General rugby thread

[epom]

Astonishing pic redoing the rounds at the moment. What does it take to be a test player ? Absolutely everything by the looks of it.

[McGee_22]

the tribester said:

Wales are certainly punching above their weight considering their population and number of top teir clubs.

Wales haven't faced New Zealand in their current winning streak though. In fact, Wales's consecutive loses against the All Blacks is a larger number of games than that current winning streak.

Beat the All Blacks and they can consider themselves number one.

I hope they do.

Three/four very valid points.

Very small Nation and subsequent pool of players.
Their current winning 'streak' is just one match - last Saturdays win against England.
Their consecutive losses to NZ extends to 30 matches and back to 1953.
They have never won in NZ against NZ or against NZ on a neutral ground.

I really hope they can beat NZ but like many other Nations there does seem to be an over-emphasis on beating England...

[phil_cardiff]

McGee_22 said:

the tribester said:

Wales are certainly punching above their weight considering their population and number of top teir clubs.

Wales haven't faced New Zealand in their current winning streak though. In fact, Wales's consecutive loses against the All Blacks is a larger number of games than that current winning streak.

Beat the All Blacks and they can consider themselves number one.

I hope they do.

Three/four very valid points.

Very small Nation and subsequent pool of players.
Their current winning 'streak' is just one match - last Saturdays win against England.
Their consecutive losses to NZ extends to 30 matches and back to 1953.
They have never won in NZ against NZ or against NZ on a neutral ground.

I really hope they can beat NZ but like many other Nations there does seem to be an over-emphasis on beating England...

Not from within the camp. Ireland are the ones they want the most. Mine too as it happens.

The majority of fans want England's scalp the most of course.

[C70R]

the tribester said:

Wales are certainly punching above their weight considering their population and number of top teir clubs.

Wales haven't faced New Zealand in their current winning streak though. In fact, Wales's consecutive loses against the All Blacks is a larger number of games than that current winning streak.

Beat the All Blacks and they can consider themselves number one.

I hope they do.

Wales aren't the #1 team in the world.

They currently occupy top place in a list decided by an arbitrary algorithm.

Those aren't the same things.

In spite of that, with only 3m people, 4 pro clubs and 3 half-decent academies, that's an unbelievable achievement.

Relative to England's embarrassment of riches, that makes it even more impressive.

Edited by C70R on Wednesday 21st August 13:17

[Kermit power]

With the RWC just around the corner, who else is going to sign up for the PH Fantasy league?

If you were in the Six Nations one, you'll get an email invite. If not.....

https://www.superbru.com/worldcup_fantasy/pool.php...

or by downloading the Superbru app and searching for the pool with code:

ariddice

[Zirconia]

Just about to post this about the RWC.
https://www.itv.com/rugbyworldcup2019/schedule-rug...
ITV schedules.

[JonChalk]

Zirconia said:

Just about to post this about the RWC.
https://www.itv.com/rugbyworldcup2019/schedule-rug...
ITV schedules.

Time to book Thurs 26th Sept off work then!

[Zirconia]

JonChalk said:

Zirconia said:

Just about to post this about the RWC.
https://www.itv.com/rugbyworldcup2019/schedule-rug...
ITV schedules.

Time to book Thurs 26th Sept off work then!

You'll lose.....


Seriously though, ITV 4 for some of the matches, SD.

[Kermit power]

I see that World Rugby have acted quickly to change the laws after the Wales vs England game to prevent that sort of unsporting play in the future!

Moving forward, play will not be able to resume until replacements have come on to the pitch.

[Cyder]

Zirconia said:

JonChalk said:

Zirconia said:

Just about to post this about the RWC.
https://www.itv.com/rugbyworldcup2019/schedule-rug...
ITV schedules.

Time to book Thurs 26th Sept off work then!

You'll lose.....


Seriously though, ITV 4 for some of the matches, SD.

ITV4 is also in HD.

[ooo000ooo]

Cyder said:

ITV4 is also in HD.

Not very Beer friendly times

[Zirconia]

Cyder said:

ITV4 is also in HD.

Not on my transmitter.

[snake_oil]

I see The Hask TM has signed up to compete in MMA. I don't know about anyone else but I'd pay to see him get his face smashed in.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/494...

[768]

Sounds like you'll be able to. I assume he's done some homework, but he's been looking stiff enough on a rugby pitch.

[JonChalk]

Zirconia said:

You'll lose.....


Seriously though, ITV 4 for some of the matches, SD.

I have subscription through Amazon for streaming, which is in HD, thru the summer, for BTCC & Grand Tours, so get to watch it in HD :-)

[Zirconia]

Meh. Fuzzy felt.


Just hope its not 1991 all over again (we all had doctors papers.....)

[basherX]

Mallinder goes to Scotland.

Proof positive that you can have all the money in the world but if your decision makers are idiots...

I’m not saying he should have been England coach but the RFU are chronically unable to develop and secure a pipeline of talent. They really are hopeless.

[JonChalk]

basherX said:

Mallinder goes to Scotland.

Proof positive that you can have all the money in the world but if your decision makers are idiots...

I’m not saying he should have been England coach but the RFU are chronically unable to develop and secure a pipeline of talent. They really are hopeless.

The advantage of having Mallinder as your coach is that it is never your fault you lost.

It'll be the ref, the opposition cheating, the colour of the grass,....., but never your fault.

[C70R]

basherX said:

Mallinder goes to Scotland.

Proof positive that you can have all the money in the world but if your decision makers are idiots...

I’m not saying he should have been England coach but the RFU are chronically unable to develop and secure a pipeline of talent. They really are hopeless.

I'm not sure he was ever international coaching material, if I'm honest.

He crafted a decent enough squad at Northampton, and had an OK set of coaches around him, but summarily failed to achieve anything other than promotion back to the Prem.

Were I an England fan, I could think of 3-4 Prem coaches I'd have before him.

[Kermit power]

I'm wondering... Would England be better off playing the second half with 15 men, or worth Ben Youngs getting red carded in the first few seconds of the half?