Rugby Union

[Renegade]

Rub it up you yis c***.

A world record England were thoroughly undeserved of taking. A shame that Ireland choked in Cardiff, but you draw the short straw when you have to play Wales in the millenium stadium for the Friday night fixture.

And Johnny Sexton is the most targeted man in the Six Nations every year, it's not unreasonable that referees are finally paying attention. France get away with murder on him every year without fail.

 

[kieran_vale]

Really poor first half from England and ultimately that was a major reason the game was lost I think. Most disappointing was the way England were dominated at the breakdown, can't win games when that happens. Also think we should have competed a little more on the Irish lineout as well given they have struggled with that previously in the tournament.

Been a great run by England nontheless and they should rightly be very proud of themselves for that.

 

[Aberstone]

Watching the Reds vs. Hurricanes at the minute which has been superb so far, Scott Higginbotham's backflick pass for the Reds 2nd try was a thing of beauty (yes it was forward and I'm amazed nobody picked up on it). It's not fair how stacked the Canes are though, TJ Parenara and Beauden Barrett make everything look so easy. Julian Savea and Jordie Barrett also in the backs too (would include Nehe Milner-Skudder but he's injured so....).

SANZAAR do acknowledge that they've over expanded on teams in Super Rugby and that the complexities of how the competition is organised has had an effect on attendances and TV ratings. There's talk that the Cheetahs, Kings and Rebels will get the boot for next season. Argentina does need a second team however because if the Jaguares can sort out their disciplinary issues, they're the best team outside of New Zealand.

 

[RavenBish]

Oh Wasps

 

[Super_horns]

Good day for the Irish - very convincing wins (well it looked like on paper...)

Mind you still reckon Saracens are the team to beat...

 

[RavenBish]

Sarries superb.

Roll on April 19th - they should have 4 in the Lions starting XV at least - maybe 5 with George.

 

[RavenBish]

Awesome afternoon of prem action today. Fancy Sarries against Wasps and Saints to better Quins. Don't think Tigers will fuck it up either.

 

[RavenBish]

Leicester and Bath both losing!

 

[Super_horns]

Exeter v Sarries and Wasps v Leicester in the play off semis..

Who will prevail?

Sad to hear about Tom Young's wife.

Puts things into perspective.

 

[RavenBish]

I am rubbish at predicting stuff as evidenced by this thread but on paper I can't see past a Sarries/Wasps final. Sarries to do the double.

 

[Super_horns]

Saracens win in Europe again - close game though till the end!

 

[RavenBish]

it was but Sarries always looked in control - Clermont just hung around because Sarries weren't executing enough for most of the game and they were able to get some big turnovers in their own half - Lee & Yato in the back row were both superb.

Got up early and watched some southern hemisphere stuff this morning - very much looking forward to the prospect of the 3 Barrett boys all getting in the All Blacks XV this summer.

 

[RavenBish]

This is looking like a non-event - Sarries are just unbeatable when they're at full strength. Let's just hope Slade and Campagnaro can provide some magic off the bench

 

[RavenBish]

Sarries make a hash of the quick tap from 5m out at 6-0 and then Exeter play superbly for the rest of the half and kick with the wind in the 2nd - please ignore my previous comments

 

[Super_horns]

Saracens looked like they had nicked it but Exeter have won late.

 

[RavenBish]

Billy out of the Lions Tour. Massive blow - Faletau's great and returned to form in recent months but Vunipola's proven himself to be different class the last few weeks.

 

[Super_horns]

Exeter are the champions - congratulations to them.

 

[Renegade]

Two minutes away from penalties. Fuck sake.

 

[Ciderup]

Well done the Chiefs!
Really enjoyed watching that game.
If the football team win tomorrow, that's some weekend for the city of Exeter!

 

[RavenBish]

What a season that was - Exeter deserved winners. Next couple of years will be interesting for them with the increasing influx of money around the Premiership.

