Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18

[paul_e]

Football crowds are definitely a lot more tribal than you see in Rugby Union or Cricket.  Rugby League crowds are closer to football though, there could be some observations about social classes here I guess, not relevant now but the culture is embedded and 50-60 years ago there was a very clear divide between people who liked cricket and union and people who liked football and league.  Why that translates to tirbal/mob behaviour is more complicated though.

[Risso]

Football crowds are definitely a lot more tribal than you see in Rugby Union or Cricket.  Rugby League crowds are closer to football though, there could be some observations about social classes here I guess, not relevant now but the culture is embedded and 50-60 years ago there was a very clear divide between people who liked cricket and union and people who liked football and league.  Why that translates to tirbal/mob behaviour is more complicated though.

Yes, I went to a few Wigan RL games, and the rivalry between them and St Helens was pretty intense.  Definitely no love lost there.

[paul_e]

Football crowds are definitely a lot more tribal than you see in Rugby Union or Cricket.  Rugby League crowds are closer to football though, there could be some observations about social classes here I guess, not relevant now but the culture is embedded and 50-60 years ago there was a very clear divide between people who liked cricket and union and people who liked football and league.  Why that translates to tirbal/mob behaviour is more complicated though.

Yes, I went to a few Wigan RL games, and the rivalry between them and St Helens was pretty intense.  Definitely no love lost there.

I've been to a couple of games, Wakefield vs Castleford and Salford vs Hull, a rivalry in the first makes sense but the 2nd really shouldn't but it felt like a villa-baggies game.  The first was an eye-opener, they really hated each other, I can best describe that it's how I imagine the rangers-celtic derby feels as a neutral, like everyone is watching and waiting to see if you side with one or the other so they've got a excuse to beat the crap out you.

[Risso]

Football crowds are definitely a lot more tribal than you see in Rugby Union or Cricket.  Rugby League crowds are closer to football though, there could be some observations about social classes here I guess, not relevant now but the culture is embedded and 50-60 years ago there was a very clear divide between people who liked cricket and union and people who liked football and league.  Why that translates to tirbal/mob behaviour is more complicated though.

Yes, I went to a few Wigan RL games, and the rivalry between them and St Helens was pretty intense.  Definitely no love lost there.

I've been to a couple of games, Wakefield vs Castleford and Salford vs Hull, a rivalry in the first makes sense but the 2nd really shouldn't but it felt like a villa-baggies game.  The first was an eye-opener, they really hated each other, I can best describe that it's how I imagine the rangers-celtic derby feels as a neutral, like everyone is watching and waiting to see if you side with one or the other so they've got a excuse to beat the crap out you.

That's the thing with Rugby League, because it's traditionally a northern, very working class game, centred around 3 or 4 counties that are quite close to each other, there are no end of rivalries.  You get the intense local games like the aforementioned Wigan v St Helens, and Wakefield v Cas, but then anything that involves Lancashire v Yorkshire can be tasty as well

[cheltenhamlion]

That was some try that Trinder created at the weekend.

[paul_e]

That was some try that Trinder created at the weekend.

Brilliant wasn't it, pretty much his first touch after coming on as a sub as well.  If he could stay fit I still think he's potentially the best outside centre in the country, he makes everything look so easy.

[cheltenhamlion]

That was some try that Trinder created at the weekend.

Brilliant wasn't it, pretty much his first touch after coming on as a sub as well.  If he could stay fit I still think he's potentially the best outside centre in the country, he makes everything look so easy.

Keeping the bugger fit would be good news all round.

[paul_e]

That was some try that Trinder created at the weekend.

Brilliant wasn't it, pretty much his first touch after coming on as a sub as well.  If he could stay fit I still think he's potentially the best outside centre in the country, he makes everything look so easy.

Keeping the bugger fit would be good news all round.

Yep, he's very frustrating.  I saw him play when he was about 15 and the next day I told a bunch of people that he was going to be a star and get 50+ caps for England at outside centre.  Over the last few years I've had most of those people tell me that they can see why I was so impressed but almost inevitably he's then got himself injured and out for another few months.  I really hope, for him, the club and for England, that he can get over that be become the player he promised to be.

Just for fun I searched for Trinder on this site and I reckon I've pushed him for England selection 4 times in the last 5 1/2 years, starting from:

I prefer Trinder at 13, I think he'll be fantastic in a couple of years, reminds me of Greenwood.

I stand by that comparison, he's got great soft hands, is quicker and stronger than he looks and has got a great brain on him.

[cheltenhamlion]

The Trinder injury issues are a sod. Glawster have a real star and game changer on their hands if we can just get some consecutive games out of him.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Castleford appear to have gone to pieces in the Rugby League semifinal. St Helens have scored 3 tries in about 8 minutes.

[ADVILLAFAN]

22-22 in the dying seconds.

Hoping Castleford win as they topped the league by a country mile and have never appeared in a Grand Final.

[paul_e]

Newcastle giving Irish a bit of a kicking tonight, they look like a dark horse for the top4 for me, very well organised and have a few very dangerous backs.

Irish are a strange side, they have some real quality in the team but they just can't string it together to create tries.

[paul_e]

Just seen the other scores, Sale have demolished Glaws, bit of a shock that one.

[Gareth]

Looks like the two Irish v Worcester games willl be major factors in who goes down already.  Can't see anyone else being in the shake up. 

[paul_e]

Looks like the two Irish v Worcester games willl be major factors in who goes down already.  Can't see anyone else being in the shake up. 

I agree and from what I've seen I suspect Irish will get the better of them.  Irish have snuck a win already and I think they might get couple more during the international windows because they have some very dangerous ball carriers (Lewington won't be there next season and I suspect he'll make the England squad before long and they have Cokanasiga to come back and he's an absolute monster).  I honestly don't see Worcester winning a game this year, they look a long way short of the quality needed for this league.