What No Rugby Forum!

[StreetCowboy]

Referees !

opinions please.

been watching a fair bit of good super 14, Aviva, Heineken cup and Magners league action lately.

the only one gripe i have though is that with some of the games that could have been have been even better spectacles to watch have been spoilt by some of the referees in charge. cant quite put my finger on what it is whether its how they interpret the letter of the law in the games or if its the fact that they just seem to like the sound of their own voices. but, it affects the way the games are played in the end they become more stop start affairs rather free flowing games that are easy on the eye to watch.

prime suspects in my opinion and have been for a long time are Jonathan Kaplan and Nigel Owens !

But on the other hand there are some that let things away in ruck to the point that it spoils the game.

What do you think about forming the scrum front rows first - (I know, it would be a lot quicker if they joined last and had more time to get there...); Could anyone make an estimate of how often, on average, each scrum needs reset, and what proportion actually result in the ball coming out, instead of a penalty or free kick?

SC

[tigerfish]

Referees !

opinions please.

been watching a fair bit of good super 14, Aviva, Heineken cup and Magners league action lately.

the only one gripe i have though is that with some of the games that could have been have been even better spectacles to watch have been spoilt by some of the referees in charge. cant quite put my finger on what it is whether its how they interpret the letter of the law in the games or if its the fact that they just seem to like the sound of their own voices. but, it affects the way the games are played in the end they become more stop start affairs rather free flowing games that are easy on the eye to watch.

prime suspects in my opinion and have been for a long time are Jonathan Kaplan and Nigel Owens !

But on the other hand there are some that let things away in ruck to the point that it spoils the game.

What do you think about forming the scrum front rows first - (I know, it would be a lot quicker if they joined last and had more time to get there...); Could anyone make an estimate of how often, on average, each scrum needs reset, and what proportion actually result in the ball coming out, instead of a penalty or free kick?

SC

that's a good point SC and there are some nations that still regard the art of scrummaging as being a very unimportant part of the game. i seem to remember the in the 2003 WC final the Aussies getting into sorts of strife when coming up against a powerhouse English pack. the game should have been dead and buried the amount of times they screwed up or were at fault but got away with it and guess who was the ref that day ? yep, one Mr Jonathan Kaplan !

i think the most important factors are having two packs that can and understand how to scrum down and a referee who can control this particular area from the outset and knows what to look out for.

if you are ask me the Aussies never have and never will know how to scrummage. that's why they moan about it so much and are always calling for the laws to be changed.

too much of a league influence down under if you ask me.

Edited May 1, 2011 by tigerfish

[StreetCowboy]

Referees !

opinions please.

been watching a fair bit of good super 14, Aviva, Heineken cup and Magners league action lately.

the only one gripe i have though is that with some of the games that could have been have been even better spectacles to watch have been spoilt by some of the referees in charge. cant quite put my finger on what it is whether its how they interpret the letter of the law in the games or if its the fact that they just seem to like the sound of their own voices. but, it affects the way the games are played in the end they become more stop start affairs rather free flowing games that are easy on the eye to watch.

prime suspects in my opinion and have been for a long time are Jonathan Kaplan and Nigel Owens !

But on the other hand there are some that let things away in ruck to the point that it spoils the game.

What do you think about forming the scrum front rows first - (I know, it would be a lot quicker if they joined last and had more time to get there...); Could anyone make an estimate of how often, on average, each scrum needs reset, and what proportion actually result in the ball coming out, instead of a penalty or free kick?

SC

that's a good point SC and there are some nations that still regard the art of scrummaging as being a very unimportant part of the game. i seem to remember the in the 2003 WC final the Aussies getting into sorts of strife when coming up against a powerhouse English pack. the game should have been dead and buried the amount of times they screwed up or were at fault but got away with it and guess who was the ref that day ? yep, one Mr Jonathan Kaplan !

i think the most important factors are having two packs that can and understand how to scrum down and a referee who can control this particular area from the outset and knows what to look out for.

if you are ask me the Aussies never have and never will know how to scrummage. that's why they moan about it so much and are always calling for the laws to be changed.

too much of a league influence down under if you ask me.

