Rugby - Hands Off Black!

[Hydey]

Could one of you rugby nuts please explain how Gregan only gets one week for his spear tackle on the weekend.

(sorry to interupt)

[Havak]

According to the panel that banned him Gregan's "exemplary disciplinary record reduced the length of the suspension".

Must be a Super 14 thing as the offence and the players contrition (or lack of) for it is the deciding factor on discipline panels here - not how good they have been previously.

[finbar]

Yes, very strange decision. I didn't see the tackle - obviously - but, from the still photo, it looked like a spear tackle. It has rather upset the Waratahs coach, who complains that one of his flankers copped four weeks for being third man into a stoush without actually throwing any punches.

[Havak]

You should have enjoyed the Bristol game Finbar - it was Tigers at their effortless averageness.

So if you have Sky (Brit Sky?) for the weekend:

Sunday afternoon brings you...

Sale v Wasps, 13:30
Leicester v London Irish, 16:00

I'm thinking you may be backing Sale and Irish?

Louis Deacon got a three week ban yesterday for careless rucking against Sarries (no heads involved - but the citing officer said no backward motion of the foot either) . So we have a player banned three times as long for a far less dangerous offence than George was found guilty of - funny old things disciplinary panels?

[finbar]

Mmmmm. There goes Sunday!



And, yes, the Sale-Irish quinella looks good to me.

Well, "good" doesn't really enter into it. Either of the other two getting up would induce nausea.

[Havak]

Unfortunately a Tigers-Wasps final seems quite likely.

The tour to Australia will be interesting as many players have opted to rest and many more are out through injury. It will be a very new look side. Turnip of course has the answer to these problems (he is a genius in his own mind after all) - he is taking the 34 year old Mike Catt who hasn't represented England since the 'tour of death' in 2004.

The restings don't worry me - one of them is Cohen after all who is now kidding himself if he thinks he has any chance of selection over young Varndell anyway. The injuries are more worrying - one is Clarke the young English centre, another Perry the highly rated scrummy. Both players who need time in the shirt if they are to be useful by the RWC.

On the bright side I believe Meers is injured - only Turnip thinks he is an international hooker (no one else does).

And if the senior side will be interesting - the development side that heads off to Canada for the Churchill cup at the same time will be doubly so.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by ravagon
Last weekend was actually pretty eventful down this end of the world.
The Western Force won their first game (albeit undeservingly so) but are now in trouble with the Australian whatsits over 'improper' contractual advances to one of the Warratahs players.
finbar will no doubt be less than surprised to hear that the aforementioned 'Tahs have yet again stuffed up at nearly the last hurdle and may have thrown away the top-of-the-table position and a chance at a home final.
Oh and little George is in trouble for a nasty tackle and will miss the Brumbies vs Crusaders game (this could conceivably see the Brumbies knocked out of the top 4).

It looks like the Brumbies are the only ones out of the top 4 who could possibly be knocked out. The Sharks would have to beat the Force by enough to get their points differential higher than the Brumbies, and the Brumbies would have to lose without gaining a bonus point. Possible, but not probable. This weekend will most likely be a preview of the semis.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak
Turnip of course has the answer to these problems (he is a genius in his own mind after all) - he is taking the 34 year old Mike Catt who hasn't represented England since the 'tour of death' in 2004.

Isn't that exactly what Catt has been doing for the last year or so with his premiership side though? Who else would be up to it?
I don't think throwing a ton of new players into the meatgrinder without a few experienced heads is such a good idea ...

It looks like the Brumbies are the only ones out of the top 4 who could possibly be knocked out. The Sharks would have to beat the Force by enough to get their points differential higher than the Brumbies, and the Brumbies would have to lose without gaining a bonus point. Possible, but not probable. This weekend will most likely be a preview of the semis.

I agree that it's probably not too likely but the Brumbies will have a tough time in Christchurch. Richie is back and rested and the Bumblies have injuries and that Greegan twit's suspension to worry about. I don't really see much chance of them getting a bonus point out of that game, let alone winning it. The total points differential between them and the Sharks is less than forty - I'd expect the Crusaders to knock that back to < 30 without too much difficulty - and I wouldn't really think the Sharks should have too many problems beating up their bottom-of-the-table opponents by that margin - not when they have a home game.
It'll be interesting anyway - The Hurricanes-Warratahs game looks like being a good one too ...

[Havak]

I don't think throwing a ton of new players into the meatgrinder without a few experienced heads is such a good idea ...

