I thought this years 6N was one of the best, its great to see so much competition. When two closely matched teams come together, its either spectacular, or they just dull each others games, in the NH we tend to do the latter. However if you like the nuances of forward play then it's great (I do) but I can see that people get bored when you don't get amazing tries, which is understandable.
Speaking of Lions, the last Lions series was not that really that good, we lost 2-1.
Not tryign to cause any trouble, but note that in previous lions squads where the lions won there have been more leek munchers and no Scottish players at all.
I was just about to post the same vid. A particularly good one I thought. I, still can’t help but be pleased for Italy - despite the ribbing I’ve taken at work! 🙂
I, still can’t help but be pleased for Italy
Me too, I am also giddy with excitement everytime I check the sports pages in the hope that Pivac has been sacked!
Me too, I am also giddy with excitement everytime I check the sports pages in the hope that Pivac has been sacked!
Who would you want instead?
Who would you want instead?
Long list......I'll start with my nan and then move up
Trade you Townsend for your nan?
No thanks, I'll stick with my nan, she's been dead 20 years but I reckon she could at least stop the captain going out on the piss!
I think you are being harsh on Townsend. If we believe the gossip and make a few leaps, then it looks like Finn and Hogg think they are better than him and love to undermine him, which means he is doing an even better job under the circumstances..
He should be the next lions head coach.
Great input on the last tour.
Pivac , Eddie, and aa's nan as his attack, forwards and defense coaches.
Maybe he's been over promoted but his Scarlets side were pretty decent, great to watch and one of the few sides to break the Irish Hegemony in PRO rugby. Looking from the outside at how Welsh regions and WRU are organized, Gatland was a magician to achieve what he did.
With Townsend, it's worth remembering how he came into the Scotland job (if the rumours are to be believed).
The typical trajectory of a Scotland coach is that they take over after after the previous coach has seen the performance of the side drop significantly. There is normally a period of a year or two where the results improve before a dip in form turns into a terminal decline and the coach quits/is sacked before a new coach is brought in heralding an upturn in results for a year or two until a dip in form turns into a terminal decline and...
The exception to this was Vern Cotter (and Matt Williams who managed to turn what we thought was a low point into an even lower point) who was removed while the win percentage was definitely still on the way up. The story was that Townsend said, 'Give us the Scotland job or I'm off to France' to which the SRU said, 'Oh my God, of course, of course. Vern! Come and get your P45.'
Scottish rugby was in a very good state at that point. Townsend was the best Glasgow coach providing a steady stream of exceptional players to Cotter who was shaping up to be the best Scotland coach of all time.
The way Townsend got the Scottish job was not the act of a team player or someone who was prepared to put their own interests on the backburner for the sake of the greater good. Are we really surprised that the players in this squad are exhibiting some of the same behaviour?
I don't know what the solution is. I can't imagine there is a glut of world class coaches standing in the dole queue at the moment.
Maybe we just have to accept we had the chance to have an exceptional team but instead we have to settle for mid-table finishes until the end of time.
RIP Tom Smith, a guy I loved playing beside at Dundee because training with him during the week was horrific. A 60 cap international and a Lion at 5"8" and 16 stone at the most. He as freakishly quick as well; in fact rapid enough to play sevens at Melrose. Despite being the best in the UK at one point he was humble enough to credit a guy called Danny Herrington who "had shoved his head up his backside every Tuesday and Thursday." as a major part of his development( along with a boarding school on Rannoch Moor.) Leaves two young boys and his wife. And memories of watching him tying knots in 20 stone Os Du Randt and feeling so proud of him. 50 years old and by the way; screw cancer.
Well that's shit isn't it. He was a great player
Really sad to read, classy guy all round.
World animal xv
15 Kangaroo
14 Cheetah
13 Racehorse
12 Grizzly Bear
11 Greyhound
10 Lioness
9 Jack Russell
8 Polar Bear
7 Tasmanian Devil
6 Silverback
5 Giraffe
4 Elephant
3 Rhino
2 Warthog
1 Hippo
Great game for the Ospreys, always nice to do the Turks.
What on earth has happened to Bath? Gloucester absolutely humped them.
Watched Cardiff v Munster last night. Hallam Amos is retiring to focus on medicine at the end of the season was completely unplayable for 25 mins then did his hamstrings, looks like that's his career over. Always a player I rated very highly but never quite made it at international level. Shame to see him go so early.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=znkFlliJ_kY
Grand Slam for England ladies, nice!
Fantastic to see the ladies game getting more and more coverage with the possibility of breaking free of the mens’ fixture calendar in the near future. The competition has a way to go to become a more level playing field though. The fully professional England side haven’t lost since, when, 1975 or something?
