Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[LDiCesare]

I just hope there'll be some nice weather next week so France/Australia hopefully sees some tries. The French pack and scrum should get rance enough ball possession that the clumsiness in the backs doesn't cost us too much. I'm just afraid that Guirado will come in for Servat and miss 2 lineout throws in a row once again.

[kittenOFchaos]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/ireland/8149717/Ireland-flanker-Stephen-Ferris-frustrated-by-New-Zealand-tactics-in-38-18-autumn-international-defeat.html

I'm no Ireland fan and usually I think New Zealand slow down the ball with some subtlety, but last night it was blatant and they had a large penalty count against them and the ref didn't show a card.

Ireland would still have lost, but the referee did the game no favours by being so weak.

[finbar]

You obviously didn't see France -v- Argentina. Ditto everything said about the ABs -v- Ireland except it was the Argies at fault and blatantly so with no yellow cards. It's not just the ABs. All teams do it. There's an ongoing campaign against the All Blacks in various media simply because they're currently half a lap ahead of the rest of the field. They also, of course, bring it on themselves with their perceived arrogance.

I just hope there'll be some nice weather next week so France/Australia hopefully sees some tries

Nice weather or not, the French forwards will do a number on the Wallabies. That's the Australian weakness and not hard to exploit.

[Havak]

They bring it on themselves becuase they are exceptionally good at those things that all sides do Finbar. I do sometimes wonder if NZ players need sat nav in order to find the right side of the ball to lay on - they were at their very worst (or best) in this regard against Ireland. The Irish forwards were having to work really hard to secure ball because you can't ruck players out the way anymore.

Bring back rucking properly and players won't be so keen to lay all over the wrong side all the time.

[finbar]

That's not going to happen in this sanitised, PR-driven world, so cards for consistently offending is the only answer. Currently, they only seem to appear if the offence occurs in the so-called "red zone". The Argies were playing the ball on the ground as well as lying on the wrong side. Nothing approaching a card.

[Havak]

I would like to see it scrutinised more by refs - it does take away from the game somewhat. But I doubt it will become an IRB priority anytime soon.

[kittenOFchaos]

It hardly needed scrutinising, it was blatant and picked up on, but he gave up on it because Jonker didn't have the balls to use a yellow card, McCaw couldn't believe his luck.

[finbar]

I'm glad it's only the ABs who partake in this dastardly deed otherwise - heavens, more players might think they were getting away with murder and more refs would be pilloried.

[Havak]

That is KoC you are replying to right - I acknowledge it is a much wider problem than NZ (although they do excel at it).

Interesting releases by England - Haskell loses his bench spot to Fourie (fair enough on form) and Armitage loses his to Banahan (jury still out there -he did make defensive errors last week).

[finbar]

That is KoC you are replying to right -

Absolutely. I did suggest he have a squiz at the France-Pumas game. The Pumas were doing it time after time, not even approaching cleverly, and getting away with it. Which is to say, penalised, but not carded. It's part of their game. They're spoilers. Besides, every single team regularly tries to get away with it. That's been the way especially since rucking was abolished. On that basis, frankly, I think the targeting of the ABs over the matter is nonsense.

I doubt Banahan has the skills - sufficient to overcome his lumbering qualities - at Test level. He's just part of J****'s preoccupation with powerful centres - at the cost of creativity.

[Andydog]

I thought the ABs looked somewhat clueless against the paddies. We kept on smashing against the paddy defensive line which bent but never really broke. We needed to commit more paddies to breakdowns - perhaps more pick and goes, or even a few little kicks over the top to cast doubt in their minds as to whether to rush up or hang back. That lucky Boric try which gave us the half time lead almost wasn't deserved. I thought BOD played well but he was lucky to be on the field really because he could have died when Keiran Reid used him for a speed bump. I can only assume, in the absence of any fuss about it, that Keiran apologised afterwards. I was very satisfied with Hika Elliot's performance, it is good to know we have the succession line secured after Hore and Mealamu hang their boots up.

Henry has named a strong team for the Taffy game. Perhaps this is the match where Henry wants to stamp his authority on the game - the All Black signature match for this November tour. Lets hope the ABs click in their last game for 2010 in preparation for 2011 and all it entails.

[finbar]

Well, yes, they probably could have done more to circumvent the Paddy defence - which was very good - and won by more but, when they put their foot down, they were a class above. That's the scary thing.

[Havak]

It is scary.

If by 'signature' Andydog means 'biggest thumping of hapless opponents by playing their best rugby' then I see the Wales game as that for them too.

[kittenOFchaos]

A very brutal game - England VS South Africa

Alot of false conclusions being made by the SKY commentators - that England lacked possession. Perhaps true in the first half, but in the second half there were two periods in which England were camped for long periods in the SA 22. As I said earlier in this thread, I'd have England do nothing else than practise how to score in the 22.

Losing Croft hurt, though Fourie played really well. Hodgson did okay, especially given he couldn't use a tactical kicking game as the SA lineout was far superior. Ashton was neutered after getting hurt in the 1st half - he should have been replaced far earlier. Tindall - oh dear, not the answer. Hape played well and Lawes was impressive apart from one or two dodgy off-loads. Poor Cueto, anytime he gets in a good position, the guy next to him totally messes up the pass.

[Havak]

The Boks were extremely powerful, their defence very well organised. We found no answers to either fact. Did the sweaties really beat them?

So some small steps forward have been taken this series - but there is work to be done again.

And now for the masacre in Cardiff....l