I enjoy watching a good scrum, and when the ball comes out quickly, or make a few good yards, great. Maybe the scrum half should get the free kick when the forwards are still required to be bound, since one of the benefits of a good scrum is that the backs have clean ball with more space to play in (that's the rugby league thinking, anyway), but I agree - rugby league scrums are - an abomination, to be fair. Form a huddle, and throw the ball through it....

Will you be going to the rugby next weekend?

SC

[tigerfish]

how the hell Manu Tuilagi didn't get a straight red for this is beyond me !

Leicester Tigers getting a bit of the Man U preferential treatment. all credit to Ashton for staying on his feet !

http://youtu.be/pLVlD0rMeZc

[Donnyboy]

I watched the televised Super Rugby game between Crusaders and Sharks at Twickenham on Sunday, straight after watching and Aviva Premiership game between Northampton and Wasps, and it reminded me how different the game is between the NH and SH. (Personally, I prefer the NH but that's just a matter of opinion).

Come the RWC, it could be quite interesting: looking at the groups, I can see a NZ vs England final (I know plenty of Aussies, Jaapies and French will disagree, but it's only an opinion). I can see NZ looking to play a SR type of game, with great running lines, quick hands and happy feet, but I can see England playing an all-round game and winning the mental battle, primarily by not trying to play NZ at their own game, but forcing them to play in the NH way.

If NZ can dominate the breakdown and use the pressure (from public and press) positively, I see them winning, but otherwise, I see another WC win for England.

Any thoughts?

who knows for sure, last season towards the end of the super 14, me and most of my mates, and some here were thinking that the boks would likely clean up the trinations due to the strength of their 2 super 14 teams (Bulls & Stormers) and the ABs and Wallabies would struggle,the opposite happened.

IMO, it all comes downs to timing and momentum. If the ABs played like they did at the begining of the trinations last year, they will be hard to beat, period. But, if they peak too soon, we know how it could easily end in tears, especially if key players Carter/McCaw are out with injury...... this could possibly be both their last RWC

saying all that thou, if the weather turns to custard as it can in NZ during sept/oct, it could be a game leveler, it will be a tight game affair in which England/NH teams are good at playing. Im hoping for a rain free, period during the RWC

..............Carter would probably take that contract, he would be silly not to.

Dan Carter signed to stay in NZ for another 4 years @ NZ$1.5 per year, not bad coz it means he still plays for the ABs!!

[Atmos]

how the hell Manu Tuilagi didn't get a straight red for this is beyond me !

Leicester Tigers getting a bit of the Man U preferential treatment. all credit to Ashton for staying on his feet !

http://youtu.be/pLVlD0rMeZc

Tuilagi got a 5 week ban.

read this article - suggestion he received a light penalty to remain available for RWC lead-up matches; who'd possibly believe that?

"With the Rugby World Cup approaching, and teams desperate to make sure their talent is available for selection, the recent Manu Tuilagi case has raised a few eyebrows in the rugby world, and has raised the question of equitable treatment for all players, regardless of player profile and national agenda."

[StreetCowboy]

Cracking Heineken Cup Final, by the way boys

SC

[Mossfinn]

Absolutely incredible!!

How a scrum can be turned on its head after a break is hard to contemplate.

I would like to say class tells in the end, but that was not borne out by Munster/quins.

[StreetCowboy]

Scotland manage to string together three wins to lift the bowl at the Twickenham Sevens, England lift the Shield, and Wales get through to the Cup Semi-Finals.

A good result for Scotland, and a great result for Wales. England lose their grip on NZ' shirt tails, and they can't be caught now in the race for the World Series at Murrayfield, the final event, next week.

I'm off to my bed now...

SC

Edited May 22, 2011 by StreetCowboy

[Atmos]

apart from the Super Rugby season which is nearing its end with one more week of tournament games before semis/playoffs, there is a lot of other rugby happening at present

Churchill Cup being played in England

Pool A: England Saxons, USA, Tonga; Pool B: Canada, Italy A, Russia

Played

Canada 26 - Italy 12; USA 8 - Saxons 87; USA 13 - Tonga 44; Canada 34 - Russia 18; Tonga 14 - Saxons 41; Russia 19 - Italy A24

Saturday June 18

Bowl final - Russia v USA

Plate final - Italy v Tonga

Final - Saxons v Canada

IRB Nations Cup

Six teams, matches played in Romania

South Africa Kings, Portugal, Romania, Namibia, Argentina Jaguars, Georgia

Played:

