Real Rugby

[ddxforce]

Originally Posted by Hermes23

I wonder why the IRB chose NZ for the 2011 world cup. I think the US and Canada would be a good place too

I think they probably felt sorry for new zealand getting knocked out in the quater finals last year... don't forget 5:30 GMT time, WALES v ireland.

[Hermes23]

Originally Posted by ddxforce

I think they probably felt sorry for new zealand getting knocked out in the quater finals last year.

That match should have been the final.
Well, the Six Nations is over and I feel very sad, I think the Ireland- Wales match was pretty exciting, but I'd like a try from Wales, specially the Phillips' play in that lineout close to the Irish ingoal. And for the last, the discipline from Ireland was lame. Sometimes I feel like BOD is the only back who doesn't want to get sin binned, and his performance was excellent. He deserved to be Man Of The Match and I guess the voting for the Best Player will be very close between him and Sergio Parisse, both great captains and players.

Next subject: English players emigration to France great subject

[ddxforce]

this is interesting actually. Ricki Flutey has just gained English Residency and then he decides to go to France. This is very cheeky in my book and shouldnt be selected by england or the Lions for lack of loyalty/patriotism.

[Hermes23]

Originally Posted by ddxforce

this is interesting actually. Ricki Flutey has just gained English Residency and then he decides to go to France. This is very cheeky in my book and shouldnt be selected by england or the Lions for lack of loyalty/patriotism.

Who cares, he plays well Although it's a little mean

[Deanology]

He used to play in/for Wellington years back if i remember correctly.

[weeks543]

I think the only reason they did chose NZ is because it is one of the rugby maddest countries in the world and they havn't hosted the world cup since 1987, besides that I wouldn't give it to them. They aren't going to make much revenue out of NZ hosting a world cup and it's already a rugby established nation so I would go for either Japan, US, Italy or Canada although they wouldn't make much revenue either it would be a huge promotion for the game.

[ddxforce]

wales. Parc Y Sgarlets has finished, Arms Park, Liberty Stadium and the Millenium or we could use England as well as wales that would be good....

[Hermes23]

Originally Posted by ddxforce

wales. Parc Y Sgarlets has finished, Arms Park, Liberty Stadium and the Millenium or we could use England as well as wales that would be good....

Yeah, but that would be the same

[Hermes23]

OK, new hard hitting reality: Super 10 is going to Magners League...may the controversy begins
I think that the Italian rugby isn't well planned. The young players and u-21 get no attention and they base their efforts in getting players from other countries. If they want to get in an international competition they should wait for a couple of years at least to earn ennough experience in international matches. But maybe, with a country interested in rugby like Italy, the Magners will get more earnings, having five countries instead of four.
So I think this is a precipitated decision but not a bad one for the tournament.

[Hermes23]

I've seen the first two quarter-finals and they weren't bad in my opinion, in Leicester-Bath there were three outstanding players: Hape, Vesty and Murphy. The first Bath try was a genius play from Hape, he had one or two other good plays, but that one was just magnificent. Vesty had a great kicking day and made excellent runs, but he wasn't asisted and unfortunately for him, they couldn't score more tries. And in the first half, Murphy played really well, and he surprised me, to be honest. His game was very different from those poor few minutes in the 6 Nations, specially in attack.
The Toulouse-Blues match obviously had uncountables mistakes and try situations which both teams didn't take advantage of (except for the Martyn Williams' clear penalty which deserved a yellow card). The most important player in the field was Médard, of course, and almost all of the Toulouse try plays started with him. Too bad for him and the Stade, after all, at least one of those plays deserved a try.
I'll create more controversy after the other two quarter-finals.

[mcalisterishuge]

yeah.. medard is awesome.. the pitch is so greasy... it was very hard for them to run on it.. butch james is nowhere near his best.. his decision making was poor.. and vesty is a very talented player.. he deserved the man of the match..

[ddxforce]

Originally Posted by Hermes23

I've seen the first two quarter-finals and they weren't bad in my opinion, in Leicester-Bath there were three outstanding players: Hape, Vesty and Murphy. The first Bath try was a genius play from Hape, he had one or two other good plays, but that one was just magnificent. Vesty had a great kicking day and made excellent runs, but he wasn't asisted and unfortunately for him, they couldn't score more tries. And in the first half, Murphy played really well, and he surprised me, to be honest. His game was very different from those poor few minutes in the 6 Nations, specially in attack.
The Toulouse-Blues match obviously had uncountables mistakes and try situations which both teams didn't take advantage of (except for the Martyn Williams' clear penalty which deserved a yellow card). The most important player in the field was Médard, of course, and almost all of the Toulouse try plays started with him. Too bad for him and the Stade, after all, at least one of those plays deserved a try.
I'll create more controversy after the other two quarter-finals.

Cardiff did well to get that game. Their defense was outstanding. I think they played how they had to as only the ospreys can beat toulouse at running rugby. The referee should have given about 4 yellow cards to the toulouse forwards. They gave away hundreds of penalties.
Tuilangi should have had a red card as he charged in to abendanon with his shoulder when he didn't even have the ball. If the incompetent referee did see that Bath would have won the game. This is the problem with the south sea islanders, they cheat. Rabeni is the worst though he got a ban for eye gouging and he's had about 10 yellow cards for not using his arms. Pity we let them into our game really.

