if it had been from the first phase there might have been an excuse for whining – but it wasn’t. Couple of phases later so the defence should have been in place.

Great, now the IRB are going to have to change the rules again.

Great, now the IRB are going to have to change the rules again.

And then England will have match winning try disallowed a few months later!!

Never gets old!!

Wasn’t Eddie Jones whinging about not getting 50:50 decisions? You’d think he’d never been to an away rugby match. 😂

Bah. If we lose the game because of one try, then we weren’t really in a position to win. Shit happens in Rugby. Make sure your game can deal with the variances. I hate all this crap. Wales won. We just need To accept it.

The problem is though, we get hyped by the media every single match about how great our team is only to then look fairly average for the majority of the time.

It’s like a surfer looking for “that” wave, when it comes once in a while it’s glorious, the rest of the time we have to sit back and listen to the wind blowing in forlorn hope, and trudge back to the Camper slightly disappointed.

Its the polar opposite of being a New Zealander.

I have surfed most of NZ. Just as fickle as the UK..

I have surfed most of NZ

My brother used to live in Raglan….great spot

Raglan is World class, when I was there it was blowing so hard you could hardly stand up.

Blade Thompson starts for Scotland on saturday…good luck to him, please try not to break him for the whole season I want to see him for Scarlets a bit more!!

Raglan is World class, when I was there it was blowing so hard you could hardly stand up.

Same, its like that most of the time.

Mako is back apparently. I give him two games before he breaks again.

Raglan

It will be interesting to see how he goes. I have not seen him play.
Scotland team – one setup to be mashed I fear. Dunno what toonie is playing at – this should hav=e been our strongest possible team and while stronger than last week still some very odd picks!

Gordon Reid (Ayrshire Bulls) – 35 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 6 caps
3. Willem Nel (Edinburgh) – 29 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap
5. Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs) – 5 caps
6. Ryan Wilson VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 43 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh) – 25 caps
8. Blade Thomson (Scarlets) – uncapped
9. Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Clermont Auvergne) – 71 caps
10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 44 caps
11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 40 caps
12. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 41 caps
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 8 caps
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 50 caps
15. Stuart Hogg VICE CAPTAIN (Exeter Chiefs) – 68 caps

Bench
16. Grant Stewart (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped
17. Allan Dell (London Irish) – 22 caps
18. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh)– 20 caps
19. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) – 34 caps
20. John Barclay (Edinburgh) – 72 caps
21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps
22. Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints) – 1 cap
23. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 12 caps

It will be interesting to see how he goes. I have not seen him play.

I expect he will be rusty, only had a few run outs at end of season I think. He did look good before his head knock though. Not top international good but decent international good. I’d have him at 8 for Wales over Moriarty.

“One step forwards two steps backward war inna babylon”

thats what this feels like to me. Lets hope Toonie has some great masterplan. I can’t see it.

That pack is going to get mashed and two centres who have not really shone on the international stage

O’Te’o has finished his Ire England career. Off to play for the love club with deepest pockets. Maybe he’ll look for a French cap.

Teo has signed a short term deal with Toulon, even before the RWC and a potential injury call up (unlikely as its a position we dont have a shortage of players for)

Talk about burning bridges. Feels like petulance to me.

That guy summed up everything wrong with the modern game.

Feels like petulance to me.

Rugby mercenary tries to maximise earnings, no surprise

Those tackle pads won’t hold themselves, you know.

I am all good with this, but I wonder how many people will book tickets and accommodation to the ‘rugby world cup’ and end up seeing the women.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/aug/21/rugby-world-cups-gender-neutrality
I put this marker down here, Nostradamus like, we will see this as a news item.

O’Teo that’s brilliant. I do smile when I see the mercenaries when the anthems are on. Wasn’t his misdemeanor with Brown at a team social too…must have been some bonding session.

In the latest Rugby comedy tragedy, Brand Hask has signed for the UFC heavy weight division.  Now I bet there’s a few on here that’d love to see how he performs in his first fight… 😀

Better news, England team looks strong:

Sinckler, George, Marler

Itoje, Kruis

Curry, Billy, Underhill

Youngs

May, Ford, Farrell, Tuilagi, Cockigsigna, Daly

IRB rule change in effect LOL.

I just do not get the Ford Farrell partnership.
I thought that idea was tried and failed. two flawed ( but good) 10s do not add up to 10+12!

The only ball that will be distributed from Farrell will be the crash ball to Tuilagi.

Nobody needs a crystal ball to see that coming.

The only ball the back 3 will see will be the high one or the one dribbling in to touch in their own 22.

IRB rule change in effect LOL.

Comedy!

I’m looking forward to both the Scotland v France game and the England v Ireland game.
With home advantage for Scotland, both games might be fairly evenly balanced, at least on paper. Not many people on here seem keen on predicting scores, but it keeps me amused so (with even less confidence than usual):
Scotland v France 18:30, I have a feeling everything is going to suddenly click for France.
England v Ireland 25:10

Unless I have bought tickets for Scotland to play France at water polo – I think the match KOs at 1310 ?

I am looking forward to the novel experience of watching rugby and drinking beer in the sun – just like we do in The Colonies.

Ah – you mean the score – OK I get it now sorry. And also sorry but England will get humped by way more than 15 points.

Is the Scotland game on TV anywhere?

And also sorry but England will get humped by way more than 15 points.

No, not at Twickenham and not with Ireland’s 1st game.   I wish I could find a free non vpn stream, I’d love to watch it as I’m outside Sky/Now regional coverage.

Is the Scotland game on TV anywhere?

Premier tv or in my case dodgy pirate feed

Mind you the scotland game is best watched from behind the sofa

Well done Scotland, now come on England : )

Christ, I get the impression the World has spotted England are vunerable out wide with the press defence.

Watching Kearney line up for Ireland is like seeing Lee Byrne show up for Wales. Are Ireland really still struggling for 15’s that they still have to make do with him?

Much better from Scotland. Mistakes nearly cost them both in missed chance and giving France two tries but Scrum and tackling much better and Watson sows his worth again – 4 steals

I think towsend will be much clearer about who is on the plane and in the team now.

Good on Nige for not giving a penalty for Youngs deliberately throwing the ball at the men running lazy lines back. Got to be more subtle than that