AM 24/11/2014

    He can't even spell fuck properly.

  • jeri
    9:02 AM 24/11/2014

    Agreed. Not taking away Hansen's achievements, but what Schmidt done with Ireland was like a magic trick.

  • katman
    8:42 AM 24/11/2014

    The Ireland Australia game was just about as entertaining as 80 minutes of rugby can be. Edge of the seat stuff right till the end. The Aussies were lucky to have Foley's try awarded, as it was clearly grounded short, but these things happen. Loved Ireland's commitment in defense towards the end. One huge tackle by O'Connel in particular, in the closing minutes, summed up the Irish effort.

  • drg
    8:22 AM 24/11/2014

    Can anyone really make clear assumptions based on the Autumn internationals?

    I hope they give an indication as to which way each nations rugby is going, but I find the whole thing a bit like reading hieroglyphics....

    Scotland vs Arg for instance - Scotland were on fire, but then imo, they let Arg back in the game. I think the scoreline flattered Arg, however was it a misfiring Arg team? Did the Arg team that later beat France play better? Or did France play worse?

    Then again, take NZ, they've had a pretty awful Autumn by their standards, they got the results, but they weren't pretty. Is this an indication of NZ decline? NH improvement? Or just a bit of cloudiness in NZ minds.

    I'd love to say I can see where the game is going, but honestly, the only team which showed any obvious better style was Scotland... the rest sort of, did what they normally do...just worse..

  • vladimir
    9:28 PM 23/11/2014

    Classy.

  • vladimir
    9:26 PM 23/11/2014

    To be frank I fancy their chances against the french. They got a cold shower from the argentinian and the staff is in complete turmoil: they have no game plan whatsoever and counted on the '3 victories motto' to transcend anyhow the players. Now, they don't seem to inspire or bring anything concrete in this team so that it will find it hard to get over with this defeat by itself.

  • desertcolt07
    9:20 PM 23/11/2014

    viva los pumas and f&%k you france! lol

  • bonnieprincecharlie
    6:00 PM 23/11/2014

    Good for Argentina, the Pumas were outstanding, was a great match and I am happy as well for Ireland and Scotland, they are doing very well, in spite of some Irish mistakes. As an Argentine with Irish and Scottish blood I am very proud of the three national teams.

  • mastersa
    5:38 PM 23/11/2014

    As an Irishman the result could not have been better and under Schmitt there is alway a plan to get the result. I have to say though, right from the olf against the Baa Baa's the Aussies have played the most entertaining brand of Rugby in these Autumn Internationals. Two unbelievable tries (even if one wasn't, it deserved to be). I will be following Ireland in the RWC, but should they exit, we'll I might turn Yellow.

  • thefrenchrugbyfan
    5:06 PM 23/11/2014

    Completely agree! Both of these teams were on the declining slope two years ago and are now shooting back up in time for the RWC2015!

    Shame that France have you in their pool though. Hopefully we can still manage Italy...?

  • erian84
    4:38 PM 23/11/2014

    What a game between Ireland and Australia! As an Ireland fan it was both frustrating and pleasing to watch, with Ireland committing many unforced errors, poor kicking, crooked throws and missed tackles, but also defending like maniacs. If we can beat Australia while not playing to our best and missing a couple of great ball carriers then we certainly have a a chance to reach the semi finals of the world cup. Whether we are contenders remains to be seen. There is a long way to go and other teams such as Argentina are coming on leaps and bounds so it will be a great tournament.

    Australia shouldn't have been awarded the second try but they played some great attacking rugby and ireland looked on the ropes a couple of times. Another year under Cheika and they will be a different animal at the RWC. But I suppose the same can be said for Ireland with another year under Schmidt, exciting times...

  • feddderico
    4:34 PM 23/11/2014

    Argentinian drop goal fever!

  • 07015678
    3:52 PM 23/11/2014

    Glad to see Ford starting at 10. Dissapointed that Lancaster unprofessionally let Andy Farrell talk him into fielding his hot headed, arrogant, and poor decision making son for so long. If England are to stand a chance of winning RWC2015 at home they should drop Owen Farrell entirely and place faith in Ford after giving him complete exposure throughout the 6Nations. He might just turn out to be another Wilkinson, but he'll definately be a more creative 10 with ball in hand.

    I wonder, could Scotland be the surprise package of 6Nations 2015? Not that they have a chance of winning the tournament but they'll have the maybe hot/cold French for the opening game in Paris then the Welsh in Edinburgh who seem to be on the way down and straight after Italy in Edinburgh again which they will win....

  • welshosprey
    3:08 PM 23/11/2014

    Schmidt is on another level at the moment. He should have won coach of the year over Hansen.

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