[Hermes23]

Originally Posted by mcalisterishuge

butch james is nowhere near his best.. his decision making was poor.

lalalala! I forgot about James! Yeah, his play is being really poor so far, specially for a fly-half. But anyway, I wanted Bath to win, they played better in the first 20 mins. IMO.

Originally Posted by ddxforce

Pity we let them into our game really.

Our game? The Pacifics have the right to play the same rugby as all the Europeans. If they have that characterstic game style, too bad, but it doesn't mean all the Pacifics tackle like that (besides it's fun)

[mcalisterishuge]

OMG!! munster is superb!! although ospreys is under-strength at the moment, no henson and no lee byrne but the points difference is too much..

[Hermes23]

Originally Posted by mcalisterishuge

although ospreys is under-strength at the moment, no henson and no lee byrne but the points difference is too much..

I think that no Henson is actually a good thing for Ospreys

[ddxforce]

Originally Posted by Hermes23

lalalala! I forgot about James! Yeah, his play is being really poor so far, specially for a fly-half. But anyway, I wanted Bath to win, they played better in the first 20 mins. IMO.


Our game? The Pacifics have the right to play the same rugby as all the Europeans. If they have that characterstic game style, too bad, but it doesn't mean all the Pacifics tackle like that (besides it's fun)

your actually wrong, they do all tackle like that....

And also Henson takes the ball up. Bishop simply took the ball into contact and lost it. James hook got 50% of his kicking. Shane williams got passed the ball about twice. Jonny Vaughton was caught out of position about 20 times. Credit to munster for playing that well.

[Hermes23]

Originally Posted by ddxforce

Bishop simply took the ball into contact and lost it. Jonny Vaughton was caught out of position about 20 times.

I actually liked some of Bishop's runs, althought they couldn't take advantege of. And I don't remember who Vaughton is, so please somebody remind me

[scotland48]

Munster were clearly the better team

[Hermes23]

Originally Posted by scotland48

Munster were clearly the better team

CLEARLY
OK, I've seen the third quarter-final, unfortunately I couldn't see the last one, but I know that Leinster won 6-5.
43-9 is a fair result for this match. Munster is one of the best teams of the world and they faced a poor Ospreys team without many key players. In the first half, the score was really even, but Munster was already showing an obvious suprmacy over the Welsh side. In the second half, Ospreys were totally lost, the few times with ball posession, neither the backs or the forwards knew what to do when they had it in their hands, after several phases, they didn't even get to win a metre. The Munster backs not only showed great agility and confidence with the ball, but great tackling in defense aswell.
Lastly, I have to point out a serious common problem for all the Welsh teams: the rucking. It doesn't look possible that a country with such a forwards has so much trouble to retain posession in easy formations.

[ddxforce]

Originally Posted by Hermes23

I actually liked some of Bishop's runs, althought they couldn't take advantege of. And I don't remember who Vaughton is, so please somebody remind me

He was playing on the right wing in place of tommy bowe who was in place of lee byrne. Don't forget about nikki walker being injured aswell so he is the 3rd choice right wing. I think one of the main problems with the backline was that they didn't know what they were all doing. There was one instance when shane williams cut across and noone came back on the angle in the end he gave it to bishop and then to sonny parker (who is a pile of...) who dropped it. I think that the best player for the ospreys was mike phillips. Shane williams is only really good when were on the front foot with quick ball, something which the ospreys/wales forwards have failed to do all season so we havent seen shane, lee byrne, gavin henson in full flow. Maybe a coach will help. The ospreys have Scott Johnson next season so they will have a good chance in all competitions.

[mcalisterishuge]

Originally Posted by Hermes23

CLEARLY
I have to point out a serious common problem for all the Welsh teams: the rucking. It doesn't look possible that a country with such a forwards has so much trouble to retain posession in easy formations.

yup.. rucking is their massive problem.. always loss the ball after contact.. hook is completely out of his games.. when he got the ball he didn't even know what to do with it..

[Hermes23]

I forgot one thing about Ospreys: important tackle problems. The Munster backs and forwards went through the Ospreys defense with vile (yeah, that's the word I was looking for) tackle attempts, those were hugs, not even tackles. Absolutely no match for a Munster player.
And last thing: Martyn Williams. He just isn't a good player to me. Before you start to criticize me, here are my reasons. For a thirty-something player, with many caps for his nation and a lot of experience gained, I still can't believe the stupid penalties he makes. Most of them are just silly and obvious penalties, which deserve a yellow card. He was the captain of the Welsh team and still he commited the same infractions.

[mcalisterishuge]

maybe he needed to throw away 3 points rather than 7 points..

[mcalisterishuge]

since the six nations is over.. how about we talks about british & irish lions selections...

[scotland48]

everyone thinks shane williams should get in but he's not been that good.
Ewan Murray should be prop Ryan Jones 8 O'Gara 10 Brain O'Driscol 13 Philps 9 if these people are not in these positions the lions will lose.