The Rugby Union Thread

VimFuego

Exeter are a great team to watch, but you just wish they'd convert all that entertainment into a few results. Think they've lost 9 games on the bounce now. Tom Johnson has to be knocking on England's No 6 door though.

koneguitarist

Well another loss against us playing the top 3, which is the reason we are not in the top 3, we are not good enough. Australia were superb yesterday, on that form they could have beaten anyone. Some strange depictions but some went either way yesterday, best team won and that's what counts.

tbm

Interesting peice on the HCup/RCC debacle - http://whiffofcordite.com/2013/12/03/dead-parrot-sketch/

I'd be interested to hear what English and Welsh fans think about this.

bertie

too many TLAs  to understand WTF thats all about TBH

VimFuego

England's injury woes continue, Wade out, Yarde out, Foden out, Corbs out. Not looking like it will be a good six nations for us.

bertie

putting a positive spin on it, at least we'll have an excuse now    

tbm

bertie said:

too many TLAs  to understand WTF thats all about TBH

Well I'd SIO but I CBA.

tbm

Great weekend for the Irish provinces. Thought Leinster would have the headlines come this morning but then Connacht go and beat Toulouse!

WTF happened to Northhampton though? Seriously, I know Pisi was out of position but that was really poor from them. They won in Ravenhill last year after getting beaten at home so I expect them to show up this weekend. Leinster were almost unplayable though. BODs a spent force alright....

fretmeister

Saints were embarrassing.

Poor old Ken looked like he'd gone through the 100 years war.

Dickson was the only one with any form. He did work very hard, but when your team-mates look like lumbering oafs there is nothing 1 man can do.

I don't think it was even cockiness over 7 straight wins, they just looked completely knackered out before the game had started. No fire in the belly at all.

tbm

Yeah, if they don't get their act together they're going to be slaughtered this weekend. I'd imagine Madigan will start again so they'd want to be much more aggressive in defence.

My Leinster fueled good mood has been slightly tempered by the O'Brien to Clermont and Heaslip to Toulouse rumours this that are flying around today.

tbm

Well @fretmeister, you have to be plased with that. Beat us up all over the park. Saints controlled the game really well. Had Leinster nicked it at the end it would been a bit of a travesty. Bummed to miss out on the losing bonus point but hey ho, thats how it goes.

bertie

tbm said:

Well @fretmeister, you have to be plased with that. Beat us up all over the park. Saints controlled the game really well. Had Leinster nicked it at the end it would been a bit of a travesty. Bummed to miss out on the losing bonus point but hey ho, thats how it goes.

completely different team turned up,   Saints have become the inverse frenchies...........       

and has North found a new position ?!?!?   he did really well.......

fretmeister

It was a blinding game!

The last 10 mins were immense. Saints defence just couldn't have been any better.

My kids kept asking me to stop shouting!!

If I was Mallinder, I'd be leaving North in the centre. He was great there, and a perfect answer to the bigger guys like Tuilagi. I was a bit nervous right at the end when Elliot stole the ball - I thought he was going to kick it off in panic!

The best bit for me though was re-reading all the readers comments about how all English clubs were shit and Leinster were going to get a 50 point win at home...

tbm

Yeah, he was great at 13. He was very pumped up as well. The Saints backrow were immence.

I will say this though, the Fotuali’i drop goal was risky. Handing the ball back to Leinster when they could have run the clock down. If it wasn't for the Heaslip fumble they could have been robbed of a deserved victory. There was a pen coming. take it, run down the clock, give Leinster no time.

Who's readers were saying all English clubs were shit and Leinster were going to get a 50 point win? Every single Leinster fan I was with was extremely wary of a backlash all week. We remember what happened to Ulster last year. The Saints fans I was talking to before the game were saying they tend to pull it out when there's no pressure, which in itself is annoying for a Saints fan I'd say.

tbm

Last round of pool matches. Whose teams are still in it?

koneguitarist

tbm said:

Last round of pool matches. Whose teams are still in it?

None of the Welsh, as it ever was !

bertie

personally,   all the HC games Ive seen so far - with one exception -  have been dire, very boring.

fretmeister

Saints need a big win tonight and someone else (can't remember off the top of my head) needs to be battered massively.

So I think Saints will be out after the weekend has finished.

koneguitarist

Leinster only need one point, they are at home to the ospreys! I can see a bonus point victory for them to have a home game in next round.

koneguitarist

fretmeister said:

Saints need a big win tonight and someone else (can't remember off the top of my head) needs to be battered massively.

So I think Saints will be out after the weekend has finished.

I think you are right, Leinster will get more than one point, though i think you can do your bit by getting a bonus point win. Good luck.