Live Rugby League

[smokie36]

A poor kick from Wigan....they look lacklustre. Leeds attack again...

[StreetCowboy]

Wigan's attack peters out, Ryan Hall fields the kick in goal and they rush to tap out from the twenty metre line. Leeds are anxious to play the game and attack again, with thehope of adding to their 11 point lead in the two minutes before half time. But Kevin Sinfield kicks for touch on the Wigan ten metre line. Wigan have the whole length of the pitch ahead of them again and the first half draws to an end. Wigan held scoreless in the first half for the first time this season, but 11 points - less than two converted tries - is not a big margin to turn around...

EDIT: And while they're enjoying their oranges, we'll take you across to the other side of the 1895 schism, in the second half at Scotstoun, Zebre, yet to win a game in their first season in the Rabodirect 12, are drawing with Glasgow 19-19 in the second half. Surprisingly Connaucht are leading last year's champions Leinster 19-6 in the first half, and in Wales, Newport Gwent Dragons have beaten Edinburgh 32 - 12 at Rodney Parade.

[David48]

Aussies have a tradition of barracking for the 'Underdog' ... we dislike 'Tall Poppies'

So which is the team playing less favoured for tonight's game so I know who to (quietly) cheer for?

[David48]

Wigan's attack peters out, Ryan Hall fields the kick in goal and they rush to tap out from the twenty metre line. Leeds are anxious to play the game and attack again, with thehope of adding to their 11 point lead in the two minutes before half time. But Kevin Sinfield kicks for touch on the Wigan ten metre line. Wigan have the whole length of the pitch ahead of them again and the first half draws to an end. Wigan held scoreless in the first half for the first time this season, but 11 points - less than two converted tries - is not a big margin to turn around...

Great stuff thus far SC ... I think you are enjoying working to a wider audience.

What does half-time bring for the Commentating Team?

OK ... I'll sit quietly again ...

[smokie36]

Wigan have to get into the game....defend better and create chances...they just look flat. Inspiration needed!!

I expected a cracker....but it hasn't delivered so far. We'll see....

[StreetCowboy]

Wigan's attack peters out, Ryan Hall fields the kick in goal and they rush to tap out from the twenty metre line. Leeds are anxious to play the game and attack again, with thehope of adding to their 11 point lead in the two minutes before half time. But Kevin Sinfield kicks for touch on the Wigan ten metre line. Wigan have the whole length of the pitch ahead of them again and the first half draws to an end. Wigan held scoreless in the first half for the first time this season, but 11 points - less than two converted tries - is not a big margin to turn around...

Great stuff thus far SC ... I think you are enjoying working to a wider audience.

What does half-time bring for the Commentating Team?

OK ... I'll sit quietly again ...

It would have brought cans of irn bru all round, but the Bangsar Cold Storage didn't have any in stock. I stocked up on Tsing Tao cos it was the cheapest beer in the shop, that and Chang, but I don't fancy cracking open a beer at this time in the morning. I think I might go for a swim after the rugby, though it'll be a bit parky in the pool at five in the morning...

I do appreciate the irony that we're enjoying the (mainly) English superleague from Scotland, Malaysia and Australia on a Thai forum.

Smokie, do you think you might go to Meggetland for the Scotland - Ireland game in a fortnight? I very much doubt it will be on Astro, but there might be some other international game on - maybe the big boys either in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere

And the teams are back on the pitch at the DW....

SC

[StreetCowboy]

Sean O'Loughlin breaks for Wigan weaves through the Leed's defence, he's brought down but a quick play sees the ball go to the wing and Harrison Hansen finishes off the attack to touch down as Sinfiled drags him to the floor and the lead is cut to five points with 38 minutes of the game remaining. And Wigan look like they've been brought back to life - what did Sean Wayne say at half time? Or has Dr Frankenstein given them a jolt?

Delaney loses the ball in the 3rd quarter of the pitch, and Wigan will attack again. But the Leeds defence are defeinding on the front foot and Wigan are not making much headway. A long kick from Lulai finds the fullback. Wigan are defending quicker, more aggresively, but Leeds push into the Wigan half again. A high kick finds Murphy wanting - his arms are not quite long enough, and Leeds have a scrum ten metres out. Sinfield is orchestrating the attack... but Leeds can't drive through. Jamie Peacock five metres short on the fifth tackle and Rob Burrough does what he does best, wriggling through the tackle and scampering for the line, but Carmont knocks the ball from his grasp as he dives for the line -with knees like that Carmont should be playing for TV Cricket!

I still don't know who is the video ref, but he's given a 20 metre restart to Wigan. Carmont is winding up the Leeds players, as if they needed any more motivation, and Sinfield is penalised for fiddling with the ball in the tackle

Wigan are almost through in the Leeds 20, but the ball bobbles off the fingers, and Leeds break. Jamie Peacock drives over the half way with three cherryandwhite shirts.

