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Oh dear, can see a large woods stirring implement in Scotland's near future!
McLean gets man of the match yet can't get a start for Sale!
Well done Italy. Good decision by the ref at the end there.
All this talk of Italy needing to be kicked out of the 6N as they are a bit of a joke, eh? 😀 Scotland had some good moments but on balance I think Italy deserved the win. Scotland were nearly let off with Italy have no one capable of kicking a penalty or conversion but at the end of the day they make life impossible for themselves 9 times out of 10 like the missed touch at the end
reffing improved at the end.
Having just passed my level 2 last week, I try and concentrate and learn from the international refs, but I found it difficult not to disagree with a lot of today's decisions.
That Italian pack is superb though, and they deserved their win.
The thread needs more refs to be honest. There are nowhere near enough experts on it.
All this talk of Italy needing to be kicked out of the 6N as they are a bit of a joke, eh?
Exactly. Shame for scotland but glad that the italians have popped a couple of fingers up to the snobs.
Italy aren't all that far of beating the bigger teams really. A little more savvy and better kicking, & who knows ?
but I found it difficult not to disagree with a lot of today's decisions.
I am justvan arm chair ref but its hard to disagree with Clancy based on individual decisions but he seems to me to lack feel for the game. He needed to ping the props off the park early and scotland wete lucky not to be yellowed 5 mins earlier.
Expect Wales to be shoved off the park in scrums today and Baldwin to be even worse at lineout chucking....
Not looking forward to Wales defending that Italy maul but thats a fear for another day!
Duckman I feel your pain, been there.
Ironic to do a piece on Roberts and how settled he is in France just days after the news he is looking to end his contract early and come home 😉
Williams just mentioned him going to england too hmmmn... maybe he can line up with Gavin at Bristol Welsh!!
Little Leigh was dragged out of the crack den for the match again!!
Scotland at home wearing red???
Well that was "Scottish" I am off to see Placebo tonight with the other half, on top of that today, it may be the flipping end.
Mini anagallis "who is the little one with the fat tummy"?
Sorry, quick question to laws experts, the "not ten yards" thing when a quick tap penalty is taken, as in the french penalty just a few minutes ago where the tap happens almost in the midst of the defending team...what is the rule there? Is it that the player that has taken the tap must be allowed to advance at least ten yards before being tackled or that only players that were ten yards back can tackle him? Or what?
If he runs into anybody on purpose then he gets nothing, if say, a young blonde/ginger prop tackles him within the 10, then kick at goal is advanced 10m. As an ex 6/7 if it was the SH who took the quick one then he got **** all. Chippy little sods slapping your backside and telling you tonpush,or pointing out where you should join a maul...
And you a level 11 ref too duckie 😀
Seriously, what is the rule?
That is it; if somebody impedes him then 10m, you have to judge if he did it on purpose. Like obstruction, nobody has to move for you. Ref has to decide if the quick tap is a Hollywood. ( see previous about 9) 😈
France v Wales is shaping up to be one of the worst games of rugby I've seen in a while.........
Oh well you'll have a multi faceted attack to see tomorrow.
^ Agree, don't know what the BBC are on calling it very exciting and gripping!
Superb choice of music at halftime in Stade de France Blitzkrieg Pop and Smells like teen spirit.Outstanding:+)
This is looking a bit better. Not convinced that was an obstruction either.
Baffles me why France always replace Para on 50 minutes when 9/10 times he is their best player!
Allez les Bleus.
Good win that. Huge effort.
Happy with that...
Well done Wales. Great effort in the second half, but it managed to be even more boring than the Ireland - France game. Lopez has some good facets to his game but his place kicking is shite, as it was against Ireland.
D to the E to the F to the E to the N to the C to the E
That was a really strong performance, why did the second half happen in Cardiff?
Lineout and scrum worked today.
Samson Lee worked today.
Good win for Wales over a hugely improved french side.
He was outstanding as was gethin. Charteris was very good in the lineout too. V England the set piece failed.
Wales pack looked on top in the set piece from the get go. Very poor defence from France in the first half, slow line speed and allowed Wales to get over the gain line. Allowed them to play G-Ball. "Doctor, SMASH!"
France looked a handful with ball in hand but then decided it would be better to kick the ball away and allow 1/2p and Bigger to dominate under the high ball.
I hope Bigger isn't injured, he's starting to look good, bossing the game well. Webb needs to calm down and concentrate on delivering quick ball.
I'm expecting the wheels to fall off the English chariot tomorrow in Dublin. 😉
I hope Bigger isn't injured, he's starting to look good, bossing the game well.
I must admit when Priestland came on I became a lot less confident of the win against France!
Hovis has taken a hefty knock to the knee and couldn't run due to the swelling, but no news on Biggar that I can see
France were awful. Kicking away possession aimlessly.
Although I think Hovis is a fine captain and works the ref well, Tips is good replacement. AWJ is more than capable of taking the captaincy on. He would have been my choice anyway and was very hard done by to not captain the Lions last time round.
Tips is a good player but lacks Warburtons power. I reckon AWJ is a better captain. Biggar has been very good in the last year or so. Controls the game well, lacks the x factor of a really top class 10 maybe but is doing a good job.
You have to wonder why a functioning scrum, lineout and maul couldnt be had for the first game.
The opposition?
