Rugby Union Discussion 2025/26

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/s/AewcioCcBx

Just watching this clip. England really got screwed here. Clear call of penalty advantage and only downgraded (which was a debatable call anyway) while the ball was in the air heading towards Smith, who must have already been planning to kick.

I also can’t remember ever seeing a penalty advantage downgraded like that, so long after the original call. So, at the very least, it’s a really unusual scenario. Obvious call was to blow up and award England a scrum. There’s no way Smith had the time to process such a radical change in circumstances that quickly. There was even an opportunity for a formal TMO review of the knock on to make absolutely sure it was accidental.

Whole thing was a shambles. And it handed France the 6N. Madness.
 
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Pogue Mahone said:
https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/s/AewcioCcBx

Just watching this clip. England really got screwed here. Clear call of penalty advantage and only downgraded (which was a debatable call anyway) while the ball was in the air heading towards Smith, who must have already been planning to kick.

I also can’t remember ever seeing a penalty advantage downgraded like that, so long after the original call. So, at the very least, it’s a really unusual scenario. Obvious call was to blow up and award England a scrum. There’s no way Smith had the time to process such a radical change in circumstances that quickly. There was even an opportunity for a formal TMO review of the knock on to make absolutely sure it was accidental.

Whole thing was a shambles. And it handed France the 6N. Madness.
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Yeah I remember calling that at the time….I was surprised the commentary didn’t make more about it.

I’m sure it led to a French counterattack try as well
 
Absolutely savage win for Connacht tonight at Ulster.
That's four wins in a row now, and a first Interpro win in over two years.

The Lancaster effect is in clear evidence now.
The team have a real grit and are winning games they 100% would have lost last year.
The defence is absolutely magnificent at the moment and it's winning us games.
 
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unchanged_lineup said:
Absolutely savage win for Connacht tonight at Ulster.
That's four wins in a row now, and a first Interpro win in over two years.

The Lancaster effect is in clear evidence now.
The team have a real grit and are winning games they 100% would have lost last year.
The defence is absolutely magnificent at the moment and it's winning us games.
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Fortress Cowshed?
 
Jacques Nienaber has been announced as Ireland's head coach effective from 2028, with Andy Farrell replacing Steve Borthwick at the end of the 2027 World Cup, with both men signing 4 year deals with their new national teams.
 
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Fortress Sportsground Cowshed!

What a great win tonight. Sharks were heavily odds-on to win and Connacht made them look clueless.

This team is ridiculously resilient now. Superb defence left Sharks just box kicking constantly.

Six wins in a row now. The first time since the Pro12 winning run of 2016 :o
 
feck me tuned in 6 minutes late to Bath Saints and it’s 0-14 already
 
Dan_F said:
Saints have been miles better this season. No idea how we’re favourites for this game.
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You can’t seem to cope with their frenzied quick ball, but strangely also….cant cope with their power which I wasn’t expecting
 
T00lsh3d said:
You can’t seem to cope with their frenzied quick ball, but strangely also….cant cope with their power which I wasn’t expecting
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Teams that get the ball wide quickly have been difficult for us for a few years now. Seem to struggle against Bristol consistently who play a similar way.

Unfortunately the line out has also been poor this year, which isn’t ideal when you play a territory game.
 
Dan_F said:
Teams that get the ball wide quickly have been difficult for us for a few years now. Seem to struggle against Bristol consistently who play a similar way.

Unfortunately the line out has also been poor this year, which isn’t ideal when you play a territory game.
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I haven’t watched much domestic rugby this year. Is the table a fair reflection, saints number one and your lot number two?
 
T00lsh3d said:
I haven’t watched much domestic rugby this year. Is the table a fair reflection, saints number one and your lot number two?
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Easily. There’s been quite a few games where the better quality of player has seen us through rather than looking like a cohesive team, whereas Saints generally play great attacking rugby.

It still seems like the loss of Lee Blackett has really impacted the backs. It’s already been announced that his replacement, Martin Gleeson, isn’t staying next season.

There’s a lot of experience in that team though so there’s still a chance we can get through this game.
 
The hands for Northamptons 2nd was a thing of beauty
 
Read somewhere yesterday that the 6 Nations won't allow Red and Green jerseys in the same match anymore.

Guess Wales and Ireland will wear change strip when playing at home in that fixture.

Useless fact #1 of the day.
 
T00lsh3d said:
Yeah man….off the bench as well.

Proper classic of a game. Saints will be beyond gutted. Your subs did it in the end
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Our MOTM seems to be a bench player every week to be honest. There’s so much rotation that it seems to take a half to figure things out, but I guess the hope is that pays back with lack of injuries and better freshness at the end of the season.
 
What a joke. How we've got to a point where this can be considered (surely wrongly) a yellow against the tackler is a farce. Surely the ball carrier should be in bigger strife than the tackler in this instance.

 
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The Cat said:
Read somewhere yesterday that the 6 Nations won't allow Red and Green jerseys in the same match anymore.

Guess Wales and Ireland will wear change strip when playing at home in that fixture.

Useless fact #1 of the day.
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That was starting from this 6N wasn't it? We played in an alternative strip I believe. Something to do with colour blindness.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Yup. Although will be funny if they apply the same rule in the woman’s 6N, considering not one of the players will be colour blind!
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Think it was done more for the spectators benefit rather than the players. There had been years of complaints from colour blind fans that struggled with Irish green vs Welsh red.
 
10k people at Ireland Vs Italy today at the Sportsground. It was a fabulous atmosphere.

Italy's fullback is unbelievable, but the rest of the team were poor.

Dannah O'Brien's placekicking was exceptional. Touchline conversion after touchline conversion with a very tricky wind. Extremely impressive. Crowley and Prendergast need to talk to whoever is coaching her.

And hometown hero Beibhinn Parsons got three great tries. Pace to burn.

And then to top it all off, the weather was amazing! It was absolutely gorgeous.
 
Xaviesta said:
What a joke. How we've got to a point where this can be considered (surely wrongly) a yellow against the tackler is a farce. Surely the ball carrier should be in bigger strife than the tackler in this instance.

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How fat has Bo’K got??
 
Pretty gutting to lose that after 80 minutes, but such credit to a second/third string team for pushing Saints that close, would have taken 2 points before the game.

Onwards to Bordeaux next week for the biggest game of the season. Absolutely gutted that it’s on at the same time as the Liverpool game.
 
Dan_F said:
Pretty gutting to lose that after 80 minutes, but such credit to a second/third string team for pushing Saints that close, would have taken 2 points before the game.

Onwards to Bordeaux next week for the biggest game of the season. Absolutely gutted that it’s on at the same time as the Liverpool game.
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I'm all for Bath having the game of their lives against Bordeaux (and they'll need to) if it gives Saints any kind of advantage when it comes to play offs.
 
AmarilloMike said:
I'm all for Bath having the game of their lives against Bordeaux (and they'll need to) if it gives Saints any kind of advantage when it comes to play offs.
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It’s a lot to juggle but the results at the weekend massively helped. You’ll do us a favour if you beat Tigers next too, because it makes no difference if you finish first or second. Would be a hell of a final if both teams get there.
 
If we had a ‘weird feelings of rugby’ thread, mine would be that Leinster never actually play away from home in Europe
 
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