[Closed] 2013/14 Rugby Thread

OK so the optimism fairy has been humping my leg all morning Wales by 2 with a last min 1/2p. 50m pen.

What price some of this too?

Less of this from capn sam though.

More of this

Great video a_a 😀

That first tackle is so beautiful and so effective.

Given all the flack Sam seems to take it is easy to forget just how good he can be. It would be awesome to see him have another stormer today!

Judging by the nice lady singing our anthem a it's a bit chilly out there... Crikey love....

Pics, Kryton!

Kwalitee pitch at Murrayfield today!

Japan!!! 😯

Scotland are scoring tries! Isn't that one of the signs of the apocalypse? 😀

Scotland could do with a place kicker with a range greater than 30m though...

2nd half implosion from England. Awful rugby.

At least the first half was an unexpected pleasure to watch!

CaptainFlashheart - Member
Pics, Kryton!

Can't find any, but let's just say it was a Kylie style top half to the dress in "that" video, and a cold day. Laura Wright I think her name is, got her cacks out not long ago too.

Anyway, I had hopes up to 39 minutes. Then we lost prettying everything, good grief.

Weird though, what happened, the first half the team looked organised and showed promise, they change ends and it all fell apart?

Got complacent, probably.

Watched son in school match so will have to watch Eng highlights - so its switch over after the 1H by all accounts,

Good luck my taffy friends - stick one up the bokks! Try to bring the same passion and killer instinct that you have against us boys in White.

Cardiff pitch looks bad, too.

Yes shocking for a match like this.

The power of silence!!!! Amazing.

(was that a slightly pished Bonnie Tyler?)

I wish AWJ would show some emotion!!

Mixture of the argies figuring out what we were up to and no plan b, and reverting to hoofing possession away at every opportunity. Wilson looked like he was blowing after 8 minutes!

Good start from JD. I hope the Englsh back line are watching how to take the ball at pace and on the correct line.

Wonderful try. Sadly.

jeepers this game is heart in mouth.

No surprises who's the star of the game so far in Dublin 😀

[img] ?w=300&h=217[/img]

Pitch is a wreck, both teams are giving their all though and it wasn't really a yellow!

C'mon Wales - need a good first 10 now.

I thought Walsh only hated the English DD?!

To be fair, the green machine are giving him plenty of excuses to blow the whistle he loves so much, but he is stopping the game frequently.

DD you are right , but he is ruining a good game of rugby.

Speechless ...

Great work by Ireland from the turnover...shweeet from P. Jackson. No stopping SO'B from there. 😀

@teamhurtmore - not sure I'd bother with the England highlights, would use any brownie points to watch France v NZ. I watched 20 mins of Eng v Arg and reinforced why I never buy the tickets for this fixture, all a bit messy but England find a way to win without Argentina making a real game of it. Wales SA sounds a lot more entertaining.

****ing useless irish french ****. Any reason he couldnt of checked for offside... At least Gethin did the right thing to drop and go uncontested for ten. Players going off early meant the bench lost impact.

Beaten by a better team on the day, coughed it up to often and the Boks tries were very good. Injuries are a real worry.

* useless irish french *

😆

Meanwhile, green machine turning it on a bit in the second half.

Weird game for Wales. Looked like they would get stuffed with the early try and injuries, yet they held on and actually dominated large areas of the game without ever looking like scoring. You could disallow the try but still Wales didn't look like scoring. I guess the positive was that some of the replacements came on and played well. At the end of the day I can cope with Wales getting stuffed all November so long as they turn up for the 6N again 😀

Wales getting stuffed all November so long as they turn up for the 6N again

I actually think this has been wales gameplan for a few years now..

Meanwhile, I thought wales were impressive despite losing, they seriously committed to every second of that game.

Loving the Ireland game now.

Hibbard is utterly ****ing mental. He was superb. I was right about Williams too thought he might last longer than that! Losing Davies was a massive blow.
****ing Rolland was quick to go upstairs when the SA's wanted him to. He even said I've had a report of foul play... Its supoosed to the the touch judges doing that not the players you ****. Then he allows a try try that should have been reviewed and final when video ref suggests he should look at something he says n! ****. As for his face when he realised the scrums would go uncontested because he sent them both off was priceless. Having lost both tightheads and having James a loosehead cover wales were being dicked so he got them out of jail there...

I realise Samoa only defeat poorer NH teams, but putting 40 past them is a good result. Forwards were ferocious at the breakdown today. Samoa helped by running everything back at us. Jackson was impressive today as were Best, O'Mahony, McGrath and SO'B. Happy with that.

Looking forward to the Australia game.

We'll get humped by New Zealand though. 😐

Wonder if Rolland will ask for a post match meeting with Gatland!

Boks supporter here as you boys know and I think he is a **** as well.
He cost us the WC in 2011 when he gave Aus the game.

SA scrums were being fed in to the second row!

Still, not quite clinical enough. Good try, but not enough. Oh, and Rolland? Laughable.

Wife started swearing in Welsh when Davies went off, because he is "bang tidy" Hubbard was ace; if only he could chuck in.

