Official Rugby Thread

[BoyBrumby]

**** me. 26-26. History in the making. The first ever rugby union penalty shoot out! If it gets down to the forwards it could be interesting.

 

[BoyBrumby]

7-6 to the Tigers on penalties! Martyn Williams, the Prince of Wales himself, the man to choke.

 

[Somerset]

Had to watch it on youtube having never seen such an ending to a rugby match. I think the closest I've seen a union match go to penalty kicks would've been the 2003 World Cup final before Wilkinson's drop goal with a minute or so remaining in extra time. Link is here by the way - YouTube - Cardiff Blues v Leicester Tigers - Penalty Shootout HEC Rugby 2009

Had to laugh at how many New Zealanders were present though - Aaron Mauger, Craig Newby, Scott Hamilton, Ben Blair, Paul Tito and even a mention of Jason Spice.

 

[ripper868]

Trust both 11's to miss first up. Intense way to finish a match, think it would work better if it went in order of numbers though, starting with 1 and down to 15.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Had to laugh at how many New Zealanders were present though - Aaron Mauger, Craig Newby, Scott Hamilton, Ben Blair, Paul Tito and even a mention of Jason Spice.

Funnily enough back last October Robert Kitson in the Guardian selected a NZ Heineken Cup XV. Reckon it would go ok against most test teams, tbh:

15 Ben Blair Cardiff Blues
14 Doug Howlett Munster
13 Luke McAlister Sale
12 Aaron Mauger Leicester
11 Regan King Scarlets
10 Dan Carter Perpignan or Nick Evans Harlequins
9 Byron Kelleher Toulouse or Mark Robinson Wasps

1 Greg Somerville Gloucester
2 Tom Willis N-G Dragons
3 Kees Meeuws Scarlets
4 Simon Maling Scarlets
5 Paul Tito Cardiff Blues
6 Filo Tiatia Ospreys
7 Marty Holah Ospreys
8 Xavier Rush Cardiff Blues

Chuck in blokes like Chris Jack, Carlos Spencer, Bruce Reihana, Greg Rawlinson & Rico Gear who play for clubs who didn't qualify & you've got a 6 Nations winning side. Not to mention Flutey, obv, who's thrown his lot in with us.

 

[Uppercut]

Rua Tipoki misses out by a dodgy hamstring too. Was absolutely incredible for Munster last season.

 

[headhunter]

Was especially missed in defence.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

3 Kees Meeuws

Must be Dutch.

Was a tad spoiled as I downloaded the game and realised "hey ho, we have a tie" as the file was a fair bit bigger than usual...but thought there had to be something wrong with that when Leicester went into the last ten with 26-12 up.

Leinster immense, though. Tad strange, been *** all spring and then suddenly wake up.

Fair winner though. Cardiff got three points for free for a non-offside decision.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, Leinster's forwards really took it to the much vaunted™ Munster pack. Rather worrying when a fair few of the Munstermen will form the Lions' pack too.

Actually of of them Alan Quinlan, the "surprise" (i.e. wrong) selection might be in trouble as he's been cited for his finger coming into contact with the eye area of Leo Cullen (gouging in old money). If it gets Croft in the squad all well and good IMHO.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Aeah, Leinster's forwards really took it to the much vaunted™ Munster pack. Rather worrying when a fair few of the Munstermen will form the Lions' pack too.

Yeah, well, no one's going to stand up to SA anyway. Been winning 70 % of scrums down under.

Which elves are in force for the Lions tour btw?

Actually of of them Alan Quinlan, the "surprise" (i.e. wrong) selection might be in trouble as he's been cited for his finger coming into contact with the eye area of Leo Cullen (gouging in old money). If it gets Croft in the squad all well and good IMHO.

Was picked up by the Sky cameras after the event iirc. Looked fairly blatant even though he didn't actually get his fingers in the eye.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, well, no one's going to stand up to SA anyway. Been winning 70 % of scrums down under.

Which elves are in force for the Lions tour btw?


Was picked up by the Sky cameras after the event iirc. Looked fairly blatant even though he didn't actually get his fingers in the eye.

Not entirely certain, in all honesty. Just the ones that are going to be made permanent additions one would hope.

& yeah, saw the slow-mo on SSN earlier. Looks bad, but have seen worse written off as accidental before now. Cullen looked distinctly non-plussed tho.

 

[TT Boy]

Had to laugh at how many New Zealanders were present though - Aaron Mauger, Craig Newby, Scott Hamilton, Ben Blair, Paul Tito and even a mention of Jason Spice.

Makes a bit of mockery of some of the Lions selection. Andy Powell can’t get a gig with the Blues because of Rush but his still going to the Republic and will most likely start.

 

[Somerset]

Funnily enough back last October Robert Kitson in the Guardian selected a NZ Heineken Cup XV. Reckon it would go ok against most test teams, tbh:

15 Ben Blair Cardiff Blues
14 Doug Howlett Munster
13 Luke McAlister Sale
12 Aaron Mauger Leicester
11 Regan King Scarlets
10 Dan Carter Perpignan or Nick Evans Harlequins
9 Byron Kelleher Toulouse or Mark Robinson Wasps

1 Greg Somerville Gloucester
2 Tom Willis N-G Dragons
3 Kees Meeuws Scarlets
4 Simon Maling Scarlets
5 Paul Tito Cardiff Blues
6 Filo Tiatia Ospreys
7 Marty Holah Ospreys
8 Xavier Rush Cardiff Blues

Chuck in blokes like Chris Jack, Carlos Spencer, Bruce Reihana, Greg Rawlinson & Rico Gear who play for clubs who didn't qualify & you've got a 6 Nations winning side. Not to mention Flutey, obv, who's thrown his lot in with us.

Theres been plenty of discussion over the last few years on radio in particular about what a UK-based All Black side would look like, and most come to the consensus that a UK-based team would be more than competitive against most other top nations in the world. The backline containing the likes of Carter/Evans, Howlett, Mauger and McAlister (at least back then anyway) is immense. Not sure about Six Nations winning but certainly they'd give it a better go than England have in recent times.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Leicester outclassing a James-less Bath, by reports. Should have been about 40-0 by half time, now 24-10 with a couple of minutes to go.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, was quite the stroll after the Heineken quarter. Tigers seem to be peaking at just the right time.

Abendanon(and on) a lucky boy. Even allowing that Moody scored he should've still walked for the trip. Blatant.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Nick Evans (would presumably be a fly-half for that cash-chasing NZ XV with Carter's crocking?) not showering himself in glory for Harlequins in the other semi. Three missed pens and some stupid decisions (at least according to radio)

edit: and now off for Waisea Luveniyali. Says it all.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Haha the kicking was so incredibly bad in the Quins Irish game. I think Evans was carrying a knee injury, but some of his kicks were simply appalling.

 

[Uppercut]

Quinlan's out of the Lions tour. Quite right too. I really rate him as a player but you can't let someone away with something as disgraceful as gouging just because they're good. Fair play to the boards for taking a difficult decision.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Quinlan's out of the Lions tour. Quite right too. I really rate him as a player but you can't let someone away with something as disgraceful as gouging just because they're good. Fair play to the boards for taking a difficult decision.

Was pretty ordinary, yes. As I said to Samuel tho disciplinary boards have swept worse ones under the carpet before.

Croft to be called up now, which is no more than correcting an injustice anyway IMHO.

 

[ripper868]

An adevertisement for rugby (photo taken by mate from the weekend game)