Rugby Union 23/24 Discussion

international rugby > football. pains me to say it, but in its entirety, it’s far easier to follow without leaving your principles at the door.

Sadly true, and I grew up hating everything about the sport here in Ireland.
 
In that last couple of minutes, he literally just flicks the ball out Again and again and again. Clean but dull. Doesn’t even seem to consider any variation.

Yeah, he is very clean and I get why he is in the team because he is safe. But that's only a good thing when you have the likes of Ntamack or Jalibert who are the type of player that attack the line all the time and are very creative.
 
Sadly true, and I grew up hating everything about the sport here in Ireland.

I find myself choosing to watch some Rugby games over Football in recent times and never ever thought that would be the case.
 
Sadly true, and I grew up hating everything about the sport here in Ireland.

yep. i hate the rugby culture in england, but love the game.

Good game. fecking cnuts

i’d have taken the last two games after the first three. something to build on and a bit of optimism for the future. some actual rugby.

Rugger rimmers is a different animal.

i can have cohesive thoughts on things. it’s just easier not to.
 
I get that itv are reliant on the French broadcaster but to not show a replay of the “no arms tackle” that won France the game is extremely poor.
Referring team also missed two French players penaud being the main one being a good 5 metres offside from a kick.
Enjoyable game though, could have gone either way
 
I find myself choosing to watch some Rugby games over Football in recent times and never ever thought that would be the case.
Yeah, same. Wasn't on the cards 20 years ago.
It’s more entertaining. Rugby league as well (though I know there won’t be many that agree with me here).

Sitting down to watch your average premier league game is dull as feck nowadays
 
i’d have taken the last two games after the first three. something to build on and a bit of optimism for the future. some actual rugby.
Oh definitely. Ollie Lawrence is really big for us. We’ve had a gaping hole at 12 for ages. Actually selecting Ben Earl is handy as well….fecking Eddie Jones, left him out the squad when he was Premiership player of the season :lol:
 
It’s more entertaining. Rugby league as well (though I know there won’t be many that agree with me here).

Sitting down to watch your average premier league game is dull as feck nowadays

My dad watches Rugby League more than Football these days.
 
feck me that penalty is daft as feck. There’s 20 of them per game
 
feck me that penalty is daft as feck. There’s 20 of them per game

it’s hard when you’re the best rugby playing nation on the planet, everyone is trying to get an advantage over you.
 
Oh definitely. Ollie Lawrence is really big for us. We’ve had a gaping hole at 12 for ages. Actually selecting Ben Earl is handy as well….fecking Eddie Jones, left him out the squad when he was Premiership player of the season :lol:
He looks like a proper No 8, gains yards, not afraid of taking the ball into contact, he will score tries
 
That penalty decision is the equivalent of a Salah dive at anfield in the last two minutes.
After we have finally seen it
 
He looks like a proper No 8, gains yards, not afraid of taking the ball into contact, he will score tries
He’s been the players at international level we all thought Sam Simmonds would be a few years ago
 
Oh definitely. Ollie Lawrence is really big for us. We’ve had a gaping hole at 12 for ages. Actually selecting Ben Earl is handy as well….fecking Eddie Jones, left him out the squad when he was Premiership player of the season :lol:

eddie was the right man at the right time. was just here a world cup cycle too long.
 
It’s more entertaining. Rugby league as well (though I know there won’t be many that agree with me here).

Sitting down to watch your average premier league game is dull as feck nowadays

While I prefer Union, League is pretty good mindless entertainment. If you watch elite leagues, the average game is better than most Football games. Australian Football is also fun.
 
While I prefer Union, League is pretty good mindless entertainment. If you watch elite leagues, the average game is better than most Football games. Australian Football is also fun.
I watched some NRL this morning. Have to share this with you all…..

 
Fantastic 6N tournament (unless of course you're a Wales fan). Incredibly entertaining and the improvement of the Italian team was a joy to watch.
 
My first morning after the 6 nations hangover with a 10 month old.

Not fun.
 
Fantastic 6N tournament (unless of course you're a Wales fan). Incredibly entertaining and the improvement of the Italian team was a joy to watch.

Hopefully it continues into next year. Starting the last day with something potentially riding on each game was great. Shame how it ended up for England but at least we started playing rugby again in the latter games.
 
Delighted for Italy that they seem to be really heading in the right direction. Surely this is the first time they've gone 3 straight unbeaten in the 6Nations. England showed some positive signs in their last two games but their two games in New Zealand in July will tell us more about them. Based on their last two games, Ireland won't win a test in South Africa unless they sharpen up. France need Dupont back ASAP. Scotland are still the same old Scotland - flattering to deceive. As for Wales, well, it's fair to ask if rugby has passed Warren Gatland by. Bar the 2nd half against Scotland and the first half against England, they've been poor, so poor they might lose both tests in Australia and the match against the Queensland Reds on Friday July 19.
 
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Delighted for Italy that they seem to be really heading in the right direction. Surely this is the first time they've gone 3 straight unbeaten in the 6Nations. England showed some positive signs in their last two games but their two games in New Zealand in July will tell us more them. Based on their last two games, Ireland won't win a test in South Africa unless they sharpen up. France need Dupont back ASAP. Scotland are still the same old Scotland - flattering to deceive. As for Wales, well, it's fair to ask if rugby has passed Warren Gatland by. Bar the 2nd half against Scotland and the first half against England, they've been poor, so poor they might lose both tests in Australia and the match against the Queensland Reds on Friday July 19.

Yep, that is fair. Ireland weren't great at all, which is remarkable in itself. We all got very excited after beating France away but the French took a while to wake up this year.
 
Yep, that is fair. Ireland weren't great at all, which is remarkable in itself. We all got very excited after beating France away but the French took a while to wake up this year.

Of course, winning the tournament despite not playing well tells its own story. There’s definitely something not quite clicking for Ireland at the moment but if we can win big matches despite this then that bodes well for the future. Having Hansen and Keenan fit and well for the tour will be important and make a big difference.
 
Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, the big news is that the Crusaders have lost their first 4 games of the super rugby season. They've lost some top, top players and their outstanding coach but nobody would have expected them to be winless at this point of the season. It doesn't get any easier for the champions with a trip to Eden Park to play Vern Cotter's Auckland Blues on Saturday. Rob Penney's side needs a win and there is no better place to do it than away to the Blues.

I'm just enjoying the fact that the Queensland Reds are in 2nd at the moment. Les Kiss and his coaching staff have produced a team that plays vibrant, attacking rugby while putting a value on a strong set piece. The defence could be better but while averaging 5 tries a game, there is room for error on that front for the moment

Two stories from this part of the world, both out of New Zealand that are important for the global game:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/35020...ed-card-push-heading-crucial-world-rugby-vote

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350211819/rugby-championship-expansion-unlikely-all-blacks-set-tour-sa

If Australia and New Zealand had their way, the 20 minute red card law would have been brought in early enough for it to have been used in the 2019 World Cup. It remains to be seen if they'll finally get their wish. It should be noted that there's some self interest at play here as both countries top the red card charts from Jan1 2017, to the present day. Should it happen, the return of test series and tours between New Zealand and South Africa would be epic.