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Try of the year, Debaty is my fav.
Bit of a shame for whoever's position he takes.
Why? He's there studying in his own right, so he's not really [b]taking [/b]a place, is he?
Sad news re Tommy Bowe, DD. Love watching him play. Always seems to enjoy his rugby.
Thanks.
Gorumaru by a mile, not just for the score but for the context. Some truly ropey NZ submissions.
Gorumaru for me too.
The Debaty one was a cracker, as all prop tries are! 🙂
Tipuric's a delight of rugby.
But, yes - Goromaru for me. Also,
not just for the score but for the context.
Australia.
Head says NZ but the Cheika story deserves a fairy tale ending.
Why? He's there studying in his own right, so he's not really taking a place, is he?
Well he is only joining half way through the full term and the squad training starts some considerable time before the beginning of term, so he is effectively coming in pretty late. I just prefer the way Anton Oliver and Joe Roff did it, as a post retirement swansong and taking part for the whole pre season.
What @mefty says, most of the squad would have been working towards the varsity match for quite some time now. I played for Oxford (not rugby I hasten to add) and you had a good idea who was likely to be in the squad/side many months in advance including "post grad / visiting academic specials"
It is also worth saying that you only get your blue if play in the Varsity match.
NotToby not going to Bath
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/34652414
Surely EU regulations on freedom of movement to seek employment override any decisions by the Welsh RFU?
Burgess rumoured to be in negotiations to go back to NRL. So, he managed to get paid his way into the RWC squad, played, failed and now bails out.
If thats true I've no respect for him whatsoever, or the management that caved to the demands his contract placed upon them - if that was indeed the case.
We'll see in the leaked review details I guess.
Re the weekend; Yes the Chieka story deserves a fairytale end, my money is on the AB's though.
Anyone seen the state of Pocock's face in the news? Jesus...
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Surely EU regulations on freedom of movement to seek employment override any decisions by the Welsh RFU?
No doubt they do but Not Toby is still under contract. The WRU have just told the dregs they cant sell him. He can go anywhere he wants at the end of the season. Talupe himself has been very quiet in all this. I wonder what he wants. Dregs want to sell him now to get a fee, WRU want him to stay in wales with a central contract, Bath want him. We have heard nothing from him. Although I dont think I've ever heard him speak!!
Burgess should **** off. The amount of shit he got is unreal. He did ok invthe world cup. Justified his place in the squad for sure.
Neil Fissler now tweeting that Burgess has 10 days off and is in talks with the Rabbitohs. Spine of cheese.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/34662659
On the Beeb as well now.
What an utter farce. All that money wasted, all that training time wasted, for what? Other players missing out on what could be their only chance at a world cup? He could have made a good rugby player if his heart was in it. This looks a lot like someone thinking he could trophy hunt between codes. In the modern game, only SBW seems able to do that. The Chosen One just wasn't good enough, really.
To all the anti-Burgess above - why the hatred? He's just 1 man.
Was it his fault Wales won?
Was it his fault he was selected?
Are you just Union snobs?
If he does go back maybe it's because of people like you?
It is also worth saying that you only get your blue if play in the Varsity match.
It is, you don't get one for being an unused sub/replacement either. You get a Blue if the Varsity match is the only time you represent the University
@ElShamo fast tracking in a RL player with no Union experience to a RWC when we've legions of talented players. It also reinforces the selection errors we made at 10 with daddy's boy getting picked ahead of the first choice player coming into the tournament
Dont know if Ford would have been any better, his kicking is weak as is his defence.
Englands buggest problem was that they picked a big bruiser pack and back tow but failed to dominate and then after 50-60 mins they were blowing out of their arse. The amazing thing was that Dilly Dally and the rest of the commentators didnt realise that wales olan was to keep the ball in play a lot, hold on for 50 mins and then go from there. How many times did dilly dally say "another loose kick from Biggar" or "they cant have planned to bring Vunipola into the game like this". Er yes they can and did and Vunipola blew himself out running into Lydiate et al all day.
The back row was englands biggest fault at the world cup.
Burgess is staying allegedly
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/34665009
To all the anti-Burgess above - why the hatred? He's just 1 man.
I like the bloke.
Was it his fault Wales won?
Nope. We'll never know what a bit of dazzle from someone like Slade could have done though.
Was it his fault he was selected?
Nope. But he shouldn't have been.
Are you just Union snobs?
