Ask Jeremy Guscott

By Jeremy GuscottRugby union analyst, BBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments477

All Blacks deny Ireland in classic

Among the topics making the headlines this week are:

- Ireland's agonising defeat by New Zealand in a Dublin epic

- Scotland pushing Australia but still losing in Edinburgh

- Wales' grim win over Tonga on Friday

- Wales and Lions full-back Leigh Halfpenny making IRB shortlist

- Geoff Parling and Joel Tomkins joining England's injury list

If you have a question for Jerry, on any rugby-related topic, post it in the comments section at the bottom of the page. He will answer as many as possible in the next day or two but not every question submitted can be used.

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477 comments

  • #279. Anglophone

    ...‘As for next Saturday, once again what can you do when you badly want both teams to lose?’...

    So much for supporting home nations; hardly British. Your sir, are a c*ck.

  • Hi Jerry,

    How good was Conor Murray against New Zealand? The Lions tour appears to have transformed him into one of the worlds leading scrum halves.

  • The Irish Hooker had his arm broken when scoring the try by a cheap, late and dirty hit whilst he was on the ground after scoring his try. This is an increasingly common bit of dirty play which is not enforced by referees - could you suggest appropriate punishment?

  • Standup no offence mate, but you're a bit off topic with your Ashton love in. Pleased for you and your fellow Sarries fans he had an ok game against Exeter, but the last 10 games he's had for England he's been an utterly dreadful. He's not international standard anymore, if he ever was...sorry.

  • In England's Rugby League team, even big forwards, like Sam Burgess, are adept at passing and off-loading. Why are England's Rugby Union backs, Numbers 11 to 14, so hopelessly inept? That's not a rhetorical question. There must be a reason.

  • 111 - Fair enough, you can also blame Owens for the fact that Ireland didn't score any points in the second half then? I thought he had a good game, but then again I am a Neutral for this one so I don't let emotions cloud my judgement.

  • @267 - Yep I agree Eng should be above us, its what we deserve for sending a kids party to Japan during the Lions series. Last years run of Autumn results was also very poor. If we have any pride in our record we shouldn't be arguing with stats. I expect us to recover in 2014 though. In all honestly there is little between Wales and England and Ireland scare the hell out of me too after Sunday.

  • Jeremy,
    For me the most impressive aspect of the Irish performance was their ferocity at the breakdown and the speed at which they recycled the ball.

    Then, for the first time in a long time we saw Ireland running from deep and adding a genuine variety to their attack. It was refreshing to see!

    Did you think there are similarities emerging between this Ireland team & Leinster under Schmidt?

  • 313. You think you've got issues at centre - we've got Joel Tomkins playing there!!

  • The IRB rankings are a handy form table based on the achievements/failures of previous teams.

    The only definitive way to test who is the better team in the here and now is to have them play each other. Luckily here come the 6N's. Should be a good one..

  • Very good game. Well reffed. Do Ireland have to thank Aus for inserting the boot in the requisite orifice the week before? A dramatic improvement : what do the irish lads put that down to ?

    ABs just fantastically good at the basics as usual. One of the revelations of my life was watching the ABs a week after finishing a L1 course... jaw dropping.

  • The decision to retake the conversion was exactly what this particular peacock had been waiting for.

    Owens had no choice be to ask for the kick to be taken again... law states you are not allowed to charge before kicker moves. Remember Ireland got away with it in the first half.

  • Can't believe people are still arguing about the rankings. Wales are below England because against the collective rest of the world their results have been worse than England over the past few years. It's quite simple.

    I believe Wales are, at this moment, a better team than England. That doesn't mean they don't deserve to be ranked lower. You have to earn it through consistent results.

  • @333
    I agree totally. I think in a close game the contest of a scrum can add immeasurable to the enjoyment of a game. It makes RU unique in that there is a place for fatties and plodders, diminutive scrum halfs, speed merchants and bashers. The atmosphere in a stadium as two packs lock horns to a chorus of 70,000 fans screaming heave can be absolutely electrifying.

  • Watching all the games in the autumn internationals plus the semi final of the rugby league we are all very close to sh teams but what wales england Ireland and scotland lack is the killer instinct to finish off these teams

  • lol well said Raziel :)

  • Hi Jerry,

    Internet trolls and WUMs are happy, fulfilled and quite brave people.

    Discuss.

  • 231.Calculator

    1/2p has done more than enough this year to be on that list, especially if your yard stick for inclusion is Farrell's inclusion in 2012 which was pretty baffling.

  • Gutted for Ireland. Sport at it's best. No one should be trying to apportion blame anywhere for the loss in the last seconds. Instead give credit; Ireland played a brilliant game of Rugby. Well done the AB's I guess, and more proof that success is so much about belief.

  • @105. I know the type of people you talk about, all countries have them, although NZ'ers could be slightly excused for their (perceived) arrogance. Three tight wins lucky? Would suggest that ABs have ability to close out the tight ones and never, ever give up. Wales would have bottled it somehow, they always do against the ABs.

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