First half flop, I’d have taken the kick at goal in the dying embers of the half.

Glasgow hardly ever kick for goal and have good returns of lineouts and scrums.  a goal kick 3 weeks ago was the first this year

7 times in the 22 zero points – their average is over 3 pts per visit.

Glasgow hardly ever kick for goal and have good returns of lineouts and scrums. a goal kick 3 weeks ago was the first this year

Yes and they’ve been successful all year but they failed against Munster a couple of weeks ago in a similar way to their failures tonight.
Kicking points is sometimes enough to get the scoreboard moving and give the opposition pause for thought.
That said Toulon are out of sight

Tipuric and AWJ retire before World Cup. Seems odd timing. Both great players.

AWJ is pretty fragile now though.

So fragile he has between 1881 and 2023 played in 20% of all Wales’ matches

So it’s good bye* and thanks for the entertainment to AWJ, Tipuric and also, let’s not forget Sergio Parisse. Happy for him that he had club success in his career because he deserved much more internationally than he ever saw. Three giants exit the stage. I wish them all the best and most importantly, good health in their respective retirements.

*although I’m not clear on AWJ’s and JT’s plans for their club careers? I suppose they won’t continue much longer?

Parisse was almost as much of pita last night as he ever has been,even though he will be 40 soon. Overshadowed by Cheslin Kolbe though. I was really wishing the ground would open up and swallow him!

Leinster v La Rochelle… must be the most frantic game of rugby I’ve ever seen! Great fun

(good to see Will Skelton with BigArd on his back too 😀 )

Edge of the seat stuff. Can’t look.

Completely neutral, but it’s still a proper thriller!

How the hell did that happen?! Bonkers game

Another Wales World Cup Squad member says **** it and retires. Rhys Webb joins AWJ and Tipuric…

Irish World Cup Training squad announced – 42 players to be cut down to 33. 21 from Leinster, 9 Munster, 8 Ulster and 4 Connacht. 4 uncapped players (*) Pretty uncontroversial selection although a single club supplying 20 is pretty surprising especially as they ended the season empty handed. I’ll still be delighted if we make it past 1/4 finals given the draw we have.
Ryan Baird (Leinster)
Finlay Bealham (Connacht)
Tadhg Beirne (Munster)
Jack Conan (Leinster)
Gavin Coombes (Munster)
Caelan Doris (Leinster)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster)
Cian Healy (Leinster)
Iain Henderson (Ulster*
Rob Herring (Ulster)
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster)
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster)
Joe McCarthy (Leinster)
Peter O’Mahony (Munster)
Tom O’Toole (Ulster)
Andrew Porter (Leinster)
Cian Prendergast (Connacht)
James Ryan (Leinster)
Dan Sheehan (Leinster)
Tom Stewart (Ulster)
Kieran Treadwell (Ulster)
Josh van der Flier (Leinster)

Bundee Aki (Connacht)
Caolin Blade* (Connacht)
Ross Byrne (Leinster)
Craig Casey (Munster)
Jack Crowley (Munster)
Keith Earls (Munster)
Ciaran Frawley* (Leinster)
Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)
Mack Hansen (Connacht)
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster)
Hugo Keenan (Leinster)
James Lowe (Leinster)
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster)
Conor Murray (Munster)
Calvin Nash* (Munster)
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster)
Jamie Osborne* (Leinster)
Garry Ringrose (Leinster)
Johnny Sexton (Leinster)
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)

I’ll still be delighted if we make it past 1/4 finals given the draw we have.

Ireland are comfortably at the top of the World rankings and deservedly so. But, I could see them losing to SA in the group stages and then in a one off game against Scotland, anything could happen. They may not even make it to the quarter finals.

I think amongst some great rugby, there is likely to be a lot of drama and a huge amount of controversy.

Absolutely could easily lose to Scots, Also the teams makes it through that side of the draw could be in pieces with 5 plus frontline players injured, out with HIAs or suspensions and mugged by Eddie Jones’s Australia or England in semi or final. I’m sure Wales will outperform expectations but it is getting harder to create a narrative that sees them past the 1/4s

Rhys Care kicked out of squad now for failing to reach fitness targets….I’m getting my boots cleaned at this rate anyone could be in with a shout!

I’m sure Wales will outperform expectations but it is getting harder to create a narrative that sees them past the 1/4s

I am totally unconfident in Wales. We could easily lose to both Australia and Fiji. However, with a bit of good fortune there is a reasonable chance we could beat any team from pool D in the quarter finals.

I’m trying to decide between Fiji, Tonga and France, who to have as my back-up team.

Rhys Care kicked out of squad now for failing to reach fitness targets….I’m getting my boots cleaned at this rate anyone could be in with a shout!

A_a do you think the coaching team put too much importance on fitness targets?

Not looking good for the future of london Irish.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65797622

This follows on from problems with late payment of last months wages and only 50% being paid this month.

A_a do you think the coaching team put too much importance on fitness targets?

I don’t think so Pivac ditched him and now Garland has done the same. Wales don’t have the team to play a power game like France so we need the likes of Carre to be able to defend as well as carry.

and another one goes!!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65857204

Wales v NZ U20’s has been entertaining in the first half. On S4C inc iPlayer.

Ta for that – I have been missing my rugby fix

Hmm tj, I hope it’s not you that jinxed it 😉

Ooft

Much closer than expected considering they came last in the six nations I think.

England / Ireland a cracking game

watched extended highlights of England V Ireland U20, looked like a very good game. Ireland possibly the happier team given they finished the game with 14 men and England camped on their try line.

and another one goes!!

Ken Owens out with recurrence of his back injury.

a_a dust off your boots!

I thought AA lived in England so he won’t qualify 😉

I thought AA lived in England so he won’t qualify

Luckily I have never been offered a pro contract in Wales so I am still available!!

LOLz

FYI: Wales v Japan U20’s game just started on S4C (available on iPlayer).

Interesting moment in Wales Japan game, Japan captain got a yellow for a reckless ruck entry…seemed an obvious red to me, it was then sent for review by ref to video ref who a few mins later upgraded it to a red. I believe this will be the system for the World Cup in France too

1.26.41 on video for incident, upgraded at 1.33.16

How funny, Rugby Championship, Australia play a revitalised Quade Cooper at 10. Was expecting special-ness. Nope. Exactly the same as the old Quade Cooper, one good kick, few dodgy tackles and most of the time nowhere to be seen. Bizarre.

Great result for Jones

Good bye Hogg.
It’s a blow to Scotland but he’s not the player he once was.

https://scottishrugby.org/stuart-hogg-announces-retirement-from-rugby/?fbclid=IwAR1HAIeXDSkrYJfDMk-9PImuy4qotNd4zCZATPOme6A0xjEBgG0JQ1ZeTAE

Made the best of his talents.  He will be missed but its the right time.