Put the chip down. Some RL fans are getting seriously butthurt that Sam didn't set the world on fire.
If he does go back maybe it's because of people like you?
Or maybe because he's not quite as good as he (and RL fans) hoped he'd be (yet)? Or maybe because he's adored in RL because he's very good at it? Or maybe because he could go back to aus and earn a boatload of money?
If a few negative comments have upset him, than he's not the bloke I thought he was.
To all the anti-Burgess above - why the hatred? He's just 1 man.
This and...
This looks a lot like someone thinking he could trophy hunt between codes.
Now, imagine you are Luther Burrell, you've played Union all your life, progressed to the de facto England centres,to see a partner like JJ or Slade coming, and Watson and Brown to play outside you - an exciting time yet only to be bypassed by money and a promise to now see this. I'd hate the guy TBH.
ElShalimo - MemberBurgess is staying allegedly
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/34665009
Posted 54 minutes ago #
Hazzah!
Sport is great for the entertainment it gives via opportunities to overanalyse and over think.
England were only ever good enough for a QF spot and bar an brief meltdown moment they would have delivered that. But they were ill-disciplined and Wales had a great reliable kicker ("and wanted it more" 😉 )
Burgess? You are one of the best in your original sport, your brothers are in Aus, and you get a lot of shit here. Easy choice. Bad trade, cut your losses and move on. Either than or play flanker in RU.
Job done.
You can get a gibert wc ball for under a fiver if anyone needs any balls..
But they were ill-disciplined and Wales had a great reliable kicker ("and wanted it more" )
I'm sorry to disagreecwith you (really I am as discussing things with you is like banging your head against a brick wall) but thats lazy analysis. Wales won through a combination of a slice of luck for the try and through running the big english pack around till they tired. Everyone knows thats hiw wales play in big games, stay in touch, keep the ball in play, rely on a good defence and force turn overs and/or pens and then hope for a bit of luck. It was nothing to do with wanting it more. Robshaw, Burgess and the punchy 15 wanted it as much. If you want a scap goat that bench hooker was shit so its Hartleys fault for being a **** and getting banned.
[i]Moves are well advanced for a return to the Rabbitohs. The only obstacle standing in the way now is Mike Ford, who wants him to remain in rugby union and is reluctant to release him but the expectation is that will be resolved within days.
South Sydney and NRL have paved the way for the Rabbitohs to pay a transfer fee to Bath that would not go into their salary cap.
He is a hero at the Rabbitohs. Winning the title in 2014 was a fairytale story. His brothers George and Thomas have re-signed with the club until the end of 2018, his fiancée is Australian, his entire family live in Sydney.[/i]
Seems quite compelling...
agree on Hartley!
Must have missed the penalty count though!!!
Pens come from pressure. England gave them away because their back row were struggling to make an impact
Could have gone either way, there was very little between the two teams but the only the only thing that matters is that wales won. It's finished. Both teams are out. Neither good enough to compete at the top level.
Indeed, so you don't need the reviews etc.
Team were not good enough to get beyond QF. They underachieved against that benchmark. The reason, they got put under pressure at the breakdown and folded. Even then, they could/should have achieved their objective. They didn't because (1) the players/capt made the wrong call or (2) the Welsh had prepared exactly for that call and executed the defence brilliantly.
Err, that's it...invoice to RFU on it sway
Going forward - better players, simpler structure, mean (bloody nasty) front 5, find 2 Pococks (foreign fields?), stop farting about at half-back, ditto centres and your back three are not too bad.
Avoid too much introspection. That should have died with the Cory era of self flagellation.
The fact there is going to be a review says a lot about the problem!!
No team can seriously think the have the "right" to achieve anything - that comes from good selection, appropriate coaching and respect for each other and opposition.
It also helps if the opposition aren't very good....Aussies and Wales are quite good.
My personal opinion is that english rugby is in for a very rocky ride. The salary cap squabble, talk of a european superleage, club power, national team selection etc. There was talk of open warfare following the RWC between the RFU and the PRL. It seems to me that the PRL want a league like the french, and the RFU don't (for very obvious reasons). It's a honking mess which shows no sign of improving and I worry for the future.
I think rugby is at an interesting point as a sport - IMO the physical intensity and injury count is reaching a breaking point ( 😉 ). Physical contact is an integral part of the game and something that all player relish - otherwise be a wendy - but there comes a point where duty of care steps in.
