Official Rugby Thread

[Spark]

Aus' teams inability to close out games is so frustrating

Was convinced it would be a repeat this week when those two tries went in and the Brumbies looked exhausted, but credit for regrouping well afterwards. Chiefs got sloppy in the last 15.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Some really positive signs for rugby this weekend. France look like they have a golden generation coming. They've dominated the World U20s recently so could be a quality side for the next World Cup. Good signs for Australia too. Well done to the Brumbies for winning in Hamilton, and there are some good young players developing under Brad Thorn's tutelage at the Reds.

 

[D/L]

France have been a revelation. It's a very long time since I saw them defend so well against the top teams. It looks like Edwards is working some magic with them.

I guess he'd still rather be head coach at Wigan RLFC, though.

Rather disappointed that England seemed to show no interest in going for a bonus point against Ireland. Well deserved MOTM for Lawes.

 

[Heboric]

I know its only Sevens, the T20 of rugby, but jeepers what a game:

 

[Uppercut]

Reports the Six Nations will go off FTA TV. Seems very strange to me given the experience of other sports that went off FTA (apart from football), but then I won't be getting any of the extra money.

 

[Dendarii]

I know its only Sevens, the T20 of rugby, but jeepers what a game:

Bringing on Branco du Preez with 1 second to go has to rate as one of the great substitutions of all time. He kicked a contestable restart, scored a try, and nailed the tricky conversion to tie things up.

 

[Heboric]

Bringing on Branco du Preez with 1 second to go has to rate as one of the great substitutions of all time. He kicked a contestable restart, scored a try, and nailed the tricky conversion to tie things up.

Yeah that kick was deifinitely not a gimme

 

[D/L]

France's Grand Slam hopes and their new found discipline went out of the window at Murrayfield yesterday with the sending off of their tight-head prop just before half time.

Well done to the Scots for (ultimately) managing to make their one man advantage count. There were a couple of stages in the second half when I thought they were going to blow it, though.

I thought Tuilagi's sending off at Twickers a bit harsh. Curry's performances at #8 are getting better and beginning to suggest that Jones may not have been wrong to switch him from the flank.

 

[wpdavid]

I thought Tuilagi's sending off at Twickers a bit harsh. Curry's performances at #8 are getting better and beginning to suggest that Jones may not have been wrong to switch him from the flank.

My immediate thought watching the match was that the tackle was dangerously high. Watching the slowmo I wondered whether George North's lower trajectory contributed. Others will know enough about the rules to say whether that's a mitigating factor. As a side issue, I thought that North's response after the red card was top notch, a real gent. In other news, I was pleased to read that Marler has been cited for being an obnoxious ****.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Manu's red was probably slightly harsh, given North was already on the way down, but there didn't seem to be too much effort to get his arms involved and contact with the head is always a bad look in the current climate.

I think a yellow would've been my shout, and with ~6 minutes left in the game the effect was much the same.

Although Tigers fans might feel different as Leicester will bare the brunt of whatever suspension he cops.

 

[Howe_zat]

Although Tigers fans might feel different as Leicester will bare the brunt of whatever suspension he cops.

Tigers fans are just numb at this point. We feel nothing

 

[Spark]

Three massive forward passes missed in the Brumbies/Waratahs derby so far, one of which immediately set up a try...

Good game otherwise. Very open. Nice last dose of live sport before the inevitable long break coming up.

 

[Spark]

Tom Banks is a player

 

[Flem274*]

wish we could use this as an excuse to have several weeks of nz derbys, aus derbys, sa derbys etc. god knows we need some sport.

 

[_Ed_]

Sky's replaying the 2000 Sydney Bledisloe test this afternoon. Surely one of the greatest games ever. And a crowd of 100,000 supporting the Wallabies is a vaguely surreal sight these days.

 

[jimmy101]

The early years of the professional era was a golden age for RU imo.

In other news, USA Rugby has filed for bankruptcy due to lost profits incurred from CV-related cancellation :-(

 

[ripper868]

Sky's replaying the 2000 Sydney Bledisloe test this afternoon. Surely one of the greatest games ever. And a crowd of 100,000 supporting the Wallabies is a vaguely surreal sight these days.

I was in that crowd, about 15 rrows back behind the posts at the end where NZ scored those 3 tries in about 12 seconds.

13 year old me was distraught, then delighted with the comeback, and then proper sad when Jonah got that one in the corner at the death.

Such good memories though, you know, when we were an actual top ruggby power.

 

[D/L]

Watched the DVD of the 2003 World Cup final yesterday. I remembered Robinson's mercurial runs, Johnson's controlled brutality, what a tremendous pack we had etc., etc., but I'd quite forgotten what a storming match Tindall had had at inside centre.

 

[social]

Castle gone

Should never have been appointed in the first place

Game needs a complete overhaul here from top to bottom

 

[Spark]

Castle gone

Should never have been appointed in the first place

Game needs a complete overhaul here from top to bottom

I won't comment on her tenure specifically but anyone who thinks she was the source of rugby's problems in Aus has a very short memory