[Closed] 2015-16 rugby, world cup year

Never seen anyone go down that hard from a slap in the chest. Must have been a lucky shot, eh?

People were saying the same about Heaslip from a gentle knee in the back. Sometimes damn painful things don't look much on TV but there's a fair chance Pape wanted to draw attention to it too 😉 I am also resisting the temptation to answer "Never seen anyone go down that hard from a slap in the chest" with "what about Sexton crying off"... joking of course 😀

Can someone tell those crazy Kiwis to give it a rest for a week... they be going an' getting Eben all mad 😯

[img] [/img]

So, anyone in for a Game of fantasy Lions 1st team at this stage of the RWC then?

15: Brown
14: Watson
11: Bowe
13: JJ
12: Cave
10: Biggar
9: Care
8: Faletou
7: Warburton (VC)
6: Tipuric
5: AWJ
4: POC (C)
3: Lee
2: Hartley
1: Ross

🙂

An embarrassment of riches in the squad can be had too.

It won't be POC. His international career is over. He is officially out of RWC. Thanks for everything big man.

[img] [/img]

News from the guardian on #supergav http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/oct/12/wales-gavin-henson-world-cup-quarter-final

Eli Walker called into the squad, but not expected to be match fit for the SA game.

[url= http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/rugby-world-cup-still-not-over-20151013102872 ]Has it finished yet?[/url]

😆

That Mash article if flipping lame. At least they weren't playing on a plastic pitch a la England football last night.

POC has been a great player, shame to see his international career come to an end, although I'm sure his opponents will be happy and sad in equal measure.

Krypton57, Danny Care as 1st choice Lions scrum half 😳

Thanks Paulie

binners - Member
Has it finished yet?

Depends if you're English really ...
(As can be seen from Kryton57's post above ^^^).

So, much like a football WC too , tbh. 😉

Lions 2017 prediction:

1. Healy
2. Hartley if not banned
3. Lee
4. Jonny Gray/Launchbury
5. AWJ (vc)
6. Warburton (c)
7. SOB
8. Toby
9. Murray
10. Biggar
11. North
12. Henshaw
13. JJ
14. Watson
15. Brown

If sexton plays at 10 then I'd have 1/2p at Full back over Brown....very close call between them as it is. In fact full back is a very competitive position. Lawes, Henderson, Davies would all be potentially starters in the second row too....again a very competitive position!

Back row is a key area....I went with two 'opensides' but I suppose there's a number of ways of going about it....SOB has played well at 8 for Ireland so I guess you could have him there then O'Mahony at 6 and Hovis at 7. Centres is also going to be a very competitive area. Earls, Jiffy jnr, Manu, Slade, Bennets, poss Roberts all in the mix. Should be a cracking squad!!!

Actually, I doubt that the centres will be Henshaw and JJ....hard to call!

Lions tour? Shouldn't that be in a 2017 thread?

Lions tour? Shouldn't that be in a 2017 thread?

I think Kryton's aim was to discuss who would make a 1st IX of the home nations based on the RWC to date.... having said that a number of the suggestions are out of the competition so I'm not sure 😀

Kryton, you have two tight heads

So Wales have called up another injured player. Great

anagallis_arvensis - Member
Kryton, you have two tight heads

Strong scrum then!

😉

Pretty sure Kryton was going for a first XV not IX 😉

Damn it posting here on the phone in a hurry! 😳 I suppose I could pretend it was a deliberate comment England historically are only interested in 9 players to win a game but I'm not smooth enough to bs that one convincingly 😀

On beeb

James Haskell says he may "lose his mind"

Some would wonder when he found it!

Ok, sorry, I did do a little LOLz.

[IMG] [/IMG]

EDIT: Feeling a bit anxious about a >366 minute hearing. 😯 😐

(Shamelessly copied from @WelshDalaiLama of course...)

