Rugby - The game they play in heaven

[NeoStar]

Originally posted by finbar

I think you're safe. Unless they put in a shocker and the Boks decide to play rugby instead of biffo. The latter, methinks, is very unlikely. They're already publicly promising "aggression".

Remember the hired refs at training, finbar.

I know LDiCesare pointed out problems with it (in training) but despite not being as confident Im still betting on them - as you said -playing rugby instead of biffo.

Well, I dont mind a bit of biffo.

[finbar]

Originally posted by NeoStar
Remember the hired refs at training, finbar.

As Havak said - biffo's been such a part of their game for so long that it will take a long time to eradicate it. Not that I think they want to anyway.

I suspect the refs were there to do something about the countless penalties the Boks concede. Trouble is, a lot of their penalties are clearly deliberate, contrived to stop the oppo's momentum. It was an obvious tactic in the Wallabies game - Skinstad and the hooker being the major offenders - and the ref warned them about it. A couple of yellow cards here and there will help solve the problem.

[finbar]

Betting Update

Sure as eggs, as soon as I post this breakdown of potential winnings, one of our lads will turn up with a bet to change things completely. Regardless, here goes!

Our betting pool stands at 130 Civ Gold.

Your potential winnings (including your original stake, and rounded up or down to the nearest whole figure) currently stand as follows:

LDiCesare 32
NeoStar 49
Tamerlin 49

Caligastia 29
finbar 43
Havak 29
ravagon 29

[NeoStar]

The good news:

It was a good game

The bad news:

This is a sad, sad day for rugby union

[NeoStar]

The Springbok made a great start - James Dalton grabbed the ball at a loose scrum leading to Neil de Kock, put away by the fullbak, scoring in just the 2nd minute.



The kiwis were next to score only a few minutes later after a Mehrtens flash of brilliance. His midfield burst allowed Leon MacDonald the score but then Mehrten's kick was wide leaving SA leading 7-5.



Mehrtons almost got them another one in the 15th minute but Greeff came up with a miracle tackle.



Unfortunately a bit later they conceded a penatly try when Joubert made a duboius high tackle on Umaga who was on his way to score.

Come on, where's the discipline!

SA almost caught up though, when Breyton Paulse touches down but the McHugh blew the whistle for obstruction.

I didn't particulary like it, but its no excuse for the disaster that happened.

Soon after Andre Pretorius secured points with a penalty to make it 12 - 10. Then with the 1st half ebbing away he scored a try and converted. 17 - 12.



They went to sleep though. Umaga surged past the defense offloading to Howlett who scores to leave the game 17-17. They almost went to the lead before the first hooter when NZ were almost given a point blank penalty but McHugh reversed his decision due to an overeager Hewett.



Both Pretorius and Mehrtens exchanged penalities early in the 2nd half but Pretorius gets the Springbok the lead with a crafty drop goal.



They afforded yet another penalty though. Mehrtens squared it 23 - 23 with just over 16 mins left.

So much for the refs at training...

Your typical muscled up All Blacks defense greeted SA for the next stage of play and attack after attack in NZ territory were repelled with a counter attack that paid dividends. 10 minutes from the final whistle Aaron Mauger scores the match winner.

Well there goes my first bet. Can't complain though, they almost came away with it. They matched it with the All Blacks right up to the end.

[NeoStar]

Originally posted by NeoStar
This is a sad, sad day for rugby union

As for the big, fat bloke who jumped on David McHugh and dislocated the ref's shoulder - this stuff is getting ridiculous. In Australia we get the odd news of increasing attacks on refs at the grassroots levels by parents - if this stuff starts happening at international level where is rugby going?

It's a bloody disgrace that with the level of professionalism union has achieved this incident could happen. Where was the security? That overweight boof head couldn't have run that fast!

Hats off to the All Blacks and Springbok players who helped pull them apart, but it really isn't a good image for the game.

They better fix the problem for the Wallabies game.

[finbar]

DP.

[finbar]

Originally posted by NeoStar
Unfortunately a bit later they conceded a penatly try when Joubert made a duboius high tackle on Umaga who was on his way to score.

It was a penalty try only in the mind of NH ref McHugh. And, I have to say, it was one of the most incompetent decisions I've seen in Test rugby for a long time.

A penalty try is only awarded when a try would, in all probability, have been scored without the infringement. Umaga was brought down by two Boks - one high, and yes, it was clearly too high; the other around the legs, bringing him down regardless. In other words, probability didn't enter into it. A try would not have resulted without the high tackle. The second tackler - around Umaga's legs - saw to that. The correct decision would have been to penalise the high tackle.

SA almost caught up though, when Breyton Paulse touches down but the McHugh blew the whistle for obstruction.

McHugh's other major clanger. It wasn't obstruction by the Bok hooker. Here are the relevant laws:

(b) Running in front of a ball - carrier. A player must not voluntarily move or stand in front of a team-mate carrying the ball, thereby preventing opponents from tackling the current ball-carrier or the opportunity to tackle potential ball-carriers when they gain possession.

(c) Blocking the tackler. A player must not voluntarily move or stand in a position that prevents an opponent from tackling a ball carrier.

