The Rugby Thread

[pharvey]

Well, for 60 minutes I was very happy with the Welsh team's play - night and day compared to the fiasco of last weekend. Then.... Total and utter capitulation! WTF?! A 21 point lead lost, 26 unanswered points, 2 Yellow Cards, a Penalty Try and idiotic substitutions by Pivac..... Dark, dark days for Welsh rugby from which we will struggle to recover from anytime soon without big changes to the whole setup. As a minimum, Pivac must now go with an interim coach brought in (hopefully Gatland). We then need to look for a longer term coach and backroom team - along with getting rid of the Powerbrokers in the WRU. Changes need to be made throughout - top level to grassroots rugby. Rugby is an institution in Wales, but the WRU seem intent on killing it!

As for the Lillywhites - well, whilst in a far better position than Wales, they have their own problems. Well beaten by the Saffers who are quite frankly looking very good to defend their title in France next year. Future coaching team? England certainly won't change anything before the RWC but will be looking to do so post tournament.

But hey, to the HHF Prediction League! Congrats to Jimmy Greaves who (despite being 2nd) is the HHF Champion for 2022!! I on the other hand performed about as well as Welsh rugby!!
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. This, let's be very clear, was a 3rd string Australian side and they handed us our collective arses in the last 20-25 minutes!!

[dtaai-maai]

Well, for 60 minutes I was very happy with the Welsh team's play - night and day compared to the fiasco of last weekend. Then.... Total and utter capitulation!

Yes, pretty much what I was planning to say until I decided to wait until after the England game...
Wales, I thought after 60 mins, albeit playing a poor and much-depleted Aussie side, will feel better after getting a few points under their belt. Even with a minute to go I was thinking Wales would have settled for a narrow victory before the game. How they managed to lose it is quite beyond me.

The silver lining might be that the Welsh RFU surely have to get rid of Pivac now, whereas a win might have salvaged his job.

As for the Lillywhites - well, whilst in a far better position than Wales, they have their own problems. Well beaten by the Saffers who are quite frankly looking very good to defend their title in France next year. Future coaching team? England certainly won't change anything before the RWC but will be looking to do so post tournament.

As for England, I don't think I've ever seen anything as dire as that performance. Dreadful from start to finish. They didn't even appear to want to play positively until the (very clear) SA red card, but even then they failed miserably. Completely outplayed all the way through. Not a single plus point.

Faf de Klerk - a nasty little shite, but a clever one you'd probably love to have on your side. And as for Hill getting sucked in by him - honestly, these guys are supposed to be professionals! I had to laugh when I saw de K's grin when Hill plucked him off the ground...

[pharvey]

Faf de Klerk - a nasty little shite, but a clever one you'd probably love to have on your side. And as for Hill getting sucked in by him - honestly, these guys are supposed to be professionals! I had to laugh when I saw de K's grin when Hill plucked him off the ground...

Idiotic from Hill - get's close to the stupidity of Tipuric for Wales (minus the Yellow )...... Yep, de Clerc is a complete barsterward/"little shite", but a great player and someone you would always want to play with rather than against.

Wales have little chance of getting out of the Group Stages quite frankly, but for all the talk of England taking the title, this result does put things into perspective.

[pharvey]

Bath have made leaps and bounds from the early season (and last season) - hats off to them!

Tonight's match vs the (despicable) 'Quins, highlighted several things....

The standard of refereeing is very poor (oh, let's just say dire!) - Yellow Cards missed against both sides. A Yellow Card but not a Penalty Try.. HOW? Offsides and penalties galore missed (or given the wrong way).... This seems to be happening for a pastime. Disgraceful really.

Bath - Incredibly inconsistent in the Front 5 and defence (a pity Bath lost out to Racing for Will Rowlands) - we also desperately need a decent 10, though rumour has it Finn Russell may be making a move to the Rec from Racing 92... Now that would be interesting!!

Redpath has been a God send at 12 and could well aid in the move for Russell (Scots together) - we can only hope!

Bath are dead and burried this season, but things are looking positive for times to come..... Supported them for 40+ years through good and bad times - let's hope!!

Wales, Bath and Scarlets to do somewhat better next season!!

[pharvey]

Oh. I've not been happier for a fair few years..... THANK THE LORD!! ..... AND the Lillywhites don;t get him!!

"Wayne Pivac has been relieved of his Wales head coach duties and Warren Gatland will make a sensational return to Welsh rugby this side of Christmas, it has been announced.

Gatland will be in charge for the 2023 Six Nations and Rugby World Cup, and could stay even longer with what the Welsh Rugby Union describe as "the ability to go through the next World Cup cycle up to and including Australia 2027".

Pivac has headed for the exit door after overseeing just three wins in 12 Tests during 2022. In November alone, Pivac's Wales were hammered by New Zealand and threw away leads to implode in the closing quarter against both Australia and Georgia, forming the basis of a damning post-autumn review. Those results led to the Welsh Rugby Union hierarchy deciding that a changing of the guard was necessary nine months out from a World Cup."

