The Rugby Thread

[pharvey]

Tomorrow see's the 2016 Rugby Championship kick-off with Australia playing host to New Zealand and Argentina visiting South Africa.... Unfortunately I'm going to miss both!!

For those interested and who have not joined, details for the Prediction League are: -

http://www.superbru.com/rugbychampionsh ... p=11591703

Pool name: HHF Rugby Championship 2016

Pool code: spedwail

[PeteC]

^ I totally missed this invitation for some reason...just signed up now. Pete

[pharvey]

^ I totally missed this invitation for some reason...just signed up now. Pete

I was beginning to wonder Pete!!

[pharvey]

iron jack - you still need to make your picks..... Just 24 hrs or so before the opening match.

[PeteC]

^ I totally missed this invitation for some reason...just signed up now. Pete

I was beginning to wonder Pete!!

Email address problem. Superbru keeps using one I changed months ago and is no longer active. Their emails going into a blackhole I guess. Updated once again in profile and hopefully will work in the future. Pete

[PeteC]

I guess the All Blacks are so hard to beat people are going to extremes to get a leg up? Pete

All Blacks hotel room in Sydney 'bugged'

"New Zealand Rugby says a hotel room where the All Blacks held meetings in Sydney was bugged before a match against Australia.
The New Zealand Herald reported that a "sophisticated" listening device found on Monday had been hidden in a chair.
The All Blacks are due to play Australia's Wallabies on Saturday.
The CEO of New Zealand Rugby, Steve Tew, said in a statement that Australian police and the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) had been informed.".......

[pharvey]

^ All seems a bit strange to say the least......

If the "bug" was so "skillfully and meticulously" hidden, how was it found? Does NZ rugby sweep for bugs as standard practice?

[PeteC]

^ I wouldn't be surprised if they travel with a security staff equipped with electronic scanners. They're the top side in the world and I imagine there are plenty who would like to know their plans and strategy.

[dtaai-maai]

Tomorrow see's the 2016 Rugby Championship kick-off with Australia playing host to New Zealand

Thanks for the heads up on this, as I'd completely forgotten.

What the heck is with these endless 'welcome to country' speech the Aussies have recently introduced? I remember skipping them during the recent England tour...
Get on with the bloody game!!

[PeteC]

Can I change my pick? My 9 point spread may need to be x by 3 or more. Quite a few injuries though both sides in the first half; hamstring, two concussions, elbow ligament, bad ankle and a few more. It must get really discouraging for the career Wallabies. Year after year they get hammered by NZ. Pete

[pharvey]

Unfortunately didn't get to see any of the rugby, but WOW - the results certainly tell a story or two!!

The results of God's Own on tour against the Blackness don't seem at all that bad now!! What a kicking they gave the Green and Golds....... By that scoreline, looks very much like a one horse race for this year's championship.

[EDIT] Got to love this "prediction" by Planet Rugby: -

"Preview: Australia begin the defence of their Rugby Championship title in a highly anticipated clash against their trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand, in Sydney on Saturday.

Prediction: With their foreign legion back, the Wallabies should give a good account of themselves but the All Blacks will rely heavily on the brilliance of Barrett to get them over the line. It will be close but New Zealand will win by five points!"

Match 2: -

The Jarrpies stealing it at the death against the Falklander Wannabies..... SA under-performing or the Pumas playing well?

Will be interesting to see what happens in the return matches next round.... though I wouldn't want to be an Aussie supporter heading to land of the long white cloud!!

It must get really discouraging for the career Wallabies. Year after year they get hammered by NZ. Pete

In all fairness, the Aussies did beat the blackness last year to take the Championship - though it was at home and last year the Championship was only a single round rather than the normal two rounds.

That result however must be a very distant memory today!!

[dtaai-maai]

^^ The All Blacks were their usual awesome selves, certainly in the 1st half. They were so far out of sight at half time that the game lost its intensity after the break. Just as well or it would have been even more humiliating for the Aussies, who were woeful.

The other game was a thriller throughout. It would be unfair on the Pumas to say that SA under-performed. In fact, the Pumas probably gave the game away in the last 10 minutes. All credit to SA for coming back, but when a team has had its nose in front for most of the game and is 10 ahead after 70m mins, you have to ask some serious questions when they concede 17 points and lose. Bit of a loss of nerve there I think. Shame, because they played really well.
I think it's pretty remarkable how much progress Argentina have made in the last 20-30 years. Let's hope countries like Georgia and Japan (and to a lesser degree Italy) can do the same.

[pharvey]

I think it's pretty remarkable how much progress Argentina have made in the last 20-30 years. Let's hope countries like Georgia and Japan (and to a lesser degree Italy) can do the same.

They certainly have come along way from simply having a good front-row/scrummage, but also they've had their ups and downs with experienced players retiring and new blood coming in. Joining the Rugby Championship has certainly proved a massive boost for them. And not a bad record in the RWC - Two Quarter Finals, 2 Semi Finals.

Long may it continue, and as you say - we'll hopefully see a lot more of the "Tier 2" nations. On that note, there has been some talk of introducing Promotion/Demotion to the 6N tournament, which would give the likes of Georgia the opportunity to play in Europe's premier rugby competition - sounds good to me!

[pharvey]

What the heck is with these endless 'welcome to country' speech the Aussies have recently introduced? I remember skipping them during the recent England tour...
Get on with the bloody game!!

The PC Brigade once again, I believe all to do with the Aborigines and them being the original inhabitants of Australia - a mark of respect to them (not saying that's a bad thing).

[pharvey]

8 Man Scrum? Try 1,500!!

During the "Golden Oldies Rugby Festival" currently being held in Cardiff, an attempt at the World Record for the largest rugby scrummage will be made (Wednesday). The current record stands at 1,198 and was set at "Twickers" (rah, rah) in 2015.



The "Golden Oldies Rugby Festival" itself is quite a party - and all in a good cause, raising money for the "Wooden Spoon" charity: - https://woodenspoon.org.uk/

Aside from (over 35 year old) stars from across the globe, this year sees an 87 year old Japanese player taking part!!
Will hopefully get down to see a few "games" myself this week and see the like of Graham Price and JPR on the park!

More info. on the following links: -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-37094886
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... d-11779370
http://www.europeangoldenoldiesrugby.co ... -festival/

All the best to those involved, and hope a success for the charity..