Feel a bit sorry for england ladies, can’t be that great being fully pro and having to beat amateurs. Not their fault but it is a bit pointless. Wales have some pro players but it will take a while to catch up. But kryton has something to get frothed about.
Finn and Hoggy out of Scotland squad? what is going on here? Are they just injured and this is all gossip?
https://www.ruck.co.uk/mystery-finn-russell-and-stuart-hogg-left-out-of-scotland-squad/
Townsend said they needed a break didn't he? They do have the easiest assignment this summer......Wales are going to be destroyed by SA 🤕🥴😱
Finn himself has said he is burned out not having had an off season for 2 years. Amongst the fans this will be no suprise at all. these guys need time off to recharge. We all expected many of our big names not to tour
Russell has had a huge number of games. Just about all players in the modern era end the season with injury. I'll
interview with Toonie explaining the selections
https://www.theoffsideline.com/10-takeaways-from-scotlands-summer-tour-squad-announcement/
OK, thanks for the sense. Irritating how that website have hyped this as some kind of shock/snub when in fact there are sensible reasons.
South Africa: Damian Willemse; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk; Ox Nché, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Siya Kolisi (capt), Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Salmaan Moerat, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies, Willie le Roux
Looks weak Wales by 250 000 😂😂😂😱😱😱😳😳😳😳
If Wales lose by less than 30 then I’d call it a victory. I’ll be avoiding it thanks to night shift.
Luckily I'm on a bike packing trip so can easily avoid it!!
Damn, bike packing off due to me having COVID, how am I going to avoid the rugby now!!!
In other news Ireland spanked in Hamilton ( always makes me a bit sad seeing a game in Hamilton without looking out for my brother in the crowed any more 😟)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RoVWFppGSUo
Damn, bike packing off due to me having COVID, how am I going to avoid the rugby now!!!
No racing for me for the same reason so it’s a weekend of Rugby and F1 for me.
Jones has put out a strong looking side for England, if they lose which I feel they might it’s going to be all downhill from here. Already the calls for EJ to resign from a bad tour are coming, but I guess it’s too close to the RWC to change things. Oh well.
And, Farrells openly moaning about not being Captain, so perhaps we don’t have a cohesive squad behind the scenes either. Ffs.
From what I saw of the SuperRugby, the Ossies are coming on strong this year. More victories over the NZ teams than previous years... I don't give England much of a chance really. Hope I'm wrong.
Wales team to face South Africa: L Williams; Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Adams; Biggar (capt), Hardy; G Thomas, Elias, D Lewis, Rowlands, Beard, Lydiate, Reffell, Faletau.
Replacements: Lake, Carre, Francis, Alun Wyn Jones, Navidi, T Williams, Anscombe, Watkin
😱😱😱😱😱🤞
England team to face Australia: Steward; Nowell, Marchant, Farrell, Cokanasiga; Smith, Care; Genge, George, Stuart, Itoje, Hill, Lawes (capt), Curry, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Heyes, Chessum, Ludlam, Van Poortlviet, Porter, Arundell.
I thought the Vunipokas were surplus now and who is Vn Poortliviet.
Wales u20 game here, they smashed Scotland last week:
I thought the Vunipokas were surplus now
Desperate times etc…
I don’t give England much of a chance really
I’m with you on that, I think Eddie Jones methods have worn thin, a lot of people don’t believe in the Team playing as they do and it’s rubbing off. Under him they’ve always played like a team with a plan, until that plan goes awry then nothing.
Against Barbarians there was no apparent plan. Of course, it could be that it’s a double bluff and they are hiding the plan from Australia, only to reveal a masterclass in dominant highly skilled rugby*
*Well, we can all dream…
Ugh, getting a bit of a tonking here.
Good game. If Ireland can improve their lineouts they will be in with. chance next time. Not seem their lineout struggle for years
There was a deliberate knock on by barret before the 2nd all blacks try that was ignored. Why was he not carded. Dickson was rubbish.
England looking up for it so far. Getting a fair bit more ball than Wallabies. Curry is really pumped, so hope he can keep it clean!
Ooh, Curry just made a great break!
Dickson was rubbish.
Didn’t see the game, but I’ve thought that for a while. Loves to be seen and heard, but yeah, just not very good!
Eurgh, Tom Banks arm folding the wrong way 🤢
I think the TV were not sure and showed it 7 times. Made me feel sick too, and why wasn't he given morphine pronto.
Quick law question. Cooper was injured in warm up before KO, does that use up a sub or can they add a player?
