The World of Rugby Thread

[Jimmy Floyd]

I wasn't much fussed either way but is there a reason you lads were so fervently anti-Ireland or just normal Tory stuff?

Where Giggles leads, I follow.

[Giggles]

:cool: trendsetter.

The twitter is glorious today.

[Lewis]

We should get a decent final if both of the good teams in the semi-finals can rest half of their players and still coast through.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This is also a great game, albeit about 5% of the quality of last night's. Not sure about the option from Farrell with the drop goal 10 minutes out, surely you have to price in another Fijian try.

[niko_cee]

Surprised they haven't gone full penalty try there.

[Lewis]

The best team in the British Isles. :cool:

[Waffdon]

Fiji are great fun but fuck me they can’t kick a ball or take a line out

Hopefully France or South Africa hit these for 50 next week.

[Manc]

Ben Earl is some specimen.

[Jimmy Floyd]

France have got it in them to bottle a home semi-final I reckon. Not sure the saffas have. Allez les bleus.

[niko_cee]

Fiji are great fun but fuck me they can’t kick a ball or take a line out

Hopefully France or South Africa hit these for 50 next week.

:drool:

But, yeah, probably need to avoid shitting in France's chips yet again. They'd best not bottle it tonight.

New Zealand v France would be a good final, and an interesting echo of the NZ one where all the pressure was on them, but unfortunately I fear the French would just melt and New Zealand are too good not to walk all over them.

[Lewis]

New Zealand can be beaten through the middle, as Ireland proved before they kept blowing good positions trying to play them at their own game, so I would fancy whoever wins tonight to bully them.

[Jimmy Floyd]

France will win the final if they get there. 1998 all over again. Will probably poison Sam Cane and all.

[niko_cee]

Would love to get the overhead on that 'knock back' by the South African. Almost game on the line decision.

[Waffdon]

Never seen a charge down actually come off before. He’s fkn rapid

[Jimmy Floyd]

Would love to get the overhead on that 'knock back' by the South African. Almost game on the line decision.

Kiwi has given them absolutely everything so far. Laughable forward pass just now.

[Dark Soldier]

Some game this

[AJ23]

What a game this is so far. The quality is unbelievable.

[niko_cee]

Was going to say earlier they need a legend like Barnsey to ref this for them. Uphill struggle against the flat pass mate brigade.

Funny that one of these is going out whilst England and Argentina are going to be stinking up the semis.

What is the deal with the modern move towards charging down conversions?

[Jimmy Floyd]

What is the deal with the modern move towards charging down conversions?

Analytics innit. Have NFL started taking more 2 point conversions yet? It's been ten years since I paid attention.

[AJ23]

You score a try. We score a try. Not even any penalties so far.

[niko_cee]

Analytics innit. Have NFL started taking more 2 point conversions yet? It's been ten years since I paid attention.

I've not kept up with it, but there was a time when it was statistically better to do so although was still fairly infrequent.

Taking a scrum off a mark [what?] winning the penalty and failing to find touch is just all round :cab:.

And here comes the bunker!

[Lewis]

I'm not sure that you should be able to jump from outside the field to keep it in.

[Offshore Toon]

I still can't get my head fully around how much of a tank Eben Etzebeth is at 6'9".

[AJ23]

I still can't get my head fully around how much of a tank Eben Etzebeth is at 6'9".

Same size as Tyson Fury, which means Fury will probably be fighting him soon in Saudi Arabia.

[niko_cee]

Has a major sporting World Cup ever had the first and last games of the tournament be the same?

[niko_cee]

That kick. :D

[Waffdon]

These four teams from this side of the draw are all ridiculously close.

[niko_cee]

Absolutely désolée.

[Jimmy Floyd]

God's sake. Rugby is such a frustrating game to watch when you're a casual. You want the exciting stuff to win but the boring stuff is 100x more important.

[Lewis]

The best team in the British Isles. :cool:

In the Northern hemisphere. :cool:

[Waffdon]

South Africa or New Zealand Rugby/Cricket double is still on :cool:

[niko_cee]

God's sake. Rugby is such a frustrating game to watch when you're a casual. You want the exciting stuff to win but the boring stuff is 100x more important.

