6 nations were up and running!

[JKD]

5 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said:

We're spoiling for a drubbing. Our defensive set-up looks so vulnerable to a single missed tackle. We saw it against Italy, we saw it against Wales. At some point, we're going to come up against a side that will take those chances - and create many more besides. 

Yup, we're riding our luck 🙈

[Mice!]

4 hours ago, chrisjpainter said:

We're spoiling for a drubbing. Our defensive set-up looks so vulnerable to a single missed tackle. We saw it against Italy, we saw it against Wales. At some point, we're going to come up against a side that will take those chances - and create many more besides. 

Your not wrong, they are flying out, one side step or cheeky kick, like Italy did...

I thought England were poor, they are clearly being coached to play without the ball and its just awful to watch, anytime they actually ran the ball I thought yes go on, then it's not finished off??

Wales looked OK but they didn't punish us with a two man advantage.

As for Scotland?? It's like they didn't want to win?? 

And yes it was a complete farce at the end, they watched the ball move and get grounded,  the ref couldn't have been in a better position,  had that have been on 20 minutes and not the game decider then they'd have given it.

Lads lashing Chesham, the fella he hit was on one knee from being tackled, the last time I looked it was rugby they are playing,  just how low are they supposed to be able to get?

But we scraped a win from a terrible game, oh the joys.

[Rim Fire]

Nobody going to mention Ford making contact  with the player in the air at the end 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Gawd knows where all this is going, when I used to play there was contact.

 

It is after all a game of rugby, but is becoming less recognisable all the time.

[millrace]

The difference is when most of us played players were "normal" size, skill speed running side steps, rugby thanks to those in charge is now thump bang wallop with backs the size of forwards, forwards who go head first into a line of knees, go watch some of the old vids on utube yes decapitation tackles..lol but the ball was thrown around kept alive out to backs and running rugby,different game entirely 

Laws are having to be made to counteract the size of the players for safety,the bunker review has now become the ref not making a decision ,some of the best refs consultations with touch judges discussing an incident even changing their mind are what made them respected, now review, the idea is good but overused for every  red decision, sadly i can only see the game becoming more disjointed as a spectacle!

[TIGHTCHOKE]

5 minutes ago, millrace said:

The difference is when most of us played players were "normal" size, skill speed running side steps, rugby thanks to those in charge is now thump bang wallop with backs the size of forwards, forwards who go head first into a line of knees, go watch some of the old vids on utube yes decapitation tackles..lol but the ball was thrown around kept alive out to backs and running rugby,different game entirely 

Laws are having to be made to counteract the size of the players for safety,the bunker review has now become the ref not making a decision ,some of the best refs consultations with touch judges discussing an incident even changing their mind are what made them respected, now review, the idea is good but overused for every  red decision, sadly i can only see the game becoming more disjointed as a spectacle!

Points well made.   

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, Rim Fire said:

Nobody going to mention Ford making contact  with the player in the air at the end 

He knew exactly what he was doing, I expected him to see yellow for it.

34 minutes ago, millrace said:

The difference is when most of us played players were "normal" size, skill speed running side steps, rugby thanks to those in charge is now thump bang wallop with backs the size of forwards, forwards who go head first into a line of knees, go watch some of the old vids on utube yes decapitation tackles..lol but the ball was thrown around kept alive out to backs and running rugby,different game entirely 

Laws are having to be made to counteract the size of the players for safety,the bunker review has now become the ref not making a decision ,some of the best refs consultations with touch judges discussing an incident even changing their mind are what made them respected, now review, the idea is good but overused for every  red decision, sadly i can only see the game becoming more disjointed as a spectacle!

They haven't suddenly become bigger though, a lot is down to the daft way union players plow in going really low with the ball, something you never see league players doing, they aren't trying to run through players but get low and set the ball.

League have also had the review call for a while, someone gets a yellow and the ref crosses his arms so it can be reviewed after the game.

I do understand the whole bunker thing, but when you watch something in slow motion 25 times it just gets worse, it should be reviewed at full speed, when the ball carrier has his head at waste height, turning jinking what is a tackler expected to do?

Big difference between a no arm, lazy tackle plowing into someone's face and someone going to wrap, dropping their height, maybe the attacking players should be responsible for how low they get 😁

 

[JKD]

The international game does appear to get forensically inspected lately, interrupting and slowing down the flow of the game. As has been alluded to, this, mostly, is to 'protect' the players, but, as has been said, it is a full contact sport, so injuries etc are expected. Also, as in football, slow mo of any incident always looks worse than at normal speed,,,, something which the commentators and pundits quite often comment on, but the officials don't concentrate on. Hopefully, going forward, things will improve for us looking on ?

