The World of Rugby Thread

[Queenslander]

Of course the NRL would fuck up a game that doesnt involve NSW and QLD.

[Lewis]

I suspect "stupid and lazy shit" won't have been coached out of the team in one off-season, so expect it to return soon.

Having said that, I do rate Kearney as a coach. He was always a sensible player, and now seems to be bringing sensibility to coaching.

I figured he wouldn't last the season, but that is more a reflection of the Warriors traditionally being a black hole for talent than it is on his coaching, and the way New Zealand have fallen off a cliff since he left (despite having the players not to have done) suggests he was actually alright there rather than just riding the wave.

[Lewis]

I take it Israel Folau is just using the Gold Coast to scam some extra money out of union (and Japan). Give it up, lads.

[Queenslander]

We could sign ten more cut price Fijians using Folau's money.

[Lewis]

The fact that it's the World Cup next year made me think he's having them on, but he'll be thirty by the end of it, so would the ARU actually want to commit to him for much longer? The same goes for league as well I suppose. They don't need to get one over union by pinching their big names (as might have been the case even a few years ago), so they would be better off banking it to keep Ash Taylor forever.

[Queenslander]

He is worth a few sponsorship $s as is the way down here

Id move him to wing and let a ball player/defensive kicker take controll at 15.

[Lewis]

Can union still drum up better third party scam packages for its big names than league?

[Queenslander]

Yeah especially in Sydney because there isnt a cap on Wallaby top ups and boot money.

I would love to get Ponga back.

[Lewis]

He looks the business him. He's declared for Queensland and Australia as well the tosser.

[Queenslander]

He is massively fair game though! Schooling in Brisbane = first option.

[Lewis]

Go watch us get mashed by Hull, Saints vs Wigan, and then go and queue for two weeks for some fish and chips. What a day.

We didn't get mashed (but they had twelve men for most of it so arguably more embarrassing), and I've got some frozen fish so the chippy can go fuck itself. I am ahead as it stands, so watch this match be toilet.

[Baz]

Far from it. :joy:

[Lewis]

Yeah it was pretty good. Saints should let Rovers have Matty Smith.

[Lewis]

I suspect "stupid and lazy shit" won't have been coached out of the team in one off-season, so expect it to return soon.

Don't panic! Don't panic!

[Lewis]

980846831851790336

lol at that.

[Baz]

Putting this out there: Ben Barba may be the best player I've seen in Super League.

[Lewis]

Calm down. James Roby has been putting in weekly nine out of tens for a decade.

[Baz]

Haha true. It’s hard to hail him as a superstar though, because he literally used to live over the road.

Although I guess Barba’s ban almost nullifies him too.

[Lewis]

If he plays like he is for two years (like when Jamie Lyon was here beating teams on his own) he will be up there, but I think they will do well to keep him after this year.

[Queenslander]

Is he running riot around the ruck/play the ball through the forwards?

[Lewis]

Everywhere really. Super League prides itself on having a more 'open' game than the NRL, but that just means only half of the teams can defend properly, so decent imports can't believe the space most teams give them (James Segeyaro was outstanding during his few months at Leeds for similar reasons). That said, he has let a few soft tries past where he should be defending himself. I think it was the Leeds game he tried to stop somebody like he was going through their pockets and cost them the game.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I watched a super league game yesterday and whichever team wasn't St Helens was properly wasting its own time and that of the fans it presumably has.

[Lewis]

That sounds about right. Widnes are a pointless team with a plastic pitch, and when they inevitably go back to franchising to crowbar Toronto into the picture they will be the prime candidate for the boot. When Sky launched Super League they wanted to merge them with Warrington and call them 'Cheshire', which - shit name aside - would have actually been a really good idea; but they also proposed a load of stupid mergers like combining the Hull teams (both would rather not exist) and unfortunately the plan as a whole got lolled out of town.

[Baz]

Plus Widnes is a power plant shithole with more mutants than a comic franchise.

[Lewis]

That too. Kicking the nonce Castleford mascot's head down the sideline is the best thing they've done in my lifetime.

[Baz]

The state of that forward pass. :nono:

[Lewis]

You'll do well to see a more forward pass, so it was probably worth allowing (fuck Albert Kelly like).

[Giggles]

https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2018/0414/954460-stuart-olding-paddy-jackson/

I don't follow the sport but this is a fucking disgrace when they were not guilty on all charges.

If things were set up right they should be able to take the irfu and her to court and clean them out.

[Lewis]

They no doubt just want an easy life, but they must be on safe enough grounds to bin them as cunts in breach of some code of conduct they will have agreed to at some point. The main point from all of this is that Paddy Jackson not once being referred to in the news as Fuce off of TTH's cousin shows what a missed opportunity that mainsite was.

