The Rugby Thread

[pharvey]

Can't disagree with any of that - except perhaps for the Hill card; I thought yellow was right, and I suspect you're looking through Bath-coloured glasses .
[/quote]

Believe it or not, not so much the "Bath-coloured glasses" - I'm very anti that type of play. The size and fitness of these guys going in that way can (and will) cause serious and life changing injuries. By the letter of the law, it could not be said that initial contact was made with the head or neck - therefore a yellow card was correct. However, the guy charged in with complete and utter malicious intent - out and out to hurt Faletau, Christ it could have been a lot worse.

Bath are a decent side (though I wasn't overly impressed with the scrum half - Spencer?), and with their back line you expect more than they achieved today, but (a) they need the ball first and (b) the Exeter defence is astonishing. An awesome side.

Bath with the squad they have really have underperformed for several years. However are making progress under Cooper and getting back to a level where they should be. They need to be challenging for silverware on a regular basis - hopefully we'll see a continued improvement. As for Spencer, he didn't have a good day today (like several Bath players), but has made a huge impact since joining Bath and has certainly helped Priestland's game - him having a poor game today certainly affected Priestland and the backs.

I'm sorry I missed the other game, now that I've hopefully got the streaming sorted I really must get the schedule organised. Rugby is really my game over and above anything else.

Well, Wasps vs Bristol was not the game I was hoping for either, a tad too one sided. Will wait and see what happens in the final on the 24th.

Glad to hear the oval game tops the round ball game!!

[Big Boy]

Well, Wasps vs Bristol was not the game I was hoping for either, a tad too one sided. Will wait and see what happens in the final on the 24th.

Very one sided

You don't watch much rugby, do you BB?
A deliberate knock-on when intercepting a pass stops the attacking team having possession in the same way as an offence at the ruck, scrum or any other aspect of play. It can be a fine line, but the decision is based on whether there is a realistic chance of taking the ball, which usually means that one hand stuck out in an attempt to stop the pass results in at least a penalty and often a yellow.

Exactly the sane thing happened in last nights Wasps game, but no Yellow Card. I guess it's a bit like footie, it depends upon what area of the pitch it happens on.

[arcadianagain]

I had to watch the game with a French commentary and learned some extra vocabulary, le up and under, le 22, scrum = melee and tackle = blockage. Of course as a Devonian I want Exeter to win, after all they were the beast team throughout the season, but, I`m sure Wasps will have a plan

[arcadianagain]

I had to watch the game with a French commentary and learned some extra vocabulary, le up and under, le 22, scrum = melee and tackle = blockage. Of course as a Devonian I want Exeter to win, after all they were the beast team throughout the season, but, I`m sure Wasps will have a plan

[dtaai-maai]

^^Yes, and a crunching tackle = Ooo la laaa

[dtaai-maai]

Just been watching yesterday's NZ-Aus game. Fairly ordinary stuff until the clock went into the red - 10 minutes of amazing end-to-end rugby that started when a long-range penalty (that would have won the Aussies the game) bounced back off the post.

[PeteC]

The All blacks have work to do, whereas The Wallabies looked like a team who has played and trained together much longer. They certainly aren't the Wallabies we saw last season.

There was this haunting feeling something is simply missing with the All Blacks in this first game back since Covid. Tackling wasn't good, defense has holes and they simply weren't dominant like we're used to seeing. A lot of new blood, and the old veterans carrying most of the load this first match.

The All Blacks had it won but Rieko Loane had a try dismissed because he was showboating, diving over the line like an Olympic swimmer, and lost control of the ball before grounding.

Leg two of the Bledisloe Cup next weekend.

[PeteC]

[PeteC]

Currently a Covid safe country.

New Zealand v Australia: Eden Park set for 47,000 crowd for Bledisloe Cup

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/54520540

The All Blacks' spiritual home Eden Park is expected to host a "near capacity" crowd of 47,000 for the second Bledisloe Cup match between New Zealand and Australia on Sunday.