Romania 13 - 11 Namibia; Georgia 17-31 African Kings; Argentina Jaguars 21-25 Portugal

Schedule

15 June

Georgia - Argentina Jaguars; Romania - South African Kings; Portugal - Namibia

19 June

Portugal - South African Kings; Georgia - Namibia; Romania - Argentina Jaguars

IRB Junior World Championships

Three pools of 4 teams

A New Zealand, Wales, Argentina, Italy

B Australia, France, Fiji, Tonga

C South Africa, England,Ireland, Scotland

Results Friday 10 June

Argentina 8-34 Wales; Italy 7-64 New Zealand; Australia 54-7 Tonga; France 24-12 Fiji; England 33-25 Ireland; South Africa 33-0 Scotland

Results Tuesday 14 June

New Zealand 92 v Wales 0; Italy 3 v Argentina 27; Australia 50 v Fiji 25; France 27 v Tonga 14; England 39 v Scotland 18; Ireland 26 v South Africa 42

18 June

Italy v Wales; Argentina v New Zealand; Fiji v Tonga; Australia v France; England v South Africa; Ireland v Scotland

[Atmos]

Super Rugby

Play-offs (top qualifiers Reds and Stormers get the week off)

24 June:

Blues v Waratahs

25 June:

Crusaders v Sharks

Bye:

Reds , Stormers

Super Rugby Semi - 2nd July

Reds v ? Blues or Waratahs

Stormers v ? Crusaders or Sharks

Fiji number 8 Simione Sawene charges downfield during the Pool B

match against Australia at the Stadio Plebiscito in Padova

IRB Junior World Championships

18 JuneItaly 6 v Wales 56; Argentina 15 v New Zealand 48; Fiji 36 v Tonga 18; Australia 25 v France 31; England 26 v South Africa 20; Ireland 30 v Scotland 13

Semi-finals 22 June

England v France; New Zealand v Australia

Edited June 19, 2011 by Atmos

[Atmos]

Churchill Cup results

The England Saxons celebrate after beating Canada in Saturday's Churchill Cup rugby final.

WORCESTER, ENGLAND—The England Saxons won the Churchill Cup for a sixth time, running up 22 unanswered second-half points en route to defeating Canada 37-6 Saturday.

The game at Sixways Stadium was the last in the nine-year history of the rugby tournament, which is being discontinued. Gareth Rees, former Canadian captain and Rugby Canada CEO, was instrumental in the formation of the competition designed to boost North American rugby.

The England A team defeated Canada 38-18 in last year’s final after the Canadians upset France A to make the championship game for the first time.

The Saxons won for the fourth time in five years.

Earlier Saturday, Italy A finished third by defeating Tonga 27-18 while the U.S. Eagles downed Russia 32-25 to finish fifth.

[bangkok blue]

Any news on whether the world cup will be shown here? Last I heard it would be streamed by ESPN on their own website.

[StreetCowboy]

Any news on whether the world cup will be shown here? Last I heard it would be streamed by ESPN on their own website.

SC

[Atmos]

unlikely to happen, but:

Penalty shootout could decide Super Rugby

21/06/2011

A football-style penalty kick shootout may decide the winner of the Super Rugby competition.

The kicking competition will be used as a last resort if two periods of extra-time, including a sudden death 10-minute spell where the first team to score wins the match, fail to separate the sides contesting playoff matches, including the final.

In the unlikely event of the penalty shootout being required, Sanzar's rules see each team picking five players still on the field at the end of extra-time to take a penalty kick from one of three marks on the 22-metre line.

The first attempt would be directly in front of the posts, the second from 15 metres from the touchline of the left-hand side of the posts, the third from 15 metres from the touchline on the right-hand side of the posts, the fourth from in front again, and the fifth from 15 metres in from the touchline on the left-hand side of the posts.

If teams cannot be separated after the five kicks, the sequence is repeated on a sudden death basis until a winner is found.

Before the shootout, teams that are level after normal time will play two 10-minute periods of extra-time, with a two-minute halftime break. Coaches will not be allowed onto the field during the halftime or the five-minute interval after fulltime has expired and extra-time starts.

If teams remain locked a 10-minute sudden death, golden point spell will take place before the kicking showdown.

