England v New Zealand

[Muzzy]

The thing about the Toeava tackle isn't a big deal to me, 1) because the result was fair in the end and 2) because I personally think shoulder charges don't cause serious injury in league, and they should be legal in Union.

However, the only way Toeava could have stopped the try is by barging Hape, which is what he did. I'd say under the rules of Union, that's illegal, and therefore penalty try.

But as it is we lost by more than 7 points, our other try was controversial so... not really anything to get worked up about.

you guys are gonna think i'm crazy but i think it was a fair tackle, when Toeava first went into the tackle his left arm was wrapped under the player which was hard to see on the camera angle, Toeava then turned his body right driving his right shoulder which made it look like a shoulder charge, but i think it was legal because he had started the tackle wraping his left arm under Hape first, i believe it was just a big hit

 

[admartian]

Japan considered SH? Bullshit...What does it have to do that they play in the Pacific 6 Nations? Pacific does not equal SH. They are still in the NH, and quite up north at that...

Geographically they aren't, but administratively, they are. Both are fair points, but if SA did eventually join the 6 nations, would you consider them to be SH or NH?

 

[smartcooky]

Japan considered SH? Bullshit...What does it have to do that they play in the Pacific 6 Nations? Pacific does not equal SH. They are still in the NH, and quite up north at that...

Charles. Try not to get hung up on geographic location. Japan is part of the Pacific Five Nations. and that IS important

Even though they are north of the equator, Japan is physically a lot closer to the Pacific than it is to Europe. (Japan is closer to New Zealand than Argentina, South Africa or England)

Also the JRU has a much closer working relationship with Australian and New Zealand rugby than they have with any Union in Europe. Almost all the foreign players playing rugby there, are Aussies, Kiwis and PI's. Many Japanese rugby players attend academies here and in Australia. Hardly any (that I know of) go to Europe.

More importantly, the IRB consider Japan to be administratively, part of the Asia Pacific rugby setup. Effectively, that makes them a "SH" country.

 

[Teh Mite]

America and Canada are nowhere near Europe either. I guess that also makes them SH countries...

The part which REALLY amuses me is all this inter-SH love that's going on, yet only 3 short months ago you were all verbally knocking the seven bails of **** out of each other. How fickle.

 

[admartian]

America and Canada are nowhere near Europe either. I guess that also makes them SH countries...

The part which REALLY amuses me is all this inter-SH love that's going on, yet only 3 short months ago you were all verbally knocking the seven bails of **** out of each other. How fickle.

I don't think that was the logic he was using. Simply stating the case for Japan.

Lol, it's like bickering amongst your own family isn't it? It's all fine when it's from within the 'flock' but when an 'outsider' pokes their nose in it....

 

[smartcooky]

Lol, it's like bickering amongst your own family isn't it? It's all fine when it's from within the 'flock' but when an 'outsider' pokes their nose in it....

Very well said matey!!!

America and Canada are nowhere near Europe either. I guess that also makes them SH countries...

Would it surprise you to learn that the flight time from New York to London is less that from Auckland to Perth?

North America is a LOT closer to Europe than it is to Australia, or Japan or NZ

 

[woodward]

it may be a closing of the gap but the fact it doesn't even take a win to close it shows how massive the gap is

 

[Muzzy]

Charles. Try not to get hung up on geographic location. Japan is part of the Pacific Five Nations. and that IS important

Even though they are north of the equator, Japan is physically a lot closer to the Pacific than it is to Europe. (Japan is closer to New Zealand than Argentina, South Africa or England)

Also the JRU has a much closer working relationship with Australian and New Zealand rugby than they have with any Union in Europe. Almost all the foreign players playing rugby there, are Aussies, Kiwis and PI's. Many Japanese rugby players attend academies here and in Australia. Hardly any (that I know of) go to Europe.

More importantly, the IRB consider Japan to be administratively, part of the Asia Pacific rugby setup. Effectively, that makes them a "SH" country.

they're also part of the Asian Five Nations with fellow NH countries Korea, Hong Kong, Arabian Gulf and Kazakhstan. so i consider them a NH team. Also the forgeign players over there is irrelevant because most of the players in the Japanese team are local Japanese players anyway.

also canada and america used to be part of the Pacific Rim Cup with Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, does that mean Canada and USA were SH countries too?

 

[smartcooky]

they're also part of the Asian Five Nations with fellow NH countries Korea, Hong Kong, Arabian Gulf and Kazakhstan. i consider them a NH team. Also the forgeign players over there is irrelevant because most of the players in the Japanese team are local Japanese players anyway.

The important thing is that the IRB regard them ADMINISTRATIVELY as a SH team, and they have the last word... end of!!

 

[Muzzy]

More importantly, the IRB consider Japan to be administratively, part of the Asia Pacific rugby setup. Effectively, that makes them a "SH" country.

