Rugby Union 23/24 Discussion

Q: What do France, England, Wales and the Queensland Reds all have in common?

A: All have played in 1 point losses in games refereed by Ben O'Keeffe in the last 6 months
 
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Bravo to Luke Pearce for policing the 5 second law during the Northampton vs Saracens match but surely there's a better sanction for wasting time than a scrum which itself takes time out of the game. Maybe refs can call ''use it 5'' like Luke Pearce did and Ben O'Keeffe does and call ''ball is out'' once the 5 seconds have elapsed so you're not stopping the game.
It was genuinely hilarious to see the 9’s rushing like feck to get rid of the ball.

Amazing as well, that he stopped counting after the first few rucks, as the nines just got on with it quick enough. It’d be so simple to implement if refs just did it
 
It was genuinely hilarious to see the 9’s rushing like feck to get rid of the ball.

Amazing as well, that he stopped counting after the first few rucks, as the nines just got on with it quick enough. It’d be so simple to implement if refs just did it

He also gave Fin Smith the hurry up when he wanted to the full 90 seconds to take a conversion which was right beside the posts.
 
Ah gutted about Bath. Think we ended up with a back up scrum half, Spencer at 10 and the back up fly half at inside centre. Plus the wind magically stopped at half time. Get me home :lol:
 
On my way to watch tigers get spanked by Leinster…at least the craic will be good
 
Another final day decider in AIL 2c for omagh. Bonus point win secures AIL status.

Anyone else follow their local AIL team
 
Only since my young fella started playing for their U15s in January. Terenure RFC. Never actually watched them play but probably will soon.
Only the best team in the land. He must be decent of he plays for them at u15 level?
 
Yeah but we’re not actually from there. About 15 minutes drive away. He plays for Terenure because a couple of guys from his school team play for them and they recruited him. Our local soccer club is Beechwood.


Ah I see, I thought your younglad might have been playing for my old club.
 
Didn't know you played for Glasgow Rangers moses?

Ha! That plagued many a weekend in my teens. We even wore Royal Blue. Teams often turned up in green and white hoops against us. Especially lower league teams in cup matches. It's was fine, even though the team was based in Terenure, we had loads of nut jobs from Tallaght and the city centre on the team. So we could hold our own. Not me personally, I took a back seat til the football match broke out.

The idea was that as the new housing estates popped up they all had a new team and 'new Dublin' didn't have a club to rival Home Farm, Joseph's, Belvo etc, this was a club just called Rangers with no attachment to a place in the name in the hope it would be a catch all. It was defo the best club in the area, none of the Tallaght clubs came close and the majority of the players were from Tallaght.

I think they added Bushy Park or Terenure to the name recently.

Good times.
 
Another final day decider in AIL 2c for omagh. Bonus point win secures AIL status.

Anyone else follow their local AIL team

I keep an eye on the team that my family played for. Grandad, uncle, and myself for a short while. I actually live not too far from the ground now so I might start going to games..
 
Ha! That plagued many a weekend in my teens. We even wore Royal Blue. Teams often turned up in green and white hoops against us. Especially lower league teams in cup matches. It's was fine, even though the team was based in Terenure, we had loads of nut jobs from Tallaght and the city centre on the team. So we could hold our own. Not me personally, I took a back seat til the football match broke out.

The idea was that as the new housing estates popped up they all had a new team and 'new Dublin' didn't have a club to rival Home Farm, Joseph's, Belvo etc, this was a club just called Rangers with no attachment to a place in the name in the hope it would be a catch all. It was defo the best club in the area, none of the Tallaght clubs came close and the majority of the players were from Tallaght.

I think they added Bushy Park or Terenure to the name recently.

Good times.

Yeah, they’re Terenure Rangers now.
 
Gonna be an interesting evening for the kickers. Absolutely honking wind out there.
Didn’t seem that windy down at pitch level, I was behind the posts in the big stand about 15 rows back and didn’t notice much wind. Not the best spectacle however.
 
