The Rugby Union Thread

koneguitarist

Burns is not playing well at the moment, I would give Ford some game time, looks a great prospect. Ireland are already getting themselves up for the Welsh match, heally and co could fly off the handle too easily for my liking. Heally is demented at times, he just wants to hurt someone, looks like he's on steroids or something.

VimFuego

may confirmed fit for Saturday's match. I suspect he may get the occasional push on the hooter come ruck time from a friendly scots forward or 2.

bertie

koneguitarist said:

Burns is not playing well at the moment, 

understatement,   he had a mare for the saxons,  he was obvously given the chance to shake off some demons and picked ahead of Ford....but he looked like a guy who's form had left not just town, but planet earth.  Shame

lets hope May's hooter holds out............... 

bertie

May's fit to play....................  

tbm

Warbs in for Tips. I rate Tips higher so this does not displease me.

koneguitarist said:

Heally is demented at times, he just wants to hurt someone, looks like he's on steroids or something.

Healys disciplinary record is actually very good, save for that brain melt v England. He's a very intense player, but that new haircut and his bulk is making him look a bit Mike Tyson.

Looks like its going to be wet in town on Saturday. We could be in for a slog... Also, Wayne Barnes has a habit of annoying the bejesus out of me.

ESchap

England could put out 15 asthmatic octogenarians and still win with ease on Saturday.  Worst part is how much I've paid to get a decent seat at Murrayfield for the biennial humiliation   

Still, bright side is Edinburgh is great fun after the game, lots of beer with the "auld enemy".

koneguitarist

tbm said:

Warbs in for Tips. I rate Tips higher so this does not displease me.

koneguitarist said:

Heally is demented at times, he just wants to hurt someone, looks like he's on steroids or something.

Healys disciplinary record is actually very good, save for that brain melt v England. He's a very intense player, but that new haircut and his bulk is making him look a bit Mike Tyson.

Looks like its going to be wet in town on Saturday. We could be in for a slog... Also, Wayne Barnes has a habit of annoying the bejesus out of me.

Is it Wayne Barnes, I am not sure if Wales have won a game with him in charge ?
:-\" whistle happy git.

If weather is bad, that could be just as bad for either team, as for Heallys record, he aint been cited enough for what he`s got up to more like. Like Bod.

I hope Wales can pull off an upset, but don`t think so, the only thing that could help us is if the Irish do lose it mentally and get someone sent off, which would not surprise me.
Gatland and Edwards will be spending all week on holding discipline in control.

koneguitarist

ESchap said:

England could put out 15 asthmatic octogenarians and still win with ease on Saturday.  Worst part is how much I've paid to get a decent seat at Murrayfield for the biennial humiliation   

Still, bright side is Edinburgh is great fun after the game, lots of beer with the "auld enemy".

England thought that in 1990, and they had a much better side then. If I was Captain, I would do the old slow walk out from dressing room, to get murrayfield crowd up and behind the scots.

bertie

koneguitarist said:

England thought that in 1990, 

yes, I remember it well,  alas.     Then again it may well have been the kick up the jacksie "we" needed

tbm

koneguitarist said:

Is it Wayne Barnes, I am not sure if Wales have won a game with him in charge ?

:-\" whistle happy git.

If weather is bad, that could be just as bad for either team, as for Heallys record, he aint been cited enough for what he`s got up to more like. Like Bod.

I hope Wales can pull off an upset, but don`t think so, the only thing that could help us is if the Irish do lose it mentally and get someone sent off, which would not surprise me.
Gatland and Edwards will be spending all week on holding discipline in control.

Ha! How would Wales winning be an upset? They're reigning champs, and save for the first 40 minutes last year have had Irelands number for ages going back to that WC quarter! We're missing our best player (SOB) and our most creative wings are either injured (Fitzgerald, Earls, Bowe) or not deemed match fit (Zebo).

