Rugby - See You In Ten!

[LDiCesare]

Did that intellectual come from SouthWestern France? I bet he didn't come from Marseille or Lens.

[Tamerlin]

Are there any intellectuals coming from these areas?

[Alexander's Horse]

He seemed like some sort of aristocrat.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
Also could someone explain me why Merceron played both scrum half and fly half and what the jerk wearing a blue jersey with a number 9 on his back was doing on the field? Waiting half an hour for someone else to get the ball out of a ruck?

Damn good question. I just watched a replay of the match. Turned it on late, missed the England try barrage, thankfully. I assume the #9 was a replacement?

I think you and Tamerlin summed up the French performance pretty well. I'm also wondering why they opted to kick for goal when down 3-38, followed by a drop goal? Very odd.

[LDiCesare]

Yachvili is not the first scum half. This is Galthie.
Actually, I believe that, right now, our best choice of scrum half are, in this order and considering only the players selected for the RWC:
Galthie, Michalak, Merceron, Dominici, 25 others, Yachvili.

But then, noone ever listens to me as to who should play scrum half anyway. Maybe Yachvili would make a good hooker?

I'm also wondering why they opted to kick for goal when down 3-38, followed by a drop goal?

The penalty kick was weird. Geting a lineout at 5 meters would have been much better in my opinion. I believe in almost everyone's opinion. Maybe Merceron wanted to show he could score points in-match?
The drop goal, on the other side, was not so bad, since it was unclear the French could attack from that ball and that position. They would have needed to regroup, create a new ruck or maul, and then redeploy the backs. Getting those points was not that bad an idea. And I like drop goals, too. They force the defense to consider an additional option.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by LDiCesare But then, noone ever listens to me as to who should play scrum half anyway. Maybe Yachvili would make a good hooker?

Maybe for the Biarritz Olympique but not for the French team. The fact is I have never seen Dimitri Yachvili at his advantage with the BO and the French team.

I don't understand why Jean-Baptiste Ellissalde has not been incorporated into the RWC French XV, he is used to play with Frédéric Michalack and having two players able to play either Fly-half or Half-scrum could be a great advantage. Whatever his position on the field he is far better than Dimitri Yachvili.

The penalty kick was weird. Geting a lineout at 5 meters would have been much better in my opinion. I believe in almost everyone's opinion. Maybe Merceron wanted to show he could score points in-match?

The penalty was whistled just after a very long sequence of play as far as I remember, I think that Merceron also kicked in order to manage a pause for the forwards.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
25 others, Yachvili.

The penalty kick was weird. Geting a lineout at 5 meters would have been much better in my opinion. I believe in almost everyone's opinion. Maybe Merceron wanted to show he could score points in-match?
The drop goal, on the other side, was not so bad, since it was unclear the French could attack from that ball and that position. They would have needed to regroup, create a new ruck or maul, and then redeploy the backs. Getting those points was not that bad an idea. And I like drop goals, too. They force the defense to consider an additional option.

In the context of the game - 30+ points behind - I thought the drop goal option was just as pointless as the penalty kick. England were obviously determined to keep them try-less. Why not go for the try regardless of how much more work it took? They had absolutely nothing to lose and tries would have been very important psychologically. I agree that drop goals can be useful in that they can force a defence to consider additional options, but it has less meaning when the defence is sitting on a 30+ lead. I suspect, unfortunately, that the England defence would consider both the penalty kick and drop goal victories for them.

[Havak]

Well Clive used more than two subs - and only lack of finishing by certain 'girlies' prevented the second half being a masacre too.

Don't take too much comfort in the concept of a two man team.

The reason I have popped in - to let Finbar know that Healey missed the cut for the squad.

Cue Finbar and lots of icons?

[spartak]

The only thing that worries me is that he picked Catt as well

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Well Clive used more than two subs - and only lack of finishing by certain 'girlies' prevented the second half being a masacre too.

Don't take too much comfort in the concept of a two man team.

Yeah, go on, deprive me of one of the few straws I have left to clutch at!

The reason I have popped in - to let Finbar know that Healey missed the cut for the squad.

Cue Finbar and lots of icons?

I heard the news on the BBC World Service at 4am via the Walkman plugged into my ear. Mrs finbar thought I'd won Lotto.



But I assume they picked Catt in order to boost the squad's average age that little bit closer to senior citizenship.

[Andydog]

Originally posted by Caligastia
Tamerlin - I agree with your points regarding slack refereeing, and I understand your reluctance to accept the SH style, but IMO both styles are legitimate and will at some point be combined more fully as soon as the refereeing problem is sorted out. It's not only the SH that builds it's style around what it can get away with, the NH also pushes the limits - only in different areas. Rugby Union cannot continue with inconsistent refereeing forever. For the sport to grow there must be a clear understanding of the game. I'm optimistic that the IRB will eventually realize this.

Yup, very well put. Has there not already been an attempt to highlight the problems of inconsistent refereeing to the IRB? You'd think they'd be aware of the problem and how it is adversely affecting the game. I hope that 'politics' isn't (or won’t) get in the way of setting a sensible policy.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Andydog
I hope that 'politics' isn't (or won’t) get in the way of setting a sensible policy.

Unfortunately, you can bet on the contrary.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Andydog
You'd think they'd be aware of the problem and how it is adversely affecting the game.

Havak and I sort of came to the conclusion a while ago that the refs work to IRB directives. Earlier this season, the tackler rolling away was all the go. They were dynamite on it. Now, while still policed, the refs are nowhere near as trigger-happy as they were.

I'm still of the view that the speed of the modern game and the fitness and athleticism of the modern players make life just about impossible for a single ref. I recall either Tamerlin or LDiCesares reporting that two refs were tried in a French comp, but nothing came of it for many and varied reasons. Australian Rules football - which these days resembles basketball more than any sort of football - now uses three umpires.

[Caligastia]

You could have two referees in a rugby game, one on the field and one off. The one off the field could have control of numerous cameras and could be in constant contact with the referee on the field. This way the referee with the cameras could watch the areas that the referee on the field is unable to. I think it could work if properly planned.

[Andydog]

Havak and I sort of came to the conclusion a while ago that the refs work to IRB directives.

If refs work to IRB directives then why would there be one set of directives for the SH and another for the NH refs?

You make an interesting point about the speed of the modern game making it more difficult to police. Perhaps make more use of touch judges? For example, give the touch judges the priority call on, say, forward passes. Perhaps there is a way to make more use of TV refs.