General Rugby Discussion

The Lost Sheep

sjwpjw wrote: »

Just on the subject of scrum halves, why do so many of them (C Murray etc) take a few steps nearly every time before they pass from rucks etc?

Ta

Draw in defenders especially guards/pillars at ruck from immediately going for the first receiver or their pass isn't strong enough to consistently fire it out from base of ruck ala Stringer. It opens up more options by taking a few steps..

.ak

sjwpjw wrote: »

Just on the subject of scrum halves, why do so many of them (C Murray etc) take a few steps nearly every time before they pass from rucks etc?

Ta

As explained above...

But it's also a bit of a weakness of some scrumhalves, they need time to decide what they're doing and make the pass easier.

Fireball07

Buer wrote: »

His form dropped off a cliff. He's still with LI but on their bench mostly. He had a great few years but relied heavily on his athleticism and pace. After the ankle injury, he never really got that back to the same extent and also suffered with chronic back problems.

I expect he'll retire completely at a young enough age (he's still only 31).

I'm convinced he should never have been a 9... I mean he didn't have the most basic skill required for the position, his passing style was always slow and loopy. And when he lost a bit of confidence & form, that weakness was exemplified.

But he had pace, an absolute monster in defence, pretty good under a high ball, decent kicking game... I'd say he'd have been suited to almost every other position in the backline had he played there.

Piliger

I'm afraid that in my personal opinion what O'Leary lacks most of all is fast rugby intelligence, an absolute must at the top level in pivotal positions like his.

Fireball07

This try shows a lot of TOL's good qualities, lovely little box kick for Bowe, then the alertness to go quickly and made the try, although the pass from BOD and the line by Earls were class. And a great steal by Wally.

Admittedly, Wales were awful in everything there.

sjwpjw

Interesting because we were always taught (although it was a while ago ahem) to pass it as fast as possible to get the backline moving etc.

The Lost Sheep

sjwpjw wrote: »

Interesting because we were always taught (although it was a while ago ahem) to pass it as fast as possible to get the backline moving etc.

It will vary and it can open more options on occasion. It depends on what team wants and needs

Bridge93

Quick question that I just was wondering. Has there ever been anybody who has played for all 4 provinces? I think I know of one or two at least who have played at 3 of them but is there anyone who has been at all 4?

Fireball07

Bridge93 wrote: »

Quick question that I just was wondering. Has there ever been anybody who has played for all 4 provinces? I think I know of one or two at least who have played at 3 of them but is there anyone who has been at all 4?

I can't think of any... I remember Cillian Willis was rumoured to be signing for Munster after Stringer left, but obviously never happened.

The Lost Sheep

Bridge93 wrote: »

Quick question that I just was wondering. Has there ever been anybody who has played for all 4 provinces? I think I know of one or two at least who have played at 3 of them but is there anyone who has been at all 4?

There are at least 5 who've played for 3 provinces and none of those 5 played for Ulster. Really doubt any have played for 4 provinces

Molester Stallone II

Delon Atmitage is rightly (imo) appealing his 12 week ban

Bridge93

Molester Stallone II wrote: »

Stefan Atmitage is rightly (imo) appealing his 12 week ban

Presume you mean Delon? I agree he's right to appeal it. Although I hope he loses it as he's a total p***k!

Molester Stallone II

Bridge93 wrote: »

Presume you mean Delon? I agree he's right to appeal it. Although I hope he loses it as he's a total p***k!

Yeah, him too

CatFromHue

The evidence of him cursing at fans during the game didn't add up for the judging panel so that's why nothing happened on that front.

Him telling some fans to F off or whatever after the game is a dangerous thing to ban someone for so long for. I think there was even people booing or having some "banter" with him and that's why he told them where to go.

bilston

sjwpjw wrote: »

Interesting because we were always taught (although it was a while ago ahem) to pass it as fast as possible to get the backline moving etc.

Well the way I'd look at it is if a scrum half is trying to bring runners on then taking a few steps is fine as it means the defenders have to watch both the 9 and any oncoming runners.

However if the 9 is passing to the 10 then taking a few steps would be a big no no in my book as it just allows the opposition more time to shut the 10 down.

sydneybound

Something I've been harping on about for the while which I'm sure people are bored off!

Very good figures released about attendances and viewing figures in England.

http://www.premiershiprugby.com/news/34390.php#.VKU-FoGQGrU

Happy with the ITV highlights figures. They produced a good show on Sunday nights with David Flatman.

Other things to note Wasps will get around 15,000+ for this weekends game. The biggest issue they are having is having enough people manning phones in their tickets offices. Not used to this level of demand.

While Exeter have sold out Sandy Park for the first time ever three days in advance for this weekends match against Gloucester.