Change may happen when the current crop become walking wrecks in the forties and someone decides to sue (heaven forbid) or may be a serious injury (heaven forbid x 200).
The current breakdown with necks exposed is a case in point - its only a matter of time before there is a very, serious injury.
Thm that breakdown area is inded a scary place with exposed necks etc
If reffed to the rules about self supporting and not bridging/sealing the ball etc then it'd be a different. Including the placing of the ball backwards and the tackler and follow up players. The over reach and drag back along with the flop need sorting.
This was on Radio 4 this morning, tackles below nipple level or even tackling below waist level only. the NFL is meant to be paying every player that received a concussion $5,000,000 dollars. If that mindset comes in over here then the game is finished.
It is sad that strength and size are valued above ball handling and skill.
Watch "that try" and everyone looks like they are normal size.
Bakkies Botha deliberately hurt Adam Jones in the Lions test got a two week ban, to me that kind of thing really lets the game down. Jones was out for 6 months and needed a number of ops to fix his shoulder.
Change may happen when the current crop become walking wrecks in the forties.
Richard Hill of fairly recent Salaries and England/Lions fame has had a knee replacement,I doubt he is even 50.
He's the same age as me, so no, he isn't fifty. 😉
Re the NFL, I was watching some college football on my last trip to the US and almost every player had at least one knee brace on. At college level....
This was on Radio 4 this morning, tackles below nipple level or even tackling below waist level only.
I can't see how this necessarily helps, some of the worst head injures I've seen are from last ditch tackles where the tackler comes across the runner and gets his head on the wrong side (Halfpenny for instance).
If England need a review, what the heck do the French need?
A Priest?
Cant have him Bath got there first!
For all the hand wringing. Had England avoided Wales in their pool with for instance Irelands draw, they could have easily made the final. The irish should be the ones who really need a long hard look at themselves. Really limited game plan and under achieved massively.
The irish should be the ones who really need a long hard look at themselves.
Didn't they say that after Wales convincingly put them out last time?
Re the NFL, I was watching some college football on my last trip to the US and almost every player had at least one knee brace on. At college level....
There was some gubbins about that a few years ago. There was some evidence that taping prevented injuries, so insurance companies insisted on every player having ankles tapes.
Trouble is, there's a fair bit of evidence that taping/bracing actually weakens a joint.
The good news is the Scots outperformed - so bodes well for a close and exciting 6N (even if the quality is < RWC)
And if we could watch Samoa and Japan more often so much the better.
History will be made in Welsh rugby tomorrow when Regan King lines up alongside his son for the Scarlets in their derby clash with the Dragons.Veteran Kiwi King, 35, will start in the centre, while his 18-year-old son Jacob Cowley will be waiting in the wings to join him from the bench.
They will be the first father and son pairing ever to play together for the Scarlets and the first in regional rugby.
That's ace! 😀
If he's anything like as good a club player as his father, he'll go far!
King's playing some great rugby these days. Here's hoping junior can follow in his footsteps!
@tmh Inthink Burgess is counting his profits not cutting his losses after a dabble in Union. FWIW I think there is a decent shot the Burgess story is a bit of Aussie press trouble making
England lost against Wales as we royally buggered up the last 10 minutes. It's my opinion with Ford at 10 and no Burgess we'd have been well clear of Wales by then. I do t think we'd have beaten Australia based on how they've performed so probably only played the one more game.
On a happier note the father son thing is a great story
Nice bit of recognition for Nigel Owens on the Beeb news this morning. There's also a documentary about him at 11:55 tonight.
It's my opinion with Ford at 10 and no Burgess we'd have been well clear of Wales by then.
You keep telling yourself that and if you could arrange for the next england coach to think it too that would be great.
Nominations for player of year: Wynn Jones, Laidlaw, Hooper, Pocock, Carter and Savea
Sevea or Pocock for me, both beasts, both the best in the world in their position. Pocock edges it though, he's arguably the best 6, 7 and 8 in the world right now.
Laidlaw 😆 really????
Wynn Jones
Its just Jones not Wynn Jones. Really pisses me of when comentators get it wrong.
Laidlaw ffs what did he do that was so good?
re injuries, I think that if they could find a way to make the game less of a stop start affair then that would go some way to reducing the size of the players and hopefully the injuries.
