Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[kittenOFchaos]

Sale Vs Cardiff Blues was a really enjoyable game to watch - lots of running rugby. Cuthbert was putting Sale to the sword, but our forwards were keeping us in it - Buckley and Powell were playing really well. Cipriani came on and in such a broken up game was able to get us scoring tries.

34 points to 33 in the end, but what was encouraging was the levels of commitment shown by our players, particularly given the tries against the run of play scored throughout the first half by Cardiff Blues.

I'm happy

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I saw about 10 minutes late in the first half via an internet feed. Wasn't looking good for Sale then. Good on 'em for fighting back.

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I thought Leicester might be in with a show at halftime even without a real 7 and an unbalanced back row. Doing well in set-piece but faffing around too much in their own half. We talked about lack of leaderhip the other day. It didn't help today. Dumb decision-making by Youngs to turn down those 3 points in a close match in that weather followed by some patented Leicester indiscipline. Toulouse must have been giggling. Pin Leicester in their own half and wait for them to infringe. I've been reading about that 18 year-old Toulouse 12, Fickou. First time I've seen him, looks like a serious young talent.

[Havak]

No arguing with the result that is for sure. Not going to threaten the tournament this season I think. We do need a genuine openside, no doubt about that.

Sale game sounds like a cracker - wish I had seen it.

And Leinster-Exeter was not the game I expected either.

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Leinster have injury problems but they haven't been playing well either. Exeter always seem to squeeze every last ounce out of a committed but limited set up. Munster were the real losers. They had Racing on toast and threw it away. Very un-Munsterlike. They have injuries, too, but really should have won. Conor Murray, the young 9, had one of the worst games imaginable. He's looking more like Mike Phillips every day. Unfortunately he's playing more like him every day too.

While Leicester have fatties trying to run the ball out of their own half in those sorts of conditions they're going to make life easier for others. The decision making, all day, was poor.

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My weekly bout of embarrassment:

Ulster
Saints
Leinster
Toulouse
Sarries
Quins
Clermont
Biarritz
Toulon
Munster
Leicester
Montpellier

[Havak]

Bit surprised you have not tipped Ospreys here.

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I saw them last week. 'Nuff said.

An 18-all draw with a full-strength AB side, for what was mostly a Wallaby 2nd XV, 3rd XV in parts, amounts to a win, methinks. A tad more composure at the end and a drop goal attempt might have turned it into a win. Still, a result that speaks to the character and G&D that the Wallabies have developed recently. If only the same can be shown when the first choices are back. The ABs were off the boil most of the day. The pressure of their winning record? I doubt it. They're too seasoned for that. Sometimes they have their off days. Usually they manage to winkle a win somehow. Not this time.

I watched Toulouse finally get on top of Treviso today. They were sloppy and poorly disciplined for 55 minutes. Then they woke up. With a vengeance. Heck, they had a lot less trouble against Leicester last week.

[kittenOFchaos]

I saw them last week. 'Nuff said.

An 18-all draw with a full-strength AB side, for what was mostly a Wallaby 2nd XV, 3rd XV in parts, amounts to a win, methinks. A tad more composure at the end and a drop goal attempt might have turned it into a win. Still, a result that speaks to the character and G&D that the Wallabies have developed recently. If only the same can be shown when the first choices are back. The ABs were off the boil most of the day. The pressure of their winning record? I doubt it. They're too seasoned for that. Sometimes they have their off days. Usually they manage to winkle a win somehow. Not this time.

I watched Toulouse finally get on top of Treviso today. They were sloppy and poorly disciplined for 55 minutes. Then they woke up. With a vengeance. Heck, they had a lot less trouble against Leicester last week.

An excellent result for the Wallabies given their injury woes. I saw the 2nd half and many of the All Blacks looked mightily pissed off. I really enjoyed NZ going for it at the end and risking a loss to maintain their winning streak.

In other news Clermont and that man Fofana managed to stop my winning streak and my attempt to convert £5 to £950. That man is getting expensive...last year his 'held up' try against Leinster stopped me winning over £1500. Clermont versus Exeter showed Clermont in particularly dangerous form despite Exeter taking the first half. It was the first time I've seen Luke Arscott play and tonight at least, he was a one man team. Had one other Exeter player been at his level, it would have made a huge difference.

Booking my tickets for Sale Vs Toulon this weekend

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I just wish the Wobblies had considered the drop goal. They were just outside the 22 so not too far out. It would have been down to either Kurtley or Harris. I don't know whether either of them have ever taken drop goals. Instead they waited for an ABs indiscretion and a penalty that didn't come.

I've only had Treviso and Zebre so far this weekend through Sky Italy. Sounds like I've missed some decent rugby. I get Leicester-Ospreys this arvo.

Sale -v- Toulon? Mmmmmm. That Toulon team - in fact, the squad in general - is ridiculous. Salary cap anyone?

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10-all at half time. Poite has butchered the Os in the scrum. Cole hasn't bound legally once, he's been on Bevington's arm pulling him down. Yet Poite cards Bevington.

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Good Leicester win in the end even if with a couple of fortuitous tries. What a difference Ben Youngs makes when he's got his mind on the job.

[Havak]

Floody had a strong game too and when they both do together good things can happen. I do wish Youngs could be more consistent though - his 'headology'* lets him down.

* With thanks to Terry Pratchett

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It doesn't help that fat little Ben is as dense as Osmium*.

* With thanks to Google.

[kittenOFchaos]

Floody had a strong game too and when they both do together good things can happen. I do wish Youngs could be more consistent though - his 'headology'* lets him down.

* With thanks to Terry Pratchett

It was a cracking finale, loved it!