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On another topic... where are all the decent centres in the Northern Hemisphere? Granted most of the Welsh are broken, Manu is fairly reasonable and BOD ages exponentially but there seem as many world class 12's and 13's as there are 10's in the NH. Is it fair to say the best centres in the NH are French at the moment?
Talk also lately that Ian Evans may be off to Toulon joining the Welsh exiles. Good to see Coombes back in the Welsh starting line up as he had a great 6N
I wonder who is in contention to usurp Tom Youngs as our replacement hooker, unless he improves his accuracy I don't want to see him the 6N..
Me neither. The next in line is Rob Webber of B***. He put in some great performances in Argentina over the summer. Good player.
I see Ireland are bidding for to host the RWC. Bloody good luck to them, I really hope they get it (I doubt the aussie management want it to happen though 😀 )
Ok will watch Webber.
DanW indeed, so despite England's positive outlook we actually have problems at:
Wing, Centre, fly half and Hooker.
Hmmm.
Incidentally I saw Ceri Sweeney out in Exeter a few weeks ago. I have no more to say about that..
On another topic... where are all the decent centres in the Northern Hemisphere?
Tuilagi
Davies
Roberts
Williams
Fofana
Memoz
Ficku
Luke Marshall
George North may shift to 13 in the not to distant future too
Also dont forget Gavin he's lush
Incidentally I saw Ceri Sweeney out in Exeter a few weeks ago. I have no more to say about that..
does he wear that forearm protector out on the piss too?
Ha ha AA I can see why you have to watch the french clubs so closely...
George North..centre
I won't say I told you so..
Cant say I noticed the arm protector, most of the club were out.
Not many good centres around at all.
Even BOD is getting a hard time in the Irish press.
speak for yourself Wales have quite a few good centres and a number of young prospects, its just that most of them are broken. Ireland would be better off with Marshall at 12 and Bowe at 13 IMO
What is the arm protector for anyway? Didn't another welsh player have a leather arm thingy?
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); George North (Northampton Saints), Owen Williams (Cardiff Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons); James Hook (Perpignan), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues); Paul James (Bath), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys - CAPT).
Replacements: Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Jordan Williams (Scarlets).
Be nice to see J Williams get a cap. Cant see the sense in playing 1/2p in this game. I would have thought a run out for Liam Williams at 15 would be on the cards. Same goes for North, if he is released for the aus game why play him this week. Surprised Lydiate isnt starting, is he released for the Aus game? Centre pairing looks a nice blend but is it too soon for O Williams?
In summary too many Williams and not enough Jones
What is the arm protector for anyway? Didn't another welsh player have a leather arm thingy?
Alfie always had one as did the Quinnel bros IIRC. Seemed the fashion then.
Ah yes Alfie, why tho?
Bowe isn't good enough defensively to play 13 and he's badly off form at the minute. The long term replacement appears to be Payne once he's Irish qualified next summer. Our best prospect for 13 however was young Nevin Spence sadly
despite England's positive outlook we actually have problems at:
Wing, Centre, fly half and Hooker.
There's plenty of talent available in most of those positions (not FH though admittedly). They just aren't being picked for England presently.
So the world class NH centres are Welsh and broken, Manu and broken or French 😀 Sounds about right. Just seems that a lack of flow in the midfield has been a bit of a theme for the home nations in this November series.
Even BOD is getting a hard time in the Irish press
I don't think many players were spared in that piece 😀 Wasn't the Aus game BOD's fourth game of the season or something similar? He seemed somewhat anonymous at the weekend and I guess it's no surprise really.
Cant see the sense in playing 1/2p in this game. I would have thought a run out for Liam Williams at 15 would be on the cards. Same goes for North
Completely agree! When I saw 1/2p starting my first thought was why bother risk such a potential blow against such a physical side with so little reward for a win
wrecker, see that's the kind of positive outlook I like. Lets hope Lancaster solves them by feb 1st.
Lets hope Lancaster solves them by feb 1st.
I hope he has the balls to make the changes which are so obviously required. Game time for the incomers should be given during the 6N so that they're tested and ready for the RWC.
It is actually getting pretty close to the world cup. You would want the likes of Wade to play at least five proper internationals to see if he's up to it before then.
Yep. And a few more than Wade too. Yardie needs game time and players like Burns, Watson and Burrell too.
