Biarritz v Ospreys

[Mr.cyclopede]

Personnaly, I still place this individual performance clearly behind Heymans one in last spring's test match vs NZ:

 

[Charles]

Should have won Try of the Year really...

 

[Cymro]

Not really. America gave the man his break into rugby, gave him an education, a home and a chance at getting a better life. Also, if America had a decent league then he wouldn't spend a moment longer in France as he'd be going back home to his country, America to play there.

It's not really as simple as "man moves from Zimbabwe to USA, plays rugby, signs for Biarritz."

And to be honest Zimbabwe is not the most friendliest of countries at the moment is it?

Looking back at the game, lot of things went wrong. Clancy shows how poor of a ref he is but my god are the Ospreys poor. You can slag anyone off as much as you like but with all the money they have spent they still can't make the final of the HEC. On paper that squad should be there every year.

My hat goes off to Biggar for taking that drop goal, never in a million years were you going to kick that over. Should have gone through a few more phases and done it. Yes you should have had a penalty for the deliberate knock on ... but would Biggar have kicked it is the other question?

All in all Biarritz did a job.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

THE Ospreys’ dramatic Heineken Cup exit took a fresh twist last night when Biarritz admitted Wales’ flagship outfit should have been awarded a final-minute penalty.
Biarritz coach Jean-Michel Gonzalez was remarkably candid when questioned about the controversy in the Ospreys’ heart-breaking 29-28 defeat in San Sebastian.
Irish referee George Clancy put an arm out to signal an offence by Biarritz star Dimitri Yachvili as the Ospreys pressed for the score that would have seen them reach the Heineken Cup semi-finals for the first time.
Clancy’s action led to Dan Biggar attempting a drop-goal, believing Ospreys would still have a penalty should he miss.
But when the ball sailed wide of the target and was put out of play for Biarritz, Clancy blew for full-time.
He refused to comment afterwards amid Ospreys claims they were robbed.
Union rules state a match can only continue after time is up if a penalty has been awarded.
ERC insiders maintained Clancy had signalled for a knock-on, not a penalty, so was correct to extinguish Wales’ last remaining hope of lifting the Heineken trophy.
Ospreys coach Sean Holley stormed: “I thought it was a penalty.â€
Amazingly, his view drew support from Gonzalez, who confessed: “Frankly, I thought it was a penalty.
“The decision was peculiar for its interpretation. I interpreted it was a penalty by the way the referee reacted.â€
And Yachvili revealed: “The ball just touched my hand but I was worried it might be a penalty.
“The referee said, ‘knock-on, but there’s no time to play the scrum. If I say scrum then the game is over’.â€
France star Yachvili’s version was at odds with those of Ospreys captain Ryan Jones, who alleged: “He (Clancy) said it was a penalty but there wasn’t time.â€
Wales star Shane Williams also believed the Ospreys had been awarded a penalty, pointing out he shouted to team-mate Mike Phillips to knock-on and Clancy to rule on it.
“I assumed it was a penalty to be honest. I was even telling Mike to dab the ball down and go for the three points,†he said.
“It was a little bit confusing but we are not going to use that as an excuse.
“We should have won that game before the 80th minute but personally I thought it was a penalty.†Williams claimed the agony of being eliminated for the third season in a row at the quarter-final stage would not have a psychological effect on the Ospreys in their challenge next term.
“We know we are good enough to compete in this competition,†he said.
“We showed that. If anything, it’s given us confidence coming to Spain and playing against a very good Biarritz side.
“It’s more disappointing when you play well enough to have won the game.
“I felt we were the better side out there and we had our chances.
“But it’s a chance missed.
“Last year we didn’t perform and were beaten by a much better Munster side.
“It is far harder to take when you have absolutely given everything and haven’t come away with anything.â€

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbyn...-as-biarritz-coach-backs-them-91466-26221026/

 

[dullonien]

How has it taken a fresh twist? The result won't change! The ref seemed to get caught up in two minds weather to award the penalty or not, so kinda signalled a 'full arm' offense, but didn't raise his arm completely. But at the same time, I clearly heard him shout 'just a knock on', and I realised that quite quickly. If Biggar attempted the drop thinking there was still a penalty to come, then that's just unfortunate really, mistakes do happen. I still think Clancy bottled it slightly, changing his mind at the last second, but it's not really that decision which riled me the most.

Shane Williams hit the nail on the head really, the Ospreys should have been out of sight. A combination of a poor lineout and lack of clinical finishing is what cost them. Referee decisions is always an easy target, and it's always tough not to be angry at blatantly wrong decisions, such as Ngwenya's knock on in the first half, but marginal ones such as at the end is part of the sport.

Out of interest, what did people think about the penalty awarded against Biggar when he tackled a player without the ball? I personally thought there was nothing wrong with it. The ball didn't reach the player tackled, but he was certainly 'meant' to get the ball. Biggar obviously thought he's recieved and put in a good driving hit. It wasn't a spear, and didn't effect the play atall.

At the same time though, I'd also like to mention Collins' off the ball hit. I thought that was dirty and deserved a yellow card. The ball was nowhere neer and Collins must have seen the ball go back inside, yet decided to get a cheap shot in.

 

[iWin]

Out of interest, what did people think about the penalty awarded against Biggar when he tackled a player without the ball? I personally thought there was nothing wrong with it. The ball didn't reach the player tackled, but he was certainly 'meant' to get the ball. Biggar obviously thought he's recieved and put in a good driving hit. It wasn't a spear, and didn't effect the play atall.

