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Finding a way to get it done when things are going against you…….”
And that's one of the things that Jonno brought to the England team when we won it. Corry had tjat ability too. But since then, England have not has a true leader with a brain and what, where I come from, is called 'nous'. Quite the opposite since then (and certainly since 2011) - absolutely no nous in Englands leadership since. The skills and brains of Flood and then Ford have been totally wasted.
Give it a rest will you.
Yep. As long as you lot shut up about dull and shit the bronze medallists are.
That was tight! Surprised nz didn’t take the 3 points a couple of times when they had kick able penalties. I think their discipline let them down too, very rare for nz.
well done SA, a tough road to the final for sure.
Just been back through the last 5 pages of posts and somewhere between 20 and 25% of the posts are knocking England, or England's players, or their style of play, etc.
But yeah, I'll shut up now.
Just been back through the last 5 pages of posts and somewhere between 20 and 25% of the posts are knocking England, or England’s players, or their style of play, etc.
are you counting those by English fans? <br /><br />
Well done to South Africa. A tough route playing every top team. Winning each knockout by a single point is pretty wild.
He certainly has a bee in his bonnet doesn't he.
Rugby does have issues when teams like England and SA can do so well by simply kicking the leather off the ball. It needs looking at because rugby is dying a slow death imo.
Limiting subs to say only 3 tactical switches whilst allowing HIA replacements or injury replacements but those replacements have a 2 week stand down would help imo. Allowing forwards (and backs) to become so big and then replacing them with more massive blokes when the tire is killing the game. Something needs to be done with the breakdown too as a lot of teams don't seem to even want to make a break unless they have a pen advantage as you will just get pinged for holding on.
Watching endless box kicks was fun when Robert Jones dismantled Campese in 1989, it's much less fun now!!
The scrums in the final were interesting. There did seem to be an attempt to drive and stay up. Lots of NH teams use it to get penalties, which just is boring. Watching loose head elbows yesterday seemed all up. Lots of other team LH will have elbow pointing at the ground. That would seem to be an easy ping from the ref
A loosehead elbow up can just as soon mean he is boring in. On to AA’s point, something wrong with the game when the Saffers can take off the hooker and claim it’s a technical sub in case of a last min lineout on their line. As for size of modern players, I would love to find details of when players have been drugs tested, my gym rat colleague who is quite open about his own PED use was incredulous watching a game at the WC.
There was a pic of itoje coming off after a game with top off. He was like the incredible hulk from the 80s.
I'm w anagallis, rules and points per play need looking at.
I think the whole idea of Mr Webb-Ellis was to pick up and run w the ball, not about kicking it the most times over the cross bar.
What we all love is running rugby, and getting over the try line. Shame that the team that scored most points and tries didn't win in the end, or that other teams who did well on excitement and running the ball also fell foul of RSA anti-rugby
On most of the stats relevant to what makes rugby exciting, RSA didn't even make the top 5. They did score tries, but only against lower tier opposition.
The only category RSA won was the tackle count.
I know there are different approaches to win games, but I know what I like watching.
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/stats
What we all love is running rugby, and getting over the try line
I enjoyed the Fiji - Portugal match; I liked the way Portugal played and moved the ball around without incessant kicks. They made mistakes and mishandled, but it was still nicer to watch than kick tennis.
I see Eddie Jones has jacked it in - he’s really become the Jose Mourinho of rugby hasn’t he.
Just watched Dregs v Cardiff. Standard was about as you would expect, but holy shit Mason Grady is freakishly fast for a player of his size. If he can step up this year and be international standard it would be great for Wales.
@ditch_jockey If the Japanese RU have any sense they’ll stay far away from re-employing him.
Cheika apparently out of contract?