This is why (regardless of the scores) I think that Wales overall will benefit from the next two AIs; the larger squad getting a good run out. A successful RWC needs more than a good match day 23.
Indeed, there isn't much game time between now and then.
We have 2 x 6n, 1 x summer internationals/tours, 1 x autumn internationals and I assume in 2015 instead of summer ints we will have world cup warm up games?
edit to add to my fixture list for 2015:
August 15 – England v France QBE International
August 22 – France v England
September 5 – England v Ireland QBE International
PS it has been a good discussion lads. Sorry for pissing you off AA.
Sorry for pissing you off AA.
I don't think you did. I think a_a lives in a state of perpetual pissed-offness. He probably appreciated the opportunity to vent 😉
Group hug?
Group hug?
Not if you're Tongan. I heard a rumour coming out of the Welsh training camp saying that Tonga is the team Wales most like to beat.
Professor Lorne Crerar, the International Rugby Board-appointed judicial officer, ruled that Kuridrani's offence warranted an eight-week ban.He added a ninth week as a deterrent for this type of tackle - but then took four weeks off to reflect Kuridrani's previously good disciplinary record and other mitigating factors.
The resulting suspension of five weeks can only be served during Kuridrani's playing schedule, meaning it will not expire until mid-February.
We added a week to annoy him and then took a few off because he had shined his shoes properly and said sorry FFS
Do Scotland have a chance as:
as they are piss headsAdam Ashley-Cooper, Nick Cummins, Liam Gill, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson and Paddy Ryan will not face Scotland.
Anyay earlier in the thread I was bemoaning the English butchering chances by not drawing defenders have a look at this... even captain Sam can see where Hook should have gone
[img] 
[/img]
bah I must be going blind, thats a bit small for me to recognise hook or warbs. Is hook the 22? From what I can see the 22 should have run inside the no 5 and passed to the bloke in space on his right? Looks like 1/2p with the scrumcap on his inside? I need this in HD..
Warbs is the one who runs the support line expecting Hook to go between the prop and lock where the masdive gap is.
yer I think I managed to unpick it. I watch all this shit on my big tv with lots of rewind.
Anyway I can see it now, warbs has a ruddy great 7 on his back.
I can see your frustration anyway, from the angle shown it looks like hook was just ruddy blind, he could of stepped inside, caught up with Warbs, offload and bosh Leekeaters Glory!
Anyway, try not to be too dissapointed, it appears no20 looked like he saw the gap and would probs have easily outpaced Warbs 😥 (edit actually I dunno as at first I thought it was Habana, but I dunno who that 20 is)
it appears no20 looked like he saw the gap and would probs have easily outpaced Warbs (edit actually I dunno as at first I thought it was Habana, but I dunno who that 20 is)
looks like JP Peiterson but I thought he started?
Hook would have had choices outside as well as Warbs inside though. Warbs had 1/2p steaming up on the outside too and no one would catch him.
Compare and contrast this with what SA did with Habana going outside Hibbard and scoring a try. This is where the Northern Hemisphere teams lose out. Even though SA play a structured bosh game, when its on they go for it and flood the area with support runners. Warbs and 1/2p saw the gap but the guy with the ball didn't, he didn't even fix the 5 before passing.
Yeah I saw 1/2p, you are right Hook did have options, and yes woeful offload he could have drawn 5. Looks like he was a bit fearful??
This is basic stuff even my schoolboy rugby would have this covered..
Anyway take heart in the fact that only one of your players was a der brain, a good few others were doing the right thing. Looks like an easy fix to me.
If that were England on the other hand, we would have crashed into the tackle and got pinged for holding on. Offloads are a mystery to us.
Would he have been quicker than warbs? That would have been good to see though, the 20 tackling Warbs, and he offloads to 1/2p. Bingo! Pints of Brains and Welsh Rarebit on the lawn for all concerned!looks like JP Peiterson but I thought he started?
According to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_end-of-year_rugby_union_tests
no 20 against wales was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siya_Kolisi
New winger for Wales
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/nov/20/hallam-amos-wales-debut-tonga
edit dunno why I posted this when AA posted the team list yesterday, but I only read the guardian as I am frothing handwringer...
made his debut for the Dregs at 16 I think, neat and tidy player, more of a 15
Owen Williams first proper game too
This Star Watch vid -is there an equivalent source for the Aviva Prem?
not sure but lots of video here:
http://www.premiershiprugby.tv/?WT.mc_id=mpType:Display*Asset:Display_Ad*CmpID:PRTV*Other:Video
Ok will hunt. Cheers.
