Gnashton is NOT a full back.
Misery approaches fast, however. Ospreys kick off soon. 🙁
have you seen the score CFH?
Bloody hell the sinners must be shit!!
They must be playing their Under 11’s
Posted before I started watching, TJ!
Am in a state of mild shock.
I'd heard that Saints were poor this season but didn't realise just how dire they are. Even AWJ managed a 40m run in for a (disallowed) try. 😆
Why can't the scots teams ever get a decent draw against this rubbish teams? 😉
and saints start playing once 30 pts down
Any fingernails left now CFH?
Losing 3 no 10s in a game is careless! 🙂
Good tackle from Dirkson
Ospreys did their best to blow it!
And irony that the Saints player who grabbed Dirksen by the neck in retaliation stayed on the pitch.
And irony that the Saints player who grabbed Dirksen by the neck in retaliation stayed on the pitch.
See also eye contact earlier in the game.
In a game with so much TMO, odd to see what the ref didn't want to look at.
That aside..
Wibble.
And irony that the Saints player who grabbed Dirksen by the neck in retaliation stayed on the pitch.
Yeah that certainly looked worth a second look. No idea why Malinder and McCusker got binned ref looked like he had lost control.
Dirkson was a stone cold red though, kind of unlucky as he started lower and slipped up but a red nonetheless
No idea why Malinder and McCusker got binned ref looked like he had lost control.
Being one-eyed, I could suggest that McCusker's challenge was absolutely fair, to be expected, and happens often when a try is scored. Malnder then grabbed him and tried driving his fist into his jaw. Yellow to Harry and a warning for the Saints players who came charging in. /one-eyed
Mali set. Mallon see. Mall under. It's Mallinder you stupid auto-correct. Maybe with one less L.
Crazy
Crazier
Better ospreys highlights
I didn't catch the Scarlets game live but it looks like Steff Evans was more at home here, having a big hand in saving their blushes. Must have been nice after a rough few internationals taking the cop for Scott Williams's defensive errors
Lots of tires scored, some cracking games and some very surprising results in the Euro cup
I didn't catch the Scarlets game live but it looks like Steff Evans was more at home here, having a big hand in saving their blushes. Must have been nice after a rough few internationals taking the cop for Scott Williams's defensive errors
Did Scott Williams make Evans miss all those one on one tackles? Fact is that Stef has come up short for Wales. No drama, Amos was the same a year or 2 back. Stef needs to work on his defence and will hopefully come back a better player.
Anyone watching ulster / quins? they are all turning into snowmen. Meanwhile its a lovely sunny day in edinburgh
christian lealiifano must be questioning his life choices right about now.
😀wrecker - Memberchristian lealiifano must be questioning his life choices right about now.
http://www.epcrugby.com/matchdaytv?play=media&id=26502
Toulon Bath highlights. Gashtons contribution at about 1.15 is a thing of pure class
Wasps getting schooled in France today; outmuscled and then outplayed by La Rochelle's ambition. They're getting dicked at th breakdown too. It's a real weakness in the English game.
mindmap - it seems to me that the English clubs / national set up all decided that contesting breakdowns would be impossible under the new laws so stopped trying to do it - fanning out in defence instead. Others seemed to find ways to still contest under the new laws.
I think the english clubs are going to have to look at it again. Now breakdown steals are for the pick pocket not the ram raider
Beeb reporting Faletau could be out of 6 Nations. Bugger that will be our 3 best players out.
Just skim-reading the BBC RU page and am I right in deducing that all the AP sides lost today? Quite something.
In the main event yes both today and yesterday. 3 wins in the minnows cup. Newcastle , Sale and worcester
anyone else watch Exeter / Leinster? I think a clear reffing error - Exeter should have had a penalty try. Exeter player going for the line, Leinster player clothslines him and is yellow carded. No other player in a position to make the tackle. Now IIRC when this happens you do not think " would a legal tackle have stopped" him but "what would have happened if the player committing the foul was not on the pitch
would a legal tackle have stopped" him but "what would have happened if the player committing the foul was not on the pitch
Thats certainly what happened when loopy liam gave away a pen try to stop Wales winning in SA for the first time in 240 000 years.
tjagain - Memberanyone else watch Exeter / Leinster? I think a clear reffing error -
No, all the refs are fantastic and always make the correct decision. You said so yourself. 😉
Just skim-reading the BBC RU page and am I right in deducing that all the AP sides lost today?
