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Gatland seemed to just be sitting there , has he had his day?
Italy have played very well, good on em!!
Indeed, if the ball had not fallen off the tee at the end of the France game they'd have almost certainly won three games. Their U20's are strong and they've a large population - surely they'll go from strength to strength from here.
Wales however 😭😭😭
At least Scotland has curling - what do Wales have without rugby 😭😭😭
Gatland seemed to just be sitting there , has he had his day?
I'm not sure how much blame lies with Gatland - but who would replace him?
Oh my, ITV again 😡🤬
Is this the right time to congratulate Ireland on a great win?
#NotConfident
Yeah, I'm a little worried about this one.
what do Wales have without rugby
Something else to complain about.
Coal mining?
I’m not feeling more confident after that first half.
Good first half but....... Scotland had to work hard. Hope they can do a second half 🤞🤞
what do Wales have without rugby
Dych chi ddim yn mwynhau Cymraeg?
Seriously though, against all the odds for these islands, Wales still has its own language.
Good first half but……. Scotland had to work hard.
It actually reminds me a bit of the France game. Ireland are showing more creativity than France did but still not getting much change out of the Scottish defense.
Of course, we all remember how that game ended...
Glad to see Larmour back in an Ireland jersey, really like him as a player.
I hope this is the year that Italy have finally arrived. They've been showing so much potential for years only to keep throwing it all away.
Once the current generation retire/slow down I see Scotland as being the perinatal whipping boys. Just not enough people playing rugby to be competitive over a long period of time.
Our only hope is that Wales' woes continue so at least we'll have some competition for the wooden spoon.
I wondered just for a second when Jones cantered in and we looked good on the restart… then we knocked on.
Good game though. Did you notice how long it was until the first scrum? Ages
Of course, we all remember how that game ended…
Four point loss?
Another good game for the neutral. Hell of a defensive effort from Scotland! Not sure what to expect from England France? Could be a close game, hopefully closer than last year 😳
Better team won, pleased we played for a lot more of the game this week though.
Sounded like potential end of international career for POM....35.....37 for Lions tour, maybe a step to far, but surely he'd be amongst the leading contenders for captain?
Looks like I'll have to sneak out for half a Guinness then.
You don’t want to miss the biggest game of the 6N Caher.
Well played Ireland. Valiant defence from Scotland but you can’t do that for 80 mins. If they had nicked it in the end it would have been steal of the century.
France are too fast and too clever for England. Could be a long night….
Yep - giving France turnover ball rarely ends well! Marcus Smith at fullback will ve a struggle for 70 minutes. What has Steward done to upset Bortheick?
That's more like it.
Cracking game for a BestOfTheRest match.
Wow. Four minutes left and I've no idea who'll win.
Harsh!
Jeez what a match.
England gave that away with two tries conceded from lost lineouts. Great game tho’
Good game. Really intense. I'd be gutted if that was the tournament decider but happy to see a good performance from England.
Last matches for Care, Tuilagi and Cole possibly? All have had great international careers.
England gave that away
Been a really good tournament this year.
I disagree 😄😄😄
Been a really good tournament this year.
I disagree 😄😄😄
I'm with a_a, miserable 6Nations this year. Some close games, with drama; but the quality of rugby has generally been poor. The points difference gives a good reflection of where the teams are.
Living half my life in Kerry it's astonishing how much rugby is challenging the football GAA.
There are big, athletic lads down here who now want to play rugby.
Mixed feelings as a Wales supporter not surprised by "winning" the wooden spoon, but can't say the team were robbed, they're just not good enough rather than choking or underperforming.
Obviously jealous of Ireland success but feels a bit like the old English stereotype, team of public school boys, media going on about how opposition players wouldn't get in the team, and arrogant fans assuming they have to just turn up to get WC and slams.