According to my reliable source (that guardian article) Amos is a bit of a utility player. Could be a handy bloke to have on the bench.
Backs not confirmed would like to see Bennett get a game at centre. Pack looks strong must be going after the OZ scrum
Scotland team to face OZ: (Backs from) S Maitland, M Evans, T Seymour, M Bennett, N De Luca, D Taylor, S Lamont, R Jackson, D Weir, G Laidlaw, C Cusiter.
Forwards: R Grant, R Ford, M Low, T Swinson, J Hamilton, Beattie, Denton, Brown (captain).
Replacements: P MacArthur, A Dickinson, E Murray, G Gilchrist, K Low, TBC, TBC, TBC.
Is Strokosch injured? If not, they're completely batshit loonhooping mental not to have him on the field. Scotlands stand out player for me.
Not injured, Johnson said before the start of the tests he wants to give as many players as possible game time, try combinations etc with a view to increasing the player pool with international experience prior to the RWC, it is why Brown was not playing last match.
Unfortuantely injuries have got in the way to an extent i think Dunbar/Scott or Bennnett/Scott in the centre would have been good but both Scott and Dunbar are injured now, Ross Rennie is only just back for Edinburgh, Hogg and Visser injured among others.
Trying new combinations is arguably what England should have done with the backline especially when the pack were going so well it would have given any new backs a good platform as a start point.
Johnson said before the start of the tests he wants to give as many players as possible game time, try combinations etc with a view to increasing the player pool with international experience prior to the RWC
Got to admire team tinkering vs Aus!
It is arguably what England should have done with the backline especially when the pack were going so well it would have given any new backs a good platform as a start point.
Agreed, the Argentina test was perfect for it.
4 weeks for Tongan prop. Misses fridays game Meastri got nowt.
OZ team, despite all the bans it looks pretty strong. Saw a bit of Feauai-Sautia in the S15 think he is only 18 or 19 but looks a real talent a dangerous/exciting back 3 with him Folau and Tomane.
Australia : Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs), Joe Tomane (ACT Brumbies), Christian Leali'ifano (ACT Brumbies), Mike Harris (Queensland Reds), Chris Feauai-Sautia (Queensland Reds), Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds), Will Genia (Queensland Reds); James Slipper (Queensland Reds), Stephen Moore (ACT Brumbies), Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs), Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds), James Horwill (Queensland Reds), Scott Fardy (ACT Brumbies), Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs), Ben Mowen (ACT Brumbies, captain).
Replacements : Saia Fainga'a (Queensland Reds), Ben Alexander (ACT Brumbies), Paddy Ryan (NSW Waratahs), Sitaleki Timani (NSW Waratahs), Ben McCalman (Western Force), Nic White (ACT Brumbies), Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels), Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs).
[i]Meastri got nowt[/i]
That's cos he punches like a girl 😆
Bradley Davies has just had surgery on his shoulder so will be out for a while...
He has been very unlucky recently.
10 years ago today! What a night - I was in Oz but not at the stadium.
[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2883/10991221633_d44ae6a886_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rjohnson76/10991221633/ ]WRX2003 win[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rjohnson76/ ]Cheers Drive[/url], on Flickr
Now what is going on with the H-Cup or what ever it is going to be called in the future, how come the english seem to have been squeezed out.
Now what is going on with the H-Cup or what ever it is going to be called in the future, how come the english seem to have been squeezed out.
From the statements I have seen reported on line the idea of the English being squeezed out has not actually been said but is something that the wider media have inferred to make a story out of pretty much nothing.
As far as I can see nothing has changed beyond the ERC planning to meet the new demands of the European Unions to modify the Heineken Cup structure to be what all the unions are looking for. However the RFU said very early on that they no longer recognise the ERC as an organising body (or something similar) so the media are putting pressure on the RFU to retract their bold stance and eat their words.
So basically, ERC changes the Heineken cup to be what the English want and the English then have the decision to stick with bold anti-ERC stance or come grovelling back. It just seems to be bluff and double bluff for some minor changes which would have probably evolved to happen anyway while massaging some egos along the way.
It is an embarrassing shambles, you see more grown up behaviour in play grounds, both sides need a severe b0llcking.
I also get the impression that neither players nor fans are being given any consideration at all through the whole pathetic mess.
