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was just laughing at him being outpaced by a scottish forward
Might have been better said as " couldn't catch a scottish forward" or something like 'cos McInally didn't run away from him but Farrell could not make up 3 m over 60 m
so not strictly accurate
sorry if you got offended - banter not allowed here now?
probably best if I just keep away from this thread as people seem to like to go off the deep end all the time - shame
sorry if you got offended – banter not allowed here now?
You are being a bit thin skinned, you have to stick around so that I can laugh at you when Scotland only beat Italy in the Six Nations!!
Its not that - I seem to keep offending folk without intent.
anyway - you got no chance this 6N! We are going to win it.
You are being a bit thin skinned, you have to stick around so that I can laugh at you when Scotland only beat Italy in the Six Nations!!
I genuinely wish I could refute this with confidence.
a_a winning mindset absolutely but there are expansive players in that squad. It'd be good to see them cut loose. England for decades have under utilised they're back line potential and I think the modern game will be more about running the space and gaps not crash bang. It's why you pick Simmonds/dombrant over billyV.
anyway – you got no chance this 6N! We are going to win it.
Seriously??
6Nations is a good way away at the moment, and I have little idea how the teams will prepare. Certainly I fear Wales fans might spend a lot of time behind the sofa.
England look to be about to play a new, more exciting style of rugby. How long will that take to gel? Also Eddie Jones advocating attractive rugby feels like Boris Johnson promoting green policies.
I presume Ireland will be further down their road and France even more so.
Scotland have promised so much in recent years and they won a couple of games last year. They've got B&ILs in their squad, next year should indeed be their year.
England for decades have under utilised they’re back line potential and I think the modern game will be more about running the space and gaps not crash bang
This is why it's tragic that Ford has never been used probably. I know people always bang on about him not being able to play behind a forward pack that isn't firing, but he's done amazing things for Tigers for a good few years, rescuing us from relegation.
If England had only given him runners....
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see what Smith can do, but I just think he'll end the same as every other 10, that's actually tried to play expansive rugby for England. Unless they actually change or drop Farrell.
Seriously??
Oh absolutely seriously of course *rolleyes*
Hopefully we can get the bonus points the lack of which has hampered us the last few years where we ended up with poor placings in the table for the number of wins. Actually scotland won 3 games each of the last 2 years IIRC
4th last year on points difference having won 3 games same as Ireland and France but below them on points difference / bonus points
4th the previous year having won 3 games same as Ireland but below them on points difference
2019 was shite
2018 3rd with 3 wins
Its been really close to a second place finish each year ( apart from 19) 🙁 nearly but no cigar. I'll be very disappointed to be in the bottom half again
Actually scotland won 3 games each of the last 2 years IIRC
Sorry, I was thinking of away wins.
Did anyone watch Scarlets Treviso? Video ref, discuss, is it me?
Watched leinster smash the weegies. Jeepers they are relentless
On my rugby forum the usual suspects whining about the video ref but I wouldn't put much credence on that - they always whine
On my rugby forum the usual suspects whining about the video ref but I wouldn’t put much credence on that – they always whine
As do I that's why I was after independent variafication!
The problem is Welsh teams go away to Ireland and have Irish video refs, they come back to Wales and still have Irish video refs.
The SA women who reffed Ospreys v Treviso last week was much better than the pillock today/yesterday/whenever it was. In general the SA refs have been a huge improvement on the standard of referees
BBC highlights don't show anything to make a view
as the controversial one was the first treviso
And the second, plus the two tries that Scarlets got disallowed from Steff Evans
ON the BBC highlights ( I have now found the right ones) I see nothing wrong with either treviso try. Remember to rule it out the TMO must see something "clear and obvious" so if its just mm the on field decision stands. first one was he offside? Not clear and obvious but poor highlights make it tricky to judge
What do you think wrong with the second one?
It doesn't show the disallowed ones
Last weekend sarries were dominant and also had the rub of the green. It reminded me of taking my U16 team to merchiston where deep in the second half the spectators appluaded the fact we actually got a penalty in our favour. There's some pretty one eyed reffing at times.
Scarlets first try was lovely and it's great to see Scott Williams back where he belongs and playing well.