With the number of stoppages we have at the moment the game is more anaerobic which gives big fast heavy guys the advantage. If the game became more aerobic then the players would have to slim down otherwise they would be completely knackered after 30 minutes.
Also, they should enforce the rule that the head should be above the hips at the breakdown. Bending over like that without being able to see who's coming is just asking for trouble.
Its just Jones not Wynn Jones.
I appreciate that as Wynn was/is one of my grandfather's, mother's, brother's and nephew's names! It is however easiest way to differentiate between joneses
BruceWee - and 15 players not 23
With the number of stoppages we have at the moment the game is more anaerobic which gives big fast heavy guys the advantage. If the game became more aerobic then the players would have to slim down otherwise they would be completely knackered after 30 minutes.
Ball in play times are much higher than they used to be.
His name is Alun-Wyn Jones. I wasn't aware of another Jones in the running for player of the year
Alun-Wyn Jones
Never knew it was hyphenated - seems common mistake - also note one n, all of ours are 2.
I wasn't aware of another Jones in the running for player of the year
If I said just Jones the reader would need to work out whether there were any, not all of us have instantaneous Rugby encyclopaedias in our brain so I merely did as I was always taught to make it easy for the reader.
Read something last week from unknown England Player moaning about how they were being set up to play a high tempo ball in play game for the coaches to bottle it at the last minute. "would have been better prepared hitting the weights gym" was the quote.
Anyway, RFU finished their Report, yet?
Ball in play times are much higher than they used to be.
Yeah but games are also 15+ minutes longer overall than they were 10 - 20 years ago.
@Samper not sure they've even started yet
@aa I appreciate I'm repeating myself but even with the wrong side we where 10 up with 10 (ish 😉 ) mins to play, as thm said our lineout was obvious as the prior one had been a dogs breakfast so it was obvious we'd throw short (it was obvious Scotland should have thrown short against Australia with 2 mins to go but they went for the element of surprise by going long and wrong)
Re injuries and careers etc look at Giteau, Wilkinson etc they are showing that retiring from internationals helps prolong your career, those are the most intense matches and if you opt out you get a couple of decent breaks in the season and no end of season tour either. This makes particular sense if your club pay in say France is much higher than you'd get stopping at home. I personally have a doubt that Giteau and Mitchell would have come back for anything other than a RWC.
Looking forward to tomorrow and have to say these 3rd/4th matches are a waste of time
these 3rd/4th matches are a waste of time
Not when there's another chance to see Argentine (hopefully) go nuts and play some proper rugby
The kiwis have had top players take sabbaticals.
Cracking Pro12 game at Munster on at the moment 9 tries so far!
Am enjoying the Scablets giving the Dregs a good going over at the moment!
Nottoby looks like he is enjoying the Dragons. Smashed twice from restarts and three knock ons was about the sum total of his contribution before being substituted. Plus Lyn Jones called him Toby before the game
Today's the day 😀
It's a wonderful sunny day in Paris and the really good news is I don't have to listen to that strangled cat singing World in Union.
CaptainFlashheart - MemberAm enjoying the Scablets giving the Dregs a good going over at the moment!
I got a bit bored with it. I'm getting a little impatient with the Dragons constantly being so crap. There are only 4 teams in Wales and it doesn't do anyone any good for one to be always at the bottom of the table. It can't do players like Faletau any good to be trying to play in that environment. Bring back the Warriors (or whatever they were called? At least they had some passion.)
Is this the first Time where what can be generally considered to be the two best sides in the world are contesting the Final?
Is this the first Time where what can be generally considered to be the two best sides in the world are contesting the Final?
1987 and 1995?
I don't remember SA being thought of as top two in the world before the 1995 RWC and remember watching a documentary suggesting they themselves thought they were a ramshackle mess! Certainly I remember the semi against France where the ref, Derek Bevan, penalised France out of the game and disallowed a couple of definite tries. Almost as if SA had to go through to the final. (If you want a conspiracy theory 😆 ). I always thought it was a travesty that SA won that RWC.
don't remember SA being thought of as top two
You are probably right, I misremembered the timing of their then record run of test victories which started in 1997 not 95
I feel dirty saying it but I want Aus to win!
Loved that Hakka!
Idiots sing swing low!
"Off you go Stephen!" Nigel on form!!
AA, the crowd just seeing who is missing a SOH or sporting the biggest chip!
No the crowd being idiots. England are not in the final, shut up and get over it
😀