Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[finbar]

Classy post. Dealt with Joubert's - um, eccentric - interpretations of the rucks and breakdowns superbly.

Keep on ruckin'!

[Havak]

Except if you do you will be penalised. Offside is the lesser offence to 'rucking' as the latter seem to now encompass any use of the boot at all.

For me Joubert consistently gave one side more time at the breakdown. It was jarringly noticeable.

So only Mr Pearson is flying the flag for English refereeing with yourself then Finbar? Wayne Barnes is a QC I believe, so far be it from me to say anything libellous about him.

[finbar]

There's no doubt that Joubert let off the ABs at the breakdown. He's normally better than that. It's certainly arguable that he cost the French the game. His effort in the semi was very good. I thought he and Steve Walsh, over all, were the two best performed refs of the tournament. Barnes has had his good days but he's just too erratic. And his history with forward passes is getting beyond accidental to the point of chronic. Unfortunately, in the bigger picture, the breakdown has become a ref's nightmare.

[LDiCesare]

Except if you do you will be penalised.

I wasn't

The breakdown eventually turned into a farce. With no player having the right to compete for the ball, we end up with long sequences of pick-n-go like at the end of the match, lots of time where a team just defends hoping the opponent will knock-on, and we can't see as many counter attacks as we used to. I don't care much about Joubert's refereeing. I'm more worried that without the ability to compete for the ball, with scrums minimised, rugby is evolving into something else, not more spectacular than it was 24 years ago.

[finbar]

Someone called Keith Quinn, a veteran Kiwi rugby commentator, says he has it on "good authority" from the ABs camp that McCaw was gouged towards the end of the game, adding that Dusautoir "was close to the ruck incident". Hence implying, without saying, and with no evidence whatsoever, that Dusautoir is a gouger. Good grief. Sad days, sad days.

[finbar]

Although this, from M'sieur Rougerie, doesn't appear to reflect well on him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hneJ8Ws8Yuc

[Havak]

Is McCaw saying he was gouged? Because frankly that is all that matters in that allegation.

I am afraid for me it sounds like sour grapes because the man got MOTM instead of a Kiwi. But I have no proof of that allegation either.

I thought the IRB awards went to two very worthy winners this year, and I hope there is no substance to the veteran kiwi 'observers' allegation. Incidentally is an observer like a manager - can't do anything but criticises in detail what other people do?

*edit* Oh and congratulations LdiC on getting away without being penalised.

[finbar]

Looks like Rougerie won't be investigated. The video isn't conclusive but it looks on the dodgy side.

England 9s are dropping like flies. Presumably Simpson now inherits the job for the 6N?

[Havak]

On the bench you mean? I would expect so. Amazing how many scrummies need knee operations isn't it?

But forget England - Tigers are in dire straights. Manu did a cheekbone in his first game back, Allen is out with a crocked thumb, Tait has been a disasterous signing as his weak groin has gone again and Twelvetrees is crocked too. We hardly have any fit centres left at the club!

[finbar]

I've still tipped them to win this time. I suppose only Care stands between Simpson and glory but he could get crocked again.

[Havak]

It's actually unforgiveable how England have managed Youngs knee if the reports coming out of Tigers are true. By all accounts he was not fit to travel to NZ and once he was there they ditched any rehab work.

So yes only Danny Care between the flag of convenience and 'glory' gawd help us - still it means insects lose a player for call ups and that is always a good thing.

Mind you now Wales are the best side in the world they will slam the 6N surely?

[kittenOFchaos]

Miss me?

Returned from a canal boat holiday in Wales (near Brecon). Went with my wife, mum and dad and I still feel like I'm on the boat - the room is swaying.

So, I check the news...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/9623331.stm

Sale 13-34 Leicester. 31 unanswered points for Leceister indicating that there season starts now.

However, I shouldn't get ahead of myself as there was the small matter of the RWC. It was abit of a hike to find a pub showing the RWC final. We made it to the pub at the start of the second half and noticed that NZ were only 5 points ahead. All I needed for my 19-1 bet to pay off was a French victory and the way France were playing this didn't seem too unlikely. Long story short it was very exciting and though it'd have been nice to have a nice win at the end of the RWC, it was good to see the NZ players win as they are the best and play an exciting brand of rugby. In terms of the final, I thought the French looked the better team.

I also find it amusing that we discussed Donald earlier in this thread. I did say that I thought he should be the backup to Carter and he did the business - delighted for the man. I'm not dissing Cruden (superior to Slade) as I haven't see the 1st half - yet.

So, NZ deserved winners of the RWC, but lucky on the day and a good end to a mixed bag of a RWC.

[kittenOFchaos]

Although this, from M'sieur Rougerie, doesn't appear to reflect well on him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hneJ8Ws8Yuc

A better quality video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=68BmgqUi6gY

Abit of bad blood after the game what with this incident and Parra taking a knee to the head.

My view is that Rougerie should have been cited for deliberately gouging McCaw.

The knee incident looked completely accidental.

The McCaw knee to Parra looked accidental.

[finbar]

I've still tipped them to win this time. .

I know it's considered poor form to quote yourself, especially just to say "I told you so".

[Havak]

I think you are entiteld to it on this occassion. However I think this game told us more about Sale than it did about Tigers.

So ultimately the Kiwi pundit Quinn tried to finger the wrong player and Rougerie got away with some despicable foul play?

I felt it was a pretty poor RWC myself - witnessed by how far the Welsh got and how Australia finished thrid with half a squad and that dire loss to a poor Irish side. NZ are the best side in the world right now however so no arguments with the final result. And maybe the IRB can finally concentrate on growing the game now that NZs long wait is over.