The try by the Treviso prop was a great scored too mind.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HS9Anqrg0xM
Remember to rule it out the TMO must see something “clear and obvious”
Typed a long reply then lost it!! Can't be bothered again, but whilst the above is true it was a shit show of inconsistantcies from the ref and video ref when seen in the whole. The first one was a clear forward pass, his hands go forward and the 22m line is handily placed to see it went forward too.
Scarlets first try was lovely
I mean the second don't I!!
Even the ref said "does he have both feet behind the ball" and clearly one isn't.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ChHYmfQgeRU
Great finish and as an individual decision, try, fine, move on, but then later decisions made a mockery of it.
Ah yes - I thought that about the pass when I saw the replay. You will always get inconsistencies in rugby reffing simply because a lot of it is subjective. As long as its consistent in that game thats as good as it gets and all fans only see the decisions that go against them not for them
Take the Hit in the air in the edinburgh game - it could have been seen as anything from a "rugby incident" with both players going for the ball to a deliberate piece of foul play and a red card and penalty try. Myself I thought it worth a yellow, the pundits were split, the ref gave just a penalty>>
totally subjective decision
You see to me that is not "clear and obvious" from that replay
You see to me that is not “clear and obvious” from that replay
Which one? He clearly picks the ball up with one foot ahead and one behind. Even the ref says so and is then talked out of it by the video ref. As you say though what we want is consistency and in that game seen as a whole we didn't get anything like it. What grips my shit is how we get "independent" video refs in some games and then other teams get homer video refs. The bemused looks on some of the Saffer refs in games in Ireland when the Irish video refs try to lead them has been hilarious this season. In general the addition of the saffers has been great in improving the ref standards.
The line last week from the lady Saffer ref about not flying halfway round the world to baby sit toddlers was awesome!!
I would need to see it from the other side - to me its marginal from what I could see hence " not clear and obvious" but I wouldn't like to bet my house on it or even a pint
I don't know if its whole foot behind the whole ball or toe behind furthest foreward bit of ball
Edinburgh struggling to put Zebre away. Real harum scarum game and the useless Frank Murphy as ref. He has ignored a load of fouls and two at least yellows -IMO of course. He is one of the refs I hate to see.
I don’t know if its whole foot behind the whole ball or toe behind furthest foreward bit of ball
Even the ref says "both feet need to be behind the ball, clearly one foot isn't, unless you can see anything else" then we have five mins of wibble from the video ref before the try is allowed.
That sounds like the refs fault then - he should be making the decision. What did the TMO say?
London Irish beat exeter - and deny them a LBP even what is going on?
Can any of the english / gloucester fans tell me how Adam Hastings is getting on? got too big for his boots up here IMO but moving south could be the making of him as a player
Nice to Irish doing so well, or exeter doing so badly, I only caught the last 15 and I thought Chiefs were going to do their usual, so V glad they didn't
Chiefs looked off colour to be honest Irish were not that scintillating and I can't see them being really threatening elsewhere.
Cracking win for Ospreys v Munster. Ospreys didn't have internationals whilst Munster did.
Very little input from any video ref either!!
USA v New Zealand has done nothing to reduce my ill-ease with Wales playing them!
14:104
USA v New Zealand has done nothing to reduce my ill-ease with Wales playing them!
14:104
I'm sure all that falling over the line to score will have tired them out!
Australia not very convincing against Japan yesterday. They're going to need to do a lot better than that if they want to be serious WC contenders.
Japan are fine team with a good record of beating big names. 10th in the world. In recent years they have beaten SA, Ireland, Scotland all of whom have beaten Aus.
AA; with all the player Wales are missing against the All Blacks, thank goodness there isn't covid in the squad as well...
Tonga got to stand a good chance against a "fresh" Scotland.
Its certainly not going to be the strongest Scotland team and Tonga have a chance for sure - but Tonga are not as strong a team as they have been.
