The Rugby Thread

[E17yid]

To be fair, as I've said before, they do take intent into account. That's what the whole 'mitigation' factor is.

It's probably what saved Moriarty on Sunday.

He was lucky I think. Did he really dip that much? I’m not so sure. Perhaps most of the contact was more top of chest but the initial impact was definitely face/ neck. Considering some of the stuff that’s been given he can count himself lucky. For me never in a million years was that a red but in the current climate he got away with one there. Annoyed at him as there was no need for it.

 

[TorontoYid]

Presumably the rugby authorities will pass sentence regardless of his retirement.

They will but since he has retired it is likely to be a weaker punishment and more a token. Banning a player for 2 years is not to bad for him if he retired already. probably a fine and a short ban

 

[Palmer Stoat]

Too much pessimism about England's chances against the ABs. For me, the ABs haven't been that impressive over the last 18 months by their standards (which, admittedly, are stratospheric). They were v good against Ireland, but Ireland were poor, and I'm not confident the ABs are gonna replicate that quality against a better opponent. NZ deserve favouritism, but 60-40 or 55-45 sort of favouritism. Nothing more pronounced than that. I expect England to be in it up to their ears.

SA have been on a steady upward trajectory since Erasmus took over, IMO. They butterfingered their way out of several pretty straightforward tries against Japan -- a game that, on weight of opportunity, really ought to have been a smashing. Get that right, and they'll make the final and be a red-hot chance against either NZ or England.

 

[E17yid]

Nigel Owens confirmed as the ref for the England game and Garces for the Wales game.

 

[E17yid]

Talking of optimism if you take out the warm up games Wales have just won their 19th game in a row.

 

[teok]

Gatland will have a plan to drag SA in to deep water. I think they have too much on the bench though. Like EJ schooled me "it's a 23 man game" they have an entire world class tight 5 waiting on the bench.

NZ will be out of sight of us by the time it comes to subs.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Talking of optimism if you take out the warm up games Wales have just won their 19th game in a row.

Well if you take out the games Namibia have lost they're also on quite a good run ?

 

[talkshowhost86]

Nigel Owens confirmed as the ref for the England game and Garces for the Wales game.

Peyper basically now ruled out of the rest of the tournament because of that photo. Bet he's pleased with that!

 

[E17yid]

Well if you take out the games Namibia have lost they're also on quite a good run ?

I appreciate it’s a bit convenient to do that but surely you accept that the warm up games aren’t exactly proper test matches. I mean, the main aim of them isn’t even necessarily to win them. You’re testing different strategies,tactics, personnel etc etc.but most importantly they are essential pre season games.

 

[E17yid]

Peyper basically now ruled out of the rest of the tournament because of that photo. Bet he's pleased with that!

I feel a bit sorry for him. Just a photo innit.

 

[teok]

Yeah it's just a bit a fun but it's also really easily avoided as well. He must have known it would get posted on twitter.

 

['O Zio]

I hope that isn't a final decision. He was stupid, but I wouldn't want him to look back on that incident every day of his life (as I am sure he will) without allowing himself the chance to make amends to his team and country on the pitch.

He claims it isn't because of the red card and that he'd already told the powers that be that he would retire after the World Cup back in the summer, and that he just hadn't announced it publicly yet.

Personally, I call bullshit. I reckon he's been told he won't play for France again and out of respect they've let him "retire" rather than get kicked out to save a bit of face.

 

['O Zio]

He’s got previous apparently.

To be honest, that was disgusting, saying it was stupid (which it obviously was) takes away from how dangerous that could’ve been. If someone can point me to a worse red card in the last 5-10 years I’d like to see it.

I played scrum half so I was never in to my driving mauls but some of the few I’ve been in were terrifying. When every part of your body from your chest down is being pulled left right and center by a load of 18 stone plus men and someone has control of your neck doing what he did to Wainwright is actually a good way to break someone’s neck. All it takes it someone driving your chest and lower body one way and the force of your elbow to the head to go the other way and at best it’s career over and at worst he could die. You may think I’m being overly dramatic but I honestly think if he did that 100 times in that exact same situation then he breaks his neck 1 or 2 times. Considering Wainwright’s mouth was wide open at the time of impact I’m amazed he didn’t break his jaw. So you’ll forgive me if I show zero fucks that he’s retired. Fuck him.

Completely agree. It's one thing to make a dangerous "rugby play" and get sent off, accidents happen/people are a bit reckless at times, but this was just absolutely unforgivable. It had absolutely nothing to do with a game of rugby whatsoever and was completely and utterly intenitonal. He mad a conscious decision to think to himself "You know what, fuck this guy. I'm going to elbow him in the face" and then went ahead and did it. For me, whether he's got previous or not is irrelevant in this case. He can't even argue that he's a young kid who got caught up in the moment, he's an experienced professional so that just doesn't fly. If that was an England player I wouldn't want him anywhere near the team again and if I was the coach he'd certainly never make the squad again as long as I was in charge. No sympathy and no excuses whatsoever.

 

[E17yid]

Arnold. Would you class “warm up games” where you don’t play your strongest teams, in the same category as a 6N match?

 

[talkshowhost86]

I feel a bit sorry for him. Just a photo innit.

You'd be claiming he was the second coming of Satan if it was England fans in that picture.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Arnold. Would you class “warm up games” where you don’t play your strongest teams, in the same category as a 6N match?

You lost.

Get over it.

 

[E17yid]

You lost.

Get over it.

I’ll take that as a no and confirmation that I am right unless, of course, you want to give a proper answer. ?

 

[E17yid]

You'd be claiming he was the second coming of Satan if it was England fans in that picture.

?

Maybe.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

I’ll take that as a no and confirmation that I am right unless, of course, you want to give a proper answer. ?

If it was classed as a full international, with caps awarded, then it counts.

 

[E17yid]

If it was classed as a full international, with caps awarded, then it counts.

That actually wasn’t what I asked.

Would you put them in the same category as a 6N match? Taking into consideration the teams, the aims of the match, the fact that the mentality is nowhere near the same level etc etc.

I obviously know that technically they go down on your record, hence why I said if you take out the warm up games we’ve won our last 19 games.