Rugby 2018 Discussion

NZ haven't looked right for some time. Great for world rugby but not great for the Kiwis.
 
I can't see how that's ever offside, but even then a stupid error to throw it away.
 
It plainly wasn't offside.
I should've said how that would be given offside. Shocking shocking decision.

They didn't really pause it at the point of pick up. They just kept rewinding it and playing it through.
 
I'm no fan of England but that was complete bullshit. Even ignoring the disallowed try, there were 4 bloody times in the last 3 minutes that NZ players didn't bother rolling away and the ref ignored it. All in Farrell territory too. Great performance by England though, really came out of terrible form to put it right up to the best team in the World.
 
I should've said how that would be given offside. Shocking shocking decision.

They didn't really pause it at the point of pick up. They just kept rewinding it and playing it through.
The second view (the one tighter in and more in focus) clearly showed the ball was picked up off the turf ages before he moved.

I make you right on both counts, but, look out … here comes the schadenfreude!
 
I was out and about so only reading updates on BBC. Tough break, England. On the one hand, I'm delighted ye lost and it's up to us now :D On the other hand, I hope this isn't another example of one rule for NZ and another for the rest of us
 
Brodie Retallick was unreal in the second half, made Itoje look like a pub player.
 
Wales with a chance to beat the Aussies here in the first time in yonks

edit: they won!

thought they were gonna feck that up for sure
 
England robbed themselves at the end to be fair. That call didn't finish the game....them losing the blatant drop goal chance did. Really really strong and spirited performance otherwise, but they always dig deep for NZ, as you can see by me thinking the +14 was a bonkers betting line.

Funny that for all the stick Barrett gets for his kicking too, it was Farrell's miss that ultimately swung the game.....he's not exactly been dead eye accurate himself in recent years, but I reckon he nails the drop goal had they got it to him, whereas I'm definitely suspect on Barrett in that regard, beast of a pass for the try that essentially swung the game.
 
I'm no fan of England but that was complete bullshit. Even ignoring the disallowed try, there were 4 bloody times in the last 3 minutes that NZ players didn't bother rolling away and the ref ignored it. All in Farrell territory too. Great performance by England though, really came out of terrible form to put it right up to the best team in the World.
With a pack shorn of a lot of key starters through injury.

Looking promising for 2019, watch a poor 6N wipe out any optimism

Need to beat Australia in the 4th game as that will really determine the success of the AIs now for England
 
Hi all. I’m trying to source tickets for my mates 30th birthday for the six nations match in March, Italy v France in Rome.

Any ideas of the best place to buy 2, if they’re available?

Thanks in advance.
 
Hi all. I’m trying to source tickets for my mates 30th birthday for the six nations match in March, Italy v France in Rome.

Any ideas of the best place to buy 2, if they’re available?

Thanks in advance.

https://sport.ticketone.it/event/en/42059/italia-vs-francia-six-nations-championship-2019

You should be able to buy two on here. Even if not, i've been to Rome for a couple of Six Nations weekends and there have always been plenty of tickets knocking about.
 
Wales - Australia was brutal to watch as a neutral. A billion handling errors, Leigh Halfpenny doing his best Beauden Barrett impersonation missing easy kicks, and Australia predictably handing the game to Wales with a braindead penalty. The only thing I can say positive about the match was that both Tipuric and Pocock were fantastic at the breakdown.
 
Australia's loss to Wales can be best described as frustrating. Not the first time that word has been used this season either.

Michael Hooper said that if he had his time over again, the Wallabies would have shown more of a willingness to take the 3 points when they were on offer. Well, this happened in PE against South Africa during the Rugby Championship too, so it appears as if he's a slow learner as captain.

Australia's record now is 8 losses from 11 tests. Michael Cheika hasn't been under significant job security related pressure from the Aussie rugby media. That surely must change if Italy beat them next week.
 
Australia's loss to Wales can be best described as frustrating. Not the first time that word has been used this season either.

Michael Hooper said that if he had his time over again, the Wallabies would have shown more of a willingness to take the 3 points when they were on offer. Well, this happened in PE against South Africa during the Rugby Championship too, so it appears as if he's a slow learner as captain.

Australia's record now is 8 losses from 11 tests. Michael Cheika hasn't been under significant job security related pressure from the Aussie rugby media. That surely must change if Italy beat them next week.

Feckin hell, that's a terrible ratio. I don't think Italy will beat ye though.
 
Soooooo... for Ireland, does Simon Zebo come back into the reckoning now for the WC? A lot of folks took to talking him down and diminishing his international contribution when he moved, but I don't remember him having a night like Larmour had last night.

Of course, Larmour is young and it'll have been great experience, and it didn't help him that Henshaw had to pull out late and that the wings also had a mare under the high ball... but if something were to happen to Kearney, surely Zebo would have to come back into the picture. An exception was made for Sexton because of how crucial he is and if we're stuck at full back, surely Zebo couldn't be ignored.
 
Hi all. I’m trying to source tickets for my mates 30th birthday for the six nations match in March, Italy v France in Rome.

Any ideas of the best place to buy 2, if they’re available?

Thanks in advance.

If you are a member of a rugby club affiliated to the RFU, there should be tickets available but they usually are all snapped up by now.

Whether Courtney was offside or not, the officials said he was so he was. End of story. The fact that they misssed dozens of other offences like the Blacks not rolling away just rubs salt into the wound. We won a moral victory, the Blacks know it and so do we.
 
Soooooo... for Ireland, does Simon Zebo come back into the reckoning now for the WC? A lot of folks took to talking him down and diminishing his international contribution when he moved, but I don't remember him having a night like Larmour had last night.

Of course, Larmour is young and it'll have been great experience, and it didn't help him that Henshaw had to pull out late and that the wings also had a mare under the high ball... but if something were to happen to Kearney, surely Zebo would have to come back into the picture. An exception was made for Sexton because of how crucial he is and if we're stuck at full back, surely Zebo couldn't be ignored.
If he continues his form which is currently world class form he should be back, you need someone who's competent under the high ball and has a read of the game.
Why didn't Joe give Conway a shot he has hell of a lot more experience at FB and is good under the high ball
 
If he continues his form which is currently world class form he should be back, you need someone who's competent under the high ball and has a read of the game.
Why didn't Joe give Conway a shot he has hell of a lot more experience at FB and is good under the high ball
Larmour is normally excellent under the high ball. He had an off day in poor conditions. I dont think Zebo will get back in on that basis and also he hasn't been setting the world alight in France either. Addison can play fullback so I would say Joe wil go RK, JL, Addison/Conway which is enough cover really and if a few injuries come into play then I would say Tiernan O'Halloran will get in.
 
Larmour is normally excellent under the high ball. He had an off day in poor conditions. I dont think Zebo will get back in on that basis and also he hasn't been setting the world alight in France either. Addison can play fullback so I would say Joe wil go RK, JL, Addison/Conway which is enough cover really and if a few injuries come into play then I would say Tiernan O'Halloran will get in.

It pains me to say it but I think O'Halloran's chance is gone. He's still carrying well at the moment but his general confidence seems shot and he's making a lot of mistakes. Larmour deserves more chances but I'm sure he's been given a lot of food for thought and how he reacts to it will be important. No harm too for the squad to have to deal with a late change to the team of a good defender in a crucial position against good opposition, lots was going wrong and they managed to find a way through it. Argentina have a lot more to work on than we do considering the shocking mess their scrum is in.