[Closed] Winters coming;all inclusive rugby thread.

Bollocks

Phew 😆

Real nail biter but the right result in the end!! 🙂

Still got a stiff run in though, Can we get enough points to scrape past London Irish?

Keep the faith!
Welsh play Irish in a week or so, that will be telling.

Ideally need Welsh to beat Irish, but wanting any team containing the tangoed clown to win sticks in my throat! 😆

Tango was seren y gem apparently.

Obviously didn't do enough then.

Sale were (almost) the architects of their own destruction yet again, giving away silly penalties, without those gifts LW would have been way down.

And if my aunty had balls she'd be my uncle

Well Sale scored more tries yet gave away more penalties, so what does that tell you?
Both teams are dire but Sale finally seem to have found the in goal area.

EDIT:
LW six penalty scores to Sale's four, Cipriani landed six kicks to Henson's 3.
If Sale weren't so suicidal with giving away penalties all over the pitch they might actually stay up.

Cipriani got more kicks so must be a better player!!!

Did i say that?
I actually stated that Sale almost threw the game away by giving away silly penalties.
For what it's worth i think Cipriani has been a liability for Sale this year.
The points scored tell the tale, Sale outscored LW 2 tries to one but almost lost the game due to their suicidal tendencies.

I actually think there are fairly close comparisons to be made between Henson and Cipriani;both players who could turn a game, but I think they will both be looking back with regret in a few years. Bearing in mind Henson is a Grand Slam winning Lion,that shows how good he could have been for the last decade.

Did you watch it?

Are we really going to argue about Gav again? 😆

Only which shade of orange he was sporting.......

Double Grand Slam winning 😉

Pedant alert! 😀

The fact that he was man of the match in his first start since november and about his tenth game in the last 29 years tells you all you need to know about his talent and how we havent seen enough of it.

I would agree. He is/was a prodigious talent. A talent which sadly say the most important years wasted in a maelstrom of "celebrity", fake tans and generally being a weapons grade bell end. If he had stuck at the game? Who knows, but I can happily agree that he is/was a superbly talented and gifted rugby player.

a_a I don't think that anyone needs telling of the orange ones obvious rugby talents, just like you don't need telling what a complete knob he is.

I've never met him so wouldnt presume to say if he is a knob or otherwise. He does bring out the knob in many people though.

Oh dear.

about his tenth game in the last 29 years tells you all you need to know about his talent and how we havent seen enough of it.

Err,that is exactly what I was saying....

Oh and why I don't have an opinion about his knobbery one way or another, his behaviour towards other rail/plane users when exposed to drink would make it easy to suggest that he has a slim defence to the casual observer.

Interview with the horrible **** here:

http://www.premiershiprugby.tv/LatestVideos?WT.mc_id=pr_video

Excellent website this. It should have the whole game available to watch soon, for the Sale fans, not sure I'll bother!!

Gav is due in front of the shed in a few weeks - should be interesting 😉

Anyone speak french?

PSA for the Gland Slam champs elect. England shirts £33 on Sports pursuit, just be careful you don't spill the prawn sandwiches and Pimms down the front 😀

OK I know I said I wouldnt watch it but seeing as how its half term and I have some time.... my Henson love has gone into overdrive, he was a class apart.

Muddydwarf, you were also wrong in your view of the match. Welsh dominated for long periods but Sale's extra class showed with two tries which were real sucker punches. Welsh just couldnt put them away.

my Henson love has gone into overdrive,

Wife out, was she? 😀

Still can't figure out the parrise one but another "wrong ball try"

Anyone speak french?

The funny thing is that Mossieu Cardona, the ref in question said to a journalist from canal+ that he was insulted to in english.
Which would make perfect sense coming fom the lips of an Argentinian born Italian living in France, right? 😆

The Times
...Gavin Henson, the exiles' fly half, who held the aces and played them with eyes shut and in different time frames to everyone else. For all that he is easy to headline, this was why Henson is worth the fuss; to be on the losing side was a travesty...Simple but magical, and the reason he must stay at No 10, not 12 or 15.

If he can combine with the returning Hudson Tongahui and the pack can keep playing well, they just might manage to stay up. I dint think they would win a match at the start of the season much less stay up.

BlindMelon - Member
PSA for the Gland Slam champs elect. England shirts £33 on Sports pursuit, just be careful you don't spill the prawn sandwiches and Pimms down the front

POSTED 9 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

£33????????? Andrex is much more absorbent for a lot less money. 😈

CaptainFlashheart - Member
I would agree. He is/was a prodigious talent. A talent which sadly say the most important years wasted in a maelstrom of "celebrity", fake tans and generally being a weapons grade bell end. If he had stuck at the game? Who knows, but I can happily agree that he is/was a superbly talented and gifted rugby player.

I bid you congratulations sir, for putting together a single paragraph that so eloquently describes two people at once.