David Humphreys former Ulster & Ireland and Head Coach for Gloucester and Ulster looks like he might get the Ireland High Performance Director role replacing David Nucifora. Its a pretty important role in Irish rugby as IRFU pay all the coaches of the provinces, decide which players get central contracts, have to sign off on any overseas signings. They can also heavily influence players to change provinces and probably should do a bit more to distribute some of the players down the pecking order at Leinster across the other teams where they might challenge for a starting position. I'm pretty happy with appointment, met him once at Gloucester's training ground and he seemed pretty sharp.
Wayne Barnes retires, shame he was a top class ref.
Porter will be pleased, I am sure he has been angling for this for a while 😄
Wales v Baabaas today, are elite Welsh players contracted for 35hrs a week for the RFU or something? Bet the clubs are chuffed about that!
Bet the clubs are chuffed about that!
It's a farce!!
Scarlets v Cardiff today and all the internationals injured or away, no wonder the game is dying in Wales.
are elite Welsh players contracted for 35hrs a week for the RFU
WRU please!!!!
shows the WRU do not care a hoot about their URC teams.
When all this year's of carrying Wales finally catch up with you 😟
https://twitter.com/i/status/1720872444657844304
Now the dust has settled from the world cup we can look at the stats:
The Ireland v Scotland pool stage match on October 7th broke a record - with 137,000 pints of beer sold at Stade de France to the 78,459 spectators, easily beating the previous record of 90,000 pints, which was set during a Metallica concert at the stadium
I've always like Biggar despite his antics. I see him a bit like Sean Lamont. Not the most skillful or exciting player but someone who made the best of his talents and who never gave less than his best. He deserves to be remembered as a player who played with passion and fire
He also provided us with some fine comedy moments over the years. Everybody do the Biggareana!
The Ireland v Scotland pool stage match on October 7th broke a record – with 137,000 pints of beer sold at Stade de France to the 78,459 spectators, easily beating the previous record of 90,000 pints, which was set during a Metallica concert at the stadium
Are they selling actual beer in Stade de France now? Last time I was there (2010, I think) they were only selling non-alcoholic Heiniken for 6 euros a pint.
I’ve always like Biggar
Me too. It's crazy to think just how many Welsh fly-halfs have come and gone while he's been an international.
I’ve always like Biggar despite his antics
Bit like Faz but without the cheap shots and anger.
Wales screwed for 10's now. No Bigger, no Anscombe, no Jarrod Evans, no Patchel, no Costelow as he looks long term broken, no Hawkins. That leaves us with Ioan Lloyd who has played about 10 pro games as a 10, Sheedy and my nan.
dunno aboutthe anger but I always enjoed his flapping of arms in protest and he as far as I remember never went for the cheap shots
Seems Wayne Barnes and his family have been getting death threats (from the decision the TMO made as far as I can work out), keep it classy NZ!
Quite a sad interview with Wayne Barnes today about the death threats and abuse to his family. This sort of stuff should carry huge bans and prison sentences.
Rent-a-gobs like Erasmus and EJ have a huge responsibility in this. Quotes from Barnes in a Fra v SA match in which he sent off DuPont and Pieter SdT. Dupont apologised to him as he left the field whereas Erasmus called him a cheat and gobbled off on Social media.
Legend is overused word but pretty accurate in AWJ case, would have been nice if it was an international game but sounds like the Toulon crowd gave him a good send off
I’d put AWJ up there amongst the very best in world rugby. It will be strange not hearing his name mentioned when we play Wales - I honestly can’t remember a time when he wasn’t there!
Farrell announces a break from international rugby, citing mental health and a focus on his family. <br /><br />
Good on him with his priorities.
Hope he's better at it than Mr S Hogg.
2 pretty watchable club games this evening Quins V Sale and Munster V Glasgow. Will watch the first half of the latter and maybe decide at HT which is more competitive for 2nd half.
cracking win for Exeter!!
Now to watch the Cardiff u20 try not to get steamrollered by Toulouse. DeLaRua aged 19 to start his first pro game ever 😱😱😱
I was Bristol airport yesterday afternoon and Scarlets and Cardiff squads were there getting the same EasyJet flight to Toulouse. I felt sorry for anyone else on the plane....
