Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

finbar · July 31, 2010, 01:53

Ecco!

EPW · July 31, 2010, 02:11

I thought they played cricket in Heaven?

finbar · July 31, 2010, 08:43

Only as half-time entertainment at the rugby.

Top AB effort today made easier by some idiotic Wallaby play. The Wallabies didn't win a single restart, handing the ABs mainly easy possession. The Wallabies missed far too many first-up tackles, letting the ABs cross the gainline time and again. Solid second half from the Wallabies, one man down, but the damage had already been done and the ABs were cruising. I don't think it helps the Wallaby cause that skipper Rocky is obviously a doer rather than a thinker. No on-field answers to the restart problem were forthcoming and there should have been.

The yellow card farce continued. An AB prop carded for a shoulder charge that wasn't, Drew Mitchell carded for the same offence, that no-one saw, the ref telling him it was the same thing the All Black did. Meaning in all likelihood that it probably wasn't worthy of a yellow. When Mitchell was carded later for time-wasting, it became a red card. Very costly. Later, the ref and touchie combined to tell McCaw that one of his players would have been carded for a dangerous tackle if they'd seen his number. Replays showed it didn't remotely resemble a dangerous tackle. Some sort of directive has been issued for this TN series and it's getting out of hand.

LDiCesare · July 31, 2010, 09:27

Damn! A new rugby thread. True the old one's title was getting old.

finbar · August 1, 2010, 01:47

The old one would have been relevant again in about five months' time but that's a long wait.

Caligastia · August 1, 2010, 16:31

Nice title, but Havak will likely complain that it sounds "too Welsh".

Caligastia · August 1, 2010, 16:36

Originally Posted by finbar

Only as half-time entertainment at the rugby.

Top AB effort today made easier by some idiotic Wallaby play. The Wallabies didn't win a single restart, handing the ABs mainly easy possession. The Wallabies missed far too many first-up tackles, letting the ABs cross the gainline time and again. Solid second half from the Wallabies, one man down, but the damage had already been done and the ABs were cruising. I don't think it helps the Wallaby cause that skipper Rocky is obviously a doer rather than a thinker. No on-field answers to the restart problem were forthcoming and there should have been.

The yellow card farce continued. An AB prop carded for a shoulder charge that wasn't, Drew Mitchell carded for the same offence, that no-one saw, the ref telling him it was the same thing the All Black did. Meaning in all likelihood that it probably wasn't worthy of a yellow. When Mitchell was carded later for time-wasting, it became a red card. Very costly. Later, the ref and touchie combined to tell McCaw that one of his players would have been carded for a dangerous tackle if they'd seen his number. Replays showed it didn't remotely resemble a dangerous tackle. Some sort of directive has been issued for this TN series and it's getting out of hand.

I had to admire the tenacity of the Wallabies in the second half. They showed real spirit - after camping on the All Black's line and being denied a try by the TMO they still persevered till they got over the line. Good stuff.

This was the first time I've been able to watch an entire rugby match on TV in years - what a match to start with! The first half left me gasping for breath!

finbar · August 2, 2010, 03:17

For the title to be Welsh it would have to read: "The Game They Play In Heaven, Boyo".

Yes, the Wallabies were strong in the second half but the damage had well and truly been done. Their rugby was simply naive. Carter's restarts were pin-point. They were short, letting his forwards arrive in time to compete. The Wallabies never woke up to the simple strategy. At the same time, their restarts were all deep, handing possession to the ABs.

It has to be said, though, that the ABs are currently at the top of their game. No team in the world would live with them at the moment. So the question is why did the Wallabies aid and abet the AB cause?

Havak · August 2, 2010, 03:51

It still sounds a little too Welsh for my taste.

The ABs are playing some great rugby right now - which I guess suggests that they won't win their home RWC next year? It's tradition for them to be favourites and lose to Australia or France?

(only having a little fun Kiwis - the ABs are red hot favourites for the cup)

As for the cricket - pakistan were skittled in their second innings for less than they skittled OZ earlier in July!

It gives England false hope for the Ashes....

finbar · August 2, 2010, 04:10

Here's Drew Mitchell's first yellow card offence - "a late tackle without use of the arms on McCaw" - via You Tube. With his later yellow for time-wasting resulting in a red, he missed most of the second half. As I said yesterday, the yellow cards in this TN series have become farcical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP8c2iwr-u4

EPW · August 2, 2010, 06:56

Havak · August 2, 2010, 07:52

Born in Wales and yet he defeated Owain Glyndŵr. Not a hero to the Welsh I would suggest.

McCaw was simply off balance - a truly shocking carding. The problem is if a new directive has been issued are we going to see this all through the autumn?

finbar · August 2, 2010, 08:09

You should try to find the ABs' Owen Franks' yellow for the same "offence". He had his arms out to tackle Richard Brown, mistimed it, Brown bounced off his chest, and he got ten minutes. I suspect it's a directive for the season unless someone points out the fecking stupidity.