It only ever pops up with South Africa, but the weird matrix of being better in the scrum, and therefore just having infinite scrums is never not awful/hilarious to watch.

Came down to the blocked conversion. Bet he started closing down way earlier than he should have.

[Lewis]

Would New Zealand survive as a country/culture if South Africa shitted them out of being first to four World Cups and Best Rugby Country status?

[Offshore Toon]

Lewis' post about SA being a cartoon team is bang on and I think it's why I like them so much. Wacky Rugby.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Huge weekend for tournament pedigree, that's for sure.

[Lewis]

Antoine Dupont roaring about the referee as well.

On a related note, the BBC documentary (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001r9zl/storyville-made-of-steel-wheelchair-rugbys-fiercest-rivalry) about wheelchair rugby league is well worth a watch. The French side of things seems to be one long seethe about the other teams playing too aggressively, culminating in their coach openly bealing about the English players not being disabled enough and only picking the ex-squaddie with no legs to deceive people.

[John Arne]

I been watching this from the outside, but one thing I have noticed is how much the British press seem to hate this England team. Particularly the Guardian rugby guys - every opponent has been "brave" or "resilient" whilst shitty old English progress into the semi's.

Is it just the style of play, or that they've been shit for a few years so don't want to back them?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Everyone we've played so far has been a lovable underdog with vastly inferior resources.

Also Owen Farrell comes across as a deeply unpleasant man.

[Waffdon]

Im glad it’s not just my bias thinking that. He comes across as a right fanny. Hear him far too often in the Ref’s mic.

Also, I hope for Smith’s sake he does not play full back against South Africa. He might need a stretcher to leave the field if he does. He was constantly getting battered and ran through yesterday. Absolutely useless defensively.

[niko_cee]

I know it's probably completely unworkable in terms of time and whatnot, but if there was ever a sport that would benefit from "the Swiss model" it's rugby union. Feels like there must have been about 6 meaningful games in this tournament, with both semis promising to be a one way shitfests. Sadly, even if you limited it to the top 10 in the world you'd be looking at an 11 week tournament in all likelihood. 11 weeks of proper games though, as opposed to a handful in however many weeks this has been going on for.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They and cricket should swap formats.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, that was the inspiration. Maybe they could incorporate some sort of plate competition to keep the lesser nations involved, no idea how to work that though.

[Manc]

Let's have it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They need to take the captaincy off this stupid northern prick, mid game if necessary. Incapable of keeping his head.

[Manc]

Not keen on this ref.

[Ian]

They need to take the captaincy off this stupid northern prick, mid game if necessary. Incapable of keeping his head.

Yeah losing us ground gobbing off at the ref there when his teammates have knocked their pans in for this slender leader is properly idiot behaviour.

[Lewis]

He's the only player we have with any BOTTLE. He Sets the Tone.

'I'm from Wiggin me and I get the buz to work.'

[Jimmy Floyd]

We're fucked now they've changed the 10.

[Ian]

England have been basically about as good as can be expected so far, but South Africa will definitely come out way better in the second half and put us away.

Hasn't been as grim as expected so far though.

[niko_cee]

Worse that way though, hope and all that.

[AJ23]

South Africa look rattled mentally. Making early changes. Very strange game so far. Unexpected.

England's discipline has been brilliant so far (aside from Farrell)

[Manc]

The fuck was that throw?

[AJ23]

George Martin has been a collossus so far.

[Lewis]

Tone SET.

[Ian]

Christ, he put some mustard on that.

[AJ23]

Siff Ifrika are still rattled.

[niko_cee]

Just kick it deep and let them mark it.

:face:

Although the world probably doesn't need another England lol stink it upset win.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This is awful.

[Lewis]

How can an international prop be so shit at one of their main jobs?

[niko_cee]

Probably for the best.

Dreadful kick off at the end and why oh why did Steward go to the air rather than just kick it deep?

[Jimmy Floyd]

The entire campaign was lost on Kyle Sinckler being shit in 5 scrums. Well done mate.

