STW 2014/15 Rugby Thread

Lima is a folk hero in bristol. We love the bloke.

Holy crap talk about hospital pass. Give your 10 a chance! Not the sort of service you want with Lima coming at you, or anyone for that matter

in fact I can’t think of many home Nations wings known for there defensive solidness…. yet many are flippin’ good at scoring tries!

Bowe

Bowe

Absolutely world class when on form. Pretty damn good even off form! Cracking player.

He’s good, but he’s no Varndell 🙂

Ashton took that punch better than Matt Smith took Hartley’s elbow a few weeks ago!

Right, so one bloke takes a punch better than some other blokes takes an elbow from a completely different bloke. Makes loads of sense that!! 😕

Matt Smith took his elbow better than that Moreno

Varndell is/was probably the fastest player in the Premiership. At 7s he was absolutely brilliant. I thought he might make it for England but he never quite had the confidence in his abilities at that rarefied level.

I remember when England toured NZ a few years back. He had a chance to score in the corner and, as the quickest player on the pitch, the speed to do it. However, he hesitated slightly, not trusting himself, and chopped his stride a touch before going for the corner and getting pushed out by the covering tackler. That was when I thought he’d never make it as an international.

As for Wade’s defence – anybody on here watch Wasps on a regular basis? I don’t think he’s that bad from what I’ve seen.

Gav didn’t take this punch too well 😆

Bowe

We want a team of Tommy Bowes. Even when he is mediocre he is better than most.

Apparently the IRFU are looking to see if the Liverpool player Sakho has an Irish granny

Orange one to Bristol with immediate effect

I’ve been asked to post this because my husband cant get the internet to defend his boyfriend.

That was just a glorified swallow dive. He was trying to catch the ball and dive all the way over the try-line. There just happened to be someone in the way 😉

That’s why the full back is better off jumping to take the ball as he then cannot be tackled and it allows a bit more time for support to get to him

Apparently the IRFU are looking to see if the Liverpool player Sakho has an Irish granny

Yeah and Dembele (The guy who’s tackled and goes down a bit easily) has been called in by PSA as cover for Joanne Huget seeing as he’s French already…….

A nice read

Harry Walker. England’s Oldest Surviving International

North out Williams in due to one too many bangs on the head. Otherwise unchanged as long as Lee recovers from his bang on the head (please god). Gethin still in at least its a sunday..who will be the scottish tighthead? Wales best hope is if scotland try and run it a lot, we are screwed if they kick to the corners and pressure the lineout.

Varndell is a quality club player but no more. Yarde has the physique and running ability but has looked all at sea lately on a rugby field. Wade has real potential and I’d love to see him get a few games under his belt for England. It is weird that there is the perception that he doesn’t fit the mold of an international wing where certain defensive duties are expected- North and Cuthbert can’t kick or defend, Ashton is yet to learn the meaning of the word tackle… in fact I can’t think of many home Nations wings known for there defensive solidness…. yet many are flippin’ good at scoring tries! Wade has the ability to do exactly that… but it seems too logical

Yarde has looked a bit squiffy since moving to ‘Quinns. He is quick but he seems to lack any form of rugby brain – some of his decisions (when to kick, pass, take contact etc) are awful from what I’ve seen at Quinns. He looked better for a poor Irish side.

Cuthbert also seems to have the turning circle of an oil tanker when the ball is put in behind him.

Right, so one bloke takes a punch better than some other blokes takes an elbow from a completely different bloke. Makes loads of sense that!!

I meant that Manu’s punch was something else – he did really well to not go down like a sakc of spuds whereas Smith dropped like a footballer when given ‘a bit of an elbow’ (Dorrian West’s words not mine).

Cuthbert also seems to have the turning circle of an oil tanker when the ball is put in behind him.

Whilst I agree, you need to bear in mind the fact that wales defend with the wings up leaving 1/2p to cover lots of ground. So when both him and north have to cover back they will have further to go. Will be interesting to see if Williams who can kick will drop deeper and help 1/2p more. We might see more cpunter attacking from 1/2p if he has more support although the welsh backrow rarely have one drop back either which makes counter attacking hard.

we are screwed if **INSERT NAME HERE** kick to the corners and pressure the lineout.

That’s what you said before the England game too. Can we take it as read for the rest of the championship? 😉

Yep. Welsh lineout was shit and and the maul defence poor. Hence wales hardly getting out of their own half v england in the second half. If scotland try and play expansive rugby without doing the donkey work first wales have a chance. Or if we can convinced Hogg to get sent off at the start.

Minmap3 – I know what you meant, I just don’t see the relavance. Just sounded like an excuse to slag off Matt Smith. And Dorian is a grade A Tosspiece!!

And yes I am a Tigers fan.

Minmap3 – I know what you meant, I just don’t see the relavance. Just sounded like an excuse to slag off Matt Smith. And Dorian is a grade A Tosspiece!!

And yes I am a Tigers fan.

I’m not a supporter of either (Worcs for my sins) but Smith seemed to be looking for niggle that day and the fall did seem a bit OTT.

It’ll be interesting to see how Wales cope with the pressure this weekend and what kind of game plan that they’ll adopt – I’d imagine that a win is more important so expect it to be a back to basics approach. Scotland could be dangerous – they seem pretty good (annoying) at the breakdown and have worked out where the try line is. I think they’ll beat a couple of teams this year and I have a feeling it may be England, Italy and one other.

