Live Rugby League

[StreetCowboy]

Hull pressuring Warrington around their ten metre line, Lee Briers pounces on an nterception. and its Warrington in attack, but it fizzles out on the sixth tackle.

And it looks like Westerman might be putting his feet up for a high tackle, but apparently they can't give him a ten minute rest for a high tackle; its either red or nothing. Its Richard Silverwood with the whislte, and Joe Westerman is going on report..

Briers ducks under a tackle, and carries on his scurry for the line, and wins a penalty a few metres out as Willie Manu picks him up like a sack of King Edwards, but Warrington can't breach the Hull defensive line. INTERCEPTION! but Mealy is brought down.

Edinburgh pulled it back (can I say that on the internet?) to 10 - 6 at Leinster at half-time

Peter Gentle looking calm, but Michael Monaghan picks up a loose ball, and Warrington win a penalty 35 metres out. Up to 15 metres... Grix drives through the tackles, the ball jiggles but stays in his grasp, Lee Briers feeds Richie Myler who goes over, but Briers has been hurt. He knocks back a couple of aspirin, or maybe salt tablets - might be a viagra to help him stand up to the second half... Tony Smith's got hiccups, by the way

12-0, and I think that brings us up to Tiger Time

According to the commentators, Warrington have only lost twice at home this season, by the way - to St Helens in the League, and St Helens last week in the Qualifying Quarter-Final. Catalans, by the way, have a similar home record, having only lost at home to Warrington in the league, and last night to Leeds in the play-off Preliminary Semi-Final.

And at oranges, the score is Wire 12 - 0 Blackandwhites, and Edinburgh are hanging on, four points behind. Tim Visser is resting, this week, so I doubt we'll see many Edinburgh tries.

[smokie36]

Toast....we're toast...

[StreetCowboy]

And Hull field the kick-off, and bring the ball up the park.

At the RDS Statium in Ireland the score drifts out to 15 - 9, but Edinbrugh are still within one converted try, and a bonus point..

And then each side scores a converted try - 22 - 16, and that's the way it ends.

And Warrington crank up the defensive pressure on Hull; both defences have been tight

And now Warrington are cranking up the attacking pressure, and Hull are dropping out from under their sticks, though the commentators feel that they shoud've had a 22 drop-out (or maybe a ten-metre scrum), because Wire played the ball in goal

And Stefan Ratchford kicks through and scores for Warrington

Hull pressure the Warrington line, but the defence holds firm, forcing Hull to throw the ball around, and it goes loose. In the next set, Tom Briscoe breaks, but he can't go all the way. But at the next play-the-ball, Jordan Turner gets close to the corner, and off-loads to Foster instead of going himself, and Warrington get a scrum to relieve the pressure.

SC

And Tom Hark rings round the stadium as Brett Hodgson goes over for a fourth try

[smokie36]

A duck a duck!!

Its all I have left to offer....we're playing OK but...Wire are excellent today.....

[smokie36]

Finally......a score....24-6....its a forlorn hope but....

[StreetCowboy]

A duck a duck!!

Its all I have left to offer....we're playing OK but...Wire are excellent today.....

And while the commentators are talking about the Club Call, Tom Briscoe touches down in the corner from a great cross-field Eremiah kick. Foster adds the extras to make it 24 - 6 (Edit - score corrected)

And Warrington have a try chalked off for obstructive dummy runners, and now Hull are back up past the Warrington 20. Tom Briscoe throws the ball in from the touch line, its picked up by a Wire player but he's tackled into touch, and from the scrum, the ball spins wide to the right and Ben Crooks goes over for a second Hull try,

Its Ian Smith in the video ref's box, by the way

Warrington 24 - 12 Hull FC; Eight minutes to go, and I'm sure Smokie is beside hisself

and Lee Briers takes a kick at goal to make it three scores' difference, but the kick goes wide.

Hull attack, but they lose the ball- though the scrum goes Hull's way for a subsequent Warrington knock on. Richie Myler is down, and can't get up

[smokie36]

24-12 and Hull must score next to force this one close....time running out though...

[smokie36]

A duck a duck!!

Its all I have left to offer....we're playing OK but...Wire are excellent today.....

And while the commentators are talking about the Club Call, Tom Briscoe touches down in the corner from a great cross-field Eremiah kick. Foster adds the extras to make it 18 - 6

You're pissed Ray!!

[smokie36]

A one point miss from Briers....that says Wire are worried...not sure why as they've been far the better team here...

[StreetCowboy]

A one point miss from Briers....that says Wire are worried...not sure why as they've been far the better team here...

He's just trying to put the game beyond doubt - make it three scores' difference. And Richard Silverwood ends the game five seconds early, before the last scrum.