Me, an actual Dragons fan, bitter about success? (or just winning a single game?). Surely not 😉
can’t say the team were robbed, they’re just not good enough rather than choking or underperforming
This is the reason I can't really be annoyed about it. The players are just not good enough. One of the commentators, I think it was Johnson kept banging on about simple errors, well yes they do keep making them. That will happen when a significant number of the team have played less than 15-20 games of pro rugby also these players are not physically up to it. It's not something to be surprised or angry about. The system is broken, I am angry about that but the players are clearly putting the effort in.
As a tournament the 6N was dull until halfway through the France/Italy match. Once they started to believe they were away.
Crowley must be fuming back home in NZ; wondering were this spark was for the last few years.
The final table belied the performances of Wales. They kept battling even when so far behind, and it nearly came off. Scotland were the opposite; starting strong and then looking baffled in the 2nd half.
I always prefer to watch a match when you don't know the outcome. That's why I can't be arsed watching the F1.
There's definitely a really interesting story to be written comparing Irish, Welsh, and Scottish rugby and the interactions of culture, politics, class, and general infighting.
Looks like Wales are currently crippled by their own structure rather than a cultural problem (ie, not having a rugby culture like Scotland). Structures can be changed much more easily than cultures. The danger is that the structure ends up killing the culture.
Ireland seems to have built a structure and are in the process of building on an existing culture. Momentum has the potential to keep them at the top for some time to come.
Scotland is struggling to build a culture outside of the Borders. The problem is that there just aren't enough people living in the Borders.
With Italy in the ascendancy and Wales being forced into some soul searching I am actually most pessimistic about Scotland relevancy to the rugby world in the long term.
Given that this was supposed to be the 6N where Scotland would finally deliver and they ended up finishing 4th (should have been 5th but for the bonus points) I don't really see much hope for the future.
I thought Wales were positive until the last game. They were clearly not very good, but they showed commitment and I thought even intelligence trying to unlock opponents. It doesn't feel that bad to lose like this. Next year's tournament will be important - we will expect progresss.
England seem to be finding themselves as a strategy and as players. I can see why Furbank is in now, we have a rapier back line with him and Wabosa in it, Fords flat passing and clever kicking is valued and Smiths unpredictably can be a weapon. Daleys days are benched/numbered. If they can stay consistent it could be a good team over the next couple of years.
im not sure I would have picked the ABs for the Summer though, I can’t help thinking that won’t be good for motivation, that’ll be schooling at a whole new level.
should have been 5th but for the bonus points
As much as I like the way bonus points encourages attacking rugby, I thought this year’s tournament shows it can distort the table. For example England get the same number of points losing to France as France & Italy did with a draw. At one point in the England/France game Scotland could’ve ended up 3rd, above England (3 wins) Italy (2wins + draw). It doesn’t sit well with me that accumulating bonus points can put you above teams who are actually getting results.
@BruceWee I agree we simply dont have enough players. We don't even have enough fans. Football is all pervasive in Scotland and the football clubs outside the 2 obvious exceptions are to be congratulated for finding a waye to survive without massive tv money.
If the six nations were ever to introduce relegation we would be favourites for the drop.
Living half my life in Kerry it’s astonishing how much rugby is challenging the football GAA.
There are big, athletic lads down here who now want to play rugby.
Pity David Clifford chose Gaelic Football, would have been a hell of a full back or center. I know what you mean though, Guys like Ben O'Connor and Gleeson in Irish U20 would probably played stayed playing hurling a few years ago.
Congratulations to Georgia..!!!
They comprehensively beat Portugal 36 - 10 in the Rugby Europe Championship in France. Richard Cockerill has continued Georgia's dominance in the competition with their 13th win in 14 years. I couldn't watch the match but sports pubs in Tbilisi were completely booked as soon as Georgia won the semi-final. Rugby thrives in Georgia and it would be great for rugby if Georgia could play the tier 1 countries more often. I'd love to see how Georgia would fare against the current Wales team.....
Scotland is struggling to build a culture outside of the Borders. The problem is that there just aren’t enough people living in the Borders.