What an atrocious day of sport. At least the cricket team had the good grace to be shit from the start.

[Lewis]

Northern Hemisphere Champions at least.

[Waffdon]

England :lol:

Should have pissed that. South Africa looked absolutely spent.

[Ian]

Gutted. Didn't think there was a chance I would be, but here we are.

Saffers should be embarrassed we made it that hard for them but it was at least a classic game in the style of the times of my youth when England were bad, where you'd beat us but wouldn't have a jolly time doing so. (Though I think this South Africa team love the mucky victories and free-flowing ones alike.)

[Manc]

There really is nothing like supporting England.

[niko_cee]

It's a shame that scrums have become such a decisive thing in the era when we've gone fully the other way, as mandated by the prevailing style of the game.

Oh for Andrew Sheridan et al.

[AJ23]

It was a strange sliding doors moment when England were leading 15-6 where I looked at the betting odds and South Africa were 2/1 to win.

World Champions.

The most Skybet would allow you to put on was £2000, to win £6000.

I didn't even put a pound on it, but I just sensed that fucker would happen.

[niko_cee]

https://uk.yahoo.com/sports/news/footage-appears-shed-light-tom-082223701.html

:D

"wit kant"

Suarez-tier.

[niko_cee]

In other glorious rugby headline madness news:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67197625


"You won't find a harder working man than Steve and his approach to the game is a little bit like Alan Turing," added the Gloucester winger.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't know if I'm falling into a liberal honey trap here, but I find it incredibly hard to believe that a black South African front rower called an English flanker a 'white cunt'. That said, the saffa explanation is also laughable.

[Lewis]

Northern Hemisphere Champions at least.

Third best team in the world, and another favourable draw for next time. :cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Tonight I can't really stand either of these teams winning so I'm just supporting Barnesy.

[Lewis]

New Zealand getting absolutely flattened is the lollest possible result.

[niko_cee]

It's a tough choice, so hopefully whoever wins does so through some sort of controversy and there's a massive chimp out to follow. In the vein of Cheika's after yesterday , and the semi.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That Kitshoff going to play for Ulster is going to set the peace process back about 30 years.

[niko_cee]

100% intentional.

[Yevrah]

The state of VAR compared to how they do it in rugby.

[Manc]

Game ruined inside 150 seconds.

[Waffdon]

A yellow card for that? Am I missing something? :lol:

[Lewis]

New Zealand getting absolutely flattened is the lollest possible result.

I should have said absolutely flattened after a two minute red card that they all seethe about for decades.

[niko_cee]

A yellow card for that? Am I missing something? :lol:

It's New Zealand, their entire credo is based around cheating and sneakily trying to injure players. That was completely intentional.

[AJ23]

Karma as Mbongeni goes off with injury.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Changed my mind after the first five minutes, boks all the way.

[Lewis]

Nothing in that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The stadium DJ, much like all French DJs, needs to be hanged. We just had 'Don't Stop Me Now' during a live lineout.

[Waffdon]

These two little dickheads for South Africa on the wing with scrum caps is embarrassing

[Manc]

That is a horrific decision.

[Yevrah]

I don't know much about rugby, but my shitshow detector is going haywire when it looks at New Zealand.

[Waffdon]

All on the New Zealand train now. What a mess

[Jimmy Floyd]

You could see Barnesy's arse drop as soon as the instruction came in.

[niko_cee]

Pretty fitting for the tournament to go out with one of those whilst South Africa just grind away at set pieces.

What a massive waste of everyone's time.

[AJ23]

Load of bollocks. Might as well watch Ngannou getting his arse handed to him by Fury in another non-event.

[Lewis]

You could see Barnesy's arse drop as soon as the instruction came in.

The New Zealand captain shouting 'TO A RID?!' at him had me lolling out loud.

[Waffdon]

These yellows and reds look even more lol when the South African gimp got away with the worst of the lot against Scotland.

#somehowaboutscotland

[Yevrah]

That was liquid rugby. Not that it looks like it'll count now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think the worst thing about modern sport (correct or not) is when glorious scores like that get ruled out for some minor bollocks ages beforehand.

