Topic: General Rugby Union Thread

[Ray K]

Deciding test between Australia and France about to start now on Sky Lions rugby channel. I managed to catch a few minutes (ahem) of the 2nd game on Tuesday while WFH and it was really good.

Kiwi ref has given an absolute bullshit red card to Koriobete for a perfect tackle after 5 mins so this game's over.

[WhoHe]

Yes was looking forward to this, now not so much, early red ruined the game.

[Elmo!]

It's still a pretty great game despite the red.

[WEST HAM PAUL]

30-27 to Australia with 7 mins left
Been cracking game

Edit 30-30 with 5 left

Edit 33-30 to Australia 2 mins left

Aussie win down a man after 5 mins

[WhoHe]

Superb game that, think the French should blame the ref for a harsh red as it seemed to inspire the Aussies.

[Ray K]

What a fantastic test match. Magnificent heart and guts by the Wallabies with 14 men, and a thoroughly deserved win.

Edit: Lolesio is some find for Australia at 10. Nerves of steel for a 21 year old.

[Crosby Nick]

30-27 to Australia with 7 mins left
Been cracking game

Edit 30-30 with 5 left

Edit 33-30 to Australia 2 mins left

Aussie win down a man after 5 mins

Think you meant to say “We win” Paul?

[WEST HAM PAUL]

Think you meant to say “We win” Paul?

Nicholas now now 🤔 Citizenships a business transaction with benefits 😁
It’ll always be The or They 😁

[Timbo's Goals]

What a fantastic test match. Magnificent heart and guts by the Wallabies with 14 men, and a thoroughly deserved win.

Edit: Lolesio is some find for Australia at 10. Nerves of steel for a 21 year old.

You're not wrong mate. Incredible effort by the Aussies. And what about that French flanker Woki. Wow. What a test series it was.

BTW If you haven't already watched it have a watch of that 2nd test on catch up. So worth the effort to find it - surely one of the finest games ever. Australia gave the most exhilarating performance of virtually non-stop running rugby whilst France were just awesome.

 

[sinnermichael]

England's autumn internationals are on Amazon Prime.

Sigh.

[Crosby Nick]

Australia just beat South Africa for the second week running. Only caught the end of it but nice to see South African can be beaten, presumably by playing a bit of rugby against them.

Not sure what’s up with the Aussie kit though. Which bright spark though yellow numbers on a gold kit was a good idea?

[Ray K]

Are Australia....good? I think they might be. I watched the third France test and this, and they outplayed both teams.

[Crosby Nick]

Are Australia....good? I think they might be. I watched the third France test and this, and they outplayed both teams.

Next Lions opponents. So nailed on they’ll be World Champions by then!

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

Are Australia....good? I think they might be. I watched the third France test and this, and they outplayed both teams.

We creamed them in the Bledisloe games though but yeah, they have the makings of a good pack. Still weak at lock and therefore the line out and going back to Cooper as your 10 probably won’t work out but the rest of the backline is good.

[BarryCrocker]

Are Australia....good? I think they might be. I watched the third France test and this, and they outplayed both teams.

Top, top coach. How Hopper remains captain with only 23 wins out of 60 as leader is baffling.

[Crosby Nick]

How come this next game is also being played in Brisbane? Covid reasons presumably?

Will there be any games in Argentina, SA or NZ?

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

How come this next game is also being played in Brisbane? Covid reasons presumably?

Will there be any games in Argentina, SA or NZ?

Nope. All in Australia

[Crosby Nick]

So that’s why they’re winning.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

So that’s why they’re winning.

Pure coincidence that they’re hosting these games in high humidity venues where their win rate is much higher, for COVID reasons.

[Ray K]

Actually the Aussie wins over the Boks have made me mad all over again at how poor the Lions were this summer, the lack of ambition, not trusting the players etc. If Gatland gets that coaching gig again they should just scrap the whole concept.

[Ray K]

Games gone soft with all this head injury stuff. This was given as a red card in France today. Back in my day etc etc
https://twitter.com/ultimaterugby/status/1439243248787197964?s=19

[Gerry Attrick]

Games gone soft with all this head injury stuff. This was given as a red card in France today. Back in my day etc etc
https://twitter.com/ultimaterugby/status/1439243248787197964?s=19

He got off very lightly. Could've been no complaints if they gave him the kicking of a lifetime.

[Ray K]

He got off very lightly. Could've been no complaints if they gave him the kicking of a lifetime.

I can just imagine his teammates thinking 'you're on your own there matey' if it did kick off.

[Gerry Attrick]

Some excellent news on a Tuesday. Elliot Daly is not in the 45 man training squad 

[Crosby Nick]

Games gone soft with all this head injury stuff. This was given as a red card in France today. Back in my day etc etc
https://twitter.com/ultimaterugby/status/1439243248787197964?s=19

Jesus!

