[Closed] Rugby Thread 2017/18.

Wrecker - sounds like you need a new patio rather than decorating

France 22 Japan 22 ! French are getting better. 😀

Not that I didn't see the match but what the **** is up with BBC news? Reported on every game including the women's result but no mention for England?

Wrecker you got mugged off there! I'd have said the decorating can wait and orried about the fall out afterwards.

It is easier to ask forgiveness than it is permission after all.

Wrecker you got mugged off there! I'd have said the decorating can wait and orried about the fall out afterwards.

anagallis_arvensis - Member 

Pleased for you but doubt I'll ever see Wales beat them

Can still just about remember the celebrations after Llanelli beat them. Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-lee, Llanelli 9 New Zealand 3. Max Boyce was there apparently... 😆

Anything is possible.

Can still just about remember the celebrations after Llanelli beat them. Tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-lee, Llanelli 9 New Zealand 3. Max Boyce was there apparently...

It's mentioned at length every single time NZ play in Wales, and far too regularly at other times. Other teams have beaten them - Swansea were the first club team to beat the ABs. (Although it was 1935!)

I'm still in shock. Was it all a dream? roll on the 6N

I still think Scotland will be vulnerable to England and Ireland. Look much better than Wales though.

If I was hogg I don't know what would be more frustrating.
The injury or having maitland on the pitch.

6 N's should be interesting. Great win for Scotland, great to see Sale Sharks winger Byron Mcguigan getting two tries and MoM....he's having a top season.

That Byron mcguigan isn't Scottish though is he? can anyone just play for any country these days,like a united nations international teams these days,maybe Wales can grab some all black cast offs:)

Born in Namibia, raised in SA I believe.....it's a daft situation isn't it!

Born in Namibia, raised in SA I believe.....it's a daft situation isn't it!

His mother's from Glasgow. There have been dafter situations.

mickey3 really? Have you just noticed? There are a few "nationals" in each team but a lot of imports.

There have been dafter situations.

Indeed. At least he hasn't played rugby* for another country, or posed in the shirt of the country he was hoping to play for before deciding where his [s]wallet[/s] lay.

In other news, I'm really glad the Ospreys game wasn't on the tellybox. 🙁

*OK, it was only run and wriggle, but...

Go Chiefs!

I was at Murrayfield yesterday, didn't sober up till around lunchtime today and am now drinking again.

The thing I'm loving most about Scotland these days is that when they're good they're really good, and when they're bad they're still bloody entertaining.

I knew Ospreys were struggling but ...Ospreys 6 Glasgow 47.

maybe Wales can grab some all black cast offs

We get Hadleigh Parkes!!! 🙁

Somebody take Tandy a long way from the Liberty 😥

Guessing that was the Glasgow second XV too given most of them play for Scotland!

Just seen the clip of Steenson having to feed a scrum as the Exeter 9 was in the bin.....fed it straight, ball went straight through the scrum and out the other side 😆

Moriarty to the Dregs.

Not NDC, apparently.

I wonder if Wales can find 15 blokes not injured or back playing in England for the weekend let alone a starting team plus bench?

They're really struggling at 3 aren't they!

Sad to see.....I guess it's a money thing, but why are Wales playing 4 tests this Autumn? I thought that it'd been agreed that Lions year meant a reduced aumtumn international schedule?

Tom B - Member

Guessing that was the Glasgow second XV too given most of them play for Scotland!

14 players on international duty. Calumn Gibbins ( half man half mullet) Perhaps the only regular first team player. Ospreys lose ten tho and probably have worse strength in depth

Ah right, hadn't considered that Spreys would lose that many!

.I guess it's a money thing, but why are Wales playing 4 tests this Autumn

Same every year..bloody stupid.

I have been hoping Lee would be fit, fingers crossed.

No Liam, No Owen Williams, no Faletau, No Francis, no Priestland

1/2p
Amos
S Williams
Heddy Lamar
Evans
Biggar
? presume G Davies is out with HIA
No idea at 8
shingler/Navidi
Tips/Navidi
Cory BIL Hill
AWJ
Lee/Brown with my nan as bench cover
Owens
Evans

Bench

Best
Not
Worry
About
Such
Things
My Nan

Ospreys lose ten tho and probably have worse strength in depth

Probably???
Lost by 50pts at home!!!

I thought NotToby was available? Phillips might have to step up from puffing through a half with the Scarlets at the rate we are losing 9's as well!

I thought NotToby was available? Phillips might have to step up from puffing through a half with the Scarlets at the rate we are losing 9's as well!