In terms of decipline, where are you getting the idea that the Irish lads are goiong to be emotionally over the top and likely to lose their heads? The BOD thing? It's a non-issue. For any of the Irish lads. The press are just riding it till it dies, they have to to sell papers and advertising.. Healy is an aggressive player, always has been, but he's experienced enough at this stage to be able to keep his head in big games.

Save for JDII and maybe Evans, Wales have their first choice 15 and most importantly, their first choice wings and full back. Plenty of folk rate Williams higher then JDII as well.

Wales by 5-10, and as long as Ireland don't play daft rugby I won't be too annoyed.

Rocker

@Koneguitarist, it is remarkable how a few, like yourself, seem to think ill of BOD.  He is now past his best but still worth his place on the team.  On almost any team in fact.

And I am puzzled how you can state that a Wales win is an upset.  Wales are the reigning champions.  An Irish win would be an upset as we are missing quite a few first choice players.

koneguitarist

Missing numbers has never been an issue that we have been able to use. Yet we are losing players left right and centre to France and England, our whole game is in turmoil, and we are playing badly with players banned and injured !

As for Irish players, Rob Kearney mentioned the grudge as well as others. 

There will be trouble during game I am sure. 

tbm

Ah Koneballs! You've been reading the comments on WalesOnline...  There'll be no more of an edge to it then there would have been in the last few years. It's become one of the key games for both teams. Lydiate, Kearney, Murray, Cuthbert have all been saying how well they got on down under, how they are mates. But they will play a hard game of rugby against each other, same as v the English or Scots. What Kearney mentioned was that he feels he felt like a 5th wheel down under as 1/2p was undroppable. I still don't know how Kearney got on that tour. His form didn't merit it.

What Wales have had over Ireland in the last few seasons is the simple fact that going into international camp brings the best out of the Welsh players. The exact opposite was true in Ireland. It was steadily downhill since '09 with DK. Yeah Wales are losing players now, but it doesn't explain why the regions have been crap in the H Cup for years with the same players, yet with Gatty gets a hold of them they become this immense unit. Schmidt may end up having that galvanising effect on the Irish lads but it's too early to tell.

koneguitarist

We have some good players, but Gatland is a great coach. The regions have been mismanaged and coached since day 1. Ireland always sought the best coaches they could, we just sacked the ones we had then hired their assistants to do same job but worse.

 I will be honest, I don't like Bod, he has always struck me as someone with an attitude to refs, like how dare you penalise me, and he seems to have gotten bitter over the years. If he had retired 2 years ago it would have been as a legend, now (still a good player ) he is holding up development of younger players for Ireland. I also think he is a quite open dirty player, not sure how he has got away with his stamping for so long till last year against Italy.

Let battle commence Saturday. It will be spicy I can assure you, mike Phillips won't stand back from it !

koneguitarist

yet another welsh international  leaves !

Bradley Davies - Wasps (from 2014)

Lee Byrne - Clermont Auvergne (joining Dragons 2014)

Luke Charteris - Perpignan

Leigh Halfpenny - Toulon (from 2014)

James Hook - Perpignan

Dan Lydiate - Racing Metro

Jamie Roberts - Racing Metro

Mike Phillips - Racing Metro

George North - Northampton

Paul James - Bath

Craig Mitchell - Exeter (joining Blues 2014)

Jon Davies - Clermont (from 2014)

Ian Evans - Toulon (from 2014)

tbm

You think many of the others with do the central contract thing? It's just Warbs at this stage right?

koneguitarist

It is just Warbs, but I can see others doing it, I think Warbs had pressure as captain to set an example. Could have backfired mind you.

I think Priestland will sign a central contract soon as well.

tbm

Nice blog post on how subs affected games recenly, focusing on Le Crunch at the weekend there.

Kone, would you rate Priestland ahead of Biggar?

bertie

I would,  I think he's more a "complete" 10............. or at least he appears that ?

tbm

I dunno, I've seen Biggar really pull it out for Ospreys when it's been required. Priestland is probably a smidge more creative, but Biggar has better big game mentality.