The Rugby Union Thread

koneguitarist

Was it Shane Williams who got done for trying to hurdle player to avoid tackle?
I know Sinkler in Lions game jumped into tackle and I think this is where the main issue comes from. If player jumps in air as tackler comes in tackler if committed could then be classed as taking player out in air?

Gulliver

koneguitarist said:

What rule, it’s never been allowed as far as I have known. You can dive for the ground to slide in or go low, but he clearly jumped in air?
if defender had taken his legs, he would be classed as playing man in air? May could quite easily have connected with head of defender? 

I think it's a grey area - it follows the letter of the law rather than the spirit of it.  Had May connected with the defender I doubt he'd have been sanctioned because what he did was technically legal. 

Same with the roll on Jack Willis - legal but feels like it shouldn't be. It's such a blow to a player who's already lost a year of professional rugby through a knee injury, has worked so hard to get back to be selected for England, and then absolutely fucked in his first game for his team.

crunchman

On a slightly different topic, I hate it when they announce the man of the match before the end of the game.  They announced LRZ as man of the match with 2 minutes to go, although it actually ended up being around 4 minutes with the extra time at the end.  They would have looked very silly if Hogg had scored to win the game.  They should wait for the match to finish.

koneguitarist

Gulliver said:

koneguitarist said:

What rule, it’s never been allowed as far as I have known. You can dive for the ground to slide in or go low, but he clearly jumped in air?
if defender had taken his legs, he would be classed as playing man in air? May could quite easily have connected with head of defender? 

I think it's a grey area - it follows the letter of the law rather than the spirit of it.  Had May connected with the defender I doubt he'd have been sanctioned because what he did was technically legal. 

Same with the roll on Jack Willis - legal but feels like it shouldn't be. It's such a blow to a player who's already lost a year of professional rugby through a knee injury, has worked so hard to get back to be selected for England, and then absolutely fucked in his first game for his team.

Awful for Jack Willis, I think the same happened to Ellis for Wales and he played his first game back after almost 3 years out. 
Strange issue with jumping, though, I think it is covered under sportsmanship apparently. But I'm not a ref. 

sev112

So the commentators said at the time of May’s try that it would have been allowed a few years back, but that the law had been changed to allow a player diving for the try line to jump.
that’s what they said - whether it’s right or not I don’t know

the Willis incident.  flatman (or whoever the commentator was) said that the Italian “tackle” on Willis was illegal because he was on on the ground !  Woodward / Dallaglio said that it was perfectly legal in the punditry afterwards.  For the average rugby watcher on Tv it would help if they didn’t allow such inconsistencies from professional rugby commentators and pundits 

sev112

Notwithstanding all of that

its looking to be a great spectators’ championship

e.g  IF  ..
Engkand beat Wales
france beat ireland
wales or England (or Ireland) beat France, we could end up with bonus points, losing bonus points and lost bonus points making the difference
Other combinations are also available 

koneguitarist

Wales have yet to play well and with so many injuries, we have been lucky to get 2 from 2. However, hopefully with Adam’s back on Wing, North back at 13, and Williams or Halaholo at 12 we will have a pretty formidable back line. If Sheedy starts and as long as Welsh pack hold out against England we could be in a top 2 finish. 

The injuries we have suffered has made this difficult for any coach, let alone a new one coming in to change things. 

England should be settled and building for RWC, but still look like the coach is the problem. Farrell trying to change and move on with Ireland, should be good for RWC. 

Scotland do they truly have belief in themselves? 

Be interesting to see where France are after this afternoon. Talent, coaching and game plan in place. 

Jalapeno

Thought Wales looked good with their replacements, and Scotland buckled after the (rightly) disallowed try.

tbm

Ireland more possession and field position. France down to 14, get one chance and score. 

It’s like the 90s again. 

exocet

tbm said:

Ireland more possession and field position. France down to 14, get one chance and score. 

It’s like the 90s again. 

France look very threatening when they move the ball around but Ireland doing a reasonable job at restricting those opportunities. Still think this is going to be close.

Schnozz

The Cian Healy Tweedledum and Tweedledumber head clash needs to be in this Six Nations' highlight reel.

exocet

exocet said:

tbm said:

Ireland more possession and field position. France down to 14, get one chance and score. 

It’s like the 90s again. 

France look very threatening when they move the ball around but Ireland doing a reasonable job at restricting those opportunities. Still think this is going to be close.

...or maybe not...

sev112

Well who would have guessed that Shaun Edwards vs Andy Farrell would have been a near draw

Lowe had a reasonably good game, might get a utility back position on the lions if he keeps it up.
I thought Henderson was a good captain. He was a bolted for Lions last time and might be a good bet this time
 too quiet a game for Porter - he was one of my prop picks.  

Razor Ruddick had a very good game.
Byrne looked miles more composed than Burns 

still, I enjoyed it.   Shows you how you get at France for everyone else




where does Earls continue to get his mojo from at his age - he’s a model for all small backs 

tbm

Lowe mixed great kicks with WOEFUL defence. Really like him, but he needs to sort that out. 

koneguitarist

So Fagerson has had a larger ban than POM for similar offence. But because POM admitted foul play, and Fagerson said it was an accident he got longer? 

Nice to see how the judiciary works. 

tbm

koneguitarist said:

So Fagerson has had a larger ban than POM for similar offence. But because POM admitted foul play, and Fagerson said it was an accident he got longer? 

Nice to see how the judiciary works. 

That's just crazy.

hywelg

tbm said:

koneguitarist said:

So Fagerson has had a larger ban than POM for similar offence. But because POM admitted foul play, and Fagerson said it was an accident he got longer? 

Nice to see how the judiciary works. 

That's just crazy.

Indeed so. I thought it was yellow. And if red then sentence served, no match ban. 

koneguitarist

Red card in Bath Gloucester game, Faletau gets to play 14 man team for 3rd week on trot! 

scrumhalf

koneguitarist said:

Red card in Bath Gloucester game, Faletau gets to play 14 man team for 3rd week on trot! 

14 each now, Bath 5 goes for another head incident.

sev112

hywelg said:

tbm said:

koneguitarist said:

So Fagerson has had a larger ban than POM for similar offence. But because POM admitted foul play, and Fagerson said it was an accident he got longer? 

Nice to see how the judiciary works. 

That's just crazy.

Indeed so. I thought it was yellow. And if red then sentence served, no match ban. 

It’s not a citing panel though.  

They both got the same  - 6 weeks.  Like any trial, admit your guilt and you get less, so POM was reduced.   Who on earth was advising Fagerson?