The Rugby Thread

Pross

You'd never know Fiji are a man short. Wales seem to have no space and Fiji go the length for another try and 9 point lead.

I've seen some shit Welsh performances but this could well be the worst. Fiji playing well though.

blazing_saddles

Shambolic display from Wales.
Currently being totally outplayed by 14 man Fiji.

Pross

The pace from LRZ there was incredible, looked like he'd kicked way too far. Even got checked as he started the chase. Thoroughly undeserved lead.

blazing_saddles

What a try from LRZ and what a ridiculously protracted TMO forensics exchange between the 2 officials.

I am losing patience with the whole process.

Pross

TMO sounded disappointed he couldn't find a reason to rule it out.

Pross

Look better after the substitutions for a change.

Pross

Final score didn't relect the match. Fiji ultimately paying the price of 30 minutes playing with 14 men and 20 minutes with 13.

kingstongraham

blazing_saddles said:

blazing_saddles said:

I've just endured the England vs Aussie game.
The most influential person in the ground was the video ref and the second was the ref.
Exactly the same in the Scotland vs SA game.
Micro managing to the extent they did yesterday ruins continuity.
Couple this with an error every couple of phases and it became like watching American football.

Thank God we had the Ireland vs NZ game to ease the tedium.

(Wales vs Fiji will probably be even worse on both these counts.)

Boy, didn't I call it. TMO sorts out the ref and patchwork (playing 3 openside flankers against Fiji of all teams) Wales supplying a sackful of errors.

The tmo should correct the ref if he's making a mistake, no?

blazing_saddles

kingstongraham said:

blazing_saddles said:

blazing_saddles said:

I've just endured the England vs Aussie game.
The most influential person in the ground was the video ref and the second was the ref.
Exactly the same in the Scotland vs SA game.
Micro managing to the extent they did yesterday ruins continuity.
Couple this with an error every couple of phases and it became like watching American football.

Thank God we had the Ireland vs NZ game to ease the tedium.

(Wales vs Fiji will probably be even worse on both these counts.)

Boy, didn't I call it. TMO sorts out the ref and patchwork (playing 3 openside flankers against Fiji of all teams) Wales supplying a sackful of errors.

The tmo should correct the ref if he's making a mistake, no?

That wasn’t a criticism in this instance. Certainly it was a correct intervention and outcome.
I don’t know what the answer is but to me the process needs to be slim lined in order to speed the game up.
Bare in mind that spectators don’t get the benefit of the endless tv replays or even what is being questioned.

narbs

Frustrating watching Wales at the moment. Nothing seems to have any structure. I'm no coach but looking at analysis videos you see other teams planning two/three phases ahead and having patterns set up - just don't see that from Wales.

Delighted for Cuthbert to get a score and he looked for work throughout. Halaholo looks nailed on to start next week.

France will need to step up massively against NZ. Georgia didn't offer much but were on the end of a few decisions that seem only to afflict Tier 2 teams.

kingstongraham

blazing_saddles said:

kingstongraham said:

blazing_saddles said:

blazing_saddles said:

I've just endured the England vs Aussie game.
The most influential person in the ground was the video ref and the second was the ref.
Exactly the same in the Scotland vs SA game.
Micro managing to the extent they did yesterday ruins continuity.
Couple this with an error every couple of phases and it became like watching American football.

Thank God we had the Ireland vs NZ game to ease the tedium.

(Wales vs Fiji will probably be even worse on both these counts.)

Boy, didn't I call it. TMO sorts out the ref and patchwork (playing 3 openside flankers against Fiji of all teams) Wales supplying a sackful of errors.

The tmo should correct the ref if he's making a mistake, no?

That wasn’t a criticism in this instance. Certainly it was a correct intervention and outcome.
I don’t know what the answer is but to me the process needs to be slim lined in order to speed the game up.
Bare in mind that spectators don’t get the benefit of the endless tv replays or even what is being questioned.

When they put it up on the big screen for the ref to see, the crowd get to see it too. It is frustrating not being able to hear the decision explained in the crowd, but that goes for tmo and ref calls.

I don't mind the way they have it in rugby, the tmo really only gets involved in big moments.

Pross

I think the TMO system is good but really can't understand why they needed to look so many times at the LRZ try when it seemed pretty clear from the first view he retained contact. Likewise, the disallowed try I wasn't sure of the law but once the referee stated if he started in touch and landed in touch the ball was out it was clearly not a try so again not sure why it needed so many replays.