I do see your point but the 1998 ‘tour of death’, when the Aussies with their usual tact said “don’t come back unless you bring a first team next time” produced one Johnny Wilkinson onto the world stage (amongst others). It actually galvanised Wilko into the dedicated machine he became.

The fundamental problem with Catt is the last time he was involved was the 2004 tour of NZ and Aus – he played the first NZ test if I recall and was so off the pace he didn’t feature again? I agree old heads are needed to help young ones – but I’m not sure Catt warrants a place on the field. Sure he has organised the Exiles back line well in the Premiership – but does that warrant test selection? No, for me Abbot and Smith (or Tait) are the centres to choose (and Abbot is a ‘senior’ player now). It’s is going to be a very different team anyway and we are highly unlikely to win – but I’d like to see Robinson try something ambitious rather than be ultra-conservative as normal.

So many players are either injured or will be deliberately rested (including Corry apparently) that the tour has to be treated simply as a learning experience.

Tom Voyce (Wasps wing) is crowing about how Wasps can set new records by winning the premiership for the fourth straight time. Putting aside the fact that Tigers have already done that they finished 4th in the table FFS!!! The play offs are the absolute worst thing we have ever allowed to be adopted in this country, it is starting to really annoy me that teams that cannot top a table can get so arrogant by winning what are effectively cup matches. Although you probably all know that by now.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by ravagon
I agree that it's probably not too likely but the Brumbies will have a tough time in Christchurch. Richie is back and rested and the Bumblies have injuries and that Greegan twit's suspension to worry about. I don't really see much chance of them getting a bonus point out of that game, let alone winning it. The total points differential between them and the Sharks is less than forty - I'd expect the Crusaders to knock that back to < 30 without too much difficulty - and I wouldn't really think the Sharks should have too many problems beating up their bottom-of-the-table opponents by that margin - not when they have a home game.
It'll be interesting anyway - The Hurricanes-Warratahs game looks like being a good one too ...

Looks like I'll have to eat my words...the Crusaders thrashed the Brumbies 33 - 3 and the Sharks beat the Force by enough to knock the Brumbies off the #4 spot.


The Bulls could conceivably edge the Sharks out, but they'll have to beat the Stormers at home by 33 points and score four tries. I think that is very unlikely as the Stormers are a pretty decent team, but stranger things have happened...like the Force drawing with the Crusaders.

[finbar]

Or even Wendell producing a positive result to a drug test!

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Caligastia

The Bulls could conceivably edge the Sharks out, but they'll have to beat the Stormers at home by 33 points and score four tries. I think that is very unlikely as the Stormers are a pretty decent team, but stranger things have happened...like the Force drawing with the Crusaders.

43-10. Bulls get through.

Amazing weekend. Brumbies get walloped and kicked out. Sharks scrape through by beating the bottom of the table (although not by as much as they probably needed to) and then the Bulls pound the Stormers and just manage to edge their way in.
The Hurricanes held out for a win against the Warratahs in Australia too so the return match will be in the windy city.

Oh and from the looks of the Premiership it would seem that Havak will be a happy camper too ...
I imagine he's recently become a Sale Sharks fan, although I can't see this conversion lasting to next weekend.

Or even Wendell producing a positive result to a drug test!

Heh. He's a Warratahs player now though.
Has anybody announced yet what it was he took? ie: Was it actually a performance-enhancer, a masking agent or some recreational substance?
I wonder if Wendell will try the "My mom gave it to me" excuse. It didn't work for the other schmuck but, well, Wendell isn't exactly noted for being a brightly lit bulb ...

[finbar]

Coke. And he's not blaming his Mum. He's named you as his supplier.

I watched most of Sale -v- Wasps and Leicester -v- Irish. Hard to know about the final, really. Both oppos yesterday were only average at best. But, gee, that big Sale #8 with the long hair and beard had a corker of a game.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by finbar
Coke. And he's not blaming his Mum. He's named you as his supplier.

Lucky for me that it's Wendell then. The next time anybdy takes anything he says seriously will be the first.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by ravagon


43-10. Bulls get through.

Amazing weekend. Brumbies get walloped and kicked out. Sharks scrape through by beating the bottom of the table (although not by as much as they probably needed to) and then the Bulls pound the Stormers and just manage to edge their way in.
The Hurricanes held out for a win against the Warratahs in Australia too so the return match will be in the windy city.

Awesome. Here's hoping we get a Crusaders/Hurricanes final.