The Rugby Union Thread

digitalscream

So...I went to bed this afternoon, thinking there'd be nothing interesting going on in the matches today.

Feel a bit silly now.

tbm

Welsh TMO bottled it on the second BNZ try. Sexton and Stander gone. Looking ominous. 

cj73

Forza italia 


and Scotland 

eSully

The games gone but I hope we can take a try. The scoreline doesn't reflect the game

Rocker

What is happening to the game of Rugby Union?  The level of brutality shown by NZ team this evening was almost as shocking as the inability/unwillingness of the match officials to officiate.  The match result was immaterial, the way NZ approached the game relegated the result to a mere sideshow.  A sad evening for Rugby Union.  

tbm

I dunno. I thought the BNZ defence was outstanding and we looked a little too kean to bosh, and fecked up a number of great chances. The scoreline does not reflect how close a game it was, but we still lost. The fact that 21 and 29 are the lowest scores BNZ have had this year is of little comfort. 

Gassage

Of all the amazing tings I saw yesterday Kurandrani's finish for his try was the most astonishing 

sev112

BNZ ? 

Gassage

Rocker said:

What is happening to the game of Rugby Union?  The level of brutality shown by NZ team this evening was almost as shocking as the inability/unwillingness of the match officials to officiate.  The match result was immaterial, the way NZ approached the game relegated the result to a mere sideshow.  A sad evening for Rugby Union.  

A lot of that was down to the commentary. I will give you an example....the first charge ...Quinlan: it's a straight red. Me, a level 3 coach...pen, poss yellow but on balance, on half way line, hit material on game, pen,

Nz were lucky not to get carded for cynicism a few times and I'd hold that Sexton deffo got underneath...the TMO had no sight.

koneguitarist

At least we can't blame ref in our match, but Howley when asked whether it was players not playing to his tactics or whether coaches were not getting tactics across to players her replied "what tactics"! 
Quite we all think, what f"""""g tactics! It was a shamble, and Howley McBryde and Edwards so all resign now to save WRU the money paying them off. Get fresh faces in for six nations to give them a chance to redeem themselves. 

tbm

sev112 said:

BNZ ? 

Bloody New Zealand. I prefer it to the more commonly known moniker, which gives them an air in mystique and invisibility. 

scrumhalf

Just watched the highlights, but with a Kiwi commentary.

Barrett's try - could have gone either way, one camera angle suggests he grounded it, another suggests ?Sexton? might have got his arm underneath, but was it preventing any part of the ball from being grounded?

Last try - the last pass looked forward to me but some of the handling skills were fantastic.

The ref was a bit too lenient (self-moderated to save our own mods the trouble) and the ABs played to that. I don't think a NH ref would have been so accom modating.

strumjoughlamps

Great Tigers performance this afto 

Rocker

Citings: http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2016/1120/833145-new-zealands-malakai-fekito-and-sam-cane-citing/

Part of the problem with Rugby Union is the ingrained thinking that it is bad form to critically analyse the behaviour of the players on the field.  Such acceptance of violent and dangerous play, not to mention thuggery, does nothing for the game.   Winning has become the only thing that matters.

My problem with the All Blacks is that they went out against Ireland utterly determined not to lose.  Nothing much wrong with that approach but they were so determined that they went completely OTT in their tackles.  They would not have eased off if half the Ireland team were stretchered off the field.  That is why I cannot respect them as players.  The fact that the NZ team have won everything does not mitigate what happened on the pitch in Dublin last Saturday.

Gassage

Harsh but fair.

Gassage

Rocker said:

Citings: http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2016/1120/833145-new-zealands-malakai-fekito-and-sam-cane-citing/

Part of the problem with Rugby Union is the ingrained thinking that it is bad form to critically analyse the behaviour of the players on the field.  Such acceptance of violent and dangerous play, not to mention thuggery, does nothing for the game.   Winning has become the only thing that matters.

My problem with the All Blacks is that they went out against Ireland utterly determined not to lose.  Nothing much wrong with that approach but they were so determined that they went completely OTT in their tackles.  They would not have eased off if half the Ireland team were stretchered off the field.  That is why I cannot respect them as players.  The fact that the NZ team have won everything does not mitigate what happened on the pitch in Dublin last Saturday.

Disagree mate. They were marginal calls, all of them.

fretmeister

Launch has been cited now too.

Kick to the head in the 2nd minute apparently. 

Gassage

fretmeister said:

Launch has been cited now too.

Kick to the head in the 2nd minute apparently. 

42nd.

eSully

I needed a strong drink and some quiet time for reflection after watching the Ireland match! I was not in good mood. At the end of the day it's Ireland (+Munster) 2 - 1 NZ in the Autumn and I'd have been absolutely ecstatic if you told me that would happen in October. I can't whinge too much about losing that game as we had 66% possession and they were playing with 14 men for 20 minutes and we still couldn't break them down. Had we had the full compliment of Henshaw, Stander and Sexton up to 60 minutes you never know what would have happened. Despite a decent performance from Ringrose I think we missed Henshaw the most.

As for the marginals, Barratts try, The TMO was asked "do you see a clear grounding" by Peyper, The TMO replied "Yes" - "So you can see a clear grounding on the grass?" .. "Yes" the TMO replies again. Below is from NZ coverage, Barratts left hand blocks sight of any clear grounding in the first angle and Sexton has his hand under the ball in the second



Anyway, that's enough Bitching about decisions from me, NZ deserved the win, The pass for Fekitoa's second try does look flat/backwards out of hand, just!

I truly wish England were playing the All Blacks this Autumn, I reckon the All Blacks will bulldoze France in Paris but England would have been a whole different game and never would an English Rugby team get more fervent support from this Irishman

Jalapeno

Gassage said:

Rocker said:

Citings: http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2016/1120/833145-new-zealands-malakai-fekito-and-sam-cane-citing/

Part of the problem with Rugby Union is the ingrained thinking that it is bad form to critically analyse the behaviour of the players on the field.  Such acceptance of violent and dangerous play, not to mention thuggery, does nothing for the game.   Winning has become the only thing that matters.

My problem with the All Blacks is that they went out against Ireland utterly determined not to lose.  Nothing much wrong with that approach but they were so determined that they went completely OTT in their tackles.  They would not have eased off if half the Ireland team were stretchered off the field.  That is why I cannot respect them as players.  The fact that the NZ team have won everything does not mitigate what happened on the pitch in Dublin last Saturday.

Disagree mate. They were marginal calls, all of them.

No way. The first in particular was all shoulder, with an afterthought of trying to use his arms. All the NZ high tackling, and neck clearout made the the result irrelevant IMHO. Forward pass or not - I am happy with that call, but for the rest the officals chickened out IMHO. NZ deserved the win, just, but they've tarnsihed their reputation.