Rugby Union

[GordonS]

22 hours ago, peasy23 said:

It was obviously a much improved performance against France, even before the red card, but the last year or so has been very hit and miss. If we had gone to Cardiff and shat the bed as we often do, then his time was up for me.

We seem to have found a bit of pragmatism lately that has been missing for a while. It's as if they have suddenly realised that you have to defend for big parts of games.

We were within a score in Dublin. We were right in contention all the way through and came within inches of a draw. Our losing margins in 6 Nations matches there, working back from 2018, have been 20, 10, 22, 18, won by 3, 21, 6, 21, 21, 22.

Surely that's at least slightly above par?

Then we lost by a score at home to England in a howling gale. It was basically a non-test. It's the worst weather I've ever experienced at any sporting occasion. We've only beaten England once at Murrayfield since 2008.

That's par.

Italy away, we won by our biggest away winning margin in the 6 Nations since 2002, and third biggest in the tournament ever.

Above par.

And most recently we horsed the best French side in a decade, playing cracking rugby, defending well, winning the breakdown and kicking with intelligence.

Well above par.

If a small handful of moments had gone our way we'd be sitting on 4 wins just now. We were very competitive in the matches we lost and have conceded four tries. The same opponents last season put 15 on us.

But you want the manager sacked if we lose in a place where very few visiting teams ever go and win? Where until this season the only teams who'd beaten them since 2013 were England, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia? There's nothing Townsend could do to win over the haters, because it's nothing to do with rugby.

[ajwffc]

pro14 latest

Quote

The suspension of the 2019/20 season of the Guinness PRO14 is now on an indefinite basis due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

The board of Celtic Rugby DAC met by teleconference this week and agreed upon a strict list of criteria that would enable the Championship to recommence. However, no decision on a definitive re-commencement date can be made until four key criteria can be met within our respective competing territories:

 

·       Public Health Authorities cease to prohibit the resumption of sport and group training

·       Travel restrictions between our territories are lifted

·       No forced isolation or quarantine orders are in force when visiting our territories

·       Player welfare is safeguarded, including requirement for a suitable pre-recommencement training period, to be established in conjunction with the high-performance personnel at our participating unions and teams

 

Due to the evolving situation, unfortunately the board had to take the further decision to cancel the Guinness PRO14 Final at Cardiff City Stadium, set to take place on June 20. Refunds will be made automatically to all who have already purchased tickets.

 

Full information on refunds will be available on pro14.rugby/final in the next 24 hours.

 

Proposals regarding how to restart the season will be reviewed in the near future. PRO14 Rugby is working with key stakeholders to carefully examine several proposals that can be implemented and delivered in order to close out the season – albeit at a later date.

 

Should any final be played as part of the 2019/20 season, it will be hosted by the team with highest ranking based upon league records from this campaign.

 

When positive indicators on the criteria listed above PRO14 Rugby will provide another update.

Everyone across the Guinness PRO14 would urge fans and everyone involved in the sport of rugby to heed the directions from their local health authorities regarding the COVID-19 outbreak and play their part in staying safe.

 

Please keep updated with all announcements over this period on pro14.rugby or one of our social media channels. In the meantime, thank you for your continued support and keep safe.

 

[ajwffc]

The SRU have announced that the current season will not restart

[topcat(The most tip top)]

We were within a score in Dublin. We were right in contention all the way through and came within inches of a draw. Our losing margins in 6 Nations matches there, working back from 2018, have been 20, 10, 22, 18, won by 3, 21, 6, 21, 21, 22.
Surely that's at least slightly above par?
Then we lost by a score at home to England in a howling gale. It was basically a non-test. It's the worst weather I've ever experienced at any sporting occasion. We've only beaten England once at Murrayfield since 2008.
That's par.
Italy away, we won by our biggest away winning margin in the 6 Nations since 2002, and third biggest in the tournament ever.
Above par.
And most recently we horsed the best French side in a decade, playing cracking rugby, defending well, winning the breakdown and kicking with intelligence.
Well above par.
If a small handful of moments had gone our way we'd be sitting on 4 wins just now. We were very competitive in the matches we lost and have conceded four tries. The same opponents last season put 15 on us.
But you want the manager sacked if we lose in a place where very few visiting teams ever go and win? Where until this season the only teams who'd beaten them since 2013 were England, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia? There's nothing Townsend could do to win over the haters, because it's nothing to do with rugby.

