[Closed] Rugby Thread 2017/18.

I'm hopeful we will win one of the games.

I'm still nervous with that prediction! 😯 😆

I did say"hopeful"!

😆

I wonder how the forwards away day has been going? I hope England and EJ aren't too miffed they couldn't get their first choice opposition in the form of Georgia and are coping ok with the folks from over the bridge

video from the ENGvWAL scrum match in Bristol

http://rugbylad.com/watch-footage-leaked-from-england-wales-session-shows-pack-demolished/

I think that session is a great idea for both teams! They will need to front up this Autumn and this will be great prep!

Pen to wales English 1 not driving straight.

That training session will probably be the hardest thing England will face the autumn. Argentina Tonga and Samoa for us. Anything other than 3 easy wins from that is a disaster really....and 3 easy wins isn't really going to benefit us.

English 1 not driving straight

That's a novelty! 😀

Tipuric and Webb doubts for saturday.. add Tips to the list on injured 7's!!

Balls

Allegedly Robshaw was packing down at 8 yesterday! Can't say I'd relish that tbh

Wales (probable): L Halfpenny; L Williams, J Davies, O Williams, S Evans; D Biggar, G Davies; R Evans, K Owens, T Francis; J Ball, AW Jones (c); A Shingler, J Navidi, T Faletau.

Reps: H Amos, O Watkin, A Davies, L Brown, K Dacey, N Smith, S Cross, C Hill.

Holy shit!! Is there enough lube in Wales?

Sam Cross has played 2 games of professional 15 a side rugby!!! What has happend to Lee.... can we recall Charteris and Young or Boyd now and stop messing about?

Nice to see Navidi getting a game...always liked him. I was going to ask what has happened to Samson Lee...career doesn't seem to be following the upwards trajectory it once was. Have to say, whilst I wish England had better fixtures this Autumn, I'd hate to be heading into Wales' with such a depleted squad! When do you have Georgia?!

Navidi is bang average. Lee is a puzzle he has looked back to normal this season for Scarlets took him a long time to recover from his snapped achilies. I think he was rushed back for the world cup too soon. I guess they want to try out Brown. Francis is shit too though.

Never mind the forwards, that must be the least bulky backline Gatland has ever put together. It almost looks like they might start playing some rugby *

* academic point behind that pack

Glaws tigers. Feeling that some of those boys either have way too much testosterone or they're cheating in movember.

Navidi to me deserves his chance and is one of those players who have made the best of their talent. He might just shine.

He's been around a while hasn't he? How old is he..... always thought he was a great player when I used to regularly watch what was the Pro12....talking a few years back now! He certainly not one for the future. Whom have Scotland got this Autumn Teej? Can't remember if it's already been posted

Tom - Scotland play Samoa, NZ thenAus. a good set really. One tough game we should win, one to test us against the best and one we have a good chance of winning.

He's been around a while hasn't he? How old is he.....

26
Shingler is 30, both flankers are below international standard really. Good job we have a bloke on the bench who has played twice for the ospreys!!!

When you go into a home RWC with Sam Burgess at centre I'll start feeling sorry for you! Thought Navidi would have been a bit older than that.

Samoan Rugby Union has gone bankrupt.....wonder if the rfu will do the decent thing and give them a bit of cash from the Twickenham game?!

England pack looking like they could push Twickers stadium around. Enormous.

I'm very interested to see how Slade plays at 12 as well.

have we reached the one tonne scrum yet?

Any Tiggers watchers with an opinion on Williams at 12. Doesnt look like the answer to me. Also if he was the answer I would rather see Priestland at 10. He'll just be shovelled shit ball from Biggar all day.

I fear we are in for a proper kicking on Saturday. Still at least options are being looked at but christ only knows why cross is on the bench over Young or Boyd.

Do you want to borrow the scots greatest fan - Private Fraser?[img] [/img]

Are you doomed?

Williams is a great player, but not at 12 IMHO.

Williams is a great player, but not at 12 IMHO

Why not any "great" 10 should make a decent 12 surely?

I supposecwe should be greatful cement head is trying out new players and options but everyone else does this straight after the world cup not 2 years out from it.
That 23 would look much better with Charteris in it and Ball on the bench and a backrow of Shingler, Faletau and Young with Navidi on the bench would make things look a lot stronger as would Lee as a starter or on the bench but I can understand the need to blood another 3.

But but,,,, I watch a ****ing load of of welsh pro14 games and have never seen Cross play. He played 7 v Saffercens and one other Pro14 game and thats the sum total of his pro rugby 15's experience. Meanwhile Thomas Young is available..wt actual **** is that all about?

