Rugby - 6 Nations, Heineken Cup, You Can't Beat A Northern Hemisphere Winter!

[finbar]

Well, yes, Andydog called it right indeed. The ABs at their scintillating best. Where have they been hiding it? The French had no counter to an oppo playing them at their own game - who can counter the ABs swarming like that? - though the French defence left much to be desired. Little organisation, very casual, leaving acres of space on the outside in particular. Count the number of times the ABs scored via the outside. Let the ABs get outside your defence and you're history.

Dupuy had a shocker - not just with the boot - which didn't help things. Marty is a waste of space. He made one solid tackle, was never remotely in position to make others he should have, and contributed nothing in attack. Jauzion needs someone better outside him. Like David. Traille starts at full back because (a) of his boot; and (b) he's usually solid under a high ball. But he's a back stop rather than a springboard. I don't think Medard's a winger, either.

Anyway, no 6 Nations team is going to be remotely as dangerous as the ABs, so, the French habit of self-destruction aside, I can't see anyone threatening France starting in February. Famous last words.

The Scots certainly won't threaten. The Argies only proved what a fluke the win over the Wallabies was. They haven't got a clue how to penetrate a defence.

Speaking of the Wallabies, like the All Blacks, where have they been hiding it? I didn't get to see or listen to it, but it reads like they finally stopped kicking away possession and, using the scrum and back row dominance as a platform, used the ball to attack. Shaun Edwards' supposed defensive wizardry was, apparently, non-existent. I'm convinced kicking away the ball had been a chosen Wallaby tactic - dominating just about everywhere on the park and playing a territory game. Bizarre. It cost them a Grand Slam against, Ireland aside, mediocre opposition.

Ireland were fiercely determined against an indisciplined, tired Bok effort in which they - the Boks - couldn't even get their one-dimensional kick and chase game right. Steyn had a shocker. I was glad to see Sexton doing well. The kid has real talent. The Ireland scrum is a very serious problem - the young openside looks out of his depth, even if he's strong in the loose - and it will bring them undone, against the French in particular.

Italy brushed aside a disappointing Samoa scoring two tries in the process. They did it without Sergio Parisse, who is going to miss the 6 Nations. Others lifted to fill the void. Still, yesterday's two tries totals three for the autumn internationals. Two more than England. 'Nuff said.

France and Ireland aside, it's not going to be a 6 Nations of any quality. Not for the first time.

[Havak]

I have to admit watching the ABs in that mode is really enoyable.

In fact I enjoyed all the rugby this weekend - Cardiff in particular. Twickenham next up for this inconsistent Welsh outfit - and by no means a banker for them now.

But a bad weekend in two ways:

Tom Croft off just before half time with a leg injury.

Brian O'Driscoll somehow didn't get IRB Player of the year? Someone failed to add up exactly what he won this year compared to the very worthy (but far lesser achieving this year) McCaw? Ireland went unbeaten this year - not so the ABs.

[Mablir Dorlig]

After the way the jocks and the paddies played against the convicts it can only be the Welsh for this one!

Os yw rygbi yn grefft, rwy'n grefftwr!

Much egg on face - first time I've seen the aussies playing like a team this autumn

[kittenOFchaos]

Too much talk about Wales...

More talk should be about Wasps refusing to play at Sale...the referee inspects the pitch twice and passes it. Wasps leave saying it is unsafe. Surely Sale should be awarded the points, can't have teams simply refusing to play because they feel like it.

[finbar]

We try to keep talk of Wasps to a minimum around here.

In fact, right there (immediately above) we have 12 words too many.

[MOBIUS]

The Wales game yesterday was totally one-sided. I know, I was there...

[Andydog]

I missed the AB Frogs game. It was only showing on ESPN, which to subscribe to would increase my monthly fee by 10%, which is a complete ripoff. I enjoyed reading the match reports however.

Brian O'Driscoll somehow didn't get IRB Player of the year? Someone failed to add up exactly what he won this year compared to the very worthy (but far lesser achieving this year) McCaw? Ireland went unbeaten this year - not so the ABs.

Thankfully it isn't about how many games your team wins, its about how you as the individual actually plays. Name a more consistent player than McCaw, who week in and week out, plays at the top of his game and doesn't go missing when the going gets tough. BOD would come close, but he was pretty average in the Lions tour. Perhaps he needed a few more near death experiences.

McCaw was the deserved and rightfully awarded IRB Player of the year. Hats of to him. This is all in my totally non-biased view of course.

[finbar]

I missed the AB Frogs game. It was only showing on ESPN, which to subscribe to would increase my monthly fee by 10%, which is a complete ripoff.

Cheapskate! Sticking it up Havak based on what you read in the paper doesn't count.

Thankfully it isn't about how many games your team wins, its about how you as the individual actually plays ...

