Rugby union?

England still looked awkward in attacking through the backs for the most part, but that is partly due to the prevalence of rush defences these days. Good win. Ireland were disappointing.
 
England were pretty good and showed good balance between forward/back play and running/kicking, though they took the foot of the pedal second half. I'm generally all about match management, so control in the second half is fair enough, but getting a bonus point for a fourth try could become crucial... however, I don't see Ireland spoiling France's party in Paris.

Respect to France for pulling a new team together so well and so quickly... the Grand Slam is theirs for the taking now. I feel confident that England can beat Wales at Twickenham, but we need another team to topple France.
 
Interesting news about the six nations potentially moving to pay TV, for me that could spell the beginning of the end for rugby in the country the club game is already dying and the fall in viewing figures would damage the international game no end.
 
Jesus, they really need to start thinking more as a team. Just kick it off the frigging pitch next time!
 
siliconjim said:
Possibly the worst referring performance I've ever seen in the six nations.
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Did everything he could to keep Wales in that. Lost count of how many forward passes by them have been ignored. High tackles. Crossing. Don't even get me started on the farce of a red. Even Jonathan Davies is saying there was nothing in it!
 
The score line flattered Wales hugely. The last two tries on the back of the referee and the first on the back of the most boneheaded kick off and chase I can ever remember seeing in international rugby. Only one team in it for large parts of the game. Could easily have been a 30 point thumping.

Shoulder charge what a laugh, it’s the kind of refereeing the Lions needed to draw the series with New Zealand. I like the video ref but they should be required to watch it in real speed for every time they watch it slow mo.
 
Exciting game but partly for the wrong reasons.

I was watching it in a packed pub and was one of 3 white shirts in the room :cool:

Even half the Welsh were laughing at the forward passes being ignored and it was about 50/50 on whether the red should have been a red.

Good job the red and yellow didn't come 2 minutes earlier or we'd probably have lost it.
 
PlacidCasual said:
I like the video ref but they should be required to watch it in real speed for every time they watch it slow mo.
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Agreed, I swear they went through a phase a few years back where the Refs were ensuring it was also played in real-time - seems to not be happening at the moment. Happy with the result in the end though.
 
PlacidCasual said:
The score line flattered Wales hugely. The last two tries on the back of the referee and the first on the back of the most boneheaded kick off and chase I can ever remember seeing in international rugby. Only one team in it for large parts of the game. Could easily have been a 30 point thumping.

Shoulder charge what a laugh, it’s the kind of refereeing the Lions needed to draw the series with New Zealand. I like the video ref but they should be required to watch it in real speed for every time they watch it slow mo.
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I don't share your support for the video ref... I called it before the game that Marius Jonker would force his opinion onto the ref regarding a big decision. In the RWC semi he talked the ref into disallowing a try for England.

I'm split on the red for Manu... I certainly think there is sufficient mitigation for it not being a red. However, I am at a loss why Parkes has not been cited for his shoulder-to-head on Manu in the first half, and Lawes being cited is a complete joke in comparison.

I don't think the Wales try from the kick-off was as wonderful as the commentators made out. It was great vision by Tompkins to run it out, but after that it was simple 2-on-1 draw and pass each time.
 
I’m a little less anti the Manu card than I was, I think it was a very harsh call on what the laws currently are. But having played rugby for 27+ seasons and watched it for 35+ I think the law is badly wrong around this element I’ve seen it time and again personally and on TV where one tackler is engaged and the other is trying to block momentum. They try to clam up, generally to avoid injuring themselves and their opponent. The refs call this shoulder charging when it’s not. There are shoulder charges taking place but this wasn’t one. The slow mo also gives the impression of far more premeditation than is ever actually happening. Often you’re just trying to get in the way and be an obstacle.

The res must be forced to watch every angle in real time and slow mo. The assistant (and the TV director) has too much power to frame the episode.

I’m all for making rugby safer but they’re in danger on killing the game by magnifying minor incidents out of all proportion, whilst ignoring core elements of the game like forward passes, straight scrums and honest line outs. Elite refereeing is ruining the game.
 
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