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The Rugby Thread


Rapey Hugh
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Just coming back from a fairly hefty session now. Thoughts on the games so far is that all 4 teams suffered from pretty poor defence but that said after being away for a long while that was to be expected I guess.

 

Wales looked seriously laboured and out of shape against a pretty messy Italian side they should have easily beaten. I guess as per usual they will improve as the games go on. For me though the performance of the back row was shoddy as the welsh 3 were all fairly dominated by Zanni & Parisse.

 

England were poor, that they got so close is more a reflection of the near total implosion of France(surprise fucking surprise)in the 2nd half. All Lancaster is proving is that no matter who is in the backline nothing will happen if you have a 10 who can't play. So much time has been invested in Farrell now who else has can he turn to?

 

With Cole & Mako together on the pitch their scrum was demolished. These new rules, essentially forcing the use of technique over mongo strength, are killing Dan Cole (not to mention mike Ross, A Jones and many others) also bin that lad nowell or whatever with the shit hair ASAP he was dire

 

France, France, fucking France!

Muck ball from 9 & 10 esp for for fofana, medard got about 2 touches and at times zero intensity from the pack bar Nyanga. Possibly the most frustrating team in world sport given their ability.

 

/rant

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From the BBC website, this comment is one of the highest rated on the France vs England match report:

 

 

 

"134.tightheadprop
1st February 2014 - 21:21

 

As a Scot I came on this site to wind up the English but having read some of the complete garbage written on hear (like people blaming the England management for everything) I actually want to defend them.

I agree with another post when they ask "how much rugby have some of the posters actaully played?".

Some people need to grow up, you sound like football fans."

 

 

 

Now quoting some twerp on the internet is never the best of ideas to justify a point, but alas here goes- I don't mind rugby, I actually quite like talking about it with those with a fair degree of knowledge of the game and on occasion I have watched some quite enjoyable flowing matches. Unfortunately though it really does attract some total meffs as supporters, whilst the same could be said of a certain round ball game that this site is based around I never get the same amount of pompous waffling that I have to put up with from rugby fans.

 

 

 

Much like the (in vogue conservative party flavoured) idea that the well-off somehow have a morally superior character to the rest of us many rugby fans carry this moralising into their sport. The number of times I've had friends lecture me as to why rugby supporters are of a nicer, more decent and better behaved type than their counterparts and that players are "gentlemen playing a hooligans game and football is the reverse" must be in the hundreds.

 

 

 

Well I've witnessed the drunken shenanigans of Wasps player at charity events, the coke snorting of some of Baths forwards and the licentious behaviour of a former Scotland kicker (as have my friends) and yet the droning on of these paragons of virtue never desists. I’ve also seen some less than salubrious behaviour from supporters, which never generates the level of indignation and righteousness that comes from the papers when supporters of other sports engage in the same activities.

 

 

 

I would watch rugby more often and possibly learn to like it as a sport and maybe even play with mates, but when I see it in the pub now I know that some bawbag will start parping up and it turns me off completely.

 

 

 

Now coming on one of this sites only threads dedicated to Rugby to moan about some of those who follow it is a bit rich given what I've said, but I wonder if any of you have run into the same chat before and what your response has been, given your obvious enthusiasm for both sports?

 

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I thought Italy played really fucking well in parts on Saturday.They took a gamble on some young backs and it bought a bit of flair and creativity to their (usually) tough forwards' game. I fancy them to bloody a few noses in this tournament.


 


Wales, well same as last year really - bit  sluggish and that flow that everyone talks about just wasn't there.  Even Mike Philips made errors from the ref urging him to play the ball quickly from the ruck. How many times in the past have we held it in there - seemingly interminably - until something's on? If this is an edict for ref's to keep the game moving we'll have to adapt: Either with Philips or even one of the younger scrum-halves pitching in. I'd quite like to see James Hook given a go there - he's looked very good at Perpignan by all accounts.

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I believe they are given 5 seconds to use it now, Cochyn.

 

Not before time, as a couple of years ago most of the games seemed to die after 75 minutes with a series of 1 yard advances & boring rucks.

 

I think Wales will go from strength to strength & if they beat the Irish I think they will Grand Slam.

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I believe they are given 5 seconds to use it now, Cochyn.

 

Not before time, as a couple of years ago most of the games seemed to die after 75 minutes with a series of 1 yard advances & boring rucks.

 

I think Wales will go from strength to strength & if they beat the Irish I think they will Grand Slam.

 

I think if we beat wales then we can do the grand slam. England are pretty good but they just dont have the experience and France , well they are no longer a superpower of Rugby union anymore IMO. Schmidt is a top, top coach and he has Ireland's defence playing so well that we are hard to beat for the first time in years. Shame we have England and France away as at home we could have battered both this year. I wouldn't mind seeing wales do the job if they can beat us though, they have an excellent group of players.