Charnley fields the kick and Leeds pull him to ground in his 20. Wigan get another set of six, and Lulai is trying to find a way trhrough, but all he finds is Jamie Jones Buchanan's arm round his chops, but he doesn't get a penalty, fourth tackle, fifth tackle five metres out, Finch kicks for Charnley, he taps it back, but its passed back by Leeds and Ryan Hall knocks on. The refeeree misses a Wigan knock on and Leeds are defending for their lives

Still three metres out, Now they're back to ten metres for a tackle in goal and Leeds survive.

[smokie36]

I might well SC depending upon work.

Game on here now....no....20 restart!

[smokie36]

Leeds need to step it up again....two halves oh aye....who'll be facing St H...ooops Wire in the final?

[StreetCowboy]

And Rob Burroughs as been penalised for Lima knocking the ball out of his grasp - hard done by, I think, since there were two man tackling him...Wigan are eighteen metres out, but they can't find any chinks in the Leeds defence. And Sean Lunt is penalised for the tackler Goulding knocking the ball out of his grasp. Richard Silverwood is making up for Ben Thaler's generosity in Perpignan, and Finch evades the tackles and Pat Richards on the wing scores in the corner. And this kick is to put Wigan in the lead for the first time

[smokie36]

"OOOOOOOooooooold faithful......!"

We can but dream.....

[smokie36]

Mistakes creeping in now...some tired legs out there Ray?

[StreetCowboy]

And Leeds are on the attack. Wigan knock on in the tackle. Leeds lose it but Karl Ablett tackles the player into tuch. But Wigan manage to find the ball somehow while I'm buggering about with my internet connection...

Wigan bringing it up to the half way line, a kick bounces in front of Hardacre and he gathers it. Fifteen minutes to go with one point separating the teams.

Last tackle kick is charged down and Leeds have six more tackles Oh and Delaney has passed to a Wigan player !

Wigan kick for the corner but too long, Ryan Hall gathers and brings it back...

Sinfield can't get his kick away, and Wigan take possession on half way. The impetus has swung Wigan's way, but the game is as tight as ... well, I dread to say, really

Jamie Jones-Buchanan tries to break through the Wigan line, then Burroughs tries to - Burrow through. But its Wigan that make the break, but the attacker is dragged down.. Hansen.s a yard short. Leeds push them back, Finch driven back to fourteen metres, Finch kicks, Charnley takes it and kicks through but Leeds take the ball back. Seven minutes to go...

Delaney gets through, but Carmont knocks the ball from his grasp

[smokie36]

Two mins left....what can Wigan do?? a point in it!!

[smokie36]

Ohhhh...a drop goal attempt goes wide for Wigan....and Leeds can play it out with 40 secs left...

[smokie36]

As close a game tomorrow please...just a few more tries....don't worry SC....we'll wire you up to the heart monitor before the start....!

[StreetCowboy]

And Wigan are back up over the half way line again...Leeds are struggling now, with five and a half minutes and one point to recover.

Leeds keep the ball alive, but its the last tackle, Sinfield's long kick finds the full-back wanting, Leeds recover the ball and Burroughs wins a penalty for tackler offside and Sinfield is going to repeat his final kick at the Halliwell Jones 12 months ago to take Leeds to Old Trafford.... and he doens't make a mistake with this much easier kick.

Wigan kick off, Hardacre takes it, less than three minutes to go, still only one point between these teams, but one point in the opposite direction.

Sinfield puts the ball into touch on the sixth tackle Iestyn Harris can't believe it. Sean Wayne can't believe it - oh ye of little faith!

Two minutes for Wigan to go 90 metres.

Two tackles and 70 metres to go - they break. 20 metres to go, Finch goes for a drop goal but its wide! Leeds have to hang on for forty seconds.

Twnety seconds.

Ten seconds

this will be the last tackle...

And Leeds Rhinos are going to Old Trafford for the seventh final in nine years, winners by one point over the best team in the league

Kevin Sinfield, well deserved man of the match

Will it be another Leeds - St Helens grand final, or will Warrington get to Old Trafford for the first time in Superleague? Find out tomorrow when you join us on the sofa at Langtree Park

SC

EDIT: And Glasgow have salvaged the two points at home 22 - 19, but the away losing bonus point is Zebre's first in the Rabodirect league.

EDIT: My apologies for the out-of-sequence posting; I'd lost this one in another window...

[StreetCowboy]

As close a game tomorrow please...just a few more tries....don't worry SC....we'll wire you up to the heart monitor before the start....!

"...wire you up to the heart monitor"; very good...

In the St Helens Warrington games this season, there's not been a home win, which is a good omen for our trip to Langtree Park.

Last week's game wasn't too fierce, and I think we can field our best team; though that wasn't enough a fortnight ago...

