The Rugby Union Thread 2010/2011 season

NZ will bottle it as always in the world cup tho

they ALWAYS peak at just the wrong time. i think England looked to be building nicely in time for 11 months time.

Just how good would wales be if they had their first choice back line behind that pack? Haven't seen it since 2008.

* Oh, and a decent attack coach

Nice one, Mattie. What did you think of Pretorius (6), Fish, (15) for the Blues? Any thoughts also on their s/h?

E2A: Terrible thing for Thom Evans. Poor bastard. Apparently it's as much about insurance as anything else. Big loss for the Jocks - he was developing nicely.

England won't win the thing with that 10, 12, 13 combo. They'll be competitive, but no winners, IMO.

Aye. Bring it Tait!

Cardiff fan near me was raving about the 9, I thought the 10 stood out more - decent decisions and good kicking.

The whole Blues back row were impressive, certainly put in some power when needed - Skirving and Ovens were knocked back on a number of occasions. The 7 (I think he's a crim?) turned a few over as well.

The 15 had a decent game, and one nice little darting return from an over-hit Bath kick led to a kick and chase which was eventually recycled for the try. We never managed to really puncture the line either, Cuthbert at 15 had a few decent runs but the defence was generally solid - our 2 tries took advantage of forwards out in the defensive line.

I will say it was a very entertaining game, good endeavour from both sides especially given the conditions. it did get a little bit kick-oriented near the end as the rain got even more biblical, but still efforts to run it. Bodes well for both teams.

Pretty good i reckon but i wasnt just referring to saturdays game. The Aussie have been shit up front for a few years now but are still capable of beating anyone & everyone down to the skill & power of their back line.

There was me thinking that the Oz pack got their shit together a bit more in the Tri-nations. Must have been misled. They were certainly no mugs in the tight last year when they twatted us at the MS.

In reflection, and looking ahead, Wales are only a positional change and a player or two away from having a top-5 set-up. Hook HAS to start at centre. I thought he'd have a bit more opportunity to run back at Aus on Sat, but they made sure he had the ball in shit areas. Cracking kicking by Cooper in that regard. I remember when Wales had a feller called Cooper who could play a bit, but that was a flash in the pan...

Shanks and Bish did well in their defensive roles, but I'd still prefer to see Hook plus A N Other. In this instance, I'd prefer the *slightly* more attack-minded Bish, but I do still harbour hopes for Hook and Henson by 6N time (it's got class stamped all over it). I's rather see that than Roberts and Hook, though the idea of Hook at 10 nowadays doesn't seem so scary. There is suddenly a lot more emphasis on a 10 with guile, the kicking game having tailed off as a requirement. So Hook 10, Henson 12, Roberts 13 might be nice, as might Jon Davies or Bish at 13. We've got to make more of Bish - he's our strong, silent type.

I'd rather see North have a go against S Africa, though I'd prefer 'Penny to him. I'd prefer Brew to Harries after Sat, but I also realise that we didn't eactly let him show his stuff. It would be harsh to drop him.

The back-row should remain unless R Jones can take up 6 from Lydiate, thought that again would be unfair. Powell can fuck off to the Bench, the gormless bastard.

Waffling a bit here now, but I hope Byrne is back fit. If not, i would chuck Czekaj in for no other reason that to put Hook elsewhere. Best of a bad lot in support of Byrne's nailed-on shirt, but something to at least give us some flair where we need it. And Rees to start. Our pack coped very well without M Phillips' attempts to be one of them last Sat, so he needs a lesson in bench-warming. Rees was very sharp when he came on and deserves a start.

Given the orange one's likely role at saffarecens, maybe 10 Chavin, 12 Hook?

Nice problem to have.

Beauootiful stream for the Leicester/crim game here:

http://mypremium.tv/

Expect Leicester to kick arse up front, get outclassed at the breakdown and get mauled out wide. So says I, Captain Obvious.

Tuilagi's dirt-tracking the crims, some big hits going in.

I'd agree with pretty much everything you said there, especially dropping Mikey Phillips, he's gone of the boil and we can't let him become complacent. I'd be alarmed to see Czekaj in the starting 15 mind. He hasn't got the bottle for it, he always stops before contact, just taking the tackle.

They bummed us because Paul James was at tighthead, and he ain't no tighthead. That said, they're *supposedly* improved. Absolutely gash from where I was lounging.

