The Rugby Thread

[Irishnev]

This is the kind of thing clearly did for Lambie. Shocker from CJ Stander.

WORST RUGBY TACKLE EVER - YouTube

**** you Buzzo

It was a bad challenge and ultimately cost us the series, I think CJ was overly pumped trying to disprove the ‘too small’ comments he got when playing in ZA.

I’ll dig out some Jeffries and Caulder (ahem) rucking to put you back in your box now

[Buzzo]

Thought you’d like that...!

Yeah, trying to take Lambies head as a trophy during the match was never going to end well.

[Zapater]

It was a weird one, I actually don't think it's a red. It's stupid no doubt, but not dangerous in a traditional way. I'm fairly sure that Stander didn't deliberately attempt to KO him with his arse. So it is a little unlucky from that perspective, Naas Botha said that he didn't even think it was a yellow.

That was the catalyst for it, he had several injuries in quick succession afterwards - most of them head related.

Super Rugby is starting again soon. I'm seriously not a fan of these new jerseys, don't really like relying on 'cheap thrills' for sport. At least to my knowledge, they will only be used for the domestic clashes. They're all awful but the Stormers one is hilariously bad.

[Zapater]

I saw that also, he was not a typical ZA 10 in so far as he ran a lot with the ball as opposed to ‘only’ having a kicking game. Broke onto the scene when M Steyn was coming to end of his career right?

Bit harsh, we've had a variety of fly halves not of that mould, it's just that some of the coaches have always favoured that type of player. Not mentioning names, but Meyer, Coetzee, and Straeuli tried to play rugby from a million years ago. Elton Jantjies would be borderline unplayable in an All Blacks set up (given he wouldn't get a game because he'd be 3rd choice, but you know what I mean).

Also worth noting Butch James was our WC winning fly half and he could do it all, even play the crash ball Joking aside, he was a much, much better player than he was ever given credit for.

[Buzzo]

It was a weird one, I actually don't think it's a red. It's stupid no doubt, but not dangerous in a traditional way. I'm fairly sure that Stander didn't deliberately attempt to KO him with his arse. So it is a little unlucky from that perspective, Naas Botha said that he didn't even think it was a yellow.

That was the catalyst for it, he had several injuries in quick succession afterwards - most of them head related.

Super Rugby is starting again soon. I'm seriously not a fan of these new jerseys, don't really like relying on 'cheap thrills' for sport. At least to my knowledge, they will only be used for the domestic clashes. They're all awful but the Stormers one is hilariously bad.

I don't think he meant it either (Stander) but it has to be a red under the 'duty of care' it is reckless and dangerous.

Those kits are ****ing horrific are they real?

[Irishnev]

Bit harsh, we've had a variety of fly halves not of that mould, it's just that some of the coaches have always favoured that type of player. Not mentioning names, but Meyer, Coetzee, and Straeuli tried to play rugby from a million years ago. Elton Jantjies would be borderline unplayable in an All Blacks set up (given he wouldn't get a game because he'd be 3rd choice, but you know what I mean).

Also worth noting Butch James was our WC winning fly half and he could do it all, even play the crash ball Joking aside, he was a much, much better player than he was ever given credit for.

Jaysus Zap - I was praising Lambie

I remember Butch James - he carried the ball like a no 8!

[Buzzo]

Some injuries from the weekend a couple of big ones for Ireland Tadhg Beirne (who had a great game v Exeter) and Iain Henderson, Hamish Watson also out for Scotland.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46952652

[Zapater]

Jaysus Zap - I was praising Lambie

I remember Butch James - he carried the ball like a no 8!

Maybe my tone was a bit off, was trying to be jovial - no offence taken.

[Irishnev]

Some injuries from the weekend a couple of big ones for Ireland Tadhg Beirne (who had a great game v Exeter) and Iain Henderson, Hamish Watson also out for Scotland.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46952652

Beirne is superb, Henderson also out for a bit.

[Cormack74]

And yet I still feel comfortable history shows they always come through but Exeter better than I thought.

I've just got round to finishing watching all last w/e's games now including that one.

