Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[kittenOFchaos]

Anybody saw the AB - Pumas game last weekend? Any insights?

I think we're still a year or two away from being anything but the punching bag... Lots of handling errors.

You guys need to sort out the laser pens...

I only watched the tries (had the game on fast-forward) as I was busy driving tanks that weekend...Pumas have a very competitive pack, but lack quality centers, particularly in defense. That Contepomi is still an option reveals the lack of options Argentina have in this position.

As a result, Argentina can't score many points and will get beaten by any team with a strong center partnership and wingers willing to work. Once NZ had worked it out they really could score at will.

[Havak]

An 18 point victory was comfortable but I'm not quite buying the scoring at will point.

The Pumas are limited but still perfectly capable of beating this Wallaby outfit. But then I do wonder if Australia can play so badly again - they are very overdue a big game.

Blaine Scully is actually doing a decent job Finbar - they have hopes that he is the next Waldrom/Mafi/Salvi as a workaday player made into something more by the world's best club*


*Opinions vary - this is mine.

I am guessing we are of a consensus that the Boks cannot stop NZ getting a bonus point (let alone the actual victory)?

[finbar]

Depends how the Boks turn up. They were less impressive against the Wobblies than the outing before.

James O'Beiber has had his ARU contract rescinded for his latest episode of cretinous behaviour. Escorted from Perth airport, under the weather, having abused all and sundry after seating allocations meant he couldn't sit beside his girlfriend on a flight to Bali. If only this sort of measure had been adopted a couple of years ago.

[Havak]

Maybe it will be his epiphany moment? He does seem to have a very unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

One has to figure that this is the Pumas biggest opportunity to bloody the Wallabies in some time. Unfortunately the woeful state the latter are in asks real questions about how the Wales Big Cats lost the second test in Melbourne (it was the wrong gameplan with the oft cited imbalanced back row - but Gatland must be ruing the missed opportunity to whitewash a very poor Oz outfit?).

Talking of Wales looks like Tonga and Australia might be their only wins this autumn, would expect RSA to beat them and would love the Pumas to as well.

[finbar]

Grog has been more Kurtley Beale's problem. O'Beiber's main problem is a massive ego that has been left unchecked since he was a teenager.

The Argies will struggle beyond the scrums. They don't have the backs to capitalise, centres in particular. The Wobblies were smashed by the Boks in SA last year, worse than last week, and flew straight to Argentina and won. The Argies are no better this season beyond the new scrum laws helping their pack. I'm quietly confident, particularly if Genia continues on where he left off in the second half last week. Not back to his best but very much improved.

[Havak]

The Bookies have OZ as very slight favourites. I fancy the Pumas despite their limitations beyond 8. We shall see.

If anyone is going to beat NZ this year one suspects it will be the Boks this weekend. I doubt England can repeat their success without Manu punching holes and no one else in the NH will trouble them. My biggest concern is that given how woeful OZ are it is almost inevitable that they will find their big game against England.

Ryan Lamb is in the dog house after breaking his hand in a brawl with one of his old clubs (Glaws) in an A league fixture on Monday. It means the young welsh boy will get a sustained run as Flood disappears with England.

And it is like the Dean Ryan era is back at Glaws with the coach whining about one of his players being banned. Turns out he pleaded not guilty because he thought no one had seen the punch and Lamb said he had not punched him (turns out he had punched someone else in the mele). And yes he was a prop with that stunning IQ. Had it pleaded guilty it would have been one week, not guilty made it four.

[finbar]

I was right about the Argies. And even then their scrummaging was below their best. The early 10-minute siege - earning Slipper his YC - was powerful but they ballsed it up anyway with poor ball control. Everyone was so busy pushing that they failed to notice the ball pop out for Hooper to pounce on. That was a big psychological moment. And, anyway, Benn Robinson coming on for Slipper was a bonus anyway. Robinson should never have been dropped in the first place. And the Wobblies won one against the head later.

The Argies only tactic these days, apart from their scrum, is to play Kamikaze 7s-style run-the-ball-from-anywhere-and-everywhere. They've caught out the ABs and the Boks doing it, they caught out the Wobblies a couple of times last night. It's not going to win them matches against top tier sides, though.