Big question for Scotland is who plays at 10. Meatball (Weir) or Thompson - the steady chap or the new young whizz kid. Dancer and haircut ( Russell and Hastings) are both unavailable and so is VDW
I'd like to see Thompson start with Meatball on the bench
Second row is another tricky one. top 4 or 5 players unavailable. We have more depth than we used to but its a big drop in quality after the top 4 or 5
AA; with all the player Wales are missing against the All Blacks, thank goodness there isn’t covid in the squad as well…
**** off 😟😟😟😆🤪
Actually if it could get cancelled would the WRU still get the much needed cash?
Its certainly not going to be the strongest Scotland team and Tonga have a chance for sure – but Tonga are not as strong a team as they have been.
Yeah, let's hope NZ are not as strong as they have been too
Quick run down; f who is unavailable, off the top of my head;
Loopy Liam, just had appendix out.
1/2p poorly knee
LRZ unavailable
North broken
Halaholo Covid
Tompkins unvailable
Biggar unavailable
Sheedy unavailable
Faletau unavailable
Youngs unavailable
Lydiate broken
Tipuric broken
Navidi broken
Botham broken
Christ 'son of god' Tszhuna unavailable
Brown broken
On the plus side Calamity Cuthbert and the world flakiest/oldest ten in Priestland are back in the squad so.....
I saw they had called up Cuthbert and thought " shyte thats baaaaaad"
The toonbola has been turned on again and given an extra shake or two. No one saw this coming. I guess we now know why King Blairhorn got a couple of outings at 10 for Edinburgh ( he was a 10 at age grade) so we have a full back at 10, a winger at 15, a 6 at 5 and a blend of inexperience and youth and midgets *shocked picachu face*
What Meatball has done wrong I do not know
15. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby – 19 caps
14. Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors – 1 cap
13. Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors – Uncapped
12. Sam Johnson – Glasgow Warriors – 18 caps
11. Rufus McLean – Glasgow Warriors – Uncapped
10. Blair Kinghorn – Edinburgh Rugby – 25 caps
9. Ali Price (cc) – Glasgow Warriors – 42 caps
1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby – Uncapped
2. George Turner – Glasgow Warriors – 17 caps
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 38 caps
4. Jamie Hodgson – Edinburgh Rugby – Uncapped
5. Rob Harley – Glasgow Warriors – 22 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie (cc) – Edinburgh Rugby – 27 caps
7. Hamish Watson – Edinburgh Rugby – 41 caps
8. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 13 caps
Replacements
16. Stuart McInally – Edinburgh Rugby – 40 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors – 18 caps
18. Oli Kebble – Glasgow Warriors – 8 caps
19. Marshall Sykes – Edinburgh Rugby – Uncapped
20. Luke Crosbie – Edinburgh Rugby – Uncapped
21. Nick Haining – Edinburgh Rugby – 8 caps
22. Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors – Uncapped
23. Ross Thompson – Glasgow Warriors – Uncapped
AA - want a woe is me contest?
We are missing
Frazer Brown Rory Sutherland Simon Bergman
Jonny gray, Scott Cummings, Alex Craig.
Blade Thompson
Byron McGuigan, Cammy Redpath Chris Harris, Finn Russell Adam Hastings, Duhan VDM Huw Jones Jaco VDV sean Mailand, Stuart Hogg
At least and many of them first choices
We are missing
And are playing Tonga
We have NZ
Oh and Blade is fit just not picked. Been a 1 man back row for Scarlets this season.
Will scarlets release him? IIRC welsh teams have refused release outside of the windows before
Back row is one place we have plenty of folk tho
Darcey at full back? Jings; he is wee enough to still get on the bus for a half! Are the games all on council telly?
I was away at the seaside last weekend, bumped into Josh Navidi in Saundersfoot.
He’s just had surgery on his shoulder that looks like a season ending injury for him. That was after a bump on the Lions tour prior to the tests that ruled him out until early October.
He’s had some shit luck for, in my mind, one of the best back row players in the northern hemisphere.
A quiet, humble, unassuming guy you could ever wish to meet. I went all fanboy at him. I think he was a bit embarrassed.
Duckman - amazon prime or like me you can watch on a dirty feed
I'm not sure Prime will give me another free month this year, worth a try though!
AA – you will be fine. Josh Adams says so
If all our players were as good as him we would be..... Jiffy Not So Junior Anymore v the pace of NZ in the 13 channel really does give me the fear!
