[Closed] 2013/14 Rugby Thread

I saw this, the argies pointed out that Phillips had his hands on the ball and IIRC the ref said something like "doesn't matter, it wasn't out". In the eng/NZ game the ref had a completely different opinion and called that the ball was out as soon as the 9 put a hand on it. Very confusing.

When the 9 has hands on the ball in a ruck it is ball out whereas the 9 can have hands on at the base of a scrum without it being out, the ball is only out when it is beyond the back foot (of course when the ball is beyond the back foot in a ruck it is also out)... does this sound right to those with more rugby knowledge?

Great game, and we had a great win.

Sad new about Francois Louw mind, we won't know the outcome until tomorrow..

Just need to find it on Iplayer as I was driving home when the match was on.

Dan; soon as hand(s) are on the ball the scrum/ruck/maul is over and the person playing it becomes the offside line. However if you wildly swing a foot at the ball as it is getting played expect to be offside 8)

Why were the Scots playing in that ridicuous costume? Dont the sarfricans have an away strip?

Duckman what are the rules about wrestling a player off a ruck by the neck which seem in vogue these days.

Also when did the rules change to make the home team, rather than the away team, change strip in the event of a clash.

Is replacing navy blue in the saltire with a turquoise part of the post 2014 planning!?!? Modernisation gone too far.....

It is purple and has been on the strip for about a decade;represents heather dontchaknow. Home team has always changed strip AFAIK

Also when did the rules change to make the home team, rather than the away team, change strip in the event of a clash.

It's always been that way in Rugby although nowadays they sometimes agree to part with convention (to sell more shirts).

Although what big jim did was legal, I can't see how it can remain so. Someone's going to get their shit severely ****ed up soon.

I'm getting increasingly riled with shirt changes, notable in the HC as well.

There should only ever be a shirt change if there's a clash. So, for example, when Wales play Tonga, and both are in red, one changes. When Scotland play France, both dark blue, so a change, etc.

Just changing to an away strip willy nilly is marketing guff and annoying. Even more so when some of the away shirts are so chuffing horrid!

Dan; soon as hand(s) are on the ball the scrum/ruck/maul is over and the person playing it becomes the offside line. However if you wildly swing a foot at the ball as it is getting played expect to be offside 8)

So does that basically mean that it is so hard to referee that area that refs would rather not have anyone challenge for the ball as soon as the 9 get hands on otherwise everything would become quite messy?

On the subjects of referees, although I did not catch all of the game, the team in charge of the Eng/ NZ game seemed to do a far better job than some of the others we have seen this November. Easy to criticize but I think some credit is due to them (unless those that watched the full game feel otherwise of course 😀 )

I wasnt (as) worried by ling purple, ( thanks for the explanation) it was the ghastly turquoise. But I'm with flashy on the shirts thing. Ditto all the fireworks and other crap that seem to be part and parcel of modern international. It's not the bloody X factor.

But I must be old, it was always away team to bring extra shirt in case of a clash in my day. Note that fAlshy calls them Away strips which is a hint that may be he is as old as me!!!!!

You're only as old as the man you feel, old chap! 🙂

Duckman; if you're caught on the wrong side of a ruck and prone with your arms up (so as to demonstrate that you're not interfering) as you cannot roll away or remove yourself from the ruck; is there any reason you could not communicate to your team mates when the opposing 9 has hands on the ball? Is it bad form?

Dan; in theory you could grab the 9, in practise he is moving as he takes the ball and will be protected by his own forwards. Swinging a boot is usually pinged as dangerous play. Wrecker,yell away; the ball will be in the 10's hands before anybody can react. Ever tried calling the ball into the scrum as a wing forward, "ready,ready...aw crap" 😆

He was about 80 when I passed him the soap in the pool showers this morning Flashy!!!! 😉

Ever tried calling the ball into the scrum as a wing forward, "ready,ready...aw crap"

I glimmer of hope for Scotland this weekend !

6 Oz players serving internal bans for boozing

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24983640

So they may have been hungover for the game? Jeez, how much would they have scored if they'd had clear heads. 🙂

Looks like the Aussie coaches are taking pity on Scotland. Scotland need to hope that another 6 Oz players are out on the lash during the week.

Must be some culture there that Deans allowed to develop. I mean guys in rehab or at London Irish that would suggest to the rest that getting on the lash while on national duty isn't going to be tolerated anymore.

Dean Ryan's analysis of England's performance is spot on here.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/nov/17/england-wide-boys-limitations-new-zealand

PS- I don't monitor club rugby so much, I wonder who is in contention to usurp Tom Youngs as our replacement hooker, unless he improves his accuracy I don't want to see him the 6N..

On another topic... where are all the decent centres in the Northern Hemisphere? Granted most of the Welsh are broken, Manu is fairly reasonable and BOD ages exponentially but there seem as many world class 12's and 13's as there are 10's in the NH. Is it fair to say the best centres in the NH are French at the moment?

Talk also lately that Ian Evans may be off to Toulon joining the Welsh exiles. Good to see Coombes back in the Welsh starting line up as he had a great 6N

I wonder who is in contention to usurp Tom Youngs as our replacement hooker, unless he improves his accuracy I don't want to see him the 6N..

