The Rugby Thread

[Cormack74]

And England launching the big boys in the backs v Italy.

I like Manu, Te'o and Coka as individual players but I'm not sure if that's the best combination. It looks a bit Warren Gatland from a couple of years back and when you need a plan B (which might not be today) the likes of Slade are more likely to provide it IMO.

[Red_Polo]

Interesting, especially the 1973 stat.

Never knew that - a bit farcical

[Buzzo]

So how' s it going to go today?

Wales obviously favourites but I think if Buzzo's boys can cut the error count then it could be pretty close.

I know who I'm supporting

I’m not confident.

I like that Price is playing 9 and Russell back is huge. But we have a pretty weak back division due to injuries.

Good opportunity to test some guys in a pressure match pre World Cup.

Oh, and I’m on route just now and the weather is awful. sleat and hail FFS.

[ChesterDave]

What's the point of bothering with scrums in rugby if the put in is never straight? That last one took 60 seconds to set and the put in was so off centre it was nearly out before the ball hit the floor!

[Kenneth]

They just exist to tie up the forwards.

[ChesterDave]

Game on

[ChesterDave]

Wales making some errors here.

[Irishnev]

Wales making some errors here.

But Scotland v poor in the backs - missing so many key players

[ChesterDave]

Misses conversion costly. Would have been able to take 3 and be leading. Might have had their last chance now

[Red_Polo]

Should've been out of sight first half. Scotland put in some second half given their injuries but luckily they couldn't quite convert enough pressure to points either. Parkes though

[Irishnev]

Wales keep on winning but Scotland were m’eh

[Buzzo]

Decent second half from us, perhaps we should have done more with our posession. Which was more than I could have hoped for at half time.

The team was decimated losing Seymour and Kinghorn in the first half, Darcy Graham ?whk had a great debut) in the second - from an already decimated back division. Finished the game with Ali Price playing on the wing.

Wales roll on, without having to play all that well
Stout defence in the second half.

[Cormack74]

Tough for Scotland with even more injuries on top of all the existing ones. Agreed, I thought they could have done more with all the possession they had though. At 11-15 in the second half the momentum looked like it was going to shift sufficiently in their direction.

In fairness to Wales their defence was generally excellent again but they were very narrow at times and Ireland may be better able to exploit that.

One thing I find incredibly frustrating and seems to be increasingly prevalent - perhaps because of the speed of the game; at rucks whilst ref's are quick to punish jacklers off their feet or tackled players holding on to the ball, side entries seem to be frequently ignored. In the series of breakdowns leading up to the second welsh try at least 4 side entries by welsh players were completely missed.

[Buzzo]

Selective refereeing.

Just watching the game back and the first Welsh try had a huge forward pass.

Also thought we had 4 or 5 pens within the Welsh 22 for maul disruption, but no yellow?

Frustrating.

[Irishnev]

Bonus point and no injuries are great but we should have won that by 30 points minimum

Anyway onto Cardiff where we will try to be party poopers