[Lewis]

St. George are the April Premiers. Top four is ON (let's ignore everything else I said). :cool:

[Baz]

The state of that third Saints try. :lol:

I genuinely don't think Salford have anyone capable of grounding Barba. What a man. :cool:

[Lewis]

Salford are a mess of a club. A bit of a disgrace to the league in fact.

[Lewis]

I wonder what the record for most length of the field tries is.

[Queenslander]

Peter Beattie being the next boss of the NRL is going to be hilarious! He is the binman's binman. Watch the jobs for the boys fill out all the pointless corporate roles.

[Lewis]

His interview with Phil Gould was lol enough, but collaring some passer by in a Barcelona shirt and going on about the Newcastle Knights sealed his laughing stock status. We're used to a succession of plebs running the game, to the point where it's a mark of your overall competence to avoid the nationwide roles, but you would think Australia could find someone half decent.

[Queenslander]

Rugby League is its own worst enemy yet again.

Sneaky Pete managed to oversee the most shambolic Comm games closing ceremony ever while stuffing his pockets and his Labour mates pockets full of greasy cash.

[Lewis]

It seems to be approaching (if not already at) the point there where as long as you don't actively go out of your way to fuck things up it will all motor along nicely (where as here merely not fucking up is a waste of a term). Is getting a 'heavyweight' political candidate something to do with these bullshit stadium plans that make no sense to anybody except idiots?

[Queenslander]

Beattie is definitely a good man to have on side when dealing with the construction Unions(CFMEU). So it probably does make a bit more sense with those two fucking Stadiums in the works. Pete will be their man to keep a leash on the dodgy fucks at the top running the negotiations.

[Lewis]

Did you see any of the South Sydney game this week? No chance is that Payne Haas eighteen. Fucking freak.

[Queenslander]

If you spent a season watching junior league in Brisbane and Western Sydney you be stunned at how many monsters there are. Most dont have the drive, brains or too injury prone to ever make it though.

[Lewis]

Moses Suli seems to have set a pretty high bar for islander laziness, so let's see who can challenge that in the coming years.

[Queenslander]

A Brisbane club fly half for the Reds ,Hamish Stewart, moves like a 2009 Berrick Barnes before he got enough CTE for a whole team.

Tackles hard and kicks goals... Unlike Quade

[Queenslander]

Moses Suli seems to have set a pretty high bar for islander laziness, so let's see who can challenge that in the coming years.

From my thousands of hours autistically watch Brisbane Club rugby i found 1 whole team of auckland boys playing lower grade this arvo and they stuck to stereo type.

[Lewis]

Hopefully they reduce the interchanges again in the coming years to cut this shit off at the knees.

[Queenslander]

6 interchanges plus 2 emergency replacements outside the 4 on the bench.

Bring back the glory days!

[Lewis]

What was it in the nineties, six and exceptions for blood? I remember Super League making a big deal out of refusing to have unlimited interchanges, so presumably the NRL had that at some point as well. Six would work, and if you get injured then tough shit cobber because I can already see Melbourne players putting on limps.

[Queenslander]

4 on the bench with the added benifit of once you are off you are off. Blood bin would be free interchange.

[Queenslander]

What was it in the nineties, six and exceptions for blood? I remember Super League making a big deal out of refusing to have unlimited interchanges, so presumably the NRL had that at some point as well. Six would work, and if you get injured then tough shit cobber because I can already see Melbourne players putting on limps.

I more meant injury from illegal play would allow emergency subs.

Unlimited interchange ruined the sport imo.

[Lewis]

Yeah that would work. They could trial it in State of Origin or something.

[Queenslander]

Origin would be perfect place to start. Bring back contested play the ball while we are improving the game.

[Queenslander]

Also Lewis you should check out Izzy Folau's instagram account. He is doubling down on the mormon anti gay stuff.

[Lewis]

It will be interesting to see how they justify sanctioning the next idiot who says something daft without religious weirdness as a defence.

[Queenslander]

He will stay. Our Kiwi sheala running the show is not a social media f****t.

[Lewis]

Zak Hardaker banned for fourteen months, which means he will be back next season because they back-dated his ban to when he failed the test. This means that he was technically banned for the last three rounds of the 2017 season, as well as the play-off semi-final which he scored in (gutted Baz). Rangi Chase got two years the poor cunt, but then he never had a Wigan contract sat waiting to be signed.

[Baz]

It’s a joke.

[Lewis]

It is a bit, but then Ben Barba effectively missed about six months of rugby after his positive test, so...

[Baz]

And it turned him super human.

Sign him up, Holbrook.

[Lewis]

The assumption is that he will go to Wigan and Sam Tomkins will go to Catalans for loadsamoney, but the fact Castleford haven't sued him for some of his transfer fee back strikes me as odd, so I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up re-signing there.