[Lewis]

That was a bit forward.

[Lewis]

That's a genuinely atrocious decision.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Will at least be nice if it's that little twat who costs them the World Cup.

[AJ23]

If only New Zealand had converted their try, they'd have won this game 13-12. Terrible kick.

[Lewis]

If only Queenslander was alive to see it.

[niko_cee]

If only New Zealand had converted their try, they'd have won this game 13-12. Terrible kick.

Such a weird take.

They should never have kicked that penalty from halfway. Who did they think they were? South Africa?

Gloriously shit final, won by a team with zero ambition to do anything but shithouse, to end a gloriously shit tournament, of a gloriously shit sport.

The lollest ending would have been a New Zealand penalty on that final scrum.

[Jimmy Floyd]

France were the best team at the tournament. Absolutely robbed by the robbers-in-chief.

[Lewis]

That Ireland game threw too many people off South Africa. They were comfortable and beat themselves with matey fluffing his kicks, so they basically beat all of the good teams.

[Manc]

Fair play to Rassie for getting the whites to tolerate the blacks.

[Lewis]

The Some Blacks.

[hfswjyr]

I'm going to sound like a sore loser here, but if rugby is just going to be box kicks, mauls and penalties every week, I genuinely think I might stop watching.

The most exciting part of the 80 minutes was the ruled out try.

[niko_cee]

Don't forget the bunker and the 'mitigations'. Brings a tear to the eye.

What's the rugger equivalent of jumpers for goalposts?

[Jimmy Floyd]

The central problem with rugby is the men are just too large. Everything else flows from there. Bring in a maximum weight for the XV.

[niko_cee]

That is a major problem.

My gran knew this guy (https://waspslegends.co.uk/legends/bill-treadwell) pretty well, I went to Twinkenham with him a few times, and, even though he was old by that time, he didn't have anything like the physique you would associate with being an international hooker [oi oi etc].

Don't South Africa breed most of theirs through massive doping programmes in their posho schools?

[Disco]

Jason Leonard is my reference point, a stocky but otherwise normal shaped man (albeit with a propensity to absorb alcohol in seemingly limitless quantities) with a causal 100 odd caps. What an odd place to be where athletes have arguably begun to ruin sports.

[Baz]

Stuart Hogg ditched his wife and 4 kids for Leonna Mayor.

[Baz]

Latrell Mitchell good enough for Saints? We’ve not assigned anyone the number 3 shirt so the rumour mills in full swing.

[Disco]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67998140

Most extreme tactic yet to get out of a Gatland training camp, how long do we give this maybe 2 years?

[Jimmy Floyd]

9 months. He has to be incredibly badly advised.

[Ben]

It'll be at least a couple of years if he doesn't jack. I think there's a rule that foreigners through this international pathway scheme can be on a roster and not count towards the total, so it's a free hit for someone. But NFL is incredibly hard to learn if you've not played the game every day through childhood. You'd think the scheme would have at least provided a few kickers/punters from rugby/football, but no, not even that. A few big guys in the tackle positions and that's about it.

[niko_cee]

What's the active roster size for an NFL team? 50? That's what 32 x 50 professional players essentially, ok practice squads and all, but really, that's what, 1600 pro spots in the world for that sport? There are probably as many professional footballers in the top two divisions in England and then there's, you know, the whole rest of the world. Just always strikes me as odd that something that would be viewed as completely mad, for example if he said he wanted to jack rugby to become a premier league football player, doesn't have the same logic applied to trying to make it in the NFL. Might as well give up rugby to focus on winning the Euromillions fulltime.

[Ben]

53 on a roster, so yeah. The chances are miniscule and I imagine there's a lot more barriers to entry behind the scenes just from not going through the fabled college system over there. The ones that get in are almost always tackles and that's because there's the least amount to learn so it's mainly about finding absolute specimens. There's no way this guy will make it in a skill position unless he's that one-in-a-million freak of nature.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It just stinks of his agent being frustrated by whatever Gloucester / Welsh rugby pays, and wanting a piece of the NFL billions, even if it is complete balls as an idea.

