Rugby union?
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Head injuries and concussion now taken very seriously from minis right through to senior at the amateur level. It's discussed at every M&J coach and referee training session that I've been to.
Soldato
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@mid_gen I don't think I have ever been concussed in 25+ years of rugby but I have seen it in fellow players and a friend of mine had to quit because he had several events in one year and I know going forward my eyes are more open about the dangers and I will be more forceful about ensuring players are protected. It seems like we have gone through a nasty period where professionalisation has hugely increased the risks and pressure before the science has caught up and let us hope the game we all love can continue in a meaningful way. As several of us have said I would love to see player weights come down a bit and the space open up with tired players on the pitch. I think if there was a risk of players burning out in the last quarter it would change defensive strategies that might create more space.
Looking back now, there were definitely times that I was concussed, both at school and senior levels... if there was blood or clear physical injury then I came off, but certainly times when I stayed on the pitch. We just didn't think about it back then, and I would only leave the pitch if I absolutely had to. The idea of taking 1 or more weeks rest after a head bang was never a consideration. It is good that we've moved on, and in the age-grade team that I coach we've rested a couple players after taking a big bang to the head, always falling on the side of caution.
Man of Honour
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Soo... did anyone catch the rugby that was on today?... as a Scot delighted to finally get the away win "hoo-doo" off the teams back!
I can't quite decide who had the worst match.
England - for conceding the high penalty count.
Scotland - for only winning 6-11 despite the high penalty count.
The referee - for the off-the-wall nature of some of his decisions that gave England the high penalty count.
Hey ho. At least there was Rugby League on today as well - the Elite 1 clash between St Esteve and Limoux made for a much better spectacle!
Man of Honour
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I did feel like we should have had more points; it would have been typically Scottish to lose by a point having thrown so many away!
Soldato
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That was very long way from the England in their pomp of only a year ago. They're a funny team and have been for the last 10 years at least. If plan A works they can be unplayable,if Plan A works some of the time they can still grind out wins. If Plan A doesn't work their is no Plan B and they look incapable of changing their style and ble of only losing grudgingly. Wales 2013 being the prime example but this team is no different in that respect.
Scotland deserve all the plaudits, they broke up England never let them play, pressured them and took some of their chances. This wasn't a snatched lucky win.
Scotland deserve all the plaudits, they broke up England never let them play, pressured them and took some of their chances. This wasn't a snatched lucky win.
England are massively erratic over the past few years. Sublime to the ridiculous. The WC final was a prime example. SA played out of their skins but we were just awful. Same happened yesterday. Scotland played well but positionally we were awful, gave away a crazy number of fouls and were completely impotennt on the attack.
We are very good when we completely dominate teams up front...which is most of the time.
As soon as we get matched in physicality up front, which is what SA, France and now Scotland have done, we struggle for a plan B. We're also dreadful at managing referees and don't adjust our play even when we get on the wrong side of them.
Scotland were so good, and appeared to have taken a leaf from the Ireland playbook... the value of ball retention. It is hard to keep hold of the ball for long periods without making a mistake, but if you can do it then you have complete control over the game.
As said above, England lack the rugby intelligence that a top ranked international team should have. We kicked 39 times and conceded 15 penalties. I'm speculating here, but I don't recall England managing more than 5 phases at any time except maybe once in the first 5-10 minutes... England showed real menace, attacking with ball in hand, very fast ruck recycle, Scotland were on the verge of cracking when Youngs threw that errant pass to no one... and that was it. If England had scored in that phase then the match might have been very different, instead it was like they threw in the towel and decided attacking rugby with ball in hand was no longer possible!
All the talk about Lawrence, and then Farrell doesn't give the ball to him... sounds like so many games involving Tuilagi. I said it before the game, and I'll say it now, Ford is the better 10, especially for getting the centres into the game.
Despite the talent in the England squad, I never feel confident at kick-off!
As said above, England lack the rugby intelligence that a top ranked international team should have. We kicked 39 times and conceded 15 penalties. I'm speculating here, but I don't recall England managing more than 5 phases at any time except maybe once in the first 5-10 minutes... England showed real menace, attacking with ball in hand, very fast ruck recycle, Scotland were on the verge of cracking when Youngs threw that errant pass to no one... and that was it. If England had scored in that phase then the match might have been very different, instead it was like they threw in the towel and decided attacking rugby with ball in hand was no longer possible!
All the talk about Lawrence, and then Farrell doesn't give the ball to him... sounds like so many games involving Tuilagi. I said it before the game, and I'll say it now, Ford is the better 10, especially for getting the centres into the game.
Despite the talent in the England squad, I never feel confident at kick-off!
I want to see Smith get a shot off the bench at least against Italy....he's 21 now, and getting better and better. Really glad he's stuck around now we're sacked Gustard.
I'm not really sold on Billy V any more either....he's been off form for a while now. Dombrandt is a much smarter player, pace, power, great running lines and support.
We need to have something more than just the biggest most aggressive lumps running straight at people.
I'm not really sold on Billy V any more either....he's been off form for a while now. Dombrandt is a much smarter player, pace, power, great running lines and support.
We need to have something more than just the biggest most aggressive lumps running straight at people.
Smith is a class act, though some would argue Simmonds is better (though easier to look good behind the Exeter pack!). I'm not saying either way
At least Ben Earl is getting a look in now.
Smith & Dombrandt are the kind of players to build a future England squad around it seems on current form. Would suck for Quins though! I'm a bit out of the loop as don't watch much domestic rugby from home and haven't been to a game for a while (duh) so not up on the wider batch of Prem players at all.
A few Smith highlights; second only to Johnny for fastest 500 prem points which given Quins are generally mid table recently is impressive:
https://twitter.com/btsportrugby/status/1359569786796179458?s=20
Marler made a great call not playing for the 6 nations on current team form
Itoje could be captain and none of the other Sarries justified their places at all. As someone with a foot in both camps I enjoyed the Scotland performance.
I thought this was a thoughtful watch; he got his first cap last weekend: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everybodys-Game-Maro-Itoje/dp/B08N5LTBKT
A few Smith highlights; second only to Johnny for fastest 500 prem points which given Quins are generally mid table recently is impressive:
https://twitter.com/btsportrugby/status/1359569786796179458?s=20
Marler made a great call not playing for the 6 nations on current team form
Itoje could be captain and none of the other Sarries justified their places at all. As someone with a foot in both camps I enjoyed the Scotland performance.
I thought this was a thoughtful watch; he got his first cap last weekend: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everybodys-Game-Maro-Itoje/dp/B08N5LTBKT
Definitely.
To include them when there's no ability to judge their current form is daft and highlights a big flaw in EJ's strategy imo. His quote in the news of "England tried to do too much" regarding Saturday's game is just bonkers.
At least the players' Buy to Let empires are sorted.