Rugby 2018 Discussion

SqueakyWeasel said:
Because your example came form a kick not an intercepted pass … I think (I am nowhere near the level of expertise of some of the guys on here! Perhaps they can help out?
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You can't knock on from a charge down of a kick so it's different to hitting the man and the ball in the tackle. I guess the idea of having a knock on for incidents like the Lawes one was to clear up the confusion that may arise as to whether player's were deliberately slapping the ball in the tackle or genuinely just knocking the ball while making a tackle.
 
RORY65 said:
You can't knock on from a charge down of a kick so it's different to hitting the man and the ball in the tackle. I guess the idea of having a knock on for incidents like the Lawes one was to clear up the confusion that may arise as to whether player's were deliberately slapping the ball in the tackle or genuinely just knocking the ball while making a tackle.
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Yes, I was answering his question. Not defending my earlier question.
 
Definitely a deserved win.

Wonder if all the people with one Scottish great grandparent claim this one like all the “welsh” people that pop up
 
Finn Russell in the first half was at his genius best.
 
Wahey. First rugby match I've ever watched as well.
 
Brilliant. Shame in a way though because Paddy’s day would have been a cracker with both going for the grand slam.
 
I loved how John Inverdale was so desperate to blame it on Nigel Owens and everyone else just pointed out he'd got both big decisions absolutely spot on.
 
Bah. Nicely done Scotland. England and Nige, nope.
 
So after Scotland mastered England I kept thinking "I don't think I've seen this before?" Turns out I indeed hadn't, I only got satellite TV in 'Nov 08, Scots last beat England earlier that year.
 
What a performance by the boys on Saturday, was fantastic to watch. I would just love to see us replicate form like that away from home. At home we are a brilliant side these days.
 
Jamie Heaslip has announced his retirement effective immediately.



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Xaviesta said:
After a weekend of moaning and groaning about punishments regarding high tackles in round 2 of super rugby, here's a voice of reason.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2018/02/27/short-memories-high-tackle-cards-not-refs-fault/




Looks like a red card to me, or at the very least a tackle that could be worthy of a red yet some pundits on Aussie TV bemoaned an early red card
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Yeah, contact with the head is inexcusable nowadays considering the rules. As the guy wrote, the rules have been in place for ages.
 
England were suffering from a bout of complacency on Saturday. It happens no matter how hard you try to avoid it. Add to that a Scotland team full of kiwis and South African educated players all fired up and poor Nigel, they did well not to concede 50pts.

Nigel’s refeering has been questioned but I agree with Martin Johnson that, technically, the ref was correct. I also agree with Paul O’Connel that some offences wouldn’t have been whistled in most games. There were at least two forward passes from Russel which the momentum rule wouldn’t cover but hey, they won, we lost. Bring on the French.
 
Offsideagain said:
England were suffering from a bout of complacency on Saturday. It happens no matter how hard you try to avoid it. Add to that a Scotland team full of kiwis and South African educated players all fired up and poor Nigel, they did well not to concede 50pts.

Nigel’s refeering has been questioned but I agree with Martin Johnson that, technically, the ref was correct. I also agree with Paul O’Connel that some offences wouldn’t have been whistled in most games. There were at least two forward passes from Russel which the momentum rule wouldn’t cover but hey, they won, we lost. Bring on the French.
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I don't see why you are bringing "a Scotland team full of Kiwis and South African-educated players" into the conversation; the implication I get is that if it wasn't for these 'mercenaries' coming in, England wouldn't have lost on Saturday.

Moreover, most of the 'foreign' Scottish players qualified via the Granny Rule, so they do have Scottish blood. If you want to complain about naturalisation, fair enough, but I think the only two players on the Scottish squad who qualified through residency were WP Nel and Cornell du Preez.

Also, Dylan Hartley, Nathan Hughes, Mako Vunipola, Billy Vunipola, Ben Te'o and Denny Solomona all qualified for England either through the Granny Rule or through residency; if you complain about Scotland having a team full of Kiwis and Boks, then you have to apply the same standards to England as well.
 
