[Closed] 2013/14 Rugby Thread

Yeah he looked very good...what is Gatlands beef with him?

EDIT: I'm guessing that it will be a while before we see Nick Wood again...quite what Jacque Burger did in just over a minute to deserve that is beyond me! 😯

James spat the dummy when Prydie was picked over him and walked out of training camp about 3 or 4 years ago. Not been in the squad since. He's fast and strong but has always lacked footballing ability.

Edinburghs first home match and a win 8O. It was with a last kick of the match penalty but a win is win of which i did not see many last year.

The Edinburgh pack looked really strong particularly Ford and Nel in the front row. They destoryed the Dragons at almost every scrum...except an Edinburgh penalty scrum and with the Dragons a man down which the Ref thought Edinburgh collapsed it 🙄

Bit of work to be done with the backs but overall not a bad start.

Well done to Glasgow as well for winning away at Ulster.

Who would you drop for him AA? 8)

[url= http://www.saracens.com/money-back-if-gavin-henson-scores-in-barnet/ ]Y Gav Newz![/url]

I was just about to post that. Pretty safe considering Eastmond should be back in at 12.

Who would you drop for him AA?

??? eh

Love it!

[img] [/img]

😆

If you were Bath would you not just stick Henson on to try and take a penalty late on, he is a decent kicker is he not?

AA, I was wondering which of the Welsh back 3 you would drop for him. As to the Salaries offer, could Bath not just dip whoever will be kicking in a vat of Dulux orange and get their fans a payout?

Cameron getting the respect he deserves.

Looks like the European Cup is going to get the revamp it needs (too many pointless one sided group games). Not sure about cramming the normal season in before Feb/6 Nations but possibility of having the South African sides join is a mouth watering one, add a couple of Welsh and Irish sides plus one from Scotland and Italy and you're done,

Funny, but Manu doesn't learn, does he? Wonder if England will take action. And I think Mr Burns has more important things to do rather than tweet about it.

With the European Cup, its not just the one sided contests but the easy qualification too in some quarters and the associated distribution of money.

After CaptainFlasheart's post... Would be nice for Bath to let Henson have a penalty or conversion right under the posts at Sarries 😀

Roberts is injured at the moment!! Henson miles away from that though.

jambalaya - Member
Cameron getting the respect he deserves.

Looks like the European Cup is going to get the revamp it needs (too many pointless one sided group games). Not sure about cramming the normal season in before Feb/6 Nations but possibility of having the South African sides join is a mouth watering one, add a couple of Welsh and Irish sides plus one from Scotland and Italy and you're done,

POSTED 11 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

So I think we can now ignore the EPL's pretend reasons for demanding a revamp?(it's really about money)If you introduce qualification from the Rabo you will get 3/4 Irish sides,one Welsh and Glasgow,which is a crap day out. Banging on about the rabo sides not qualifying then trying to introduce quotas...Oh and it would be the end of Italian participation,bet the tigers would be glad of that mind,after their "one sided game" there last year.And as for South African teams,the key word is surely "European"

I think that there is a valid point though, you have the pull, you get the cash. You have to put your front line players in the line every week, you want the others to have to do the same.
The latest proposal is just grand standing, it'll end up being a qualification based, European cup.
IRFU is having a bit of trouble raising funds if I understand, not much take up of there bond sale which would indicate their let thinks they're over priced.

Might be of interest...

@rugbyworldcup: #RWC2015 tournament volunteer programme will be launched in early 2014. Six thousand volunteers will be required for RWC 2015....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24153964

"Lower leagues? I would say roughly two people per team are on some sort of substances, could be fat-stripping supplement or a bulking supplement or something like that. From the Premiership to the Championship." he said.

Yet maximuscle who sell fat stripping and bulking supplements etc are linked with a load of rugby teams and have Chris Robshaw as an ambassador so is it suprising young players are taking stuff?

http://www.maximuscle.com/team/index

Suspect it is not very clear if some supplements are legal or not.

Scottish rugby is certainly not benefitting from these lean muscle bound giants that are rampaging about the game

I saw the Bismark/Carter tackle yesterday in a shop in Belgium. I don't think it was a harsh yellow, to the strict letters of the law it was a proper tackle but at full speed it is incredibly difficult for the ref to see it. Du Plessis is always running the risk of a yellow when you go in like that. What worries me is the size of these guys and the deliberate targeting of vulnerable parts of the body. Bakkies Botha did a similar thing to Adam Jones, got cited and banned for two weeks but stayed on the pitch. For the people bleating about rugby going soft, wind your necks in, it's not a blood sport, professionalism has created monsters the like we have never seen. How long before someone is killed in a collision between these gargantuan players.

