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The Rugby Thread

teok

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Aug 11, 2011
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Wales, england and ireland for me this weekend. The only really intriguing match for me is how france play. I think scotland will probably be competitive first half but fall away in the second, they really miss hogg.
 

'O Zio

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Dec 27, 2014
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Scotland so sloppy yet again. Half the time it seems like they've got no clear strategy, just a load of individuals making it up as they go along and silly mistakes undermining them repeatedly. It's been the same all tournament. They'll pull off a moment of brilliance but then give away possession with a stupid decision or poorly executed pass. It must be infuriating being a Scotland fan.
 

talkshowhost86

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Oct 2, 2004
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Are Italy just a blight on the competition at this stage? England were good yesterday but some of the Italian defence was really amateurish. I just don't see them ever improving.

As for Wales, I think Ireland will beat them, but if they do win the Grand Slam it will be a tremendous achievement. Don't think anyone predicted it ahead of the tournament.
 

teok

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Aug 11, 2011
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Sco - 33 - Ita - 20
Ita - 15 - Wal - 26
Ita - 16 - Ire - 26

So they were bad but they are normally in touching distance with the other side. I think ej must have spotted a weakness and exploited it. They couldn't handle the big ball carriers. When they had the ball they looked pretty dangerous.
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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Sco - 33 - Ita - 20
Ita - 15 - Wal - 26
Ita - 16 - Ire - 26

So they were bad but they are normally in touching distance with the other side. I think ej must have spotted a weakness and exploited it. They couldn't handle the big ball carriers. When they had the ball they looked pretty dangerous.


Italy got their results v Scotland, Wales and Ireland by not committing many players to the tackle, ruck and breakdown. Picking T'eo and Tuilagi at 12 and 13 meant they had to double up on them which stretched their defense, especially since their back row aren't the quickest. Good tactical awareness from Eddie Jones which identified a weakness and exploited it.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Italy are just a bit pants away from home, like Scotland.

Having said that I’m not totally against a relegation system to give Georgia a crack.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Are Italy just a blight on the competition at this stage? England were good yesterday but some of the Italian defence was really amateurish. I just don't see them ever improving.

As for Wales, I think Ireland will beat them, but if they do win the Grand Slam it will be a tremendous achievement. Don't think anyone predicted it ahead of the tournament.

It’s going to be a tight game. Tough to call but I fancy us at home. The good thing for us is that we haven’t played to our potential yet. With a home fixture and a GS on the line I fancy us to step up another level. The other good thing about us is that we’ve employed different tactics almost in every match which keeps opponents on their toes. We’re going to have to throw it around a bit more against the Irish imo. Looks like Liam Williams is out which is a shame obviously as he’s been in great form. Great piece on him in the build up to the Scotland game yesterday.
 

teok

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Aug 11, 2011
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Jonny May continues to be my favourite player. He always makes me laugh every game. Here he tackles the italian medic :X3: :ROFLMAO:
 

'O Zio

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Dec 27, 2014
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Italy are just a bit pants away from home, like Scotland.

Having said that I’m not totally against a relegation system to give Georgia a crack.

Agree about the relegation system. I can understand why there's resistance to it but I really think it would be good. To safeguard against one bad tournament meaning you're straight down and destabalising the tournament, I'd have it so that the system involved some sort of multi-year record. Whether that be e.g. if you finish bottom 3 years running you go into a playoff against the winner of the Six Nations B (i.e. Georgia). Or maybe you could have a potential relegation on a regular basis e.g. every 4 years they could look at the overall standings of all 4 seasons combined (i.e. the record over 20 Six Nations fixtures) and the team who is bottom goes into a playoff against the top team from the past 4 years in the B league etc. if you get what I mean.

Would give teams like Georgia a chance to have a crack and would give Italy a much needed kick up the arse at times, without having the instability that a "one bad season and youre out" system could potentially cause. Also having 4 years security once they were up would give Georgia a chance to learn the ropes and develop at that level for a couple of years, rather than them coming up into a baptism of fire and being straight back down.

As a side-benefit it would also give much more meaning to the games going on outside the "title race" because even if you knew 3 games in you had no chance of winning i.e. like Scotland and France are often, there'd still be everything to play for in terms of making sure you didn't end up with the worst combined record and potentially get relegated.
 

buckley

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Sep 15, 2012
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If the best of the rest in the northern hemisphere is Georgia than I am against relegation as it would be a gimme of bigger proportiond
than Italy also apart from the England game they have been in with a shout in the other three internationals.
Just arrogance from England followers that think they are above Italy . Well I say they are doing quite well and the improvement in the last five years has been noticeable.
 

