Rugby 2017 Discussion

The Premeirship final was amazing. The last three games of the Premiership season, the two semi finals and the final, were decided by a combined total of 6 points which is fantastic for the neutral. Well done to Exeter (who beat Wasps 23-20) for going one better after losing last season's final to Saracens. Feel a bit for Wasps as they were 90 seconds or so from winning the final but a disciplinary lapse proved oh so costly. I shouldn't have laughed but I got a chuckle at seeing Sarra Elgan standing next to Martin Bayfield at Twickenham yesterday. She's half his height!
 
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Enjoyed Martin Samuel's interview with Sir Clive Woodward where Sir Clive admitted he shouldn't have coached the Lions in New Zealand 12 years ago. Feels a bit like right man, wrong job. He appeared to be the type of coach who needed to be given autonomy and time to bring success. England could give him that - don't think Lions job did.
 
Lions tour starts tomorrow when they take on the NZ Barbarians in Whangarei. Might want to get those match related thread marks ready @unchanged_lineup haha.
 
unchanged_lineup said:
Ha! Will indeed. Also, Cheetahs have received a formal invite to join the Pro 12...

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2017/0601/879632-cheetahs-invited-to-join-pro12-report/
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If the Cheetahs join the Pro12 and play their homes games in Bloemfontein, the games will have to be at night where the temperature will be reasonable. Over the last few years in Super Rugby, the Cheetahs can attack, but struggle defensively. Their game vs the Highlanders a month or so back encapsulated that perfectly when they were leading the Highlanders 41-24 with 7-8 minutes to play to then lose 45-41. At Eden Park a few weeks back, the Blues beat them 50-32. Similar story basically where the Cheetahs could score tries but struggled to defend.
 
Mitchell Nicholas said:
If the Cheetahs join the Pro12 and play their homes games in Bloemfontein, the games will have to be at night where the temperature will be reasonable. Over the last few years in Super Rugby, the Cheetahs can attack, but struggle defensively. Their game vs the Highlanders a month or so back encapsulated that perfectly when they were leading the Highlanders 41-24 with 7-8 minutes to play to then lose 45-41. At Eden Park a few weeks back, the Blues beat them 50-32. Similar story basically where the Cheetahs could score tries but struggled to defend.
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Wow!

If it increases the quality of the Pro 12, I don't mind the move. The final was quite good this year and Scarlets were well-deserved winners, beating the teams who finished 1st and 2nd in the table. I'd imagine the two Italian teams will be very worried if it comes off though, as more fixtures to the schedule is not what anyone really wants and there might be a push to amalgamate them.
 
Pack haven't been bad - Sinckler, Moriarty, Warburton and Faletau the standouts for me.

Backs have been pants though. Rust is to be expected but there's been some very dumb decision making from a few players who look more interested in putting their name in lights than playing proper rugby.

Hogg, Te'o, Sexton and Laidlaw haven't done themselves any favours in terms of test selection. Joseph probably the pick of the backline so far.
 
unchanged_lineup said:
Barbarians match all about tries to be fair
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It's way to early to worry about evening up the scores and I am aware that these matches are all about the "spectacle" … but, I do think that to expect this team to concentrate on tries after 3 days in the southern-hemisphere is a lot to ask. These are essentially proving grounds for the 3 test games and there every point will count. If they'd have opted for the posts the first time they were camped on the line, before Warburton ran into the back of his own man, I wonder if it might not have settled a few of the jitters.
 
SqueakyWeasel said:
It's way to early to worry about evening up the scores and I am aware that these matches are all about the "spectacle" … but, I do think that to expect this team to concentrate on tries after 3 days in the southern-hemisphere is a lot to ask. These are essentially proving grounds for the 3 test games and there every point will count. If they'd have opted for the posts the first time they were camped on the line, before Warburton ran into the back of his own man, I wonder if it might not have settled a few of the jitters.
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Ah yeah, but I remember SA kicking points against Barbarians in Northern Hemisphere matches and getting booed out the door - it's just the manner of these games.

Farrell staking his claim.
 
Never understood the interest the Lions tours create. Like i can understand it might be an honour to be chosen as the best player in your position in the British Isles, but where's the achievement in the combined strengths of 4 traditional top rugby nations beating a single nation? Especially when some of the 4 can and do beat the 'toured' nation fairly regularly?

A combined British team heading off to play Brazil would be a bit of a laughing stock.
 
John_Jensen said:
Never understood the interest the Lions tours create. Like i can understand it might be an honour to be chosen as the best player in your position in the British Isles, but where's the achievement in the combined strengths of 4 traditional top rugby nations beating a single nation? Especially when some of the 4 can and do beat the 'toured' nation fairly regularly?

