The Rugby Union Thread

koneguitarist

Yes !

koneguitarist

England deserved that game. Well done mike Brown, someone who should have been on lions tour.

VimFuego

fantastic. Was really worried with the issues we have in the front row, thought we were on for a loss here.

tbm

England made few mistakes, Care and Brown were great. Ireland didn't do much wrong either but the Englash defence won them that game. Lots to be pleased with. Especially our scrum.

koneguitarist

Your scrum was far more dominant than I expected, yet, you did not profit from it as much as you should have.

Excellent game by both teams.

VimFuego

think Ireland are still on to win the championship. They shouldn't have too many issues putting good scores past France and Italy, I think we'll beat both wales and Italy, but can't see us overtaking the points difference.

bertie

Im bloody shattered.

I think start playing again,  less tiring 

@Vim - we need Cole back if we've any chance of beating Wales,  our scrum isnt strong enough. we were very lucky there

Brown ?   wow,  Carney wasnt bad either     Thank god Sexton left his punting boots at home

Jalapeno

Cracking !  Knackered after watching that ....

VimFuego

bert, don't think the welsh scrum is all that when they don't have that 16th player on the pitch.

Gassage

Sitting waiting in the Twickers Press Conference! But can I just shout out Craig Joubert, who was absolutely flawless today. He made that game into the spectacle it was through brilliant officiating.

tbm

Yeah, no complaints about the reffing really.

bertie

I should think not,  after letting that knock-on go,  3 mins from the end   

koneguitarist

Sorry still allows too much sealing off and clear diving over the top at rucks, Irish was allowed to lie offside to much for me.

koneguitarist

VimFuego said:

bert, don't think the welsh scrum is all that when they don't have that 16th player on the pitch.

Complaining about biased refs ?

VimFuego

lol, you are so easy to bait.

digitalscream

Shit me...that's probably the best and most tense game of rugby I've seen since the 2003 WC. Wow.

tbm

Feeling remarkably circumspect about that loss. I've said on this thread before, what I want from Ireland this year is consistency. And despite losing today, I think we're really getting there. England didn't win because the wanted it more, they won because they were a little bit better the we were and Ireland were not accurate enough at times. Both teams played for 80. Schmidt said he was targeting three home wins and barring a major upset we'll get that and head to Paris with a shot at the championship.

Brown really was the difference today. We had the edge in the scrum but the backrows we're very evenly matched in open play, though major props to Robshaw for his perfect pass for the Brown break. Toner was great for us in the second row. 6 10" and great hands. Both D'arcy and BOD had good games. What the English wings had was a spark that maybe we were lacking. A few mistakes aside I thought Nowell was good and May is a real live wire. Zebo and Fitzgerald might remedy that but I still thought D Kearney and Trimble did pretty well.

Sexton looked tired TBH. Some of his kicks down the line didn't get great distance. He played for Racing last weekend. I hope to jaysus they give him next week off.

One thing I noticed today: there was no patting an opposing players head when a peno was given away. I hate that and it really showed the spirit the game was played in.

koneguitarist

Just got back from gig tonight, real wild one for lots of very attractive totty.

I thought England did very well, but am disappointed in May, love him playing for Gloucester but he spends too much time running but not going anyway. 

Thought Cian Heally and Best had good games, Bod was anonymous for he most part, with Darcy getting through a lot of work. Stats will be interesting .

Championship wide open, no grand slam but still a lot to play for.

Gulliver

koneguitarist said:

I thought England did very well, but am disappointed in May, love him playing for Gloucester but he spends too much time running but not going anyway. 

YES!! I thought I was the only one who found May's style of play a bit daft!!  He makes some good plays - but there are other wingers who aren't so wasteful with their possession. Ashton isn't my favourite winger, but he's at least running in the right direction most of the time, not criss-crossing the pitch every time he gets the ball...

bertie

for the two previous games,  Mays mazey U15s  running  worked.... ..although he ran 20m sideways, he did make 30m in ground.......not to dissimilar to Robinson ,    however I agree against much better defense, he was found wanting a bit yesterday and it just didnt come off

Ashton may be running in the right direction, but 1m at a time isnt really any good