Rugby - Running Out of Titles

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
Now why would a Welshman invent the equals sign? I know, Paris = Huge disappointment.

You mean for the French I suppose...

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak
Recall my point about the franchises just making up the numbers? Nice to see both Highlanders and Chiefs proving my point early on.

While I'll grant you that the 'Canes aren't exactly world class material you might want to watch what you say about the rest of the NZ teams. Traditionally we have a reputation for starting badly and finishing much better.
The Highlanders are pretty capable when they're on form and IIRC the Chiefs have a similar record to the Warratahs regarding making it to the finals.
Judge not, lest we judge the 6N by the same standard?
Granted they have only 2 'bunny' teams but looking at the current standings right at this moment one might be a little hard pressed to decide exactly which nations these might be?


Hmm. I see England is rated as 'huge' underdogs?
'Huge'?
Mr Robinson otoh has come out with comments calling it a 'must win' game.
He seems to have been slightly less forthcoming though about what will happen if this doesn't eventuate ...

[finbar]

Brumbies 32 -d- Crusaders 21

One of the better Brumbies' wins. The Crusaders didn't allow them a sniff early in the game, and they lost Mortlock and Rathbone to injury in the first half hour. Great character and skills took them to a comfortable win. The two young replacements - I've never heard of them before - were on debut and were outstanding. The Brumbies seem to have a machine pumping out young, talented backs and midfielders. Larkham was at the top of his game, Gregan as good as ever, and Owen Finegan produced a vintage game. The Crusaders didn't play badly - it was probably the match of the round - but they just lacked the speed, precision and penetration.

Hurricanes 24 -d- Reds 10

Scrappy, error-ridden match played in ridiculously hot and humid conditions in Brisbane. (Australian sports administrators are insane. Tonight, in Darwin, in the Northern Territory, two AFL teams are playing a pre-season knockout comp game. It was 33 C and 80% humidity at 9pm) The Hurricanes won on the strength of their tough defence and almost violent - but legal - clean outs at the breakdown, causing the Reds to turn over the ball 7 or 8 times in rucks into which they'd taken the ball. What's more, they seemed to have absolutely no idea what to do with the ball after the second or third phase. Wendell was useless. The Hurricanes did have clues in attack, although it was mostly a scramble. Another dire season in the offing for the Reds, while the Hurricanes will trouble a lot of teams with their sheer aggression.

[LDiCesare]

Wendell was useless.

What a surprise!

[LDiCesare]

Scotland - Italy: 18 - 10. Yawn.
If you thought England-France was boring, this one was worse. The Scots didn't play, except a little during the second half. But not much. The Italians make too many handling errors, missed too many penalties. They still managed to score the only try of the game.

France - Wales: 18- 24.
Now this was a good game. The first 15 minutes were French, the first 15 minutes of the second half were Welsh. The French lost too many balls, leading to counter attacks by the Welsh. They might have made with one heavy flanker instead of Nyanga. Even though Nyanga is very good, that's two running flankers with Betsen, and one heavier fighter-type could have helped. Laharrague, the full back, made a very good first half. A bit more realism and the French could have scored once more in the first half. A few stupid errors (not that many, though) and we conceded penalties that made the endgame unwinnable.

[finbar]

I watched the matches back-to-back and it was a case of going from the ridiculous to the sublime. When the Italian forwards tired, the Scots managed to control (well, so to speak) the play, but to no great effect. They had a try disallowed, and Matt Williams will grizzle about it, but the pass was forward. It's a while since I've seen the Italians play. A strong pack, alone, does not a rugby team make. I suppose the Scotland victory ranks them superior to the Italians, but everything's relative. A half decent team would have beaten the Italians very comfortably.

OTOH, Wales -v- France was one of the best matches I've seen in a long time. I understand Tamerlin's and LDiCesares' pain. Okay, your team lost, but this is the same team that played absolutely crap rugby against England and Scotland? I've heard of split personalities, but you boys take it to an extreme. The Welsh were a revelation. I thought they'd been well and truly exposed in the first half. Their running game is well known but I wasn't sure they had much else to offer. Lo and behold, they have guts aplenty, too. The French probably should have made more of their advantage in the first half but they can't be too embarrassed by their second half. As soon as the Welsh got away from the French strength in the set pieces, and found half a metre of space, they were dynamic. As hard to defend against as the French were in the early part of the match.

Oh, and did anyone else have a problem with Rougerie's try? One of the French decoy runners - I think it was Betsen - not only obstructed Henson, but tripped him, leaving a hole through which the French poured like water. Not, ultimately, that it matters because none of the officials saw it. If Matt Williams were coaching Wales, we'd hear about it for ever and a day.

Speaking of water. Are those tears I see you wiping away, Havak? Or was the Saints -v- Leicester scoreline I saw a misprint?

[LDiCesare]

but this is the same team that played absolutely crap rugby against England and Scotland?

Not really. This was the full back's first selection. And we also lacked the second center, Jauzion, in previous games. Plus Nyanga in the forwards. This is a difference of 3 players, and the 2 backs certainly helped a lot. Nyanga is a runner whereas Chabal is not.
When you look at what Laharague (the 15) did, it can explain a lot in terms of difference of play. Though Delaigue also played very differently.

I didn't see tripping on Rougerie's try, but I don't remember the action.

[finbar]

Yes, there were different players, but I was talking more about the entire team's attitude and approach to the game. This week, they really went out to play, much as they did against the Wallabies late last year. It was missing against Scotland and England.

The contact happened after the French player had made the break. Betsen - if it was Betsen, it was one of the players wearing full head gear - ran the decoy straight ahead, ending up well in front of the runner. When Henson went down, the opening was created.