The Rugby Thread

[Irishnev]

Ireland v impressive today - we put 60 points on Japan but the ABs next weekend will be a different ball game. They beat Italy handy

I see Wales just beaten by ZA and England thumped Tonga

[Buzzo]

Yeah that was a surprising result, you’d expect more from Japan these days. After the Lions destroyed Japan in the warmup to SA tour they are in a bit of bad form. We’ve got them in 2 weeks and as with you guys will be looking for revenge.

I was at Murrayfield last sat to watch a weakened Scotland destroy a weakened Tonga, and am off to see us play the Aussies today

[Buzzo]

Great win at Murrayfield today. Not the best of games, decent defence from both teams. A sign of this Scotland team is that even when we were 2 points down with 20 to go, we didn’t ever look flustered. We probably just about deserved it.

And after the run they have been on a huge scalp for us.

South Africa next should be a cracking match.

[Buzzo]

Some finish this from Ewan Ashman on debut. From the bench after 10 mins, an almost impeccable game, we mullered them in the scrum.

[ame]https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1457709491001167879[/ame]

[ame]https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1457661262352064513[/ame]

[Zapater]

Didn't see the game but it was a joke of a decision on disallowing the Hooper try and the yellow. Australia was screwed right there, a Jonker and Poite special.

It remains to be seen if he's good enough but Dylan Richardson is a ****ing idiot to throw away his international career. Scotland, really? Could understand if it were NZ or something. He starts for the Sharks and is in his early 20s. Hope he enjoys 7th place in the world rankings.

[Buzzo]

We had Fagerson red carded for similar to Hooper try, against Wales which ultimately cost us a chance at the championship. The try would have been disallowed anyway for a double movement.

You don't seem particularly respectful towards Scotland FWIW, your perogative, but still... We will see what happens on Saturday

Dylan Richardsons dad is from Edinburgh BTW.

[Buzzo]

What an idiot.

[ame]https://twitter.com/TandoManana/status/1457291223841001479[/ame]



[ame]https://twitter.com/RugbyLAD7/status/1457090842879987715[/ame]

[Buzzo]

Rugby crashing through barriers.

Will be great for the match day experience if this takes off.

[ame]https://twitter.com/benkay5/status/1458431183004577793[/ame]

[Zapater]

We had Fagerson red carded for similar to Hooper try, against Wales which ultimately cost us a chance at the championship. The try would have been disallowed anyway for a double movement.

You don't seem particularly respectful towards Scotland FWIW, your perogative, but still... We will see what happens on Saturday

Dylan Richardsons dad is from Edinburgh BTW.

Just had a skim through my post, it did come across rather spikey. Sorry about that, I tend to forget that there are real people on here that actually exist outside of my mind and paradigm. It's like documenting thoughts without a filter at times.

On the reffing, I wasn't being specific about the game, just saying that that kind of decision is pure stupidity and shouldn't be happening. They change games and they're bull****.

On the Scotland thing, I don't particularly think they're a great team. I'm no expert, but from the outside, they've improved a lot and have developed an exciting style over the last several years. That's great and all, but they're still ranked lowly and are largely uncompetitive. I have only neutral feelings towards them because there is nothing particularly to like/dislike or offensive about the union. Just calling it as I (and the results) see it.

Nothing that happens on Sunday will change my opinion of that. I've been highly critical of this Bok team on here too in terms of their style and some of the players being somewhat overrated. We've lost to Japan, Italy and others before in recent history. Doesn't change the fact that we're the only ones who can consistently challenge the All Blacks and do well in international competitions.

Richardson makes me upset not because I think he's a great player or would have necessarily played for South Africa. Its that WR do **** all to protect third world countries from being raped. We put a fortune into developing players who get poached. He's probably most keen for his massive match fee in sterling at the end of the day. In the next 2 to 3 years, he'll probably get a contract in Europe which will then reduce the domestic depth even more. I can understand old players who went overseas or were overlooked but being a Bok used to be seen as something of pride. At 24 why would you throw the chance away for a country that isn't competitive and you've never lived in? It's all economics as far as I'm concerned and the governing bodies don't care. I hate T20 cricket, but see South Africa sponsoring talent to just about every team. Its getting proposterous.

[Buzzo]

Just had a skim through my post, it did come across rather spikey. Sorry about that, I tend to forget that there are real people on here that actually exist outside of my mind and paradigm. It's like documenting thoughts without a filter at times.

Fair enough

On the reffing, I wasn't being specific about the game, just saying that that kind of decision is pure stupidity and shouldn't be happening. They change games and they're bull****.

I thinkk it is symptomatic of where the game is right now. There is definitely a northern/southern issue with reffing, but also the issues around head injuries have left the refs and TMO's in a tricky position. Overall I think they get it right, but there are always frustrating decisions and all teams have to suck them up.

On the Scotland thing, I don't particularly think they're a great team. I'm no expert, but from the outside, they've improved a lot and have developed an exciting style over the last several years. That's great and all, but they're still ranked lowly and are largely uncompetitive. I have only neutral feelings towards them because there is nothing particularly to like/dislike or offensive about the union. Just calling it as I (and the results) see it.

Thats fair enough - I am not expecting you to be a flag waving supporter, far from it.

We are much improved. Have beaten England 2 and drawn once in last 4. Strong record over France (not lost at home in years, beat them in Paris this year) and Australia, we've now beaten them 3 or 4 times in a row home and away. A record that demands some respect. Consistency is the key and we are beginning to deliver that.

Saturday is a big game, I think SA will just edge it - but it will be a battle.

