The Super Duper Rugby Union Thread

[matbro1984]

Absolutely fucking awful last night. Huw Bennett really is the shits. Has anyone seen him have a good game in a Wales shirt? Lineout is always in pieces when he's playing. Scrummaging was great again though, and Jones and Phillips put some real zip into us when they came on.

 

And I said it 3 years ago, I'll reiterate now. Aled Brew is nowhere near international standard.

 

Gatland's wholesale changes at the 48 minute mark were necessary (albeit not game-saving) but embarrassing and a massive indictment on the quality of Wales' second string. Or lack thereof. There are so many faults with Wales at the moment it's hard to know where to begin

 

1. Stephen Jones, great rugby mind but his kicking's not great at the moment save for the one that set up North's 2nd try last week. Biggar, sadly, is not an adequate understudy.

2. Ryan Jones' workrate doesn't even merit a place in the squad.

3. He's not been too hot as captain either

4. Shane Williams (based on the other matches - i know he is injured now) has really not been great. Partly because he's marked and his try-making potential is stifled, but mostly because his decision making is wrong 80% of the time it seems.

5. LINE OUTS!

6. Fuck all strength in depth. We have a good 1st squad, and I maintain that a full-strength first choice team is capable of beating anyone BUT if any of our first choices are injured or otherwise off the pitch, their replacements are inadequate.

7. James Hook coughing up the ball in contact on every other hit. I concede that the game he plays requires risk, and it's that risk which translates into losing the ball in contact periodically, but the frequency of this is far too regular.

8. Not playing to the ref. Far too often Wales are victim to marginal calls by the ref that the top tier sides are able to adapt to within the course of the game.

9. Player attitude. According to this http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_unio...lsh/9199223.stm Ryan Jones has accepted blame for the penalty that gave Fiji a draw, and apparently apologised to the team in the dressing room. The whole team put in a shameful performance that led to him being in that position. No one man cost them that match, and if finger pointing is how they deal with it they're never going to get anywhere. Furthermore, Wales were lucky to have gotten away from that onslaught with just a penalty, and just as lucky that Fiji took the easy points.

 

There are few positives at the moment

1. George North an excellent prospect at wing

2. Scrum is excellent; can't wait to have Gethin back.

3. Mike Phillips is lightning at scrum half.

 

If they don't put in a good performance against the kiwis next week then I think there will be people calling for Gatland's head. Statistics don't favour him - we've lost more matches than we've won; we've gone 10 matches without a loss, only secured one win over a southern hemisphere team (an understrength Australia), and we have now drawn with Fiji at home. Fiji was a team which had only been training together for a matter of days. It is a complete humiliation. Considering Gatland was targeting at least a semi-final at the world cup, I truthfully think we'd be fortunate to even get past the group stage, seeing as doing so would have to mean beating Fiji (who we have now failed to beat twice in a row) and Samoa (who gave England a rough time of it today, we struggled to beat last year, and historically have beaten us in 2 prior world cup games)

[PowerButchi]

It's too late in the day to sack Gatland now as well. I think he'll resign after the WC.

 

I'm really worried about a lack of options at outside half other than Stephen Jones. It's now clear that Gatland doesn';t consider Hook a 10, fair enough, but is there anyone else? I don't think Biggar is up to scratch personally. Mind you, Henson looks like he'll be playing at Outside Half for Saracens, but his attitude means that he should never get in a Wales squad again as far as I'm concerned. And after Biggar, who is there? Nicky Robinson? Ceri Sweeney? Dai Flanagan? Nick MacLeod? We're really going to struggle there if Jones gets crocked.

[MinceMcMahon]

I wouldn't worry too much about No. 10... Matthew Morgan is an awesome creative outside half who can play with 'hwyl'. A real throwback. He's only 18, but he destroyed Leicester last week. He's been sensational for Swansea and people are already comparing him to the greats of the 70s.

Edited November 20, 2010 by MinceMcMahon

[MinceMcMahon]

But yeah, we were shit Friday. Embarrassing.

 

Well done to Scotland though, good win for them.

[matbro1984]

It's too late in the day to sack Gatland now as well. I think he'll resign after the WC.

 

I'm really worried about a lack of options at outside half other than Stephen Jones. It's now clear that Gatland doesn';t consider Hook a 10, fair enough, but is there anyone else? I don't think Biggar is up to scratch personally. Mind you, Henson looks like he'll be playing at Outside Half for Saracens, but his attitude means that he should never get in a Wales squad again as far as I'm concerned. And after Biggar, who is there? Nicky Robinson? Ceri Sweeney? Dai Flanagan? Nick MacLeod? We're really going to struggle there if Jones gets crocked.

 

Henson, if he returns to form, will be back in the squad whether he deserves it or not. Gatland has a hardon for the guy and has made many public statements pretty much saying he's looking forward to having Gav back in the fold. I can't say I think it would be a bad thing either, because on form he really was incredible.