[Ben]

Practice squad is guaranteed $12k a week, plus all the endorsements and free shit the IPP will provide.

[Lewis]

The first yellow could have been a red, but the second was soft. Game ruined.

[Giggles]

'Mon France.

[Jimmy Floyd]

England are horrible, but Wales are a lot worse and therefore the world remains on its axis.

[Waffdon]

Some effort if Scotland manage to bottle this

[Waffdon]

They really are going to bottle this.

[Ian]

They're doing their best aren't they?

To chuck it I mean.

[Waffdon]

Yeah this is done for now. What a shambles :D

[niko_cee]

Something's wrong when Huw Jones is playing for Scotland against Wales.

I assume it's actually Hugh, but whatever.

[Ian]

Something's wrong when Huw Jones is playing for Scotland against Wales.

I assume it's actually Hugh, but whatever.

On the same day when England had a guy playing called Fraser Dingwall, who could hardly sound more Scottish if his nickname was Shortbread.

[Waffdon]

Even if they do win they’ve blown the BP somehow

[Ian]

Wait, can Wales get two bonus points for having enough tries AND for losing by less than 7?

[Ian]

Not that it's gonna happen if Scotland get a try under the posts here.

[Waffdon]

Everyone one and their mother seen a free easy try down the left side if they took a moment to compose themselves.

Finally a win in Wales. Best of the rest is ON

[Jimmy Floyd]

Scotland are coming third no dramas.

[Waffdon]

Toonsend tombola once again. Kyle Steyn not playing as his wife is in labour so why not bring in a youngster untested at this level rather than doing something more sensible.

He’s going to be targeted all game

[Waffdon]

France look shit. Dreadful from Scotland not to get a score at the end there. Need a quick start in the second

[Waffdon]

Referee is an absolute joke. France player clearly knocks it on at the 22 line and ref says it goes backwards

[Jimmy Floyd]

Scottish cowardice comes back to haunt them.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What a lol ending. Massive French implosion having won what should have been the last ball and now a pretty much impossible TMO decision to decide the result.

[Waffdon]

That couldn’t be more clear on the line. Referee is a fucking weapon.

Still can’t get over the knock on either

[Lewis]

That looked on the floor but had possibly come out of his grasp as well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You couldn't see anything for sure so could only go with the on field decision. The old refereeing conundrum, do you go with a 51% likelihood or wait for a 100% proof to overrule.

[Waffdon]

I don’t know how the referee doesn’t see it. He had the perfect view point

[Waffdon]

Scotland completely shat it either way. Same old. Really missed Steyn and Graham

[Jimmy Floyd]

lol at George Ford. The endless rigmarole kickers go through is an embarrassment and the earlier people start charging it down the better.

[niko_cee]

Just seen that.

:D

What the fuck? I agree all the pre-kick routines are absurd, but you can't be letting that sort of thing happen. Surely the run-up/approach to the kick starts when you start moving towards it, not away from it.

[Baz]

Deffo winning the lot with Clark.

[Lewis]

Hopefully. I can't see past Wigan at the minute. It's a shame London are graded to go down otherwise Hull might have been in bother.

[Baz]

Didn’t these not have a sponsor last time they were in the big leagues? Kit looks weird, so bare.

Also I dunno what it is but I just don’t like Matt Whitley.

[Manc]

Burgess rocking up at Warrington passed me by.

[Lewis]

It's going to be a long season for the technically limited Polynesian physicality merchants.

[Manc]

Game's gone.

[Waffdon]

Horrendous feeling England randomly romp this

Definitely a few stupid yellows for Scotland players having zero discipline

[Waffdon]

Van der Merwe fucking hates England.

Loves to stat pad against these lesser ranked nations

[Waffdon]

This has Scotland throwing a decent lead near the end again all over it. Could do with coaching them now to catch a restart

[Waffdon]

Should be 3/3 and set up to be laughed at by Ireland on week 5 if it wasn’t for the bottle from Scotland and the refs against France

[Lewis]

If Penrith are on it, which they should be after they let Saints ambush them last year, it could be a bit embarrassing for Wigan tonight. Hopefully not.