I really don't know about Hook. I'm willing him with every fibre of my being to come good and actually put in a composed performance, but he never does. There's always a brainfart, always a sliced kick, an interception, or a stupid run away from support. He ain't no FB, that's for sure, and he ain't no 10. I'm left wondering what room for him there is beyond a utility/impact sub if we have our first choice backline of Wellies/Biggar, Henson, Roberts and Byrne either pre or post WC. Sad waste of an instinctive talent, but the boy hasn't got a rugby brain.

You surprise me. Shanklin was our standout back in both attack and defence against the Crims.

i think what you may be saying is that, with everyone fit, we have an embarrasment of riches, and a wonderful set of skills and styles, able to slot in at 12 and 13.

North, please. The boy's got class and he's massive (and English). Cap the feckah!

Warburton is injured, which is gutting. He matched Pocock on Saturday, IMO. In his absence it should be Lydiate, Ryan, Nugget with Mongo as an impact sub. The Powell 6/8, Jones 8/6 and Nugget 7 experiment has not really delivered. Ever.

Looks like he will be. Thank fuck.

Agreed, as you said before, we have to get Hook into midfield. The current stodge is screaming out for some creativity.

Warburton's injury has put paid to that, IMO. The dropoff in physicality with Nugget there will require a third flanker at 9 to keep that raw meat eating Boer backrow in check. Spikey for 60, then Rees on when the game opens up.

I reckon this will happen. If so, it's the only way we can incorporate Hook into a first choice backline (see above). And you're right, it is, isn't it?

Genuine question - did you not think that:

a) Spikey put in a very decent first half performance

and

b) That he did exactly what Gatland wanted him to?

Austin Healey and Ben Kay no fans of Kaplan, some pretty direct criticism of his calls/lack of calls - surprisingly sustained, even given their green-tinged glasses.

I'm no fan of Kaplan, either.

That said, I think Healey is a bellend, too.

Hmmmmm

One of the better commentators - not just platitudes and a good insight into the technical aspects of the game.

His banter with Ben Kay is enough to turn your hair grey though.

On that score I absolutely agree. He's one of the best analysts of the game on the TV at the moment. I just have that 'English Golden Era' kneejerk when it comes to him, sorry Mattie.

We were never going to win that first match in out brand new(half empty) stadium. Nerves all over the place. O'Gara could have levelled it with a penalty which hit the post but in truth we didn't deserve it. SA owned the set piece and had great ball retention and it's a very difficult game to play when you don't have the ball. We tried to play a more expansive game - nuts in those conditions. Samoa at the weekend and hopefully some of these lot should put their hands up for the test team.

Ireland: L Fitzgerald; T Bowe, B O'Driscoll, P Wallace, A Trimble; R O'Gara, P Stringer; T Court, S Cronin, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, D Toner; D Leamy, S O'Brien, J Heaslip

Mealamu banned for 4 weeks.

For those who weren't aware, he nutted a prone Lewis Moody when entering a ruck. That's the Lewis Moody who has just recovered from cranial damage.

He's also the hero who speared O'Driscoll.

Not wanting to dwell on this, and to be fair Hartley also entered a ruck in a decidedly questionable manner later in the game and had a ding-dong with McCaw, but this bloke does piss me off.

eta: Fucking laughable. The AB's excuses for this range from the 'it was unintentional' to the 'Moody insulted my family'. Which fucking one is it? they're diametrically opposed, you utter planks.

I can stomach McCaw lying offside, if the ref doesn't call it, keep doing it. I can stomach dummy runners taking out the defensive line,if the ref doesn't call it, keep doing it. I can't stand the complete contempt for an opponent's safety and a complete lack of any contrition after the event.

eta2: And until Hartley sorts out the niggly nastiness he can do one too. Mears is twice the footballer he is, I'd rather have an undersized hooker with running and handling ability than a chunky thug.

Good, he deserved that.

lol @ poor, sweet lewis moody. harmless little lamb.

4 weeks is a tad harsh. lets at least hope for some consistency the next time that dirty fucker crosses the line.

Thank you for instantiating my point.

Lewis Moody is not a snide cheap-shot merchant who injures other players whilst they're defenceless.

Yup, he's totally clean. never been sent off or banned in his life, right?

Not, to the best of my knowledge, for spear-tackling or for headbutting prone players who had just returned from damage to their eye socket.

AB coach reckions Hartley should have been cited - he does indeed have a point, Hartley needs a bollocking to channel aggression in a way that isn't cheap-shotting, but let us have a little look a the ensuing rumpus.





Oh, and and the inadvertent/deliberative revenge (delete as appropriate) headbutt in all its glory:




eta: in the interests of balance, it would appear from other videos that the errant fingers in Hartley's eyes might belong to Tom Croft