Six Nations

[Scaly piscine]

I'm sure Ireland will agree that the refereeing was abysmal, stuff like not going to the video referee when there's a pile of players on, over and around the try line when England had the ball, there was no way the ref had a good view of it and he immediately gave Ireland the 5 metre scrum - which was wrong even if England couldn't get the ball down for the try (which I thought they might well have got) he also did the same in the first half, ball was kicked across, England caught the ball and put the ball down, referee called it as offside straight off again without going to the video ref when from the available replays it looked far from clear cut. The rest of his refereeing was just simply biassed beyond belief - every time England passed a ball that wasn't clearly backwards he blew straight away for a forward pass which barely if at all happened with Ireland, also the same thing with knock-ons - virtually everything was a knock on if England touched it, barely anything when it was Ireland.

Almost forgot to mention at least 2 penalties that would have been an easy 6 points to England when the Irish tackler was stopping the ball coming back, but instead the ref gives a penalty to Ireland for holding on.

 

[Piper]

I'm sure Ireland will agree that the refereeing was abysmal, stuff like not going to the video referee when there's a pile of players on, over and around the try line when England had the ball, there was no way the ref had a good view of it and he immediately gave Ireland the 5 metre scrum - which was wrong even if England couldn't get the ball down for the try (which I thought they might well have got) he also did the same in the first half, ball was kicked across, England caught the ball and put the ball down, referee called it as offside straight off again without going to the video ref when from the available replays it looked far from clear cut. The rest of his refereeing was just simply biassed beyond belief - every time England passed a ball that wasn't clearly backwards he blew straight away for a forward pass which barely if at all happened with Ireland, also the same thing with knock-ons - virtually everything was a knock on if England touched it, barely anything when it was Ireland.

Almost forgot to mention at least 2 penalties that would have been an easy 6 points to England when the Irish tackler was stopping the ball coming back, but instead the ref gives a penalty to Ireland for holding on.

And the award goes too.... The ref in the Ireland v England match. The award goes to him for being the worst ref ever

 

[BoyBrumby]

He wasn't great, but I think Ireland played the more clever Rugby. Tackled very well, kept their discipline pretty well &, if O'Gara had his kicking boots on we could've lost by more.

The worst decision was to make O'Gara MOTM. O'Connor and Easterby were both huge in the back row; either would've deserved it.

 

[Smudge]

I'm sure Ireland will agree that the refereeing was abysmal, stuff like not going to the video referee when there's a pile of players on, over and around the try line when England had the ball, there was no way the ref had a good view of it and he immediately gave Ireland the 5 metre scrum - which was wrong even if England couldn't get the ball down for the try (which I thought they might well have got) he also did the same in the first half, ball was kicked across, England caught the ball and put the ball down, referee called it as offside straight off again without going to the video ref when from the available replays it looked far from clear cut. The rest of his refereeing was just simply biassed beyond belief - every time England passed a ball that wasn't clearly backwards he blew straight away for a forward pass which barely if at all happened with Ireland, also the same thing with knock-ons - virtually everything was a knock on if England touched it, barely anything when it was Ireland.

Almost forgot to mention at least 2 penalties that would have been an easy 6 points to England when the Irish tackler was stopping the ball coming back, but instead the ref gives a penalty to Ireland for holding on.

What an extremely poor loser you are.

 

[Piper]

What an extremely poor loser you are.

Hey not everyone can have the All Blacks as their home team u know
But the ref was as bad as he said he was, he has every right to complain about it

 

[Langeveldt]

What an extremely poor loser you are.

It was seriously rubbish.. Even the Irish guys were a bit tongue in cheek..

 

[Smudge]

It was seriously rubbish.. Even the Irish guys were a bit tongue in cheek..

Fact of the matter is that Kaplan is one of the better referees in the world - he may have the odd bad game, but there's no doubt in my mind he wouldn't go out on the field to be biased.

I note scaly piscine didn't mention Ronan O'Gara getting taken out as England scored...