 

Gatland has a contract lasting until 2015, and he's on a pretty handsome contract too. He made some noise about wanting the New Zealand job one day, but you could argue his tenure with Wales will have ruled that out. I can't see him going willingly.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Rob Howley fall on his sword though.

[matbro1984]

Scotland showed some proper grit today, what a morale booster. It's going to be an interesting Six Nations. As it stands presently, I'd rank them as follows

 

1. England

2. = Ireland/Scotland

4. France

5 = Wales/Italy

[chokeout]

Scotland showed some proper grit today, what a morale booster. It's going to be an interesting Six Nations. As it stands presently, I'd rank them as follows

 

1. England

2. = Ireland/Scotland

4. France

5 = Wales/Italy

 

Went to watch Scotland / SA in Murray Field yesterday and have to say Scotland showed nothing it was just an average game with neither side showing anything and there were some shocking Ref Decisions. Saying that a win over the world champs is a win. With their current form expect England to trounce all over SA next week.

Watched the Ireland game after and the score really didnt represent how well they were playing, some great plays from them. Cant see anyone but the all Blacks winning the World Cup next year.

[matbro1984]

Scotland showed some proper grit today, what a morale booster. It's going to be an interesting Six Nations. As it stands presently, I'd rank them as follows

 

1. England

2. = Ireland/Scotland

4. France

5 = Wales/Italy

 

Went to watch Scotland / SA in Murray Field yesterday and have to say Scotland showed nothing it was just an average game with neither side showing anything and there were some shocking Ref Decisions. Saying that a win over the world champs is a win. With their current form expect England to trounce all over SA next week.

Watched the Ireland game after and the score really didnt represent how well they were playing, some great plays from them. Cant see anyone but the all Blacks winning the World Cup next year.

If Scotland had a better attacking game they'd be pretty darn good IMO. Perhaps ranking them equal to Ireland was a little generous, but I stand by my opinion they're ahead of the other 3.

 

England, much as it pains me to say it, are coming together very nicely.

 

As for the World Cup, New Zealand always look tremendous in the buildup, then somehow fail to win it. I don't buy into the "NZ are chokers at the world cup" BS because it's not like they lose to shit teams, but they have failed to meet their massive potential. If they don't win next year though, it's not going to go down well because they bloody well expect to win, and anything less would be a huge disappointment. In fact not winning the last one was a disappointment for most of them, none more than this guy... http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-...jectid=10468742

[mikey]

To be fair to England, we've been there or thereabouts for a couple of years now but there has been no consistency of selection. We've been toiling away, not quite getting there, and then letting ourselves down with stupid penalties. Maybe something has clicked with Johnson though, to me, it feels like we have enough players in the player pool to just keep throwing shit at a wall until something sticks. Johnson threw something, it stuck, now he's so smart.

 

EDIT: Though I did say Danny Care had to go and the team is better for it.

Edited November 23, 2010 by mikey

[PowerButchi]

Wales team to get thrashed by the All Blacks.

 

Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); George North (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues), James Hook (Ospreys), Tom James (Blues); Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets, capt), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Dragons), Sam Warburton (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys).

Replacements: Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Paul James (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Blues), Martyn Williams (Blues), Richie Rees (Blues), Andrew Bishop (Ospreys).

 

Surprised to see Tom James back in the 22, never mind the starting XV, but I'll happily take him over Brew or bastard Czekaj anyday. Looks like we're going to try and play through our forwards, looking at the bench with only two backs. Ryan Jones needs a big game here, and to be honest I've have played Powell at 8. He's pulling up trees in the Guinness and making hard yards, and Ryan Jones is starting to struggle a bit for my liking. Happy to see Jonathan Thomas dropped to the replacements bench though.

 

Good to see a Yappless bench as well, and Gethin Jenkins is always more than welcome, and now he's returned from Injury I think our Lions front row can ask a few questions. Hopefully Huw Bennett has no cause to come on and allow our line-out to fall to pieces.

 

I reckon All Blacks will beat us by 15 or so, but we really need to be competitive on Saturday.

[bAzTNM#1]

Thought this would be the place for this.

 

Brendan Venter gives a strange interview to Sky Sports after Saracens lose 21-24 to Racing Metro 92 in the Heineken Cup on December 11th 2010

Edited December 12, 2010 by bAzTNM#1

[patiirc]

RIP Tom Walkinshaw

 

The Gloucester Chairman has died aged 64 from cancer

[PowerButchi]

Is that Tom Walkinshaw of Arrows F1 fame? Shit.

[patiirc]

Is that Tom Walkinshaw of Arrows F1 fame? Shit.

 

The one and the very same

[Statto]

Thought this would be the place for this.

 

Brendan Venter gives a strange interview to Sky Sports after Saracens lose 21-24 to Racing Metro 92 in the Heineken Cup on December 11th 2010

 

I don't blame him one bit. I'd go fucking nuts if I had to sit through boring boring Saffacens every week.

 

Oh, and RIP Uncle Tom. Always was a TWR fan.