Chris Farrell crocked for the run-in :nervous:

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2018/0227/943987-chris-farrell-set-to-miss-six-nations-run-in/

Ireland centre Chris Farrell looks set to miss the remaining two matches of this year's NatWest Six Nations due to an injury picked up in training.

Joe Schmidt's side were taking part in an open training session at the Aviva Stadium earlier on Tuesday when Farrell twisted his knee and required medical attention.

Farrell, who picked up the man of the match award for an outstanding performance in Saturday's win against Wales, re-joined the group with no initial effects, however, a precautionary scan has revealed ligament damage.
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Solid start for the Bulls. Super Rugby already looking like it's going to be loads more competitive this year.
 
That's a shame as he was excellent on Saturday, best performance by an Irish centre in a while. The only positive is that Ringrose is back and will presumably slot in. It doesn't look unfortunately as if O'Brien will play any part which is a pity because he could have been destructive against an English backrow which struggled so badly last weekend.
 
Jerome Kaino will leave the Auckland Blues at the end of their super rugby season to play in the Top 14. The SBW back to league rumour lasted about a day or so just like the Israel Folau back to league rumours which tend to surface this time of year.
 
D
Rawls said:
I don't see why you are bringing "a Scotland team full of Kiwis and South African-educated players" into the conversation; the implication I get is that if it wasn't for these 'mercenaries' coming in, England wouldn't have lost on Saturday.

Moreover, most of the 'foreign' Scottish players qualified via the Granny Rule, so they do have Scottish blood. If you want to complain about naturalisation, fair enough, but I think the only two players on the Scottish squad who qualified through residency were WP Nel and Cornell du Preez.

Also, Dylan Hartley, Nathan Hughes, Mako Vunipola, Billy Vunipola, Ben Te'o and Denny Solomona all qualified for England either through the Granny Rule or through residency; if you complain about Scotland having a team full of Kiwis and Boks, then you have to apply the same standards to England as well.
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So you agree that the ‘Scottishness’ so highly promoted to the death by Doddy Weird and co has been diluted. Wear a kilt and you’re patriotic, support England and you’re arrogant has always been the case north of Carlisle and actually, I am uncomfortable with having granny rules qualified players in our team. Perhaps it was brought in to help smaller nations. Does anyone know?
 
Offsideagain said:
D


So you agree that the ‘Scottishness’ so highly promoted to the death by Doddy Weird and co has been diluted. Wear a kilt and you’re patriotic, support England and you’re arrogant has always been the case north of Carlisle and actually, I am uncomfortable with having granny rules qualified players in our team. Perhaps it was brought in to help smaller nations. Does anyone know?
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I don't have an issue with people with grandparents playing for a country, to me that is a clear link (maybe I am biased as so many Irish footballers have used that connection). My issue with nationality in rugby is the players who move to a country to make money as professional athletes and then within 3 (or now 5) years they become eligible internationals, it brings an element of transfers in to international sport. A rule where either you have to be born in a country, have a parent or grandparent from there or lived there for some period as a child before becoming a professional sportsperson would seem fairer.
 
Not a great few days for Munsters Champions Cup aspirations. First Cloete is gone for the season (google Chris Cloete forearm fracture for one of the most gruesomely graphic surgery tweets you're ever likely to see) and now Farrell has done his ACL.

We have fitness doubts surrounding Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Kleyn, Wycherly, O'Donnell, Rory Scannell, Taute, Conway and Ronan O'Mahony - will be lucky if we can field a side to face Toulon by the end of this 6N!

Leinster have it even worse with Heaslip retiring yesterday and the likes of O'Brien, Furlong, Van der Flier, McGrath, Henshaw, Nacewa, Byrne, Daly, Marsh and Ruddock all out and Ringrose only just coming back from injury.

We're building much better strength in depth in Ireland but I'm not sure how sustainable this attrition rate is.
 
Reap what you sow, Eddie?

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/43235314


Whatever about verbal abuse (he gives out plenty himself), physical abuse is totally out of order.

Jones travelled from Scotland to watch Manchester United's Premier League win against Chelsea as a guest of former Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
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:nervous:
 
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