Who is up for score predictions? You remember my excellent record at this 😉
Wales 3 NZ 240 000
Scotland 58 Tonga 12
USA 10 Ireland 64
I doubt Scotland will in as well as that - 10 pts maybe.
I think wales will do better than you fear. forwards should be able to control the ball fairly well even get the majority of possession but NZ to pull away in the final 1/4
forwards should be able to control the ball fairly well even get the majority of possession
Bit early to start drinking isn't it? I'll wait til Saturday, if I time it right I can have a few watching the Tonga Scotland knock about and be hammered by 5pm!!
🙂
Scotland tonga should be entertaining - Scots backline only know how to attack and attack at all costs from anywhere.
A_a you missed Patchell and Ellis Jenkins, no doubt there are others too.
The Scotland squad looks somewhat inexperienced, I reckon the whole 23 has about as many caps as AWJ and the sheriff combined.
I have a sneaky feeling Cuthbert is going to have a blinder if he plays. If all of the Wales players were still able to produce their best rugby then I’d feel fairly optimistic, but as it is I fear we could lose by 40+.
I reckon the whole 23 has about as many caps as AWJ and the sheriff combined.
Probably! 8 new caps!
A_a you missed Patchell and Ellis
I missed out Patchel as he hasn't played in years and Ellis might be fit.
My predicitions:
Scotland 24 vs Tonga 30
Wales 15 vs Nz 20 (I have however put some money on wales to win)
Wales 15 vs Nz 20
Wow
I am going with Gauss1777's optimism. Also my motto is "write off Wales at your peril" , lots of great wins have come from under strength Wales sides with a prop or flanker found down the back of the sofa. Annoying trait but one that needs to be factored in.
5plusn8
Free Member
My predicitions:
Scotland 24 vs Tonga 30
There is a surprise!
It doesn’t matter how many points Wales score, it might look doable at about 60-65 minutes, but then NZ will score a shit load.
Wales 23 v NZ 48
Scotland 43 v Tonga 10
Ireland 55 v USA 15
It doesn’t matter how many points Wales score, it might look doable at about 60-65 minutes, but then NZ will score a shit load.
Yeah well there is the pessimism. Which based on experience/odds/sensible thinking is bang on. This probs what will happen.
But who doesn't want to see Wales beat the All Blacks? So if I am going to have a fantasy by pretending know the outcome, I'm going to enjoy it...
Scotland vs Tonga, I have no dog in the fight so trying to be more even handed, although experience/odds/sensible thinking disagrees with me. (I don't think T have ever beaten S). However Tonga can put it together once every 10 years and Scotland generally only keep it together for short periods, so despite being much improved over the last few years, you keep expecting a stumble... I think now is the time.
Meanwhile England Legend Will Carling has been inducted into the world Rugby hall of fame along with Jim Telfer.
https://twitter.com/WorldRugby/status/1453270239504834560
Tonga beat Scotland in 2012. However that was dark days for Scotland and tonga at the end of a tour
While Scotland are weakened with no english / Freench players so are tonga and this is their first game on tour IIRC and also their first for ages
tonga could win but not in a high scoring game and you would get long odds on it happening Same sort of odds as Wales beating NZ
As I said the bookies and expereince make me wrong, eg Ladbrookes giving longer odds on Tonga to beat you then Wales to beat NZ.
However, just a feeling I have. It would pointless & boring if we all just looked up the numbers, agreed the odds and left it there right?
Sandy Carmichael RIP. Despite being 6"2" and 98kg he got 50 caps and 2 Lions tours at tighthead. Famous for playing a whole half with eye socket and cheekbone fractured for the Lions.
I am going with Gauss1777’s optimism
Gosh, I wish I was. I have a bad feeling that Wales could lose by many many points. Ken Owens out now 😱. However, you never know, two red cards for NZ and we could pull it off.
