Rolling Rugby Thread

luka

Well-known member
no one fancied nz but they could do it. do feel a bit bad for france and ireland. specially france.
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
I worship at the temple of rugby union too

France pack/tight 5 specifically wasn’t quite up to it vs the Boks but their backs were better. As an ex blindside the Bok scrum penalty on their own 22 when they could’ve easily kicked to touch/lineout/recycle was one the most epic psychological ploys seen in the sport. Can’t recall a move so ballsy and France couldn’t quite recover from, transfixing rugby

All the drama round DuPont and then heartbreak, they’re back to their best when JP Rives, S Blanco, Berbizier you know the cunt were buzzing round, playing off 9 rather than fly half and when they click they can beat anyone now

England Boks was one try ultra attrition, check Curry’s schnoz but all the Bok subs changed their team’s progress Erasmus going nuts

Farrell, Edwards, Kevin Sinfield, massive coaches from league have improved union, it’s been gradual but their system analysis is apex predator and English rugby is missing a trick not getting them together
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
That France SA game was bananas. Made the Ireland NZ game look boring

mental as you said, made a lot of other games in history look boring too

France might been the complete package but they folded after that insane Bok scrum penalty, Ireland game was muddy grim tension by comparison

I don't think Australia are that far away but they lack brains and a forward pack.

Kerevi et al are some of the most skilful backs out there, need more than Skelton‘s huge frame but would question fitness, Australia did well when they brought in Ledesma
 

luka

Well-known member
you can work on fitness tho. thats why i dont think they're a million miles away. league is probably going to end up costing nz too cos the polynesians seem to be increasingly drawn to it.
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
Australia wanted the scrum axed a decade or so back, fortunately a cultural shift began which Ledesma overhauled


true you can build fitness but Oz need a few dogs in their pack, players who can overpower monsters like Etzebeth and outthink savants like du Toit
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen


left out of what Craner would like thread, pre-work chill algorithm showed up for once

nearly everyone is dead now but Alex Wylie,, Meades, Kirkpatrick, Sid Going, Willie John, Merv the Swerve, Edwards, Barry John (was he really as good as the rep?), Gibson and JPR? Timeless matchups even after so many years

Carwyn James, what a brain for the obvious with game patterns and strategising an unreal talent pool. All the interviews are crackling with wisdom, positional insights and weighing up opposition strengths/weaknesses

back to the grind
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
I've been watching netflix's Six Nations documentary and its achieved the same miracle as that 'drive to survive' did by making me actually interested in watching it now
 

WashYourHands

Cat Malogen
What did you get out of it @Corpsey ?

It‘s primarily a thinking game, for all the emphasis on (in a deep South African accent) ‘physicality’. As much as I love Celtic FC, look how refs are treated in football. Disgraceful. Poor role models for kids too, grown men rolling round of the floor (looking at you Rivaldo), never accepting a decision and/or crowding refs over every/all infringements. Difficult comparing such high levels of cheating involved outside of sports linked to high levels of confirmed doping

You can’t be as selfish in rugby either, you have to be selfless and constantly scanning for mismatches and micro-gaps to put team mates through. The days of rucking players on the floor, your own men too if your name is Colin Meads, are long gone too (see JPR against the All Blacks). Hence, when multi phase-play clicks and the greyhounds are finally set loose, all the ugly ball winning thuggery delivers like no other game on Earth
 

Corpsey

bandz ahoy
I'm half-invested here. Glancing up and yelling "go on" whenever England look like getting a try and glancing up and groaning "ahh shit" whenever Ireland look like getting one.

For me, this is a high level of engagement.
 
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