[Baz]

Hopefully so.

[Manc]

Some try that.

[Lewis]

This is like every England/Australia game ever where they look shit and it's still too much.

[Lewis]

I think that was a bit generous but lol anyway.

[Manc]

Never a try. Brilliant.

[Lewis]

Gutted.

[Manc]

What a play that was.

[Baz]

I’ve only caught the end (kids bedtime) but fair play Wigan if they hold on.

[Lewis]

Fucking hell that is fantastic.

[Manc]

:drool:

[Baz]

Great ending. Obviously not even close to the 2020 Grand Final ending, but still pretty sensational.

[Manc]

Someone check Liam Moore's bank account.

[Lewis]

Penrith haven't played that shit since about 2019 so they can only cry about the referee so much.

[Shindig]

I shouldn't be surprised but I'm disappointed Duhan Van der Merwe doesn't have a thick Scottish accent.

[Waffdon]

Ireland are going to molest this Scottish defence next week

[Waffdon]

Get Townsend gone. Jesus

[Ian]

Get the fuck in. :cool:

What a performance from a not very good team.

[Lewis]

I went to the gym assuming we were going to get annihilated. Nice one.

[Giggles]

That puts a lovely end to a really bad day for our upper classes.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ireland should all be sacked for losing to us. Embarrassing.

[Lewis]

All of the 'number one side in the world' stuff in the build-up did it. I'm sure we just had a controlled experiment to test that one out.

[John Arne]

Just watched highlights of the England-Ireland game... every other pass looked forward to me.

[Baz]

Jinny Lomax taking his helmet off to kick is cute.

[Lewis]

1768952276167594032

[hfswjyr]

I'd forgotten about the game, so when I saw the half time score I decided it wasn't worth watching. Then I saw the score again with 10 mins to go, and turned it on.

I have so much regret.

[Lewis]

I love Shaun Johnson and the Warriors being quite good. During my last work beano to Kew I got talking to the enormous Kiwi butcher with a Warriors poster on his wall, and he gave me money off one of his pasties. Up the Wahs.

[Luke Emia]

In light of the Welsh being dogshit this year. Probably best that we start relegation from the Six Nations from now.

[Waffdon]

6 nations is coming home. You’re welcome.

[Lewis]

It's as Scotland as anything to have muffed it against Italy when this game could have meant something otherwise.

[Ian]

This has been a great game and while England's defence has been properly wobbly at times it's nice that we've been in this and last week wasn't just a freak performance against the odds.

[Ian]

A shame we lost but that was a fun game and the last two performances have me feeling much more positive about England than the first three had.

[Manc]

How many times have England lost a game like that to a long distance penalty? Fucking infuriating.

[hfswjyr]

I love Shaun Johnson and the Warriors being quite good. During my last work beano to Kew I got talking to the enormous Kiwi butcher with a Warriors poster on his wall, and he gave me money off one of his pasties. Up the Wahs.

Not sure if you're legitimately referring to the Mad Butcher or not.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Leitch_(businessman)

Leitch is known for his work for charity and for his enthusiastic support of New Zealand rugby league, the Mangere East Hawks and the Warriors, which has increased the sport's profile in New Zealand. He managed the Kiwi's victorious Tri-Nations campaign in late 2005. In recognition of his support of the Warriors the club have retired the #19 jersey in his honour.
https://madbutcher.co.nz/

[Lewis]

That article just gets better and better as you read through it. It wasn't him. Just a New Zealander who owns a shop near Kew Gardens station and makes mega pies and sausage rolls.

[Baz]

James Graham has confirmed he has brain damage, although I’ve no idea of the extent of it. He seems to have taken the news pretty well, and said rugby league was worth dying for. Fair play.

God help players like Alex Walmsley.

[Manc]

Longevity is probably the major contributing factor. Roby will probably drop dead next week.

[Lewis]

Graham said about eighteen months ago that they had found spots on his brain and he reckons he had over a hundred concussions over his career. That would suggest that most of them won't even have been detected, since he wasn't being treated for one every five matches.