[Queenslander]

So the worlds biggest tantrum or better known as the World Series of friendly Union matches in WA, has a power try of 9 points in the ways to score points.

[ItalAussie]

So the worlds biggest tantrum or better known as the World Series of friendly Union matches in WA, has a power try of 9 points in the ways to score points.

What's a power try?

[Queenslander]

What's a power try?

Play starts in the teams own 22.

QLD Captain and QLD coach and the most dillusional group of fans in Australia.

Go Force!

[ItalAussie]

Play starts in the teams own 22.

I suppose the rationale is to get teams running from the 22, rather than kicking? Doubt it'll work. The payoff is too unlikely.

[Queenslander]

Just a gimmick to get uneducated WA fans talking and to throw more hatred towards the east coast.

[Lewis]

If New South Wales lose State of Origin now they should just stop doing it. Why couldn't he have gone last year? We might have had a World Cup window before the next lot come along and kill us every time.

[ItalAussie]

False sense of security. Just saying.

I remember when Smith was first selected. It was 2003, and NSW had won the first two matches easily. Game 2 was possibly Andrew Johns' best ever performance. Series lost, Queensland changed a bunch of players and called up some no-name I'd never heard of before. Who then proceeded to torment NSW for the next 15 years. Bastard.

[Lewis]

Andrew Johns is the best I've ever seen, but, select cameos aside, injuries nobbled him in his prime. Cameron Smith has been one of the top three (mostly top one) players for three hundred games. He's the greatest ever, and has to be up there with the greatest Australian sportsmen in general.

[ItalAussie]

It's a reasonable question to ask which of the QLD team really drove their dominance, and which ones were good players with great support.

If you pushed me to narrow it down, I'd say that, as great as Inglis, Slater, Cronk, etc., were/are, that it was Thurston and Smith who really made the whole thing happen.

[Lewis]

I would agree with that. Those two are future Immortals (or whatever they end up replacing that with). For all of their achievements, the others aren't. Billy Slater would have the best case, but he would still be way back in the queue.

[Queenslander]

Rugby League is now being played in both GPS and AIC schools after the prestigious Rugby Competitions. Both are responsible for most of Queenslands contribution to the Wallabies.

RIP Union.

[ItalAussie]

League at the GPS schools? That's madness.

I actually thought the equivalents in Sydney were swinging around to AFL?

[Lewis]

Are they the private schools? Why have they switched?

[Queenslander]

Union is still the main code League is in Spring.

The parents are the ones who pushed for League's addition

[Queenslander]

League at the GPS schools? That's madness.

I actually thought the equivalents in Sydney were swinging around to AFL?

Apparantly some GPS schools will play in a non GPS comp in the future.

[Baz]

Tell me about Naiqama?

[Lewis]

I've always liked him when I've seen him, but you're still worse off if they consider him a Ben Barba replacement.

[Lewis]

999754275021623296

:cool:

[Disco]

Early score, stuff it up the jumper for an hour, job done.

[Disco]

Maybe not then, this is turning into a bit of a bumming, our defence is far too narrow.

[Queenslander]

Ireland will boof us all over the park.

3-0 Ireland

Cheicka is literally interlectually retarded... Phipps, Hannigan wouldnt make a Irish provensial team. Grrrr

[Lewis]

Are the Great Australian Public as bored with State of Origin as they ought to be? I will watch the games, but they've been building it up since round three. Plus half the competition is basically worthless until it finishes.

I also think Queensland might win now the squads are out. There are a few ropey defenders in the opposition ranks.

[ItalAussie]

It's hard to tell. Certainly it doesn't seem to get a lot of traction in my experience in NSW, but that is mostly restricted to the worst kind of inner-city professional (like me, for example). It's probable they care about it more out in the 'burbs.

QLD were still super into it when I left, but that was in the middle of the most dominant QLD team in history, so perhaps not representative?

[Queenslander]

It is still huge up here.

[Queenslander]

So the Kiwis are asking for $50 000 for the release of Australian Pete Samu.

[Lewis]

I always read about Queenslanders caring about it more, but I mean fans generally. I think it's unhealthy how big and distorting it is.

[Queenslander]

We all carry a massive chip on shoulders in regards to most sporting rivalries with them. It can get feral along Caxton St for a small group of Blues fans.

Origin should be moved to the end of the year imo. It isnt healthy for the comp to be interrupted a 1/3 of the season.

Part 2 of me fixing league would be to properly isolate the rep season from the NRL season.

[Queenslander]

Daniel Vidot has signed with the WWE.

[Lewis]

I turned this off after twenty minutes. What?

[Queenslander]

Just a reminder to you blokes that Eddie Jones royally fucked up the Reds in 1 season here. Scared away 3/4's of the squad while also letting Pocock, James O'Connor, Digby Ioane and other school boys go unsigned.

