hayj05 says...

And it I'll be the same old dribble in a few months time just like every year, NH confident of SH scalps, We believe we're elite now etc, etc. Then they'll lose most of the games at home & blame it on being underprepared as it's the start of the seaon, can't have it both ways.

Posted 05:57 09th July 2012

ArmchairGeneral says...

I think it's fair. Wales were closer than usual. England were not once humiliated and Ireland could have won a game in NZ. Also off the field they all came through showing a step up for England. Not sure it means the gap will be closed and it is a positive angle, but not dilusional. Wales and England anyhow have closed the gap slightly vs 2 or 3 years ago. Hard to argue against that.

Posted 23:17 08th July 2012

quietbrit says...

So by the same yardstick FISH and daibok use the SH teams should win by much larger margins in Nov when they are at the end of their season. TBH you only really see what the gap is by looking at both sets of internationals - otherwise you can always claim the result flatters to deceive any way you like because of hard derby, seasons, travel or whatever.

Posted 20:51 08th July 2012

NHsaints says...

People make too much of the super rugby games just before the tours, some guys like for example Ben Foden who'd survived from the world cup) hadn't had more than a couple of weeks off in over 2 and a half years...I think that trumps being a little sore from previous games...Australia should have lost 2 of the wales tests (had priestland not been shocking) Ireland should have really managed a draw with Nz in the second test (but they too let the game slip) and England should have had a much tighter/won the second test and didn't make a bad account of themselves...especially compared to recent years. And let's be honest...who actually won SH tests in the last ten years? Because by my recollection France got a couple over SA and one over NZ and England have managed a few over the SH giants but otherwise there was no change.

Posted 18:36 08th July 2012

daibok says...

The SH players went from knocking 7 bells out of each other in Super 15 Derbies to beating the best the NH had to offer. Only exception was Scotland/Oz and this 3 days after the Derbies and in freak weather.

Lancaster seeems a decent honest man but this is whistling in the dark.

Posted 15:45 08th July 2012