Rugby Union 23/24 Discussion

T00lsh3d

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Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, the big news is that the Crusaders have lost their first 4 games of the super rugby season. They've lost some top, top players and their outstanding coach but nobody would have expected them to be winless at this point of the season. It doesn't get any easier for the champions with a trip to Eden Park to play Vern Cotter's Auckland Blues on Saturday. Rob Penney's side needs a win and there is no better place to do it than away to the Blues.

I'm just enjoying the fact that the Queensland Reds are in 2nd at the moment. Les Kiss and his coaching staff have produced a team that plays vibrant, attacking rugby while putting a value on a strong set piece. The defence could be better but while averaging 5 tries a game, there is room for error on that front for the moment

Two stories from this part of the world, both out of New Zealand that are important for the global game:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/35020...ed-card-push-heading-crucial-world-rugby-vote

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350211819/rugby-championship-expansion-unlikely-all-blacks-set-tour-sa

If Australia and New Zealand had their way, the 20 minute red card law would have been brought in early enough for it to have been used in the 2019 World Cup. It remains to be seen if they'll finally get their wish. It should be noted that there's some self interest at play here as both countries top the red card charts from Jan1 2017, to the present day. Should it happen, the return of test series and tours between New Zealand and South Africa would be epic.
The 20 minute red was a great argument a year or 2 ago when the refs were sending everyone off for head contact. It feels in the NH now that they’ve got the balance right, only the egregious nasty or dangerous ones actually get red carded
 

moses

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I have no idea either, yet.
Of course, winning the tournament despite not playing well tells its own story. There’s definitely something not quite clicking for Ireland at the moment but if we can win big matches despite this then that bodes well for the future. Having Hansen and Keenan fit and well for the tour will be important and make a big difference.
Totally, I was trying not to show off.
 

Offsideagain

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No team can be excellent all the time unless they are playing dross. Italy and England have both made significant progress into becoming teams that will give anyone a game. As usual, sport isn't about should have and could have nor blaming the Refs. The alleged 'No arm tackle' was called by the Argentinian Linesman not the Aussie Ref and was a mistaken call but that's the way it is. The overthrow at the lineout was the turning point in the game for me.
As for any League v Union discussions, I actually saw a League player get sent off the other week! Usually, they have to almost kill an opponent for that. If RL was refereed under RU laws, the game would be over in 20 minutes due to lack of players. The safety of players is finally being put first in both codes, but RL still has a way to catch up with RU.
 

T00lsh3d

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No team can be excellent all the time unless they are playing dross. Italy and England have both made significant progress into becoming teams that will give anyone a game. As usual, sport isn't about should have and could have nor blaming the Refs. The alleged 'No arm tackle' was called by the Argentinian Linesman not the Aussie Ref and was a mistaken call but that's the way it is. The overthrow at the lineout was the turning point in the game for me.
As for any League v Union discussions, I actually saw a League player get sent off the other week! Usually, they have to almost kill an opponent for that. If RL was refereed under RU laws, the game would be over in 20 minutes due to lack of players. The safety of players is finally being put first in both codes, but RL still has a way to catch up with RU.
Absolutely agree.

Tackling technique is different in league, there’s a lot more upright tackling (to tie the ball up). Consequently you get so many more high shots, drives me spare watching the games.

There’s a law amendment next season at youth and amateur level to tackling below the armpit. Below the armpit! Who tackles above the armpit ffs :lol:

On red cards, Hull FC have had two this season. One was a terrible decision, unintentional head contact, unavoidable, no one even appealed for a foul….and the other was a legitimate murder attempt
 

rimaldo

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The 20 minute red was a great argument a year or 2 ago when the refs were sending everyone off for head contact. It feels in the NH now that they’ve got the balance right, only the egregious nasty or dangerous ones actually get red carded
yep. a lot easier to watch the games this six nations without the fear that the ref is about to decide the outcome because heads accidentally clashed unavoidably in a tackle.
 

The Brown Bull

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Yep. Context is very important. This is the second time youve taken issue with an Irish poster for perceived slights. You seem to have very thin skin.
I didn't take issue and I didn't know where the poster came from. Ok? Talk about thin skin!
 