At the same time though, I'd also like to mention Collins' off the ball hit. I thought that was dirty and deserved a yellow card. The ball was nowhere neer and Collins must have seen the ball go back inside, yet decided to get a cheap shot in.

I agree, Biggar's was borderline at best, but Collins should have spent 10 in the bin.
I've never really liked Collins, and that game did nothing for my opinion of him. Loved watching someone (Thion?) absolutely smash him

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Gold old Jerry. He attempts one of those every single game, usualy on his opposite number. (That's how Lydiate got injured.) Now the games' done and dusted I'll say that he perhaps should have seen yellow, but I wouldn't admit it during the 80. There wasn't much in Biggar's, though, I didn't think it was a penalty, but could see why it was given.

 

[munstermuffin]

Will this maybe encourage the Ospreys to take a different approach to games and rebuild some of team and game plan.

 

[dullonien]

I can't personally even 'see' why the Biggar one was given as a penalty. He was commetted in exactly the same way a tackler is if the ball is kicked. You'll see exactly the same thing in 50% of all games, and no-one will even batter an eyelid. The only thing I can think of is that the ref deemed the challange dangerous, which would also but rediculous, but it's all I can really think of.

As for the Collin incident, I trully thought he was gonna see an instant yellow.

The problem with these decisions are the inconsistency with which each ref sees them. An example of this is the difference between the two slap-downs on the weekend. Both looked very similar to me, both stopped a certain try, however one resulted in just a scrum changing the game as Biarritz scored off it (not the ref's fault that the O's lost the scrum mind), whilst the other resulted in a penalty and yellow card, changing the game in Leinster's favour being against 14 men. I know these things are subjective to some extent, but blatant things like this shouldn't be being missed. This is not just about the game on the weekend either, this is a rant about the officialating in rugby in general. I feel international games are mostly refed to a higher standard, but the HC isn't up to scratch even though the intensity is up there with international standard. Don't get me started on the level of refing in the Magners, as it's just a joke the majority of the time.

Will this maybe encourage the Ospreys to take a different approach to games and rebuild some of team and game plan.

I hope it makes them realise that Humphreys isn't a good coach. The Ospreys lineout should function considering the players available. Alun-Wyn Jones, Jonathan Thomas and Ryan Jones are all good lineout options, yet it was stiall a shambles. Bennett looked petrified setting up for the majority of them, and in some cases the jumpers failed to leave the ground atall! The scrum is also not as strong as it should be. Adam Jones showed that he's a world class scrummager in the summer, and is solid for Wales alongside Bennett and Paul James, yet in Ospreys colours things aren't as rosey. I think a quality forwards coach could be all they need (although a top quality loosehead wouldn't go amiss). The backs are certainly doing the busness since Scott Johnson arrived!

 

[munstermuffin]

Agree with you there dullonien, but it is hard on ref's too that are being given rule changes mid-season and then that joke of a fiasco changing rules during 6Nations then reverting back after tournament.
My question is is our game bad that they constantly changing the rules. Like ok some rules are an improvement (like if you bring ball back into 22 now you cant kick it straight out unlike before where you could)
but at the breakdwn there just too much changing that it impossible to have everyone on same level of interpreting.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I thought you weren't supposed to commit to a tackle unless the person had the ball in hand. I understand that everyone does commit to a tackle if the balls obviously going to that player, but if the law stated that then it'd just be an excuse: "I thought the ball was going right to his hands, ref!"

 

[dullonien]

I suppose to the letter of the law Olyy. But the majority of tackles performed on the gain-line are started before the ball reaches the player. No-one complains when a players receives man and ball, which would also indicate that the takler had committed before the player had received the ball.

Munstermuffin. I do sympathise with refs, with all the chopping and changing the lawmakers are doing. But many of the really annoying and blatant things happen in open play, where the laws haven't been changed recently. The marginal ones at ruck time etc. I can accept. I'll also disagree with you about the kicking from 22 rule, but that's been done already

 

[munstermuffin]

Well like 22 rule is good as it encourages attacking rugby bit more although it has given us more aerial ping pong. But every rule will have pro's and con's.
But I just think there is too much rule changing but do agree alot of blatant offences in open play but like why can't we just settle on the rule changing for a while and let players and ref's together adjust to what we got.

 

[dullonien]

Well we certainly had an attacking feast of rugby throughout this seasons Heineken Cup so far, so the rules appear not to be broken at the moment. I know the 6 Nations wasn't so free flowing, but maybe it'll come in time. I agree that they need to just leave things alone now.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Well we certainly had an attacking feast of rugby throughout this seasons Heineken Cup so far, so the rules appear not to be broken at the moment. I know the 6 Nations wasn't so free flowing, but maybe it'll come in time. I agree that they need to just leave things alone now.

I think it's a matter of time before people go 'hey...France kick ass when they play attacking rugby and NZ kicked France's ass with attacking rugby....here's an idea, let' play really really attacking rugby!!"

 

[munstermuffin]

Well we certainly had an attacking feast of rugby throughout this seasons Heineken Cup so far, so the rules appear not to be broken at the moment. I know the 6 Nations wasn't so free flowing, but maybe it'll come in time. I agree that they need to just leave things alone now.

i agree 6Nations wasn't best but like if you looked at QF's this week you'll see all 8 teams really went out and went for it.