The important thing is that the IRB regard them ADMINISTRATIVELY as a SH team, and they have the last word... end of!!

you said the IRB consider them part of the Asia Pacific rugby setup which makes them SH?

the Asia Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere are not the same thing so thats not true it doesn't make them SH, it makes them Asia-Pacific

 

[smartcooky]

you said the IRB consider them part of the Asia Pacific rugby setup which makes them SH?

the Asia Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere are not the same thing so thats not true it doesn't make them SH, it makes them Asia-Pacific

Look, I really don't give a fvck mate. If it is so important to your daily existence, and your life depends on Japan being a NH team, then fine; you believe what you want.

Samoa beat Japan last weekend, so its still 4-0

 

[Sam Owen]

Samoa beat Japan last weekend, so its still 4-0

YES!!! and dam I should get Rugby channel, you'd think sky and its 3 channels would be enough. Cheers for the good news.

 

[DonBilly]

Look, I really don't give a fvck mate. If it is so important to your daily existence, and your life depends on Japan being a NH team, then fine; you believe what you want.

Samoa beat Japan last weekend, so its still 4-0

Didn't they play Russia last weekend?

 

[nickdnz]

oh c'mon that tackle on Wulf Conrad basically has a free hit because wulf struggled to take the pass and was trying to gather it from over his sholder leaving him exposed with his weight back rather than forward towards the tackler.

Smith is a good defender, I only worry when he's marking Mortlock or Fourie or someone similar. Actually in 2008 kahui was a suprise selection for a test against Australia where Mortlock was expected to start and henry said it was the best selection for that particular game. That for me confirmed exactly what I was thinking at the time.

"That for me confirmed exactly what I was thinking at the time" = Nothing.

Wasn't going to respondm but meh.

Silly post, and completely unfounded. Try and find any real evidence that Conrad Smith struggles to tackle big centers, and I'll concede, but considering he has one of the best tackling rates in his career, includinf the Super 14, I think you're talking out your arse, and speculating on a fantastic defenders ability by his weight, rather than on any other evidence. Judging on most of your stupid statements of late, I have to ask, do you watch rugby? I've provided a reasoned argument and video evidence, and you yet again just provide nothing to back your statements, short of unfounded speculation on Conrad's abilities, based on a selection choice Henry made two years ago. Is there any worth in your responce?

 

[smartcooky]

Didn't they play Russia last weekend?

Yep, and Samoa the week before. Both countries were in Japan for the "Lipovitan D Challenge", sponsored by Taisho Pharmaceutical Co.

http://jrfu.org/index.php?option=co...ussia-to-visit-japan&catid=40:jrfu&Itemid=136

Samoa beat Japan 13-10
Japan beat Russia 75-3

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

"That for me confirmed exactly what I was thinking at the time" = Nothing.

Wasn't going to respondm but meh.

Silly post, and completely unfounded. Try and find any real evidence that Conrad Smith struggles to tackle big centers, and I'll concede, but considering he has one of the best tackling rates in his career, includinf the Super 14, I think you're talking out your arse, and speculating on a fantastic defenders ability by his weight, rather than on any other evidence. Judging on most of your stupid statements of late, I have to ask, do you watch rugby? I've provided a reasoned argument and video evidence, and you yet again just provide nothing to back your statements, short of unfounded speculation on Conrad's abilities, based on a selection choice Henry made two years ago. Is there any worth in your responce?

That selection was made in the middle of Conrads worst injury concerns anyhow, so yeah Nick his opinion is more than a little hard to back up.

Conrad seems to only have become a questioned player since Williams came onto the scene. They are two very different players at this point, with SBW being a punch-a-hole, or drag-in-and-offload kind of guy and Smith being able to make space for himself and others, complete set moves either with inside or outside balls, retain ball well in the tackle, defend exceptionally well and pop up in places where his opposite seems to have lost him. Smith's a classic centre, whilst Williams is the bash-crash kind, who make tries, but make mistakes more often too.

It all comes down to the game that's needed, but Smith is unquestionably floating between 1st and 3rd best centre in the world, depending on how good his form is, which is usually excellent.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yep, and Samoa the week before. Both countries were in Japan for the "Lipovitan D Challenge", sponsored by Taisho Pharmaceutical Co.

http://jrfu.org/index.php?option=co...ussia-to-visit-japan&catid=40:jrfu&Itemid=136

Samoa beat Japan 13-10
Japan beat Russia 75-3

I like how you always go in depth, giving us the likes of the tournament sponsor

 

[sambãd5]

Not sure if its been brought up before, or in another thread, but who gave Justin marshall a microphone? god, i feel like shooting myself every time he speaks.

 

[nickdnz]

Not sure if its been brought up before, or in another thread, but who gave Justin marshall a microphone? god, i feel like shooting myself every time he speaks.

Haha, strongly agree. I'd love to replace Ian Jones, Justin Marshall, Karl Te Nana, Aaron Mauger, Rua Tipoki and to a lesser extent Grant Fox and Murray Mexted, with commentators that may have not played rugby to a high level, but know what they're talking about. You look at who are probably New Zealand's best commentators currently, and it's Grant Nisbett, Tony Johnson and Scotty Stevenson, none of whom have played professional rugby, but all of whom know how to call a game, and know what they're talking about. Justin Marshall, while being a good player, is unbarable to listen to.

 

[woodward]

whilst Williams is the bash-crash kind

no he isn't, have you even watched him play? Incredibly stupid comment