Domestic and European Rugby

[Elpenor]

What is this "tv day pass" of which you speak?

Buying a now tv day pass for £14.99 which allows 24 hrs sky sports access via the now tv app on a smart tv.

 

[two sheds]

ooooo giving 15 quid to Spawn of Satan

versus waiting a day in total news blackout for a stream that then I'd refuse to watch for ethical reasons.

difficult

 

[Elpenor]

ooooo giving 15 quid to Spawn of Satan

versus waiting a day in total news blackout for a stream that then I'd refuse to watch for ethical reasons.

difficult

It was easier to avoid the result last week as I was asleep during the match. Might be harder this time as I’ll be awake.

I find the live streams rather frustrating to watch when they buffer so happy-ish to pay this time around

 

[two sheds]

I may do the same

 

[AverageJoe]

It's a good game. Smith is outstanding

 

[Petcha]

England appear to have become a Super rugby team while theyve been down there End to end. Bit different to the tedious stuff we get up here.

 

[fucthest8]

Yes!!!

 

[fucthest8]

Whatever they have been doing with Marcus Smith, it's working. Whether it's just being out of the shadow of Farrell, or they have specifically targeted his weaknesses, he is much improved.

Apart from last week's kicking obvs

 

[Petcha]

I haven't watched a game for a while but this is quite good. Breathless stuff.

 

[Elpenor]

England very close, closer than last week in some ways. Forcing the all blacks to kick for the posts is quite something.

A few issues - still kicking out of hand too much in attacking situations - by which I mean grubbers. It isn’t working.

And they aren’t converting their territory into points. Part of that I think is going for 7 pointers and not necessarily getting penalties in the right place.

Lastly composure at key points when attacking. Partly this is down to how the ABs were defending and putting them under pressure.

Sleightholme looked great when he was on.

I can see England winning the 2025 6N if they keep this form up and they’ll fancy their chances of beating NZ at twickenham this autumn

 

[Petcha]

The last time I watched an All Blacks game Beauden Barrett was 'the greatest player in the world'. What happened? Why was he on the bench? And then came on and killed it... fall out with the coach or something?

 

[Elpenor]

He’s probably more of a bench player these days, like he was in the early days. Playing two positions can be a disadvantage. He’s been the game changer in both matches though

Definitely still good enough now to start but I guess they want to develop new starters at 10 and 15 with an eye to 2027.

 

[fucthest8]

A few issues - still kicking out of hand too much in attacking situations - by which I mean grubbers. It isn’t working.

This really, really fucking annoys me. You cannot score points without the ball, so kicking possession away has to confer some other advantage: territory, pressure, some fucking thing. Just handing it over is fucking stupid. Just cannot understand why it happens so much.

 

[two sheds]

I've often wondered what the statistics are for yards gained from kicking versus yards immediately regained by the other side gifted possession.

 

[Elpenor]

This really, really fucking annoys me. You cannot score points without the ball, so kicking possession away has to confer some other advantage: territory, pressure, some fucking thing. Just handing it over is fucking stupid. Just cannot understand why it happens so much.

Yes and from memory these were all done in attacking positions when the option to move the ball though the hands or run with it was a live one and the better one

It’s a shame the All blacks weren’t coughing up penalties in kickable positions. Smith tried an early drop goal which was pretty wide but there were a few moments when he could have gone for one too

 

[Elpenor]

Other thought is Marcus Smith, who I thought played well today, the footwork tricks that work at Premiership level just don’t work against the best international teams as there’s no space. Compare to Japan which was a Premiership team level of ability.

I still think his passing and tactical kicking is superb, but he’s not the same running threat against a proper defence and is too easily tackled. Not sure what the solution is.

Oh and for a laugh - Georgia beat Japan. Tough luck Eddie mate

 

[Elpenor]

England under 20 in the final against France under 20 at 1800 tomorrow (on free RugbyPass app I think)

France have won the last few years I think. Good for England to get to the final,
Hopefully some players will graduate to the 2027 World Cup squad

 

[Elpenor]

England under 20 in the final against France under 20 at 1800 tomorrow (on free RugbyPass app I think)

France have won the last few years I think. Good for England to get to the final,
Hopefully some players will graduate to the 2027 World Cup squad

Live now - end to end but neither team really troubling the scorers much

 

[two sheds]

ta for that - watching now

eta really enjoyable game

 

[Elpenor]

Great final try for the French but well done England world U20 champions

Some of these players will break through and be full internationals in a few years - Henry Pollock, Asher Opoku-Fordjour definitely.

 

[stavros]

Any idea why no one's tried to properly turn sevens in a good mainstream TV package? Watching the men's semis and final today it struck me as a good bite-size way to introdcue the wider game to newbies.

 

[skyscraper101]

And in the latest corporate schmorporate 'naming rights' news, 'Twickenham' is to be renamed the 'Allianz Stadium'

'Rugby chiefs to unveil Twickenham naming rights deal with Allianz

Just rolls off the tongue doesn't it.

 

[skyscraper101]

I'll just stick to calling it Twickenham like I still call the one in Cardiff the 'Millennium Stadium'

 

[Elpenor]

European matches are behind a paywall now - previously there’s been one match a round on ITV but now it’s exclusively on premier sports who show all the URC games. Owned by the bloke who ran Setanta. Bad news.

Anyway I’ve been to a couple of friendlies today. Exeter Chiefs v London Scottish and then a little later against Cornish Pirates. Chiefs have a superb new winger called Paul Brown-Bampoe, has come via Durham Uni team and looks like the real deal.

 

[Whagwan]

Hyped for the new season coming up, really hope Bris can start this one the same way we ended the last...

 

[two sheds]

England New Zealand womens' on BBC 1, really good game so far. Some huge tackles going in. Abby Dow is something else, going round people right on the touch line where she had no right to.

 

[Elpenor]

Good shout. I had forgotten this was on. Was going to go to a friendly at my club but a bit tired after a busy morning and it was too late to go and get a decent spot to stand

 

[Elpenor]

Mastercard presale today for women’s rugby World Cup final next year at twickenham

I have booked a ticket. I will not ever be able to afford to go to a men’s final so think it is worth splashing out plus it may not be in the UK again for a while. Ticket includes the bronze final earlier that day

The rest of the tickets go on sale next month. two of the quarter finals will be in Exeter so will probably go to those too.

 

[starfish]

Great start from Bath last night. Hoping for one better this season.

And my hometown club GHA are 4 from 4 and top of the Nat League 1 after thumping Stirling County today.

 

[Elpenor]

I think Bath look very good. Saints have the best backline to watch but not sure they’ll get the platform