[Closed] 2013/14 Rugby Thread

Scotland are well in the game- would be great to see them keep their recent record against Aus!

I thought a punch to the head/ face was a red but these don't seem to be given lately 😕

Scots look better with Weir at 10 IMO but he isn't getting a lot of support in the back line- I guess this is mainly due to Aus running them ragged so far.

I think that the Aus 4's frustration comes from the 37th minute when one of the Scottish players rucked him in the face. If anyone saw it the Scot could be in trouble in future weeks...

When Wales lose to these Crims I'll be really disappointed again!

Watching the Scotland vs Australia game is so boring after watching the England vs Kiwi game.

Feel bad for big George but as a team, they played their socks off and deserved the win.

I take it this 'Rugby' thread is mainly Union?

Scrappy game France v Boks, gifted them a 10 point head start. France never reached the level they did against NZ but I think they'll be a force in the 6N. Still need to sort out their 9 and 10. Para had a bit of a nightmare and oddly Michelak didn't come on until 75 mins. Wesley Fofana is some player.

Its odd that Michilak is anywhere near the squad imo

I wish he was Scottish - we have no number 10s who are good enough at this level!

If you had Michilak you still wouldn't!! Shame about McShingler not being welsh.
Any hopefully Irish fans in the house?
Could this be BODS last game?

Try!!

Great start and nice to see some BOD magic still as I feared he was a little past it. Glad to be proved wrong so far, true what they say about class!

AA I was expecting a comment on what is the point of the video ref with the knock on!

I got picked o a few pages ago in the Aussie spear tackle but yet again this weekend there has been plenty of "interpretation" of the rules!

😯

And another.... ****ing hell ireland are murdering them!

Great stuff Ireland!! Brillian unexpected fun!!!

WOW!!!

AA I was expecting a comment on what is the point of the video ref with the knock on!

video ref got to say what he thought. Its when refs dont let them speak it annoys me. It never left his grasp so good shout imo.

Expect NZ to get a bit nasty around the breakdown from now on. Tried and tested methodology! Also watch for lazy running when on the defensive.

😯 😯

Bejesus!!!!

I have never seen anything like this in my life!

how good is this??!!

Never in your wildest, Guinness fueled dreams! 😆

Kearney really looks back to form even before that.

Incredible start - c'mon Ireland keep it going!

What a pass by that long haired Kiwi. This is cracking.

Arse

Ref-cam!?

I like the way NO is reffing this. Common sense and keeping his whistle in his pocket on the niggling debatable points (a few accidental offsides, knock on/sidewards etc) maks it much better to watch.

Love to see the classic names of BOD, Bowe, Darcy and Kearney playing so well. Ireland on a roll are a joy to watch. Looking good for a close and competitive 6N.

Nigel Owens is a great ref. Lets the game flow.

I think this is the finest 40 minutes of rugby I've seen Ireland play since the first half against Wales in the 6N. Actually, no, it's much better than that even.

I'm just really worried about the 2nd half now. 😳

Awesome stuff though.

How intense re the Irish? If this continues it could be very confusing for Mrs Darcy. " gosh honey; is it Xmas already?"

Best half this autumn, did you see them screaming at one another at half time? We will see if the AB's are the best in the world,they will have to be to come back from that.

Heard that NZ were 33-1 on this morning....

Why do I still think NZ will sneak this?

And ..yes BODs last I game. Hope he finally beats the All Blacks.

I can't watch.
No, I can.
No, I can't.
Yes, I can.
Maybe..
No...I can't.
I am.

He's not even over the line!

Moore agrees with me, I feel dirty.

The kiwis are NOT going to be happy. If they lose, expect Owens to be vilified regardless of performance.

Got that one right 😉 phew

Think I can live with three points after that period.

First the RL yesterday and now this. Please let's have one victory!

BOD really put his body on the line but a bit of a Wilko tackle there

It's been a while since I've seen the All Blacks losing so many first contacts. Ireland seem to be standing them up in the tackle, whilst they are cutting the New Zealanders down on the spot.

Great to see a 'Roy of the rovers' turning of form on its head from Ireland, though.

Ireland are ferocious! They really want that ball back when they lose it. Brilliant to watch.

Fleck it...the penalties are starting.

Some cynical stuff coming in from NZ but hey, it's not like an opposition is going to be surprised by it. If we get a yellow card, we could be in all kinds of trouble. NO is doing a great job so far I think.

This can't be real!!

Next team to score a try wins it I reckon. Fantastic intensity.

Anyone think Kearney is up for this !!!???

Relax DD and enjoy!!!

Opps needs an edit.

Stress out DD!!!

5 in it.......

Nasty elbow by B Barrett.

Replay shows shoulder. Poor form from Healy.

