The Rugby Thread

[PeteC]

No, they're a South African company. Ignore the spoons as I mentioned somewhere earlier as often they seem off.

In the case this week Dai_L didn't play and I don't think they give spoons to zero point defaults. Pharvey won the week with Lindosfan second. You and I tied at 1 point but I was closer to the actual margin which is probably why you got it instead of me.

[PeteC]

Super Rugby Round #11 (Local & Thai time)

Fri 26 April: Crusaders v Lions @ Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch (19:35 - 14:35)
Fri 26 April: Sunwolves v Highlanders @ Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo (19:00 - 17:00)

Sat 27 April: Hurricanes v Chiefs @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington (19:35 - 14:35)
Sat 27 April: Waratahs v Sharks @ Bankwest Stadium, Sydney (19:45 - 16:45)
Sat 27 April: Stormers v Bulls @ DHL Newlands, Cape Town(15:05 - 20:05)
Sat 27 April: Jaguares v Brumbies @ Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires (18:40 - 04:40 Sunday)

Bye: Rebels, Reds, Blues

[PeteC]

Only 3 hours to go until the first match starts. It may be only you and I playing going forward Lindosfan,

[PeteC]

Answers to two rule questions I've had for a while. This is per research and don't know if set in stone or not in all leagues:

1) A knock on "advantage" is supposed to last for two phases of play, and a penalty advantage a bit longer. I can't find where "a bit longer" is defined so I guess up to the referee.

2) After the ref says "use it" they have 5 more seconds to pick up the ball and use it. Again, I think there is a lot of discretion on the part of the referee as to how long 5 seconds is.

[dtaai-maai]

1) First I've heard of a 2-phase limit for a scrum advantage. In any case I don't think I've ever seen it last longer than 2 phases without being called one wa or the other.

The criteria for a penalty advantage are obviously different, particularly whern the team with the advantage is attacking the opponent's try line. The ref's discretion usually seems ok to me.

2) I always thought the 'use it' scenario applied to a maul that had ground to a halt, but I've seen it used at rucks and scrums. 5 seconds is quite a long time. I don't remember ever seeing a ref blow for a scrum for a faliure to 'use it'. I've seen players push the limit a bit, but it's never struck me as a major problem.

[PeteC]

= at myself! I picked the Sunwolves to beat the Highlanders by 5 given recent performances by both. The Highlanders won 52 - 0.

I felt so badly for Hayden Parker who came through the Highlanders system but left after 5 years. See below excerpts. There was a belief in that Tokyo stadium tonight that the Sunwolves could beat them. I think the first time in their history they have been held scoreless. The Highlanders played like a team possessed. Their best performance in a long time.

Hayden Parker's price tag keeps moving up as the world's most accurate goal kicker

....."Sunwolves flyhalf Hayden Parker has cemented himself as New Zealand’s best goal kicker over the last two seasons with a record streak of 38 consecutive goal kicks followed by another run of 32 consecutive goal kicks. His astounding 97.4% success rate over the last two years at Super Rugby level makes him the most accurate goal kicker in the world.

The local Otago product came through the Highlanders system but found his road blocked by Colin Slade and then Lima Sopoaga, spending most of the time as a back-up over a five year period. Unable to get regular game time, Parker moved to the Japan Top League on a short-term deal, before the former Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph picked up Parker for the Sunwolves in 2017.

Despite notching 50 caps for the Sunwolves, he has only made 8 appearances in the Top League and appeared just once in 2018 for his new team Kobe Steelers as Dan Carter took over the starting duties. With the Sunwolves set to be axed from 2020, is Parker going to be the most sought after player?".....

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/hayden-p ... al-kicker/

[lindosfan1]

This current forecasting is impossible, nothing goes to form. Not bothering next week it seems to pay not to forecast and get 2 default points.

[PeteC]

This "world cup protocol" for New Zealand teams I've been mentioning is playing havoc with consistency and predictability. One week a team has a full complement of their top performing All Blacks, and the next they have few.