Not a good guy to have in charge when results arent good.

[Ian]

You'd think by having a kicker as captain he might appreciate the benefit of taking the points every so often.

[niko_cee]

It's a pointless series.

Not that much Union isn't.

I watched a bit of the France game earlier until the rules intervened and they may as well have called the thing off.

[Lewis]

http://i64.tinypic.com/szimma.jpg

T-R-Y time.

[Queenslander]

PNG winning is so much better anything happeningin Origin this year.

[Lewis]

How much do you think it would take to turn Fiji definitely away from union?

[Queenslander]

PNG winning is so much better anything happening in Origin this year.

[Lewis]

19320 at this Denver test is pretty good. I know they get everywhere, but it can't all be local Polynesians.

[Queenslander]

That is a huge crowd.

[hfswjyr]

This weekend has been some of the worst refereeing I've ever seen. Feel sorry for the Aus and French.

[ItalAussie]

Ireland-Oz series was a surprisingly enjoyable interval between World Cup matches.

[Queenslander]

Ireland are easily better than us at the moment.

[Lewis]

I thought GAME TWO was tomorrow. Jesus. Nice to see New South Wales wrapped it up though, even if it is the most hollow victory imaginable.

[Queenslander]

I completely forgot it was on untill fulltime. The Pacific Island Tests over the weekend were fair more interesting.

[Lewis]

How have Warrington managed to sign Blake Austin? He's an actual top player in his prime who hasn't been sacked in disgrace. The Raiders offered him good money, so he must easily be coming in as the highest paid player in Super League, which is probably fair since nobody will be able to touch him. Tui Lolohea is apparently set for Leeds as well. People are talking this up as the league being more attractive than in previous years, but it's surely just the the level of competition in NRL being utterly ruthless at squeezing even really good players out after six shit months. Whatever. Todd Carney back at Rovers as well. :cool:

[Baz]

Ben Barba went to visit the school Mike works at yesterday. Is it just me that finds that a little strange?

Also it feels weird going into tomorrow’s game (against Wigan) actually knowing for a fact that Saints’ll win. :joy:

[Queenslander]

Pretty common down here although I personally wouldnt let Barba near children.

[Lewis]

lol apparently the clubs who will end up in the qualifiers have only just realised that, if they have to go over to Toronto, some of their more colourful characters might not qualify for visas. Rovers appear to be counting on Todd Carney guiding them to safety, so hopefully that one is a home game.

[Lewis]

Baz mate.

[Baz]

League leaders shield innit. :uhoh:

[Lewis]

Catalans vs Warrington. There will be about ten people there.

[Lewis]

'Mon the French. Warrington ought to clean up next year, so they can let this one go.

[Lewis]

Fucking yes. :cool:

[Lewis]

Imagine getting out-composured by Tony Gigot and the Catalans. Give up.

[Baz]

My mates pic on BBC is pretty funny:

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/624/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2018/8/25/aef68521-ee9f-4b84-a52a-bdf2e9388887.jpg

[Lewis]

I think Ben Barba is already back in Australia. Danny Richardson (the player Jordan 'Foe' Lilley thinks he is) for Man of Steel.

[Baz]

I hate Richardson so much.

[Lewis]

Is there some weird local knowledge reason behind that?

[Baz]

Not at all. I imagine most of St. Helens love him, and he is a pretty good kicker. I just think he’s a ponce. He’s always fixing his [bad] hairdo, seems to give the ball away more than anyone else, and generally annoys me. He does have moments of brilliance but I can’t be doing with him most of the time.

[ItalAussie]

Thurston had a fantastic last match, and set up a bunch of tries in their come-from-behind win. I wonder if they'd orchestrate something like that in a meaningless 12th v 13th match. He's one of the players I'll really miss.

[Lewis]

It's pretty lol that his team have been shit all season, and he clearly played a year too many (I suspect had he not missed the season with injury he would have retired with the World Cup), but he still leads the league in try and line break assists. The eulogies and presentations at every ground have been a bit much though, future Immortal or not. I don't recall Darren Lockyer getting them.

[Lewis]

It's looking like a Toronto vs Toulouse MILLION POUND GAME and Widnes going down. :drool:

[ItalAussie]

It's pretty lol that his team have been shit all season, and he clearly played a year too many (I suspect had he not missed the season with injury he would have retired with the World Cup), but he still leads the league in try and line break assists. The eulogies and presentations at every ground have been a bit much though, future Immortal or not. I don't recall Darren Lockyer getting them.

To be fair, as great as Lockyer was, Thurston is a class better. And I did watch plenty of both. Truthfully, I think Lockyer was better at fullback than in the halves.