To be clear I dont think he favoured SA who were easily the better team but he's just shit

Lineout wasnt too bad was it? Considering how good the SA lineout is. Warburton was excellent as was Faletau, Lydiate quiet

Is the France vs New Zealand game being streamed anywhere?

France New Zeeland availale on wiziwig < cracking game btw
http://cricfree.tv/sky-sports-2-live-stream-2.php

AA I know , neither team were favoured by the ref, I don't think RUGBY was favoured by the git.

@peteimprezza - yes it's on the normal "wyz"-ie site as its on SKY-2. I'm watching on France-2 terestial as in France. Good game, 9-9 and France camped in NZ 22 for long periods. Very impressed by them so far.

Good match (W v SA). On balance better team one, but Wales played well. Shame about injuries especially JD who had made those two breaks. Hibbard was good as was Warburton.

The most annoying things about the ref was be sounded like a French Loius Walsh. But I thought he was ok and consistent as the commentators said. Good for him for sending the props off as most refs would have bottled it esp as the bokka had only just come on.

Not sue about the news scrum laws though. And so much feeding and foot up. Still an inconsistent farce IMO.

Watched 30m of England before supper! Left it at that, amazed that England hit some balls at pace!!!!

When are the offside rules actually going to applied from a kick in open play. Forget the bokka try, just watched Nonu 5m offside and nobody even comments.

How can it have been god to send both props off? Especially when that happening massively favoured the decimated wales scrum... He's an arse, I also thought he changed the way he whistled the breakdown towards the end of the game. He was much less quick to ping the ball carrier. His interpretation of the breakdown kills the game.

Wales did a decent job considering the injuries etc. We just didn't manage to finish off the try scoring opportunities, would have been good to see what JD could have done if he had stayed on.

South Africa were the better side in the end so deserved to win but didn't have it all their own way.

Oh and Rolland is a *ing frog *Ing

Great ABlack try, what an offload!

Beautiful move of the ball and good finish by Dulin.

Davies needs boob surgery, could miss six nations! Bollocks. Adam to miss at least next game. Williams should be ok.

JJ Williams was such a great player but he makes me want to rip out my own teeth. Shut up JJ.

Lancaster talks as much crap as JJ 🙄

Quick question for Duckman our resident law expert. 58 min SA players report foul play to the ref. No touch judge or video ref involved, SA players even give number to the ref who relays the info upstairs.....is that within the rules. Saw our nige ref a match the other day and the players tried to do the same thing Nige told them to do one saying its him or the touch judges who report to go upstairs. Then the obvious offside for the try is not checked, fair enough we all make mistakes, but should the welsh players have been screaming for offsude? Then on 72 mins video ref asks Rolland if he wants him to check for foul play (Louw stamping on AW Louw had already got a yellow and to be fair it easnt much of a stamp but thats not my point). Rolland says I cant hear you, Video ref repeats it, Rolland says I cant hear you, time on and carries on. Two things should the video ref interupt and second should Rolland have cleaned his ****ing ears out and made an effort?

Not sure what duckman will say is the official case but it seems the decision is ultimately with the referee although putting forward suggestions seems to be open to anyone.

The increased use of the video ref for foul play and more phases towards scoring actually seems to make players appeal more as they know the ref is entitled (although not obliged) to check more stuff nowadays. There does seem to be many more players appealing to the ref.

JDV actually uses this very well and has consistently captained in this way, having a word to the refs every now and again saying could you please check this that or the other.

I think though at the end of the day it is up to the ref what he want to do with the information. What seems to be happening is the refs now can look at the big screen when replays are put up so they make the judgement for themselves pretty much regardless of the video refs opinion a la kiwi thug block where the ref didn't let the video ref finish and had already made his own mind up.

Seems crazy that he would listen to players but not the video ref, just one of many things he got very wrong imo.

Maybe he trusted the South Africans more?

I like the idea of the players giving the ref a hand. PO'C and BO'D have always been happy to point stuff out that the ref might be missing. 😀

Must be an irish thing then... Tossers 😆

😛

Ashtons try at about 35mins here.... He's in touch by miles surely. Another video ref not consulted!

But I do understand that one, how on earth does a player travel that far across the touch area, unopposed and 'forget' to dot the ball down until his momentum carries him across into touch.

Hopefully (although I base this on helpless optimism, and certainly not the almost certain reality) we won't see him in a white shirt again for quite some time!

No way, you're still here a_a. I thought that you may have been smacked with the ban hammer. Sobered up?

Strickly speaking the only way that a team can get video evidence used is by citing it afterwards. Nigel had it right and if you start listening to everything a skipper wants to say to you, you will have a splitting headache by the end of the game.I am all for taking a look after a try as that is game changing,and you see it used a lot more as far back as they are allowed,but where do we stop? "Squint feed Sir,could you take a look?"
The rabo game I ran touch at,both skippers kept an almost constant running commentary of the various injustices being visited on their side,with wide players using the touch judge the same way.

Frankers - Member

Just got back from Welford Road, thought we were gonna get stuffed as all the the development lads were playing, not sure who Ospreys ran out but they looked pretty poor. Ospreys complete bench was used up, hopefully no long term injuries.