The chances of scores in the five finals matches being level at fulltime are slim if the results from 120 Super 15 matches played this season are anything to go by. Of those, only five, including the match between the Crusaders and the Hurricanes that was not played in the immediate aftermath of February's Christchurch earthquake, were drawn.

Edited June 21, 2011 by Atmos

[Atmos]

Front row fatties

Warren Gatland has sent a warning to British & Irish Lions prop Adam Jones to shape up or face not shipping out to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Jones has come under criticism from his boss over his fitness, with a graph showing how his tackle count falls in conjunction with his weight.

I saw a pic of England's Matt Stevens - he looks like another one who could do with laying off the pies and trying a diet.

Edited June 21, 2011 by Atmos

[Atmos]

There has been some predictable criticism on rugby websites such as Planet Rugby at Martin Johnston's squad of 45 including 7 overseas-born players

Waldrom and Botha were also joined in the squad by Leicester's Samoan-born centre Manu Tuilagi, as well as Matt Stevens, the South African-born prop who qualifies for England through his English father.

Several commentators have questioned whether a union with the resources of England - which with 166,672 registered senior players far exceeds their nearest rival, France with 110,270 - really needs to cast its net so wide.

While New Zealanders Dylan Hartley, Riki Flutey and Shontayne Hape have long been fixtures in the England set-up, Johnson raised a few eyebrows after naming Kiwi Thomas Waldrom and South African Mouritz Botha in his squad on Monday.

and even more predictable the claims that New Zealand has been pillaging the Pacific Islands for its players.

The All Blacks official website has a page

All Blacks Born Overseas

A brief summary of the countries, and numbers of players is

• American Samoa 2, Australia 20, England 7, Fiji 8, Hong Kong 1, India 3, Ireland 5, Malaysia 1, Samoa 13, Scotland 9, South Africa 2, Tonga 7.
• Of those 78, 51 played one test or more, the other 27 went on tour but never played a test.
• 30 in total of PI birth.

These stats are of course nothing new, but it has become such an urban myth/legend that the 'pillaging' story is trotted out every season by journalists aiming to score a point.

Edited June 22, 2011 by Atmos

[Atmos]

Trivia time!

Looking through that list of overseas-born players an interesting piece of history for me, was Barney O'Dowda, All Black #88, born in India 23 March 1874, played 2 matches but no tests for the ABs - big man too at 91kg he'd have been well above the average way back then; he played for my 'home' province in NZ of Taranaki, and my 'family' club Tukapa where we had family representation from 1888 through to 1984 when I was the 'last of the line' (senior trials, unsuccessful if you need to know)

"Through three generations someone from the O'Dowda clan played both for the province and as stalwart members of the powerful Tukapa club in New Plymouth. Barney's son, Clem, represented Taranaki in the 1930s and in the 1960s members of a third generation, Barry a fullback and Bobby a five eighths were also Taranaki provincial players."

[Atmos]

England to face NZ in JWC Final

22nd June 2011

Fiji stunned Wales and are now guaranteed their best ever JWC finish

England U20 booked their place in the IRB Junior World Championships Final on Wednesday with a 31-18 win over France in Treviso, Italy.

It was far from plain sailing for the English, who were forced to fight back after trailing 18-13 with less than half-an-hour to play.

The in second semi-final, the Baby Blacks had little trouble in dispatching their rivals from across the Tasman 37-7, notching up their nineteenth successive in the championships in the process.

Semi-final results: England 31-18 France; New Zealand 37-7 Australia

5th Place semi-finals: Wales 20-34 Fiji; South Africa 57-15 Ireland

9th Place semi-finals: Scotland 30-11 Tonga; Argentina 12-8 Italy

Edited June 23, 2011 by Atmos

[StreetCowboy]

England to face NZ in JWC Final

22nd June 2011

Fiji stunned Wales and are now guaranteed their best ever JWC finish

England U20 booked their place in the IRB Junior World Championships Final on Wednesday with a 31-18 win over France in Treviso, Italy.

It was far from plain sailing for the English, who were forced to fight back after trailing 18-13 with less than half-an-hour to play.

The in second semi-final, the Baby Blacks had little trouble in dispatching their rivals from across the Tasman 37-7, notching up their nineteenth successive in the championships in the process.