Me neither. The next in line is Rob Webber of B***. He put in some great performances in Argentina over the summer. Good player.
I see Ireland are bidding for to host the RWC. Bloody good luck to them, I really hope they get it (I doubt the aussie management want it to happen though 😀 )

Ok will watch Webber.

DanW indeed, so despite England's positive outlook we actually have problems at:
Wing, Centre, fly half and Hooker.
Hmmm.

Incidentally I saw Ceri Sweeney out in Exeter a few weeks ago. I have no more to say about that..

On another topic... where are all the decent centres in the Northern Hemisphere?

Tuilagi
Davies
Roberts
Williams
Fofana
Memoz
Ficku
Luke Marshall

George North may shift to 13 in the not to distant future too

Also dont forget Gavin he's lush

Incidentally I saw Ceri Sweeney out in Exeter a few weeks ago. I have no more to say about that..

does he wear that forearm protector out on the piss too?

Ha ha AA I can see why you have to watch the french clubs so closely...

George North..centre

I won't say I told you so..

Cant say I noticed the arm protector, most of the club were out.

Not many good centres around at all.

Even BOD is getting a hard time in the Irish press.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/george-hook-odriscolls-sad-decline-turning-into-a-tragedy-29762148.html

speak for yourself Wales have quite a few good centres and a number of young prospects, its just that most of them are broken. Ireland would be better off with Marshall at 12 and Bowe at 13 IMO

What is the arm protector for anyway? Didn't another welsh player have a leather arm thingy?

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); George North (Northampton Saints), Owen Williams (Cardiff Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons); James Hook (Perpignan), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues); Paul James (Bath), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys - CAPT).
Replacements: Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Jordan Williams (Scarlets).

Be nice to see J Williams get a cap. Cant see the sense in playing 1/2p in this game. I would have thought a run out for Liam Williams at 15 would be on the cards. Same goes for North, if he is released for the aus game why play him this week. Surprised Lydiate isnt starting, is he released for the Aus game? Centre pairing looks a nice blend but is it too soon for O Williams?

In summary too many Williams and not enough Jones

What is the arm protector for anyway? Didn't another welsh player have a leather arm thingy?

Alfie always had one as did the Quinnel bros IIRC. Seemed the fashion then.

Ah yes Alfie, why tho?

Bowe isn't good enough defensively to play 13 and he's badly off form at the minute. The long term replacement appears to be Payne once he's Irish qualified next summer. Our best prospect for 13 however was young Nevin Spence sadly

despite England's positive outlook we actually have problems at:
Wing, Centre, fly half and Hooker.

There's plenty of talent available in most of those positions (not FH though admittedly). They just aren't being picked for England presently.

So the world class NH centres are Welsh and broken, Manu and broken or French 😀 Sounds about right. Just seems that a lack of flow in the midfield has been a bit of a theme for the home nations in this November series.

Even BOD is getting a hard time in the Irish press

I don't think many players were spared in that piece 😀 Wasn't the Aus game BOD's fourth game of the season or something similar? He seemed somewhat anonymous at the weekend and I guess it's no surprise really.

Cant see the sense in playing 1/2p in this game. I would have thought a run out for Liam Williams at 15 would be on the cards. Same goes for North

Completely agree! When I saw 1/2p starting my first thought was why bother risk such a potential blow against such a physical side with so little reward for a win

wrecker, see that's the kind of positive outlook I like. Lets hope Lancaster solves them by feb 1st.

Lets hope Lancaster solves them by feb 1st.

I hope he has the balls to make the changes which are so obviously required. Game time for the incomers should be given during the 6N so that they're tested and ready for the RWC.

 

It is actually getting pretty close to the world cup. You would want the likes of Wade to play at least five proper internationals to see if he's up to it before then.

Yep. And a few more than Wade too. Yardie needs game time and players like Burns, Watson and Burrell too.
This is why (regardless of the scores) I think that Wales overall will benefit from the next two AIs; the larger squad getting a good run out. A successful RWC needs more than a good match day 23.

Indeed, there isn't much game time between now and then.
We have 2 x 6n, 1 x summer internationals/tours, 1 x autumn internationals and I assume in 2015 instead of summer ints we will have world cup warm up games?

edit to add to my fixture list for 2015:

August 15 – England v France QBE International
August 22 – France v England
September 5 – England v Ireland QBE International

PS it has been a good discussion lads. Sorry for pissing you off AA.

Sorry for pissing you off AA.

Group hug?

Group hug?

Not if you're Tongan. I heard a rumour coming out of the Welsh training camp saying that Tonga is the team Wales most like to beat.

Professor Lorne Crerar, the International Rugby Board-appointed judicial officer, ruled that Kuridrani's offence warranted an eight-week ban.

He added a ninth week as a deterrent for this type of tackle - but then took four weeks off to reflect Kuridrani's previously good disciplinary record and other mitigating factors.

The resulting suspension of five weeks can only be served during Kuridrani's playing schedule, meaning it will not expire until mid-February.

We added a week to annoy him and then took a few off because he had shined his shoes properly and said sorry FFS

Do Scotland have a chance as:

Adam Ashley-Cooper, Nick Cummins, Liam Gill, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson and Paddy Ryan will not face Scotland.

Anyay earlier in the thread I was bemoaning the English butchering chances by not drawing defenders have a look at this... even captain Sam can see where Hook should have gone

[img] [/img]