'O Zio

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Dec 27, 2014
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If the best of the rest in the northern hemisphere is Georgia than I am against relegation as it would be a gimme of bigger proportiond
than Italy also apart from the England game they have been in with a shout in the other three internationals.
Just arrogance from England followers that think they are above Italy . Well I say they are doing quite well and the improvement in the last five years has been noticeable.

I don't see the need to start throwing around personal insults. Its got nothing to do with being an England fan, I don't really see how that's relevant at all, and I don't really appreciate being called arrogant for no reason.

As a fan of rugby in general I want the game to grow. It's not about punishing Italy it's about giving chances to other emerging countries. It would likely be Georgia now but if there's a genuine chance of making it to the proper six Nations then other countries might start putting more effort/resources into their teams too. At the moment they're completely shut out regardless of how well they do which isn't fair IMO.

Also, like I say, it would give some more spice to the last couple of rounds too because everyone would have something to play for rather than just 1 or 2 teams still in with a chance of winning the trophy.

Like I say I'm not sure why that makes me arrogant. I just think it would help the game long term.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Liam Williams should be alright, apparently.

If we win the Gramd Slam AWJ should get player of the tournament though I would give him player of the tournament before the first game has even been played coz the guy is a freak. So consistent.

If there was another lions tour this summer he would, again, walk into the starting line up.

At 33 years old, 125 tests and a record breaking 62 wins in a Wales shirt he has to go down as one of the greats of the game from any country.
 

buckley

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Sep 15, 2012
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How putting Georgia in place of Italy is going to make things more competitive is beyond me .
By saying you don't like being called arrogant says that you are English as I am but I don't have the right to call Italy no hopers when they have been on hole on an upward trend.What you would say about anyone wanting to chuck Italy out of the six nations is that they are obviously saying that they are above such lowly opposition . That smacks of arrogance ; entitlement ; And a person that has a feeling of superiority . Try being in their shoes when they are busting a gut to compete and being called basically a waste of space.
 

'O Zio

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Dec 27, 2014
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How putting Georgia in place of Italy is going to make things more competitive is beyond me .
By saying you don't like being called arrogant says that you are English as I am but I don't have the right to call Italy no hopers when they have been on hole on an upward trend.What you would say about anyone wanting to chuck Italy out of the six nations is that they are obviously saying that they are above such lowly opposition . That smacks of arrogance ; entitlement ; And a person that has a feeling of superiority . Try being in their shoes when they are busting a gut to compete and being called basically a waste of space.

Honestly mate I don't know where you've got all that from. I've never once had a pop at Italy or said that they should be chucked out. Nor did I say that Georgia would be more competitive. I've said that giving some of the tier 2 nations a chance, albeit a small one, to win a place in the Six Nations would do wonders for the development of the sport in those nations. And I've said a side-benefit to having some sort of relegation system would be that it would give the bottom few teams in the Six Nations something to play for other than just pride. Tell me how any of that adds up to what you're claiming I've said? I've even specifically suggested ideas for how they could incorporate some sort of promotion/relegation that didn't involve just "chucking italy out". Like I say I just don't understand where you've got all that from by reading my post.

And as for the whole arrogance thing, I barely even know where to start with that. So because I don't appreciate you calling me arrogant and entitled that means I must be English? Nobody likes being called arrogant regardless of their nationality. Especially when it's completely unfounded.

Honestly mate I'm up for having an adult discussion about relegation/promotion but if all you're going to do is hurl unfounded insults at me and put words in my mouth that I've never even remotely said then there's very little point in discussing anything with you.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Boys, boys. Come on. I know me and TSH haven’t been arguing lately but you don’t have to fill the void.

Let’s just all join together, hold hands, and agree that Alun Wyn Jones is the best player in the world.
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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Surely the Irish don’t want England to win the championship? Might as well just let us win.
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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Surely the Irish don’t want England to win the championship? Might as well just let us win.

I don't think even the Irish could stand listening to the Welsh bragging for the next 12 months. The prospect certainly gives me the shudders.;)
 

E17yid

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Jan 21, 2013
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I don't think even the Irish could stand listening to the Welsh bragging for the next 12 months. The prospect certainly gives me the shudders.;)

This is a good point to be fair.

I’ve only been mildly obnoxious, though.

Expect a lot worse next week if we win.
 

Japhet

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Aug 30, 2010
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This is a good point to be fair.

I’ve only been mildly obnoxious, though.

Expect a lot worse next week if we win.

It's OK. I know you can't help it. I've realised that 'mildly' obviously has a totally different meaning on the wrong end of the Severn Bridge though.(y)
 
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