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Rugby Union

richw

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I'm glad I didn't watch France v Wales. Everyone who did has said it was a poor game and now all anyone can talk about is the way it ended.

They were all poor games yesterday. Camelford vs a Redruth Albany in Cornwall division 2 was better to watch! Albany won 32-0
 
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KN1

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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11821243

England - with one victory in the last 15 tests against New Zealand - are light years away from living up to the hype. England aren't even the second best team in the world, despite what the primitive ranking system claims. Ireland, under the astute coaching of Joe Schmidt, deserve that respect. I mean no disrespect to the England team, who can only play to their limited skill capacity. But the maelstrom of accolades for such a stilted team, considering the extent of New Zealand's dominance for a long time and the rise of Ireland as classy challengers, has been insulting. The hoopla has been ridiculous.
The New Zealand view of England whilst quite accurate is more arrogant than the Welsh and Scottish which is quite difficult to achieve.
But it's true England are miles behind the All Blacks
 
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Xenophon PCDGS

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Now we have had the entertaining matter of the Six Nations to occupy us, we can now return to the club rugby that we all espouse with some relish.

Incidentally, after London Welsh were relegated from the Aviva Premiership after a season to forget, can I ask any of our Welsh rugby bretheren for news on how their current team rebuilding in the Greene King IPA Championship is currently faring.
 

richw

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Now we have had the entertaining matter of the Six Nations to occupy us, we can now return to the club rugby that we all espouse with some relish.

Incidentally, after London Welsh were relegated from the Aviva Premiership after a season to forget, can I ask any of our Welsh rugby bretheren for news on how their current team rebuilding in the Greene King IPA Championship is currently faring.

I can't work out if that's a genuine question or a poke at the Welsh? I assume the latter as I somewhat doubt you've missed the whole high profile occurrence.


London Welsh were expelled from the league in January and I believe the business liquidated. As a professional club they no longer exist.
Their amateur club was a seperate business entity and unaffected by the financial difficulties and continue operating in tier 8 of the league structure.
Their ladies side was part of the amAteur club and continues to operate in one of the higher ladies leagues.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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I can't work out if that's a genuine question or a poke at the Welsh? I assume the latter as I somewhat doubt you've missed the whole high profile occurrence. London Welsh were expelled from the league in January and I believe the business liquidated. As a professional club they no longer exist.

Their amateur club was a seperate business entity and unaffected by the financial difficulties and continue operating in tier 8 of the league structure.
Their ladies side was part of the amateur club and continues to operate in one of the higher ladies leagues.

That was the very reason why I asked how the current team rebuilding was faring. I am well aware of what occurred in recent times and take a certain umbrage if you felt that I was being somewhat unkind in my question.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Aviva Premiership

Exeter Chiefs 30...Sale Sharks 25

An away fixture at second placed Exeter was something you would normally hope that Sale would not lose by a large score and it must have come as a shock to find that Sale were actually leading 19-12 at half time. It must have been very "motivational" in the Exeter dressing room at the break as Exeter came out a far better motivated side in the second half and outscored Sale by four tries to one. McGinty kicked six penalties and the conversion for Sale.

Sale are still in 10th place, six points behind the 9th club and six points ahead of the 11th club.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Sale Sharks 36...Worcester Warriors 26

Sale needed a better performance than of late against the higher placed Worcester side in their battle to keep clear of the dreaded bottom two places in the league and recent results had not gone their way. The lead changed three times in the first half, but Sale went in leading 21-14 at the break and ended with a 10 point lead by the end of the game, outscoring Worcester by five tries to four.

Sale are still in 10th place, but now have an ever wider points margin over bottom club Bristol in 12th place.
 
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Atleast 3 Super Rugby teams will be removed from the competition Inc 1 in Aus and 2 in SA. Although i am a staunch league fan it's amazing that pub's in Australia just don't care at all for the sport unless it's a test v England or NZ.

There is talk that if the Perth team is removed that the NRl will move a team to Perth to capitalise on Unions demise there.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Gloucester 39...Sale Sharks 30

The lead changed hands in the first half and Gloucester led 15-12 at the break but Sale then started stronger in the early stages of the second half, leading 24-15 at one time, but three more tries from Gloucester saw them victorious, outscoring Sale by five tries to four.

I see that in the Sunday match, Bristol Rugby were relegated as a result of losing their home tie against Wasps by 36-21.
 

Butts

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British Lions Squad...

16 from England
12 from Wales
11 from Ireland

and a miserly 2 from Scotland :(

Are Scotland really 9/10 players worse than Ireland and Wales ?
 

backontrack

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British Lions Squad...