Looks a pretty good game here between saints and Munster. Grafting away in the kitchen but the bits I’m catching look good
 
Whos winning the game between La Rochelle and Leinster?

I think La Rochelle. Leinster just look undercooked. I’ve a horrible feeling that Leinster and Ireland are only just starting to show what massive boots Sexton has left to fill. Doesn’t help that they both seem to be getting worse at set pieces at the same time.
 
Not sure if everyone has access to it, but I suggest watching Chasing the Sun 2 if you can (may need to travel the high seas). Basically a documentary following the Boks in France (Chasing the Sun 1 follows the Boks in Japan). Rassie is an absolute mad man, he was blaring the French anthem non-stop in the build up to the QF, following the players with a massive speaker everywhere. He also picked up a weakness in the French play which is what resulted in SA's first try.
 
Not sure if everyone has access to it, but I suggest watching Chasing the Sun 2 if you can (may need to travel the high seas). Basically a documentary following the Boks in France (Chasing the Sun 1 follows the Boks in Japan). Rassie is an absolute mad man, he was blaring the French anthem non-stop in the build up to the QF, following the players with a massive speaker everywhere. He also picked up a weakness in the French play which is what resulted in SA's first try.

I found a way to watch episodes 1&2 (SuperSport really need to make this available for people outside of South Africa) but I'm yet to watch episode 3. Tim, who runs the 'Eggchasers rugby' YouTube channel, has reviewed episodes 1,2 & 3. He mentioned Rassie blaring the French anthem and Allez Les Bleus at training. Mikel Arteta tried a similar trick by having YAWN blaring out while Arsenal trained before a match at Anfield. It worked for Rassie but not Arteta.

If the French weakness you're referring to is the their wingers fallibility under the high ball, Eddie Jones' Wallabies exposed the French there in the warm up match at Stade de France about 12 days before the World Cup began. It was the most productive thing Eddie did all tournament mind you!

Episodes 3&4 are the ones @JPRouve might want to avoid!
 
Whos winning the game between La Rochelle and Leinster?
I think La Rochelle. Leinster just look undercooked. I’ve a horrible feeling that Leinster and Ireland are only just starting to show what massive boots Sexton has left to fill. Doesn’t help that they both seem to be getting worse at set pieces at the same time.
Dicko is refereeing….expect Bedlam at the ruck. From a neutrals perspective it’s a gloriously exciting game.

Leinster have to get over the line, god knows what mental scars another loss to LAR will inflict
 
Dicko is refereeing….expect Bedlam at the ruck. From a neutrals perspective it’s a gloriously exciting game.

Leinster have to get over the line, god knows what mental scars another loss to LAR will inflict

ROG is strutting around Fota Island like a peacock. He's confident.
Bookies have Leinster as favourites.

This is it for Leo if he doesn't beat them now he never will
 
Not sure if everyone has access to it, but I suggest watching Chasing the Sun 2 if you can (may need to travel the high seas). Basically a documentary following the Boks in France (Chasing the Sun 1 follows the Boks in Japan). Rassie is an absolute mad man, he was blaring the French anthem non-stop in the build up to the QF, following the players with a massive speaker everywhere. He also picked up a weakness in the French play which is what resulted in SA's first try.

Rassie and the speaker at training

 
Just watching a rerun of Ulster at Montpellier and noticed another murder attempt from Paul Willemse @JPRouve . Does he just get bored with rugby and decide he’d rather decapitate someone?

 
Insane match. Bordeaux missed very kickable conversion to win it.
I thought it’d be a walkover so didn’t watch it….will watch it back in full.
How you finding Leinster LAR? I just have a feeling Leinster need to build a lead whilst they’re so on top….dont want to be talking a 10 point or less lead into the second half….we know what LAR can do in the second
 
The La Rochelle try just before half time keeps them in touch. Leinster should be out of sight, but we’ve played this tune before…..

I'm watching both games. I think Lenister could pick an XI to beat United at football.