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Official Rugby Thread
- Thread starter KennyD
- Start date
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
Please number 12 - there never has been and never will be an ATG attacking number 10 with flair.
Probably best one I can think of is Carlos Spencer.
I don't mind what Aussie are currently doing and that is using him as a super sub when the opposition are tired.
I am looking forward to our game against you lot. Brodie Retallick will be under instructions to "sort out" skelton using what ever means are necessary. Look for some niggle up front. We won't let him intimidate us you can take that to the bank. I am anticipating that Palu will be found to be a liability at four nations level.
Goodness I wish we had an enforcer again. If I were the coach I would have him break Palu's nose just to send a message to the rest of your pack.
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HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Wonderful. Bring back the biff.
hendrix
Hall of Fame Member
the big bambino
Cricketer Of The Year
Are you kidding? Bcos anyone who complains about Australia's cricket sledging yet justfies rugby thuggery as "enforcement" and a "message" needs to recalibrate their values somewhat.
ripper868
International Coach
Oh and Will Skelton is going to go Quade Cooper on Richie McCaw. That may actually provide something for wittle wichie to whine about.
AB's will beat us by 25-30 in Game 1, by 10 in Game 2 and by 14 in Game 3. We just lack a class front row, locks, loosies, halfback, Fly half, inside backs and outside backs at the moment. we'll be right for 2015 RWC though.
AB's will beat us by 25-30 in Game 1, by 10 in Game 2 and by 14 in Game 3. We just lack a class front row, locks, loosies, halfback, Fly half, inside backs and outside backs at the moment. we'll be right for 2015 RWC though.
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
Yes Jokes obviously. But on a serious note I do hold thuggery in rugby on a far higher plane than sledging. If someone punches me in a rugby game I have ample opportunities to get them back by either direct retaliation so we both go to the bin, or just through some other justice me or my mates can dole out at the bottom of a ruck. It is self policing.
Sledging on the other hand is the most cowardly invention ever - it is 11 guys harrassing one batsman with swear words and the batsman just has to suck it up and try to get his own back by scoring runs. I note that teams that sledge never do so when they are batting - it is only when they have a numerical advantage when they are fielding. It is the height of cowardice and I have no time for it.
tl;dr version - I would rather be punched in the face in a game of rugby so I can have a brawl with the guy who did it, than have to suck it up listening to how I am a wanker and a mother****er during my inning and not be able to do anything about it.
Smudge
Hall of Fame Member
Hardly fair when half the job has already been done.
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
If Skelton doesn't take a run at him someone from SA will. Ritchie is starting to getting long in the tooth and it is the law of the jungle that someone will test him.
I think Australia's chances boil down to their selection policy. They have always had so many players like Beale who are jacks of all trade and masters of none.
Aussies chances to be determined by your selectors. I know you are not sold on Foley at 1st 5 so it will have to be Toomua then. You need someone who knows rugby, is intelligent, and plays the percentages at 10. You play Beale there and it either you will win by 20 points or we will blow you out.
I am hoping we win plenty of your ball at line out time as I don't see how you can get away with both your 4 and 8 not jumping in the lineout.
Anything could happen in these games (if you select the right team).
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
I reckon it is helpful to have 3 lineout options so if Skelton can be an option (without jumping) then you are good to go and I retract my concerns.
If the ball just goes to your 5 and 6 all night however then we will figure out the calls for a start. The ABs are not as good as SA is at figuring out calls - but I think after a while it will become obvious.
the big bambino
Cricketer Of The Year
Hurricane I find that a strange prioritising of values. Physical assault is worse, something recognised in law. I realise the law is catching up with verbal abuse but if you clubbed someone who called you a wanker you'd be on the greater trouble. Football thuggery is rarely the fair match up you describe. It is more assault than prize fight where the victim is usually over matched and most likely got at in Loe fashion. It's not always possible for the victimised team to retaliate either. Why do you think some teams employ enforcers? It's bcos they know they have the intimidatory advantage.
I agree that abuse as opposed to sledging should be eradicated. However an opponent always had the opportunity to get square when they are in the field.
I agree that abuse as opposed to sledging should be eradicated. However an opponent always had the opportunity to get square when they are in the field.
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
Good post. I'll have a think then respond.
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
Look if we are going to make and accept the point that thuggery in rugby is about bigger players picking on smaller players who are unable to defend themselves, and whose entire team is too intimidated to dish out some payback at the bottom of a ruck then I don't have much of a leg to stand on because thuggery sounds just as cowardly as sledging is if not worse.
So you have taken away by way of assumption my first reason which is that thuggery is less cowardly.
I guess the other reason I have for preferring thuggery is that it is against the rules and there is consequences, so justice is done in the end.
Sledging on the other hand is within the rules, I have often seen some of the younger batsman in international cricket become completely unsettled by a verbal serve from the slip cordon, the batsman has complained to the umpire and the umpire has just said "OK OK settle down young man". You can basically say whatever you want - only time you might get in trouble is if the stump mic catches you like it did to Michael Clarke. Thus the only remaining reason I can hold on to is that thuggery gets punished and this sanctifies it more in my mind while I feel more cross with sledging because the perpetrators get off scot free and this makes it seem like more of an injustice to me.
With regards to the assumption that thuggery is cowardly. I don't know whether it is or isn't - Richard Loe certainly never had anyone take him to task after he broke someone's nose. And perhaps that it is because people were afraid of him. So maybe his acts were cowardly. But they were very big forwards that he assaulted and not little wings or half backs. So I could go either way.
Smudge
Hall of Fame Member
ripper868
International Coach
Richard Loe - Bad to the Bone - YouTube
2:20 for the Carozza incident. Guy was a real enforcer (when I say enforcer, I mean cheap shot dickhead).