The Rugby Union Thread

koneguitarist

lloyd said:

koneguitarist said:

To be honest, I thought Parisse was lucky to be on the field at the end, deliberate knock on, punching, cynical play, arguing with ref, great player, but feel he should retire.

Are you mad? He was streets ahead the best player on the pitch-I didn't like his back chat to the ref, but in fairness it was a bullshit decision (it was a high tackle on him) which cost them the match. The deliberate knock on wasn't a slap down so not that cynical in fairness-see them every game (sometimes they are caught in the air). Why would he retire now? He's still the best player in the northern hemisphere, possibly the world? On today's evidence he has atleast another season at the top.

No not mad, realistic, he gets away with so much because of his reputation. It was a deliberate knock on, another player would have been carded. Another player would have been carded throwing punches like he was, getting to be a dirty player, he looks so good in amongst the dross of that match.

lloyd

koneguitarist said:

lloyd said:

koneguitarist said:

To be honest, I thought Parisse was lucky to be on the field at the end, deliberate knock on, punching, cynical play, arguing with ref, great player, but feel he should retire.

Are you mad? He was streets ahead the best player on the pitch-I didn't like his back chat to the ref, but in fairness it was a bullshit decision (it was a high tackle on him) which cost them the match. The deliberate knock on wasn't a slap down so not that cynical in fairness-see them every game (sometimes they are caught in the air). Why would he retire now? He's still the best player in the northern hemisphere, possibly the world? On today's evidence he has atleast another season at the top.

No not mad, realistic, he gets away with so much because of his reputation. It was a deliberate knock on, another player would have been carded. Another player would have been carded throwing punches like he was, getting to be a dirty player, he looks so good in amongst the dross of that match.

I don't agree, fantastic player. The knock on was never a card, couple got given in the World Cup and were roundly criticised. Rightly so. If you don't rate him, you don't know rugby.

koneguitarist

The knock on in 22 is often a card, not never. Was a great player, still a good player but fantastic no, a season too long and his petulant display and lashing out deserved a card, or in your view maybe he can do no wrong, because YOU know rugby.

digitalscream

I have to say...Eddie Jones-era England looks almost exactly like Stuart Lancaster-era England. Small flashes of potential game-winning stuff, but vastly more stupid penalties and general mistakes.

Not encouraging.

lloyd

koneguitarist said:

The knock on in 22 is often a card, not never. Was a great player, still a good player but fantastic no, a season too long and his petulant display and lashing out deserved a card, or in your view maybe he can do no wrong, because YOU know rugby.

Didn't see the punching to be fair and I didn't think the knock on was card worthy-that on was never a card, not none are ever a card. In this thread I called him out for being petulant so yes in my eyes he can do no wrong.....name 2 number 8's on the planet that are having a better season than Parisse....you can't, he's still the man at the top of the pile, very few rugby people would disagree, possibly none...

snakemanStoo

digitalscream said:

I have to say...Eddie Jones-era England looks almost exactly like Stuart Lancaster-era England. Small flashes of potential game-winning stuff, but vastly more stupid penalties and general mistakes.

Not encouraging.

Eddie has been not been coach for long though.

Give him time to get his tactics et al in place and see how England are doing several games in.

It took Sir Clive quite a while to turn England into world champions. 

digitalscream

snakemanStoo said:

digitalscream said:

I have to say...Eddie Jones-era England looks almost exactly like Stuart Lancaster-era England. Small flashes of potential game-winning stuff, but vastly more stupid penalties and general mistakes.

Not encouraging.

Eddie has been not been coach for long though.

Give him time to get his tactics et al in place and see how England are doing several games in.

It took Sir Clive quite a while to turn England into world champions. 

Fair, but I thought there'd be some difference.

Of course, you could argue that "winning" is enough of a difference. Personally, I'm just as happy that Hartley didn't get a card at any point

Mind you, not so happy that Farrell is next-in-line when Hartley's subbed.

lloyd

Typical opening games for the 6N pretty dire, Scotland are bloody awful-they just don't turn possession into pressure or points. Can't expect England to be a hugely different team this early in Jones' reign. One thing that would worry me if I was an England fan is discipline (again) against a better kicker they would have struggled. Italy up next though so not too much to worry about kicking wise....most important-they won.

scrumhalf

Glad to see Farrell's grown up. That stupid penalty he gave away for a totally needless push on the Scottish ?9? could have cost us the game. How they can make him a vice-captain is beyond me.

Still, a win's a win. Much as I said after Wasps beat Newcastle in a game that stank so bad it could have been closed down by the environmental health people.

digitalscream

scrumhalf said:

Glad to see Farrell's grown up. That stupid penalty he gave away for a totally needless push on the Scottish ?9? could have cost us the game. How they can make him a vice-captain is beyond me.