Yep, and one of them got a spanking yesterday too.
Quite something.
Not really. 🙂
Thats certainly what happened when loopy liam gave away a pen try to stop Wales winning in SA for the first time in 240 000 years.
Yeah but the rules are fluid and depend on who is playing, where on the pitch the offence is committed, how important it is to the game...
See any number of tip tackles that have been yellow carded this season, when it deprived Wales the services of Warburton in a rather important game not so long ago.
Not sure whether you've noticed it, but I whinge about this crap all the time. Total inconsistency from referees.
One day we'll get a professional set of referees. Perhaps when a club sues an incompetent ref for loss of earnings based on erratic decisions.
Not sure its the ref as such more what this weeks directive is..straight put inz lasted about a week two years ago!!
IdleJon - MemberSee any number of tip tackles that have been yellow carded this season, when it deprived Wales the services of Warburton in a rather important game not so long ago.
The laws were changed after that incident and because of it.
Do yourself a favour - go read up on the laws. a lot of the inconsistencies you see are because you are not up to date with the laws and the guidance
At the time of the Warburton incident it was " legs lifted above hips, lands dangerously red card"
Now its legs lifted above hips, land on front or arm pen only, land on back yellow card, land on head/neck red
So...McWorcester then?
Not sure I like the idea of the SRU taking over an English club. Feels wrong somehow.
Id wager the deal doesnt complete.
Cant see it increasing the paltry local fanbase though if it does.
(Oh, and believing anything the Worcester News prints is a road to ruin)
The laws were changed after that incident and because of it.
Yeah I know. All you've done is confirm my point.
Not sure its the ref as such more what this weeks directive is..straight put inz lasted about a week two years ago!!
Agreed.
CaptainFlashheart - MemberSo...McWorcester then?
Not sure I like the idea of the SRU taking over an English club. Feels wrong somehow.
Is that the latest? Seems a very odd idea to me. London Scottish OK but what link do they have with Scotland and where are the SRU going to get the money from. Newcastle would be a better choice. Half the time they are like the 3rd scots pro club anyway and there have been a lot of scots play for them
(Oh, and believing anything the Worcester News prints is a road to ruin)
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😆
IdleJon - Member
The laws were changed after that incident and because of it.Yeah I know. All you've done is confirm my point.
You said the refs were inconsistent. That is not the refs being inconsistent - its about the laws changing and developing over a period of years
I am on an international rugby forum - all nations complain about the refs. Most complaints are the result of oneeyedness or a lack of understanding of the laws. I don't know how they can get better? They are trained. Every match is gone over in detail and all decisions looked at for the refs to reflect on. they are full time pros. Where are you going to get better refs from?
Saffercens getting torn to shreds by Clemont is a thing of beauty!
Sarries getting dicked. The wheels gave really come off for them this season. Skelton having a mare forcing things way too much.
Bad weekend for the English clubs in Europe.
Clearmont have won 13 turnovers tonight. They've properly done Sarries there.
46 14; that's a beating. Their biggest European defeat.
Is this part of attitudes to law changes around the ruck? English teams have seemed to decide that there is no chance of turnovers so neither attack breakdowns or defend them as well as they might. It fine when playing against another team with the same attitude but other nations seem to still be playing for turnovers
TJ it's nuts. It's so obvious what's happening but they don't do anything about it. I think it's more than just the law changes because we've been poor at the breakdown for a long time.
Can't see them relishing the return fixture this weekend.
Not sure turn overs had as much impact as simple missed tackles. That Fijian winger who will soo be Frenchfied run through over and round about 240 000 would be tacklers!
No team can survive 13 turnovers. Yo just end up with no ball to play with
And combined with missed tackles and handling errors it equals a dicking.
A “crowd”of 2,800 at Saracens !
http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures_champions_cup.php
BTW Ashton’s contribution for [s]Toulon[/s] Bath to the all time f-up highlight reel is one to treasure 🙂 🙂 🙂
It really is a bad spell for the top English clubs at the moment.
Saints have binned Mallinder today after the Ospreys loss. Surprised that the other coaches kept their jobs especially West given how bad their forwards have been.
Faletau to miss six nations or at the very best almost all of it..start praying for a fit Moriarty now!!
