Good programme that is DD! I wonder if he'll be draped, starkers across a chaise longue?
Nigel Owens- legend.
Always worth sharing again.
What a match, what drama !
The harsh reality is Ireland didn't do enough in the second half. Sexton's miss was very poor. As for giving the NZers a second bite at the conversion that's just stupid but a draw would have felt like a loss anyway.
Dont have sky 😥
Good programme that is DD!
Not sure if you're taking the mick DezzieBee 🙂 but I've been enjoying it, despite all my preconceptions. It was mrs DD that decided to record it but it's been really interesting. I might start a thread on it.
Anybody able to record next week's and put it on a DVD for a_a?
only caught the last few seconds of that ... gutted, On a local note Yorkshire under 15 girls and under 18 girls both beat Durham and cumbria girls comfortably at darlington. great games, I never expected to be cheering my daughters on playing rugby (union) .some proper crunching tackles going in Go Hannah 😀
Listened to the commentary in the car yesterday, the final 3 minutes the commentaters were getting quieter and quieter like the crowd.
Sexton bottled it, how do you call him world class, pressure kick is Jenkins against england in Wembley after Gibbs try.
All they talked about after was that this defeat could break the minds of the Irish players for a long time, cant see that happening.
Just managed to watch it. Incredible game, Ireland were excellent for 60 minutes. ABs showed their class though. Great spectacle, right up there with that other game against South Africa
I thought it looked like Sexton changed from his normally kicking routine and took longer over the missed penalty perhaps in an attempt to run the clock down a bit.
I don't think the manner of the loss will have much impact on Ireland mentally, perhaps when they next play NZ but not 6N etc.
Thought Scotland did reasonably well, it is irrelevant, but i think a Hogg/Visser combo would have made the corner when Maitland/Lamont came up short.
Looking forward to the 6N now think there could be some cracking matches.
[i]I might start a thread on it.[/i]
Do it. Yes, I serious 😉
[i]Anybody able to record next week's and put it on a DVD for a_a?[/i]
I could.. if he really wants it..?
Well, in the trailer for the next episode at the end of the last one, Gav was definitely taking off his top. 🙂
Was that the one with the nice Irish fella called Derek storming off? 🙂
That was the one. It was the "Oirist Heat". Felt for him to be honest. He did seem a bit, I dunno...clearly he was struggling during the day.
Gav was definitely taking off his top.
To be fair to the man, he has monumental mantits 🙂
a_a will have one. There won't be anything strange about it though. 😀
Cuthbert, Owen Williams and Lydiate all start. Otherwise as expected. North to start currently.
Wales team looks Ok. Front row and centres not the strongest perhaps but otherwise ok.
Tips could become and honorary centre if there is yet another injury there on Saturday! Interesting to see Beck hasn't been included at all and how O Williams will go. Also interesting to see R. Williams on the bench rather than L. Williams at 9 despite something like 20 professional games in total.
Good to see Biggar get the start and the bench adds flair where the starters are perhaps more solid but predictable.
North has been released by his English club Northampton - who are likely to be fined for doing so by Premiership rugby as that breaches the clubs' own code of conduct agreement
I can see why clubs would contract players to play club rugby outside the international windows but I didn't realise the PRL had a say too. Are they the only league to do this and have control over the clubs?
@DanW - it would seem perfectly normal for PRL to have a contract with the clubs which says whether they can release players outside of the agreed window. I would have imagined that the window agreement took quite a bit of negotiation. PRL doesn't want it's product diminished because good players are off playing internationals outside the agreed window. All the other nations seemed to be able to arrange their games inside the window why not Wales ?
WRU is paying of debts so needs to milk its cash cow.
Cheapest ticket for RWC final in 2015 will be £150 😯
That is almost £2 per minute, think of that when watching scrum resets!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25121033
How skint are the Welsh A-A? What sort of a deficit do they run the pro teams at? I remember when they binned the borders they stated that they would not run the SRU at a loss, at the time everybody was fuming;but stadium is paid and owned by SRU and Glasgow are drawing in much bigger crowds than projected...Which must be a worry for Embra.
@jambalaya, I agree that scheduling shouldn't be hard in theory and I can see why the leagues have a interest in keeping international players playing club rugby in their league as much as possible... but I was surprised the PRL actually contract clubs to do this- normally the club's contract with the player either does or doesn't let them play at certain times, not the league organisation that dictates this. Also, the English players are exempt...
England's first Test with NZ falls outside the international window and clashes with the Premiership Final since the international windows were decided many years in advance. It is easily done.
Mallinder seems to have a very sensible view- He argues North coming to Northampton has generated a lot of interest, excitement and revenue and at the times when North is away with Wales it gives the young, local players a chance to play having trained and gained a lot from North's experience. With all that gained who is he to deny a player from representing their country. Seems very pragmatic.