The conditions for the England game were such that if we’d won it the haters would be saying it was a freak game that proved nothing

And they’d be right

[The_Kincardine]

I'm a big fan of Squidge on Youtube but think he sells us short on his analysis of the France demolition.  Always entertaining, though.

 

[Eednud]

NRL season suspended.

[John Lambies Doos]

A very worrying comment by Stuart Hogg in the professional era. So WTF was the Scotland set up all about.


He laughs at the mention of the weight issue. "When I got Six Nations player of year in 2016 and 2017 I was 101 kilos and my skinfold (body fat percentage) was ridiculous. Horrendous. I was in heinous shape. Well, maybe not heinous, but I wasn't in great condition. It was only when I went on the Lions tour in 2017 that I realised what it was all about.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

2 hours ago, John Lambies Doos said:

A very worrying comment by Stuart Hogg in the professional era. So WTF was the Scotland set up all about.


He laughs at the mention of the weight issue. "When I got Six Nations player of year in 2016 and 2017 I was 101 kilos and my skinfold (body fat percentage) was ridiculous. Horrendous. I was in heinous shape. Well, maybe not heinous, but I wasn't in great condition. It was only when I went on the Lions tour in 2017 that I realised what it was all about.
 

Although he was a bit useful even as a fat full back

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by topcat(The most tip top)

[John Lambies Doos]

Although he was a bit useful even as a fat full back
 

He was, but Gatlands standards must be way higher than the SRU standards which is extremely worrying and unacceptable

[topcat(The most tip top)]

1 hour ago, John Lambies Doos said:

3 hours ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

Although he was a bit useful even as a fat full back
 

He was, but Gatlands standards must be way higher than the SRU standards which is extremely worrying and unacceptable

It's the George Best problem.  If he's performing like that it's hard to tell him what to do.

Which then brings us back to Finn Russell's infamous night on the bevvy

Edited March 26, 2020 by topcat(The most tip top)

[GordonS]

On 25/03/2020 at 22:46, John Lambies Doos said:

On 25/03/2020 at 20:58, topcat(The most tip top) said:

Although he was a bit useful even as a fat full back
 

He was, but Gatlands standards must be way higher than the SRU standards which is extremely worrying and unacceptable

Gatland's standards were higher than everybody's, his Wales were probably the fittest team in the world. 

I don't know about Townsend's approach to conditioning - there was reason to be concerned at the World Cup - but he's always prioritised pace over size. His Glasgow teams used to leave opponents breathing through their arse, but at international level you can't just run teams ragged and he's had to become more pragmatic.

That Hogg interview is fascinating for lots of reasons.

[Mark Connolly]

Dodson has taken a pay cut for the next few months...

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/update-from-scottishrugby

[Jaggy Snake]

1 hour ago, Mark Connolly said:

Dodson has taken a pay cut for the next few months...

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/update-from-scottishrugby

It's not a pay cut, it's a deferral. He'll still get every penny, just at a later date.

Being a deferral I'd have expected it to be 50% or similar. An actual wage cut of 25-30% would have been fine.

[ajwffc]

STATEMENT from the SRU. The 2019/20 domestic rugby season in Scotland has been classified as null and void, with Scottish Rugby joining its Irish, Welsh and Italian counterparts in coming to this outcome.

[ajwffc]

USA Rugby are fucked https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/usa-rugby-files-for-bankruptcy-in-the-wake-of-coronavirus-outbreak/

[Snobot]

While away a few minutes:/

https://www.scotlandrugbynews.com/quiz/the-big-fat-scottish-rugby-quarantine-quiz/

I got 25

[honestly united]

USA Rugby are fucked https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/usa-rugby-files-for-bankruptcy-in-the-wake-of-coronavirus-outbreak/

They were in a bad shape before this happened, the previous pro League was a shambles, they paid over the odds to host games and didn't draw the crowds they thought they would, and moving the sevens from Vegas to San Francisco hasn't gone well either

[John Lambies Doos]

They were in a bad shape before this happened, the previous pro League was a shambles, they paid over the odds to host games and didn't draw the crowds they thought they would, and moving the sevens from Vegas to San Francisco hasn't gone well either

Moving the sevens from Vegas was a shambles, so much passing through customers gonzo

[peasy23]

[Gianfranco]

I’ve been listening to a lot of old ‘Desert Island Discs’ Podcasts. There was one with Nigel Owens who has quite an interesting life. His song choices are horrific though.