16 from England
12 from Wales
11 from Ireland

and a miserly 2 from Scotland :(

Are Scotland really 9/10 players worse than Ireland and Wales ?

Scotland beat both Ireland and Wales! And they weren't even that bad against England - they scored three tries, and should have had more. Shocking squad from Gatland - apparently he couldn't even name any Scottish players apart from Hogg when asked in an interview which ones he might take. He mentioned a 'wing' (Tommy Seymour) and a new lad at centre (Huw Jones) - no-one else.

Greig Laidlaw, if fit, would be on the plane for me. There's no reason for Jonny Gray to suddenly be forgotten about after the England game. Finn Russell has brought more to the table than Dan Biggar in the 6N. And Hamish Watson has certainly done enough for me to be on the tour.

And yet Gatland gives four players who have barely played a full game this 6N - Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George (who still doesn't have a Test start under his belt), Iain Henderson and Jared Payne (the latter two purely because of one performance, against England) tour berths? Shocking. Warren Gatland, you have lost all credibility for me.
 

richw

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British Lions Squad...

16 from England
12 from Wales
11 from Ireland

and a miserly 2 from Scotland :(

Are Scotland really 9/10 players worse than Ireland and Wales ?

No, didn't Scotland beat both of them this year, and are 5th in world rankings - the rugby world rankings are a pretty accurate reflection unlike our football counterparts.
Have Scotland a tour in the summer? Looking at England's high profile omissions I'm glad they'll be available for the Argentina tour,
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Aviva Premiership

Sale Sharks 27...Bath 24

Sale had the better of the first half and were up 20-10 at the break but Bath reacted well in the second half. However, after such a season as this, Sale had the pleasure in defeating a top five side in their last league match of the season.
 

HLE

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Wasps 35-15 Saracens

Top of the table and a home semi final against our rivals from across the M1.
 

Greenback

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The Scarlets gavce the Ospreys a good hiding for the first time since I can't remember when yesterday. Such a nice change :)
 

fgwrich

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Time to bring this thread out of the cold. Just made it back from a thrilling day at Sandy Park. Exeter Chiefs are through to the finals! :D :D :D

Bring on Wasps next Saturday, it's going to be a good one!

Exeter Chiefs 18 : 16 Saracens

Wasps 21 : 20 Leicester Tigers
 

Greenback

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I'm very pleased that the Chiefs are in the final. Naturally, I'm also very pleased with the Scarlets' fantastic display in beating Leinster to reach the Pro12 final.
 

backontrack

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Ross Moriarty has gone home injured. Warren Gatland has called up six players. None of them is a flanker.

Finn Russell is picked, hurrah! So is Alan Dell.

And four Welsh players:

Tomas Francis, Corey Hill, Kristian Dacey and Gareth Davies.

You really can't make this up. This is peak Gatland.
 

backontrack

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Where are Ringrose, Launchbury, Hamish Watson, Jonny Gray, Sam Davies and Keith Earls? There is so much potential and yet he picks Corey Hill and Kristian Dacey. :roll:
 

richw

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This is all the reasons I'm not following the Lions. He's picking his mates over better players. It reminds me of school rugby!
 

Greenback

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I'm not interested in the Lions, but I have to agree with Eddie Jones. Call up's should be on merit.
 

backontrack

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This would be my first-choice Test XV out of the current squad:

Watson; North, Henshaw, Teo, Seymour; Farrell/Russell if not fit, Murray; Mako Vunipola, Owens, Furlong; Itoje, AW Jones; Stander, Warburton; Faletau
 

Tetchytyke

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I'm not interested in the Lions, but I have to agree with Eddie Jones. Call up's should be on merit.

Yes and no. They should be on merit, but also on whether the person is going to be able to do the job they're being called up for.

Wales are in New Zealand, Scotland are in Australia. England are on the other side of the world. I think Gatland was, in the circumstances, right to be pragmatic about it. It's a 14hr flight from Buenos Aires to Auckland. Anybody flying for that long, across the international date line, is going to be in no fit state to play.

It was a very good performance by England against the Pumas. Shows a good strength in depth in the squad. As someone who normally likes to see England do badly, this bothers me ;)
 

Greenback

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The intiial squad flew out and arrived in New Zealand on the Wednesday before playing on the Saturday.

I am sorry, but Cory Hill is not a British Lion. These call up's don't do anything to enhance the Lions. In fact, they completely undemrine them, so I should be pleased, but I'm not!
 

richw

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Sorry me neither. No appetite from me for the Lions. Can't even tell you the score!
 

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