Back row of Navidi, Moriarty and Tipuric. Back up of Shingler and Lydiate.
Tidy.
Gatland did a extensive interview with BOD & Keith Wood on Irish radio last week highlights here
[url= http://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/Off_The_Ball/Rugby_on_Off_The_Ball/ ]http://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/Off_The_Ball/Rugby_on_Off_The_Ball/[/url]
And here
[url= http://www.offtheball.com/podcasts/Off_The_Ball/Highlights_from_Off_The_Ball/58852/OTB_Stella_Roadshow_Part_1_Gatland_and_BOD ]http://www.offtheball.com/podcasts/Off_The_Ball/Highlights_from_Off_The_Ball/58852/OTB_Stella_Roadshow_Part_1_Gatland_and_BOD[/url]
Back row of Navidi, Moriarty and Tipuric. Back up of Shingler and Lydiate.Tidy.
😕
Backrow of Faletau, Warburton and Moriarty with Tips on the bench is slightly better and by slightly better I mean much much better.
Only slight drawback is that Moriarty and Tips ( amongst others) are injured. So Navidi, Young/Davies and Shingler seems more likely 😯
Backrow of Faletau, Warburton and Moriarty with Tips on the bench is slightly better and by slightly better I mean much much better.
True, but going with what there is...! (Thought the injuries were on track to be gone for the 6N)
Navidi was excellent in the AIs. Had forgotten about Young, though. Still on good form?
Navidi exceeded expectations but when I sat and watched Wales under the pump in defence I was waiting for the big plays the likes of Gethin or Warburton with turnovers or Moriarty with a huge tackle bring and they never happened. Thats the difference between ok and class.
Itoje to be ok for the 6N, and possibly Sarries last two pool games of Europe.
Wasps have appointed Wilson from Cardiff for next year. Don't know much about him so not sure if it's a good appointment or not.
Wilson going as forwards coach. He's done a good job at Cardiff.
Ulster Hairyqueens is a good game
Enjoyed it as a neutral. Quinn's failed to take advantage of penalties etc but Ulster looked pretty good.
Sinckler was good in the loose but a chuffing moron with his block / body check that led to a card.
Cian Healy is a scummy f**g grub of a human being. Cannot stand the *.
Cian Healy is a scummy f**g grub of a human being. Cannot stand the *.
What did he actually do? Only heard he got yellow. Looked like a big turn around in 2nd half for Leinster based on HT / FT scores. Didn’t see the game as BT won’t let me watch abroad.
IMHO it should have been red. Exeter not quite good enough though. Maybe next year...
Edit: forearm smash in clear out attempt on Cowan Dickie.
Managed to see a clip on torygraph feed, looked like a red all day
The Healy hit was as red a red card as ever was red. Very lucky to only see yellow.
Bath V Toulon is turning out to be a rather exciting game so far.
"No force, no speed, yellow card."
Did the ref register that he was watching a slo-mo reply???
Forearm?
Well he started with the forearm and finished off with the shoulder.
Did the ref register that he was watching a slo-mo reply???
Probably the only thing that registered was that he needed to give Leinster stupid amounts of home advantage. It's written into the laws. 😆
It’s good to see Leinster strong in Europe again. Exeter attempting to be a bit “Glasgow” which is good to watch but ultimately doomed at the highest level.
Human Anatomy 101.
The forearm is below the elbow.
HTH.
He hit with the forearm, elbow and shoulder. All high too. The ref bottled it.
Naughty Healy. How that ref doesn’t red card him, I have no idea. Good comeback from Leinster but they’ve hardly beaten a top European side there.
Human Anatomy 101.
The forearm is below the elbow.
HTH.
Whatever 😆
wrecker - MemberHe hit with the forearm, elbow and shoulder. All high too. The ref bottled it.
Presumably he will be cited then? Like Turner?
I'm looking forward to Clermont / Sarries this afternoon. Its a "must win" for Sarries really. Been some good games so far and a bit of controversy. what we want from the Euro cup 🙂
DanW - Member"No force, no speed, yellow card."
I can see why the ref thought that and its part of the criteria they have to use when judging yellow or red. Because he didn't go charging in to the ruck it was more of a push than a hit.
I think Healy should have been given an option:
1) a red card
2) a yellow and to be kicked/punched/kneed in the head by Cowan-Dickie, with the same amount of force and speed. 🙂