No arms pen bla k
First NZ test at Twickenham post that Lions tour the Haka was booed from start to finish as was Umaga every time he touched the ball. In my view NZ have always got off lightly with foul play, one my earliest rugby memories was the state of JPR's face after being deliberately shoed.
Europe: read today that Toulon owner is not supporting the new European Rugby cup as he's miffed at the French authorities insisting 50% of top 14 sides should be French (product of French youth system)
Europe: read today that Toulon owner is not supporting the new European Rugby cup as he's miffed at the French authorities insisting 50% of top 14 sides should be French (product of French youth system)
He's huffing and puffing (and has form for this. Oddly, he has been one of ERCs biggest critics and a ringleader with regards to the RCC. The main point which he has not referred to is that the player quotas apply to the top14. Is he going to quit that?
Bit better from the Blues today!!!!
Hard to imagine them getting worse but that's a big win. Just watching Ulster doing a job on Montpellier
Nice win for Munster over Gloucester in Limerick. Tight first half, but Munster stretched away from them to leave Gloucester going home after yet another Thomond Park loss.
O'Mahoney was immense for Munster tonight.
Bristol were away at aberavon. Bizarrely, a 5ft deep hole appeared in the pitch causing the game to be abandoned.
I wondered why my neighbours were back early. 😆
A certain Quade Cooper played for Wallabies, supposedly did quite well. Looks like well see in here in the Autumn. Perhaps I'm tempting fate but he's the sort of player I like to see on the other side, more errors than "flashy moments of brilliance
Ok lets hope this stuffing isn't to embarrassing 😕
I knew that was going to happen but listening on the radio how cock eyed is that useless twunt Robertson, if he isn't bellowing rubbish he is talking utter bobbins, flat out loathe the cock.
Robertson is a complete arse...best ignored.
Apparently this is legal
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for comparison the irb's own video of dangerous ruck entry
Not forward!
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unsure how this can be considered legal either
And then, a moment to shame a nation. A moment to shame a sport. Disgusting.
There have been considerably more vile acts in professional rugby than that tackle, from biting and eye gouging to pulling gentlemans bits. It a rough sport. Naughty players do naughty do naughty things (repeat offenders), and players with otherwise clean records sometimes have brain farts.
Time to get over it.
a_a, I can't see what's specifically not legal in that clip?
I originally thought you were linking to the penalty awarded to N'hampton because an Osprey cleared Hartley out of a ruck from the side. The problem was that Hartley was the first player there after the tackle and flopped over onto his elbows, ie not supporting his weight. As the ref trotted up to the penalty lineout he caught up with Hartley and told him that if he killed the ball that way again he'd penalise him. Wtf? Why not penalise him the first time he did it and NOT penalise the player who tries to sort his poor reffing?
I say it year after year but the reffing standards are getting so poor that I'm finding the game difficult to watch.
Bloody good luck Matthew Rees.
Good call Wrecker, all the best to Reesey.
Oh my. I likes this.
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-24622317 ]Sad news from Pontypridd. Too young. 🙁 [/url]
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/24632135
Heineken Cup is dead, long live the Champions Cup.. (or so it seems)
Hmmm, I think the advantages comes down to 'better than going bankrupt within 6 months'.....
Glad they're in though, Irish teams to follow within 48hrs i bet
[url= http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/oct/23/james-o-connor-quits-australian-rugby ]Move over Gav, there's a new bad boy in town. [/url] 😀
M-D; that was always coming; it will also allow the Welsh to reduce their funding to two regions with money based on who qualifies. Other than the issue of letting the English clubs dictate to the rest of Britain(including the RFU) to ensure they get exactly what they want. I am not too fussed as we will be in and the SRU is wealthy enough to throw enough money at embra to ensure they improve.The italian clubs will be stuffed as will Connacht. 😥 Not really growing the game,is it?
