Rugby Union 23/24 Discussion

Andrew Conway has retired, I was happy to see him back against three sharks a few weeks back after nearly 2 years out with injury he scored house 50th try in 150 games for Munster in that one, but on doctor's orders he had to retire because of his knee.
 
Duane Vermeulen announced his retirement during this week. What a player he was and what a career he's had.
 
Seeing as the RWC thread is closed I’ll stick this in here.

Television match official Tom Foley identified the knock-on four phases before Smith’s attempt, which is understood to have exceeded the two-phase limit for TMO reviews per World Rugby’s mid-2022 protocol update.

Apparently Smith’s try shouldn’t have been disallowed.
 
fecked watching Englands (football) snoozefest off to enjoy Bath vs Bristol.

Love sighting of Alfie Barbeary on a rugby pitch, and feck me have Bristol just scored a sensational try!!
 
he was amazing for wasps. hoping injuries haven’t ruined him. he’s a huge prospect.
 
he was amazing for wasps. hoping injuries haven’t ruined him. he’s a huge prospect.
Sadly I think he’s fecked.

Interesting to compare Barbeary and Jack Willis, who were both in that wonderful Wasps back row.Willis tore both ACL’s brutally and missed years, but has been back and playing regular rugby for a couple of seasons.

Barbeary has had much less brutal injuries, but fecking loads of them. Ankles, hammys, calves - one after another. I honestly think he’s too strong for his own body. It can’t cope with the amount of power he generates from it
 
Sadly I think he’s fecked.

Interesting to compare Barbeary and Jack Willis, who were both in that wonderful Wasps back row.Willis tore both ACL’s brutally and missed years, but has been back and playing regular rugby for a couple of seasons.

Barbeary has had much less brutal injuries, but fecking loads of them. Ankles, hammys, calves - one after another. I honestly think he’s too strong for his own body. It can’t cope with the amount of power he generates from it
You reckon? He got injured on his Bath debut after a long lay off but he’s been looking great this season. I know there was concern in the last game, but it was clearly just a knock as he played on.

Looks like Bath have finally got their act together. All it took was me moving away from the city after paying tonnes to watch shite rugby for years :lol:
 
You reckon? He got injured on his Bath debut after a long lay off but he’s been looking great this season. I know there was concern in the last game, but it was clearly just a knock as he played on.

Looks like Bath have finally got their act together. All it took was me moving away from the city after paying tonnes to watch shite rugby for years :lol:
:lol: Yeah that’s pretty grim timing. Where you gone to?

Hey I hope he's healed and has a long spell on the pitch. I just went through this process at Wasps
 
:lol: Yeah that’s pretty grim timing. Where you gone to?

Hey I hope he's healed and has a long spell on the pitch. I just went through this process at Wasps
Back down to Cornwall as we had an opportunity to get on the property ladder. An impossibility in Bath.

Championship rugby for me tomorrow watching Cornish Pirates. Luckily we still have plenty of ties in Bath/Bristol so will get there for a few games this season. Going to watch the Ulster game next month.

Ticket prices are so insane that I couldn’t afford to go every week anyway. Cheapest one for the Ulster game was £55 and Prem games before Xmas are all over £65. Almost double the price they were just after lockdown, and that’s behind the posts or close to that. Gotta pay Russell’s wages though!
 
Back down to Cornwall as we had an opportunity to get on the property ladder. An impossibility in Bath.

Championship rugby for me tomorrow watching Cornish Pirates. Luckily we still have plenty of ties in Bath/Bristol so will get there for a few games this season. Going to watch the Ulster game next month.

Ticket prices are so insane that I couldn’t afford to go every week anyway. Cheapest one for the Ulster game was £55 and Prem games before Xmas are all over £65. Almost double the price they were just after lockdown, and that’s behind the posts or close to that. Gotta pay Russell’s wages though!
Championship rugby is sweet. We go over to watch Donny, stadiums only tiny and you’re basically on the subs bench where we sit. Quality-wise it’s excellent as well. I’m sure you’ll have a decent time watching the pirates.

I don’t envy anyone trying to get on the ladder at the moment.Though you’re gold dust at the moment, I’m trying to sell mine and there’s so few people buying, it’s a nightmare
 
Championship rugby is sweet. We go over to watch Donny, stadiums only tiny and you’re basically on the subs bench where we sit. Quality-wise it’s excellent as well. I’m sure you’ll have a decent time watching the pirates.

I don’t envy anyone trying to get on the ladder at the moment.Though you’re gold dust at the moment, I’m trying to sell mine and there’s so few people buying, it’s a nightmare
To be fair, I moved about a year ago now, so we just about managed to lock into a low interest rate for 5 years. Unfortunately the family member we bought from hadn’t updated the house for 30 years, so it’s been a renovation journey so far.

I grew up here, so I used to watch Pirates when they were they were about 4 divisions lower. I was climbing up the trees as a 10 year old to watch the first half, before getting in at half time for free…you’d have thought they would have just let us in for health and safety purposes :lol: I think Doncaster are playing here in a couple of weeks.
 