Still funny, though! 🙂

I know lawyers are paid by the hour, so assume that's why it's taking so long. Well, either that or he brought a massive box of biscuits with him.

Punch? One week ban. Go and say sorry. Carry on, everyone. (Is how it should have gone)

[img] [/img]

Biscuits? Cookies? Nah! They're getting through the burgers!!! 😆

[img] [/img]

Christ, I used to work in one of those when I was a student. Grim times. (Their smoky bacon burger was lovely though!)

I did fear as POC was waving from the trolley that was the end of his Ireland career. He's been immense.

Do we think SOB has beaten them all up and is busy working out how to explain things?

He's been immense.

Not sure that's a big enough word. One of the very, very best. A truly great rugby player.

Have we done this yet?

Namibia, already well beaten and on the way home, had a conversion attempt to make. Step forward their soon to retire prop, Johnny Redelinghuys.

Hat!

The TJs should have stuck their flags up anyway 🙂

Rumours abound...

2 weeks reduced to 1. An acceptable outcome. Sean's previous saintly behaviour helped.

EDIT: confirmed now I think.

1 week seems right to me.

As before though, should just have been as follows; "Punch? One week ban. Now please leave. NEXT!"

Cue SOB leaving the headmaster's office, tail between legs.

🙂

Nowt wrong with props kicking, my father was a prop and a kicker.

Beeb reporting a week for SOB

Andrew Cotter ?@MrAndrewCotter 3m3 minutes ago
So by that reckoning, if Gray and Ford have got O'Brien's legal team they'll escape a ban and be given 5 thousand pounds in prize money.

I am suprised Henson didnt get 18 weeks with 5 added for not saying sorry.

On the Scotland players,did the Aussie tmo, while going through the entire game not feel the other safety directive( applied,amazed he cited two of ours and no Samoans for the frequently penalised headhunting tackles.

Andrew Cotter's tweet.

So by that reckoning, if Gray and Ford have got O'Brien's legal team they'll escape a ban and be given 5 thousand pounds in prize money.

WTF is taking so long anyway?

WTF is taking so long anyway?

They asked for the £5,000 in used notes.

It's on the site,they both got three weeks!

WTF is taking so long anyway?

I believe the hearings were in the offices of Clifford Chance. Lawyers fees by the hour......

Nice earner. Oh, and CC usually have jolly good biscuits and coffee in their offices.

ouch three weeks for gray and ford

EDIT: Too slow, BTW the law firms do this sort of work for the kudos rather than the income.

I think we can safely say that Scotland is a Tier 2 for the purposes of citing.

Well, that's what happens to transgressions from Tier 2 nations in this RWC. It's disgusting.

EDIT. Dammit. Too late.

That really is pish. The Samoans were pinged 4 times for high tackles,yet none of them were worth a hearing. Two incidents nobody saw until the TMO watched the whole match again are highlighted. A week added to discourage that type of play as well,what about Hooper and SoB's extra week to discourage "that type of play?"

Jack Lam even wrote a statement in their defense apparently.

the law firms do this sort of work for the [s]kudos [/s] corporate hospitality and tickets rather than the income.

FTFY.

Bosch only got a week. #Tier1

FTFY

That alone does not justify the theoretical cost.

[url= http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/videohub/video/clipDeportes?id=deportes:2498991&startTime=00:50 ]Bosch, just for comparison[/url]

Bosch is cited for 10.4(e) which is various types of dangerous tackle, but not the tip tackle which is specifically covered by 10.4(j), for which Gray and Ford were cited. The only way I can see that Bosch's wasn't a tip tackle as the Namibian is not the ball carrier at the time. Shirley a tip tackle is a tip tackle?

Incidentally, Bosch admitted he'd done it. Gray and Ford denied theirs.

EDIT: 10.4(j) makes no mention of tackling - just lifting the player in the air. Hmmm. Odd.