Warrington progress to the semi-finals. Wigan have the choice of whether to face Warrington or Leeds; based on form in the season, they'll probably choose Leeds; I'm sure Warrington would rather face Wigan than St Helens, as well, after last week's drubbing. If I'm not wrong, Warrington have never been to Old Trafford - they're still 80 minutes and a very daunting semi-final away as it stands now

[smokie36]

Yet looked very strong indeed today for an hour.

Best of luck whoever you face in the next match SC.....your team thoroughly deserved their win!

[StreetCowboy]

As expected, Wigan have chosen Leeds for the semi-finals; Leeds put Wigan out of the Challenge Cup, but came up second-place both home and away in the League. Warrington travel to St Helens, two-times victors at the Haliwell Jones, but, if my memory serves me well, losers at home last time Warrington travelled to Langtree Park in the league.

SC

[smokie36]

Look forward to both of these games...crackers I reckon!

[StreetCowboy]

Look forward to both of these games...crackers I reckon!

They'll both be unpredictable,competitive games. Its a non-working weekend, so I can stay up late on Friday for the Wigan Leeds game, as well as the Wire- St Helens. I'm as excited as the next man, and indeed beside myself with eager anticipation, as well as cackling with glee and rubbing my hands to boot

SC

[StreetCowboy]

And, for something completely different, the European Cup kicks off on 14th October at Meggetland, Colinton Road, home of Boroughmuir RFC, with Scotland v Ireland. England Knights play Ireland in Belfast on the 19th, and Scotland, also in Edinburgh at the same ground, on the 28th. Italy had to pull out, as they had to sub Berlusconi their plane fares.

SC

[David48]

And that's the way it ends- Warrington 6 - 28 St Helens. St Helens are through to the semi-finals, Warrington have to play again next week.

I'm not going to stay up for the Wakefield Leeds game - I'll watch that tomorrow afternoon

Well done, St Helens

SC

Did I miss the commentry/score on this vital game?

[StreetCowboy]

And that's the way it ends- Warrington 6 - 28 St Helens. St Helens are through to the semi-finals, Warrington have to play again next week.

I'm not going to stay up for the Wakefield Leeds game - I'll watch that tomorrow afternoon

Well done, St Helens

SC

Did I miss the commentry/score on this vital game?

My apologies - I don't think I actually watched the game; Leeds won quite convincingly

Leeds 42 - 20 Wakefield

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/19563616

I'm afraid it was the most predictable of the games that weekend. Time to start building for next season, now...

This weekend I'm going to try and catch Wigan - Leeds live on Friday night (Saturday morning), as well as St Helens - Warrington on Saturday (Sunday)

Let's see if we can turn around the 28-6 loss from a fortnight ago...

SC

[David48]

^^ Mate, thanks for that.

When is the actual final because sometimes they show it over here live which works out to be sometime between Midnight and 5am ... depending on when the game is being played.

[StreetCowboy]

^^ Mate, thanks for that.

When is the actual final because sometimes they show it over here live which works out to be sometime between Midnight and 5am ... depending on when the game is being played.

Saturday 6th October 6 pm kick-off local time. I think that's still British Summer Time, but I could be wrong there...

http://www.superleague.co.uk/matchday

I might make an exception this week and watch the NRL game as well.

Then we've got a few weeks of internationals. I don't know who the big boys are playing, but Scotland entertain Ireland and England Knights at Meggetland in Edinburgh on 14th and 28th respectively in the Alitalia Cup, with the Knights playing in Ireland in the intervening week. I guess England, Wales and France will be playing the same weekends, but I don't know the fixtures.

I think this would normally be the Four Nations series, due to be played in the Southern Hemisphere, but that has been suspended, for some reason related to next year's World Cup, I think.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,

Welcome! You join us at the DW Stadium (not literally, I'm sat at home in front of Astro on the box) as Wigan Warriors entertain Leeds Rhinos in the first of this year's Superleague Semi Finals. Wigan, who finished top of the superleague after twenty-seven weeks, play last year's champions, Leeds, the first team to win the Grand Final from fifth place in the league. Apparently Sam Tomkins is not playing, and Leeds are without Danny McGuire, who is serving a one match suspension.

Are you sitting comfortably? then I'll begin....

EDIT: Richard Silverwood with the whistle, by the way, but I'm not going to begin speculating ho is the video referee - there's no point

(none at all...)

[David48]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,

Are you sitting comfortably? then I'll begin....

I am sitting comfortably.

I'm also excited ... I've never been to a 'live commentary' ...

[StreetCowboy]

And Leeds kick off to Wigan.

Now its Leeds' turn to begin their first set of six.

And Josh Charnley fields their kick, and Murphy breaks for Wigan; the game's being played at a brisk pace, and Wigan knocks on

A towering kick drifts back towards the Leeds line, and its not fielded, Wigan get possession, the game goes back and forth, jamie Jones-Buchanan knocks on in the middle of the park... six minutes gone,,,

A dubious penalty for obstruction gives Leeds their first real attacking opportunity; they spin the ball wide to the right. Now back left, and a kick on the fifth taken by Charnley but he's pushed back into goal and Wigan drop out under the sticks...