Your 'development lads' included Shuter, Waldrom, Stankovic. The Ospreys development side included a few 16 year olds and that bloke who used to play for Aberavon. Or something like that. 😉

It's such a pity that Priestland was playing 10 for Wales. He hadn't got a clue on either how to control the game or how to create attacks. And Hook showed his normal infuriating ability of making 3 yards spinning in attack and then giving the ball directly to the opposition. We'll never know but would Wales have won if Biggar had been controlling the game? I have a feeling they would have. Btw Beck played well I thought. A good start for him.

teamhurtmore - Member
The most annoying things about the ref was be sounded like a French Loius Walsh.

He hasn't got a French accent at all. 😕

deadlydarcy - Member

I like the idea of the players giving the ref a hand. PO'C and BO'D have always been happy to point stuff out that the ref might be missing.

He hadn't got a clue on either how to control the game or how to create attacks.

Felt for Biggar though, he's the better 10 of him and Priestland and hasn't done a lot wrong.

He hasn't got a French accent at all.

Tru dat. Wasn't sure thm was watching the same ref tbh. He sounds as Irish as they come. The only time you hear him speak French is when he's reffing them. I hadn't had him down as a poor ref previously to be fair, but he was poor on Saturday for sure. But to both sides. SA were clearly the more clinical side on the day.

And welsh fans whinging about a refereeing error that led to a try? Cry me a river. 🙁

wrecker - Member

Felt for Biggar though, he's the better 10 of him and Priestland and hasn't done a lot wrong.

In the world of Welsh rugby, what he's done wrong is not playing for the Scarlets. If he did, he would be hailed as the new messiah, the greatest player since, well, since the last greatest player in the world to spring from the only team to ever beat the All Blacks. (Don't mention all the other club teams who beat the ABs, they're not worthy..) 🙄

I agree about Farrell - a very over-rated player.

he was poor on Saturday for sure. But to both sides. SA were clearly the more clinical side on the day.

Spot on, DD. I did pick up on the feeding in to the scrum, as it was far more obvious when SA were doing it. As Moore said, enforce the rules as they are, and in the case of the feed, as they have been for ages! Crooked feed? Free kick. Repeated offence? Penalty. Then? 9 goes off for 10.

Anything to get gobby little scrum halves off the pitch! 😈

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Sobered up?

dont drink

Oh dear!

What do we think the answer to Englands midfield problems are then?

Has Cipriani's chance gone? Would Farrell work at 12 with Manu at 13? Sam Tomkins doesn't look up to scratch for me...I think he's going to get a pasting by the AB's!

What do we think the answer to Englands midfield problems are then?

The English tens are a problem I have watched Ford a bit and whilst he shows promise he hardly ever seems to pass, I think this is any area where the conservative game plans in the competitive aviva hold englan back compared to the rabo

AA, I'm convinced Ashtons try was in no way a try either, I noticed that the ref hardly referred to the video ref, if at all? Obviously England profit in that instance, but my one eyed ness aside, I actually thought it was better for the game. Of the 4 games I watched (Wales, Ireland, Eng and Eng womens) I thought the ref in the Eng game allowed the game to flow much better..

Rolland was an absolute plonker in the Wales game.

My problem with Ford is that his goal kicking is awful. ...as in really really awful.

The scrum half situation needs sorting too....way too much inconsistency with the selection there. Care seems to be the least favoured of the three, but Dickson is the least assured at international level.

Reckon the potty mouth kiwi biter will keep his place against the AB's?

Reckon the potty mouth kiwi biter will keep his place against the AB's?

As far as flyhalfs who can control a game and that qualify for England, it's got to be Flood, at least he stands fairly flat and tries to get a backline moving. Burns, to untested, and Gloucester are pap this year, Ford, just awful other than decent tactical awareness (as long as kicking's involved)and the odd break. Farrell, decent place kick and defensively OK. Pretty poor showing really!
Inside centre we have no good flair players, and very few proper bosh ones either, so it's be Anthony Allen for me, because as least you know the teams going to be hard to break down defensively, and he does have a knack of getting Tullagi into space, who you just have to have in the team, as he's one of the very few genuine x factor players who play for England. He may not know how to pass very well, and doesn't kick, but you know if he gets the ball, there will be 3 opposition players trying to stop him, and often they cant...
However, they are both injured, as is Barrett, so we'll just have crap at centre instead.
And I'll bet a pint that ****er ashton is on the wing with a full back on the other....

You a tigers fan by any chance tinybits? 🙂

Banahan scored on Friday..... 8)

I fully admit to being so, however I can't actually see a better option. Floods not brilliant, but the best of a bad bunch, Allen is consistently better than Barrett at club level given they play a very similar game and Tuilagi is a wrecking ball, and would be my choice every time (although I was a fan of his brothers as well) plus he's got my respect for all time by punching Ashton!
I wish I could spot a Will Greenwood / Mike Catt type centre, but sadly we don't have one!

Oh, and Duckman, quiet please.