He's done fine enough this season. He certainly hasn't been bad. Better to go out not-terrible-but-only-decent than wonder if you left anything on the field. Nobody's going to be saying "he should have played on", but nobody would begrudge him a season of above-averageness either.

[Lewis]

Yeah, the positional switch would probably see him below him. That said, I've always thought Thurston was much less effective as a six for the representative sides (not that it has really mattered). In my watching lifetime I would go:

Andrew Johns
Cameron Smith
Johnathan Thurston
Darren Lockyer
Brad Fittler

And then I think there is a bit of a drop before Billy Slater and whoever (some poor under-appreciated forwards hopefully) come into it.

[Lewis]

Let's have a look back at my pre-season predictions (with actual results):




1. Roosters (yes mate)
2. Melbourne (yes mate)
3. Parramatta (came fucking last)
4. St. George (seventh, but this was looking inspired until about two months ago)
5. North Queensland (thirteenth)
6. Cronulla (fourth)
7. Brisbane (sixth)
8. Penrith (fifth)

I'm set on the top three, but fourth to eighth is pretty interchangeable. I want to have the Warriors bottom, but when they sack Stephen Kearney the obvious choice would be to get Michael Maguire in to kick a few wasters about, and that might get them above whoever else is rubbish. That could be South Sydney actually.

Not bad then. That bottom two selection is a bigger lol than Parramatta. Souths will probably win it from here, and the Warriors have had their best season in ages (and 'RTS' should win the Dally M).

[ItalAussie]

What was the motivation for going all in on Parramatta, out of curiosity?

[ItalAussie]

Yeah, the positional switch would probably see him below him. That said, I've always thought Thurston was much less effective as a six for the representative sides (not that it has really mattered). In my watching lifetime I would go:

Andrew Johns
Cameron Smith
Johnathan Thurston
Darren Lockyer
Brad Fittler

And then I think there is a bit of a drop before Billy Slater and whoever (some poor under-appreciated forwards hopefully) come into it.

I'd switch Thurston and Smith. I'd even just be tempted to slide him up ahead of Johns. But basically yes.

[Lewis]

They were the form team at the end of last season, so I just figured that would carry on and that Mitchell Moses would play State of Origin. I think I probably took Semi Radradra's work in his own half for granted. You can replace the tries easily enough, but he was doing two forwards' work returning the ball.

[Baz]

Morgan fucking Knowles. :jayjay:

[Lewis]

St. George. :cool:

I saw Andrew Johns the other day saying it should be a twelve team competition because there isn't the quality to go round. What?

[Queenslander]

Probably a bit of CTE catching up with him.

[Ian]

This All Blacks / South Africa match is cracking.

[Disco]

Why the hell didn't they go for a drop goal?

[hfswjyr]

Arrogance/belief that we could still win it with a try.

Didn't actually see how DMac lost it at the end, thought they were through on the outside.

[Disco]

Just win the game you big fannies. Now I have to listen to the Saffer at work drone on about this for most of next week.

[Queenslander]

Fuck me.

We are going to get belted in South Africa.

[Lewis]

It's hard to know whether the Roosters defence was excellent there or the Souths attack was shit. Probably the latter. Try that inside ball again lads it might work this time. If not, have Damien Cook scoot out of dummy-half some more.

The final would have been bad enough anyway since one of them has to win, but Cooper Cronk looks dead and Jake Friend will more than likely miss it for tipping whoever it was on his head, so that is them completely rudderless. On the other side, whilst he deserves to miss out if only as belated justice for a career of unpunished low-level shithousery, I would be amazed if Billy 'Billy' Slater gets suspended for his shoulder charge. We can't spoil the NARRATIVE.

[Lewis]

I went to the gym expecting a Melbourne blowout, so that was a nice surprise. lol at Sir Cameron Smith crying about Billy Slater being booed as well. Grow up lad.

[Lewis]

It's looking like a Toronto vs Toulouse MILLION POUND GAME and Widnes going down. :drool:

Correction: Toronto vs London. lol at Widnes and their shit plastic pitch.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Which of those two non existent growth markets will they fix it for? Presumably Toronto if I know sports admins.

[Lewis]

In theory Toronto are much better for the game. Whether or not any grassroots league takes off over there we won't know for years (and even then it's not like Melbourne produce any players), but in the meantime they get good crowds and finance themselves, so you would think that the stiffs would want them in Super League. On the other hand, a Canadian team isn't going to shift any Sky dishes, so that could cost the English clubs during the next broadcast negotiations ('negotiations' as in Sky dictating terms).

Toronto will win though so it shouldn't be an issue.

[Baz]

Meanwhile, Saints nilled Cas, lol.

Barba hat-trick in the final? :drool:

[Lewis]

James Roby should win Man of Steel over him. England's greatest active sportsman.