But Finch's challenge on Brett Delaney sees him knock on...

... oh dear - Jamie Peacock is penalised for lingering fondly a moment too long in the tackle

- Oh dear a Watkins interception sees him race from a ten metres out from his own goal line to score a couple of metres to the right of the uprights and Leeds take the lead in the fourteenth minute. Sinfield confidently bisects the posts - WIgan 0 - 6 Leeds - dancing Rhinos on the terraces, by the way.

Now Leeds are hammering at the Wigan line again, spinning the ball out through quick hands - too quick, and the ball flies into touch. Wigan are struggling to get out of their own 20 metre line, but the Leeds defence is up quickly, Wigan pass it through the hands to Darren Goulding on the wing, Leulai kicks from the half-way line (there's a leulai on each side, if the team lists are to be believed)

[David48]

Am I supposed to just sit quietly ... or ask all sorts of annoying questions?

[David48]

With Wakefield gone for this comp ... who should be cheering on at home now?

WIgan or Leeds ... but it will be a muffled cheer as it's the wee hours of the morning here.

[StreetCowboy]

Am I supposed to just sit quietly ... or ask all sorts of annoying questions?

Doesn't matter - normally I have the editing window open, so I don't see any other posts coming in...

as we approach 20 minutes, Leeds are attacking again, and Hansen is penalised for putting the knee into the Leeds player (Ablett) as he gets to his feet to play the ball. Kevin Sinfield lines up and strokes through - the flags go up and Leeds keep the score board ticking over

[David48]

Where's ole smokes ... I thought that he joined you in commentary for these games?

Humm ... no reply yet from the commentry team.

Good to see that they are focused at the task at hand.

Have we confirmed who the Video Umpire is tonight?

[StreetCowboy]

With Wakefield gone for this comp ... who should be cheering on at home now?

WIgan or Leeds ... but it will be a muffled cheer as it's the wee hours of the morning here.

I'm pretty ambivalent. We beat Leeds soundly in the Challenge Cup Final, if I recall correctly, and we've had the better of Wigan in the league as well. The one team I'm frightened of is St Helens, whom we play tomorrow.

And Kevin Sinfield kicks a forty-twenty to get another attacking opportunity, and the commentators are speculating why he hasn't been suggested as a candidate for the man of steel. Another penalty and again Sinfield lines up for the two points.

And the rain's coming down, which might make the ball a bit slippery to receive, when Pat Richards kicks it back to Leeds, but the fullback takes it safely on his own goal line. And Delaney almost breaks through the Wigan line; Sinfield kicks early, all the way to the Wigan goal line, and Murphy, the young full back in only his second start, takes the ball with Leeds defenders running at him...

... Brett Delaney is penalised for coming out of the line early... and Wigan start their set of six from half-way

And Wigan have space as they break, but the pass is loose and its turned over.

Again Leeds kick right, and again Josh Charnley takes it safely.

Wigan kick through, Zak Hardacre fields it and weaves twentyfive metres through the Wigan defence

Last tackle for Leeds, fifteen metres out, and its back to Kevin Sinfield who puts another point on the score board, and they're going to get the ball back from the kickoff.

it's not taken safely on the goal line, but the ball went backwards, and Leeds breathe again and Sinfield kicks from the half way line to Wigan's try line, where Murphy fields the ball on the bounce, and Rob Burrows is penalised for malarky

Wigan pass it through the hands, and then offload, but their being forced into unnecessary adventure - misadventure, even, as the player is unable to juggle the ball in the tackle, and possession is handed over.

Wigan own the last seven titles of the winter era 1990 - 1996, and that was enough to drive me out of the UK, so it was....

Again Wigan are trying to get out of their own half... six minutes to go in the first half... they kick from their own half and Zak Hardacre takes it straight back up to the halfway line

Leeds pass the ball wide, but well back from the Wigan defence, then Calum Watkins fancies a gap in the Wigan defence, but the defenders close the gap around him and he knocks on. Wigan can't make any ground when they receover the ball and its a scrum to Wigan.

[smokie36]

Steady pressure this....I can't find a free streaming link so having to listen on the BBC....Leeds are playing a blinder!

[David48]

Steady pressure this....I can't find a free streaming link so having to listen on the BBC....Leeds are playing a blinder!

I'll chat with ole' smokes because I don't wish to distract the commentators with any old inane drivel.

[smokie36]

Steady pressure this....I can't find a free streaming link so having to listen on the BBC....Leeds are playing a blinder!

I'll chat with ole' smokes because I don't wish to distract the commentators with any old inane drivel.

You what??

I expected a far better attack from Wigan....they have been poor so far...one last chance this half....set of six from the halfway line.

Smith to Flower...powerful surge....three tackles left...