I was thinking about this yesterday. There actually is a rugby culture in the Highlands. It's just that they play shinty instead 😂
Which position is he going for?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40-yard_dash#Average_time_by_position
He's either pretty average or pretty fast depending on where he wants to play.
Apparently Carlin Isles ran a 4.22 before deciding to go and play for Glasgow. He never made an appearance though and went back to 7s after a year.
Disappointing performance from Zammit.
To stand out he needs to have something better than the numerous guys who can already play the game.
I thought it would be his speed and I hoped he would run in the 4.3s or better. 4.44 is quick but in the recent combine 30 college prospects ran quicker than him & one of them was a linebacker (!)
There are maybe 100-150 guys on current rosters that run in the 4.4s or better.
His vertical & broad jump were relatively poor which will disappoint scouts.
When he made the switch I hoped to see him as similar to GB Packers WR Christian Watson. Tall, fast with a deep threat & the ability to make contested catches over shorter defenders.
He's 6'4" & 208lbs but runs a 4.36 40yd with a 38.5" vertical & a 136" broad jump along with 18 reps at 225lb on the bench.
Zammit is not, athletically, in the same class.
I still think he'll make a practice squad though so hopefully he can spend a season learning. He does look good in his route running & receiving drills and seems to have good hands too.
Disappointing performance from Zammit.
Good, hopefully they'll reject him. I hope he does well but also hope he doesn't!!
Zammit is dead to me, we have signed Wade.
Zammit is dead to me, we have signed Wade.
And Wales could have Regen Grace next season too!
Is it ok to say I wish there wasn't a Womens 6 Nations. The mens only makes any sense because of history. You would never invent a competition that is inherent unfairness built in, i.e teams have a different number of home and away games in a season. Mismatches are worse than the men's game, it would have made more sense to have 2 groups with promotion / relegation via play offs each season.
LRZ signs to Taylor Swifts NFL team, I'll be honest I was hoping they would say he was shit and send him back asap
how was this not red, officiating is really in the gutter at the moment.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1773808213944590441
If that wasn't a red I don't know what is. I actually suspect there's been a quiet change in officiating again to minimise red cards again. There have been a couple now that were let go in matches I've watched, such as the big hit on Tadhg Furlong in a ruck clearout during the first half at Twickenham, and Harry Byrne's incredibly incompetent "tackle" against Scotland only getting a yellow.
Clearly not a red as most of the impact is thru chest and shoulder so low degree of danger. Correct decision according to the laws and guidance
Follow the process as published
Yep, clearly not high, clearly no head contact with force 😄😄😄
Reas tbe guidence. You might stop making all these daft assertions if ypu understood it
I've read the guidance thanks. It comes down to deciding if danger was high or not, this is a matter of opinion so is open to debate by all apart from people who fail to see anything other than what they want to.
You know this thread was far more pleasant without you. Feel free to strop off again any time you please.
More quality officiating
Quins replacement Irne Herbst was sent to the sin-bin in the 64th minute but then returned to the pitch after only seven minutes and went on to make a crucial tackle.
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68660353
I was mentioning these by the way in the context of the video ref last week not wanting to look at something as it would make it seem like the commentators were in charge 🤔
To be fair the behind angle of that tackle looks low danger.
Surely the video referee should have intervened in regarding the early return of a player on a yellow card. There's a real rammy going on in Scottish Football regarding the competence and the role of video assistant refs.
Celtic manager is currently serving a ban for his comments on the issue. Head of refereeing has resigned
Aa
You constantly whine about reffing decisions because you do not understand the application of the laws. You dish it out but you cannot take it. You are why no rugby chat here anymore.
Think about it.
I just don’t see significant force going through the chest or shoulder there: Arendse isn’t deflected until the head contact (which he has seen coming and tried to lean away from). It’s a clear high level of danger for me with most of the force going through the head: had he not tried to pull his head away from the tackle it would have been a lot worse.