Semi-final results: England 31-18 France; New Zealand 37-7 Australia

5th Place semi-finals: Wales 20-34 Fiji; South Africa 57-15 Ireland

9th Place semi-finals: Scotland 30-11 Tonga; Argentina 12-8 Italy

Good luck to the English

SC

Where is the 'gritted teeth' font?

[Atmos]

Last matches to be played 26 June 2011

11th Place Play-Off Tonga-Italy

9th Place Play-Off Scotland-Argentina

7th Place Play-Off Wales-Ireland

5th Place Play-Off Fiji-South Africa

3rd Place Play-Off France-Australia

The IRB Junior World Championship 2011 final will have a familiar look to it after defending champions New Zealand set up a title decider with England, the side they have beaten to win two of their previous three titles amid a 19-match unbeaten run in the tournament.

Final England-New Zealand

Edited June 23, 2011 by Atmos

[Atmos]

hardly the drug-cheating crime of the century!

Japan fly-half falls foul of moustache

22nd June 2011

Japan fly-half Ryohei Yamanaka is set to miss the World Cup after testing positive for a steroid cream used to try to grow a moustache.

Head coach John Kirwan said he expects the International Rugby Board to hand the 22-year-old a two-year ban after he failed a doping test during the Asian Five Nations in Hong Kong last month.

"He's got a hair-growth cream to try and grow a 'mo' (moustache)," Kirwan told Reuters.

"Apparently he's done that and it had a steroid in it and he didn't know. Which is sad because he'll get banned for sure. It threw our plans a wee bit out because ideally for the World Cup you need to take three (fly-halves). He'll be lucky if gets six months. He'll probably get two years. I spoke to him at the time. I don't think he was aware of the severity of it. We spent 24 hours trying to find out what he had taken.

"It was a little tube of hair-growth cream. He just didn't think. Apparently he has failed the (B sample) too. From what I gather he's innocent but (the IRB) take a dim view. The difficult thing for me is that he's a young guy we were trying to bring through, hoping to take to the World Cup,"added the former All Black player and Italy coach.

"We were hoping he was going to kick on next year."

Edited June 24, 2011 by Atmos

[Atmos]

IRB Junior World Championship

26 June 2011

Final: England 22 - New Zealand 33

Full back Beauden Barrett makes sure of a fourth successive

IRB Junior World Championship title for New Zealand with

a late try against England at the Stadio Plebiscito in Padova.

New Zealand secured a fourth successive IRB Junior World Championship title after full back Beauden Barrett's late try made certain of a 33-22 victory in an enthralling final at the Stadio Plebiscito in Padova on Sunday. In a repeat of the 2008 and 2009 finals in Wales and Japan, New Zealand once again came out victorious, and extended their unbeaten run in the tournament to 20 matches in the process.

Other matches - playoffs

3rd France 17 - 30 Australia

5th Fiji 17 - 104 South Africa

7th Wales 38 - 24 Ireland

9th Scotland 14 - 15 Argentina

11th Tonga 22 - 34 Italy

[Atmos]

Super Rugby Semis - 2nd July

• Reds v Blues
• Stormers v Crusaders

Pays to check before the game as I've found their tv programming guides often change, or are simply wrong.

I'd pick the home teams for both matches

Edited June 30, 2011 by Atmos

[Atmos]

Super rugby semi final results

Davies hat-trick puts Reds into final

Three tries from wing Rod Davies saw the Reds romp to a 30-13 win over the Blues in an action-packed semi-final on Saturday.

For the Reds: Tries: Davies 3, Tapuai Cons: Cooper 2 Pens: Cooper Drop: Cooper

For the Blues: Try: Lowrey Con: Brett Pens: McAlister 2

The Crusaders will face the Reds in Brisbane for Super Rugby glory next week after they overcame the Stormers 29-10 at Newlands on Saturday.

It was the time since 1999 that a Super Rugby semi-final had been won by an away side, the year the Crusaders and Highlanders managed the feat.

For Stormers: Tries: Habana Con: Grant Pen: Grant

For Crusaders: Tries: Maitland, Freuan Con: Carter 2 Pen: Carter 5

FINAL: Saturday 9 July: Reds v Crusaders

Edited July 2, 2011 by Atmos

[Atmos]

Super Rugby final set to break record as tickets sell out

July 6, 2011 - 1:06PM

Queensland rugby fans have been left frustrated after apparent ticketing glitches saw many miss out on this weekend's sold-out Super Rugby final in Brisbane.