I find it slighty disturbing that I was at school with the (late) father of Teddy Williams (who looks exactly like his father Owain and is equally giant).
Arundel signs for 2 more years for Racing so is ineligible for England, on the back of Mark Nawaqanitawase going to league that serious box office players leaving international rugby.
Money talks. Also would you rather November games in Newcastle away or somewhere in the south of France.
He was also treated like shite - alledgedly - in the England camp. 3 years in France on good money and he’ll still be 24 - a good age to have matured, sign for an England club to be eligible and avoid bumping into Farrell again.
They could get rid of the rule that disqualifies overseas leagues players if it's no longer achieving what they wanted. Would be funny if he still turned them down because the dressing room is so toxic.
Billy V has his red card overturned, even though it was a glancing blow it was a tucked arm with force.
No Sarries fan but thought it should have been overturned, fair amount of simulation from the guy it hit
Coming as no surprise whatsoever to anyone, Eddie Jones appointed Japan coach.
Cardiff Bath first half was awesome. Not sure Cardiff can keep this up though. It's men v boys in the forwards
Yip, cracking match so far , excellent entertainment.
Cannot understand how the Bath player got away with headbutting the opposition on the floor after the try. Clear pen, clear to wipe of try. Just bizarre, ok it wasn't that hard but he did it twice.
Because according to the ref it was tit for tat handbags.
But of course no welsh team is ever beaten without the help of crooked refs
Also was it not after the whistle so it wouldn't have led to the try being chalked off?
Because according to the ref it was tit for tat handbags.
Was it, I don't think the ref saw or looked at it.
But of course no welsh team is ever beaten without the help of crooked refs
Sometimes I think you are ok, but then you always manage to be an arse for no apparent reason. If you don't want to talk about rugby incidents maybe avoid rugby threads.
Cardiff were soundly beaten by a far better team but put up a brave fight given the circumstances. I expect Russell's wages are more than the entire back 5 of the Cardiff pack combined!
The ref clearly did as he told both players any more behaviour like that then both will get cards
As for the rest of it? Pot kettle and black come to mind and you are the reason why I and many others rarely post on this thread
The ref clearly did as he told both players any more behaviour like that then both will get cards
That was when talking to the players involved in the wrestling match after, he didn't look at the headbutting.
you are the reason why I and many others rarely post on this thread
Well don't let the door hit you in the ass...
Good win for Exeter again today, didn't get to see it though.
Toulouse just miss out on putting 50 on Harlequins in London!
Watched it, Munster imploded after a great first half. Mainly because all their big second rows are injured, and they had to play a number 8 at 4 for the game but Conor Murray's appearance off the bench didn't help. Has been a great player Munster and Ireland but he had a game he will want to forget and I don't think he should be near the side now except the odd URC game. Credit to Exeter though, really agressive blitz defense and Slade is playing really well.
He was also treated like shite – alledgedly – in the England camp
The flipside is that he's considered a lazy winger who waits way out at touch for the glory kicks and doesn't work as hard as he should during the rest of play.
Allegedly.
Bath are looking really good for the title run this season. And that's coming from a regular at Sale, who are missing a couple of key South Africans.
I thought Bath would dispatch Cardiff more easily than they did. The demise of the Welsh regions is pretty painful to watch.
No mention of the Black Lions?
I watched Black Lion play Gloucester and I thought BL were a bit unlucky. Maybe the moment got to them as it was a Georgian clubs first outing in any of the big European competitions, plus it was lashing it down all day. Handling errors aside they played good attacking rugby and tested a young Gloucester side. Great support from the damp home fans & great to see some old Georgian legends and a few English ones too.
Great result last weekend for Black Lion, Scarlets were expected to win IMO but BL fought well and got a memorable win. It meant a lot to the players and the fans, now hopefully BL can beat Clermont on Jan 20th. People in Georgia really know their rugby and many have played but money & good opposition are holding them back. A good run in the Challenge Cup might just be a turning point.