The country, with a population of 4.8m, has been so successful in combating Covid-19 it had only one new case in the 24 hours leading up to 13 October.

The first Test in Wellington featured 31,000 fans without masks.

"It's shaping as a special occasion," said NZR's Chris Lendrum.

"We are looking forward to bringing Test rugby to New Zealand's largest city [Auckland] and with more than 40,000 tickets sold."

The third Bledisloe Cup Test will be staged at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on 31 October and could be played in front of 40,000 fans.

The government of the Australian state of New South Wales, where community transmission has been reduced to a handful of cases each day, loosened restrictions on big stadiums from 1 October to allow them to be filled to 50% of capacity.

[pharvey]

SANZAR seem to do a U-Turn each week with regards to the Championship. Personally I'd be surprised if SA take part, but then again I didn't think the Pumas would!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54535476

Rugby Championship: South Africa Given Deadline to Decide Whether to Participate

"South Africa have delayed their departure to the Rugby Championship while they decide whether to take part during the coronavirus pandemic.

South African officials are reportedly concerned over player welfare and their limited preparation time.

The Springboks have not played since beating England in the World Cup final in Japan last November.

The six-week championship, which begins on 31 October, will be held entirely in Australia because of the pandemic.

Tournament organiser Sanzaar (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina Rugby) has given the the world champions another 48 hours to agree participation.

South Africa were due to arrive in Australia this weekend, before their opening fixture against Argentina on 7 November in Brisbane, with all travelling squads having to quarantine for two weeks on arrival.

Sanzaar has already been forced to move the Australia v New Zealand Test on 12 December forward to 31 October, to avoid All Blacks players being in two-week quarantine at Christmas after returning to New Zealand."

[pharvey]

This whole thing seems ridiculous to me. Going ahead with the France vs Wales "friendly" in Paris - a city where a "State of Emergency" has been declared with a "night-time lockdown" (9pm to 6am) imposed. The game, behind closed doors, is due to kick off at 9:00pm local time - inside the lockdown period with sporting exemptions yet to even be granted!

Why the hell risk the health of players and officials for a "non-match"? The cost of the trip without the income from spectators - not to mention the Welsh Assembly's recent decision to close borders to areas of high Covid infections/Hotspots?!! WTF?!!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54545125

"French rugby chiefs have reached a compromise which will allow the national side to play all six games of the extended autumn Test window.

This includes the opening Six Nations warm-up match against Wales on 24 October in Paris.

The France home matches are still scheduled to go ahead behind closed doors despite the president announcing curfews in Paris and eight other cities across the country to be imposed from Saturday.

Emmanuel Macron said people must stay indoors from 9pm to 6am to help control the spread of coronavirus.

The opening match at the Stade de France between France and Wales is still due to kick-off at 20:00 BST (9pm local time in Paris) with sporting exemptions expected to be granted.

Fabien Galthie has named five uncapped players in his squad to play Wayne Pivac's side."

[pharvey]

Not a great surprise - a pity though, but the right decision IMO.

Full Story @ https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/ ... a-pull-out

Rugby Championship Cut in Half as World Champions South Africa Pull Out

"World champions South Africa will not take part in the Rugby Championship, leaving the southern hemisphere championship greatly diminished 16 days before its scheduled start.

The annual Test tournament also featuring New Zealand, Australia and Argentina was already delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and is being staged in one country for the first time.

“Naturally, it is extremely disappointing that the Springboks, due to the continued complexities of operating in and around this Covid environment, cannot fully compete in the previously planned six-round Rugby Championship,” SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos said.

The championship will now consist of six Tests in Australia, starting with the third Bledisloe Cup clash between the hosts and New Zealand in Sydney on 31 October."

[dtaai-maai]

The right decision, but a bit late!

[pharvey]

The right decision, but a bit late!

It's not helped....

[dtaai-maai]

I managed to catch the final purely by chance. Come on, pharvey, where was the reminder???
Good win for Bristol, who didn't deserve to be 6 down at half time.