Discussion
basherX said:
Digger said:
I've never seen a ref get in the way on such a permanent basis. He's terrible!
To be fair I don't think he had a big effect on the outcomeDigger said:
I've never seen a ref get in the way on such a permanent basis. He's terrible!
It's a difficult balance for the ref, to be able to see what's going and not to get in the way. At last week's match and the one before the refs were injured, one requiring a fair bit of work on a shoulder, because they didn't get out of the way quickly enough. I'd be the first to moan if they reffed by remote control.
basherX said:
Round 1 not exactly going to be having the SH teams quaking in their boots...
Yawn, everyone always says this. Part of the problem is we're playing on a cold, wet, days in February so we can't fling it around like SH teams do. I'm a bit advocate of summer rugby/global season but it'll never happen.
Anyway, onto the games. Enjoyed that Ire V Wales game. Smashing lumps out of each other. Wales seem a bit lost in attack and Ireland seem to be missing any spark, Zebo is the only one who really stands out.
Looking forward to next weekend.
basherX said:
Wilkinson, given he's so naturally shy, is turning into an awesome pundit
He's been excellent every time I've seen him, has so much more technical knowledge than all the others put together. Unbiased too. The Welsh & Irish pundits usually make me cringe (BOD less so). As for the game, it was 2 well drilled defences against some ordinary attacks. How howley is still in a job I'll never know, we looked clueless at times but a lot of that was also due to slow ball which needs sorting.
Digger said:
basherX said:
Digger said:
True, but I spent more of the last few minutes shouting at the nugget to get out the fking way, than I did keeping up with play
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTj2Vz8A4KQ http://sport.bt.com/video/rugby-ref-barnes-floored...
Matt172 said:
Digger said:
basherX said:
Digger said:
True, but I spent more of the last few minutes shouting at the nugget to get out the fking way, than I did keeping up with play
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTj2Vz8A4KQ http://sport.bt.com/video/rugby-ref-barnes-floored...
OK weekend of rugby but easy to see why the Southern Hemisphere sides were so dominant.
England back to their best with giving away penalties - with Hartley and especially Cole in the side that was no surprise. Farrell...I was more supportive of him than most at the World Cup. I must have been drinking based on Saturday's showing!
Shame Italy didn't squeeze the win. France were....France. Great in flashes, dire for the rest.
Not sure what to make of Ireland/Wales. I could see either winning the tournament. I could see either scrapping for 5th place. Or worse.
England back to their best with giving away penalties - with Hartley and especially Cole in the side that was no surprise. Farrell...I was more supportive of him than most at the World Cup. I must have been drinking based on Saturday's showing!
Shame Italy didn't squeeze the win. France were....France. Great in flashes, dire for the rest.
Not sure what to make of Ireland/Wales. I could see either winning the tournament. I could see either scrapping for 5th place. Or worse.
Murph7355 said:
OK weekend of rugby but easy to see why the Southern Hemisphere sides were so dominant.
England back to their best with giving away penalties - with Hartley and especially Cole in the side that was no surprise. Farrell...I was more supportive of him than most at the World Cup. I must have been drinking based on Saturday's showing!
Shame Italy didn't squeeze the win. France were....France. Great in flashes, dire for the rest.
Not sure what to make of Ireland/Wales. I could see either winning the tournament. I could see either scrapping for 5th place. Or worse.
It was an enjoyable weekend's rugby despite the Italy/France match being spoiled for me by the result being given out over the PA at a rugby match I was at.England back to their best with giving away penalties - with Hartley and especially Cole in the side that was no surprise. Farrell...I was more supportive of him than most at the World Cup. I must have been drinking based on Saturday's showing!
Shame Italy didn't squeeze the win. France were....France. Great in flashes, dire for the rest.
Not sure what to make of Ireland/Wales. I could see either winning the tournament. I could see either scrapping for 5th place. Or worse.
I think that the 6N needs some form of boost. The teams play one another lots of times and know what their best response will be. They go for not losing more than winning and this does not make for entertaining rugby. Can't fault England. They did enough. In fact, they got the biggest winning margin of the weekend, away at Murrayfield. The Calcutta Cup is often the most dire game of the tournament.
The Wales/Ireland match was a bit disappointing. Both teams, especially Ireland, lacked initiative. It might have been a better match if the pitch had been turned through 90 degrees, there was so much sideways play. Couple of excellent tries though, even if the Welsh one was almost a gift. Dreadful play by Ireland at the scrum. Even my wife saw the gap.
The scoring will change in the near future I believe, with 6 points for a try. Perhaps that will inspire the teams to play rugby and not just play for a penalty.
part of the issue is simply wanting big men in every position.
Instead the guile pace lower inertia of a small player offers a lot.
Kickers too are an issue generally speaking a penalty is more of less a banker these days so maybe dropping the points for a penalty kick?
Upping the points for a field goal/drop goal would be fun.
Super fast defence is also an issue everyone is so drilled it's now purely an error or chance which leads to a victory over two similarity talented sides.
Game plan change- doesn't really happen. I liked what Gatland used to do years ago 55/60 mins gone change the half backs bang utterly changes the game.
Instead the guile pace lower inertia of a small player offers a lot.
Kickers too are an issue generally speaking a penalty is more of less a banker these days so maybe dropping the points for a penalty kick?
Upping the points for a field goal/drop goal would be fun.
Super fast defence is also an issue everyone is so drilled it's now purely an error or chance which leads to a victory over two similarity talented sides.
Game plan change- doesn't really happen. I liked what Gatland used to do years ago 55/60 mins gone change the half backs bang utterly changes the game.
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