I still can't see why, having seen a dozen replays, the ref almost mitigated the sending off down to a yellow card.

narbs

I'll admit I wasn't sure whether contact was retained so happy that they take as long as they need to get it right. I'd move to a cricket system where the TMO makes the decision* - something like the decision on LRZ's try is far better made by someone sitting in front of an HDR monitor than it is by a ref watching a screen from 30m away.

*excepting the fact that someone has seen fit to make Ben Whitehouse a TMO. The only possible reason being it prevents him refereeing.

pblakeney

narbs said:

I'll admit I wasn't sure whether contact was retained so happy that they take as long as they need to get it right. I'd move to a cricket system where the TMO makes the decision* - something like the decision on LRZ's try is far better made by someone sitting in front of an HDR monitor than it is by a ref watching a screen from 30m away.

*excepting the fact that someone has seen fit to make Ben Whitehouse a TMO. The only possible reason being it prevents him refereeing.

I wasn't sure about the latest version of the rule so had a look.
It was his upper body that won it. Only Wiki but...

"A player can score a try by carrying the ball into the in goal and then touching it to the ground while holding on to it. No downward pressure is required, but the player must be holding the ball in at least one of their hands or at least one of their arms.[24] If the ball lands in the opposition's in-goal, usually as a result of a kick or the opposition losing possession, a player can score by applying downward pressure with their hands, their arms, or the front of their body.[24] In this situation, if the player is outside the field of play when they touch the ball, a try is still scored."

narbs

It rolled along his forearm didn't it? I thought the point Berry was making was that downward pressure no longer was a thing, and that as long as there was no separation between arm and ball the try was good.

This is another example of me not knowing the current laws and so difficult to have a knowledgable opinion.

pblakeney

narbs said:

It rolled along his forearm didn't it?

I thought it was still in the air at that point. Yup, we have to keep up with the rules changes. There are a few other new ones this year alone. 50:22 for one.

kingstongraham

There was no requirement to be holding the ball (they were talking about being in control, and that not being required because it was a kick chase).

blazing_saddles

kingstongraham said:

There was no requirement to be holding the ball (they were talking about being in control, and that not being required because it was a kick chase).

Correct.
Just unbroken contact until the ball touches the turf, which quite clearly it was.

Pross called it earlier and also then made my point about excessive replays to confirm what we already knew.

pblakeney

Helps if you are up to speed with the rules. 😉 Which I now am, the refs should be too. 🤣 Oh, and can hear the commentary.

Pross

pblakeney said:

Helps if you are up to speed with the rules. 😉 Which I now am, the refs should be too. 🤣 Oh, and can hear the commentary.

Felt like Berry had to have them explained by the TMO on a few occasions (and then keep repeating them to show he knew all along). He hasn't been at his best since leaving Heartbeat in the 90s.

Dorset_Boy

And what was with the Welsh kit? Horrendous!

blazing_saddles

Dorset_Boy said:

And what was with the Welsh kit? Horrendous!

Gotta love the lengths the WRU will go to make a fast buck. The extra fixture, but no soft game to ensure maximum ticket sales and now that monstrosity timed for Christmas.
Not that it will sell.

johngti

blazing_saddles said:

Dorset_Boy said:

And what was with the Welsh kit? Horrendous!

Gotta love the lengths the WRU will go to make a fast buck. The extra fixture, but no soft game to ensure maximum ticket sales and now that monstrosity timed for Christmas.
Not that it will sell.

I quite like the shirt. The shorts on the other hand…

Dorset_Boy

johngti said:

blazing_saddles said:

Dorset_Boy said:

And what was with the Welsh kit? Horrendous!

Gotta love the lengths the WRU will go to make a fast buck. The extra fixture, but no soft game to ensure maximum ticket sales and now that monstrosity timed for Christmas.
Not that it will sell.

I quite like the shirt. The shorts on the other hand…

Shirt was bearable, but would many Welsh fans really buy a black Welsh shirt?
Agree, the shorts, whoever passed them should be hung from the roof of the stadium.

Pross

Dorset_Boy said:

And what was with the Welsh kit? Horrendous!

Probably thought it would make them play like the All Blacks.

England were th same last week, played in red against Tonga who normally play in red but played in white (not sure which team chose this). As BS says, blatant attempt to sell more merchandise.

Dorset_Boy

Pross said:

Dorset_Boy said:

And what was with the Welsh kit? Horrendous!

Probably thought it would make them play like the All Blacks.

England were th same last week, played in red against Tonga who normally play in red but played in white (not sure which team chose this). As BS says, blatant attempt to sell more merchandise.

Yes, that was crazy too, as England could have worn white against Tonga, and then worn the red shirts against Australia.