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Dear Welsh slags on this site, I hope we bum the life out of you you shower of leek deep-throating cunts.*

*Luv u rely doe xoxo

Always back Wales - but this new Irish side look impressive

 

Actually think Ireland will win comfortably

 

Disagree that England were poor but missing Tuligau and Croft

 

Standard overall is poor and I think NZ, SA and Australia would be looking on happily

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Dan Lydiate isn't playing at the top level pre injury which is a worry but Jamie Roberts actually looks fit so that is good

 

Ian Evans is severely underrated player and is being missed by us

 

I really don't get Scotland's poor performance

 

Good on paper poor in practice

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Always back Wales - but this new Irish side look impressive

 

Actually think Ireland will win comfortably

 

Disagree that England were poor but missing Tuligau and Croft

 

Standard overall is poor and I think NZ, SA and Australia would be looking on happily

 

I agree with you man, the standard of southern hemisphere rugby is on a different level altogether. Sad to see Argentina go to shit though, they were proper good a few years ago

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Dan Lydiate isn't playing at the top level pre injury which is a worry but Jamie Roberts actually looks fit so that is good

 

Ian Evans is severely underrated player and is being missed by us

 

I really don't get Scotland's poor performance

 

Good on paper poor in practice

 

I think Halfpenny is the most underrated player on the planet, his kicks are sublime and his overall play cant be faulted. would walk into any team bar NZ

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I think Halfpenny is the most underrated player on the planet, his kicks are sublime and his overall play cant be faulted. would walk into any team bar NZ

I have to disagree on that one. If you take out his place kicking he is not really that impressive. Hogg Brown Kearney are all better when it comes to making breaks and fielding ball and all 3 are equally good if not better at kicking out of hand. His defending is very decent though. The idea that he is underrated is crazy seeing as for the last 8-9 months people have been falling over eachother to praise him. Some have been as nuts to say best fullback in the world even though La Roux Dagg and the real no 1 Folau are clearly superior players.

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I called that correctly, sadly

 

That Irish man of the match - fantastic player - where has he been hiding?

 

Much deserved (off to get stick of Irish mates)

 

Garland needs to pick Hook

 

Agree about halfpenny - folau is no 1

 

I think if England get sam burgess they'll have one hell of a player

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Ireland boring? 26 -3. How is a 20+ winning margin boring? They played a gameplan today to counter the welsh backs which worked perfectly. If they can't smash it up the centre they ain't got shit. I garuntee you you will see this team play the ball more playing against different sides. It's refreshing as an Ireland fan to have any sort of gameplan.

 

Wales need rid of warburton sharpish for Tipuric, guy was dirt today. AWJ is the real captain of that

side. Also Phillips proving he is a no class slag again, guy is really on a downward curve. Are there any young welsh 9s out there my welsh forumites? That u20 guy the other night was handy

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Ireland boring? 26 -3. How is a 20+ winning margin boring? They played a gameplan today to counter the welsh backs which worked perfectly. If they can't smash it up the centre they ain't got shit. I garuntee you you will see this team play the ball more playing against different sides. It's refreshing as an Ireland fan to have any sort of gameplan.

 

Wales need rid of warburton sharpish for Tipuric, guy was dirt today. AWJ is the real captain of that

side. Also Phillips proving he is a no class slag again, guy is really on a downward curve. Are there any young welsh 9s out there my welsh forumites? That u20 guy the other night was handy

I think you've got your blinkers on Rapey. Ireland kicked it all game, I'm not slating them for it, at the end of the day the tactic worked and you schooled Wales. 

 

It's similar to the old Woodward/England style of play. 

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I think you've got your blinkers on Rapey. Ireland kicked it all game, I'm not slating them for it, at the end of the day the tactic worked and you schooled Wales. 

 

It's similar to the old Woodward/England style of play.

 

I know what you're saying but I have a feeling that the papers will bemoan the fact that we used a kicking game in this match and this somehow underhand tactic (that most teams in the championship use at some stage) was the reason for our win even though I thought overall we won most of the battles around the park. Exactly like the Woodward plan which is what really pissed me off when the BBC of all people called it "dull"

 

Welsh assuming you are...welsh, do you think WG will try an mix it up after this?

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I know what you're saying but I have a feeling that the papers will bemoan the fact that we used a kicking game in this match and this somehow underhand tactic (that most teams in the championship use at some stage) was the reason for our win even though I thought overall we won most of the battles around the park. Exactly like the Woodward plan which is what really pissed me off when the BBC of all people called it "dull"

Welsh assuming you are...welsh, do you think WG will try an mix it up after this?

Our big problem is that we haven't got much at half back an area which has been our strength for decades. Phillips is getting slower and his kicking has always been poor. Ideally I'd play him as an impact player. Neither Priestland or Bigger convince and hook is talented but a bit erratic.

 

We're also weak in the second row at the moment with so Evans, Charteris and Johnson out. Coombs is decent but not top class.

 

Ireland's tactics were spot on and we needed someone at half-back to take back control.

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Gatland has to do the right thing and pick Hook

 

There are a few good 9's are at the Blues

 

I think Warburton needs bench time - Tipuric and a faster number nine would transform our team

 

 

I think for the first time Ireland have tactics - I reckon they'll have a different set for England and France as I don't think they'll win an arm wrestle

 

Didn't watch England vs Scotland second half - Lawes and Billy looking awesome

 

If England dropped Robshaw and picked the Toulan number seven Armitage they would cake walk the 6 nations IMO

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  • 2 weeks later...

Gaitland didn't do very much but the French obliged with yet another poor performance.  God they are shit, I mean really shit.  They've been utter garbage for a good 2-3 years now with the odd one off superb performance thrown in

 

Wales were much improved though. Getting the basics right is massively understated even at the highest level.

 

Ireland & Italy to win tomorrow.  England still don't have enough firepower in the backs to win close games. Produce that bit of magic and/or be clinical when required.

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