Bosch's effort is much,much worse than either of our efforts,but one week.The three weeks is irrelevant in WC terms,but that will cost both their livelihood for a couple of weeks as well. That is a harsh decision,both denied it as neither felt they had done anything. I would also have thought that there was a protocol in place to ensure the game wasn't reviewed on Sat night by somebody who by that time knew his nation would be facing Scotland. Samoa spent the game hitting guys late and high,but the only two dangerous tackles were by Scots? Aye right!

If you deny it or dont where a nice suit and say sorry you are ****ed. I dont see how Gray could deny it.

Phil Steele ?@philsteele1 20m20 minutes ago
Sepp Blatter allegedly refuses invitation to serve on RWC Disciplinary Committee - says he fears it could sully his reputation #5Weeks

Gray and Ford were cited for tip and dangerous tackles respectively. Nonsense.

Dangerous play perhaps, playing without due care and attention maybe (if it exists), but it was a ruck not a tackle so the actual citing is baloney.

tackles involving a player being lifted off the ground and tipped horizontally and were then either forced or dropped to the ground … must be dealt with severely by match officials and all those involved in the disciplinary process

Not a tackle and to tip the Samoan horizontally they'd have had to raise his head.

If Australia go on to win this RWC (and they should beat Scotland with or without Gray and Ford) it will be stained by the fact that their guys felt it necessary to bring this citing.

Had they brought it for bad rucking I'd have some sympathy with them.

Unbelievable.

@duckman, not sure a ban affects players livelihoods as they still get paid (based upon my understanding of their contracts, it's the club / international Union who loses out)

Seanie last night...

Scotland have been thoroughly humped there.

I would also have thought that there was a protocol in place to ensure the game wasn't reviewed on Sat night by somebody who by that time knew his nation would be facing Scotland.

Agreed. I've not seen the tackles again so can't comment on whether should have been cited, nor do I really think really it will be the difference between Scotland winning or loosing. But it just doesnt sit right. Surely there where plenty of other officials who could have done the job, he shouldnt have been given that role anyway given it was known for days before that the winner of that match might have faced aus.

What's Bosch being cited for? Not the tackle he was carded for surely. If so might as well do away with refs altogether if they can't deal with the Incident in game.

Australia have just beaten Wales and England they are certainly not afraid off full strength Scotland. It's a co-incidence the citing official is Australian and in any case it's not a decision made by a single person. The rules have worked in Scotland's favour in this RWC as Japan got only 4 days rest

Just spotted DD's edit on 10.4(j). That makes a little more sense now.

The disciplinary rules make interesting reading though (well the SRU ones, I didn't find the IRB ones). The citing commissioner has to be independent. I would have thought that excluded Scots, Samoans but also Welsh or Australians. In fact why use anyone who could be a potential opponent in the next 3 (OK 1) games?

Also citing is for ordering off (red card) offences according to the SRU. Does anyone know if a tip tackle (which I now know doesn't need to be a tackle or a tip) is a red or yellow offence? I'm sure I've seen yellows only.

Jambalya - decision to cite is a single person decision and the commissioner I think is meant to be independent. I agree the sanction is by committee. Would an independent have sent it to committee when the ref is right there? We'll never know.
As for the Japan 4 days thing, Scotland had 4 days turnaround against the USA and still beat them by s bigger margin than Japan did. Would S-J have been closer with more rest? Probably. Would Japan have won? Probably not, but Scotland would have been short of one of their bonus points so if Japan could have managed a losing bonus point it would have gotten tight - but even then without USA or Samoa bonus points Japan would still have gone out.
Ifs, buts and maybes are great though.

It's a co-incidence the citing official is Australian

I'm sure its a co-incidence, but given the requirement to be independent and the fact there are presumably a bunch of nationalities available, why assign an australian that role?