The Brown Bull

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Oh you certainly did, that's why you got your 3 lions tagline.
Listen I am obviously from a different generation than you and most on here.
I am Irish too by the way.
I genuinely do not know where the vast majority of posters on here come from.
How in the name of all that's holy am I supposed to know a bare statement like " England clearly the best team" is an attempt at humour?
Same goes for the " It's coming home" during the World Cup. You think it's funny to tag me with that? Have I complained about it? Not once. I'm politely asking you to remove it now seeing as you have that power.
 

moses

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I have no idea either, yet.
Listen I am obviously from a different generation than you and most on here.
I am Irish too by the way.
I genuinely do not know where the vast majority of posters on here come from.
How in the name of all that's holy am I supposed to know a bare statement like " England clearly the best team" is an attempt at humour?
Same goes for the " It's coming home" during the World Cup. You think it's funny to tag me with that? Have I complained about it? Not once. I'm politely asking you to remove it now seeing as you have that power.
I know you are Irish. You're not much older than me. And from the same town.

Maybe it's better not to react to isolated comments without knowing the context? It's what seperates this place from random YouTube comments.
 

T00lsh3d

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His comment was incredibly obviously not serious
@moses loves English rugby. Jolly good chaps playing the game the right way. Well-educated fellows. Dad’s got a law firm so can just play rugby all day without any worries
 
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The Brown Bull

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I know you are Irish. You're not much older than me. And from the same town.

Maybe it's better not to react to isolated comments without knowing the context? It's what seperates this place from random YouTube comments.
What town? It's a discussion forum.Who has the time for all that! Whatever happened to free speech.
 

Xaviesta

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Take from the Times. Full article : https://archive.md/wG1rh#selection-2985.0-3047.67

Immediate law changes
• Referees to call “use it” and start their five-second countdown at rucks earlier, to avoid “caterpillar rucks” (Good idea. To avoid time consuming scrums, the ball should be called out once the 5 seconds called by the ref has elapsed)
• Hookers must maintain a full “brake foot” by putting one foot forward at scrums to aid their stability
• A crackdown on water-carriers entering the field (good idea)

Possible law changes (to be voted on by World Rugby council in May)
• Closing the “Dupont Law” loophole, by tweaking the offside rule from kicks, to reduce kick-tennis battles (This has worked well in SRP)
• Remove the option of a second scrum when a free kick is given at a scrum (Well worth trialling)
• Outlawing the dangerous “crocodile-roll” at rucks

Possible trials

• A shot-clock for scrums and lineouts (Yes please)
• Ability to mark the ball inside the 22m from a restart (Would it be worth getting rid of the mark?)
• The ball must be played after the maul has been stopped once, not twice
• Further protection of scrum halves at the base of rucks and scrums
• Play on if a lineout is not straight, but the throw is uncontested (common sense really)

Areas for further analysis

• Possible global trial of a 20-minute red card (I'm still not entirely for or against this possible law)
• A big safety review of the breakdown, and possible removal of the “jackal”
• A review of the role of the TMO
• A review of how and when replacements are used
• Possible introduction of a lower tackle-height for the elite game (No, no, no, no, no!)
 
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T00lsh3d

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Take from the Times. Full article : https://archive.md/wG1rh#selection-2985.0-3047.67

Immediate law changes
• Referees to call “use it” and start their five-second countdown at rucks earlier, to avoid “caterpillar rucks” (Good idea. To avoid time consuming scrums, the ball should be called out once the 5 seconds called by the ref has elapsed)
• Hookers must maintain a full “brake foot” by putting one foot forward at scrums to aid their stability
• A crackdown on water-carriers entering the field (good idea)

Possible law changes (to be voted on by World Rugby council in May)
• Closing the “Dupont Law” loophole, by tweaking the offside rule from kicks, to reduce kick-tennis battles (This has worked well in SRP)
• Remove the option of a second scrum when a free kick is given at a scrum (Well worth trialling)
• Outlawing the dangerous “crocodile-roll” at rucks