The English approach to Italy will be interesting too – a big victory may be needed for points difference come the end of the 6N. With this in mind, I hope they don’t look to score as soon as they get the ball. They need to create the space first. The trouble is Italy have a habit of dragging teams into a slugfest.

what kind of game plan that they’ll adopt – I’d imagine that a win is more important so expect it to be a back to basics approach.

Wales played a basic game v england, they play a basic game v everyone. Crash bang kick long in field.

I hope Wales kick it long, we have a lineout I would put against any in the 6N.Should be a cracking day for it according to the met office. Should be a cracking day out

Up at Murrayfield…..looking forward to seeing finn Russell, Bennett and Hogg hopefully take the game to wales.

I just feel Scotland will be annoyed at the near miss in France so will tear into the Welsh.

England hopefully will play with some passing the forward battle should be intresting.

Ireland vs France……..close call.

I think they’ll beat a couple of teams this year and I have a feeling it may be England, Italy and one other.

I’d be interested to know why you think they’ll beat England enough to name them, but no mention of wales.
It’s a twickenham game too. I’d be VERY surprised at anything other than a convincing England win.

hope Wales kick it long, we have a lineout I would put against any in the 6N.

Wales will kick long but infield and chase slowly in a big defensive line. Just like v england as we like to give lots of oppotunity for the oppositions best attacking player to get plenty of ball.

England – Italy 2013: 18-11 Eng
England – Italy 2012: 19-15 Eng

Neither convincing wins. I know we hammered them last year, but Italy do have the ability to force a real grind of a game. I do think we’ll win, but I don’t think its going to be a try-fest (please let me be wrong 😉 )

A-A,almost Scottish in that attitude to the way your team will play. I worry about how our centres will deal with yours,but they are both very clever and I thought the got the better of the Bath pair in the cup match.Is Ball playing or has how much more manly and luxuriant Geoff Cross’s beard is made him pull a tactical hammy?

Ball is playing. AW has got rid of his beard. I take it Gods own tighthead wont be playing?
Coping with the welsh centres in easy if you take away quick lineout ball from the middle and slow down ruck ball as England did.

I’d be interested to know why you think they’ll beat England enough to name them, but no mention of wales.
It’s a twickenham game too. I’d be VERY surprised at anything other than a convincing England win.

No other reason than I’m English.

I can’t call the Scotland / Wales game this weekend – Scotland could cause them all sorts of problems, with the pace and offloads that they are looking to put on the game. It worked well for Glasgow against Bath. But, if Wales can get their big lumps hitting it up at pace, I think they’ll sneak it (Warrenball of old).

As for England vs Scotland, I just a nasty feeling that Scotland will sneak it. I guess I don’t have a huge amount of faith in the English rugby team. Friday night’s result was a bit of a surprise.

Also, the press will start saying that they’re the second coming especially if they win well this weekend. That normally means a massive fall is justa round the corner. Scotland also seem to have found an effective way to play that the players have bought into / is largely to their strengths. I’m not so sure England have this yet.

Scotland also seem to have found an effective way to play that the players have bought into / is largely to their strengths. I’m not so sure England have this yet.

But England have a LOT more quality in the team/squad. The scots look much improved but they couldn’t beat a France team who could barely string two passes together. It’s been years since France looked that bad.

But England have a LOT more quality in the team/squad. The scots look much improved but they couldn’t beat a France team who could barely string two passes together. It’s been years since France looked that bad

They relied on brute strength power – it was like a poor version of a South African team. This does seem to be the French way at the mo though – the Top 14 is pretty dull to watch. They’re also not helped by the massive number of foreign players.

On paper we probably do have better players (asuming that Bomber’s favs aren’t fit and parachuted in no matter what) but I just have a horrible feeling that we’ll not live up the billing of superior team. A couple of wins and the pressure for a title / grand slam will mount in the press which writes the Scottish team talk nicely.

France have been poor for a good few years now. I think the last 3 years 6N they have finished 4th, last and 4th so I’m hopeful we can take them in Dublin. Sexton, Heaslip and SOB should be back and Healy prob on the bench.

Eng will win well against Italy. It will probably be a grind first half and then they will pull away in the second, much like Ireland last week.

Sco/Wal I think is very hard to call. On paper you would think Wal should win but if they both play like they did last week then Sco should win. I’ll go with form and ancestry and say Sco by a score.

I fear the scots could be a victim of a Wales backlash. Their press have been very harsh on them, the pressure is very much on.
Ireland should beat France at a canter, they looked clueless (even more so than last year).

France have been poor for a good few years now. I think the last 3 years 6N they have finished 4th, last and 4th so I’m hopeful we can take them in Dublin. Sexton, Heaslip and SOB should be back and Healy prob on the bench.

France are looking to try and destroy Ireland up front I think. De Batty is in the team because of the job he did on Moore last year. I don’t think the ball will get far beyond the pack. Fofana must be bored senseless playing in this team.

Interesting article IMO on Moldova and Sale Tight head Vadim Cobilas

Vadiiiimmmmm

France are looking to try and destroy Ireland up front I think. De Batty is in the team because of the job he did on Moore last year.

Moore is on the bench so should get 50 mins out of Ross.

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13. Jared Payne (Ulster)
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster)
10. Johnny Sexton (Racing Metro)
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)

1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) captain
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7. Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)

Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
18. Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
20. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21. Isaac Boss (Terenure/Leinster)
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster)
23. Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)

Eng will win well against Italy. It will probably be a grind first half and then they will pull away in the second, much like Ireland last week.

I hope not. This Englands best chance to defend against a points difference should they lose v Ireland. The should get a 10pt lead asap, then pile on the points as quickly as they can.

Scotland won’t be England at Twickers this year, lol…