Rugby union?
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Soldato
St Helens? You’ll be wanting this thread: https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...fficial-rugby-league-in-2023-thread.18964331/
I doubt the St Helens Union side would be on telly. Sale is your only North West team in the top rugby union tier.
The old BT sport (now TNT) was the best way to get English Rugby Premiership games and most of the European cup games too.
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Prem TV shows most, but the quality is garbage and there’s no app, it has to be done via a web browser. The price is decent, think it’s £5 for a game, or £90 for the season for all games.
As mentioned TNT sports show a fair amount of games and also in UHD, but that’s more expensive.
If you have a relative/friend in Australia, Stan sports show quite a bit, which you could watch via a VPN but I guess it’s not strictly legal.
If it is Rugby League you watch, ignore the above.
The game of Union has an uncertain future. Lot of small local clubs simply giving up due to bizarre tackling rules. The RFU won’t allow certain clubs to promote to the Premiership due to stand sizes but those clubs won’t ever be able to afford bigger venues without being in the Premiership. There’s also a lot of dodgy money going on, the game really isn’t in a good place at the moment.
As mentioned TNT sports show a fair amount of games and also in UHD, but that’s more expensive.
If you have a relative/friend in Australia, Stan sports show quite a bit, which you could watch via a VPN but I guess it’s not strictly legal.
If it is Rugby League you watch, ignore the above.
The game of Union has an uncertain future. Lot of small local clubs simply giving up due to bizarre tackling rules. The RFU won’t allow certain clubs to promote to the Premiership due to stand sizes but those clubs won’t ever be able to afford bigger venues without being in the Premiership. There’s also a lot of dodgy money going on, the game really isn’t in a good place at the moment.
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Soldato
It's a really sad state of affairs for the game at the moment in terms of the finances. I can never understand the rationale for promotion and relegation in a system that is so restrictive financially. The stadia for average premiership rugby games aren't full. I can appreciate that somewhere like Menai field would need development if the Pirates were to be promoted, but there's simply no scope for a huge development at that ground, nor will there need to be as you're unlikely to fill it in mid January with travelling fans! The pitch would need work though, it's on a bit of a slope
.I actually support a trial/change of the tackling rules. A lot of the negative criticism will be coming from the same people that complained about changing the scrummaging engagement calls. Without a doubt that has made the game safer. Players are getting bigger and impacts even at amateur level are colossal. If the game is going to continue to be so focused on the amateur game and encourage wider participation, player safety has to be taken into account. The whole "you know what you signed up for" is absolutely not an argument for children playing the game. Tackling technique is paramount and trying to tackle around the shoulders or spearing someone in the chest isn't safe or particularly effective at stopping someone.
Soldato
The whole head injury argument is beyond doubt. You simply have to protect the players. HIA procedures are a great reactive measure, but the aim has to be to stop the injuries occurring.
I'm just amazed that boxing is still allowed to happen!
In terms of the scrum - I'd love to see the put in being policed. Feeding in straight would force hookers to strike, which would force props to "prop" not just push. Scrums would stay up and become a better contest!
I'm just amazed that boxing is still allowed to happen!
In terms of the scrum - I'd love to see the put in being policed. Feeding in straight would force hookers to strike, which would force props to "prop" not just push. Scrums would stay up and become a better contest!
Boxers only get knocked about the head a handful of times a year. Rugby players get battered every week, all year. Changes to training and tackle rules are helping.
If things don't change, the sport is dead. It simply won't be financially feasible after paying out for all the CTE long term injuries. It's barely feasible as it is.
The RFU needs a total clear out. Even the old farts at the ECB are developing cricket effectively these days. Rugby Union is dying.
Soldato
Well done to Scotland earlier against France, nice comeback.
Meanwhile England were just rubbish, constant errors and just looked no real threat at all. Frustrating to watch.
Meanwhile England were just rubbish, constant errors and just looked no real threat at all. Frustrating to watch.
Soldato
Cant see a promising tournament with 5 weeks to go, it was a glimmer of hope but after watching that (not taking the second half improvement away from Wales) I think Argentina are going to smash it. 
Soldato
Yep, can't see this England beating Argentina. Should probably still get out the group stages, England are lucky they have a pretty weak group compared to Scotland and Ireland.
Soldato
That was pretty awful to watch.
Soldato
Was good chance to see what options were instead of always selecting Farrell since Jones' departure. Seems like a lot of months wasted.
Soldato
It’s very much meant to be a straight put in, but you’re right that it’s not policed at all. It’s quite a difficult skill to be able to control your own scrum as a great way to turn the scrum over is to put pressure on the attacking hooker either by a brute force shove by the defence or focused pressure to squeeze them out. Not quite as straightforward as just having two blokes flailing legs at the ball.
In all honesty the way to encourage the game of “evasion” would be to all play rugby league as the set piece requires all the different body shapes and sizes.
Soldato
Once again, England can't catch, cough up the ball again and again. Oh and a cheap yellow just to prove they can't learn.
Deserve to go out in the group stage TBH.
Deserve to go out in the group stage TBH.
Soldato
Being an England fan is bloody depressing right now. Fml.
Edit. And it gets worse...
Edit. And it gets worse...
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Soldato
This world cup is a write off for England, I thought 2015 was bad but we're worse than I've ever seen us in about 30 years of watching them.
English club rugby is in the toilet and the national side is about the same!
English club rugby is in the toilet and the national side is about the same!
Soldato
Well, England scraped the win. But not exactly a game to build confidence as an England fan. I guess there were some positives.
The desire to score points when down to 12 was good, just need to do that at the start of the game. Same happened against Ireland in the 6 Nations iirc, they only woke up once they had players sent off.
Ben Earl was brilliant, so much power and controlled aggression. Ford did a solid job of taking some control over the game when England were 3 men down.
The desire to score points when down to 12 was good, just need to do that at the start of the game. Same happened against Ireland in the 6 Nations iirc, they only woke up once they had players sent off.
Ben Earl was brilliant, so much power and controlled aggression. Ford did a solid job of taking some control over the game when England were 3 men down.
Same plan as Eddie Jones with the same aging players. Not fun. He was so irritating but there was clearly no plan when they removed him.
Farrell stupendously thick. Tackle safety course worked well...
Player interviews about winning by 2 points and being "really pleased" by the result shows how out of touch things are. Should be hanging heads.
Farrell stupendously thick. Tackle safety course worked well...
Player interviews about winning by 2 points and being "really pleased" by the result shows how out of touch things are. Should be hanging heads.
Soldato
Damn missed this - will go watch the amazon on replay.