Leicester V Bath is the mouth watering game of the weekend on Sunday which should have a bumper crowd and great viewing figures on BT Sport.

.ak

Anyone here ever use impact custom gum shields? Got one for Christmas, but the way you post back the mould seems a bit weird. Do you just stick the phone number and name of the person who ordered it on the package? Will they be enough for them to link it to the order?

OldRio

sydneybound wrote: »

Something I've been harping on about for the while which I'm sure people are bored off!

Very good figures released about attendances and viewing figures in England.

http://www.premiershiprugby.com/news/34390.php#.VKU-FoGQGrU

Happy with the ITV highlights figures. They produced a good show on Sunday nights with David Flatman.

Other things to note Wasps will get around 15,000+ for this weekends game. The biggest issue they are having is having enough people manning phones in their tickets offices. Not used to this level of demand.

While Exeter have sold out Sandy Park for the first time ever three days in advance for this weekends match against Gloucester.

Leicester V Bath is the mouth watering game of the weekend on Sunday which should have a bumper crowd and great viewing figures on BT Sport.

Good figures, but all sports tend to get some of their biggest crowds over this holiday period in England.
Agree about ITVs highlights. Very good show.

Piliger

I was delighted that Setanta repeated "Men in Black" a series (4 I think) programs about referees in Ireland - Gaeilic Football, Hurling, Soccer and Rugby.
A really fascinating insight into the demands on a top referee during a game and the unbelievable amount of preparation they do. Cannot stand Gaelic Football but I have to say that David Coldrick was extremely impressive in how he handled his games, And of course Alain Rolland was top drawer. The hurling guy was a hoot !

CatFromHue

For a 1 off half hour show they were quite a good as well as informative

sydneybound

Samu Manoa must one of the best 8's in the world right now. Northampton will certainly miss him, he's been extremely lively in tonight's game against Newcastle already.

RugbyLover123

sydneybound wrote: »

Samu Manoa must one of the best 8's in the world right now. Northampton will certainly miss him, he's been extremely lively in tonight's game against Newcastle already.

Let me guess he's off to toulon or clermont?

Pudsy33

Signed for Toulon

Bridge93

Newcastle have come back into the game quite well. Look a different team to last year.

sydneybound

On £625,000 a year by all accounts.

Northampton are a well run club who always make a profit, no way they those match those wages.

matthew8

Newcastle playing really well right now. 4 tries away to Northampton. London Irish could be in big trouble if the promoted team is good next year (and both Worcester and Bristol could be good).

sydneybound

I'll be gutted if Bristol don't get promoted. They deserve it and would be a great addition to the prem and be able to bring 10,000 plus gates for their home games.

sydneybound

Cracking 2nd half in Exeter where Gloucester after their recent troubles pulled out a shock by beating them 25-26.

Big win away from home for David Humphreys who looked noticeably relieved at the final whistle.

Two crackers of games in the last two days on BT Sport, Northampton V Newcastle and then today's game.

The big one tomorrow sees Sam Burgess get his first start for Bath against Leicester. Should be good viewing.

b.gud

Apparently England are looking at the possibility of relaxing their rules to allow Armitage, (Steffon not Delon obviously), to play for the world cup.
http://thescore.thejournal.ie/england-world-cup-steffon-armitage-1865007-Jan2015/

sydneybound

Good article in the telegraph about how well the game is going in England and in particularly outside of London.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/11326042/The-Premiership-is-thriving-outside-London-and-it-bodes-well-for-the-World-Cup.html

thomond2006

Priestland to Bath confirmed.

Buer

Blow for the Scarlets given they'll be very light on depth now. They're in trouble after now failing in their bid to entice Owen Williams back to Wales.

Big chance for Shingler but, given the very limited game time he has been afforded, I suspect Scarlets will be looking to make a relatively prominent signing.

Yeah_Right

Carl Hayman has announced he is retiring at the end of the season however he is in talks to play at the RWC!! That would be awesome.

http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/9634283/toulon-and-new-zealand-great-carl-hayman-to-retire-at-the-end-of-the-season

total former

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Carl Hayman has announced he is retiring at the end of the season however he is in talks to play at the RWC!! That would be awesome.

http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/9634283/toulon-and-new-zealand-great-carl-hayman-to-retire-at-the-end-of-the-season

Unfortunately not... Sky have lost it in translation; he will stay on at Toulon if they need cover during the RWC.

What he actually said was:

C'est pourquoi j'accepterais d'être joker Coupe du monde si le club a besoin de moi. C'est actuellement en discussion.

"That's why I'd be happy to be a world cup joker if the club needed me. It's under discussion at the moment."

connemara man

Buer wrote: »

Blow for the Scarlets given they'll be very light on depth now. They're in trouble after now failing in their bid to entice Owen Williams back to Wales.

