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Rugby Union 2017-18

I think he'll do well. He was excellent in Connacht's win against Munster last weekend. Ripped the ball from Stander. Drew and passed excellently for O'Halloran's try. He's got the ability and his temperament is very good. The key is how well he gels with Schmidt.
 
Glasgow v Leinster tonight so far has been brilliant. Its been like a watching the Barbarians v the Barbarians.
 
First half was awesome. Second really good. Also one of the greatest tries ever was scored tonight.
 
I even got down on my knees to tape the try on my phone but the files too big to upload it. The try is that good.
 
The Ireland team for Saturday is

15. Rob Kearney
14. Andrew Conway
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Iain Henderson
5. Devin Toner
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Sean O’Brien
8. CJ Stander

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. John Ryan
19. James Ryan
20. Rhys Ruddock
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Joey Carbery
23. Darren Sweetnam

How the fuck Bob is still the fullback, but the 9-13 looks decent. I'm not sure about Conway other than he can field a high ball pretty well. And I'm glad that Iain Henderson is getting a run at lock, it suits him.
 
LOL!!! Oh it's not that bad, and you're only playing the Wonky Wooblies, on a Saturday, so maybe the Sunday side is a bit . . .. !! :)

:thumbs:
Genuinely the weakest Wales side I've seen for about two decades. Injuries playing a part but cupboard is also very bare atm. The bench is beyond awful. If you're not 15 plus points up by 60 minutes you will be soon afterwards.
 
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Good backs Wales have, and I like it without Roberts, will be more attacking than bish bosh
 
It is indeed!

My predictions

Italy 14:00 Fiji Italy win

Scotland 14:30 Samoa Scotland win

England 15:00 Argentina England win

Wales 17:15 Australia Australia win (fingers crossed!!)

Ireland 17:30 South Africa Ireland win

France 19:45 New Zealand NZ win

Let's see Monday how accurate I am . . . . or not!! LOL!! :)
 
Genuinely the weakest Wales side I've seen for about two decades. Injuries playing a part but cupboard is also very bare atm. The bench is beyond awful. If you're not 15 plus points up by 60 minutes you will be soon afterwards.
Paul Rees of the Guardian thinks "Wales are ripping up a midfield system that has proved successful, in Europe anyway, for one that gives them an extra playmaking option at inside-centre because individual initiative is now counting for something" do you agree?
 
OzT

I largely agree with those but I think France may beat the AB's. I'll be intrigued to see how Italy do, both teams are performing better in the Pro14, but a Fiji that can cut loose, we'll see.

It will be some weekend if all N.Hemisphere win.

Been reading the comments section in the Guardian about Aki. Finding the sound and fury funny about his eligibility to play for us. Yes the system is/was stupid but within the boundaries of the rules, we may just have got a gem who could help us win a quarter final in the WC.
 
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OzT

I largely agree with those but I think France may beat the AB's.

France only beats the kiwis in the World cup finals . . . . lol!! :)

I think Italy has played as a team much more than Fiji, who lacks the bulks of the Tongans and Somoans which is why I think Italy will win.

Wales midfield, as i alluded earlier, I think will turn into quite a skillful team. I am still hoping the Wallabies have a better back line.

The other results I think are all givens
 
Paul Rees of the Guardian thinks "Wales are ripping up a midfield system that has proved successful, in Europe anyway, for one that gives them an extra playmaking option at inside-centre because individual initiative is now counting for something" do you agree?
Bloody hell! Who knows? I'm sure Gatland has seen how successfully other sides are deploying playmakers rather than bosh merchants at 12 and he himself did the same on the last Lions' tour with a degree of success. He can't have been blind to the fact that we rarely get our speed merchants hitting the ball at pace, nor that the ball usually dies once it gets to 12.

Essentially he's just waking up and smelling the coffee a bit late, IMO. It may be that he intends to empower our backline decision making to make it more responsive and adaptive, and I guess with the way it's set up they'll have to move on from being pre-programmed automata in order to execute. My issue is less with what he's trying to do but more with the staff we have with which to do it. It's a poor side by anybody's standards and that bench makes a little bit of me die inside.
 
The only glimmer of excitement for me is seeing Steff Evans on the wing - he's a fantastic, intelligent, exciting rugby player with gas, balance and a lovely step, who scores for fun for the Turks. Be interesting to see if he can translate his obvious talents at Pro14/European level into the international arena

 
Based only on the highlights, England-Argentina looked thrilling.

I watched Scotland-Samoa live, and that was a try-fest.
 
Well i got 5/6 correct, but what a thumping of SA by Ireland!

Sad to see a giant down, but I feel there's too much pride and history in the Bok's jersey to be down for long. They may need to change their coach and backroom staff, rid it of politics and get the players wanting to play for SA again.

England win, as to be expected, plenty more firepower to come there. Wales I felt was exciting trying new tactics, hopefully they will stay with it and be an adventurous running successful side.

Didn't see the others. Another good weekend coming and this one tooo tight for me to call.
 
I don't really know anything about the relevant quality of each bid but I do feel the tournament should be shared around more and a structure put in place for that. Its kind of boring and does nothing to develop the game just rotating it around 4 countries.
 
An Ireland World Cup would have been fucking brilliant. What a shame. Is the organisation behind it as corrupt as fifa?
 
An Ireland World Cup would have been fucking brilliant. What a shame. Is the organisation behind it as corrupt as fifa?

Well they are claiming its very transparent. Its all about money though at the end of the day. The tournament will make more money in certain locations therefore there will be more in the pot for sharing. People voted with their wallets in mind by the looks of it.

May as well just hold it in England every time if that is the only criteria.
 
Yeah it's disappointing but then again we don't have to witnesses the absolute price gouging that would have gone on if we had won it nor the smugness of NeoLeo nor the U2 opening ceremony.

The one part of me that is disappointed is that with the use of GAA stadia, we would have seen more standing on terraces and if our bid was to be believed cheaper tickets. I was in France for the 2007 tournament and it was great, so I'll probably head there for 2023.

Actually, we this is what we deserve, after all we voted for NZ 2011 instead of one of the competitors, which would have grown the game.
 
The one part of me that is disappointed is that with the use of GAA stadia, we would have seen more standing on terraces and if our bid was to be believed cheaper tickets. I was in France for the 2007 tournament and it was great, so I'll probably head there for 2023.

The cost of tickets for teh recent WC in England was pretty scandalous I thought, well the London based games were. I imagine that is the reason it made a record amount of cash. Given the various Unions have voted with their wallets I can't see the tickets in France being particularly cheap.

Actually, we this is what we deserve, after all we voted for NZ 2011 instead of one of the competitors, which would have grown the game.

Yes there is a certain degree of merry go round about this. Should Scotland decide to try and host in the foreseeable I doubt they'll get much more than a shrug from the IRU. I see England voted for the Irish bid.
 
Foley is shocking and Ned Hennigan is not an international level player. England should be doing better.
 
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