Why not any "great" 10 should make a decent 12 surely?

Depends. I'd hate to see Russell playing 12. gawd alone knows what he would do. Peter Horne is competent if not great in both positions. Owen Farrell again is similar standard in both positions I guess.

sometimes its about getting your best players on the field that means you have to compromise somewhere

Quote from Gatland AA - what your view?

“I believe this team is capable of winning the World Cup given its experience and age-profile in two years’ time,” Gatland added. “That is why we are exposing some younger players now. I hope they’ve got confidence in their own ability and our whole focus this week has been about the next two years and how important Saturday is in terms of starting well.”

Depends. I'd hate to see Russell playing 12

Not sure Russell and certainly Williams are "great" 10's.
Dan Carter at 12...reckon he'd be pretty ****ing good

I believe this team is capable of winning the World Cup given its experience and age-profile in two years’ time,” Gatland

We if he doesnt no one else will.

“That is why we are exposing some younger players now. I hope they’ve got confidence in their own ability and our whole focus this week has been about the next two years and how important Saturday is in terms of starting well.”

Should have started 2 years ago

I guess Young being in the AP meant that Gatland won't pick him. Shame because he's pretty good.

Daly back for us. Itoje and Farrel are the only Lions to be rested.

I guess Young being in the AP meant that Gatland won't pick him

But he picked Williams 1, Williams 2, Faletau, Priestland, Francis and he would have picked Moriarty and North too I'm sure

Should have started 2 years ago

Yup - I think Wales have been storing up issues for the future not giving youngsters enough game time both pro 14 and international. Scotland were there 10 years ago

Scotland perhaps partly from necessity have done the opposite recently. We have a 21 yr old prop on his 3rd season of internationals for example and loads of young players being blooded. some of our key experienced internationals are under 23!

Not sure Russell and certainly Williams are "great" 10's.

This is the year for Russell to prove it . Lets see if he does

Outplaying Dan Carter as he did last year in the european cup looks good on the CV tho. If he can get the brainfarts / inconsistency down a bit it would help

Anyone fancy some Ai score predictions? My record at this ishows a serious failure rate But here goes anyway

Italy Fiji - Fiji by 3
Scotland Samoa Scotland by 6
England Argentina england by 8
Wales Australia - Aus by 12
Ireland SA ~SA by 10
New Zealand France NZ by 20

*Gets flameproof suit out*

England Argentina england by [b]2[/b]8

Fixed. Argentina to score first, England to trounce them 2nd half.

Fiji by 5
Scotland by 15
England by 20
Australia by 10
Ireland by 3
NZ by 20

Italy by 6
Scitland by 15
England by 30
Aus by 26
Ireland by 12
NZ by 24

I think Wales have been storing up issues for the future not giving youngsters enough game time both pro 14 and international.

Pro14 is all kids, not sure you watch much or always habe one eye shut

Aus by 26 AA - you really do need private frazer!

The kids - thats the opposite way to you were arguing over Biggar. I said moving him on could allow a younger chap ( name won't come to mind now) to gain valuable experience. You want to keep all the older stars in wales

You can't have it both ways

I reckon Aus will win by more than two scores, if not significantly more. Not convinced Scotland will have the easy win some here seem to predict either.

I agree about Scotland although our weakness in the front row will be worse against teams with better scrums. It will be a tough game. Could go either way. Scotland could run riot if we get a purple patch - quite capable of scoring multiple tries in a short time but equally capable of getting caught out. Scotland will play a high risk high reward type game and when it goes wrong it goes wrong badly

Ireland SA is the one I can't call. SA getting much better - although that isn't hard!!

The kids - thats the opposite way to you were arguing over Biggar. I said moving him on could allow a younger chap ( name won't come to mind now) to gain valuable experience.

Davies gets plenty of game time.
You wont attract crowds by getting rid of the best players and you wont develop younger players as well if they have no better players to learn from.

I'll go for...

Italy by 3

Samoa by 3 .... sadly we have too many injuries!

England by 24

Aus by 16

Ireland to draw

NZ by 18

Hmmph I'm Scottish I'll settle for a win of any description.

given the matches overlap which will be the best to watch? Obviously I have to watch scotland - its a compulsory exercise in self flagellation so only get the last 1/2 hr of the england game but Wales / aus or ireland /SA?

Whats the best entertainment?

I reckon Wales v Aussies will be the one TJ - lets hope hope Toony can work some magic with our depleted squad today.

Reckon now Samoa ru is broke. We could offer a few grand for them not to break our players. We'll keep it close just don't hurt us.