Aaron Smith was back from injury for the Highlanders and he is the top ranked scrum-half in the world. His presence has a huge impact on their performance.

[PeteC]

Super Rugby Round #11

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[PeteC]

Super Rugby Round #12 (Local time - Thai time)

Fri 3 May: Crusaders v Sharks @ Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch (19:35 - 14:35)
Fri 3 May: Reds v Sunwolves @ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (19:45 - 16:45)

Sat 4 May: Hurricanes v Rebels @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington (17:15 - 12:15)
Sat 4 May: Highlanders v Chiefs @ Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (19:35 - 14:35)
Sat 4 May: Brumbies v Blues @ GIO Stadium, Canberra (19:45 - 16:45)
Sat 4 May: Bulls v Waratahs @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (15:05 - 20:05)
Sat 4 May: Jaguares v Stormers @ Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires (16:40 - 02:40 Sunday)

Bye: Lions

[pharvey]

A seriously good try!!

[pharvey]

The outcome of this one will have some ramifications either way....

Must be confident/determined to turn down $1m.

Full Story: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... second-day

"Israel Folau’s landmark code of conduct hearing has resumed in Sydney. The controversial Wallabies star returned to Rugby Australia headquarters on Sunday morning with his legal team set to continue arguing his case against having his four-year, $4m, contract torn up.

The dual international reportedly rejected a $1m offer to walk away before the hearing began on Saturday after RA chief executive Raelene Castle hit Folau with a “high-level” breach notice last month.

Folau, Castle and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika all provided verbal evidence on Saturday and the governing body said no more witnesses were expected to be called upon on Sunday.

Folau’s defence counsel of solicitor Ramy Quatami and barrister Adam Casselden spent the opening day of the hearing arguing that Folau’s latest round of inflammatory Instagram posts were merely passages from the Bible and not his direct words.

They also put forward the fact that RA didn’t include a specific social media clause when the John Eales medallist signed a new contract in February.

But after being formally warned last year when he posted similar passages claiming gays were destined for hell, RA’s legal team headed up by Justin Gleeson SC are saying the fullback has breached the player code of conduct and social media policies."

[PeteC]

Super Rugby Round #12

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They don't give Spoons to defaults, and Lindosfan defaulted this week.

[PeteC]

WORLD CUP OFFICIALS

Referees (12): Wayne Barnes (England), Luke Pearce (England), Jérôme Garcès (France), Romain Poite (France), Pascal Gaüzère (France), Mathieu Raynal (France), Nigel Owens (Wales), Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Paul Williams (New Zealand), Nic Berry (Australia) and Angus Gardner (Australia) – 457 Tests as referees

Assistant referees (seven): Matthew Carley (England, reserve referee), Karl Dickson (England), Andrew Brace (Ireland), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand), Federico Anselmi (Argentina), Shuhei Kubo (Japan) and Alex Ruiz (France) – 130 Tests as assistant referees

TMOs (four): Graham Hughes (England), Rowan Kitt (England), Ben Skeen (New Zealand) and Marius Jonker (South Africa) – 217 Tests as TMOs

[PeteC]

Super Rugby Round #13 (Local & Thai time)

Fri 10 May: Blues v Hurricanes@ Eden Park, Auckland (19:35 - 14:35)
Fri 10 May: Rebels v Reds @ AAMI Park, Melbourne (19:45 - 16:45)
Fri 10 May: Bulls v Crusaders @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (19:10 - 00:10)

Sat 11 May: Highlanders v Jaguares @ Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (17:15 - 12:15)
Sat 11 May: Chiefs v Sharks @ FMG Stadium, Hamilton (19:35 - 14:35)
Sat 11 May: Lions v Waratahs @ Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg (15:05 - 20:05)
Sun 12 May: Brumbies v Sunwolves @ GIO Stadium, Canberra (16:05 - 13:05)

Bye: Stormers