Official Rugby Thread

[Aidan11]

Just noticed James Botham, son of Liam, grandson of Ian, plays for Wales.

 

[wpdavid]

Just noticed James Botham, son of Liam, grandson of Ian, plays for Wales.

Given Botham's form when away from Kathy, there's probably a grandchild or two playing a decent level of one sport or another in Australia.

 

[Molehill]

Now have to play 45 minutes with 14 too after Willemse was redded for his second yellow. Two head shots in half an hour, minus ten minutes for the sin bin after his first card.

Second yellow ended up being a red too, he'll do well to play again in this tournament. But Ireland were well on top anyway and frankly, the tournament looks done and dusted already. Their only real challenge now will probably be the trip to Twickenham, but be surprised if they lost there.

England got the job done against Italy and it was rather more comfortable than the scoreline suggested. If they'd gone to the corner in the final minute instead of opting for a scrum (no idea why) the winning margin might've been 17 not 3. Italy looked a lot better than their World Cup efforts, r maybe it was just England were a bit average.

Only saw first half of Wales/Scotland game so hard to judge it, but the Welsh were utterly abysmal in that first 40. Second half would suggest they'll be competitive against England this weekend, although ought to be a home win.

Scotland v France looks the game of the weekend, that could go either way...

 

[nick-o]

Recent work on my family tree has taught me that I'm 25% Welsh. You may think that shouldn't be news to me, but it's a long story that I won't bore you with just now. My point being that, despite my recently discovered ancestry, I still enjoy seeing them on the wrong end of the sort of stuffing that the Scots are dishing out this evening.

Release your inner Welshman

(i.e., bore us with the long story)

 

[wpdavid]

Release your inner Welshman

(i.e., bore us with the long story)

OK, since you insist .....

My dad's father was Welsh. But my dad never knew him as he left my dad's mum shortly after my father was born. My dad's mum subsequently met another man who effectively fathered my dad, who barely acknowledged the existence of his biological father. I think he knew his biological father was Welsh, but we weren't a family who talked a lot, and my dad died 13 years ago anyway.

All this came to light when my sister and I have been piecing together our family tree on a geneaology website, and wondered why we couldn't trace such an unusual name as William Sylvanus Reynolds Lewis. Our mistake was only looking in the London area (where my dad was born) and thereafter in England. Once we broadened our search to Wales, up he popped. As well as his parents and several previous generations.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Means you're more of a Leekist than quite a few players who've worn the red, anyway!

& you'd be eligible yourself!

 

[wpdavid]

Means you're more of a Leekist than quite a few players who've worn the red, anyway!

& you'd be eligible yourself!

Yeah, it's coming as quite a shock to someone who's always argued that 'hwyl' is Welsh for 'bullshit'.

 

[ripper868]

Scotland absolutely robbed by the TMO on at full time there, conclusive footage of the ball on the ground, deemed to not be definitive. not sure how a squashed ball can not be definitively on the ground, but anyway.

Scotland probably didn't deserve it based on the 2nd half, but still feel for them.

How that's a no try is beyond me though.

 

[Molehill]

Yeah, joke decision. But I blame Berry who’s looking straight at it and calls no try on field, it’s that decision which is key. But there looked enough evidence to give it for me.

 

[ripper868]

Yeah, joke decision. But I blame Berry who’s looking straight at it and calls no try on field, it’s that decision which is key. But there looked enough evidence to give it for me.

to be fair to Berry, it looked held up live initially, the ball was on a boot and then went to ground, behind a mess of legs etc from Berry's angle (for which he was correctly positioned) - He can only call what he can see, and based on the comms was about to award the try until the TMO lost his bottle and received a bleu envelope under the door.

 

[Ali TT]

Wasn't conclusive - which Berry asked for - no angle showed ball in contact with the ground. So no try

 

[ripper868]

what is under the ball from this angle please?

 

[wpdavid]

English self-discipline down to the usual standards so far
Will these people ever learn?

EDIT
Good comeback, but someone needs to explain the rules about conversions to Ford. Which surprised me as I had him down as one of the saner members of the team. Didn't we waste a conversion in the WC when the kicker took too long over it?

 

[Ali TT]

what is under the ball from this angle please?
View attachment 39106

Bit like those foreshortening with low catches in cricket but can't see the ground touching the ball (so could be a hand underneath) nor if on/over the line. I believe you, it was undoubtedly a try, but by the ask on the TMO the evidence he had available was not sufficient to overturn the on field decision.

 

[Ali TT]

English self-discipline down to the usual standards so far
Will these people ever learn?

EDIT
Good comeback, but someone needs to explain the rules about conversions to Ford. Which surprised me as I had him down as one of the saner members of the team. Didn't we waste a conversion in the WC when the kicker took too long over it?

Why is it that English teams are so consistently ill-disciplined? This one is both ill-disciplined and ****

 

[wpdavid]

Why is it that English teams are so consistently ill-disciplined? This one is both ill-disciplined and ****

No idea. Perhaps best to avoid voicing tempting generalisations about attitudes within English rugby, although I suspect they're all true.
It really was a typical English start. Bugger up an attacking position at the start of the game by conceding a penalty, then a few minutes later concede a score via a penalty at the other end of the pitch. I suppose conceding a penalty try was more creative than just conceding the three points. And two yellow cards in the first ten minutes or so was really special. Ah well. If I'm ever invited on Room 101, the English Rugby Union team will be the first thing I bring to the table.

Sounds like a nice move by the Welsh to end the half.

 

[ripper868]

Wales have now put together a good 1st and 2nd half, just, in different matches.

 

[Molehill]

No idea. Perhaps best to avoid voicing tempting generalisations about attitudes within English rugby, although I suspect they're all true.
It really was a typical English start. Bugger up an attacking position at the start of the game by conceding a penalty, then a few minutes later concede a score via a penalty at the other end of the pitch. I suppose conceding a penalty try was more creative than just conceding the three points. And two yellow cards in the first ten minutes or so was really special. Ah well. If I'm ever invited on Room 101, the English Rugby Union team will be the first thing I bring to the table.

Sounds like a nice move by the Welsh to end the half.

the penalty try was harsh, no guarantee they scored there with English players all over the ball. Thought the ref team were out of their depth for a game of this nature. Scrums were a farce.

everyone will get thrashed by Ireland.

 

[Ali TT]

Scrappy match but England did muster a degree of control in the second half to leave the Welsh scoreless. Can't see them challenging France or Ireland and Scotland should fancy themselves but they have a knack shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[Furball]

Wasn't conclusive - which Berry asked for - no angle showed ball in contact with the ground. So no try

Yeah the ball rolled off the French bloke's foot but unfortunately at that end of Murrayfield the laws of gravity don't apply so the ball couldn't possibly have been on the ground.