Admit I am disinterested in this weekend’s games. Have a lunch with friends so won’t be watching. Even when I had my debentures I didn’t bother paying £80 a ticket to watch this sort of laregly pointless friendly. Argentina always tough and its quite wet this moring. England will get the job done but its will be difficult as it usually is. A lot depends upon the reffing of the scrum.

Just realised I'd got England's fixtures wrong.... we're playing Australia not Fiji next week.

Tiggs - its not that depleted bar the front row.

Of first choices in their position who is missing? ( bar the front row)
Big Ritchie - pretty irreplaceable
Scott and Bennett in the centres - we have good quality replacements. Back 3 perhaps Maitland will be missed

Whats the best entertainment?

If you want to see a close compeitive game netween two good side...I reckon the Ireland SA match.
I have my boys 7th b'day party sleep over starting at 4 so I dont have to watch Wales v Aus!!!

This may have been asked already but I can't see it - is the Ireland game on tv anywhere? I can't find it on my box!

England and Ireland games all live on Sky - England games have BBC highlights same evening.
Scotland and Wales games all live on BBC - Wales games also live on S4C and Scotland games also live on BT Sport
France and Italy games all live on Premier Sport - France games get a full replay on Freesports same evening

Stolen from gwlad

Plenty of steaming sites available if you want to watch.

Ta a_a. Now down to the box to work out why I'm being blind!

I'll send you a recording Aa so you don't miss out 😉

I'll send you a recording Aa so you don't miss out

You are all heart!@!

Nel broken his arm...

Thats shit. What else did I miss whilst blowing up balloons?

confirmed? FFS we are now down to one TH!

Gawd save us from Stuart Barnes.

Lovely try from England

With the current player safety laws, and Brown landing on his head, the Arg 15 was sh@@ting himself as the ref went to his pocket. I think he "tried" to catch the ball but was never going to. The ref said he landed on his shoulder, but it was definitely head first.

I'm only following the txt of the SCO game, but the scoreline looks impressive. Consistently winning games that 5 years ago you didn't.

6N could be good this year!

Scotland getting the job done.

England game is t that exciting. Hughes took his try nicely though. Slade seems to have woken up a bit as the half went on.

Will be interesting to see how Daly goes at fullback. Brown past the ball once before we went off! Ford’s kicking is still a lottery though.

[quote=tjagain"]Scotland Samoa Scotland by 6

I got one right1

fantastic game - really exciting. Loads of tries, fightback from Samoa, Scotland hold on for the win.

dantsw13 - Member

With the current player safety laws, and Brown landing on his head, the Arg 15 was sh@@ting himself as the ref went to his pocket. I think he "tried" to catch the ball but was never going to. The ref said he landed on his shoulder, but it was definitely head first.

for me its either no penalty - the Argentinian went for the ball [b]or[/b] red - he landed on his head. If the ref thinks he didn't land on his head then its pen no card as he landed on his front / arm

Presumably Brown's head is considered equal to everyone else's shoulder in terms of potential for damage. Which seems reasonable.

Bit of a dull game. Eddie looks annoyed.

England at least not looking rusty and will build.

Underhill cemented his place today,but not a lot of go forward from anyone other than Hughes.

England v Aus? Money's on Australia at the moment.

I only saw bits of the England game but looking at the stats Argentina had all the possession and territory. Where did England win the game?

Again in the bits I saw England did not seem to be competing the breakdown at all. Is that right?

BTW - Scotland / Samoa had 11 tries 🙂 Now thats what I call entertainment! Samoa have some really dangerous runners and Scotland had no answer to the pick and go done at pace. Swinson remains a liability - what does he have on Toony to keep getting selected? Nice Cameo from Peter Horne - he is turning into a competent replacement for Russell

Big shout out to Samoa - they have learnt discipline. No horrid tackles. Very good display from the ref as well

NZ next - they are toast 😉 We are world beaters -
whats that you say Private Frazer - we're doomed you say?

Where did England win the game?

Twickers... 🙄

Wales win the anthems as always

When Argentina play it tight, they must be horrible to play against. Samoa offer nowhere near the same organised structure they do. We weren't great, but good enough. Solid scrum, great line out, tackled well. The back line looked unsettled, which it was. Next week will be Youngs Ford Daley, Farrell, JJ, Watson, Brown.

Kryton - very helpful 🙂

You know what I meant

This Wales/Aus game should be great if it carries on

Love Jiffy complementing Wales conceding a try. Trying to out do Andy Nicoll

Jiffy really does need to lay off the booze/crack pipe pre match!

Wales determined to do things the hard way today...