A combined British team heading off to play Brazil would be a bit of a laughing stock.
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All fair points if you are unfamiliar with the game and the history. However I'd steer clear of comparisons to football if i were you … just sayin' ;)
 
diarm said:
Pack haven't been bad - Sinckler, Moriarty, Warburton and Faletau the standouts for me.

Backs have been pants though. Rust is to be expected but there's been some very dumb decision making from a few players who look more interested in putting their name in lights than playing proper rugby.

Hogg, Te'o, Sexton and Laidlaw haven't done themselves any favours in terms of test selection. Joseph probably the pick of the backline so far.
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Agree with all this, said everything I would only think I'd add is AWJ to poor list. Judging on form, last 12 months and injury he might even be 5th choice lock.
 
SqueakyWeasel said:
That "Beneath the Black" Documentary on the ABs (Last Thursday evening on Sky Sports UK) looks awesome. I'll try and get it from somewhere if anyone's interested.
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I was hoping to find the documentary online but had no luck. Wouldn't mind having a look.
 
John_Jensen said:
Never understood the interest the Lions tours create. Like i can understand it might be an honour to be chosen as the best player in your position in the British Isles, but where's the achievement in the combined strengths of 4 traditional top rugby nations beating a single nation? Especially when some of the 4 can and do beat the 'toured' nation fairly regularly?

A combined British team heading off to play Brazil would be a bit of a laughing stock.
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Hmm, I think it's a part of the tradition that's been retained, a kind of tradition that's been lost in Football, most likely retained due to how long the game remained amateur. There's a lot of pride at stake.
 
I was looking for the Ireland u20 match to see the end and all I could find was France-Argentina. Utter madness match.

Argentina thought they'd won it with a 40m drop goal (!) 2 mins from the end, but after the restart as France attacked one of their players took out a French forward with a ridiculously dirty, totally unnecessary, from-behind no-arms chop tackle, gave away a penalty with yellow card and France rumbled over from the ensuing lineout. Total madness.
 
SqueakyWeasel said:
It's not arrogance … but

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jun/02/rugby-column-nick-evans-lions-all-blacks
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I wasnt expecting 10-0 and I dont expect it to be as one sided as some in the media are thinking it will be. I think its going to be a nice tight test series. Our own media here in NZ are morons at times and dont reflect what the general public are thinking. There seems to be some sort of trend in NZ sports journalism to hunt out and over exaggerate any sort of perceived weakness or slight. Its embarrassing to be honest. What I do know is we love it when The Lions tour, we miss the days of long tours and lots of games.
 
Stack said:
I wasnt expecting 10-0 and I dont expect it to be as one sided as some in the media are thinking it will be. I think its going to be a nice tight test series. Our own media here in NZ are morons at times and dont reflect what the general public are thinking. There seems to be some sort of trend in NZ sports journalism to hunt out and over exaggerate any sort of perceived weakness or slight. Its embarrassing to be honest. What I do know is we love it when The Lions tour, we miss the days of long tours and lots of games.
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Nicely said. Was disappointing yesterday but I think that as the Lions warm up they'll present a good challenge for the ABs. Going to be a great series if Saturday's Crusaders v Highlanders game was anything to go by!
 
Stack said:
I wasnt expecting 10-0 and I dont expect it to be as one sided as some in the media are thinking it will be. I think its going to be a nice tight test series. Our own media here in NZ are morons at times and dont reflect what the general public are thinking. There seems to be some sort of trend in NZ sports journalism to hunt out and over exaggerate any sort of perceived weakness or slight. Its embarrassing to be honest. What I do know is we love it when The Lions tour, we miss the days of long tours and lots of games.
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This All Black side is one of the greatest teams ever.

Scarily good.

I think it will be a test whitewash with one of those games being an absolute hammering.
 
I wouldn't put it past the Crusaders to beat the Lions on Saturday. Crusaders are the best team in Super Rugby, they'll win the comp too IMO and i think they'll hang in there long enough that if the Lions don't put them away, we could see an upset.
 
Mitchell Nicholas said:
The article is behind a paywall but Ben Kay has described All Blacks fans as the most arrogant in the world. The only time they really give me the shits is when they inundate Australian social media pages after they beat the Wallabies with their insufferable gloating.
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Thats ironic coming from an Australian.
 
Stack said:
Thats ironic coming from an Australian.
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Problem with their gloating is it does lead to the conversation on the Fox Sports Australia and Fox Sports Rugby Facebook pages taking juvenile turn on both sides. Wouldn't annoy me at all if it was just kept to the social media pages of the NZ Herald, Sky Sport, Stuff etc. Yes, i do appreciate the irony you pointed out.
 
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