Looking forward to watching the young England side tomorrow, on paper they should lose to that Barbarians team (even though bookies have them favourites for some reason). Particularly interested in how Underhill gets on against Armitage - just a shame a few more weren't available like Ben Curry, Solomona & Marchant.

 

[Tivvyultras]

Congratulations to the cheifs at least there will be one happy set of exeter fans after the weekend is done

 

[Super_horns]

Strong win for the Scarlets in the Pro 12 in Dublin.

Good news for Welsh rugby..

 

[RavenBish]

tight fives were all great there - Earle and Underhill were both superb in the first half and was impressed by Haley and Ewels. Tom Curry was sensational though off the bench, 18 years old and his twin brother, Ben, is even better! Gone from having no decent openside flanker in the last 10 years to potentially having 3 international class ones all under the age of 22 by 2019.

The 2 Tests against Argentina should be good ones.

 

[RavenBish]

Well this isn't going to plan. Jonny Sexton is so painfully overrated.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

Sexton had a poor game today. But let's not downplay how good the Provincial Barbarians were. They came at the Lions from the very start and took the game to the wire by their willingness to run the ball with inventive lines of attack and elusive running and handling skills.

It was inevitable that the Lions would bring players off the bench at some point, but the fact that Warren Gatland made mass replacements before the match was even in the final quarter said a lot.

Plusses for the Lions were the Harlequins props Marler and Kyle Sinckler. Joseph and Te'o grafted hard in the Centres and, when he came on, Owen Farrell did enough to get the Lions over the Kiwi try line. Phew..!!

Unfortunately, there were more minuses than plusses. Hogg had a rotten first half and wasn't much better in the second, Warburton as Captain was anonymous, Wyn Jones was a shadow of his 6N dominance in the line out, Sexton had a 'mare and Greig Laidlaw's lack of pace was all too evident.

We always expect the first match to be a bit of "Shakedown game".... players taking time to gel a a unit and all that.... let's just hope they've got this out of their system now.

But the bottom line is the result. The Lions got over the line and a win is a win. Perhaps the team were just jet lagged. Perhaps. But they'll need to buck their ideas up for the match against the Blues on Wednesday, especially if Sonny Bill gets fit in time.

 

[Super_horns]

Defeat for the Lions against the supposed "weakest" side in NZ containing just the 8 All Blacks!

Cannot be great for morale or confidence with talk of Gatland already having issues with the media.

Need to find some form and momentum soon.

 

[RavenBish]

Seriously, fuck Warren Gatland. About as forward thinking as an Allardyce/Warnock lovechild

 

[RavenBish]

finally watched the games, christ almighty. A weird mixture of slam dunk starters and players who shouldn't really be anywhere near a Lions touring squad (Haskell, Payne, Halfpenny). Warrenball centre combos are just behind the times now - getting over the gainline is all well and good but defences can counter it now with line speed and sniping at rucks - you need a bit more innovation. Sexton's behind Biggar on current form let alone a player of Farrell's class.

Positives are that I thought Lawes/Itoje did well, Webb played well enough to suggest he and Murray will be a nice duo for the 3 Tests (Murray's kicking game and then Webb's scampering threat around the fringes off the bench). There's not a lot of depth in the pack but a tight five of Furlong, Owens, Mako, Itoje & Kruis/AW Jones is strong with the likes of George and Sinckler off the bench. Midfield and back row just isn't strong enough unfortunately.

 

[Super_horns]

Lions performing well by the looks it - maybe not a surprise with a much stronger side out.

 

[RavenBish]

Defence was superb. Just really need Gatland to be savvy from here with how he uses the squad before the first test. Sexton/Farrell are locked in at 10/12. Murray at 9. So that's a start. Big decisions are who starts at 13 (Te'o it looks like currently) - how he uses his 4 second rowers (AWJ, Kruis, Lawes, Itoje) who all need to be in the 23. I'd use Stander off the bench too so you need to work out who starts at 6...Itoje maybe ahead of Tipuric, Moriarty and O'Brien? Also, if Hogg's done then please put Williams or Watson at 15 instead of Halfpenny.