Given the public moaning about a french mother when Joubert gave Warburton that red card, you'd think they would avoid the possibility of non-independance

https://twitter.com/gavinc42/status/653585272748294144

Clearly dangerous. Daft to deny it

Having tried to find out what you can be sent off for on the IRB site, I now understand why refs just make it up

AA - Samoan is always in contact with the ground / player on ground. Not good but doesn't meet the definitions. Lots of things on a rugby field are dangerous.

AA,that isn't a tip tackle,their are enough players there to form a ruck. Not only that but they both bind,rather than doing a Hooper.
Jambalaya; you have mentioned rest days before; Scotland got 17,the least equal. England got 22.

Clearly dangerous. Daft to deny it

Don't think anyone's denying it. Just that it's seen in every game (or in the case of this game not seen until the citing commissioner wen through the whole match again).

In the SA game Nigel Owens didn't even YC Pietersen's tip tackle on Vernon because 'there was no intention'. There was no citation after the game either.

There was no intention in the Gray Ford incident either and yet it merited a five week ban.

So, not saying it's not dangerous, just that the whole situation is completely ****ed up.

AA,that isn't a tip tackle,

Thats true, but you shouldnt lift players by the legs in a ruck and dump them on their head either. It is obviously dangerous foul play. Going into the citing they should have got Gray to admit it because he's the one lifting. Then Ford could have got off and Gray got 1 week or similar. Its too obvious to deny.

I am not sure if it is because I am Scottish or if it is because I am a rugby fan (probably both) but the Ford, Gray ban is a total nonsense on many levels.

The incident was clearly not malicious and frankly there were dozens of more dangerous acts committed in pretty much every game played. Australia will beat us regardless (false optimism 10 mins before the start will still of course be present) but rugby has lost out here.

I have little doubt that the Australian official deliberately looked for something. Australia are fierce competitors at every sport. Gaining an edge in any way possible is what makes them successful. In no way shape or form should an Aussie been in the chain here but...... Ultimately common sense should have applied. Maybe it is time to move to full blown touch rugby?

@duckman the point is about Japan not Scotland or anyone else, it's my view Japan would have won that game with proper rest. Anyway it's irrelevant as Scotland are through I was only commenting as Scots here seem to think they've been hard done by "the rules"

What we don't know for sure is what the IRB has told all the nations about how the game will be reffed on the field and from the citing officials. That ruck clear out looked OK-ish to me and would not have expected to see a card on the field or a citing but that's based on my view of what's normal, is my view of past matches.

the incident was clearly not malicious

True but any lifting and driving head first into the ground is ban worthy. The whole citing process is shite though. Some accidents like that one are dealt with harshly others like kicking a player in the head because the ball is or was near him are let go. And then SOB gets a week for a punch even though the minimum ban is 2 werks because he said sorry.

What bugs me is that giving SOB a week off is nothing compared to the red he should have got. Refs and TMO's ahit out and often give yellows then the player gets a ban meaning he should have got a red

this thread is completely lost now that England have gone.
admit it, you need us.

jambalaya - Member
@duckman the point is about Japan not Scotland or anyone else, it's my view Japan would have won that game with proper rest

brakes - Member
this thread is completely lost now that England have gone.
admit it, you need us.

Agreed. Every tournament needs some comic relief

(Normally it's us to be fair)

...because he said sorry.

The judgement is there for anyone to read. The x ½ is not [i]just[/i] because he said sorry.

Is the other half because he didnt eat the biscuits?

citing?

you put your left hand in...

To rip off someone else's comment... just imagine Tuilagi reading the decision and thinking "so it's better to punch somebody than run hard on a rugby pitch."

Regarding the time of the hearing, maybe SOB and the Irish team choke tackled the panel and held them up in a 7 hour maul? 😀

SOB has a back hand in his repertoire too but I do have more sympathy for this one

@duckman Japan went into the game very tired and even so where just 12-10 down (I recall) in the second half. As one of the newspaper pieces pointed out Scotland have won just 3 6 Nations games since the last world cup.

Good to see that chip on your shoulder hasn't gotten any smaller Jambalaya 😉