Predictions:
Wales 11: NZ 43 (which is actually quite an optimistic score I fear)
USA 6: Ireland 63
I’ve no idea with Scotland v Tonga, too many Scotland players I don’t know, Kinghorn at 10, and a Tonga team I don’t know either. So, I’ll take a wild stab at
Scotland 30: Tonga 18
I went to watch Wales Tonga in 2017, it was a patchy Welsh team with uncapped/low capped players all over the shop and they put 74 points past them.
I'd imagine even a scratchy Scotland should be able to comfortably put away Tonga particularly given the current situation. And it's the AIs when Scotland play well, it's competitions where it goes wrong.
Wales: Johnny McNicholl; Owen Lane, Jonathan Davies, Johnny Williams, Josh Adams; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Wyn Jones, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Ross Moriarty, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Kirby Myhill, Rhys Carre, Dillon Lewis, Will Rowlands, Seb Davies, Gareth Davies, Rhys Priestland, Ben Thomas.
I would not have picked Anscombe, good player but doesn't look fit yet. Hookers are a worry. Hopefully Basham can take his form with Dregs up this rather large step.
No backrow cover on bench FFS.
That Wales team looks better than I had feared. Not been convinced by J McNicholl nor Ryan Elias. It’s been a good while since I’ve seen J Davies play at his best. But, they’ve got little to lose, no one is giving them much of a chance, I’m going to cross my fingers hard until they go 15 points behind.
But, they’ve got little to lose, no one is giving them much of a chance, I’m going to cross my fingers hard until they go 15 points behind.
There's that optimism.
1.Joe Moody (54)
2. Codie Taylor (64)
3. Nepo Laulala (37)
4. Brodie Retallick (89)
5. Samuel Whitelock (128) - captain
6. Ethan Blackadder (7)
7. Dalton Papalii (10)
8. Ardie Savea (56)
9. TJ Perenara (76)
10. Beauden Barrett (99)
11. Rieko Ioane (44)
12 David Havili (11)
13. Anton Lienert-Brown (54)
14. Will Jordan (10)
15. Jordie Barrett (32)
16. Samisoni Taukei'aho (7)
17. Karl Tu'inukuafe (23)
18. Tyrel Lomax (11)
19. Tupou Vaa'i (8)
20. Akira Ioane (10)
21. Brad Weber (14)
22. Richie Mo'unga (28)
23. Sevu Reece (14)
Autumn Internationals have crept up on me. But just clocked they are all on Amazon Prime - so that will fill a few rainy afternoons
Was at Gloucester vs Exeter last night and Glos missed a golden opportunity to put them away. Slow start but on top for most of the first half they got close to the line twice more second half and couldn’t get tries. Then reeece zammit had a shocker knocking on retrieving a kick from which they scored. He looked v short of form generally. Nowel played well 2nd half.
Then reeece zammit had a shocker knocking on retrieving a kick from which they scored. He looked v short of form generally.
Not seen him play but read about that, not surprising really, break through season followed by Lions tour, likely needs a calf strain about now to have a break. Normally he's quite a good footballer for a speed merchant, I'd trust him going back to field kicks more than say a young Johnny May...
I watched him on the telly last night and other than two small errors he looked bloody threatening, not looking forward to facing him in 6N. I wouldn't have called it a shocker, he was very close to scoring a few times. Exeter looked to have been outplayed in the middle of the field but I think their defensive experience shone through to mostly keep Glos out. The Exeter tries were scored via the old touchline melee. Glos did a great job of keeping Ex away from the touchline. Because if you let them enter the 22 its a huge problem. Also Hogg apears to be finding form again, his game was good. Punctuated with a great quality long grubber type kick which was what put LRZ under huge pressure. It was low and bounced funny and went a bloody long way. Very hard for LRZ to field which gave time for the attackers to rush him and he knocked on. Hogg with 5 times more experience taught LRZ a good lesson is all. That knock on was at 5 or 10m which gave Exeter the attack they needed.
It will be interesting to see how the Chiefs develop this year, everyone else seems to be working them out to a degree. The 5m bulldozer needs some other stuff to keep them up.
Question - LRZ played 2 or 3 games for the Lions, but none of them were tests against SA, do they count as Lions caps or not?
Also this:
Tonga look like a disorganised rabble, which given they have scrapped together a team and had four chuck abouts before the game is unsurprising.