On the subject of bans, couldn't we save people who make clumsy challenges and replace with the marketing muppets who think it's a good idea to mess about with shirts. Scotland are navy not turquoise or red and England white not purple. What next, the Irish in pink hoops?
This is not Wendy and we don't fall for the need to buy new replica kit every week.
Been in hospital visits most of yesterday ( 🙁 ) so missed all the live action. Caught the snippet highlights of the Italy win. Some determination at the end. Glad they pulled things round and can be competitive. Need to coordinate visiting times pre or post the big one today.
The opposition?
Scotlands pack is nowhere near as good as Frances. A lot of Wales lineout errors v england were unforced. Mind you England and France showed that a close in offloading game combats the welsh chop tackle defence.
Great win for Italy. Any away win In Paris is notable no matter how ugly, those two side have some serious work to do or this Autumn they aren't going feature. Amazing to think France coukd have wilon in 2011 and Wales where the form team of the last RWC
Today is going to be epic
Wales the form team of the last world cup? They lost to SA, France and Australi and beat Fiji, Samoa and Ireland.
Good win and good performance from Wales yesterday. Thought Biggar was MOM imo, looking like a very good player this year. Looks almost Irish 😉 with his kick and chase, gets up really well. Far better than the bigger lumps around him. Got to admit Roberts did what he's good at too, and the fat ginger kid done well up front.
Was surprised too at set pieces 'cos France are tough.
Despite their two losses, I'm still not buying into the "this France team are crap" line. They're a few small details away from being a very strong side.
Well earned win for Wales, IMO.
Should be a good game later, too. If Ireland hold their own scrum, expecting to see some running moves come out now the WC groupmates are out the way. England are bigger and stronger, especially in front and back rows, hopefully Ireland are quicker. It'd be silly not to try and get them moving all over the pitch.
Can't help thinking that dropping May on the back of Brown missing too, means there's a chunk of pace missing that Zebo and Bowe will fancy a run at.
Bit of a fearful, negative team selection - or at least defensive? 😉
But biggest battle is Ross v Marler. Could be were England win it, tbh.
Here we go. I never realised that Ireland had an actual leprechaun for their president!
Sexton v ford, no contest so far!
Does Ben Youngs start a new sponsorship form each time he gets the ball?
Bit dull for the neutral.
in layman's......england are shyte.
In laymens terms Ireland are very well organised and hard to beat. Match england up front and the lack of grunt behind may be an issue.
England will be happy to be only 9-3 down. Poor attacking line out. Ireland must be honest and say they've not made the most of their field position. All to play for.
@aa Wales where the form team at the knockout stages and a poor France nearly beat NZ in the final. I doub they'll ever have a better chance to win the World Cup
****ing Rolland....
Ireland are being a bit Welsh with a lot of possession but not a lot of points. England haven't shown much but look quite comfortable besides silly penalties. Sexton looks like a man possessed and Henshaw and Zebo have looked good in the backs. Just need to stop butchering overlaps a la England 😉
Hahaaaaa look at Alex Goode go!
Goode work that.
Worst I've seen England play in a long time. Ford is having a shocker. Crap game too
What a try!
england need to get some new forwards on.
haskell, kruis, robshaw are pretty crap today.
Poor. Very poor.
Ireland are just out classing them.
And how can no one keep up with Billy!
Cipriani needs to go on.
Begorrah, the Bristolian Leprechaun will be insufferable this evening 🙂
Terrible high ball handling from England,
Robshaw is such a whingey captain when things aren't going England's way!
The commentators are giving Ireland a hard time for letting England back in the game but they look absolutely spent- not much more they can do with such little energy left!
Good job Ireland 😆 DD over to you 😀
Pity the ref wasn't quite as strict on Ireland holding on to the ball in the tackle as he was against England in the first half. But it's not an inconsistency that was going to change the course of the game,.
Not exactly pretty rugby in any of the games this weekend but I say Italy pack were the best to watch.
Ireland deserved winners, very good getting over the ball. As long as England didn't deal with the kicking game it was always going to keep coming. We kicked too far with no pressure on the receiver. None of it's pretty but it's a win. You'd have to fancy Ireland for the Grand Slam now.
Now all Wales need to do is beat Ireland and thump Italy away.......
poor english forwards.
well done ireland.
Now all Wales need to do is beat Ireland
That's nailed on. 🙂
Hahahahaha! Ireland have to play us, commentary muppets said it wasn't a foregone conclusion.
Came to that GA thing as well.
Can I be the first to say "multi faceted attack"
thats nailed on
The ball boys are primed!!!
Looking forward to ****ling's words of wisdom. 🙂
Still ireland get a grand slam they'll have as many as Adam Jones.
Who?
Adam Jones Lions legend, you Scots wouldmt know about them!!
Ireland went about it the hard way in the end but a heroic effort to get the win. There will be some sore bodies over the next few days!
England showed virtually nothing but still came reasonably close. Normally that would be the sign of a quality team but I don't think that is true when Goode is your best player 😆 I honestly wouldn't have known that Hartley, Marler or the back row were actually playing today for England if it weren't for the team run down at the start of the program!
Irish breakdown work from 1-15 is amazing, so well coached, but when your main attacking ploy is a maul and a cross kick it does make for tough watching.
Be interested to see again the lineout they caught and then shifted as it looked like they passed it to a guy at the back of a maul thatcwas formed before the ball got to it. Pen to england. I thought Joubert got the pen for collapsing when ireland didnt engage wrong too.