However the RFU said very early on that they no longer recognise the ERC as an organising body (or something similar) so the media are putting pressure on the RFU to retract their bold stance and eat their words.
I don't think that the RFU have taken such a bold stance. It's the PRL who will not deal with the ERC. The RFU have been more cautious in their language. The remnants of the ERC did not invite the PRL or RFU to the meeting, as the PRL have refused to attend any others.
In essence, the Irish, Welsh, French, Scottish and Italian unions have agreed on a new format. The French and Welsh clubs have not (at present) and have stated that they want to be part of a new competition.
The PRL will not be going grovelling to the ERC, they can't as they are contracted to BT whereas ERC have made a deal with sky (which doesn't/shouldn't include the English clubs).
Each nation seems to have its own battle; the Irish clubs are part of the union, the welsh regions and french clubs are having a full blown ding dong with theirs. The RFU is notably quiet, however wants a new competition to be union run (of course). The scots and italians haven't said a lot.
So in summary, the club owners wants more moneys.
So anyway, the game tonight. Tonga looked pretty good v a strong french side so against a piss weak wales team an upset is on the cards imo.
The Tonga game doesn't look like it'll be on iplayer. Any other channels streaming it or will I have to dig through the adverts on vipbox.tv again?
Is it not on the red button?
Is the red button an iplayer thing? I've only got a computer to watch it on right now.
cant you watch it on the bbc sport website,theres a link there for it.
I see what you mean ,just tried bbc sport website and I got a cant be shown for legal reasons message,strange.
10 nil nice try from Owen Williams.
17 nil wales looking good. Try Beck.
17:7
Bored now
Is this the longest game of rugby ever or does it just feel like it?
Something like 90-95% Wales possession in the second half and no score. I think even the ever excitable Jiffy is starting his own one man Mexican wave in the commentary box
So that disallowed try by the Welsh 11 : - 1/2p CHUCKED the ball forward in front of an international standard referee running the line and he ignored it! They didn't even check the pass! Ridiculous. One of the fundamental rules of rugby and they can't ref it.
(I'm watching it on slight delay and I think I'll give up now.)
The usual friday night horror show!!
If the second half was a dog, you would have put it down after 15 minutes.
The good points were Beck and North looking for work. 1/2p running support lines. Lanky Luke and Evans looked busy. Ryan Jones excellent as usual.
Hook runs sideways, Williams was far too slow at the breakdown, Lydiate looks really out of match fitness. The set piece looks as shonkey as hell.
Ohh, Wales should never play in their away strip. They always play terrible in grey or yellow.
Beck took the try well and threw a few nice passes but didnt want to know when it came to taking the ball up. Him and Hook used up all the space for the outside backs. The ref had no clue at the scrum and whilst Williams was rubbish I'm not sure the Tongans were coming from behind the back foot they were standing offside waiting for the ball to come out. Still at keast we didnt lose.
Scotland in turquoise, England in purple, Wales in grey. When will this absurdity stop?
[img] http://media.zenfs.com/en_GB/Sports/Eurosport/1138279-17908857-640-360.jp g" target="_blank">http://media.zenfs.com/en_GB/Sports/Eurosport/1138279-17908857-640-360.jp g"/> [/img]
We were discussing before about the consistency of the legs above body business with tackling and cards/ bans... did the half dozen tackles like the one above even so much as get a mention? Nope, I don't think they should either. "Tip" tackles seem to be treated like spear tackles which are two very different things with different levels of intent and danger to the tackled player. I can see why there is the desire to protect the tackled player in this way but some of the cards and bans have been daft as already pointed out loads of times...
Great game of league on Bbc1 now.
Great game of league on Bbc1 now.
insert witty reposte here!
Well it was a great game , sore one for England though. They played well.
Saints v Falcons on BTsport now
Suspect a battering for Falcons.
Sale took 5 points off Wuss last night but played poorly in the first before getting it together in the second.
RL was brilliant fun. Nightmare high tackle at the end cost us!!!
Gutted for England in that semi final. So close to beating the holders of the world cup! Great game, proper entertainment.
come on Scotland
arse
come on ref grow a pair!!
Your father is your brother
Your sister is is your mother
Your s***ing one another
You're the convict family
M'on Scotland!
What is the ****ing point of a video ref ffs at least let him say what he thinks!!!! Drives me nuts