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I just hope welsh and scottish rugby can hold on long enough for the french league to rip the heart out of the aviva and then we can have a british league with promotion and relegation. It'll likely never happen though and the game in wales will wither and die.
TJ, I have run touch/ done bin/benches at both pro teams perhaps a dozen times now. Firhill is ok, but even with the fans at touch Murrayfield is a shocking place to play. They need to take it on the road. Play at Livvy, Kirkaldy, hell even Perth.I did touch at Melrose/Dundee last week,2000+ borderers screaming for central belt blood. Yet the Borders team played in front of 500 people.To build a fan base they need to break the partisan nature of fans.To put it in context, I get freebies for all the pro team games; will I travel 80/100 miles to go and see them? No chance. Would I travel the 50 to Perth? absolutely. I suspect the Welsh have the same problem building fan loyalty.
Oh no. Banahan in for injury cover. After a wooden performance for the Saxon's how did that happen? There's so much better surely...
Makes sense, experienced and can cover wing or centre. As a Scotsman, I hope he gets on next week. 😀
I was at Kingsholm on Saturday to see Glaws destroy a bunch of imposters posing as Cardiff Blues, the place was jumping, every time I have seen the Ospreys at the Liberty this year it has been like watching in a morgue.
Cover yes, do anything exciting and move english rugby on to 2015 success? No.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/16789481.stm
Idiot. Never been a fan of his by any stretch, even less so if this turns out to be true.
Armitage is a moron not even that good a player seen him twice live and he is always giving cheap shots. More suited to wendyball.
Who is this new england captain? big ask to captain your first 6 nations game.
Armitage has lost the plot and I really dislike the way he nowadays jumps for a high ball with his studs up. I hope he will be back 'cos at his best he can be very good indeed but he seems to be missing a bit between the ears. Made a lot of ground against Edinburgh last week.
The hootsmon seems to be sure Parks is going to play for scotland - *sobs*
I suspect Robshaw is just cover for Tom Wood who will be back for game 3. The question is where he will play Robshaw because I'm not sure he is a 7 or an 8 which means he plays at 6 in place of Tom Croft. Interesting.
PSA - There's a Scrum V special on (I think) Thursday night, showing a classic Wales/Ireland game. I'll be tuning in for that (Channel 945 on freeview)
If robshaw has only been picked as a stop gap till wood is fit then the coach needs to be taken outside a slapped around with a wet fish.
Shame about Armitage as i really rate him as a player but he seems to be a trouble magnet. The odd spat in a night club is fine but his on field antics are poor.
Armitage has lost the plot and I really dislike the way he nowadays jumps for a high ball with his studs up
Interesting. Lee Byrne was (I think) the first to do that, and it was a very effective defensive method of taking a high ball. At least before tackles in the air were properly reffed, which I think they are now.
I have noticed Armitage doing it - interesting you think Byrne did so first. I think its a very nasty tactic and should be banned. One scots player got a very hasty injury from Armitage ( and a penalty against him)
Nothing wrong with keeping your feet up when jumping for the ball,especially if some daft sweaty is trying to assault your feet with his face. I think it was jonathan davis who said one of the things he learnt quickly when going to league was to kick his kicking foot up after punting, anyone intent on hitting you late had to get past the boot first.
I would also ad that if you are trying to jump your feet will come up, i'm not sure its intentional. TJ are you sure your not thinking of bryne who has been hit in the air seaveral times against scotland recently once the scot got knocked (Cross?) the more recent one it might have been southwell who got his face rearranged.
Hmmmm - I think jumping into a crowd of players with your studs showing is not a decent way to play. Armitge almost does it like a kung fu kick. I shall look out for others doing it.
Certainly in the incident I mention none of the scots players complained particularly
Edit - crossed posts - maybe thats the incident but I have certainly noticed Armitage doing it I am sure its intentional as he leads with a raised foot studs showing
Double edit - yes it was Byrne / southwell on more googling
http://www.rugbydump.com/2011/02/1829/hugo-southwell-gets-introduced-to-lee-byrnes-boot
Nothing wrong from byrne, eyes on the ball, jumps and stupid scot runs face first into his boot, southwell should have got a yellow like Cross got the year before.
.
TJ if you think Byrne did anything wrong there then you know nothing about rugby. The jock was lucky not to sit out 10 mins.