I wouldn't say Sale had extra class, the LW forwards were stronger IMO and that certainly did Sale no favours.
Sale gave away silly penalties, some were unavoidable due to the LW forwards doing their job but others were just silly. Fortunately for Sale LW did the same in the later period of the game and allowed Sale to sneak past them.

If wasn't for Braid's try soon after the restart LW would have won that game. I'm not altogether enamoured of Cipriani but the first try for Sale did show what he can be capable of.

Sale can score, but they are too often suicidal with penalty errors and that loses games.

Read different reviews of the game, some say Henson shone others say he was eclipsed by Cipriani - pays your money you takes your choice i suppose. I do think he has far more natural talent than Cipriani but his walking away from the game has done him no favours.

Anyone who watched that game and though Cipriani was the better 10 has no right writting about rugby. Go watch it its on the aviva website. Cilriani made the first try with a lovely outside break but his kicking from hand was poor and he did nowt else of note. If he could tackle with his pace he'd make an excellent fullback as he is devastating from broken play. He's not a convincing ten. Sales class told Braid was very good. LW are a team of journeymen pros even if one is a very talented one, Sale have some very good players.

Braid is outstanding and could be the difference for Sale this season. His work rate and scrummaging is excellent. The Sale pack is much stronger than it has been for a while and there are a number of options.
I also think Cipriani has improved significantly the last few games and his tackling is very good, something which Mitchel publicly criticised him for.

Anyone speak french?

What Parisse said to get sent off isn't in the clip. He does say (once he leaves the pitch) that it was a "shite" decision and "not rugby".

The coach isn't impressed either:

"It's a scandal, a huge error."
"Is it a magic ball?"
"The ball's over there!"

I thought i could hear something as Parisse runs past the ref?

I thought i could hear something as Parisse runs past the ref?

Really hard to make out.

Parisse says afterwards "I didn't insult you, I said 'we can't play like that'".

There is something just as he runs past the ref that does sound a bit like "...pas joueur comme ca", but that may well be the power of suggestion!

Parisse out of rest of six nations

Just had a good chuckle at Keith Wood on Newstalk (irish radio station) when asked "Scotland sounding in confident mood, should they be Keith?" - his response included a statement that he will have to deal with Andy Nicol at the weekend who will lose the run of himself...in fact he already has 🙂

This was just after Craig Chalmers had given a very good opinion on air to the presenter on the game and had stated that having watched Sco training they seemed confident and accurate.

Still not enough Gavin on this thread. Simple rugby at its best

Was it Gatland that said training him was hard as he was so far above the other players he would get bored. Amazing player/head full of toys

Well I can't complain about a lack of Ulster players in the Ire team this week. Jackson and Marshall making their full debuts. A big call from Turnip head to leave ROG out, one that's not gone down well in Munster. Have a look on the Munster fans forum if you want a chuckle.

It's going to be close but I think Ire will win. We will dominate the set piece esp the scrum as Gods prop isn't playing, Cross is a poor scrummager and Tom Court will has a point to prove as this is his first Ire appearance since the Twickenham scrum in reverse incident last year when he was playing out of position. With good ball we have a back line full of pace and creativity to do the damage. Ire by 8-10 points

France team: Yoann Huget; Vincent Clerc, Mathieu Bastareaud, Wesley Fofana, Benjamin Fall; Francois Trinh-Duc, Morgan Parra; Thomas Domingo, Benjamin Kayser, Nicolas Mas, Christophe Samson, Yoann Maestri, Yannick Nyanga, Thierry Dusautoir (capt), Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Vincent Debaty, Luc Ducalcon, Jocelino Suta, Antonie Claassen, Maxime Machenaud, Frederic Michalak, Florian Fritz.

On paper that France team looks very good. Interesting that the kiwi thug is back for England....aside from throwing like a girl Young's had his best game for me last time out. Haskell doesn't seem to have made the bench? Penalty magnet last time though so no bad thing. Lawes is an interesting one at 6.....he plays there for the Saints a fair bit, but I think he's much better in the second row.

Trinh Duc and Parra to start. If I was St Andre, I'd rather put Michelak at SH, but thats what he'll do in the 2nd half as [s]a guess[/s] wishful thinking to see a decent France side play.

Would be nice to see Machenaud and Trinh Duc play together purely for the punnage (machin et truc: wotsit and thingy) but as neither of them can kick for goal it'll never happen.

England: 15. Alex Goode (Saracens, 8 caps); 14. Chris Ashton (Saracens, 31 caps), 13. Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 18 caps), 12. Brad Barritt (Saracens, 13 caps), 11. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 13 caps); 10. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 14 caps), 9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 30 caps); 1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 7 caps), 2. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 44 caps), 3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 37 caps), 4. Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 6 caps), 5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 14 caps), 6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 17 caps), 7. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt, 14 caps), 8. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 15 caps).
Replacements: 16. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 6 caps), 17. David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 24 caps), 18. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 6 caps), 19. James Haskell (London Wasps, 47 caps), 20. Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps), 21. Danny Care (Harlequins, 38 caps), 22. Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers, 54 caps), 23. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester, 2 caps).

