General rugby thread

[Welshbeef]

So Wales now ranked 4th and Ireland 2nd leapfrogging England.


Have to agree the ranking system is a bit odd - also I never once believed Wales were superior to Nz no matter what the #1 ranking calculated us to be.

Still nice that Wales have physically have logged as number 1

[snake_oil]

Devin Toner dropped from the Irish WC squad for a newly qualified by residency Saffer. Ouch.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/02/devi...

[XCP]

Welshbeef said:

So Wales now ranked 4th and Ireland 2nd leapfrogging England.


Have to agree the ranking system is a bit odd - also I never once believed Wales were superior to Nz no matter what the #1 ranking calculated us to be.

Still nice that Wales have physically have logged as number 1

Is that the Ireland that England took apart recently?

[Welshbeef]

XCP said:

Is that the Ireland that England took apart recently?

Exactly - they leapfrogged England too.

[JonChalk]

XCP said:

Welshbeef said:

So Wales now ranked 4th and Ireland 2nd leapfrogging England.


Have to agree the ranking system is a bit odd - also I never once believed Wales were superior to Nz no matter what the #1 ranking calculated us to be.

Still nice that Wales have physically have logged as number 1

Is that the Ireland that England took apart recently?

I'm not sure quite what words to use to describe the below, but it feels "artificial" with little scope (understandably) for the nature of victories or losses in terms of how it "feels" and whether it was an easy or tough game. Or; you know those games where a team battered the opposition for 70 minutes, makes loads of subs and then coasted a bit and let in a consolation try - if that closes the gap to 14 points, that win has "less value", than if they had kept the full team on & continued battering. As a fan, you "know" the real value of that result; the ranking system not so much.


(copied verbatim):


How to calculate the Points Exchange
[1] Take the pre-match Points Ranking Score of Team Y. If Y has home advantage, add 3 to its pre-match Points Ranking Score. This is the “Modified pre-match Points Ranking Score” for Team Y. Call it “A”.

[2] Take the pre-match Points Ranking Score of Team Z. If Z has home advantage, add 3 to its pre-match Points Ranking Score. This is the “Modified pre-match Points Ranking Score” for Team Z. Call it “B”.

[3] Calculate the Difference between the two “Modified pre-match Points Ranking Scores”. Call it “D”.

[4] Apply the formula from the relevant item in this list:

World Cup Matches

… Team Y wins by 16 or more points …………… (10+B-A) x 0.3 capped at 6

… Team Y wins by 15 or fewer points …………… (10+B-A) x 0.2 capped at 4

… The match is a draw [**see note 9] …………… D x 0.2 capped at 2

… Team Z wins by 15 or fewer points …………… (10+A-B) x 0.2 capped at 4

… Team Z wins by 16 or more points …………… (10+A-B) x 0.3 capped at 6

Other International

… Team Y wins by 16 or more points …………… (10+B-A) x 0.15 capped at 3

… Team Y wins by 15 or fewer points …………… (10+B-A) x 0.1 capped at 2

… The match is a draw [**see note 9] …………… D x 0.1 capped at 1

… Team Z wins by 15 or fewer points …………… (10+A-B) x 0.1 capped at 2

… Team Z wins by 16 or more points …………… (10+A-B) x 0.15 capped at 3

[5] The team with the higher “Modified pre-match Points Ranking Score” may be termed the “Favourite”.

[6] The team with the lower “Modified pre-match Points Ranking Score” may be termed the “Underdog”.

[7] A team whose “Modified pre-match Points Ranking Score” is 10+ points lower than their opponents’ "Modified pre-match Points Ranking Score” may be termed the “Outsider”.

[8] An "Underdog" stands to gain more from a victory than does a "Favourite".

[9] In the case of a draw, the points are transferred from the “Favourite” to the “Underdog” or “Outsider”. The transfer is capped at 1 (2 in a World Cup Match).

[10] There is no transfer of points if a “Favourite” beats an “Outsider”.

[The Mad Monk]

The transition from amateur to professional Rugby.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00083dt

BBC Radio 4 The Reunion - a discussion chaired by Sue McGregor between Brian Moore, Michael Lynagh and various other rugby international and a former secretary of the RFU, all of whose names I have forgotten.

It is sound only.

[irocfan]

just found out that Chester Williams has died Forty-bloody-nine years old!

The guy was a star - RiP chap

[JonChalk]

irocfan said:

just found out that Chester Williams has died Forty-bloody-nine years old!

The guy was a star - RiP chap

SA Back?

[basherX]

Anyone else watching England? God, this is hard work.

[df76]

irocfan said:

just found out that Chester Williams has died Forty-bloody-nine years old!

The guy was a star - RiP chap

Both wingers now gone.. hard to believe.

[irocfan]

basherX said:

Anyone else watching England? God, this is hard work.

I just read the report - sounds like total bilge

[JonChalk]

irocfan said:

basherX said:

Anyone else watching England? God, this is hard work.

I just read the report - sounds like total bilge

Think Eddie's just treating it as a training session; different combos on the field, seems to be a very fixed / controlled game plan.

[basherX]

Buyer’s remorse definitely at play with this NowTV pass

[JonChalk]

basherX said:

Buyer’s remorse definitely at play with this NowTV pass

I'm only watching because I've got a weekend pass for the F1. And I've only got a weekend pass (instead of a day one for the race) because I've been laid up with a bad back for the last few days & am bored stupid.

Otherwise, yes, this would not be offering value for money on a NowTV pass.

[iwantagta]

Dire stuff.
Mcconochie looked unfit still.

[basherX]

‪“Let’s take the game out of Twickenham and spread the word”. ‬

‪The footie lads will be stting themselves.‬

[ninja-lewis]

basherX said:

?“Let’s take the game out of Twickenham and spread the word”. ?

?The footie lads will be stting themselves.?

Unlikely to be repeated for a while in any event as the RFU plead poverty again.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2019/09/05...

[XCP]

Nobody gives a monkeys about Rugby in Newcastle anyway. Look how few turn up to watch Falcons.

I can't see the point of England playing there.

[CardinalBlue]

basherX said:

Buyer’s remorse definitely at play with this NowTV pass

Could be worse, I paid £45 to go to the game.

And every try scored was at the other end of the pitch to where we were sat. The couple next to us left at half-time.

I did have an excellent Chinese after the game.

[The Mad Monk]

ninja-lewis said:

Unlikely to be repeated for a while in any event as the RFU plead poverty again.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2019/09/05...

The figures have been in the public domain for some time. The detailed figures are on pages 50 to 56. They are the figures up to the end of the financial year - end of June 2018. This years figures will be out around November 2019. Whether you like them or not, there is no secret..

http://www.englandrugbyfiles.com/annualreport/2018...