Topic: General Rugby Union Thread

[Breitner]

The English motto I believe?

Used to be the aussie cricket teams aswell

Enjoyed that, shows good character to come back and scrap a win

[jillcwhomever]

Hopefully this win kicks off an afternoon and evening of sport where we see pole position for Button or Hamilton and wins for Liverpool, Murray and Federer.

I second that.

[JP-65]

Royhendo will be happy watching that performance

[JP-65]

he's slaughtered the performance and rightly so. he's been especially critical of the referee unsurprisingly, as he quite clearly doesn't have a clue at the scrummage.

Never has that one, think he's a shockingly poor referee.

[Crosby Nick]

The English motto I believe?

Only in certain sports. In others nothing but total humiliation of the opposition will do.

[nicholasanthony]

Used to be the aussie cricket teams aswell

This is true. We used to barely beat teams.

Only in certain sports. In others nothing but total humiliation of the opposition will do.

Haha indeed.

[BarryCrocker]

Argentina are the 9th ranked team in the world, so it was never going to be a walkover. Had Wilkinson been less profligate then the margin would have been greater.

That said, Rodriguez missed three, so it's very much swings and roundabouts.

I suppose, barring disaster, it's going to be a shoot-out between the Scots and us on the 1st of October.

Well considering Europe has the 6 Nations and the Southern Hemisphere has the Tri-Nations I don't think being ranked 2nd last out of the genuine best 10 teams in the world means you should be tough to play against.

[jason42]

No way he would have collected his kick but it was pretty risky!

A win, that'll do for now.

It was definitely a penalty as he was tackled without the ball irrelevant of whether he would have caught his kick. Not a great start from England but the win was the most important thing. Just watch the handbags at the end again, and there does look like a finger in Haskell's eye and he reacted accordingly. 

[MBL?]

England as exciting as ever I see.

[Crosby Nick]

England as exciting as ever I see.

Probably only NZ or Australia can rip the Argies apart. It's a long tournament and to be honest I'd have taken that score before kick off. Only decent result today.

[MBL?]

Probably only NZ or Australia can rip the Argies apart. It's a long tournament and to be honest I'd have taken that score before kick off. Only decent result today.

I'd agree with you if this was the Argie team of a few years ago. I just think England are being overrated because they are playing at a world cup.

[Crosby Nick]

I'd agree with you if this was the Argie team of a few years ago. I just think England are being overrated because they are playing at a world cup.

Their pack is still very strong. Thankfully a few of their backs were missing today. Don't think we are being overrated, especially after that performance. We wriggled off the hook today but still an open group, especially if Argentina beat Scotland. Could still come down to England v Scotland in the final game.

[MBL?]

Their pack is still very strong. Thankfully a few of their backs were missing today. Don't think we are being overrated, especially after that performance. We wriggled off the hook today but still an open group, especially if Argentina beat Scotland. Could still come down to England v Scotland in the final game.

England will qualify top imo, I just don't think they are a threat to the big teams.

[Crosby Nick]

England will qualify top imo, I just don't think they are a threat to the big teams.

Probably right. I think NZ and South Africa would beat us fairly comfortably. Australia should do too but we have a decent recent record against them. France would be 50/50 so although we're not setting the world alight we have a reasonable chance to go quite far. We're lucky that we'd be avoiding New Zealand and South Africa but that's why it's vital we top the group, regardless of how we do it!

Obviously you or France could put the cat amongst the pigeons if you top your groups!

[kaz1983]

Odds wise these are the tightest matches in the groups stages...

Wales v Samoa
Fiji v Samoa
England vScotland
Wales v Fiji
Ireland v Italy

Any others..:.  which will be the ones to watch?

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Well, i have to say I'm half looking forward to and half not the game tonight against the Springboks. We're going to have to play very, very well to get anything out of it. Priestland at 10 and Hook at fullback by the sound of it.

Mike Phillips worries me, but this will be his sort of game, it's going to be another physical one upfront I think. We've not got a great record against South Africa, but i'm hoping that we can come out of the traps well and really surprise them.

[welsh_redman]

Well, i have to say I'm half looking forward to and half not the game tonight against the Springboks. We're going to have to play very, very well to get anything out of it. Priestland at 10 and Hook at fullback by the sound of it.

Mike Phillips worries me, but this will be his sort of game, it's going to be another physical one upfront I think. We've not got a great record against South Africa, but i'm hoping that we can come out of the traps well and really surprise them.

I would definitely prefer to see Hook play at no. 10. In my opinion, that's where he is most devastating and plays best - especially given that Jones is unable to play. I think we have a chance against the Springboks though, but our group is tough... REALLY tough. Still hoping for a decent result however, as it will brighten up the otherwise miserable sporting week! Let's just hope there's no more eye gouging as seen by Schalk Berger during the Lions tour...

[BigMarcs]

Wallabies Italy coming up, torn between the two.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

I would definitely prefer to see Hook play at no. 10. In my opinion, that's where he is most devastating and plays best - especially given that Jones is unable to play. I think we have a chance against the Springboks though, but our group is tough... REALLY tough. Still hoping for a decent result however, as it will brighten up the otherwise miserable sporting week! Let's just hope there's no more eye gouging as seen by Schalk Berger during the Lions tour...