Since its an earlier kickoff, I've stocked up with Tsing Tao and Chang, though I'll maybe try to get to Cold Storage at 1Utama for a few cans of Irn Bru... every little helps, as I know from the game against Samoa at Pitoddrie two years ago...

SC

[smokie36]

As close a game tomorrow please...just a few more tries....don't worry SC....we'll wire you up to the heart monitor before the start....!

"...wire you up to the heart monitor"; very good...

In the St Helens Warrington games this season, there's not been a home win, which is a good omen for our trip to Langtree Park.

Last week's game wasn't too fierce, and I think we can field our best team; though that wasn't enough a fortnight ago...

Since its an earlier kickoff, I've stocked up with Tsing Tao and Chang, though I'll maybe try to get to Cold Storage at 1Utama for a few cans of Irn Bru... every little helps, as I know from the game against Samoa at Pitoddrie two years ago...

SC

At least you'll have some help in the Granite City next time around!

[StreetCowboy]

As close a game tomorrow please...just a few more tries....don't worry SC....we'll wire you up to the heart monitor before the start....!

"...wire you up to the heart monitor"; very good...

In the St Helens Warrington games this season, there's not been a home win, which is a good omen for our trip to Langtree Park.

Last week's game wasn't too fierce, and I think we can field our best team; though that wasn't enough a fortnight ago...

Since its an earlier kickoff, I've stocked up with Tsing Tao and Chang, though I'll maybe try to get to Cold Storage at 1Utama for a few cans of Irn Bru... every little helps, as I know from the game against Samoa at Pitoddrie two years ago...

SC

At least you'll have some help in the Granite City next time around!

I'm not sure how much benefit drinking Irn Bru while watching on satellite TV gives the team, but when you need a last-minute Ruaridh Jackson goal to win the game, you don't want to sacrifice any advantage, no matter how small...

SC

[meatboy]

what about tomorrows game guys bulldogs vs storm it should be a cracker,havent had as much interest since my days at post office rd.with my old drinking butty tonksy[70s]

[StreetCowboy]

what about tomorrows game guys bulldogs vs storm it should be a cracker,havent had as much interest since my days at post office rd.with my old drinking butty tonksy[70s]

I'll be watching that. I'm still waiting for Quade Cooper to switch codes and bring his zany style to entertain us in the NRL. I've not been following the NRL; there's just too much rugby to keep up with over the weekend on Astro. I hope James Graham has a good game. I'm continually surprised by how pasty-white he is.

SC

[David48]

SC and smokie36 ... great form with the early morning call.

I had to pull up stumps before close of play.

So, remind me ... tomorrow, which team am I supporting?

[David48]

what about tomorrows game guys bulldogs vs storm it should be a cracker,havent had as much interest since my days at post office rd.with my old drinking butty tonksy[70s]

I'll be watching that. I'm still waiting for Quade Cooper to switch codes and bring his zany style to entertain us in the NRL. I've not been following the NRL; there's just too much rugby to keep up with over the weekend on Astro. I hope James Graham has a good game. I'm continually surprised by how pasty-white he is.

SC

Quade Cooper hints he's played last Test

QUADE Cooper has strongly suggested he may have played his last game for the Wallabies.

In a carefully scripted interview with The Rugby Club on Fox Sports last night, Cooper, who is contracted to the network, stood by his recent criticism of Australian rugby's "toxic environment", claiming it was destroying him as a player and a person.

Here

[StreetCowboy]

SC and smokie36 ... great form with the early morning call.

I had to pull up stumps before close of play.

So, remind me ... tomorrow, which team am I supporting?

I'll be supporting Warrington. I have some sympathy for St Helens, who have been to Old Trafford and come away runners-up every year since they last won there in 2006; let's hope we can spare them that indignity this year by putting them out at the semi-finals...

I believe Thadeus is a glass-blower, by the way

SC

[StreetCowboy]

what about tomorrows game guys bulldogs vs storm it should be a cracker,havent had as much interest since my days at post office rd.with my old drinking butty tonksy[70s]

I'll be watching that. I'm still waiting for Quade Cooper to switch codes and bring his zany style to entertain us in the NRL. I've not been following the NRL; there's just too much rugby to keep up with over the weekend on Astro. I hope James Graham has a good game. I'm continually surprised by how pasty-white he is.

SC

Quade Cooper hints he's played last Test

QUADE Cooper has strongly suggested he may have played his last game for the Wallabies.

In a carefully scripted interview with The Rugby Club on Fox Sports last night, Cooper, who is contracted to the network, stood by his recent criticism of Australian rugby's "toxic environment", claiming it was destroying him as a player and a person.