I agree.

McCaw was the deserved and rightfully awarded IRB Player of the year. Hats of to him. This is all in my totally non-biased view of course.

I think the award could probably have gone either way, though McCaw has been consistently more prominent. I suspect the push for BOD by a lot of people is underpinned by the Grand Slam, and there's been a lot of rugby since then.

Meanwhile, the Oz rugby media is now back on the Wallaby bandwagon. Tossers. Last week the team were pathetic losers, reflecting the sorry lack od depth in Oz rugby, el al. This week they're superstars.

[Havak]

Hell McCaw is a quality player all right - would have loved him to be born in Leicester - but I just don't get the player of the year bit. Hasn't won enough when it counted.

Sale should get the points - it appears the insects coach threw a wobbly (but then his heritage pre-disposes him to want everything his own way maybe?).

*edit* Finbar might like this - the Leeds Director of Rugby (a former Tigers man - our least successful backs coach since Leagues began in fact) thinks the penalty try on 43 mins decided the game and was unfair. This in a half where Tigers actually recorded 33 unanwered points. You see the try broke their spirit and 26 more points followed this unfair event.

Denial alive and well at all levels of English rugby?

[finbar]

When you're as poor as Leeds, and destined for an immediate return to oblivion, you clutch at straws, I expect. Any word on how Lote is playing?

Team wins don't enter into the Player of the Year award. It's an individual award. If team wins counted, why was Sergio Parisse even nominated? Because, as an individual, he plays outstanding rugby, singlehandedly carrying the Italian team. For that matter, why was Tom Croft nominated? For Leicester's premiership last season? Certainly not for England wins or Lions series wins. To me, the vital difference between McCaw and BOD - these days - is that BOD's outstanding efforts are virtually cameos, a function of the ageing process. He's not the dominant player he was, while still capable of moments of brilliance. McCaw remains dominant, and will, until age catches up with him. At which point young David Pocock will assume his mantle.

[Havak]

Why indeed was Parisse nominated - it must cover a period before the injury?

Yes Pocock is very impressive - I'd almost have given him MOM for one half last weekend.

But sorry - McCaw should probably have won the award LAST year instead of Williams. This year it should simply have gone to BOD for me.

Not that I'm as upset as the Irish Independent's rugby writer.

[finbar]

Parisse was nominated last year, too, if I recall. He singlehandedly carries the Italian team with superhuman efforts every time they take the field. He's more often than not MOTM against vastly superior teams. In fact, now I'm p*ssed that he didn't win!

[Havak]

And there you go - we agree McCaw shouldn't have got it?

Actually I do find that piece in the Irish Indepependent very amusing - a journo from a not very populous rugby playing country complaining about the undue influence of another not very populous rugby playing country.

Mind you back on the IRB thing - if player of the year is based on consistent personal performance rather than team achievement then thinking more on it I'd have probably given it to Rob Kearney (who has been a revelation this year for me).

*apologies - missed the question about Lote.

Playing at wing he had an error strewn couple of games to begin with. He had started to look very dangerous against Leeds and was unlucky not to score in the first half after a sweet move betwixt him and Crofty. Works hard, goes and gets the ball if it doesn't come to him, ask questions of the opposition defence - classic Lote really. Should become a Welford Road favourite.

[kittenOFchaos]

McCaw didn't deserve it this year, but has on previous occasions.

For the Six Nations, his work with the Lions and really any time Ireland play BOD adds so much to the Irish team and for me is one of the most intelligent backs in the game.


Managed to get to see some highlights from rugby dump of Scotland Vs Argentina. Impression from that was but for a moment of Nathan Hines insanity (WWF move on the opposition earning a yellow card) which is par for the course, Scotland would have had the game in the bag. Oh well. Least the Scottish defence appears to no longer be paper thin which has been a curse it has had for many a long year...but the try drought continues despite us actually having some dangerous runners such as Sean & Rory Lamont and Thom Evans grr!

[finbar]

Works hard, goes and gets the ball if it doesn't come to him, ask questions of the opposition defence - classic Lote really. Should become a Welford Road favourite.

Classic Lote indeed. I just hope he forgets about returning to L***** in Australia. What a waste. I'd still have him in the Wallaby line up. At his marauding best, he serves as a third flanker.

Least the Scottish defence appears to no longer be paper thin which has been a curse it has had for many a long year...but the try drought continues despite us actually having some dangerous runners such as Sean & Rory Lamont and Thom Evans grr!

Yes, the classic Scotland problem. They can look quite impressive when miles behind the gain line. Tossing the ball around like champions. Problem is, they're usually moving laterally and end up dumped into touch. They need a backs coach to teach them basic guile - like how to run lines and angles, how to hold up the ball, and so on. They probably also need a better #10 than the ones currently on offer.