The Rugby Union Thread

lloyd

I think It was just one of those games for Wales.

I've said before all top the teams in the 6N are very close and a few bad performances from players and you can get hurt.

Selection really hurt us in the first 50 (as well as poor excectutuon and individual errors-tackling mainly)

AWJ hasn't been at his best and was poor yesterday, he's allowed an off game but we don't have enough players of calibre in the tight 5 to carry a poor performance.

Bradley Davies isn't an international class starter, which highlights AWJ's off day.

Baldwin is a liability on the pitch-gets into the line and ducks it up by dropping/overrunning/attempting an offload etc, I'm not sure why he's picked above Owens? His lineout throwing yesterday was poor, but not helped by the fact that Davies can't jump, and some silly calls to the tail (AWJ's calls).

Warbuton isn't fit, and has barely played any rugby since the WC, genuine world class player when 100% but shouldn't play if he's not.

Gareth Davies, horrendous again today, has had lots of plaudits this campaign but I don't believe the hype, a decent run and a try doesn't make up for a full game of terrible kicking, delays at the base of rucks and looped passes to feet/heads. Webb head and shoulders above him.

Scrum I though we dominated but never going to get anything from Jouber, Dank Hole was illegal most of the game IMO.

Lineout was shit.

Ball carrying was non existent.

England played with power and pace and should really blew us away and put 40 on us and that would have been that.

As it was we somehow managed to claw our way back in to it and could have nicked it at the end, much as it would have been undeserved.

Officials were terrible today, missed big calls for both teams and I think England benefitted from being the dominant team (as often Joubert does).

I think Francis' gouge is inexcusable and I hope he gets a long ban, if that was Brown or Hartley you'd be building a gallows kone.

scrumhalf

I like Joubert, anyone who can piss of the Welsh and Scots is okay with me.

I'm beginning to hate the way international rugby is goverened at the moment. We have to wait half an hour for every conceivable angle of something to be replayed, it seems that it's almost impossible for a try to be scored without something suspicious being scrutinised, and the game gets ruined round about the hour mark when the subs roll on. Then we wait in the days following the game for allegations of foul play to be proved/disproved.

And elsewhere, the mighty Wasps continued along their upward path with a fine win against Leicester, a couple of the tries were beauts, watch the highlights whenever ITV4 deign to show them.

digitalscream

lloyd said:

I think Francis' gouge is inexcusable and I hope he gets a long ban, if that was Brown or Hartley you'd be building a gallows kone.

Indeed - if an England player did that, the media would be full of calls for a huge ban.

Talking of Hartley, though...there was a point in the second half where Hartley was trying to get up with a Welsh player hanging on to his ankle for a good 30s after the whistle had gone. I was quite pleased to see him just calmly walk away - no shouting, no handbags...just shrugged and got on.

He really does seem to be growing as a person

lloyd

digitalscream said:

lloyd said:

I think Francis' gouge is inexcusable and I hope he gets a long ban, if that was Brown or Hartley you'd be building a gallows kone.

Indeed - if an England player did that, the media would be full of calls for a huge ban.

Talking of Hartley, though...there was a point in the second half where Hartley was trying to get up with a Welsh player hanging on to his ankle for a good 30s after the whistle had gone. I was quite pleased to see him just calmly walk away - no shouting, no handbags...just shrugged and got on.

He really does seem to be growing as a person

Francis is a 3rd choice player so there won't be a huge uproar, I think he'll get 10 weeks, if he gets found guilty I hope we don't consider him for a year, dirty bastard. Hartley got away with a neck roll though which could have been a yellow....

kjdowd

Wales were unexpectedly poor but equally you have to put this in the context of the opposition. England were excellent in the first half and there were some telling interventions (mainly by Itoje) just when Wales threatened to put something together.

That said, they were definitely off the pace. I'm not sure any international team can have the same management team in place for that long, no matter how good they are, without getting stale. I also think a number of Wales' big names flatter to deceive a bit - Warburton in particular. Time for a shake up.

It's the reason I wouldn't have Gatland coaching the Lions. I think he'll take the old gang along rather than form players from other nations (I would take one Welsh back row on a Lions tour at the moment - Faletau - whereas I think Gatland would take 4).

lloyd

kjdowd said:

Wales were unexpectedly poor but equally you have to put this in the context of the opposition. England were excellent in the first half and there were some telling interventions (mainly by Itoje) just when Wales threatened to put something together.

That said, they were definitely off the pace. I'm not sure any international team can have the same management team in place for that long, no matter how good they are, without getting stale. I also think a number of Wales' big names flatter to deceive a bit - Warburton in particular. Time for a shake up.

It's the reason I wouldn't have Gatland coaching the Lions. I think he'll take the old gang along rather than form players from other nations (I would take one Welsh back row on a Lions tour at the moment - Faletau - whereas I think Gatland would take 4).

Agree re the back row, they're not playing well yet untouchable...

lloyd

Here's a link of Marler calling Lee "gypsy boy" he's a traveller. Hope he gets a ban for this, there would be uproar if he called Faletau "nigger boy" no need for that.

camf

Most entertaining team in the Six Nations romping to victory?

camf

Or traditionally useless nohopers in total confusion, accidently score two tries... you decide.

koneguitarist

There is gouging and accidental hand in face, Ashton was caught for an accidental contact with eyes and received a harsh ban.
Citing officer needs to look at intent for all foul play, or if accidental is deemed enough, a lot of players will be cited in every game.
Brown was stupid and reckless yet escaped all sanction despite kicking Murray in head.

lloyd

What's he trying to do with his hand though? There's no reason to be doing that with his arm or crooking his hand. His arm doesn't need to be where it is. He rips his fingers back as he makes contact which is telling. I'm not sure if you're seeing it different because he's Welsh but you're way off Kone.

lloyd

Oh yeah didn't put the link in....http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/six-nations-chiefs-launch-racial-11032285

kjdowd

I think it's similar to the brown incident. Just like brown was being free with the boot cos Murray was holding on, so a little petulant flick at the eyes was evidently out of frustration at Cole (who had just collapsed he maul). Difference is that there is some possible acceptable context in the Brown case (challenging for the ball - although I still think he was reckless) whereas gouging is just abhorrent. He'll be cited and get a decent ban.

lloyd

Nice try for Acotland, should kill the game after a good French comeback.

snakemanStoo

I'm finding myself agreeing with Brian Moores suggestion of stopping the clock until the ball is fed into the scrum.

It works well to stop arsing about in rugby league IMO.

camf

If there's ever been any doubts about our deep love and respect for our southern neighbours, Scotland's performance today should put them to rest for ever.

kjdowd

Hogg is a class act.

koneguitarist

Refs have a lot to answer to regarding scrums, scrum half not bothering to put ball in, you can't expect 16 guys to stand still waiting for ball. Pretty poor here by ref not allowing a contest.

koneguitarist

Scotland killing the game but getting away with it.

koneguitarist

Dropped every maul, yet hardly a penalty.