Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[kittenOFchaos]

I think Leinster - so many quality players, an expectation of winning and vast amounts of experience, resilience and adaptability. Ulster...well, they've Pienaar

[finbar]

Toss in Ferris. And a couple of others. Afoa will mince Healy too.

[kittenOFchaos]

Toss in Ferris. And a couple of others. Afoa will mince Healy too.

Ferris is a cheating scumbag...

[finbar]

How so?

[Havak]

Presumably for getting Hartley banned based on no video evidence whatsoever?

The boy makes some stupidly dangerous tackles (wasn't he cited in the 6N for a tip tackle?) but has talent.

[finbar]

Yellow carded, cited, but cleared. It was the penalty that handed Wales the match. I thought even the yellow card was dodgy. It wasn't a tip tackle, it was a throw. The ref bottled it under pressure. He's a great player.

[kittenOFchaos]

Presumably for getting Hartley banned based on no video evidence whatsoever?

The boy makes some stupidly dangerous tackles (wasn't he cited in the 6N for a tip tackle?) but has talent.

Ferris is a WUM that gets people sent off. Poor Grewcock

[finbar]

Since when did D. Grewcock need winding up? Psychopath.

[Havak]

Saracen for many years. Nuff said.

Yes Ferris is hugely talented.

It's a kind of sideshow issue though - the big issue is two Irish sides are contesting the European Cup which is really a "who cares who wins" scenario for me. I just want a great game.

[finbar]

It should be good value. Leinster only really know one way, and Ulster can shift it around, too. Leinster just have to watch their penalty count anywhere within 60m of goal. Our Bok chappie friend could really punish them.

[Havak]

Interesting contrast betwict the Bok chap and Sexton too? Physicality versus guile (sometimes)?

[finbar]

Very interesting contrast. The Bok, shrewd as they come, has experience over Sexton, plus the howitzer boot. Plus, as a bona fide 10, he has an extra dimension. Sexton, though, I think, runs a backline better. In the Leinster way.

EDIT. Botch of a post. Fixed the spelling, and the 9 typo to 10. The Bok is a bona fide 10, but effectively runs the whole Ulster game from 9.

[kittenOFchaos]

Some glory for Balshaw tonight and £5 of mine missing without a trace

[finbar]

I missed the first twenty minutes but it was a pretty scrubby old match. Toulon wouldn't or couldn't hold onto possession long enough to create anything and Balshaw's mob were just a bit tougher. A couple of terrible misses by the officials, one for each side, thankfully evened themselves out. Hayman was yellowed by Barnes for a tip tackle that was, in fact, a classic spear that should have been straight red. He returned from the bin to monster the Biarritz scrum. More will be heard from the citing officer, methinks. Late in the second half, well within Wilko's kicking distance, Yachvilli, on the ground, grabbed the Toulon 9's foot as he was clearing the ball, causing it to shoot into touch. Clear yellow, easy 3 points for Wilko in a game decided by 3 points. Still, Toulon should have been down to 14 men for the rest of the game after the spear tackle. Swings, roundabouts. Just a pity the officials failed on both occasions.

[kittenOFchaos]

Barnes seems to miss something big every game he officiates these days.