The Rugby Thread

Pross

The tournament should have simply been held over 5 straight weekends and players should have had to stay in their bubble for that period. Training base, hotel, travel, match venue and nothing else. Sure, it's tough but they are professional sportsmen and cricketers seem to be managing it for months at a time.

pblakeney

Dorset_Boy said:

Rumour is that it was Fabien Galthie who broke the bubble.

They could have looked to postpone by one week as it's a fallow weekend, and made that decision by Tuesday lunchtime.
Scotland could have then released their players back to the English clubs for this weekend on the proviso the English clubs then released them back again for the revised date.

Given that Scotland and Wales have players moving in and out of their bubbles, I think the French have been unlucky, but the tournament rules should have been crystal clear about what would happen in this situation, afterall they've only had 10 months to realise this was a possibility.

Wasn't there a precedent in the Autumn tests?
Should have made that clear from the beginning.

Edit - France v Fiji with France receiving a 28-0 BP win. Happy to receive, not so happy to give.

kingstongraham

Giving Scotland the points doesn't do anything for the missing TV cash though.

Dorset_Boy

Pross said:

The tournament should have simply been held over 5 straight weekends and players should have had to stay in their bubble for that period. Training base, hotel, travel, match venue and nothing else. Sure, it's tough but they are professional sportsmen and cricketers seem to be managing it for months at a time.

I agree and it should be held that way (over 5 consecutive weekends) every year. It would then better replicate the World Cup.

pblakeney - different tournament, different rules. The autumn was a mickey mouse affair by comparison to the 6 Nations.

Premiership Rugby have gone from a 5:0 split to a 4:2 points split this season for games that don't go ahead which seems fairer, especially as innocent teams can be impacted later - eg Team A plays Team B on sat. On Monday Team A has positives, so Team B has to isolate resulting in them having to postpone the following Saturday in their match against Team C.

pblakeney

Should have had the protocols defined before beginning in any case.

Dorset_Boy

Agreed

johngti

Pross said:

The tournament should have simply been held over 5 straight weekends and players should have had to stay in their bubble for that period. Training base, hotel, travel, match venue and nothing else. Sure, it's tough but they are professional sportsmen and cricketers seem to be managing it for months at a time.

There's no reason why it couldn't all have been moved to later in the season this one time. April/May, temperatures higher, less infection going around anyway.

david37

johngti said:

Pross said:

The tournament should have simply been held over 5 straight weekends and players should have had to stay in their bubble for that period. Training base, hotel, travel, match venue and nothing else. Sure, it's tough but they are professional sportsmen and cricketers seem to be managing it for months at a time.

There's no reason why it couldn't all have been moved to later in the season this one time. April/May, temperatures higher, less infection going around anyway.

I suppose there isn't but I think sporting fixtures like this have a history and a place in the year. Tradition is important. coats scarves warm beer, freezing pitch, boiling pub.

pblakeney

England win for me today. Home advantage is nothing without the fans, as results have shown.

ddraver

I think it's difficult to make a score prediction for Eng v Wal.

I am however certain that it will be a dreadful game

blazing_saddles

Hard to call.
More interested in our boy getting his 100th cap and setting a new world record in the process.

mrb123

blazing_saddles said:

Hard to call.
More interested in our boy getting his 100th cap and setting a new world record in the process.

Most concussions in first 100 appearances?

blazing_saddles

mrb123 said:

blazing_saddles said:

Hard to call.
More interested in our boy getting his 100th cap and setting a new world record in the process.

Most concussions in first 100 appearances?

Excuse me if I don’t find your comment amusing

Pross

Youngest player to reach 100 caps. That's pretty impressive considering his injuries in the last few years and with the challengers that have come and gone for the wing position. A good chance to make that centre spot his for a couple more years now though and it's giving him more chance to get involved.

johngti

Interesting try there!

Pross

Not convinced by this referee. Possibly right there but he has seemed a bit on England's backs since the start. Superb cross kick and well played by Biggar.

mrb123

Caught napping.

Farrell needs to shut his trap.

Pross

mrb123 said:

Caught napping.

Farrell needs to shut his trap.

That's asking for the impossible.

Pross

Ref evening things up now. Very whistle happy.

pblakeney

Pross said:

Not convinced by this referee. Possibly right there but he has seemed a bit on England's backs since the start. Superb cross kick and well played by Biggar.

There is only ever going to be one winner in an argument with a referee.
Wales will be chuffed.

Pross

He's very unclear in his instructions which isn't helping. I'm not a fan of Farrell but I can understand his frustration.

Pross

I really hate the slow approach to the lineout Wales do.

johngti

Ref needs to get the scrums set a bit quicker too

johngti

Even the most one-eyed welsh supporter would say that was a knock on!

Pross

This is an interesting one. My instinct was knock on but the more I see it the more I think he's right but would be seriously pi$$ed off if that went against Wales. Williams did well to keep playing.

Pross

Wales' 6N lucky steak is continuing including help from the posts.

Pross

Good finish by Watson, step gave him the angle to beat two big defenders there.

Pross

Utterly bizarre first half, I think the officials have been smoking something.

ddraver

Switched on to a thoroughly bemused Martin Johnson...

Edit - if Big Sam is on England's side I think Msr. LeReferee may have c*cked up...

Edit Edit - ...twice

johngti

Second try seems to be legit