The Guardian are reporting that Bath may be fined if they release him for a game outside of the international window like Saints did a few seasons ago.

I'm amazed that Wales have gone with the fourth test in a Lions year. Big workload for their Lions players.

Either way, he's going to wish he was still at the Dragons playing one and half club games a season after the rugby he's got through

I'm amazed that Wales have gone with the fourth test in a Lions year.

You obviously havent been following welsh rugby closely for the last 10 years. The WRU dont give a shit about the players.
Part of the reason Wales are so low down the world rankings is playing the top 3 every year and losing and this then means Gatland cant experiment with new players until the world cup seedings are done.

Talupe can play apparent as can Andrews (well he's free to play anyway). Tips injured again, Ball having surgery. No word on Samson Lee.

It does seem England are the only home nation who have managed to stem the talent drain & maintain player control. Are the AP/England salaries that much higher than the Pro12/Wal/Sco/Ire internationals?

In other news, residents ballot tickets for Twickenham are getting silly money now - £97 + £3 "service fee" for Cat4 (I assume in the gods).

AA that must be immensely frustrating knowing your top team can challenge with the best, but piss poor WRU organisation & ineligible players ties a hand behind your back. I guess SA is in a very similar position.

Jim - my FiL used to be a debenture holder, but the prices were getting outrageous. 10k each, plus you have to pay full price for tickets! Nothing extra at all apart from the ability to buy a ticket. Sadly hd gave them up.

Interestingly he is also an associate member at Lords - membership fee very low, but a 20 year waiting list, and a tough application process.

Scott Williams confirmed as off to the Ospreys. Any other time that would be a good signing but the guy has been struggling immensely since his injuries.

In other news, Mike Phillips looks set to get a start for the Scarlets which should be interesting to see how he lasts!

Mike Phillips looks set to get a start for the Scarlets which should be interesting to see how he lasts!

At altitude too....get the oxygen for half time!!!

Williams for Fontia is a good deal but why would he do it? I'm hoping it means they are clearing wage space for North.
Still not as odd as Moriarity to the dregs though.

Blimey, aren't Scarlet's playing the good saffa team this weekend too?!

On a totally different subject....does winning the 'A league' have any huge benefit?

Saints v Sale the other night....and it's was a cricket score. Sale team had a few lads from MMU playing etching Saints had Steohen Myler and Ken Pisi playing!

Hardie gets a three month ban for Cocaine use. Out of contract at the end of the season as well, bye and thanks for coming!

Wales team named today, the excitment is building in the arvensis family as we wait to see if my nan, Scott Andrews or Rhodri Jones is tight head. Thats right a bloke so shit that he cant get a game at the Blues is in line to start v SA and a bloke who occasionally makes the bench for the team that lost at home by 50 to Glasgow are Wales best hopes v SA.

Scarlets did indeed get a good deal. I can only think S. Williams was lured by the promise of a greater role at the Mighty O's on a personal level whereas at the Scarlets he has slipped way down the pecking order

We'll be properly surprised when North's return to Wales sees him join the men of Gwent though... or worse still the Ospreys. I can't see him back at the Scarlets as it would be a huge cost for very little return. The other two need the headline grabbing signing more than the Scarlets need an out of form international to leave them every other week for international duty IMO

North has apparently been pretty good for the sinners this season, just got injured at the wrong time.

So seem Andrews and Jones are the tightheads for SA game. Can we get a "stray boot" to concuss both in first 10 mins and go uncontested scrums? Or maybe play league instead?
Lets be clear prior to a load of England fans getting shocked at how badly our scrum gets destroyed now. Andrews is so shit he cant get in the Blues match day 23 so has been shipped off on loan to Bath to bench during an injury crisis and Jones has started 2 games for the Ospreys this season.

I'm still going to say I'm shocked and dismayed 😆

It's a pretty crap state of affairs, 4 internationals is simply too much, even England (and I say that from a player pool wise, not ideas of greatness!) would be down to bare bones. Money grabbing halfwits with no care about player safety / wellbeing or even wanting to be competitive in the matches!

Oh, and as for having to pick Hadleigh Parkes, really? A 30 year old Kiwi on the day he qualifies through residency. That's piss poor when that's the best option!

A 30 year old Kiwi on the day he qualifies through residency. That's piss poor when that's the best option!

Sad thing is, given injuries it was either him or Hook.

I quite like Hook - at least he's played before!

Edinburgh have their internationals back and are now to play the crappest of the two SA teams but it will still be a tough game. Glasgow missing / resting a few players but should still have too much for the Blues.