[PeteC]

Super Rugby Pacific 2023 Schedule

https://super.rugby/superrugby/document ... -schedule/

[PeteC]

I'm anxious to see if Gatland is the real deal this time around. When he took over the Chiefs in NZ the changes he tried to make were catastrophic, and he basically had a rebellion on his hands. He tried to take away the open, fast passing game and replace it with I guess you could call the European model of simply bashing up the middle each possession. I watched some very boring matches when he was trying to do that, and watched the Chiefs drop like a stone in the standings. After a time, he wasn't even visible in the box upstairs. No idea where he was but the assistant coaches were running everything.

He brought his son over from the Highlanders and that boy has been doing great. Tremendous change in his performance post Covid as compared to pre. He's now a key player for the Chiefs and look forward to watching him this season.

I wish Gatland Sr. luck. There is a lot of hype in the press about turning Wales around. Let's see.

[pharvey]

^ Well he's certainly got a job on his hands and unfortunately doesn't have a magic wand for a quick fix. Realistically, I don't see big changes in the squad (at least initially), but would hope and expect a big change in attitude.

Players have come and gone in the past 3 years, Pivac and co. have taken the national team backwards and the Regions/Welsh rugby are in absolute turmoil with the WRU seemingly unable to come to any sort of agreement with the Regions in regards to salary caps/budgets. There is a freeze on new contracts/contract renewals - several players have left/will leave due to uncertainty over their futures and with the "60 Cap Rule" still in place, a number will be lost to the national side. Absolutely ridiculous state of affairs!!

Difficult times ahead

[PeteC]

I read above Pharvey and if I was a player my head wouldn't even be close to being in the right place. Their futures up in the air, their pay up in the air, their contracts up in the air, the status of their team up in the air. How can they concentrate on their play?

Pivac may only have been a small part of the overall problem.

[pharvey]

You are correct Pete - many problems, BUT Pivac as Head Coach lost the players and lost the supporters.... Huge blame to the WRU and also Regions. The following sums things up really....: -

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... dium=email

[pharvey]

Well, I've heard of some ludicrous decisions in rugby/sport, but this must take the biscuit. OK, the guy''s no angel and has "history", BUT 20 YEARS!!!

Rugby Player Banned For 20 Years After Brushing Shoulder of Referee Fights Back

"Rugby player Matthew Nean is fighting his case to return to the sport after he was given a huge 20-year ban for making contact with a referee.

The incident occurred back in 2016, but The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) has released an interview in which Nean explained how the ban continues to impact his life.

It happened in a rugby league grand final match between Nean's West Tamworth Lions and their close rivals North Tamworth. Nean contested referee James Brown's decision and walked past him, making light contact with the official's shoulder.

Nean was sent off immediately and was later offered an 18-week suspension. He pleaded not guilty at the hearing and lost his case, picking up a 20-year suspension from rugby as punishment. He says he thought it was some kind of "joke". He cannot play or coach at any level and has even been asked to leave matches involving his sons.

Six years later and Nean still has 14 years to go. He will be 45 before he can play again, with his career effectively ended. Speaking to the SMH, Nean explained that he is banned from watching his sons play at local grounds.

“I go to watch a game and just get settled in, put sunscreen on the kids and everything, and next minute we have to leave – someone’s tapped me on the shoulder and said I’m not allowed to be there”

“I’m not trying to cause a scene, I just want to watch my kids play.”

He has tried to appeal against the ban multiple times, but the deadline for legal action is nearing its end, which means Nean will no longer be able to contest his ban from the sport.

Country Rugby League chief executive Terry Quinn, who passed away in September, gave his verdict on the incident at the time, saying Nean's actions deserved "the harshest of penalties" and noted his past involvements with referees.

"In the case of Matt Nean, you are talking about a repeat offender who had only just returned from serving a long suspension for a similar offence."

The former West Tamworth man admits he made contact with the referee, but said it was accidental. Nean's lawyers are considering taking the case to the Supreme Court.

According to Nean and former club secretary and spokesperson for the case Julie Woods, the panel did not allow him to use video footage of the incident to fight his case.

He's now working for the Aboriginal Land Council as a community mentor for the indigenous youth, and explains that the ban has created a huge hole in his life.

“I’ve done a lot of stuff behind closed doors, I just want to give back. I want to coach kids in minor league, but I can’t because of my suspension.”"



Taken From : - https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... s-25787579

[dtaai-maai]

^^Blimey, I watched the lip a couple of times and I can't see any contact at all!!

[pharvey]

^^Blimey, I watched the lip a couple of times and I can't see any contact at all!!

I didn't! Before I saw the video, you're almost expecting a "no arms tackle"!! But seriously, what the hell.....

There's another clip at the link, but shows no real contact either.....

[pharvey]

Well, it's confirmed Finn Russell will join Bath after next year's RWC...... On a reported +/- £1 Million per year salary!!

Whilst I'm delighted he'll be playing for Bath, it's an absolutely ludicrous salary - it simply cannot be justified in Club or Regional Rugby, especially when you see the likes of Wasps and Worcester going bankrupt!

The ENTIRE SQUAD is under a £5 Million "Salary Cap" and he alone will be on nigh on £1 Million (being a "Marquee Player" outside the Salary Cap) - I wonder how well that's going to go down in the changing room/on the training field...

To be fair, we need to be looking more towards strengthening the forwards who were completely outplayed by Toulon and have been so on numerous occassions over the past few seasons...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64037218

[lindosfan1]

New rules to speed the union game up. About time this was done.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64069729