[Baz]

You know a games tight when there’s a first half dropgoal. :cab: 3-2 at half time; quality.

[Lewis]

I fear that the NARRATIVE favours Wigan at the moment.

[Mike]

I’m watching so Saints are going to get beat. Soz Baz

[Lewis]

To say he has literally everything else in his game, Ben Barba is such a shit defender.

[Lewis]

I don't think I've ever seen one go over off the bar.

[Baz]

:(

[Lewis]

Barba's tackle attempt there. Christ.

[Baz]

Are Kevin Naiqama and Joseph Paulo as good as Ben Barba?

[Lewis]

No, but Lachlan Coote is a good signing.

[Lewis]

That was a great game. Hopefully whoever wins tomorrow wins the Grand Final.

[Baz]

C’mon Cas.

[niko_cee]

Why did the video ref take about half-an-hour to decide the most obvious offside in history there?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Do they have any Canadians at all or is just just a franchise team by proxy?

[Lewis]

One (Quinn Ngawati), which is more locals than the Melbourne Storm have got.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Or the London Broncos, I imagine.

Give me a rugby league 101. Is the 7 for each side the mercurial playmaker figure (like the 10 in union)? They always seem to be half the size of the others. Otherwise it all looks a lot more Total Football than union to my untrained eye, albeit the wings are about the same.

[Lewis]

The stadium announcer starting that chant has just set the expansionists back forty years.

[Lewis]

Other than the fact that the scrum-half still feeds the scrum (for all that is worth), the halves in league are basically the reverse of union. The league seven is the union ten, doing most of the kicking and the guiding the team around, and the stand-off (six) generally does likewise but kicks less and runs more, like the union scrum-half.

[Lewis]

This is a honking match. If Toronto win they should sack Paul Rowley anyway because he is a shit coach and a wanker.

[Lewis]

lol absolutely BOTTLED that. London's fifteen fans on the piss as we speak.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The way they were talking, wouldn't all of those players been fucked off for gleaming new ones anyway? So don't know why they would care.

[Lewis]

They probably will be regardless, so there might have been a promotion bonus in it for them. It will be interesting to see how they recruit when they get to Super League, because in theory they ought to have a massive advantage over pretty much everyone in terms of location and third party scams.

[Lewis]

Zak Hardaker drives home twice over the limit to protect his golf clubs (lol), doesn't stop for the police, pulls into a cul-de-sac, runs off, and then denies the car in question is his when the police come round his house. Relative to his actual ability, which is world class when he's on it, he must be the stupidest cunt in sport.

[Lewis]

I fear that the NARRATIVE favours Wigan at the moment.

The NARRATIVE remains undefeated.

[niko_cee]

I only watched the second half, but it was mightily dull. It seems that's the trajectory in modern Rugby League (well, from the little I watch of it). Defence on top. Yawn.

[Lewis]

Wigan are the nearest thing we have to a boring NRL team, and Warrington are stodge personified (if Blake Austin doesn't win them the thing next year they should be forcibly folded), so it was never going to be a classic. That said, my internet was dead from half-time to the seventy-fifth minute, so I saw a pretty decent match.

[ItalAussie]

New Zealand v Australia was fun. It's hard to cheer against the Kiwis in the matchup, too.

Australia clearly haven't sorted out the new teamsheet with Cronk, Thurston, Slater, and Smith all out of the picture. It's a lot of shoes to fill.

[Lewis]

It does suddenly look like a team with holes in it. The English and New Zealand forwards have been as good (even periodically superior) for a few years now, but Cameron Smith could win the ruck for a wheelchair side, so that covered for them a lot, and then obviously your halves were always just miles better. Now you still have the advantage there, but not massively (not at all if Kieran Foran ever pulls his head out of his arse, but long-term when Kalyn Ponga inevitably becomes an amazing six), and it's hard to see who fills the nine shirt for years to come. The 2013 World Cup side would hammer the current crop.

[hfswjyr]

New Zealand v Australia was fun. It's hard to cheer against the Kiwis in the matchup, too.

Australia clearly haven't sorted out the new teamsheet with Cronk, Thurston, Slater, and Smith all out of the picture. It's a lot of shoes to fill.

That was a hell of a generation of players. Unbelievable talent that hasn't been replaced yet, but surely with how big league is it's only a matter of time.

[niko_cee]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/45896603

:D

What a twat.

[Disco]

Simmonds a shoe in for 8 as a result you'd think.

[Queenslander]

Sunday arvo down here.

[ItalAussie]

It does suddenly look like a team with holes in it. The English and New Zealand forwards have been as good (even periodically superior) for a few years now, but Cameron Smith could win the ruck for a wheelchair side, so that covered for them a lot, and then obviously your halves were always just miles better. Now you still have the advantage there, but not massively (not at all if Kieran Foran ever pulls his head out of his arse, but long-term when Kalyn Ponga inevitably becomes an amazing six), and it's hard to see who fills the nine shirt for years to come. The 2013 World Cup side would hammer the current crop.