[Lewis]

I couldn't be arsed to go today and put up with the idiots chucking beer about. lol at Hull. Tony Smith is getting all the grief but their players are just rubbish.

[Baz]

Tyler Dupree absolute disgrace.

Also reckon Sironen might be the hardest man in St Helens.

[Dark Soldier]

Barely touched him ya ponce.

[Lewis]

I think a better camera would have shown that as a knock-on.

[Lewis]

Maybe not.

[Lewis]

Jinny Lomax taking his helmet off to kick is cute.

His hair thinning has exposed a right Kompany head.

[Baz]

Hurrell having the worst game ever (except maybe Matautia) but coming up with that :drool:

[Baz]

Konrad Hurrell is so fucking shit

[Lewis]

That was a terrible game made even worse by the commentators.

[Baz]

Was it Stuart Pyke?

[Lewis]

It was some boring bloke with Paul Rowley being even more boring alongside. The commentary on Sky has been alright this season insofar as I seem to have avoided 'Baz and Tez' most of the times I've watched something.

[Lewis]

That felt like the worst Saints performance in years. I can't see us robbing Wigan again, so at least I won't have to go and sit through another Wembley shit show.

[Baz]

lol never mind the 58-0, the council are renaming one of our main roads to James Roby Way :cool:

[Mike]

Which one?

[Baz]

Which one?
James Roby Way

:henn0rz:
St Helens Linkway

[Lewis]

The road into Hull is 'Clive Sullivan Way', because he played for both teams, but then they renamed a road in completely the wrong area 'Roger Millward Way'.

[Baz]

Can’t top a last minute drop goal :drool:

[Baz]

Some lols in this game. Tommy Mak being found out for twatting someone and tinpot castleford’s big screen going off.

[Waffdon]

1791124933898105217

[hfswjyr]

Didn't run it under the posts... SMH.

[Baz]

Was funny seeing a few Saints Women players drinking pints in a beer garden to celebrate earlier. The TV cameras are kind to Jodie Cunningham. :dirk:

[niko_cee]

Hell of a first half in Origin 2. Shame NSW got ballbagged in the first game.

[Baz]

Quite impressed with Harry Robertson here.

[Baz]

Saints losing 24-0 at HT. :moop:

Gonna be five losses in a row.

Get Lee Briers in charge ASAP.

[Manc]

Dropping like flies.

[Baz]

FFS Mikey Lewis shouldn’t be on the pitch and now he’s scored a try and converted it to boot. How is gripping someone by the throat not a sin-binnable offence?

[Lewis]

The pass looked forward as well. Man of Steel. :cool:

[Baz]

Tee Ritson is dog shit.

[Lewis]

It's going to be tragic when Rovers do a Castleford in the Grand Final.

[Manc]

Saints. :harold:

[Baz]

Is Kyle Feldt any good? Hopefully he has a history of battering women, I miss Ben Barba so much. :(

[Lewis]

He will be decent enough but still a downgrade on Tommy Makinson, and will probably be on more money when the wing is hardly their priority. Bit of an odd one I think.

[Baz]

What a game this is. Makinson’s try defied physics.

[Lewis]

We could do with a Saints win here because 1) lol at Warrington; and 2) Rovers have a better chance against Salford; and 3) fully-fit Saints putting Wigan out would be proper lol.

[Lewis]

A better chance against Leigh even.

[Lewis]

I think this has been the best game of the season. Get Sam Burgess' giant swede off the screen cheers.

[Lewis]

Shanking it out on the full fucking hell lad.

[Manc]

Baz. :harold:

[Baz]

Great game, disappointing outcome.

Another year of Wellens. :sick:

[Baz]

Leeds Rhinos have announced plans to launch a new rugby tribute to the great Rob Burrow next month – with a cross-code match involving some of league and union’s greatest names played under unique rules.