Pigfce - no not according to the rules - it was rightly given a penalty against southwell as I said above. However I don't like the tactic of jumping studs up into groups of players when catching a ball which is something I have seen more and more and Armitage seems to do a lot. Someone will get seriously injured from it at some point and its verging on dangerous play.
Would need a rule change / guidance to change things tho
Person in the air is far more at risk than the dumb ****s running into boots.
TJ not getting into a long winded thing with you over this, you have form but IMO you are very wrong on this.
Pigface - I don't think Byrne did anything wrong by the rules. Penalty right given against Southwell.
Merely debating / asking if others think this is a dangerous way to play? Listening to the opinions given in return.
Merely debating / asking if others think this is a dangerous way to play?
Not at all, in my opinion.
The opposing player has to decide between competing legally for the ball in the air, or making a lawful tackle once the fielding player is on the ground. If the opposing player decides to run headfirst into someone's studs, that's unfortunate, but the danger is of their own making.
Boxfish - thinking more of when there is a crowd of players and guys jump for the ball studs first into the crowd.
Garryowens tend to produce a one-on-one between two opposing players, both of whom are entitled to compete by jumping studs up/down/sideways. Fortunately, injuries such as sustained by Southwell are rare and I believe they are an acceptable risk in the game.
Fairy snuff
Watch Kearney. That's how it should be done.
So - back to the 6 nations.
Scotland seem to be being a little careless. to lose one player is unfortunate but more than one - distinctly careless
Ansbro and Dickenson now both confirmed out.
We are running out of props and outside backs. However the good news is "Dozer" Denton is back in full training
Not that you will listen TJ 😀 ....
Emphasis is on protecting the player(s) in the air.If two players are competing together in the air for a high ball legally, neither can get a boot in the air. If you are hitting a raised boot,you are running into a player still in the air and you are a silly boy. Who will get at least 10 mins to get stitches put in/nose wrenched into shape/teeth put into milk for the dentist to repair after the game.
TJ there should never be a crowd of players, the kicker is alowed to chase if anyone is infront of him from his own side then touches the ball they will be offside. Dont think I have explained it very well there but hope you get the gist.
Mistake or psychological warfare?
The cynic in me says it wasn't an accident.
The press are suggesting that Armitage could now become an England pariah.
Why are England being labelled arrogant? After a horrendous WC (and that is if you ignore the off the field antics) I don't think that they could ever be labelled arrogant. Lancaster may be untried at this level (in fact untried at most levels) but he seems to have his feet firmly on the ground and sorting out the biggest idiots.
Armitage is a fool. Lifting you foot while jumping is common throughout the game, the SH countries do it as well. However his behaviour on and off the pitch is getting to the stage where his proposed move to France will be welcomed by both England and the London Irish fans (which foolishly includes me!)
In terms of who will do well this year, I am expecting a mixed bag of results for all teams. France should win, but will lose at least once. England will win a couple (probably Scotland, Italy) and blow the rest. Wales will be the best of the home nations - but a couple of defeats (one being very close and caused by the ref!) will spoil their season. Scotland will win at least one, but their inability to score tries is going to hurt them. Italy will be taking home the wooden spoon. Ireland will need to start moving on and dropping the old warhorses and trust the new guard
My 'prediction'
France
Wales
Ireland
England
Scotland
Wales
In terms on management, Robinson will stay regardless of how Scotland do, the SRU cannot afford to fire him. Lancaster will be replaced as England Coach and go back to do Saxons. The rest should be static
My 'prediction'France
Wales
Ireland
England
Scotland
Wales
Awesome! 2nd, and yet we still get the wooden spoon as well! 🙂
Can everyone please think positive thoughts for the announcement of the Scotland team. No matter your allegiance no one can want to see anything but he most exciting and attacking Scotland team out there
So please everyone - think "no to Parks"
Ah, just read that Joe Ansbro is out. Thats a shame, he's always impressed me when he's played.
Aye - Hopefully that means one or both of Lee and Hogg get a game - two exciting runners
Havn't seen a lot of Lee, guess we'll probably find out soon.
John Beattie seems to think Cusiter and Parks will get the nod. I'd much rather see Blair and Laidlaw personally.
If Parks plays there will be a massive backlash - I would expect him to be booed onto the pitch and Robinson to be booed as well.
The fans will turn on Robinson and he will have to go
Think Chunky
Brrr that was a chilly training session. -1 😡
Coffee at PennyHill is awesome though 😮
Are you Jacobsen in disguise?
Afraid not TJ. I'm Dibbs...