I reckon Cleary and Keary is probably the long-term partnership.

[Lewis]

I thought Nathan Cleary was pretty poor in State of Origin (understandably), so on current trajectories Luke Brooks could have that spot off him before the next World Cup.

[Queenslander]

Surely DCE and Munster are the blokes to play in the halves going foward.

[Lewis]

'DCE' doesn't like STRUCTURE. But yeah Cameron Munster plus one is about right. I forgot him.

[Queenslander]

Micheal Morgan?

[Lewis]

Fourteenth man, in accordance with 'it worked with Queensland' rules.

[ItalAussie]

Fourteenth man, in accordance with 'it worked with Queensland' rules.

To be fair, that's been a solid rule.

[Lewis]

lol at the shitty crowd for this. It's almost like doing this test series every other year is getting dull.

[Lewis]

I always wonder whether it hurts for Denis Betts to speak.

[Manc]

Makes Sean Dyche sound like a choir boy.

Sloppy game this.

[Lewis]

I think that makes us lineal World Champions. John Bateman is going to be quality in the NRL.

[Lewis]

1058086272462336000

James Graham is the world's best Scouser.

[niko_cee]

:D

Someone should turn 0:43-0:50 into a gif.

[Lewis]

Single-handedly bullied [Sir] Cameron Smith out of representative football.

[Queenslander]

:lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

We are getting murdered here, even though it's only 3-0. I really can't see a northern hemisphere team ever challenging at the World Cup again.

[Lewis]

Weren't South Africa toilet two years ago? Have they found a load of township legends since?

[Lewis]

Nothing wrong with that. He had his arms out, but he just bounced off him.

[Lewis]

Celtic Twitter absolute fuming over it when they're not even involved. OBSESSED. Enjoy your crap cup named after an ill bloke.

[Disco]

First half was rubbish, if we do that next week we'll be twenty points behind. Also, Owen Farrell is an idiot. Shouldn't have mattered but apparently Jonny May is totally invisible (apart from the 80,000 of us screaming for the pass both times)

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Springbok hooker constantly throwing it over everyone's head when the maul looked deadly was reminiscent of some of what their cricket team has got up to in winning positions over the years.

[Disco]

We had a good laugh at those, the Jonty behind us slagging off their 9 was good value too.

[Baz]

Celtic Twitter absolute fuming over it when they're not even involved. OBSESSED. Enjoy your crap cup named after an ill bloke.:lol:

[Lewis]

He's not even dead yet. What were they thinking?

[Jimmy Floyd]

We should really have been playing our game earlier for the Andre Watson Shield.

[Lewis]

The Peter Hain Shield.

[Lewis]

Tommy Mak. :cool:

[Baz]

Fixtures are out.


The 2019 Super League fixture list has been confirmed and Wigan will launch their defence of their Super League title at the home of their rivals St Helens in January.

:drool:

[Lewis]

The first of what will be about six meetings no doubt. 'Why are crowds so shit?' Dunno mate.

[Lewis]

Tommy Mak. :cool:

They've given him the Golden Boot solely to :harold: the Australians into giving us a test series.

[Jimmy Floyd]

All Blacks are getting their arses handed to them here.

[Lewis]

We'll fall to bits soon.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There we go. 15-77 FT.

[Disco]

Decided to come home rather than watch the first half at the ground, that seems like an error now.

[Disco]

What a dummy that is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That is a load of bollocks.

[Disco]

Fuck off is that offside, what is he even looking at?

[Lewis]

Adidas man in the production truck.

[Disco]

Funny how there's always a NZ body in the way of the scrum half.

[Lewis]

What a stupid twat.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You could tell he was desperate to rule it out as soon as he looked at it more than once.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Now that's over, here's my question: what is worse: the haka, or singing 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' through the haka? Both awful crimes against taste.

[Disco]

I disagree, I'd line my team up 5 feet away while they do their little dance.

[niko_cee]

Nice work from the ref(s).

The mistake we made with rugby was not getting the Indians into it (and letting the French in). Not enough corruption to balance out the colonial/historical hatred.

[Queenslander]

God bless you England x


https://youtu.be/n_OofmLTFDA

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's a loud minority on twitter who believe that anything other than reverential silence is 'disprespecting their culture'. Chaps, I refer you to the 1973 haka once more.

[Queenslander]

Nah Brisbane is West Canterbury and Logan/Gold Coast is West Aukland. The kiwis respect a strong challenge!