[chrisjpainter]

1 hour ago, Rim Fire said:

Nobody going to mention Ford making contact  with the player in the air at the end 

I think the reffing team couldn't bear to let the game drag on longer than was absolutely necessary; it was a dire game. You're right, of course. It was a pen at least and possibly a card. Not the TMO's finest day at either game.

[JKD]

Just now, chrisjpainter said:

I think the reffing team couldn't bear to let the game drag on longer than was absolutely necessary; it was a dire game. You're right, of course. It was a pen at least and possibly a card. Not the TMO's finest day at either game.

I thought the ref in the England Wales match was quite poor with his decision making ? Especially around the scrum 🥴

[Mice!]

53 minutes ago, JKD said:

Especially around the scrum

There still resetting the last scrum 😪😪

Painful. 

[harrycatcat1]

What a brave little fella 👏 

[Mice!]

59 minutes ago, harrycatcat1 said:

What a brave little fella 👏 

He was brilliant 👏 

[JKD]

10 minutes ago, Mice! said:

He was brilliant 👏 

And highlight of the match 🥱

[Mice!]

3 minutes ago, JKD said:

And highlight of the match 🥱

Really? I'd have taken England performing like that against Italy,  starting young players and completely controlling the game. 

[JKD]

38 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Really? I'd have taken England performing like that against Italy,  starting young players and completely controlling the game. 

My comment was a bit tongue in cheek 😁 The outcome was inevitable,,,, but for Italy only getting into the opposition's 22 twice in 80 minutes is,,,, 🥱🤦🙄

Ireland should have scored more tries against such poor opponents,,,, IMHO 🙂

[Mice!]

55 minutes ago, JKD said:

Ireland should have scored more tries against such poor opponents,,,, IMHO

So should we 😅😅

[JKD]

5 minutes ago, Mice! said:

So should we 😅😅

Yup,,,, but as everyone keeps saying, England [and Wales] are an evolving young team, with experienced players still there to learn from [except Wales 🙃].

Even the crowd today were a bit 'subdued' 😏 At the end of the day, it was a game between the best team [probably] and the worst team in this tournament.

Two weeks off now for all teams to improve in certain areas, and for some to improve completely 🙈

[millrace]

It was poor, irelands b team and lack of atmosphere, glad i gave my tickets away....lol

not much to read from the game,but from the weekend ill go out on a limb and say its irelands championship to lose and i dont see where it will happen,, scotland may be tricky last game, but just currently Ireland have to much and a manager with a plan and players wanting to play for him!

[JKD]

8 hours ago, millrace said:

It was poor, irelands b team and lack of atmosphere, glad i gave my tickets away....lol

not much to read from the game,but from the weekend ill go out on a limb and say its irelands championship to lose and i dont see where it will happen,, scotland may be tricky last game, but just currently Ireland have to much and a manager with a plan and players wanting to play for him!

Well, this backs up my thoughts,,,, was waiting for exactly this sort of statement 🤭😆 I wasn't saying the Irish team were bad or awful, just not as dynamic as they could have been. Your reply explains why, cheers 😉

[chrisjpainter]

Scotland are seeking an apology f4om World Rugby for the try not given at the end of the match. They won't get one as by a strict interpretation of the rules, I can't say it was a mistake as such. I think the TMO and especially the on field ref should be allowed to make a decision on the balance of probability - cricket umpires have been doing that since the dawn of the structured game, so I think there's scope for it in rugby.

[dabbers]

Well done Scotland was impressed as i thought the France game might have affected the game yesterday

[nige65]

Yes well played. I’m all for the best team winning and they did. 👍

[JKD]

Ireland v Wales,,,, inevitable result ! When Ireland went down to 14 it looked fairly even. Back to full numbers and they outclassed the opposition.

Scotland v England,,,, again, inevitable result ! Although England started well, things soon changed in the hosts favour. 3 gifted tries through quite easy line breaks were England's downfall,,,, other things too, but all I'll say is "room for improvement" 😔

Edited February 25 by JKD

[millrace]

Its all building quite nicely for 16th march....🤞

Was at the match yesterday,,,ire were not tested, the pingpong kicking and raft of subs spoiled the second half and it became very disjointed, the welsh rush defence was so open for a chip over if ire had worked it out they would have romped away even more..all in all job done but lots more in tank, eng will be interesting in how they approach the game, spoil and bully and kick will play to ire power game,,will we see a change in approach are they capable of such change?