New 9,10,12,13 for france. IMO, looks far stronger than what they've played so far. Should make for a cracking game.
England are strong, but that back row looks like a bit of a bodge too far now. Hope I'm proved wrong, but get the feeling that Picamoles and Dusatoir will be running a fair few back row moves.

The Hask is poorly bad isnt he? Wonder if Lawes will hurt his brain cell with a daft tackle again this week.

That England back row - is it a bodge job or a bit arrogant?

@AA - what are the chances of the formidable Taff back row options all being fit and on form by the England game?

Hartley at 2 should make up the penalty count for Haskill missing. Naver liked Hask since his first, and susequent, sending offs. Always for petulant acts.

@AA - what are the chances of the formidable Taff back row options all being fit and on form by the England game?

Looks like Ferris is to miss rest of season. Big miss for the Lions too.

To me it looks like england have picked the angry mob for this one.

Pigface - Member
To me it looks like england have picked the angry hooker for this one.

FTFY.

Oh and you were right the first time. I agree, worried about the pack and Le Bastard. I think we are not the only one wary of a good French team turning up. Regardless of whats being said - thats Grand Slam Protection Mode right there.

The back row worries me....Tom Wood is no number 8....and we've only got fatty bum bum on the bench as cover!

Nothing to fix Kryton Lawes isn't renouned for his rational thinking and the Samoan can have his moments as well 😆

As can Ashton!....sometimes with the Samoan!

Gethin's coming back! Great news for him, and the region(s) I hope....

In the article about Gethin heading back to the Diff it says:

The experience of Gethin and Matthew Rees, along with the likes of Gavin Evans and Dafydd Hewitt who are really experienced players, will help- Phil Davies

Is Mathew Rees headed to Cardiff too?

While Gethin coming back to Wales is great he (and many of the internationals, especially at Cardiff) rarely played for their clubs. The combination of international fixtures and injuries in between international fixtures means very often these players are poor value for money as far as the clubs are concerned. I don't know the number but Gethin seemed to have very few games with Cardiff in his final season...

I am suprised that a Welsh region can afford him TBH, mind you he is getting on a wee bit, still be a morale boost for domestic Welsh supporters.

Ulster are getting a hiding at Glasgow

Nasty from Di Luca. Sean Cox should be in the bin too for accumulating a seasons worth of penalties in a game.

Woohoo Sale miss out on losing bonus point 😆

Ospreys 😀

Well done Glasgow, now to make it a double on sunday

Well done Glasgow, now to make it a double on sunday

If only Glasgow had a kicker it would have been a lot worse for us. I think he missed all of 7 kicks.

Ire will win on Sunday!! I'm confident, not.

Yep I agree with the visually impaired fruit

Ireland to win
Wales to win
I think France might do it today, just a feeling

My head says Ireland will win a close game tomorrow as usual with Scotland there's more hope than expectation

Tom B - Member
Nasty from Di Luca. Sean Cox should be in the bin too for accumulating a seasons worth of penalties in a game.

Di Luca's spear tackle was a strange one wasn't it? Very obviously dangerous and very obviously intentional. But why? The only result could possibly have been a red card.

And a penalty count in the region of 20 against Edinburgh to 6 against the Ospreys should have meant more yellows against the Scots but the ref just didn't seem to care.

I think refs are taking pity on Edinburgh. As a Glasgow fan, even my schadenfreude with Edinburgh's woes has evaporated. Now I just look on amazed at how things continue to get worse just when they seem to have bottomed out.

NDL just had a complete and total brain fart. Tool.

I was absolutely cacking myself last night. Not often a game can still be in the balance with a try count of 4 to 1 and yet Glasgow still managed it.

Still, I guess being able to score tries but not kicks is preferable to being able to score kicks but not tries 🙂

Looking forward to the England game. Don't think they will have any trouble beating France.
Two cousins are coming to visit from London today, haven't seen them in ages.
Case of Hobgoblins ?
Three peri peri chickens to go on the BBQ ?
Watch game at 17h00 ?
Life is good 🙂

*leaves kids at home and pops round to Sputnik's house*

Currently freezing my nads off at Sowerby Bridge railway station waiting for a riding bud to arrive so we can ride back and watch the England game -christ's hairy nadgers its cold here!

Kryton57 - Member
*leaves kids at home and pops round to Sputnik's house*

If I wasn't working I'd be his brother from another mother!

Predictions for this weekend's 6N?

Wales by 2 scores
England by 2 scores
Scotland by 1 score

Hmmm, soggy in Rome. Should make it tighter. So, Wales by a score.

With the conditions, lack of parise and change of Italian FH, I reckon Wales are going to ditch out a pasta-ing. Sorry.