Great result last weekend for Black Lion
Not that great they beat Scarlets who are beyond awful at the moment. Any keen Scarlets watchers would have predicted a loss, they have only won 2 games so far this season.
Although it is a great result for Georgian rugby so I do kind of agree..
It was a huge result for BL & Georgian rugby. Scarlets started well and scored early. BL looked like an away team in unfarmiliar teritory, but stuck in there and ground Scarlets down, then opened up when they got on top. Scarlets never looked like coming back once they were down a couple of score.
You can only beat whats in front of you, and BL beat a big name Welsh team. They might not be that great at the moment but they were still at home to a Georgian club side. Wonder how long it'll take for a sponsor to appear on the BL jersey now they're winning.
Glasgow go top of the URC and more importantly take a 12pt lead in the 1872 cup. Roll on Murrayfield
Cardiff v Dragons rained tries.
Scarlets v ospreys 0:0 at half time
Yeah...glad i didn't go
Tbilisi Black Lion win again.!! 27-17
This time in the Rugby Super Cup with Tel Aviv Heat the opponents this time, a team stuffed with South Africans & a sprinkling of Fijians. BL played well in the first half with Tel Aviv coming back surprisingly strongly in the 2nd half. Tel Aviv tried to play some entertaining rugby but BL held on. BL thoroughly deserved the win and the 3rd year running BL have beaten Tel Aviv.
The match was played in a different stadium than the Gloucester match and was well attended albeit with a lot of extra security. At the final whistle BL grabbed the cup and came straight over and celebrated with their loyal band of vocal supporters. We were embedded with these supporters for this match and the mix of old & young, male & female was remarkable, mums with their daughters and old boys with their grandsons and everything inbetween, it was great way to spend a Friday afternoon.
The entire BL squad then came down to my regular haunt, Pub44 in Tbilisi to celebrate their win, those lads can celebrate! Ha Ha
Roll on 20th Jan and Clermont.....
Fair to say Stuart Hogg getting an honour has somewhat split the Scottish rugby community.
I seem to have missed the stuff about Hogg?!
Posted a pic on social media of him and his new squeeze in a hot tub taken on the day his 4th child was born. His missus then had to leave the new house just outside hawick and afaik have to move back in with her parents.
His SRU car was returned to them early with a reshaped front end.
There's a "theory" around his retiral that is doing the rounds.
Blimey!
Just watched the Bristol v Exeter highlights on YouTube. Looked like a very good game. Feyi-Waboso does look like he might be a special player - do we think he'll get called up for the 6 Nations?
Happy New Year by the way.
Ospreys beat Cardiff in a swamp fight. Great try from 18 year-old number 8 Morse.
Next up is the Scarlets Dragons cripple fight...can both teams lose?
do we think he’ll get called up for the 6 Nations?
Signed a long term contract last week which means he can play for Wales till that contract ends. If he played for Wales and then signed the contract he would be ineligible. Don't think that's coincidence.
Waboso, Adams,Zammit, Dyer and Grady and we are well set for wings. Just need a 15, a 10 and some forwards and we might avoid the wooden spoon!!
Morse try, this kid could be quite good when he grows up!
https://twitter.com/i/status/1741859627988357375
....nice try. 👍
He made scoring against Cardiff look easy
"Just watched the Bristol v Exeter highlights on YouTube"
We spent Friday & Saturday in Bristol for the match, Great atmosphere & just shy of 25k attendance.
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Been “busy” in Krakow with Mrs Ducks extended birthday celebrations so sorry for the delay…
Teej; get it right up you!!!!! West is Still best.
Lots of unconfirmed reports on social media that England captain Owen Farrell has signed a 2 year deal with French club Racing 92.
Interesting if true......
If that’s true it’ll be interesting to see of another rule gets bent for the Summer tour.
Edit, wait a sec, the same club as Arundel…?