Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[Havak]

Good rugby weather certainly, cloudy with heavy rain later in the day and a truly topical 9 degrees. Enjoy!

[finbar]

Hi.
I have unfortunately not seen France-Australia. Or, rather, glimpsed 10 minutes of it, when the wallabies scored their second penalty and were battering the French defense with little imagination.

That sums it up. The few times the Wallabies had opportunities they blew them with either poor decisions or terrible skills. It has become endemic under this regime.

Unfortunately, I was working this week-end so I ate late and I preferred eating (particularly with that charming colleague of mine) over just watching the match.

I shall say nothing.

In other news, I'm going to Bristol tonight to play against the local Airbus team. I hope the weather's fine in England this week-end?

Pffffft. Gli asini volano. Or, as as I think it goes in French, Les poules auront des dents. I'm practising my French for our Christmas in Paris.

[finbar]

McCabe now out of the team -v- England with a neck problem. As has happened before, injury has forced Deans to pick a better team, or at least a team capable, on paper, of some penetration. McCabe's defence will be missed but Tapuai, though very inexperienced, offers more at 12. He can pass and has a useful left boot. AAC slots into 13, his best position, and Ioane returns to the wing. I suspect there are still doubts about his knee, though. Barnes replaces Harris at 15. Harris isn't up to Test rugby, wouldn't be near the team except for all the injuries, and was being played solely for his goal kicking. Barnes will offer much more. Fingers crossed the two locks make it through the game because there's no back up. With Simmons suspended and Douglas injured, the only two fit locks left in the squad are starting. Dennis, starting at 6 - another one who shouldn't be near the team - can cover lock at a pinch. All up, wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see the Wallabies pinch the game. They were dire last week but they rarely play as badly twice in a row and England don't have Picamoles for starters. In reality, England should win.

[kittenOFchaos]

Now Samoa beat the 'Grand Slam Champions' of 2012.

I watched it on my mobile phone on mute and it was still a gripping game that looked pretty physical. Very impressed with the Samoan scrum and the tries they pulled off.

Sale's Leota scored the winning try and elsewhere Sale beat Saracens

[finbar]

Samoa outplayed them in every facet - monstered them at the breakdown, ran straight and hard with excellent support instead of shovelling the pill sideways, and the scrums late in the game were embarrassing. Halfpenny was Wales' only real trier, busting a gut making breaks but with zilch support. The scoreboard flattered them thanks to an intercept try and some terrible Samoan goal kicking. Pisi's try was pure class and Leota showed the value of never giving up. Poor Halfpenny didn't deserve it after the game he played but that's where Wales are at the moment.

Congrats to Sale. I'll try to find a report on the game.

[Havak]

Damn DP.

[Havak]

Unless the returning Gatland can work miracles they will ship a cricket score against NZ. Utterly dire.

They are never half as good as the Faithful like to think but even I have been surprised by the depth of the 'Slam to Slump' plummet.

Halfpenny tried for sure - but I think he has become very guilty of gym monkey syndrome, his upper arm development is now ridiculous for a back three player. He has power is spades but is has to be affecting his dexterity.

And Gethin Jenkins is a totally spent force it seems - he was embarassing in the extreme in the scrum.

[finbar]

I was surprised by Halfpenny's shape. Definitely been in the gym. I don't think it has affected him too badly, though. He doesn't seem to have lost much toe which is one of the usual downsides. If only the others showed half his willingness. The decline has been remarkable. At their best in the 6N they were powerful, boshing it up through those monster backs but also creating openings with angles and offloading. When they couldn't do that they kicked - usually pretty well - for territory. In Australia there wasn't a sign of the angles or offloading, just bashing it up or shovelling it sideways or kicking, usually badly. No guile whatsoever. Same last week and last night. Jiffy was good value in the commentary last night for once - despite the whiney voice - in that he identified just about their every mistake.

[finbar]

I can't be anything other than pleased with the Wallaby effort today. Schizophrenic mob they are, they'd try the patience of Job. Still, England aren't France, or the France of last week anyway. Just too strong across the park, thought too quickly, defended too well, and benefited from quite a bit of headless chook stuff from England.

EDIT. Unusually ungracious of Robshaw in the interview. Did the better team win? "Potentially". You couldn't beat a Wallaby B team, bud.

[finbar]

This is a very strange moment immediately after the match. Does Robshaw deliberately avoid shaking hands with Sharpie?

[kittenOFchaos]

Well, I had to avoid the scorelines till this morning as BBC iplayer's definition of coming soon is the next day.

I'm absolutely fuming after watching Scotland Vs South Africa...

For the first 45 minutes we offered absolutely nothing and then off comes Blair and we come to life. After that point we score a fantastic score and after a number of promising moves it looks like game on. However, instead of taking the 3 points on offer when it comes again and again and again we persist in going for the line-out despite it not providing a decent platform (despite Ross Ford playing infinitely better) and wasting time in the scrum (don't players realise the clock continues to tick?). The worst occasion was when it took a good 30 seconds for us to decide what to do 5 meters from the line with a penalty. Had we taken 3 points on each visit to the 22 we'd have won with a decent margin! In that second half South Africa were on a plate as we destroyed them in the scrum and finally started to make head-way...Scotland should have taken the opportunity to beat a muscular, but otherwise poor South Africa.

Edit: I really do hate the BBC's online coverage of rugby. How does this quote: ""I felt they bullied us a little in the first half." turn into a headline of "Scotland were bullied by South Africa - Andy Robinson". Look at the match stats and watch the last 30 minutes and you'll have seen South Africa on the ropes and simply poor decision making and mere inches keeping South Africa in it. No doubt this is written by the same clown who takes a brief glance at a scoreline involving Scotland and puts "ruthless" to describe our opponents and "crushed" to describe us - same recurrent adjectives year in, year out. A pox on them!

Mike Blair has been a star player for Scotland over the years but he looks completely spent and no wonder. I hope he gets a chance to shine before retiring with dignity from the International game.


From the highlights I saw of Australia versus England I again saw England opting against taking the 3 points, getting beat up in the scrum (seriously?) and a lot of stupid penalties. Thank god I did watch the highlights as it could have been potentially more infuriating than Scotland versus South Africa.

Edit: Just gone to BBC News and see the headline that "Robshaw defends penalty decisions" - there we go. Stupid Captaincy as regarding taking the points on offer north and south of the border this weekend.

Time to see how France did against Argentina...

Edit: Well, at least there is one NH team that can beat quality SH opposition.

[kittenOFchaos]

This is a very strange moment immediately after the match. Does Robshaw deliberately avoid shaking hands with Sharpie?

Probably his best side-step of the game

[finbar]

Probably his best side-step of the game

Comment of the week. I wonder when the management will realise that he's not a 7 but a decent 6.

[kittenOFchaos]

Hmm...

[finbar]

Joe Marler.