Nothing like similar one was a legal tackle as has been seen with the irb recinding it. The other was an illegal entry to a ruck as seen with the ban. If its hard to see the ref didnt see it so shouldnt act on guesswork.

Was talking about the aiming to deliberately target a player for injury. Not like you to ignore what's written AA :lol

How you think Du Plessis was on side is baffling.

[img] [/img]

😀

Also, [url= http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/james-oconnor-stood-down-by-wallabies-20130920-2u540.html ]looks like the Aussies have their fair share of booze issues, too. [/url]

Bless him you to love Mongo 😆 Scott Gibbs once stole a taxi 😆

Phew....

Quins look frighteningly good against Wuss on the telly tonight. Wish I'd gone to the Sale game now!

If we had lost another number 8 you may have had the call 😯

Cipriani was the difference tonight, he has in another league, excellent all round performance. If he could play like that every week!

We were just putting some daylight between us and Wasps when Surfer junior utters the famous words "looks like we've got this won" which of course started the Wasps fightback. A nervous last 20 mins came down to a couple of scrums in the middle of the park that we eventually won and then won a kickable penalty with 90 seconds to go, step up Cipriani 🙂
Few worrying injuries though, Peel, Gaskell and most worrying McLeod.

How you think Du Plessis was on side is baffling.

How could he possibly have been offside? The ball was kicked off, not caught, bounced backwards with no tackle and no ruck. He could have tackled Carter from behind him and not been offside.

😆

I thought Worcester would have played better at home last night, Quins played a great game their offloading was excellent in the 1st half

Anyone got any predictions for today's games? It's gonna be a tough one at Allianz Park

Does anyone use Superbru?

Great result for Gloucester 😆

Talk about leaving it late.

Much as it pains me to agree with Austin Healey, that Glos result was a disgrace, ref should have had Glos 16 on his back!
Glos played well but that was wrong.

Miserable Dwarf 🙄 😆

Matthew Morgan length of the pitch, he is tiny 😆

That gloucs result was a travesty. Good game though.
B*** are getting a pasting at the minute.

Bath are getting humped into the astroturf. Sarries and Quins look like a class apart.

Not looking forward to Sale facing a VERY angry set of Saints next week after that travesty yesterday.

The game itself was fantastic, Glos aren't to blame for what happened but the referee was simply disgraceful.

Has someone given Henson a wash? MsD has just remarked he's not looking as orange 😆

Sarries said they will refund all the Bath fans if Henson scores any points. Well that is what I thought they said on the radio this morning.

Its true, they said so on the telly!

It's a bit insulting isn't it? Mind you he's just dropped a pass right in front of an open tryline 😆

Shame Saffacens didnt try that offer last year. Henson was excellent v them for Welsh denied a try from a questionable reffing decision but scored at least a drop goal. Just moved so no internet to see any games the team Bath chose looked like they had chucked the towel in before they started. Shame Saffacens have to resprt to cheap publicity stunts to get away fans as they have none of their own.......... Not.....

Only 8'500 there apparently. Much better from Bath in the 2nd half but too much to do. Sarries rattled now

full time Sarries 31-17 Bath.

Quins look like the pick of the bunch so far.

Just seen the highlights - Kitchiner's try... Tuilagi was awesome. Elliot's try... North was awesome. 🙂 Wishing I had BT Sport 🙁

BT Sport is awesome 🙂

It's all we've watched this weekend 😛

Considering sarries had a low gate, chances many of which were Barth fans, they would not have lost much income in refunds. Perhaps they should look after their own garden properly before cheap publicity stunts.

Last Saturday, BT sport was absolutely appalling. It was a football show with a game of rugby wedged in. All of the per match, interval and post match was just football talk. They had a football score ribbon at the top of the screen. Complete shit. Today was completely different. Shaun Edwards and dallaglio were brilliant pundits who talked a lot of sense and Edwards did a mini lesson in defensive patterns. Really impressed.

Agreed, BT Sport apparently got a lot of negative feedback after last week. Still early doors for the programme but if it stays like today then it's well worth the money.

DezB - Member
Just seen the highlights - Kitchiner's try... Tuilagi was awesome. Elliot's try... North was awesome. Wishing I had BT Sport

Yep Manu lined it up nicely, he's a strong lad. Also Bowden had a good game for us.

I'm also loving the BT Sport coverage so far, hope they keep it up.

I do wish they'd sack healey though. How that bloke makes a living as a personality ill never know.

wrecker - Member

I do wish they'd sack healey though. How that bloke makes a living as a personality ill never know.

Lets be honest "he has" personality, maybe winds some folks up though.