Key for the Wobblies was Genia. Benching him was the best thing to happen to him. Back to almost his best last night. Quade responded. And made big tackles. His defence has improved out of sight. The best backline display overall for about 3 years. But the full context will be revealed in a fortnight when they take on the ABs in the last Bledisloe match.

ABs -v- Boks was a cracking game. Boks will be rueing some very soft defence letting in a couple of the AB tries. Nigel Owens had a cracker with the whistle too. Best reffing effort I've seen for a long time.

Didn't tip the East Midlands draw. Did tip Sale, though.

[kittenOFchaos]

Just finishing watching Sale Vs Bath and SA Vs NZ - very enjoyable

Sale played extremely well. It was probably the best I've seen Peel play in a long, long time...he was sharp and pacy. Cipriani defended magnificently, provided fast and accurate passes and had us playing in the right parts of the park. Our pack were brilliant, particularly in terms of the driving maul and being competitive at scrum time. The attitude of our players is fantastic at the moment and whilst I don't believe for one second that we can seriously compete against the likes of Saracens, Northampton and Leceister, a top 6 finish isn't looking impossible.

SA Vs Nz was an amazing game to watch. New Zealand are playing phenomenally well at the moment and in my opinion Kieran Read is quite simply the best player on the planet. I'd be very surprised if any team gets close to them during the Autumn Internationals.

Heineken Cup rugby next weekend

[finbar]

Cippers' form may have something to do with James Haskell apparently taking up with his ex, Ms Brook.

[Havak]

That's the Wobblies for you, you think they are out for the count and then they get up swinging. Makes the autumn tours more interesting though.

Saints frankly should be kicking themselves. Totally controlled the game for seventy minutes, rock solid defence and then in the last ten they ship ten points to concede the draw and could well have lost - had Crane not lost control at the base of that scrum I am certain Tigers would have scored and won it.

But if we can hang in with a side of that quality given our current Butcher's bill then we should be in the mix at seasons end. Not that I think we have a chance at Ravenhill next weekend.

[finbar]

Not so sure. The Nornirelanders have been a very mixed bag this season.

[Havak]

They took down an Ospreys side that was in fine fettle last weekend - away. But Tigers are capable of beating them certainly - I actually wouldn't know how to call this fixture.

I've been reading a bit about Matera - he seems a very good signing for us indeed. I wonder if he will feature as early as tomorrow - not sure if he has physically arrived yet. I believe they are seeking concession to make him an injury replacement for Crofty in the named European squad.

As for Tom with his history of neck trouble and recurrent knee ligament strife we may have seen the best of him now - possibly even the last of him. A shame - he has been a really enjoyable player to watch when at his best.

The other fixtures tomorrow I would expect Sarries have enough to take down Connacht in Ireland? Zebre however are in for an interesting outing I suspect? Better sides than they have been thrashed at Toulouse.

[finbar]

Mmmm. Just seen the Leicester team. You could have cause for your concern. Matera had an excellent TRC, good signing.

Will be sad if that's the end of Crofty. Unique talents. Needed to fit into a finely balanced back row at Test level and that didn't always happen.

For what it's worth, I've gone as follows:

Sarries, Ulster, Toulouse, Munster, Treviso, Quins, Saints, Os, Glaws, Exeter, Toulon, Racing.

And Sale were a cert last night, I thought. Should have picked up a bonus point.

[Havak]

Biarritz are having a torrid season - only one league win to their name - but it was still a good win for Sale.

I'd go for most of your calls too (though naturally my heart is with Tigers). However Glaws were diabolical against Exeter last weekend so I think USAP might possibly take them.

Also surely Montpelier have an excellent chance against Treviso? Or is it the French travel sickness factor?

[kittenOFchaos]

And Sale were a cert last night, I thought. Should have picked up a bonus point.

Indeed. The bookies didn't expect Sale to win by much. I almost doubled my money with only a 5 point handicap.

Only good result I've had this weekend...Munster and Saracens let me down horribly.