Premiership Rugby 19/20 - Rd 14

[EdBirch]

Probables v Possibles
Curry, Underhill & Vunipola v Hill, Willis & Dombrandt?

 

[Which Tyler]

I'm not sure why you're singling out Earl negatively? IMO he certainly has a legitimate shout from a form perspective and offers a point of difference with his pace and style of play.

Because I don't think that he, or Ludlam, are as good as the other options - which doesn't make him bad (or I wouldn't have included him in a list of the good). The only one on my list who doesn't really have a legitimate shout is Willis Jr - which is why he gets a caveat.
We can go down to 4th choice in each backrow position - and still put out a convincingly international quality trio.

 

[TheOvalBall]

Bristol vs Saracens was pretty tense near the end. It was a good tough game for resuming the competition. Bristol deserved the win. The try that was disallowed was touch and go. But it seemed ok to be allowed. It was really nice running from Morohan. I also really like that a penalty try is automatically 7 points, with no kick needed.

 

[BPM]

The touch from Thacker was very light and IMO, there was no way Itoje could've got to Morahan even without Thacker being in the way so I don't actually believe he prevented a tackle from being made. Try should have stood.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Thomas Young is an absolute monster ... that is all.

 

[TheOvalBall]

Northampton vs Wasps was a really enjoyable game. Credit to Wasps for being better on the day. I enjoyed Fekitoa's hits. Big tackles are always great to see. Biggar looked out of sorts.

 

[BPM]

He did. Two important kicks to touch missed which is very unlike Biggar. Probably a combination of rustiness and Fekitoa knocking him off his stride.

Saints never really got going in attack.

 

[TheOvalBall]

Harlequins vs Sale was messy with all the penalties. First game of the resumption, but Sale really need a kick up the backside. About 6 of the 8 Sale forwards were South Africans. Plus 9 and 10. That's crazy.

Coenie has always been a penalty giver. He never learns. And why field Robert du Preez who has a 69% kicking record. That's so poor. Should be 75% and up.

Harlequins played a decent game.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Can't wait until they ban scrums completely, they're such a mess

Short term measure: replace resets with yellow cards and penalties with red cards

 

[TheOvalBall]

Can't wait until they ban scrums completely, they're such a mess

Short term measure: replace resets with yellow cards and penalties with red cards

If they ban scrums, then i'm finished with the game. World Rugby created the mess. They should fix it. Also, time out option, until scrums are stable and ball has been thrown in.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Time out is the opposite of what we need, it'd slow the game down even more with the tubbys in the front row all having a breather knowing it's not going to effect the gametime - if anything do the opposite, if the fat lads can't pack down quick enough after the knock-on/forward pass is blown then free kick to the opposition (minus the option of taking a scrum again).

I'm not being serious when I say ban scrums, but I am being serious when I say that they are very comfortably the worst aspect of the sport and need serious work seriously quickly because they are killing it as a spectacle.

 

[TheOvalBall]

Time out is the opposite of what we need, it'd slow the game down even more with the tubbys in the front row all having a breather knowing it's not going to effect the gametime.

I'm not being serious when I say ban scrums, but I am being serious when I say that they are very comfortably the worst aspect of the sport and need serious work seriously quickly because they are killing it as a spectacle.

If we go with the card option, then nobody would be left lol

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Good,
it's 2020: we've evolved past the need for props, as evidenced by many of them trying to play like flyhalves (looking at you Sinckler)

 

[TheOvalBall]

Good,
it's 2020: we've evolved past the need for props, as evidenced by many of them trying to play like flyhalves (looking at you Sinckler)

I'm pretty sure the coaches coach that in training. Which would be even more disheartening. Jamie George is sometimes on the wing for England. I want to scream at him and ask "what are you doing there ?"

 

[Every Time Ref]

I'm pretty sure the coaches coach that in training. Which would be even more disheartening. Jamie George is sometimes on the wing for England. I want to scream at him and ask "what are you doing there ?"

I think standard coaching practice is to assign each of the 8 forwards a "zone" across the pitch in attack, because wherever the tackle is, you want breakdown operators to win quick ball.

I'm not in any way a coach so might be wrong but that's my understanding.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I think standard coaching practice is to assign each of the 8 forwards a "zone" across the pitch in attack, because wherever the tackle is, you want breakdown operators to win quick ball.

I'm not in any way a coach so might be wrong but that's my understanding.

1-3-3-1 is very much the standard formation, ie. 1 forward on each wing (usually a hooker and a back rower) and two pods of 3 in the middle of the pitch.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Time out is the opposite of what we need, it'd slow the game down even more with the tubbys in the front row all having a breather knowing it's not going to effect the gametime - if anything do the opposite, if the fat lads can't pack down quick enough after the knock-on/forward pass is blown then free kick to the opposition (minus the option of taking a scrum again).

I'm not being serious when I say ban scrums, but I am being serious when I say that they are very comfortably the worst aspect of the sport and need serious work seriously quickly because they are killing it as a spectacle.

I agree to an extent the scrum is the worst aspect of the sport but ...

The setting of the scrum is only partially the issue, the actual issue is with each ref's timing / routine of the crouch, bind ... set. Some go fast, some slow and some in between. Having played there, the sooner the call the better, the longer the challenge of balance becomes an issue. Then you have the issue of forwards who are under so much pressure, they are happy to collapse and collapse and collapse. This is where the time is lost, because the scrum goes down, reset, goes down, reset etc. On this note, if the ball is at the back of the scrum and the front rows have collapsed and it is safe to play the ball from the base of the scrum, then play on. Some refs do and some don't, and the blow up, please don't. Personally it is the job of the referee to make sure the process is sped up as much as possible, as well as the responsibility of the players. For me if the scrum, does go down regularly, card the infringing player and yes stop the clock until the scrum is steady. If people are moaning about the time wasting at the scrum then stop the clock running.

Another issue is the cluelessness of officials at top level of who's infringing. Sooner that is sorted out the better.

1-3-3-1 is very much the standard formation, ie. 1 forward on each wing (usually a hooker and a back rower) and two pods of 3 in the middle of the pitch.

This.

 

[Every Time Ref]

1-3-3-1 is very much the standard formation, ie. 1 forward on each wing (usually a hooker and a back rower) and two pods of 3 in the middle of the pitch.

Nice, thanks

 

[TheOvalBall]

1-3-3-1 is very much the standard formation, ie. 1 forward on each wing (usually a hooker and a back rower) and two pods of 3 in the middle of the pitch.

these pods are similar to zonal marking in football it seems.

 

[Scotty]

Time out is the opposite of what we need, it'd slow the game down even more with the tubbys in the front row all having a breather knowing it's not going to effect the gametime - if anything do the opposite, if the fat lads can't pack down quick enough after the knock-on/forward pass is blown then free kick to the opposition (minus the option of taking a scrum again).

I'm not being serious when I say ban scrums, but I am being serious when I say that they are very comfortably the worst aspect of the sport and need serious work seriously quickly because they are killing it as a spectacle.

With scrums what i want is collapse still a penalty as it is but if there is a genuine reset the clock stops. Any early engagements or instability should be a 'tap and go' free kick. They can tap and go or they can boot it down field as a normal free kick but no option for a scrum.