 

[BoyBrumby]

TBF Kaplan could've called Thompson at least 3 times for throws that weren't straight too. Giving Ireland the scrum when we went over was just wrong tho.

We lack an edge in the backs, Jas Robinson not playing well just now. Disappointing Ollie Smith wasn't given a go too.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Fact of the matter is that Kaplan is one of the better referees in the world - he may have the odd bad game, but there's no doubt in my mind he wouldn't go out on the field to be biased.

I note scaly piscine didn't mention Ronan O'Gara getting taken out as England scored...

Fact of the matter remains the refereeing in that game was biassed consciously or unconsciously. As for O'Gara he just stood there like an idiot, he wasn't taken out particularly, I'm sure if he had made an effort to cover the huge gaping hole in the Ireland defence he'd have got the free-kick/penalty as Ireland got every other decision in that game, even the ones you wouldn't even dream about giving against England.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I agree. Ban Steve Bucknor.

 

[Blaze]

I thought you wern't going to watch rugby anymore? Rmember this when you threw your toys out of the cot?

Yea I'm gonna ignore rugby til next year I think. Waste of time taking interest in the current bunch - the complete tit who gave away 2 of the penalties in the second half was smiling & joking after each one (had darkish blonde hair, I think it was Moody), that guy shouldn't be allowed near an England shirt for the foreseeable future. I also noted that Thompson kept up his usual high percentage of trying to throwing the ball away on line-outs. Anyway just as I thought England couldn't sink any lower than losing to Wales, they hand the most abysmal French team in years a win after being 11 points ahead.

Also, you will always get game where the rub of the green goes against you but the ref will never go out there and intentially be biased.

Interesting that Kaplin was the ref though because I remember a few years back when he refereed the bledisloe cup decider and he told the all blacks that there was two minutes to go when they were up by two points( this is in the time before hooters) two and a half minutes later the ball went out of play and NZ expected the game to be over. Kaplin decided however that he hadn't had enough fun and continued the game. Aus won the lineout, won a penalty, kicked the penalty and won the game.

Of course I was angry at Kaplin as we were robbed but you just have to accept it and move on. Sometimes you get the decisions going your way and sometimes you don't. And plus both teams played well so Aus were as much a deserved winner as NZ would have been

 

[Blaze]

I'm sure Ireland will agree that the refereeing was abysmal, stuff like not going to the video referee when there's a pile of players on, over and around the try line when England had the ball, there was no way the ref had a good view of it and he immediately gave Ireland the 5 metre scrum - which was wrong even if England couldn't get the ball down for the try (which I thought they might well have got) he also did the same in the first half, ball was kicked across, England caught the ball and put the ball down, referee called it as offside straight off again without going to the video ref when from the available replays it looked far from clear cut. The rest of his refereeing was just simply biassed beyond belief - every time England passed a ball that wasn't clearly backwards he blew straight away for a forward pass which barely if at all happened with Ireland, also the same thing with knock-ons - virtually everything was a knock on if England touched it, barely anything when it was Ireland.

Almost forgot to mention at least 2 penalties that would have been an easy 6 points to England when the Irish tackler was stopping the ball coming back, but instead the ref gives a penalty to Ireland for holding on.

Wow you are a bad losser. How well do u you know the laws of rugby, the tackler has full rights to the ball at tackle ball time

 

[Somerset]

They'll beat Scotland and Italy

Scotland will give the Poms a run for their money, the Italian match should be an easy English victory.

With England's third loss, it really does raise doubts over how many of the World Champions' squad will be selected for the Lions. Looks to me as though Irish and Welsh players are performing at precisely the right time...

 

[BoyBrumby]

Scotland will give the Poms a run for their money, the Italian match should be an easy English victory.

With England's third loss, it really does raise doubts over how many of the World Champions' squad will be selected for the Lions. Looks to me as though Irish and Welsh players are performing at precisely the right time...