Yellow card SHIRLEY!!!!!!!

🙂

True it looked worse in real time.

**** I'm tense.

****. 🙁

I thought exactly the same originally. Don't think Healy would have passed the concussion test. Good work by the Ireland management taking him off.

Best knock on of the year

FOOOOOOOOOOOOOK!!

I am broken. Put DD on suicide watch.

**** it.

Murray...you had to bloody kick it. 🙁

That ain't forward.

Brilliant passage of play by NZ.

Arse!

Miserable.

We threw one away in New Zealand last year too. FFS. Every ****ing time.

That sucks

Bollocks.

MURRAY!!!!!! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?????

Sport is so cruel!!!

Bad luck DD - feel for you. Brilliant rugby match. What is it with the AB?!!!!!

Incredible

If only sexton didn't miss that pen.......

We can't find our jumpers and your 9 kicks. Aaaargh! Two opportunities in two weeks.

It wasn't even e good kick. Stupid from Murray who had a great game until then.

Best game I've seen for years

Sexton penalty and Murray's kick with a minute to go. To be fair, I don't know how somebody can kick (a penalty) under that kind of pressure. O'Gara would have scored though. 😆

The groan from the crowd when Murray kicked it said it all.

*edy *edy ****.

Sheesh. Aus vs Fiji rugby league. What a thrashing.

Absolutely amazing game! I have no strong feelings either way towards either team but I was tense the whole way through cheering Ireland on. How do NZ do virtually nothing of any note all game, get dominated by and awesome pack in the loose,miss lots of kicks.... and still win? 😯

I like the way NO is reffing this. Common sense and keeping his whistle in his pocket on the niggling debatable points (a few accidental offsides, knock on/sidewards etc) makes it much better to watch.

Completely agree. He encouraged the attacking team to run the points in rather than rely on penalties. Another thing he did differently was to call advantage over quite quickly, even after small gains by the attacking side which kept the game flowing. Communicated well with everyone on the pitch and used the TMO properly when needs be. Not sure on the last kick but either way Ireland sadly wouln'd have won.

The crowd also made the game- must have been awesome to be there*

*until 80+ minutes

When Sexton missed the penalty, I had written "We will lose by two" and told myself not to be such a pessimist. 🙁

And I've really really hurt my instep when I kicked the ****ing footstool. It's frame is made of timber. My puny bones were no match for it. 😆

What you have to admire about the all blacks is that when 20 points down they just carried on playing high risk, high skill rugby.

Very true a_a. Conor Murray thought the same thing when leading the ABs by five with 30 seconds to go. 😆

Well, if I learned one thing from this game it's that if you're going to charge early then ignore the ref and kick the ball away. Stopping just gives him two goes at it.

Was daft.they went early on the one before too.

[i]What you have to admire about the all blacks is that when 20 points down they just carried on playing high risk, high skill rugby.
[/i]

Indeed, it was amazing, from that penalty the ball went through forwards and backs hands, no mistakes, just forward to the tryline. Barrett proved he is the successor to Carter too.
Gutted for Ireland !

Great game and that last passage of play was outstanding. I agree about the ref comments but the TMO should not have awarded the first Irish try...

Well, that's a new one for me. I actually feel sorry for the Irish rugby team! Some stellar stuff from some players who I thought were seriously on the wane. Darcy was very astute and brave. Heaslip, who I often accuse of 'going missing' in crunch games, was superb. Hard luck Ireland.

Nigel Owens great referee, astute, honest and apologised for his mistake, great communincation made the game flow.

Irish outstanding reminded me of 91 world cup vs Aussies.

All Blacks well done. hung in there, great game of rugby.

Best game of the AI by some distance. You have to admire NZ for winning the game when they really shouldn't have. And the Irish for turning in a massive performance after last weeks debacle. Hoping that Wales smash Australia next week.

Hats off to them, that was a phenomenal Irish performance, but that last passage of All Black play was just un----believable.....no prizes for guessing my bias. Had to massively contain the yelling at the TV as was holding my 6 day old son, and had accidentally scared the bejesus out him during the last few seconds of yesterdays Kiwi Eng league semifinal! What a weekend for NZ sport.....just not good for the blood pressure!

.

Latest transfer news is that Bradley Davis is off to Wasps and Ian Evans to Toulon. Welsh rugby will be dead by the end of next season.

Unavailable for next weeks game; Hook, Charteris and James. Not sure about North.
Cuthbert may be avaiable.

a_a, on an unrelated matter, Sky Arts channel's Portrait Artist of the Year is in Wales for next week's show (already recorded I suppose). One of the three subjects the artists are painting is...guess who 🙂 It's either a heads up for you, or a chance for everyone to see you loitering around as part of the audience.