I'm just happy to see the back of Stuart Barnes

Lets be honest "he has" personality

Each to their own, I like him

Fred West on the other hand is not my cup of tea

So have the English and French definitely broken away from the Heineken Cup?
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/heineken-cup-english-french-clubs-launch-champions-cup-121614331--spt.html

There was some interesting discussion of it [url= http://www.rugbydump.com/2013/09/3394/heineken-cup-debate-with-conor-oshea-shane-horgan-and-donal-lenihan ]here[/url]

Seems like a complete mess and the IRB don't seem to be involved too much at the moment 😕 It seems a bit like the IPL T20 league in cricket in some ways... although I can't see rugby going that way. Seems the English and French have the financial clout to be in the stronger position and no doubt the Celtic league and IRB will bend most in the "mediation" going on last minute here

The IRB seem a bit slopey shouldered at the minute. The PRL clubs are being very bullish and I'd expect the RFU to go along with what they demand.
The FFR is very close to ERC Ltd. If the French and English are going to have an obstacle; it'll be them.

All of the Celtic Unions have released statements saying they will not play in any tournaments not sanctioned by the IRB...

Wow did anyone else just see Cuthbert's try?! I'm not his biggest fan, but good god what a try!

All of the Celtic Unions have released statements saying they will not play in any tournaments not sanctioned by the IRB...

Calum Clark sent off again.......
Foden is bloody brilliant. I'd forgotten how good he is.

Wow did anyone else just see Cuthbert's try?! I'm not his biggest fan, but good god what a try!

Rob Kearney still couldnt tackle a kebab! Was a pretty good game, shame the ref was so far out of his depth it wasnt funny. I thought Warburton looked good for his first game back. Patchel could be very special too as could Owen Williams. Leinster had far too much class though.

Yep agree with that a_a. Why he he didn't use tmo for the Blues 'try' that never was god only knows! Didn't realise that it was Warbs first game back-yeah he looked pretty good....excellent work on the floor as always.

Was scum bag Clark red carded or was it just the yellow?

Ah saw it was just a yellow.

It was hardly a red card offence! He challenged for the ball got pushed back and went again off his feet., yellow card at most!

What did he do that warrants the scumbag comment, often see him slowing ball down but nothing malicious?

What did he do that warrants the scumbag comment

Ewtube callum clark arm break

Now, I haven't seen any other training grounds, but after helping a mate out this week at Bath's, I'm pretty sure no team else in the country has such surroundings in which to train. They even have an AstroTurf half-pitch just for training...in a bleeding walled garden! (Not that it helped them at Allianz). The money that's being spent on the refurb of Farleigh House (Google it for images) is staggering.

Still couldn't find Peter Stringer anywhere. I wanted to get his autograph for my mate's lads. 🙁
(and give him a hug).

Knew we were going to lose to Saints last night but I'm fairly happy with Sale this morning. Sale were missing Tuitipu and Leota along with Peel and Gaskell but they showed some ambition and an attacking style that's been sadly missing for a couple of seasons.
Saints were far more physical and that told in defence, good game though and I'm happy Sale are moving forwards.

Agree MD. Only watched the second half and Sale looked pretty effective and resolute in defence and looked like they were constantly probing. A lot of injuries at the moment include Peel, McLeod and Buckley (who may have been effective last night) to your list.
I had hoped for a losing bonus point at best but all in all it looked like a reasonable performance against a better team.

@DD

Got the Sale away game in Bath in my Diary. Travel there with work every month or so. Looking forward to an evening game there.

The game will be at the Rec surfer, which is a great spot for an evening game.

The owner bought [url= http://www.bathrugby.com/club/farleigh-house ]this place[/url] a few years back and is restoring it. It's a pretty impressive little pad. The floor we're doing in the boardroom is gawdknowshowmuch. 🙂

Gimme a holler when you're down for the game. Would be good to grab a beer over that way.

DD, that is indeed one insane set up! I guess the "big" clubs need a USP to bring in the big players and it would certainly make an impression. Not a bad place to turn up to work 😀

Rugby humour eh? The gents...

[IMG] [/IMG]

I think at least one of them should be laughing... maybe nickname that one the "Henson"... could be Charlotte Church 😀

Cool DD 😀

Ospreys flying so far, thought it would be a tricky year but so far so good.

@DD - pretty funny' seems only a matter of time before its covered in graffiti though ...

Edinburgh v Scarlets on Friday - worst match i have seen in long time.

This is going to be a very long season for Edinburgh 🙁

Ospreys v Ulster on telly box tonight should be a good game.
Whilst i hate scumhamptonshire this is a bloody good try

Y George is quite the talent, isn't he?

Oh, and whatever you may think, there is no team with a name as good as the Prairie Wolf Pack RFC!