[Lewis]

Peter Beattie and the waxworks got together and agreed an international calendar ('subject to consultation' =/= Australian complaints) including a Nines World Cup which we may as well not bother entering, a Great Britain tour of New Zealand and the obesity islands next year which will be mega (I'm taking the credit for that idea), and Australia touring in 2020. :cool:

[Queenslander]

Peter is a corrupt piece of shit conservative Labour skin cancer cunt.

[Lewis]

And still less useless than our lot it seems.

[Queenslander]

This bloke is bent as fuck.

[Lewis]

Anyone being paid a wage to promote league in this country is by definition. Elsewhere, Wayne Bennett saying that Greg Alexander and Brad Fittler (who said the Golden Boot award was a DISGRACE) 'get paid to make silly statements' is a great withering put-down.

[Queenslander]

Wayne is not wrong.

[Giggles]

What are the numbers about on the England players collars in the working class rugby?

[Lewis]

Heritage numbers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_England_national_rugby_league_team_players

[Giggles]

Heritage numbers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_England_national_rugby_league_team_players

Nice idea.

[hfswjyr]

God bless you England x


https://youtu.be/n_OofmLTFDA

I don't usually like Kapa O Pango, but that was pretty good in the intimidating Twickenham atmosphere. It looks like the crowd/atmosphere definitely got in our heads for the first 10 minutes.

[niko_cee]

"intimidating Twickenham atmosphere"

:D

[hfswjyr]

I know what you mean, but what I meant was Eden Park at absolute capacity is 50,000. So 82,000 is quite the step up.

[Queenslander]

I don't usually like Kapa O Pango, but that was pretty good in the intimidating Twickenham atmosphere. It looks like the crowd/atmosphere definitely got in our heads for the first 10 minutes.

Booing is intimidating? That was a beautiful response surely?

[Jimmy Floyd]

82,000 fund managers and regional solicitors, it's basically Isandhlwana.

[hfswjyr]

Booing is intimidating? That was a beautiful response surely?

It was more Swing Low than booing, which is hardly the most aggressive sound you could sing to be fair. Just the occasion of playing in front of a massive crowd like that.

[Queenslander]

:cool:


https://youtu.be/MOhPmWAtvpM

[niko_cee]

Do we ever not get the 'group of death' in the world cup?

The state of Group A.

[Lewis]

Penrith twittering that Trent Merrin was joining Leeds on a 'lucrative deal' is pretty lol and childish given that they're still going to be paying half of it. There are some decent players coming over for next season, and not because they have no choice. They've even picked the shittest fixtures imaginable for Magic Weekend in what can only be a move towards killing it off. Exciting.

[Disco]

I know it's only Japan but we seem to have picked three wingers, two fly halves, and no centres.

[Disco]

I know it's only Japan but we seem to have picked three wingers, two fly halves, and no centres.

And it's going really well.

[John Arne]

Have England often wore black at home?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Only when they play a nation Tier 2 enough that they care more about marketing replica shirts than they care about the blinding white that is Brand England.

[Disco]

You forget we played the Aussies in those awful purple shirts not that long ago. The tradition used to be that the visiting side wore their normal colours and the home side would wear their change strip.

[niko_cee]

Fabulous discipline from the Irish there, and well deserved.

Also, Wayne Barnes is such a heroically brilliant ref. Where's that come from? He always used to seem a bit of a plank.

[Disco]

O'Mahony was a fucking hero, I'm intrigued to see how they'll manage to lose to SA in the quarter final next year.

[Jimmy Floyd]

13-12 to Wales, who then lose 10-9 to France, who then lose 48-11 to New Zealand.

I don't care if the draw makes it impossible, that's what will happen.

On the subject of the draw, is there anything more pointless in sport than Italy's continued participation in the Rugby World Cup?

[hfswjyr]

Fabulous discipline from the Irish there, and well deserved.

Also, Wayne Barnes is such a heroically brilliant ref. Where's that come from? He always used to seem a bit of a plank.

He announced his retirement, and now he's brilliant.

[Queenslander]

Kiwis are kidding themselves if they think they arent exactly the same as us when it comes to poor sportsmanship. Online and the kiwis I know are salty as fuck atm.

[hfswjyr]

What poor sportsmanship are we talking about here?

[Queenslander]

What poor sportsmanship are we talking about here?

Whinging about time of year, ref, back handed compliments about head to head record etc. Very salty about the suggestion that 2 out 3 victories against the All Black might argue that Ireland are the number 1 team in the World.

Same pettiness that us Australians are known for as well.

[hfswjyr]

May be just the media sources I'm reading, but I honestly haven't seen any of that so far.

[Queenslander]

May be just the media sources I'm reading, but I honestly haven't seen any of that so far.

Im also very precious these days because I get ear bashed all time which I no doubt deserve... by my Kiwi mates.