The forwards are going to need a massive, massive game today. I think our pack can produce that sort of performance. Big game for Warburton too. He's been outstanding of late, and as captain there's a lot on his shoulders, but I think he can handle it.

All in all, we need to show no fear. This springboks side is so experienced it's going to be tough, over 800 caps between them i read somewhere. But if we can rattle them, then we can get the result. They've not had the best of tri nations and can be gotten at.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Right then time for Australia vs Italy. Should be an interesting game!

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Twatting it down with rain there, should make things interesting!

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Ooooh. One of the Italians knocked out in a tackle then gets a boot in the fact from his own player. Harsh!

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Cooper with a penalty and puts it well wide.

[welsh_redman]

The forwards are going to need a massive, massive game today. I think our pack can produce that sort of performance. Big game for Warburton too. He's been outstanding of late, and as captain there's a lot on his shoulders, but I think he can handle it.

All in all, we need to show no fear. This springboks side is so experienced it's going to be tough, over 800 caps between them i read somewhere. But if we can rattle them, then we can get the result. They've not had the best of tri nations and can be gotten at.

That's what concerns me. I'm not so sure that our pack is up to the task. I can see a lot of scrums being turned tomorrow, and I think that's an aspect of our game the Boks will target. I agree about Warburton though. He has really stepped up to the mark and impressed, so I have no worries about the lad.

We were strong against Argentina, and threw away points in the game - granted, South Africa are a much tougher opposition, but I think we've shown that we can be real contenders on our day. Perhaps youthful exuberance isn't necessarily a bad thing (look at the English football team, and their reliance on "big name" players for example!).

[welsh_redman]

Italy have also impressed me of late. They have been consistently and visibly improving in the 6 nations, plus the inclusion of Aironi and Treviso in the Celtic (Magners) league can only be a good thing for Italian rugby. I don't think they've improved significantly enough to mount any sort of challenge per se, but I think that in the past, teams would consider them easy points whereas these days nothing is for certain when playing them.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Really nit-picky at the moment from the ref, couple of soft penalties. Spoiling the game a touch.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

3-0 aussies from a pen from a call for a late challenge that was literally nothing.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

6-0 aussies, penatly for offside. Ref really not happy with the italians.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Aussies looked really reserved, their not at the races at all. Perfect opportunity to break there, number 10 purring down the center, ends up running into the center and giving the ball needlessly back to the italians.

The italians are kicking a lot of their possession away with varying degrees of success. I think they need to keep the ball in hand more and try for some quicker possession through the backs.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Italians convert a peno, 6-3 now. Tight game!

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Peno in front of the posts for italy, can they convert right on half time and draw level?

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Converted! Fair play! 6-6 half time!

[Anywhichwayicant]

Italians playing well thus far.

[nicholasanthony]

We're having an England of a game.

Italians are playing well.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

I'm watching on an aussie stream and one of the commentators is really not happy.

"This is what you can do with boring, boring rugby, you can get out of your pool and go far. Argentina last time and the italians are doing it now"

Thankfully one of the other aussies pulled him up, explaining it's a gameplan and playing to their strengths. The italians won a big scrum near the end of the half too.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

fucking hell. I've just got in from work, and it's not 32-6. Game of 2 halves eh!

[nicholasanthony]

I'm watching on an aussie stream and one of the commentators is really not happy.

"This is what you can do with boring, boring rugby, you can get out of your pool and go far. Argentina last time and the italians are doing it now"

Thankfully one of the other aussies pulled him up, explaining it's a gameplan and playing to their strengths. The italians won a big scrum near the end of the half too.

Haha yeah. Rod Kafer pulling up Phil Kearns I think. I really enjoy their commentary. I don't find it to be boring when one team is trying to playing as Argentina and Italy do. I enjoy the clash of styles and battle between the two.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Haha yeah. Rod Kafer pulling up Phil Kearns I think. I really enjoy their commentary. I don't find it to be boring when one team is trying to playing as Argentina and Italy do. I enjoy the clash of styles and battle between the two.

Is Kearns the one with the bassy voice who sounds eternally miserable? He's been cracking me up listening to him. The other 2 were all excited and passionate. He sounds like someone just killed his dog and fed it to him.

Other than that, impressive from the aussies in the second half, sorted your shit out and took italy apart. I was gutted for them when the ball popped out during the pushover on the aussie line, looked a certain try. But that's rugby.

Time to prepare myself mentally for the springboks game. bite to eat and off to the pub!

COME ON WALES!!!

[nicholasanthony]

Is Kearns the one with the bassy voice who sounds eternally miserable? He's been cracking me up listening to him. The other 2 were all excited and passionate. He sounds like someone just killed his dog and fed it to him.

Haha yeah thats Kearnsy. He's a great contrast. Makes me laugh too.

That was a nice scrum at the end. My only consolation was we almost had our seconds on by that stage.

And i concur, Carn Wales!

[conman]

Im in bits at work, got a cold.. sniff sniff, cough cough, splutter splutter, a chew.. come on ireland