Nah, they're ar$e just now. England by twenty.

I don't wanna make excuses, but we have had a pretty rough trot of injuries and a couple of massive retirees too. We're without at least 5 potential Lions starters (Vickery, Woodman, Dallaglio, Rich Hill, Wilkinson) & another half dozen potential tourists (White, Reagan, Back, Greenwood, Tindall, Abbott).

Not to mention Jonno....

 

[Somerset]

Nah, they're ar$e just now. England by twenty.

I don't wanna make excuses, but we have had a pretty rough trot of injuries and a couple of massive retirees too. We're without at least 5 potential Lions starters (Vickery, Woodman, Dallaglio, Rich Hill, Wilkinson) & another half dozen potential tourists (White, Reagan, Back, Greenwood, Tindall, Abbott).

Not to mention Jonno....

No game has been a walkover in this year's Six Nations, and I can't see England winning by 20 to break the trend. Scotland definately have a chance IMO.

As far as injuries and retirement goes - surely the World Champion side has enough depth to at least remain competitive. Since the World Cup, the disappointment of last year's Six Nations, the terrible tour of New Zealand and Australia and now the 2005 Six Nations...questions must be asked of the English squad's depth.

 

[Smudge]

Nah, they're ar$e just now. England by twenty.

I don't wanna make excuses, but we have had a pretty rough trot of injuries and a couple of massive retirees too. We're without at least 5 potential Lions starters (Vickery, Woodman, Dallaglio, Rich Hill, Wilkinson) & another half dozen potential tourists (White, Reagan, Back, Greenwood, Tindall, Abbott).

Not to mention Jonno....

Injuries have certainly been a problem, but in regards to retirements, who cares? They aren't coming back, so it's no use continuing to refer to them.

 

[Triple Crown]

This years 6 nations has been a pleasure. Great to see Wales & Ireland getting up.

Kind of like seeing West Brom & Palace putting Man U to the sword.

But seriously, it looks like 2003 is going to be one of those years that the English will talk about forever. The stars were in algnment, etc etc.

But 6 months of good rugby with no depth does not a world champion team make. 2004 & 2005 are starting to maake 2003 look like a fluke.

Dominate the world for an extended period like the All Blacks or Aust & then England can call themselves world champions.

Honestly, its almost enough to make the IRB put a "champion" clause in its World Cup agreement saying that if the winner gets flogged consistently within 12-18 months they lose the crown!!

 

[BoyBrumby]

This years 6 nations has been a pleasure. Great to see Wales & Ireland getting up.

Kind of like seeing West Brom & Palace putting Man U to the sword.

But seriously, it looks like 2003 is going to be one of those years that the English will talk about forever. The stars were in algnment, etc etc.

But 6 months of good rugby with no depth does not a world champion team make. 2004 & 2005 are starting to maake 2003 look like a fluke.

Dominate the world for an extended period like the All Blacks or Aust & then England can call themselves world champions.

Honestly, its almost enough to make the IRB put a "champion" clause in its World Cup agreement saying that if the winner gets flogged consistently within 12-18 months they lose the crown!!

It's called "peaking at the right time"!

Actually we probably peaked just before the WC when we beat Oz & NZ down in the antipodes. The French game aside we didn't really look wonderful in the WC; we put away average SA & Oz teams (we really should've won the final by more) & struggled against Wales & Samoa.

If only NZ hadn't jibbed that semi, eh?

 

[Scaly piscine]

But 6 months of good rugby with no depth does not a world champion team make. 2004 & 2005 are starting to maake 2003 look like a fluke.

Dominate the world for an extended period like the All Blacks or Aust & then England can call themselves world champions.

What a load of tripe, England won the World Cup so they're the World champions. End of story.

 

[Blaze]

What a load of tripe, England won the World Cup so they're the World champions. End of story.

They may be world champions but they are probably the 6th or 7th best rugby team in the world. I would rate half the super12 sides an even chance of beating them at the moment