Caligastia · August 2, 2010, 09:07

Originally Posted by finbar

It has to be said, though, that the ABs are currently at the top of their game. No team in the world would live with them at the moment. So the question is why did the Wallabies aid and abet the AB cause?

Perhaps they were just unlucky in that they were the first ones to test the referee's directives from on high. But the ABs got pinged too...I guess they learned from it and the Wallabies didn't - not till Mitchell got his red card anyway.

Caligastia · August 2, 2010, 09:12

Originally Posted by Havak

The ABs are playing some great rugby right now - which I guess suggests that they won't win their home RWC next year? It's tradition for them to be favourites and lose to Australia or France?

(only having a little fun Kiwis - the ABs are red hot favourites for the cup)

You may be funning, but the English (you know, manic depressive/pessimist) side of me fears the worst. Graham Henry is getting great results for now, but I remember he did the same with Wales and then...crash. I'm waiting to see when the ABs Henry-induced crash will come - probably about this time next year.

finbar · August 2, 2010, 12:37

Oh, and "The Game They Play In Heaven" was an ARU marketing slogan about seven or eight years ago. Nothing Taffy about it. One of the great slogans, IMHO.

Caligastia · August 2, 2010, 12:46

I liked "The Beautiful Game" too. I think that was one of the first rugby thread titles.

Havak · August 3, 2010, 03:06

"the game we win at all costs and *** sportsmanship" is a better slogan for the ARU surely?

Although the RFU's slogan "give us all your money and do as you are told" would fit the ARU quite well too.

Henry has proved me wrong Caligastia - he does have some coaching skill although it surely helps him to have some of the guys in the squad that he does. If McCaw and Carter stay fit the ABs will remain red hot favourites - but if either gets injured I'm not so sure as neither seem to have decent understudies?

Caligastia · August 3, 2010, 08:11

Yeah, true. I can't comment on the understudies though, as I haven't been following things too well recently. But I'm sure Henry must have something in the works.

finbar · August 4, 2010, 01:47

The touchie responsible for Drew Mitchell's first yellow card - the so-called illegal tackle on McCaw - has been stood down. That's a start.

Havak · August 4, 2010, 03:42

Well sort of. He is still the TMO after all.

He has been replaced in a match involving NZ by a New Zealander??

I also love the way Planet Rugby call it a "top of the table" clash. One side has been head and shoulders over both others so far - it's "top of table" versus "best of the rest"?

Caligastia · August 4, 2010, 08:41

South Africa are pretty much out of the running at this point. Even if they won their three remaining games with bonus points they would merely equal the 15 points NZ have now, so NZ would also have to lose all their remaining games. And even if that happened, being equal in 3N points with NZ would mean that the winner would be determined by points differential. Currently, NZ are +55 and SA are -51. So SA would not only have to win their three remaining matches, they would also have to beat each opposition team by an average of about 36 points.

I suppose it's possible, but it's highly improbable.

Oh, and if NZ get a bonus point win this weekend they have won the competition.

Caligastia · August 5, 2010, 14:02

Looks like we have a couple of sore losers:
http://www.rugbyrugby.com/news/story_5810124501.php

Havak · August 6, 2010, 03:04

Well they are only telling the truth - NZ certainly do 'cheat'. So do all other International teams of course. Pushing the laws is part of the game.

Interesting point about the penatly to card ratio though don't you think?

finbar · August 6, 2010, 03:45

Would be interesting to see the stats from last season. I recall McCaw, in particular, being carded several times last year.

Caligastia · August 6, 2010, 08:49

Originally Posted by Havak

Well they are only telling the truth - NZ certainly do 'cheat'. So do all other International teams of course. Pushing the laws is part of the game.

Interesting point about the penatly to card ratio though don't you think?

That just means NZ tends not to infringe as egregiously as the other teams, and they're better at not getting caught.

Havak · August 6, 2010, 09:36

By the autumn series the IRB will have listened to the whiners and refs will be carding you left right and centre?

If you have five red carded we might even beat you.

LDiCesare · August 6, 2010, 14:17

Bok vice-captain Victor Matfield suggested the Kiwis "get away with murder".

I love when Boks say things like that.

finbar · August 7, 2010, 07:13

Much better Wallaby effort. Solved their re-start problems and managed to hang onto the ball. Quade Cooper wasn't missed much last week because they were never in a position for him to have an impact. This week, with plenty of solid possession, they clearly missed his imagination and initiative. The AB defence was excellent but the Wallabies just ran at them. Opportunity wasted.

The yellow card mystery continued. Woodcock cleaned up the Wallaby hooker with a blatant shoulder charge to the ribs. He got a warning. Last week there were cards for vastly vastly less.