2015 Rugby Championship Thread

Dave_The_Sheep

Two games the South Africans have been ahead in, but they failed to defend a lead. They'll be pissed.

Del.Monte

.ak wrote: »

NZ looking headless and rudderless.

Some epic scraps happening at the breakdown.

Del.Monte

Ben Smith's heartbreaking halftime try (which Richie McCaw had a major hand in) for your enjoyment. If I had a Euro for every time the ABs scored on halftime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgABE40hZMU

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

South Africa look great until they start making changes, lose their shape, form, heads, whatever you want to call it.

AbusesToilets

They should have taken kick when NZ went down a man. 10 mins to try and capitalise for more points after that.

.ak

Del.Monte wrote: »

What, was there something wrong with what I said? I had cash on them so was shouting for them but they were pretty awful in the first half and didn't deserve to go in 10 all.

awec

NZ are just too good. We absolutely have to avoid them or our world cup will end..

Same with the boks to be honest. They would blow us away if they turned up based on what I saw today.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Del.Monte wrote: »

Ben Smith's heartbreaking halftime try (which Richie McCaw had a major hand in) for your enjoyment. If I had a Euro for every time the ABs scored on halftime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgABE40hZMU

They're all at these one handed offloads now. Bloody show offs!

Del.Monte

.ak wrote: »

What, was there something wrong with what I said? I had cash on them so was shouting for them but they were pretty awful in the first half and didn't deserve to go in 10 all.

Sorry, I'm just in triumphalist mode - especially since the crowd down the pub have found the new team to hate instead of England.

bilston

awec wrote: »

NZ are just too good. We absolutely have to avoid them or our world cup will end..

Same with the boks to be honest. They would blow us away if they turned up based on what I saw today.

Aye you wonder if we have the physicality to beat that SA side away from the Aviva without the crowd behind us.

Still it was great to see Piatau play well though awec! We have a real player there. Pienaar was good too. I just hope he isn't broken by the time he gets back to Belfast!

.ak

Ah we strong armed South Africa plenty of times before. I wouldn't worry about our physicality, it's one of our strengths if anything.

It's our endurance over the 80 we need to keep. NZ are absolute energizer bunnies and seem to able to turn on the gas when you can't even get back in the line. If we want to beat them it's not the physacility we need to worry about IMO.

bilston

.ak wrote: »

Ah we strong armed South Africa plenty of times before. I wouldn't worry about our physicality, it's one of our strengths if anything.

Yeah but we haven't done it away from Dublin (because we never play them anywhere but Dublin). I think it would be harder without the crowd atmosphere behind us.

awec

Piuatau is class. We have signed an absolute star. Can't wait to see him in white.

matthew8

Argentina under pressure early, Folau concedes a penalty on a free play though for a tackle in the air.

stl.ire

OZ v Pumas going off already. Folau very very lucky not to see a card there.

stl.ire

stl.ire wrote: »

OZ v Pumas going off already. Folau very very lucky not to see a card there.

I wonder did the reversal of the penalty have a factor in it

.ak

Yeah also remember the new interpretation of the rules.

However, IMO, he didn't land safely.

Flipper22

Surely that should have been a card for folau. I wonder are we seeing the effect of the new law clarification thingy

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Quade Cooper, man.

Flipper22

.ak wrote: »

Yeah also remember the new interpretation of the rules.

However, IMO, he didn't land safely.

Yeah, dunno how peyper could call that a safe landing

stl.ire

Aus on broken play are just so dangerous. Argentina have been defending so well and then one careless box kick!

DDC1990

Real ****ty of the Argentinian number 10 looking for a penalty there. Ran straight into Pocock, changed his line even to collide with him.

Luckily the referee saw it for what it was.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Skelton a bit lucky there?

matthew8

Skelton with the most pointless chokehold you'll ever see, costs his team a chance at 3 points, another penalty reversal.

stl.ire

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Skelton a bit lucky there?

Peyper must have something against the video ref. If he'd gone upstairs at all OZ could have had 2 yellows.

.ak

Peyper chickening out of two yellows IMO.

Skelton should've been carded for that. He wasn't clearing anyone out, just trying to strangle a player on the ground!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Poor Australia are stuck with Cooper now. Toomua staying off.

.ak

Pumas are woeful at realigning.

.ak

Did I see a bit of gauging in the maul there? Didn't look good anyway.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Foley not doing much better than Cooper last week with his kicking.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

8-6 at halftime. Australia could be 19-6 up if Foley had nailed his kicks and they hadn't had those two penalties reversed. Very sloppy, won't get away with that at the World Cup. I'm starting to think Pool A won't be as tough as people expect.

Flipper22

.ak wrote: »

Did I see a bit of gauging in the maul there? Didn't look good anyway.

Nah think he just had some sleep in his eye

DDC1990

Australia would be a great team if they had a kicker and a scrum.

All to play for at half time.

Del.Monte

Scrappy enough first half but I reckon the Argentinians will be happy with the scoreline.

matthew8

Australia bogged down after a bright start. Game is extremely scrappy, not many phases being put together. Puma scrum dominant.

stl.ire

If Argentina started putting Oz under some territorial pressure and putting phases together they could have this game.

If Oz had a loosehead and a kicker they would have already won.

stl.ire

Pocock and Hooper in the same backrow - let the experiment begin!

AbusesToilets

Suicidal passing by the Argies. Some lovely broken field running though, wish Montero wasn't out injured, he is a beast.

Pudsy33

Ugh that was a mile forward. Can't be missing those.

Hagz

Looked like Michael Hooper might have punched Sanchez off the ball there. Although Sanchez has a bit of a reputation for the dramatics.

Flipper22

Looked forward. Have to say the argies have been pretty hard done by tonight

Flipper22

Shot of lobbe there. I'd nearly forgotten he was on the field, been very quiet recently

matthew8

Really poor game, Peyper needs to have more control. Has let a lot go with offsides and could have given some yellows.

stl.ire

When Joe Schmidt explains to the Ireland squad why offloads and pop passes from the ruck are banned he shows them Argentine performances like this.

Hagz

Skelton is not an 80 min player. He's absolutely shagged.

Hagz

Argentina don't half milk things.

Pudsy33

That was late and high, has to be a card for Cooper.

Australia getting away with lots of not releasing.

matthew8

Lots of dives tonight from Argentina but that was a genuine yellow for Cooper.

Flipper22

Have to take the 3 there

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

What do you reckon the chances of Cooper not making the final World Cup squad are?