The Rugby Union Thread

MagicPigDetective

What about Delilah which is often sung in Cardiff? It’s about knifing a woman in a jealous rage! Awful song. The standard of singing and song selection is a shadow of what it used to be. Most of the crowd are their to get bladdered not watch the match. 

artiebear

Regarding Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, If there is an issue here, it is the hijacking of the songs spiritual meaning to fit another agenda. The song, like many other Christian songs written and sung by the oppressed, both black and white (think pentecostal movement in the great depression ) has at it's heart the theme of a better place somewhere beyond this life. It references the chariot which came to carry Elijah into heaven, a commonly used symbol of hope, along with crossing over Jordan, which itself refers to coming into God's promised land. 

The song stands alongside Wayfaring stranger as one of the best known 19C "spirituals", similar themes, except Wayfaring Stranger has it's roots ( like a lot more similar songs ) in an Anglo/Scottish border ballad with some imagery lifted from an 18C German hymn and sung by settlers in the USA. 

There are thousands of songs with exactly the same theme and imagery, not based on the colour of the writer, but in the beliefs that they held to get them through the hardness of life, whether in cotton fields, the mills or down a mine.

If using Swing Low is wrong (discounting the fact that it's writer would have had a problem with pissed up berks blasting out the only two lines they know ), then so is the singing of Cwm Rhondda, seeing the last verse contains very similar imagery. They are not about being black or white they are about a commonly held Christian belief.

While I understand the BLM movement and the need for awareness, I am getting sick of the way some want desperately want to compartmentalise everything into black or white, while accusing  of cultural appropriation and disrespect, the result being apartheid, the very thing some would want to claim to be part of a victory over.

Let's use these opportunities to educate, but let's make sure that we are not twisting truth fit it to the current narrative.

rsvmark

Interesting that the 2003 England squad had 1 BAME player of the 30. 2019 I counted 11. Make of that what you will.

rsvmark

@fretwired My son has spent his junior playing career in the Academy system and also part of a Incredibly successful schools Rugby programme. They did not offer rugby scholarships- however, The likes of Harrow, Bromsgrove, Sedborough, Wellington, Millfield Et al all cherry pick promising players from all the premiership academies for rugby scholarships- they can do it as they can afford it. 

fretmeister

Trouble at Leicester...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/53256761

Manu leaving.

p90fool

Not for another two weeks he's not! 

fretmeister

That will make a difference then.

p90fool

No, I just meant that nobody is allowed out of Leicester for two w...

Oh never mind.

rsvmark

Having watched ITV4s replay of the England games during rwc2003, it’s quite remarkable how the game has changed....in particular the Samoan game. What would now be:

Penalties for deliberate knock ons
Penalties for not rolling away
Penalties for high tackles
Mauling changed out of all recognition

But
much quicker game
Far less fucking about at scrum time
More 50/50 ball at line out
Far less aerial ping pong
Utterly no back chat, gobbing off or gamesmanship

In summary, quite enjoyable really

scrumhalf

I was watching some of the games as well and also thought the game was better back then.

That might also have something to do with Wasps having a great team at the time! 

Gulliver

I enjoyed watching the Quins game last night (although I'm a Quins fan so it's nice to watch us win)

Really interesting to see the changes to the ruck and scrum - looks like it's helping with the pace, although I feel bad for Sale conceding so many penalties from the new law changes.

fretmeister

Jack Clifford has just announced he has to retire on medical grounds.

Shoulder surgery was unsuccessful. Can't play anymore.

fretmeister

More games off - due to lung damage

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/53838573

rsvmark

fretmeister said:

Jack Clifford has just announced he has to retire on medical grounds.

Shoulder surgery was unsuccessful. Can't play anymore.

27 as well. Poor sod

scrumhalf

Given the relative compression of the game until the end of next season I hope that player welfare improves and the excessive bish-bash-bosh is significantly reduced.

Much as I enjoy the gsme I can't see much if a future for a sport that maims too many of its participants. 

fretmeister

Agreed.

there is now a limit... 180 minutes of playing per week in matches.
That means 2 starts and on the bench for a 3rd.

Might as well not have bothered. It’s going to break people.

koneguitarist

Finally! 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54048859

Gassage

Premiership Rugby today confirmed that all the games next weekend will feature a 1 minute bow of honour to remember the many victims of Owen Farrell's tackle technique in this season of despair.

koneguitarist

To be fair, there is a lot.

scrumhalf

That would be a no-arms bow, I take it.