Still can't believe the result against Aus 🙂 is there anything finer in world sport than beating aus?

I quite like Hook -

He is a mere shadow of his former self

anagallis_arvensis - Member

I quite like Hook -

He is a mere shadow of his former self

He was always shite
*ducks and covers*

He was always shite
*ducks and covers*

You just watch it son. It wasnt long ago Scotland tried to poach Shingler there stocks at 10 were so shit. Hook would have been a 150 cap legend had he been unlucky enough to be born Scots

The Welsh have to get money from somewhere which is the dilemma...

[b]Wales:[/b] L Halfpenny (Scarlets); H Amos (Dragons), S Williams (Scarlets), H Parkes (Scarlets), S Evans (Scarlets); D Biggar (Ospreys), A Davies (Scarlets); R Evans (Scarlets), K Dacey (Cardiff Blues), S Andrews (Cardiff Blues), C Hill (Dragons), A W Jones (Ospreys, capt), A Shingler (Scarlets), J Navidi (Cardiff Blues), T Faletau (Bath).

[b]Replacements:[/b] E Dee (Dragons), W Jones (Scarlets), R Jones (Ospreys), S Davies (Cardiff Blues), D Lydiate (Ospreys), R Webb (Ospreys), R Patchell (Scarlets), O Watkin (Ospreys).

Poor AWJ and Faletau are going to get through a hell of a lot of work for nothing in that pack. Parkes was very important to Scarlets success last season but his cap is as daft as the fixture. I like the way Aled Davies controls from 9 so If'd love to see him do well but realistically he's unlikely to shine and if he gets crocked then a dizzy Webb doesn't seem like great cover. Lets forget about the front row entirely

Lets forget about the front row entirely

Rob Evans is a quality loosehead, others are shit.

4 British and Irish Lions in that pack, I don't know what you're moaning at 😆

So how many do we predict Wales to win by then? 😮

4 British and Irish Lions in that pack, I don't know what you're moaning at

And a spare Lions forward on the bench too!

So how many do we predict Wales to win by then?

-15

Hmm higher or lower than -15... I'm going to go for -10 out of pure optimism

North has apparently been pretty good for the sinners this season, just got injured at the wrong time.

He has, certainly looked to be getting back to the form that got him noticed in the first place.

is there anything finer in world sport than beating aus?

Yes, HUMPING Aus. 😆

And beating England... 😉

Red for Felise looked very harsh on first view.

Dregs doing well v Ulster. Scrum half is only 17!!

Spoke too soon on the Dragons by the looks of it. Their 9 has definitely been going well

The Orange King of Gwent has teh skillz still!

What a great second half.

Gavin inspires the dregs to win but the Dregs gonna Dregs and then Ulster miss the conversion to win it!!

Well I take it all back re the Dragons!

The Cardiff red looked very odd. Owens seemed to indicate no wrap and shoulder to the head whereas it looked like a head clash after the attacking player was tackled in to him. A weird one

Watching the RL WC final. It’s really bringing it home how much Union has changed. High tackles, gouging, tackles in air, elbows in face.......... I do wonder if union gone too far.

I'm not sure I agree with some things that go on in league (TMO for every try for one!) but I agree with you, and have said it before that when you look at other sports things like catching in the air are self managing with more sensible laws whereas a catcher going in recklessly under the guise of being protected in Union inevitably ends up hurt unless there is no contest.

I pity anyone sharing the hell that is heading west (or trying to)via train for the game.
It's a complete cluster **** and ample demonstration as to why I dislike public transport.

The Orange King of Gwent has teh skillz still!

It's not much of a contest but I reckon he'll be the best performing Welsh no10 this weekend. He was outstanding last night.

The red in the Cardiff game - yet another outstandingly correct reffing decision. 🙄 It was barely a penalty but the laws is the laws so somebody has to answer....

If you watch Henson he seems to move about as fast as a slug these days but his first step is always back towards traffic and that just holds defences and frees up space for others. Last night he was getting a very quick and accurate service from the 9 which he doesnt normally get.

Dai Parkes scores!!!

SA 15 is having a great game so far 😯

Oh, didn’t expect this start

Scrum and maul defence looking ropey!!

Dai Parkes to be the first Kiwi to score a hatrick for Wales?

Probably a fair score so far though who would have thought there would be strange refereeing decisions? Wales have been lucky in that regard with their charge down try and the wording on the TMO referral for SA's. Not all one sided but despite Wales's apparent dominance I feel they are still somewhat lucky.

Fair play to Scott Andrews he was having his head shoved up his arse all game but he was great in the loose and kept going for 80.