The ball was nowhere in the vicinity of the defending players that McHugh said were obstructed. It had already been passed wide. This was just an example of the NH phobia about dummy runners. Sometimes dummy runners do obstruct defenders and they should be penalised. In this case, McHugh got it very wrong and cost the Boks 5 points.

Add that 5 points - there's no guarantee the try would have been converted from that wide - to the gift 7 points from the farcical penalty try, and you can see McHugh's impact on the result of the game.

And I'm obviously not talking through my pocket!

Well there goes my first bet. Can't complain though, they almost came away with it. They matched it with the All Blacks right up to the end.

NeoStar, you won your bet! The margin was 7 1/2 points. The Boks could afford to lose by 7 points or less for you to win your bet. They lost by 7 points! You win!

[finbar]

Originally posted by NeoStar
As for the big, fat bloke who jumped on David McHugh and dislocated the ref's shoulder - this stuff is getting ridiculous. In Australia we get the odd news of increasing attacks on refs at the grassroots levels by parents - if this stuff starts happening at international level where is rugby going?

Quoting yourself, NeoStar?

Yes, it's ridiculous. Yes, it's outrageous. What if the hoon had a knife or a gun? It just underlines what an appalling lack of judgement it was on Vodaphone's part last week to sanction a pitch invasion.

I also wonder whether the hoon will take legal action against the All Black player - I think it was McCall - who punched him in the face? It's not beyond the realms of possibility. The fact that the hoon was where he shouldn't have been at the time will not be a defence.

All of that aside, it was a stunning game of rugby. Much to my - and, I suspect, Havak's - surprise, the Boks left their mindless aggro and biffo in the sheds and went out to play rugby. At times, I thought they looked a bit like, say, the Fijians - no structure, just run hell for leather - but good on them for it. If they can remember to leave the mindless aggro and biffo in the sheds, they're going to be a real force. The ABs, too, I think, played terrific rugby. I suspect it was their professionalism and structure that got them home. Not to mention ... well, I won't mention their 16th man, the Irishman, I'd hate to be accused of overemphasising a point.

[finbar]

Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven - Bank A/c at 11/8/02

After last night's match - with a loss for those who backed the ABs and win for those backed the Boks - our Bank A/c stands as follows:

academia 92
Andydog 153
Caligastia 37
finbar 130
Havak 46
LDiCesares 104
Mickeyj 121
NeoStar 134
ravagon 114
Tamerlin 69

Tamerlin can put away his Visa Card for the moment, but Caligastia and Havak should be reaching for theirs.

In terms of the Tri-Nations trophy, the ABs just about have it in the bag. The Wallabies have to score 4 tries next week against the Boks and win by at least 26 points to retain the trophy.

I can only assume that the entire New Zealand nation will be sending champagne and flowers to David McHugh to speed his recovery from his dislocated shoulder. He was, after all, singlehandedly responsible for gifting them at least 12 points in last night's match.

[DaShi]

CBeast!

[NeoStar]

Originally posted by finbar
It was a penalty try only in the mind of NH ref McHugh. And, I have to say, it was one of the most incompetent decisions I've seen in Test rugby for a long time.

A penalty try is only awarded when a try would, in all probability, have been scored without the infringement. Umaga was brought down by two Boks - one high, and yes, it was clearly too high; the other around the legs, bringing him down regardless. In other words, probability didn't enter into it. A try would not have resulted without the high tackle. The second tackler - around Umaga's legs - saw to that. The correct decision would have been to penalise the high tackle.

It was quite infuriating, wasn't it? I suppose McHugh may have been thinking Umaga's momentum would have allowed him to fall over the line but as you said the decision should have been a penalty. My only consolation was that if the All Blacks had been able to attack from that position they probably would have scored anyway.

Originally posted by finbar
Add that 5 points - there's no guarantee the try would have been converted from that wide - to the gift 7 points from the farcical penalty try, and you can see McHugh's impact on the result of the game.

Those laws you quoted make it seem even more ridicolous. Sure, it was obstruction, but I agree unless the defenders were supermen they couldn't have jumped to the other side of the field.

That made me angry. And a few ppl in the crowd...

Originally posted by finbar
NeoStar, you won your bet! The margin was 7 1/2 points. The Boks could afford to lose by 7 points or less for you to win your bet. They lost by 7 points! You win!

Sorry, I keep forgetting the margins

That said, I was still gutted. I think Wallabies now have to win by 25 odd points for the bonus point and the better percentage. Oh dear... :O

All of that aside, it was a stunning game of rugby.

That it was. I liked the way SA brought out a heap of Zulu warriors with their spears when the All Blacks were doing the hakka

[finbar]

Originally posted by NeoStar
My only consolation was that if the All Blacks had been able to attack from that position they probably would have scored anyway.

That's not the point. As it was, McHugh had missed the AB who was well offside when he charged down the Bok kick which led to the Umaga incident.

[The Rusty Gamer]

Ahem, excuse me but...

...you are so wrong.

Soccer is the game they play in heaven.

Rugby is the game they play in hell.

Soccer requires real skill.

Rugby only requires brute force.

Soccer talent is found on the local playing field.

Rugby talent is found at the local All You Can Eat.

The color green is good.

The color red is bad.

Thank You. Have a nice day.

[DarthVeda]

Funny I thought they'd play skeeball in heaven...