The Rugby Thread

[Buzzo]

Brilliant game wasn’t it. But farcical with the clock at the end though

Yeah. What was he doing??? “Roll the clock back 5 seconds”. I’m all for being fair etc but he pretty much ruined the final whistle. Totally unnecessary.

Incredible game though.

That turnover at the end pretty much won the game, as Racing were close to forcing their way over.

[Cormack74]

Caledonian Chiefs never at their best apart from the first 15 mins - fair play to Racing - but just did enough.

For Russell a game to forget probably whereas SHC's tackle 3m from his own line followed by that turnover on the line 5 seconds later probably won CC the match.

[Buzzo]

Russell was guilty of forcing it when he just needed to show control. Even then they nearly did it. He was sublime at times, ridiculous at others.

Was great to see the Chiefs scrambling and scrapping. Massive ten mins from SHC making his non inclusion for Scotland increasingly strange.

I wonder if they can go again next week? Both teams looked spent today.

[Buzzo]

[ame]https://twitter.com/btsportrugby/status/1317535086225596417[/ame]

[Zapater]

Love his turn of phrase

All Blacks vs Australia: 'Michael Hooper grabbed my nuts': Caleb Clarke

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/300135878/all-blacks-vs-australia-michael-hooper-grabbed-my-nuts-caleb-clarke

It turns out the Wallabies had had enough of Caleb Clarke’s rampaging runs, that they tried something more unorthodox to try and unsettle the youngster during Sunday’s Bledisloe Cup match in Auckland.

Fresh off his stunning performance in what was his first test start, which helped the All Blacks to a 27-7 victory at Eden Park, Clarke laughed off a below-the-belt grapple from Aussie captain Michael Hooper during one of his many fabulous charges.

Speaking soon after fulltime on Sky Sport, Clarke was talking through his sensational carry which set up Ardie Savea’s second-half try, when he pointed out that he actually had a bit more to deal with than originally met the eye.

“You know what, Michael Hooper grabbed my nuts just then,” Clarke disclosed, with replays clearly backing up his assertion.

“I was really sore. I was trying to push his hand off.

“But Pete [Gallagher], our physio, said, ‘just get him back’.

“So I tried to do it.”

After impressing in his late cameo on debut in the 16-16 series opener in Wellington last weekend, Clarke was handed a first start for this one, on the left wing, having enjoyed a standout year for the Blues.

The 21-year-old was power aplenty with ball in hand, bringing a huge physical presence which so often blew men in gold jerseys away, and set New Zealand on the front foot.

“I was just real happy with the performance overall,” he told Sky Sport afterwards.

At one point during the match, a huge roar went up from the crowd when Clarke’s father Eroni – who played 10 tests for the All Blacks from 1992-1998 – was shown on the big screen.

And despite his splendid performance, Clarke junior had no doubt his old man would not be allowing him to dine out on his display, sure he’d be ready and waiting to once again go through his game with a fine-tooth comb.

“I could get home at 12 o’clock in the morning and he’d probably make me sit down with him and watch it,” he said.

Clarke said he was overjoyed to have his family in the stands at Eden Park on his special day, which came less than four months after he played in a Super Rugby Aotearoa match on the same ground on the day his grandfather died.

“After everything my Nana’s gone through this year, it’s just real cool seeing her here today,” he said. We’re blessed that she’s here.”

[Rigadon]

Wales new rugby kit

[Cormack74]

Fair play, they altered the order of the green and white on the sleeves so as to make it not remotely similar

[Zapater]

Buzzo, see Oli Kebble and van der Merwe are making their debuts tomorrow. Unrelated, but Kebble is from a very prominent family with his uncle being elaborately murdered.

[Buzzo]

Buzzo, see Oli Kebble and van der Merwe are making their debuts tomorrow. Unrelated, but Kebble is from a very prominent family with his uncle being elaborately murdered.

I did see that. It's exciting Scotland wise, as, for the first time we have real depth to the squad. There is depth in every position.

Kebble adds some depth to a problem position for us, as recently as 2-3 years ago we were about 2 injuries away from some fairly untested players, now again we can display a bit of depth.