As mentioned, the game will feature a brand-new set of cross-code rules:

13-a-side – six forwards, seven backs
Each team can bring on a goal kicker only for kicks at goal
Unlimited tackles in your own half but six tackles once attacking team passes half way
Unlimited interchanges
Uncontested scrums from knock ons and forward passes. These are taken on the 20m mark in from touch, attacking team can select which side of the field scrum is placed
Uncontested five man line outs when ball goes into touch
One on one ball steals allowed in tackle before attacking ball carrier gets to ground, once knee to ground, tackle complete, play the ball to restart play
Two markers at tackle, offside is five metres from the play the ball
Two referees, one union, one league. One officiating the ruck, the other offside
Five points for a try, two for a penalty, conversion and drop goal
If the ball is knocked dead in goal, goal line drop out from the defending team, must go at least ten metres
Penalties kicked to touch re-start with a line out or take tap from where penalty is awarded, advantage for union but encourages league to attack from penalties

[Lewis]

HULL KR, HULL KR, HULL KR... :cool:

Unfortunately the only tickets left when I looked were the shit nosebleed ones, and I can't be arsed doing the nine hour round trip for those, so I will watch it on the telly. Maybe me not being there will break the curse.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I didn't realise that only Leeds, Wigan or St Helens had won it for twenty years. Is there some permanent crisis of BOTTLE among the other teams? From osmosis along I'm sure there was a period when Warrington were the best team.

[Lewis]

Wigan and Saints produce the most players and have (or had) the most money, and Leeds had that 'Golden Generation' that coached themselves, so they just succeed by being well-run and not doing anything overly shit. Warrington have probably got the most money for wages but don't produce enough of their own good players to balance the team out and make the most of the salary cap.

Warrington should have had a few by now, but they either ran into Leeds in big game mode (2011 and 2012), or BOTTLED IT against Wigan (2016 and 2018). Elsewhere, Hull are just a basket case club that squanders every conceivable strength it ought to have; Catalans can attract better players than anyone else but are French, although they were arguably robbed in 2021 against Saints; and Castleford absolutely shit the bed and put in the all-time BOTTLE JOB performance against Leeds in 2017. Everyone else either just about punches their weight or has short-lived periods of being good.

I think squad depth and home advantage in the play-offs makes a massive difference in Super League. The Challenge Cup has had twice as many winners and different finalists in the same period, because most squads are still intact that early in the season and you don't get lol decisions like that dodgy try tonight.

[Manc]

Leigh are dog shit.

[Lewis]

They are, but Wigan are also very good. Saints and Catalans having poo seasons has thrown them and Salford into it, but normal service should be resumed next year (probably including Hull KR sinking).

Tanya Arnold Baz she doesn't age. :drool:

[Manc]

Kevin Brown piling on the pounds.

[Baz]

Tanya Arnold Baz she doesn't age. :drool:Aye, pretty incredible. There's probably footage of her presenting highlights of the 1996 Challenge Cup Final somewhere, looking absolutely identical.

[Baz]

Wigan vs The World today then, surely.

All set for one of the mascots to whip out a Saints flag. :yn:

[ScousePig]

Jenna getting soaked.

[Manc]

You wish.

[Lewis]

Sadly that game went pretty much as expected, so I'm glad I never went up to watch it. Wigan are very, very good at turning the game shit and winning it. It's mad how Bevan French is still in Super League. England union could have had him on residency by now, let alone NRL teams (salary aside, I think he would get in all but about three of them) or their own union.

[Manc]

Herbie Farnworth is some plur.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Watching England currently beat a dogshit all blacks. Referee mic'd up to the stadium tannoy turns the sport into even more of a farce than it already is.

[hfswjyr]

I understand why they mic up the refs (the penalty calls are often confusing when you're at the game and can't hear), but it does feel a bit WWF.

[niko_cee]

At what point are they just going to call time on eggball union? It's an entirely pointless sport in the head contact era. And then you have Dupont throwing a massive forward pass, but because he's Dupont that's completely fine, came out the back of the hands mate. The laws of physics don't agree. Why do they bother with it?

[Jimmy Floyd]

With the Six Nations TV rights going to TNT I think it's in massive trouble as a sport (in GB, anyway). 15 times more likely to get motor neurone disease is it? Dementia looms also.

My own sport is full of mostly unfounded doomsters but if anything I think rugby has too few.