To be fair, I moved about a year ago now, so we just about managed to lock into a low interest rate for 5 years. Unfortunately the family member we bought from hadn’t updated the house for 30 years, so it’s been a renovation journey so far.

I grew up here, so I used to watch Pirates when they were they were about 4 divisions lower. I was climbing up the trees as a 10 year old to watch the first half, before getting in at half time for free…you’d have thought they would have just let us in for health and safety purposes :lol: I think Doncaster are playing here in a couple of weeks.
I’ll be cheering on Donny…..but not in person. Not up for the 15hr round trip :lol:
 
After 10 years Peter O Mahoney has stepped down as Munster captain, citing that he wants to be a helping hand to the new captain like he received from POC.

It's getting close isn't it I think he'll see the season out and call it a day.
 
After 10 years Peter O Mahoney has stepped down as Munster captain, citing that he wants to be a helping hand to the new captain like he received from POC.

It's getting close isn't it I think he'll see the season out and call it a day.
He might want to go out close to the top, before he hits a decline.
 
Leinster vs Munster tonight. Already seen the spectre of Jonny Sexton in the crowd

And one hell of a try from Munster
 
Looks like Larmours sealed it for Leinster.

Also, have Simon Zebo and Luke Shaw got the same dietician? Both giving off that pacy Fatboy vibes
 
Owen Farrell taking a break from England and will miss the 6 nations to focus on his family and his well being.
 
Just thinking to myself about how unfortunate Ireland and Leinster have been with injuries. Main one you think of is Carberry who really could have been an incredible player (even though he is really a 15 rather than a 10). However I'm mainly thinking Frawley and Tommy O'Brien. Frawley is just amazing in multiple positions and but for injuries he'd have been a cert for the Irish World Cup squad. Tommy O'Brien is even better than Jimmy (who I rate super highly) and for me his potential is absolutely Irish starting winger. Hopefully the two of them can still reach their highest level. But for injuries it really should be Harry Byrne and Crowley battling it out for the Irish 10 jersey too. Obviously it happens in rugby (and you never know if these guys will reach their potential) but it really feels like Ireland and Leinster have had some really top talents hampered in the last few years.

Over my rambling that Connacht try was awesome.

Edit: as good as he is even Kelleher has been somewhat hampered by constant injury too.
 
That's bollix as a Leinster fan, if anything the Leinster player was the one in the wrong and now a nothing yellow for Connacht. The law has no nuance at all. Also our handling this season has been an absolute mess in every game. We better tighten up soon or we'll be taken apart in Europe.
 
Blade has come on leaps and bounds, should definitely be considered for the 6 nations squad.
 
Jesus Christ we look shite. Kelleher has been a disaster at lineouts. Coonacht more than worth their lead.
 
Handling is a joke. Every game this season. You expect us to no have the best set piece but our usual strengths have become a huge weakness in every game this season. Not looking forward to LAR in a few weeks.
 
Another excellent Connact try after Leinster dominating the 2nd half, they are honestly one of the best attacking teams in Europe in broken play.
 
Jesus we've been terrible, so many errors. Kelleher especially has been shite. Fair play to Connacht they've been decent. Haven't had to be at their best.
 
Heartbreaking for Connacht, we didn't deserve that. Frawley what a player.
 
Handling is a joke. Every game this season. You expect us to no have the best set piece but our usual strengths have become a huge weakness in every game this season. Not looking forward to LAR in a few weeks.
I can only begin to imagine what the prospect of a match vs La Rochelle does to your otherwise sunny disposition :D :lol:
 
I can only begin to imagine what the prospect of a match vs La Rochelle does to your otherwise sunny disposition :D :lol:

:lol: Was hoping for a win in a meaningless game to up our spirits but with how we’ve played so far this season I’m bricking it!! Although they’ve been playing pretty bad too!
 
:lol: Was hoping for a win in a meaningless game to up our spirits but with how we’ve played so far this season I’m bricking it!! Although they’ve been playing pretty bad too!
Mate, you could be playing well and it wouldn’t matter….Bougarits, Danty, Alldritt & Skelton will steal your ball and feck you up…..it’s basically math at this point.

Before we even mention….Botia.

They need a win to restart their season so playing Leinster is perfect. It’s basically the complete reverse of every other team having to play Leinster
 
Mate, you could be playing well and it wouldn’t matter….Bougarits, Danty, Alldritt & Skelton will steal your ball and feck you up…..it’s basically math at this point.

Before we even mention….Botia.

They need a win to restart their season so playing Leinster is perfect. It’s basically the complete reverse of every other team having to play Leinster

The feckers have a curse I'm telling you!! Would be typical of us to beat them now even when we're playing shite in a meaningless group game.
 
A day full of European rugby today and somehow none of the fixtures are really gripping me. Same can’t be said for tomorrow though, LAR vs Leinster and Quins vs Racing are both tasty as feck…..shame I’ve decided to go into work tomorrow
 
A day full of European rugby today and somehow none of the fixtures are really gripping me. Same can’t be said for tomorrow though, LAR vs Leinster and Quins vs Racing are both tasty as feck…..shame I’ve decided to go into work tomorrow

That’s going to be a theme for ages, thanks to the lack of jeopardy in the pool games.