To be fair the behind angle of that tackle looks low danger.
Aye, looks much worse from the front angle.
But then it is this kind of 'technique' that these laws were supposed to clamp down on. The original idea was that if the tackle was illegal and there was any kind of head contact then it should be red but that's definitely been getting eroded recently.
With the way the laws are applied today not red is probably the correct decision. With the way they are supposed to be getting applied today it should have been a red.
To be fair the behind angle of that tackle looks low danger.
I think the rear angle looks worse, shoulder charge with a lowered arm and no wrap.
With the way the laws are applied today not red is probably the correct decision. With the way they are supposed to be getting applied today it should have been a red.
That's a fair point, two years ago red card and a ban, now yellow and crack on.
It's called discussion TJ, you should try it one day instead of lecturing.
The idea that the degree of danger is low is absurd, two guys just ran into each other head first, the guy who got the yellow never came back on presumably he failed a hia. My son plays rugby this shit trickles down, it was on its way to being eradicated as best it could be and then world rugby and the refs shit out of it.
If nothing else he should have hit him in the ribs with his shoulder and tried to drive him to the touchline. Shit defensive tackle. And yes that sort of tackle is why this law was introduced.
Outcome of tackle low degree of danger.
Intent high degree of stupidity but probably not intending to cause damage no one leads with their face if they are intent to smashing someone.
Not entirely sure about the mental gymnastics needed here to only find one Munster player at fault, one tips and drives the other tips and lets go both deserve a yellow. The players deserve a higher duty of care from the officials.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1774373604022472945
That’s a shocker, bet that slowed the Cardiff player down no end when he was doing the takeaway deliveries last night.
That’s a shocker, bet that slowed the Cardiff player down no end when he was doing the takeaway deliveries last night
Welsh players eat takeaways Italian players deliver them, I think that may be why we lost.
The best thing about that clip is POM's reaction in the background. When he's more worried than the refs you know there's a problem!!
I was alluding to the fact that Welsh club players are so poorly paid they have part time jobs.
I was alluding to the fact that Welsh club players are so poorly paid they have part time jobs.
Indeed, I was alluding to that Italian number 8 who delivers pizza in Exeter.
Munster fans pretty resigned to John Ryan (prop) getting cited and banned after that. Luke McGrath's tackle should be a red even if some mental gymnastics allows current guidance to be interpreted differently.
It comes down to deciding if the danger was low or high which is open to massive interpretation. As someone who watches their son play, I think it was highly dangerous. Like I said this stuff trickles down.
I watched my son 3 times in his last game arrive at a tackle first, remain on his feet and try to lift the ball, clear pen for holding on a second or so later one or two massive lumps cleared him out and he was smashed backwards. Ref shouted didn't survive the clear out, which refs at the top level used to say a few years ago but then realised it was dangerous. Now if you have hands on a lift it's a pen...this ref had clearly not caught up. He'll be looking at these no arm shoulder charges with head contact next and taking his cues.
Ryan gets a 3 match ban so proving the video ref should have upgraded the yellow to a red. Or did the ref not even put it for review, not sure tbh...clearly the citing officer and the panel thought it was a red.
a_a just watched the quins bath match. The reffing was awful.
I'm not sure if the offside line exists any more. I know there's a perceived home advantage but you should've the ref adding to that.
Ryan gets a 3 match ban so proving the video ref should have upgraded the yellow to a red. Or did the ref not even put it for review, not sure tbh…clearly the citing officer and the panel thought it was a red
Been thinking a bit about the new red cards that are in the pipeline and I've kind of changed my view on them.
At first I thought it was ridiculous and counter productive (never subscribed to the accepted wisdom that red cards ruin matches).
However, there has always been a reluctance by refs to hand them out, probably because it is seen as such a monumental decision. I'm wondering if having the new 20 minutes and then a sub coming on means that refs will be more inclined to start handing them out for reckless tackles. If so that may finally encourage teams to change their tackle technique.
Or maybe not.