I had no idea about Kebbles back ground. That all sounds very suspicious.

I'm really looking forward to the game tomorrow. It is the first home international I will not have been to since 2016

I absolutely yearn for a trip to Murrayfield.

[Cormack74]

A few Covid related absences for Wasps today.

If Chiefs are anywhere near on it then they'll win regardless of who Wasps are putting out but in a final as we know, it doesn't always go to script.

[Cormack74]

Not a great game - rain was torrential but Chiefs had enough to win.

Slade got MotM but I thought that local lad, dyed in the wool Scotsman Skinner was excellent.

Somewhat incredibly I forgot the 6N was back and missed the 2 matches although I see it's Ireland's to lose Nev - which they may

[Buzzo]

Not a great game - rain was torrential but Chiefs had enough to win.

Slade got MotM but I thought that local lad, dyed in the wool Scotsman Skinner was excellent.

Somewhat incredibly I forgot the 6N was back and missed the 2 matches although I see it's Ireland's to lose Nev - which they may

I had to miss the Exeter game as I have watched Rugby last night. I saw about 5 mins and conditions looked brutal.

Skinner (with his Scottish Dad) will have some sort of DNA association to playing in those conditions. It is testament to the strength of Exeter that when Jonny Gray misses out it is a player of Skinners quality that comes in.

Only the Ireland game was 6Ns, the Wales France game was a 'friendly'.

II watched Scotland play pretty well v Georgia last night, with a lot of Front line players missing. We played ok, but when Finn came on and played 12 we just blew them away, the difference he makes and the speed of ball he delivers is next level and that is with Hastings having a very average night. Big Duhan scored a debut try, and looks a natural replacement for Maitland in time. Duhan - Hogg - Darcy Graham looks a potent back three.

I see Englands game was cancelled v the Baba's because they broke out of their bubble and went on the piss I think it was Robshaw and Maitland. Means England go in cold next week. Though it is only Italy.

[Cormack74]

I had to miss the Exeter game as I have watched Rugby last night. I saw about 5 mins and conditions looked brutal.

Skinner (with his Scottish Dad) will have some sort of DNA association to playing in those conditions. Reckon that might have been it

Only the Ireland game was 6Ns, the Wales France game was a 'friendly'. Ah that's why (Ireland aside) the table seemed to be unchanged. I was a bit confused but I also had a few watching Chiefs / Wasps so assumed cognitive thought was diminished


I see Englands game was cancelled v the Baba's because they broke out of their bubble and went on the piss I think it was Robshaw and Maitland. Means England go in cold next week. Though it is only Italy Ridiculous. And more ridiculous that it was Robshaw who always seemed to be the ultimate (albeit slightly dim) goodie goodie.

[Buzzo]

Mad skills.

[ame]https://twitter.com/sportscenter/status/1320512995995377669[/ame]

[Cormack74]

Interesting format for the new season's HC - I wasn't aware that this is how it will be played at 'group' stage.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54724496

Holders Exeter will begin their Champions Cup defence with challenging group-stage matches against Toulouse and Glasgow when next season's new-look competition begins in December.

Chiefs won the tournament for the first time earlier in October and will play those two sides home and away.

The new format - enforced by the pandemic and only for the 2020-21 season - features two pools of 12.

The four highest-ranked clubs in each pool will reach the quarter-finals.

The quarter-finals will be played over two legs and the clubs ranked fifth to eighth in each pool will drop into the knockout stage of the European Challenge Cup.

The opening round of games will take place 11-13 December.

Alongside Premiership winners Exeter in Pool B, Pro14 finalists Ulster face Gloucester and four-time winners Toulouse in their group games.

In Pool A, Pro14 champions Leinster will play Montpellier and Northampton, while Harlequins and Connacht have been drawn against last season's runners-up Racing 92.

Premiership runners-up Wasps play Dragons and Montpellier, while Munster face Quins and Clermont.

Clubs only play opponents in the same pool but cannot play other teams from the same domestic league.