Charlie_Croker

kingstongraham said:

blazing_saddles said:

kingstongraham said:

blazing_saddles said:

blazing_saddles said:

I've just endured the England vs Aussie game.
The most influential person in the ground was the video ref and the second was the ref.
Exactly the same in the Scotland vs SA game.
Micro managing to the extent they did yesterday ruins continuity.
Couple this with an error every couple of phases and it became like watching American football.

Thank God we had the Ireland vs NZ game to ease the tedium.

(Wales vs Fiji will probably be even worse on both these counts.)

Boy, didn't I call it. TMO sorts out the ref and patchwork (playing 3 openside flankers against Fiji of all teams) Wales supplying a sackful of errors.

The tmo should correct the ref if he's making a mistake, no?

That wasn’t a criticism in this instance. Certainly it was a correct intervention and outcome.
I don’t know what the answer is but to me the process needs to be slim lined in order to speed the game up.
Bare in mind that spectators don’t get the benefit of the endless tv replays or even what is being questioned.

When they put it up on the big screen for the ref to see, the crowd get to see it too. It is frustrating not being able to hear the decision explained in the crowd, but that goes for tmo and ref calls.

I don't mind the way they have it in rugby, the tmo really only gets involved in big moments.

To be fair at these big games there is an option to buy a radio bud (RefLink) so you can hear what the ref is saying

blazing_saddles

Now here's the bit that makes my eyes water: £98

Plus a bargain at £35: those shorts.

Dorset_Boy

Charlie_Croker said:

kingstongraham said:

blazing_saddles said:

kingstongraham said:

blazing_saddles said:

blazing_saddles said:

I've just endured the England vs Aussie game.
The most influential person in the ground was the video ref and the second was the ref.
Exactly the same in the Scotland vs SA game.
Micro managing to the extent they did yesterday ruins continuity.
Couple this with an error every couple of phases and it became like watching American football.

Thank God we had the Ireland vs NZ game to ease the tedium.

(Wales vs Fiji will probably be even worse on both these counts.)

Boy, didn't I call it. TMO sorts out the ref and patchwork (playing 3 openside flankers against Fiji of all teams) Wales supplying a sackful of errors.

The tmo should correct the ref if he's making a mistake, no?

That wasn’t a criticism in this instance. Certainly it was a correct intervention and outcome.
I don’t know what the answer is but to me the process needs to be slim lined in order to speed the game up.
Bare in mind that spectators don’t get the benefit of the endless tv replays or even what is being questioned.

When they put it up on the big screen for the ref to see, the crowd get to see it too. It is frustrating not being able to hear the decision explained in the crowd, but that goes for tmo and ref calls.

I don't mind the way they have it in rugby, the tmo really only gets involved in big moments.

To be fair at these big games there is an option to buy a radio bud (RefLink) so you can hear what the ref is saying

In the men vs boys Premiership Cup match at Kingsholm on Friday evening, the ref's conversations with the TMO were broadcast over the tannoy system to the crowd.
Still meant the ref bottled giving the Goucester second row a red card in front of the Shed.

kingstongraham

Dorset_Boy said:

Charlie_Croker said:

kingstongraham said:

blazing_saddles said:

kingstongraham said:

blazing_saddles said:

blazing_saddles said:

I've just endured the England vs Aussie game.
The most influential person in the ground was the video ref and the second was the ref.
Exactly the same in the Scotland vs SA game.
Micro managing to the extent they did yesterday ruins continuity.
Couple this with an error every couple of phases and it became like watching American football.

Thank God we had the Ireland vs NZ game to ease the tedium.

(Wales vs Fiji will probably be even worse on both these counts.)

Boy, didn't I call it. TMO sorts out the ref and patchwork (playing 3 openside flankers against Fiji of all teams) Wales supplying a sackful of errors.

The tmo should correct the ref if he's making a mistake, no?

That wasn’t a criticism in this instance. Certainly it was a correct intervention and outcome.
I don’t know what the answer is but to me the process needs to be slim lined in order to speed the game up.
Bare in mind that spectators don’t get the benefit of the endless tv replays or even what is being questioned.

When they put it up on the big screen for the ref to see, the crowd get to see it too. It is frustrating not being able to hear the decision explained in the crowd, but that goes for tmo and ref calls.

I don't mind the way they have it in rugby, the tmo really only gets involved in big moments.

To be fair at these big games there is an option to buy a radio bud (RefLink) so you can hear what the ref is saying

In the men vs boys Premiership Cup match at Kingsholm on Friday evening, the ref's conversations with the TMO were broadcast over the tannoy system to the crowd.
Still meant the ref bottled giving the Goucester second row a red card in front of the Shed.

That's good - I haven't heard it at any wales games I don't think but maybe they've started now. Been a few years since I've been.