Having made Hartley capt'n, I suppose they might be thinking it'd help Farrell stop with the petulant childishness.

Bit wrong-headed.

Having looked back at the game...when you can bring on replacements like Mako Vunipola and Lawes, it does show a bit of quality in the team. I just wish they'd be more of a team.

crunchman

I think the difference in the quality of replacements was key.  England could bring on the likes of Vunipola, but the Scottish scrum went badly downhill when the starters went off.

fretmeister

I think someone at Quins is having a massive bollocking tonight.

They were 3 ahead. 80 mins, clock gone red. 

5m scrum at Quins line. They won the ball, passed back to kick to touch.

Twonk kicked the ball upfield instead of 2m behind him over dead ball line.

Saints stopped it going out and got the try.

Highlights are up : http://www.premiershiprugby.tv

koneguitarist

Well the big match today is Wales V Ireland, thoughts anyone.

I do feel uncharacteristicly confident for a real change. 

Gatland was right a few years back when he said its Ireland we want to beat more than England, England have so many advantages over us and all the home nations they should win every time. The fact they don't speaks more about them than us in my opinion. 

But Ireland and Wales, similar resources a more even background of wins against each other in recent years. With Ireland edging it in numbers, Wales winning more when it counts. 

For once, Wales have more fit players and Ireland the injuries, but to me that is not the advantage I think Wales have but more the loss of OConnell and Bod and Darcy talismen for Ireland at various times to pull something out of the bag. Now it's a time for Ireland new guys to step up, but I wonder if the belief is there for them. 

Much has been said about Wales attacking more but with Roberts in the line and Howleys lack of coaching skills in this area, not sure where that is to come from. 

Our best attack was in 2005 when Henson was another playmaker and we had angles of attack from whole back line. North just adjusts his step then runs into a defender, Roberts hardly able to pass, at least JD2, Gareth Davies and Tom James knows the way to the try line. 

Not been impressed at all by Anscombe so will see what he can do to justify the hype and selection, but it's an area we know Ireland will atack. 

Very small win for Wales , just. 

Gassage

lloyd said:

Yeah agree, how much time does he spend practicing drop goals? Think he was fuming from the high tackle on him the ref gave a pen against for-which lost them the game.

He has 21 career drop goals and 2 in international rugby and practices them regularly.

Gassage

Just re Parisse- retire?

He just put in one of the finest individual performances I can remember.

I would go as far to say he's the most gifted allround rugby player in the history of the game. No-one can offer the whole skill set he does, with the poss exception of Zinny.

Peerless.

koneguitarist

Gassage said:

Just re Parisse- retire?

He just put in one of the finest individual performances I can remember.

I would go as far to say he's the most gifted allround rugby player in the history of the game. No-one can offer the whole skill set he does, with the poss exception of Zinny.

Peerless.

But if he wasn't quite so handsome, maybe you would see his flaws

Gassage

koneguitarist said:

Gassage said:

Just re Parisse- retire?

He just put in one of the finest individual performances I can remember.

I would go as far to say he's the most gifted allround rugby player in the history of the game. No-one can offer the whole skill set he does, with the poss exception of Zinny.

Peerless.

But if he wasn't quite so handsome, maybe you would see his flaws

You name me a better all round player in the history of the sport.

lloyd

Gassage;962973" said:

lloyd said:

Yeah agree, how much time does he spend practicing drop goals? Think he was fuming from the high tackle on him the ref gave a pen against for-which lost them the game.





He has 21 career drop goals and 2 in international rugby and practices them regularly.

I stand corrected-didn't realise it was that many, it's weird to feel sorry for a man like him-model girlfriend, millions in bank, model looks, hero to a nation etc but yesterday I did...

Re the retiring, kone must have watched a different game to me-he was magnificent, would walk into any side in the world-NZ included. I suspect he has at least next season at the top. I hope he is looked after by club and country after that-so he can keep playing the big games.

Think it's safe to say if he played for any other 6n country their win rate would be a lot higher, I fear Italy will drop off significantly when he does retire.

lloyd

Gassage said:

koneguitarist said:

Gassage said:

Just re Parisse- retire?

He just put in one of the finest individual performances I can remember.

I would go as far to say he's the most gifted allround rugby player in the history of the game. No-one can offer the whole skill set he does, with the poss exception of Zinny.

Peerless.

But if he wasn't quite so handsome, maybe you would see his flaws

You name me a better all round player in the history of the sport.

James Haskell.

Gassage

lloyd said:

James Haskell.

Fair point