Nothing that happens on Sunday will change my opinion of that. I've been highly critical of this Bok team on here too in terms of their style and some of the players being somewhat overrated. We've lost to Japan, Italy and others before in recent history. Doesn't change the fact that we're the only ones who can consistently challenge the All Blacks and do well in international competitions.

Fair enough also

Richardson makes me upset not because I think he's a great player or would have necessarily played for South Africa. Its that WR do **** all to protect third world countries from being raped. We put a fortune into developing players who get poached. He's probably most keen for his massive match fee in sterling at the end of the day. In the next 2 to 3 years, he'll probably get a contract in Europe which will then reduce the domestic depth even more. I can understand old players who went overseas or were overlooked but being a Bok used to be seen as something of pride. At 24 why would you throw the chance away for a country that isn't competitive and you've never lived in? It's all economics as far as I'm concerned and the governing bodies don't care. I hate T20 cricket, but see South Africa sponsoring talent to just about every team. Its getting proposterous.

I'd have less of a defence on other players, and all countries in the NH are use the rules to their full advantage. But being a Scot who grew up away from home, if my kid was excelling at sport, I would be wanting them to represent my country of birth.

Other players I can definitely see why you would take umbrage, but then, these are the rules. I think the sport is in a strong place globally. Though it does suffer from the same issues as football with too many matches for elite players.

[Irishnev]

Ahem

Just Ireland beating the ABs far more convincingly than the 9 point margin. We were superb today

[Zapater]

Ahem

Just Ireland beating the ABs far more convincingly than the 9 point margin. We were superb today

Well done. Haven't watched it yet but great result. I heard Jared Payne on the radio yesterday, seems very sound.

[Irishnev]

Well done. Haven't watched it yet but great result. I heard Jared Payne on the radio yesterday, seems very sound.

We absolutely battered them and they scored with a bit of magic and a mistake from us. They spent most of the game camped on their line - it’s the best Ireland played since we beat England in Croke Park over 10 years ago

We’ve a lot of good young players coming through but we always peak between world cups and bomb during them

[Zapater]

We absolutely battered them and they scored with a bit of magic and a mistake from us. They spent most of the game camped on their line - it’s the best Ireland played since we beat England in Croke Park over 10 years ago

We’ve a lot of good young players coming through but we always peak between world cups and bomb during them

Can't wait to see it, I had a weird inkling that Ireland would win this one. Should have put 100 on it and put my money where my mouth was though.

It's unfortunate because you guys did have a great team with Joe Schmidt around 18 months to a year before the World Cup. It's like everyone got old overnight and the wheels came off, plus the conditions in Japan were always going to be a battle. Hard to believe but we're a similar kind of timeframe away from the next one, think it should be competitive because of the imprecision among sides and the gulf perhaps being a bit less. I'm also not convinced that Foster is the best coach for the ABs which bodes well for the rest.

I'm disappointed that the tour ends without an Irish test for the Bokke, would have enjoyed it. Expect a win against England too, but it's been a long, gruelling and largely successful calendar so wouldn't be shocked if they aren't at the races 100%.

[Buzzo]

Yeah phenomenal result for Ireland. With the strength of the priovinces, that reflects the way it should be, and as with England a poor performance from such a strong pool of players reflects on the coaches and or tactics. I see that JS is now injured and look s like he will be out for a couple of months.

I also see that England are without Farrell and Jamie George on Saturday - so all of the focus will be on Marcus Smith. A great platform for him to showcase his talent. England will be all out for revenge on Saturday, but I think they may meet the team perfectly designed to stop them - it should be a cracker.

I really wanted us to beat you Saffers on Sat Zap mainly to shut you up for the arrogance and disdain you show against my country () but it wasnt to be. Partly self inflicted (Finn missed to easy pens that would have given us an 8pt lead at HT) with loads of handling errors and poor lineout. But a lot of that was down to the performance of South Africe.

They get a lot of stick in terms of the aesthetic, but I will tell you what to witness it in the flesh I would say South Africa are one of the purest Rugby teams around, that is to say they are a team for the purist. You 100% know what you are going to face it is about whether you can deal with it. South Africa turn up and play as advertised every game, we defended superbly ourselves in the first half, and scored a great try, and if it were not for the aforementioned missed pens, would have gone in 8 point up. South Africa are a forwards team, I reckon anyone who ever played as a forward would love them, they remind me of many incarnations of England team, but bigger, tougher and uglier.

But the we encountered the juggernoaut. The tight 5 are the beating heart of the team (who ever is on the pitch) give them dominance, and you will lose pens and territory... and that is what happened to us. Errors were punished. And then when we scored a cracking first phase try to get us back in the game, we were squeezed on the set piece and lost the game as the pens got knocked over.

A good lesson for us, I think we will be better for it.

We made some selections that didnt work out. Matt Scott knocked on with pretty much his first touch, and Rufus Maclean was anonymous on the wing where both ZA trys were scored. We miss the likes of Jonny Gray on days like this. Plus we need a better tighthead prop than Fagerson in these games.

One thing to note was the atmosphere, amazing, and way more saffers than there were Aussies the week before. We sit in front of the commentary platform and could see Bryan Habanah and Faff watching the game.

Most of the Saffers are far more personable than you Zap and acknowledged how good a team we have become. I think we learn a lot from this going into the 6Ns.

Wales had a lucky win against Fiji, and as ever look rubbish against SH teams. But they always seem to sort it out by Springtime. I think it will be a brutal 6Ns with all teams pretty much feeling they have something to go for.

Went out and got wasted after the game which was great, the kids at my mums so me and the missus in the pubs and out for dinner, but with a 1pm start we went home at about 8:30