"Sometimes this requires compromise, and while we appreciate that we are outside Premiership Rugby board policy with this particular agreement, we also believe that having George as a Northampton Saints player has benefited both the club and the league as a whole."George is a world-class player who in his short time at Franklin's Gardens has brought a great deal of excitement and quality, not just to the Saints but to the Aviva Premiership as a competition.
"When his signing was announced it was hailed in the media and by the league's hierarchy as a massive statement of intent by the club and a reflection of the competitive nature and high profile offered by the Aviva Premiership.
"Every player asks for specific conditions to be included in their agreements. This is not unusual in professional sport.
"In order to realise this rare opportunity of bringing a player like George to Franklin's Gardens we agreed to allow him to represent Wales if, and when, selected."
No one should be surprised that the English Premier League are trying to restrict countries access to their players. There is a power struggle going on between the Unions and the Clubs at the moment which is at the root of the H Cup issue. Owners like Nigel Wray at Sarries are trying to take control of the game. They see a future more like football where club competitions like Premiership & Champions League take pre eminence and the national game slides into insignificance.
@DanW - thanks interesting. I did see a piece just now saying that the June 7 2014 tour match with NZ would be a problem.
@El Vino - the difference is that in rugby it's the internationals which lead the way, I don't see that changing in the same way as football did with Champions League. In rugby the money is in the TV coverage of internationals.
Blues trio of Leigh Halfpenny, Sam Warburton and Bradley Davies are all out of contract at the end of this season with 2013 Lions man-of-the-series Halfpenny also being linked with Toulon.
Well I guess if the first team for Wales all play in the Top 14 then Mr Gatland had better set up a national team base in France and start watching all the Top 14 games as he normally would the Rabo 😕 I wonder if his wife like the South France climate too 😀
I really dont mind the big players going overseas, just means more young Welsh players get to play in the RABO. As long as the ones that go play regularly and are available for the national squad then all well and good. If Wales do well more kids start to play at school and local clubs. Dont agree with AA that the game is going to die, change (which it already has) but not die. What will kill the game in england is owners wanting to make money, buy in top players from around the world and not give english young talent a chance.
RWC prices are a bit steep.
What will kill the game in england is owners wanting to make money, buy in top players from around the world and not give english young talent a chance
Don't you mean France?
England has the EPQ bounty, so they are ahead in that respect.
Wrecker I see the clubs in england wanting to take controll of the domestic game, much like in football. The H-C is just the start and as in football they dont give a monkeys about the national side. I really think they see the football premiership as a template to what they want to achieve.
Sorry you have lost me on the EPQ thing, it has been a tough couple of days 😆
I don't wholly disagree piggers, but the game going pro was always going to result in people trying to make money. It'll happen to all of the clubs in all of the leagues eventually (and sadly).
EQP (England Qualified Players scheme) bonus' are awarded to teams fielding english qualified players.
Remember when that bloke from London Welsh got into all the shit with over the Kiwi? Said he was from Christchurch but failed to mention that he meant the one in NZ, then falsified his birth cert!
The French have committed to the ERC and the Heineken Cup for next year. Just then English to go in making a decision I think
Quote of the decade from the president of the ligue nationale de rugby
Non, nous ne revenons pas en arrière. On recule parce qu'on est intelligent.
[i]No, we are not turning back. We are reversing because we are intelligent[/i]
Cheese eating surrender monkeys, non? 🙂
Apparently Castre have signed Sivivatu on a 3 year deal from Clermont, wonder if Clermont are freeing up some budget for someone...say a Mr Warburton or 1/2p
Just then English to go in making a decision I think
Don't underestimate the pig headedness of the wealthy. There will be some bruised egos today.
Of course, this could all have been avoided with some negotiation over a year ago!
French are conditional of the English clubs being in the HC and the Welsh Regions are still to commit to the HC, the WRU has backed the HC though.
1/2p is going to Toulon so rumors say.
Thought that hateful twonk D Armitage had signed for a further 3yrs at Toulon. Would hate to see 1/2p go there and suffer the same fate as Gethin.
1/2p is going to Toulon so rumors say.
Interesting. Will Armitage play on the wing then, he's been playing well ?
I cannot see the English Clubs holding out on their own or playing some other tournament with South African sides. I do think the H Cup needs less meaningless group games.
Anyone got any predictions for tomorrow?
Australia by ten, I think.
Nevermind that, back to Premiership rugby tonight 8)
Wales to be winning at 78mins, OZ to be winning at FT
Nevermind that, back to Premiership rugby tonight
Leicester for you isn't it?