Possible trials

• A shot-clock for scrums and lineouts (Yes please)
• Ability to mark the ball inside the 22m from a restart (Would it be worth getting rid of the mark?)
• The ball must be played after the maul has been stopped once, not twice
• Further protection of scrum halves at the base of rucks and scrums
• Play on if a lineout is not straight, but the throw is uncontested (common sense really)

Areas for further analysis

• Possible global trial of a 20-minute red card (I'm still not entirely for or against this possible law)
• A big safety review of the breakdown, and possible removal of the “jackal”
• A review of the role of the TMO
• A review of how and when replacements are used
• Possible introduction of a lower tackle-height for the elite game (No, no, no, no, no!)
  • Ability to mark the ball inside the 22m from a restart
  • A big safety review of the breakdown, and possible removal of the “jackal”
These would terrible
As a former back-rower I would be disgusted if Jackaling was removed. It’s one of the key components of the game. I actually think they’re barking up the right tree in getting rid of croc rolls. They’re a genuine danger and just thinking of the biomechanics of being ‘rolled’ with your legs planted makes me feel sick.

Oh and if they can nail the DuPont law, scrum resets and caterpillar rucks then fantastic

In other news, Sarries vs Quins at 3pm today…..on ITV1! Hopefully be a good game and get some decent viewing numbers
 

Xaviesta

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As a former back-rower I would be disgusted if Jackaling was removed. It’s one of the key components of the game. I actually think they’re barking up the right tree in getting rid of croc rolls. They’re a genuine danger and just thinking of the biomechanics of being ‘rolled’ with your legs planted makes me feel sick.

Oh and if they can nail the DuPont law, scrum resets and caterpillar rucks then fantastic

In other news, Sarries vs Quins at 3pm today…..on ITV1! Hopefully be a good game and get some decent viewing numbers
Is that the home game Sarries take to Tottenham's home ground?
 

T00lsh3d

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@Xaviesta watching the second half of the Tahs rebels game….pretty entertaining to be fair. Nice to see Tupou on and looking good. The commentators are saying they need to keep him in Australia, are there rumours of him going abroad? Where?
 

Xaviesta

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@Xaviesta watching the second half of the Tahs rebels game….pretty entertaining to be fair. Nice to see Tupou on and looking good. The commentators are saying they need to keep him in Australia, are there rumours of him going abroad? Where?
I didn't catch the Tahs vs Rebels match but from what I read, the first half was not pretty. Tupou has struggled to stay injury free and doesn't look physically fit for the rigours of super rugby thus far.

He has been linked with Leinster and I'm sure they won't be the only European club to take an interest in him if/when the Rebels are booted out of super rugby due to their financial issues. He's one of the more marketable players we have here which is important when people who get off on bagging rugby talk about rugby players being largely unknown to the general sporting public here.

The issue is he's on 1.2m (AUD) which would be around 600,000 pounds and he hasn't exactly been value for money so far. He suffered a dreadful injury against Ireland at the AVIVA in 2022, he then got injured before the Fiji game at the World Cup. When he's fit and firing, he's an asset to any team.
 

T00lsh3d

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I didn't catch the Tahs vs Rebels match but from what I read, the first half was not pretty. Tupou has struggled to stay injury free and doesn't look physically fit for the rigours of super rugby thus far.

He has been linked with Leinster and I'm sure they won't be the only European club to take an interest in him if/when the Rebels are booted out of super rugby due to their financial issues. He's one of the more marketable players we have here which is important when people who get off on bagging rugby talk about rugby players being largely unknown to the general sporting public here.

The issue is he's on 1.2m (AUD) which would be around 600,000 pounds and he hasn't exactly been value for money so far. He suffered a dreadful injury against Ireland at the AVIVA in 2022, he then got injured before the Fiji game at the World Cup. When he's fit and firing, he's an asset to any team.
Thanks, yeah I haven’t seen him play in so long I’d actually forgotten who he played his club rugby for.
Be excited to see him in Europe if he can get healthy….i can see him at a French club
 

Xaviesta

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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.