One question,as it is qualification based,does that mean that Sale and Newcastle will no longer get into the Amlin? Second bottom and winning the second division kind of show the whole qualification argument of EPL into focus.
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
You really are a poor excuse for a Celtic nation.
Glad they're in though, Irish teams to follow within 48hrs i bet
You do realise that the Irish teams don't have anything to do with it?
I think the shafting of the Heineken buy the english and French teams is a real backward step. It seems to me it isn't about the game anymore it is just about money. How ever they paint it the bottom line is more money for them.
Does depend on where Sale and Falcons finish up - right at this moment it could be Glos who miss out for example.
Pigface - MemberI think the shafting of the Heineken buy the english and French teams is a real backward step. It seems to me it isn't about the game anymore it is just about money. How ever they paint it the bottom line is more money for them.
Last season was the first where I've noticed such a massive disparity in finances. The fact that the final was between two clubs who could just buy their way into the tournament by picking up the best players in the world as and when necessary felt depressing to me.
Funnily enough we've hit exactly the problem that killing off the traditional Welsh clubs 10 years ago was meant to stop. So not only did the WRU disenfranchise huge numbers of actual rugby spectators, they now seem intent on killing everything below the national side.
DD... I thought that link was going to be about Spikey Mikey... He's been a silly boy recently.
He's [s]been [/s]a silly boy[s] recently[/s] rather too often.
FTFY
@pigface, it's ridiculous that clubs who are just cannon fodder in the group games get same amount of money to those ultimately challenging for the championship.
Why? So the money bags get more and the smaller clubs get less and all you will get is the same 4 or 5 teams winning year after year. Aren't you bored with that?
Whats Spikey Mikey done now?
Why? So the money bags get more and the smaller clubs get less and all you will get is the same 4 or 5 teams winning year after year. Aren't you bored with that?
Bit like the English and French championships then.
I am watching the EPL powerplay over Europe with interest, there are what; 4 clubs driving it? Watch the hangers on,ie anybody who can't break the salary cap, get dropped in another 5 years. And you will be left with
Midlands divine Tigers
Southern cherry coloured Native American Warrior Chiefs
London multicoloured Middle Eastern Warriors
Northern Flying Sharks*
*These names could change but are not any dafter than Edinburgh Gunners or Neath Swansea Ospreys.
Do the EPL not realise that the guys owning the French clubs are far wealthier than their owners and spend it as well.
What's Spikey Mikey done now?
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24613964 ]Turned up to a video analysis session still pissed from the night before. Not him alone, though. [/url]
Kick and Wriggle World Cup starts soon.
Can't you just feel the excitement?
England v that well known RL Stronghold, Ireland to kick off proceedings. Can't wait I tell ya. 🙂
DD, I assume you have the 30th of October marked in your diary with a big red crayon scrawl?
USA v Cook Islands at Memorial Park. 2000hrs.
A real clash of run and wriggle titans there! Good to see them playing the game in a place where there are bound to be masses of RL fans, Merkins and Cook Islanders to really fill the ground!
Erm. Akshewally.
I am watching the EPL powerplay over Europe
The French are at least as culpable as the EPL.
The game going professional was always going to bring things like this. Like it or not, rugby is now a business. I can see the argument that if you contribute more, you get more. However, I am wholly uncomfortable that any league operates to the detriment of others.
Spreys v Dregs on BBC2 red button now.
Biggar starting at 15. Interesting....
Tonight is one of the rare occasions I support glaws (joking scamper)
Ford is having a shocker. Come on gold, let's see what Henson can do at 10!!!
Tidy win for the Ospreys. Tipuric is in simply sublime form.
Fingers crossed for Toby Faletau, though. Didn't look at all good.
Big home win for Ulster against the Blues. Starting to hit form now at long last.
SUFTUM
Glasgow ran out of steam against Munster .A bit too predictable.
just a quick heads up for all you rah rah's............Proper rugby world cup starts tomorrow.
8)