Saturday night's Super Rugby final is set to break Australia's 104-year-old provincial attendance record after all general sale seats were snapped up within 45 minutes this morning.

Queensland rugby supporters hoping to cheer on their side in the home final rushed to snap up tickets today, but many were disappointed to miss out amid the frenzy.

Read more: http://www.brisbanet...l#ixzz1RKvHS7ml

Edited July 6, 2011 by Atmos

[StreetCowboy]

Super Rugby final set to break record as tickets sell out

July 6, 2011 - 1:06PM

Queensland rugby fans have been left frustrated after apparent ticketing glitches saw many miss out on this weekend's sold-out Super Rugby final in Brisbane.

Saturday night's Super Rugby final is set to break Australia's 104-year-old provincial attendance record after all general sale seats were snapped up within 45 minutes this morning.

Queensland rugby supporters hoping to cheer on their side in the home final rushed to snap up tickets today, but many were disappointed to miss out amid the frenzy.

Read more: http://www.brisbanet...l#ixzz1RKvHS7ml

THe crowd at the State of Origin final game this evening was quoted as a record-equalling 52,498. It will be tremendous if QR also bring home the SuperXV crown. Particularly for Queenslanders...

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/darren-lockyer-feels-joy-of-six-origin-series-in-a-row/story-e6frg7mf-1226089340429

SC

[Atmos]

I have two family members heading to NZ in September, they have tickets for seven matches and will likely see more. Huge expense, I'll settle for tv coverage.

'Sold out' signs go up as Cup sales soar

By Michael Dickison

5:30 AM Thursday Jul 7, 2011

Only a third of Rugby World Cup tickets are left as sales hit the one million mark - and three matches have sold out.

Tournament organisers yesterday revealed the latest sales figures, which add up to 63 per cent of tickets available and 74 per cent of the targeted number.

Sales surged this week as the remaining seats were put on the market in the final ticketing phase.

About 100,000 tickets - or 6 per cent of the total - sold in the past three days.

All Black matches have been big sellers, but games between some of the visiting teams have also sold well.

Ireland versus Italy in Dunedin and South Africa versus Samoa in Albany have seats available in only one category, and the France-Canada game in Napier has sold out.

The final and New Zealand's game against France are also booked out.

"This has been a tremendous start to our final ticketing campaign, and we are thrilled with the way fans in New Zealand and around the world have responded," said Martin Snedden, chief executive of tournament organisers Rugby New Zealand 2011.

In the past six weeks, fans have bought 211,000 tickets worth $51 million.

[StreetCowboy]

I have two family members heading to NZ in September, they have tickets for seven matches and will likely see more. Huge expense, I'll settle for tv coverage.

'Sold out' signs go up as Cup sales soar

By Michael Dickison

5:30 AM Thursday Jul 7, 2011

Only a third of Rugby World Cup tickets are left as sales hit the one million mark - and three matches have sold out.

Tournament organisers yesterday revealed the latest sales figures, which add up to 63 per cent of tickets available and 74 per cent of the targeted number.

Sales surged this week as the remaining seats were put on the market in the final ticketing phase.

About 100,000 tickets - or 6 per cent of the total - sold in the past three days.

All Black matches have been big sellers, but games between some of the visiting teams have also sold well.

Ireland versus Italy in Dunedin and South Africa versus Samoa in Albany have seats available in only one category, and the France-Canada game in Napier has sold out.

The final and New Zealand's game against France are also booked out.

"This has been a tremendous start to our final ticketing campaign, and we are thrilled with the way fans in New Zealand and around the world have responded," said Martin Snedden, chief executive of tournament organisers Rugby New Zealand 2011.

In the past six weeks, fans have bought 211,000 tickets worth $51 million.

I watched the last New Zealand France game in a pub in Paris, and it was the best atmosphere of any game I've watched anywhere. It was like the streets of Raith afterwards, there was so much dancing.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

In a thrilling 18-13 victory, Queensland Reds register the second home win of the week in front of more than 50,000 fans at the Suncorp Stadium, to lift the Super XVs trophy

SC