Here

That's a pity - he's always entertaining, even (especially) when he's not at his best.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

And this is the game we've been looking forward to, from Langtree Park, St Helens entertain Warrington Wolves. A fortnight ago, St Helens added a 28 - 6 victory to their League victory at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, while Warrington will be thinking back to their victory in the first half of the league at Langtree Park.

The winner of this match will meet Leeds at Old Trafford next Saturday; will it be St helens's seventh successive trip, or will Warrington be going for the first time in Superleague.

Gareth Carvell is missing for Warrington. The officiating personnel have not been introduced yet....

Can you feel the excitement building? Can you hear the crowds singing?

[StreetCowboy]

I'm going to rely on the Astro coverage, which is a couple of minutes behind. The teams are running onto the pitch, and I'm going to get a Chang out the fridge.

How do you know there's elephants in your fridge?

Footprints in the butter.\

Well I've got two Changs, and no butter....

Ben Thaler's the referee and Lee Briers gets the game underway

Warrington tap out from their 20 metre line... Warrington in their changed strip of red and black, St Helens in white with a red

St Helens k nock on on their 20 metres and Warrington attack, but can't keep hold of the ball themselves, Ben Thaler having trouble enforcing the 10 metres. The commentator has said its even faster than a fortnight ago - not a hundred miles an hour but a million miles an hour - I think he's exaggerating, but he's there and I'm not...

Warrington forwards driving in the tackle but Lee Briers has to kick from his own half. St Helens break to the 30 metre line. They're up to half way. A bouncing kick is held by Brett Hodgson. Again, Briers kicks from his 40, and St helens pour forward.

Makeson breaks down the wing, he doesn't pass to the fullback who's not marked, and Warrington can tidy up but they're kicking out from under the posts. Saints into the 20 already. Warrington on their goal line. Saints are pulled up for a forward pass... St Helens have wasted two opportunities, taking the tackle when the support was unmarked.

[StreetCowboy]

And Warrington counterattack; Ryan Atkins makes some yards, but they're pulled up for a forward pass.

St Helens are on the 20. Joel Monaghan charges through to take a loose ball, but he's offside.

Warrington stand firm against the surging attack but when the ball gets spun wide and the winger Makeson scores in the corner - or has he lost it? The video referee is Phil Bentham, and he agrees with Tommy makeson - T R Y! An athletic dive over the corner flag, and he touches down at arms length, his body still a yard in the air. STH 4 -0 WAR

And St Helens chase their kick after their first set, and its looking very similar to the game a fortnight ago - Warrington are being bottled up and kicking out from their own half at the end of their set.

The game is still being played at tremendous pace... warrington follow up their kick to apply defensive pressure.

Lee Briers has had his hair cut, by the way.

Wolves attack for their first pressure within the 20, and the ball is spun wide for Chris Reilly to go over for his one hundredth try. By the way, in three weeks, he'll be going to Belfast with the ENgland Knights to play Ireland, and Meggetland in Edinburgh a week later...

Brett Hodgson lines up to take the lead...a metre in from the touch line...Brett Hodgson passes a thousand points in the British game... STH 4 - 6 WAR!!!!

Oh Worry Worry!

Warrington field the kick off and bring the ball back BANG! and they win a penalty for offiside.

But Higham is pulled up for a forward pass at the STH 40 metre line.

And Soliola has come in for St Helens and he's throwing his weight around. Warrington attack, st helens counter attack. Soliola breaks, but Waterhouse drags him down.

St Helens kick through, Hodgson watches the ball bobbling to go over the dead ball, but Makeson dives through to touch down - but he's ruled offside.

Warrington attack, lose the ball and give away a penalty "It's getting tasty"

[StreetCowboy]

St Helens attack; they break through, Warrington are penalised for delaying the play the ball - no they're not!

St Helens in front of the sticks.

Warrington are penalised for offside on their own try line as they thump into the tackle

Soliola on the charge, two wiremen bring him down

Two metres out. Lomax brought down. Roby on his own... short.

A wild speculative over-the-head pass sees Francis Melli touch down in the other corner - but where was the marker?

STH 8 - 6 WAR

Warrington are being pinned back in their own half.

Melli breaks through but Hodgson stands his ground and brings him down.

McCarthy Scarsbrook stopped on the 20.

Ohia brought down for the sixth tackle under the sticks.

That's never ten yards by the way... Are St Helens yards shorter?

I guess its those back-to-back terraces....

Tommy Makeson brings the long kick back as far as his 40.

Ha Ha; Soliola is sandwiched and loses the ball forward

But there's no gaps in the St Helens defence, and Warrington struggle to drive a few metres into the line.

An early kick and Warrington try and stifle St Helens in their own half.

St Helens get away with a bit of crossing, and there's a huge towering kick that Hodgson can't take, the ball is knocked free and Wellens scores St Helens third try.

The St Helens crowd is jubilant, and I don't think I've ever seen a pretty girl at a rugby league game before.

STH 14 - 6 WAR