[Nobby Reserve]

Games gone soft with all this head injury stuff. This was given as a red card in France today. Back in my day etc etc
https://twitter.com/ultimaterugby/status/1439243248787197964?s=19

A tad late, but the impact of the shoulder was on the upper chest and he sort of made a half-attempt to wrap the arms.

 

[Crosby Nick]

Some excellent news on a Tuesday. Elliot Daly is not in the 45 man training squad 

The Vunipolas, Jamie George, George Ford all left out as well.

Louis Lynagh is in. As is Ollie Sleightholme of Northampton who must surely be the son of Jon who played there in the 90s. Mad how many sons of former players are coming through.

On another note, former Ireland Centre Brendan Mullen was in court today, charged with stealing £500,000 from Bank of Ireland. Reports are unconfirmed whether he wore his headband in court.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

The Vunipolas, Jamie George, George Ford all left out as well.

Louis Lynagh is in. As is Ollie Sleightholme of Northampton who must surely be the son of Jon who played there in the 90s. Mad how many sons of former players are coming through.

On another note, former Ireland Centre Brendan Mullen was in court today, charged with stealing £500,000 from Bank of Ireland. Reports are unconfirmed whether he wore his headband in court.

Is it just me or do sons and daughters of X top rugby players make more of career for themselves in the same sport than the equivalent in football?

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

The 100th test between South Africa and New Zealand in the 100th year of playing each other this weekend. Feels like a big deal, a prestige event. I for one am taking no regard of the form book going into this one, I'm pretty sure the Boks have been lining this game up all along.

[liversaint]

The first to break ranks..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/58652442

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

Well the AB v Boks game was an awful watch. The Saffas game plan is dreadful, predictable shite which was massively helped by a terrible ref and the AB’s bad case of the dropsies.

[Ray K]

Well the AB v Boks game was an awful watch. The Saffas game plan is dreadful, predictable shite which was massively helped by a terrible ref and the AB’s bad case of the dropsies.

It was a tight game but Luke Pearce was really excellent if you take off your AB shades.

Boks game plan to kick away possession inside the AB's 22 in the last 5 minutes was...curious.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

It was a tight game but Luke Pearce was really excellent if you take off your AB shades.

Boks game plan to kick away possession inside the AB's 22 in the last 5 minutes was...curious.

Well we kicked it back to them twice in the final minute. 

Pearce couldn’t wait to blow his whistle. Pinged us at the first lineout for closing the gap before the ball was even close to being thrown in. Most refs warn and reset. He got in our way three times, so he doesn’t understand the game flow or his position in it. In two of those occasions the next play resulted in us losing possession. His calls at the scrum were farcical. Maybe he should’ve got more help from the linos but the Saffas interrupted our jumpers on every single one of their god awful box kicks. He’s shit

[Ray K]

Well we kicked it back to them twice in the final minute. 

Pearce couldn’t wait to blow his whistle. Pinged us at the first lineout for closing the gap before the ball was even close to being thrown in. Most refs warn and reset. He got in our way three times, so he doesn’t understand the game flow or his position in it. In two of those occasions the next play resulted in us losing possession. His calls at the scrum were farcical. Maybe he should’ve got more help from the linos but the Saffas interrupted our jumpers on every single one of their god awful box kicks. He’s shit

Now if you want a shitty refereeing performance this fella takes the biscuit

Ludicrous decisions all going for the ABs. Disgraceful bullshit.

[sinnermichael]

What a game.

[Gojedo]

Don't get me wrong, South Africa really fronted up for this game but that was an absolutely shocking performance from the ref. In saying that,  I'm a little concerned about how we're going to go up north. Whilst I'm pissed about the incompetence of the last two reffing performances, we seem to be regressing. Putting all that aside, a massive congratulations to South Africa,  world rugby is a lot better off when they're playing like that.

[Trump's tiny tiny hands]

The game as a whole was a million times better than last week. Think the ref got 2 obvious calls wrong against the ABs and similarly for the Boks. The Boks really surprised with their 20min burst after half time, won the game there with their dominance at the breakdown. ABs got thrown off their game and had brain fades at bad times.

[sinnermichael]

Saracens being taken over by a £32m consortium. Well and truly the Man City of the rugby world. No wonder everybody hates the cheats.

[Statto Red]

Saracens being taken over by a £32m consortium. Well and truly the Man City of the rugby world. No wonder everybody hates the cheats.

At least there's a salary cap in the Premiership & clubs get proper punishments for breaching the salary cap like Saracens did.

[sinnermichael]

No Vunipola's, George Ford or Jamie George in the latest England squad.