Didn't do too well on my predictions - England won by 1 point versus my guess of SA by 5 (both victor and margin incorrect), Wales beat Scotland by 11 points versus my guess of Wales by 5 (victor correct, margin incorrect) and Ireland hosed Italy by 47 points versus my guess of Italy by 5 (victor and margin incorrect) - nobody told me Italy were going to play a B team as well as Ireland, in prep for the Georgia game this weekend.
England (somehow) scrape home against SA
Credit to England on Saturday for finishing ahead on the scoreboard, as they were second in virtually all key areas. No tries but four penalties from Owen Farrell, a very solid defensive effort from the forwards, including a MOM performance from Mark Wilson at 8 and the replacement front row really stepped up in the last third. Areas to improve on for England ranged from coming a distinct second in scrum, a high penalty count against them overall (which NZ would punish more severely) including another Itoje yellow, Daly under the high ball, more try scoring opportunities, especially as the only real one was butchered by Brad Shields failing to execute a 2 v 1 under pressure. South Africa, with more accuracy (especially throwing into the lineout) and better decision making, especially in second half, would have been 15 points up at half time and England would never have got back in the game. Safa stars were Allende in the centre, a real wrecking ball, the front five in scrum and Pollard at 10 who set up the only try of the game and kicked well.
Can't you see he is wrapping his arms around attacker
And then onto that Faz tackle. I would not have wanted to make that decision, which could potentially have meant the away team winning the game at Twickenham with the clock dead, but for the video ref not even to warrant it a penalty I found strange. The Aussie and Kiwi agreed between them that whilst he led with the shoulder, he wrapped his arm(s) sufficiently to warrant it as a legal challenge. Certainly, all the Northern Hemisphere refs interviewed this week (who did not have to make the decision live admittedly) indicated they would certainly have penalised Farrell - some even saying it was a yellow card offence. Imagine the opposite scenario, where a South African put in the same challenge on an England player, or even a Pacific Islander (on Ben Youngs or George Ford)? They would have shown him a red, locked him in the tower and thrown away the key. Anyway, coulda, woulda, shoulda ... doesn't matter now, but Erasmus, the SA coach's response in the post match conference was interesting - "if that sort of tackle is now legal, we will practice it in training this week and inflict it on France on Saturday" (the first 10 mins of that game will be interesting). And true to his word, he was filmed instructing Esterhuizen, the victim of said tackle to mirror Farrell's challenge, which is worth watching ... no doubt the ineffective suits at World Rugby will not be amused.
SA practice the Farrell
Last but not least, forget international rugby, the real game of the weekend was Jersey's win over London Irish, the Exiles first defeat of the season - just watch Jersey's first try from under their own posts.
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