Exeter are a decent team but they only play one way and as I posted a couple of days prior in anticipation of the match, they contributed to their defeat by not being adaptable. One out runners against a team good over the ball like Munster is going to be flawed especially as Exeter don't always resource rucks properly.

I did think that Garces was a little over generous on a couple of occasions though, (with French refs once they start to favour a side they seem to keep doing so throughout the game) and whilst there were some excellent Munster turnovers, he gave a couple of pens against Exeter where the jackler was clearly on the man and not the ball which relieved pressure at critical times.

I think your boys will go past Edinburgh without too much fuss (sorry Buzzo) so it looks like Saracens in the SF. If they win that then I reckon they'll take enough confidence to have a decent shot in the final whoever that turns out to be against.

[Buzzo]

Teams have been underestimating Edinburgh quite a lot this season.

Munster will be a challenge, and slight favourites, but I fancy us to win. Look at the Pro14 at Thomson’s last season, a narrow defeat for an Edinburgh team that has improved significantly since. Last season the team lacked belief and a bit of quality. I think we have that now.

Edinburgh’s second half stats are immense recently, only conceding a total of (I will dig the stat out) about 15 points combined in the second half of Champions Cup matches.

Will be a different game to the Munster Exeter game for sure. The ball was in the air for 80% of that one.

Saracens are annoying though. They just bludgeon team to death. Glasgow went at them and the open style of play was effective for a while but Saracens just had too much control on the end.

Anyway, great to have all this to look forward to after the 6ns.

[Irishnev]

Teams have been underestimating Edinburgh quite a lot this season.

Munster will be a challenge, and slight favourites, but I fancy us to win. Look at the Pro14 at Thomson’s last season, a narrow defeat for an Edinburgh team that has improved significantly since. Last season the team lacked belief and a bit of quality. I think we have that now.

Edinburgh’s second half stats are immense recently, only conceding a total of (I will dig the stat out) about 15 points combined in the second half of Champions Cup matches.

Will be a different game to the Munster Exeter game for sure. The ball was in the air for 80% of that one.

Saracens are annoying though. They just bludgeon team to death. Glasgow went at them and the open style of play was effective for a while but Saracens just had too much control on the end.

Anyway, great to have all this to look forward to after the 6ns.

We need to see what the carnage from the 6 Nations is like and player availability. We are certainly not underestimating Edinburgh and home advantage counts for a lot.

Scottish teams play a brand of rugby that our more recent structured approach (province and National) hates......they play heavy metal rugby!

[Buzzo]

We need to see what the carnage from the 6 Nations is like and player availability. We are certainly not underestimating Edinburgh and home advantage counts for a lot.

Scottish teams play a brand of rugby that our more recent structured approach (province and National) hates......they play heavy metal rugby!

Was quite surprised that Cormack was so dismissive, but as a Scottish supporter you get used to it, sometimes it’s justified - not in this instance though.

Edinburgh aren’t as expansive as Glasgow (few teams are) and posted some serious numbers for set piece in the Champs Cup, line out is brilliant, scrum is rock solid with Nell, McInally and Schoeman and rock solid front three coaches by Cockerill.

The backs have come on and that’s with some injuries.

And then there’s big Bill Mata. The guy is a colossus. Ball carrying Fijian 8... it doesn’t get better.

As you say the 6Ns will definitely take care of some players, however others should return.

All set for a classic, just a shame it’s the early game on the Saturday 12:35 ko

[Cormack74]

Not dismissive mate, (Edinburgh have been excellent) merely that if they played this game 10 times Munster would win 7. It may well turn out to be Edinburgh on top, I'm only going on probability, so maybe I overstated it by saying "without too much fuss"

For the record I think it would be great if a Scottish team went through and fascinating that Cockerill has done well with them. Looking at all the coaches that Leicester have subsequently got through I reckon they'd love to turn the clock back a couple of years and re-consider letting him go.

[Irishnev]

Just seen the teams for Irl vs Eng - going to be biff, bash, bosch, bang with a lot if high ball it seems.

Henshaw at full back and Van see Flier at 7 the only interesting calls, good to have O’Brien back one the bench. English pack looks formidable