Big chance for Shingler but, given the very limited game time he has been afforded, I suspect Scarlets will be looking to make a relatively prominent signing.

Makes their push for 6th even more important really.

Yeah_Right

total former wrote: »

Unfortunately not... Sky have lost it in translation; he will stay on at Toulon if they need cover during the RWC.

What he actually said was:


"That's why I'd be happy to be a world cup joker if the club needed me. It's under discussion at the moment."

You have just ruined my day :mad:

CatFromHue

thomond2006 wrote: »

Priestland to Bath confirmed.

On ESPN they say he's going to Bath after the RWC which seems a bit strange.

Unless Bath assume he'll go to the RWC with Wales and don't want to pay him when they won't have any games during the RWC.

bilston

Career suicide for Priestland IMO. Ford looks the real deal, the potential to be the best 10 on the planet before long IMO. Also with the new rules coming into Welsh rugby about not picking players playing outside the Principality he may be kissing goodbye to his test career as well.

Great options for Bath to have though.

CatFromHue

With Biggar and maybe Anscombe in Wales his Welsh career might be coming to an end anyway.

What we do know is that Bath will offer more on the field success than Lanelli so that's going to be a factor.

Swiwi.

CatFromHue wrote: »

With Biggar and maybe Anscombe in Wales his Welsh career might be coming to an end anyway.

What we do know is that Bath will offer more on the field success than Lanelli so that's going to be a factor.

Guarantee Anscombe will get capped in this year's 6N, if only to ensure he doesn't get any ideas about returning home. He'd be an excellent choice for the match-day 23 - covers 10/15 and a very good goalkicker.

CatFromHue

Yeah if he doesn't get capped not sure why he'd hang around. Cardiff are doing spectacularly bad at the moment.

Podge_irl

Priestland is not a bad flyhalf but he is phenomenally meh. He has little future in Wales either way.

its_phil

bilston wrote: »

Career suicide for Priestland IMO. Ford looks the real deal, the potential to be the best 10 on the planet before long IMO. Also with the new rules coming into Welsh rugby about not picking players playing outside the Principality he may be kissing goodbye to his test career as well.

Great options for Bath to have though.

Agreed on Ford. What a brilliant player.

errlloyd

I wonder is this an example of the double edged sword that is Gatland's law (and other rules of the like). Knowing you'll have Priestland (or Carter, or Giteau) for the whole year and during the international window actually makes them more valuable to a club, so they will get offered more an in the long term those sort of incentives may begin to outweigh international glory.

.ak

errlloyd wrote: »

I wonder is this an example of the double edged sword that is Gatland's law (and other rules of the like). Knowing you'll have Priestland (or Carter, or Giteau) for the whole year and during the international window actually makes them more valuable to a club, so they will get offered more an in the long term those sort of incentives may begin to outweigh international glory.

Sure, but then you have no guarantee the home nation will stick to those rules.

total former

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jan/06/sale-danny-cipriani-england

Cipriani likely to storm off in a huff if not picked for the Six Nations (which, presumably, he won't be).

The Welsh AI 4th test money maker looks to have actually cost them money!

http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/featured-post/20151/no-england-costs-wales-5m-world-cup-bonus/

Ospreys chief executive Andrew Hore called before Christmas for the fourth Test to be scrapped.

How the WRU must wish they had done that in respect of the Australia fixture in December 2011 when Kurtley Beale’s late try pushed Wales out of the world’s top eight and into the third tier for the World Cup draw made 48 hours later. They are still counting the cost.

Not sure how I didn't realise this 4 years ago!

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

The Welsh AI 4th test money maker looks to have actually cost them money!

http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/featured-post/20151/no-england-costs-wales-5m-world-cup-bonus/



Not sure how I didn't realise this 4 years ago!

It's not quite clear yet whether or not they're counting the cost, but yeah I remember that was being discussed here very briefly at the time.

They could go ahead and win the pool still, would they lose money in that case? Maybe I'm missing something there.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

It's not quite clear yet whether or not they're counting the cost, but yeah I remember that was being discussed here very briefly at the time.

They could go ahead and win the pool still, would they lose money in that case? Maybe I'm missing something there.

Given that they have drawn England in their pool, England don't want to play the (2x) warm up games vs them that they did before the last world cup.

Those 2x warm up games were a massive earner, as WRU & RFU stuck together on the TV side of it, and also had sold out stadiums for both matches.

Wales can't get near that kind of money playing Ireland and Italy instead.

If they'd not played v Aus, and instead were in the second tier, they wouldn't have been drawn vs Eng, and so the warm ups could have been played once again.

CatFromHue

It's a fair bit of hindsight here as how could Wales have known they'd be drawn against England before the game?