The Rugby Thread
Comments
-
Well I always thought Howley was being groomed as the natural successor some years back (not that he would’ve been my choice) but blotted his copybook. I think the WRU needs Gatland to make it to the 6 Nations, but they’ll make some kind of bad or mistimed decision as usual.
0 -
Well Borthwick's changes really didn't work.
JvP at 9 was awful. Steward good under the high ball, made to look poor when being run at.
Underhill was England's best player but only in the squad because Curry KO'd last week.
Slade rubbish again.
In the game again at 60, then another really poor last quarter.
Time for a change as the whole coaching team are out of their depth.
0 -
Oh my, bad enough being an England fan, but it must be awful being Welsh. Totally outplayed, out muscled, out run. The players look physically small in general.
And the Saffas up next.... 😯
Aussies improving fast.
1 -
We were fairly clueless, not out done but unzipped too many times.
I don’t know of a fix, but it’s neither Gatland’s sacking nor Robert Howley’s appointment.
0 -
I watched all the games bar the Welsh one, knowing it would be too painful. I have been saying for a long time, that Welsh rugby is in a sorry state. It was evident to me, even at the tail end of Gatland’s first stint, that somehow the results at international level were papering over the cracks.
I agree with all DB said about England’s game.
At least the Northern Hemisphere manage to break its duck against tier one teams, albeit by a solitary point.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
I don't know what players are available to Wales and are playing for the regions.
I think the front row is OK, and Archie Griffin has taken to international rugby really well so far.
Second row seems a real issue as does back row. Tommy Reffell is an utter pain to play against and surely should be at 7. Wing Commander Wainwright has never convinced, and likewise Botham. Beard in the second row is decidedly average. Wales need to find a really big lump of a ball carrier from somewhere.
Tomos Williams is a very good 9. Not sure what back up there is though.
Anscombe and Costello are OK 10s but won't set the world on fire.
The centres looked small - but Mason Grady was out (though he has been playing on the wing), and Louie Hennessy is showing promise at Bath. There's also another youngster who moved from Bath to Cardiff this season who is likely to step up in a year or two.
The 14 for Wales had a really good game yesterday, but the full back is good but small.
Wales have lost a huge amount of experience in a very short time which makes life very difficult. And there isn't a big carrier like Jamie Roberts or George North around.
1 -
Painful first half for Wales. Completely out powered again, as expected.
Horror time for Archie Griffin against his clubmate Thomas du Toit.
It's a totally wrong feeling having grown up with the Welsh dominance of the 1970s, to be feeling sorry for Wales.
0 -
I didn’t watch as I feared the worse and the match obviously lived up to my expectations.
What I find really painful, having watched all the other matches, is how even Italy are now much more competitive against the likes of NZ, than Wales.
I fear a zero point wooden spoon awaits, after Christmas.
The first half of the Scotland match has been marred by much whistle from the referee. Very few passages of phase play as a result.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Scotland now running riot against Australia.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Really good win by Scotland. Their Bath boys did well!
But a crystal glass trophy is not sensible for rugby players!
0 -
Watching Bath vs Exeter. Where did they find such a clueless referee from?
She has no empathy for the game, whatsoever.
Hill’s yellow card was not foul play or even his fault. Her rationalisation was nonsense. The commentators were unanimous in declaring it as not foul play.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
All the chat from a few months back about the Lions in Oz being a bit one sided looks like bollocks given the results over the last month.
Unless Oz carry on their upward trajectory in which case it may be. 😒
Apparently Wallabies don't have another test until they meet the Lions in July.
0 -
Well Friday night's hammering for Brizzle was made even better by Bath destroying Salaries on Saturday! Great way to end the rugby year!
0 -
Currently not a great way to start the New Year.
Saints have picked up where they left off against Newcastle.
At least Bath have got one of the three tries they have conceded, back.
It’s a very fluid and open game, so far.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Well, that was rather good, wasn’t it?
Northampton were irresistible for the first 20 minutes, but were hanging on for pretty much all of the second half.
Bath won the match on 78 minutes, then lost it to the last kick of the game.
Commentator awarded the match 6 stars.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Is that like Hatch declaring it a game for the ages?
0 -
19-0 down around 20 minutes in, to come back to lead, and lose to the last kick of the game - mixed feelings, especially as Bath left a lot of points out on the field.
Not a fan of the 7:1 bench split - lucky to get away with it.
0 -
I see that Scott Williams has been turning out for Ponty.
He was going to play on Saturday, but for the postponement. When fit he’s still as good as any of the current crop of centres.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Yep, he started against Ebbw Vale in the home match before Christmas. Looked good and will be a good role model for some of the young backs we've got. Maybe George will join him when he gets bored of garlic and baguettes.
1
