Rugby Union 2013-14

[UK Redsox]

Numbers made the difference in the end and sarries take the 5 points, Barnes made a couple of very harsh calls against glaws though, particularly to give a yellow against glaws for pulling down the maul (right decision) but then no yellow for wigglesworth 10 minutes later for blatantly cutting out quick ball at the breakdown when he was offside, definitive professional foul, Wigglesworth actually looked embarrassed not to have been yellow'd.  Glaws need to work on their scrum though, they don't seem to know how to handle the new regulations.

Oi, no hating on a fellow son of the Forest 

[paul_e]

Numbers made the difference in the end and sarries take the 5 points, Barnes made a couple of very harsh calls against glaws though, particularly to give a yellow against glaws for pulling down the maul (right decision) but then no yellow for wigglesworth 10 minutes later for blatantly cutting out quick ball at the breakdown when he was offside, definitive professional foul, Wigglesworth actually looked embarrassed not to have been yellow'd.  Glaws need to work on their scrum though, they don't seem to know how to handle the new regulations.

Oi, no hating on a fellow son of the Forest 

I actually really rate Barnes as a ref but I think he was wrong not to give wigglesworth yellow and I think he was very strict with the glaws front row but was letting the sarries hooker have his leg in before the ball went in or the feed to go in to his feet rather than the channel.  Given the IRB standpoint on the laws around the scrum I found it a bit disappointing to see.  Glaws front row had balance issues, that was obvious but at least they were feeding straight and fair.  The quins vs saints game had a few iffy scrums as well, with quins feeding it through very quick so Saints couldn't push them over.

[paul_e]

Sarries vs Glaws - Nick wood red card after 70 seconds for stamping on Berger's head, right in front of the ref, utterly stupid.

Wood gets 8 weeks for the stamp, seems fair, it's the minimum for the offence and he's got a very clean record for a prop, he'll be missed though.

[danlanza]

Stamping has no place in the game, at all.

[lovejoy]

Burger was offside twice in that game in the first 70 seconds as well though, unpunished.

[Colhint]

Real tough training session for Hull Ionians under 11's tonight. Good prep for the start of the season. 3 lads, my lad included had to do 2 laps of the pitch extra for not beating their time last Sunday. Josh and Harry got 2 extra laps for talking and poor Harry got 3 extra laps for missing a tackle.

[paul_e]

Burger was offside twice in that game in the first 70 seconds as well though, unpunished.

Indeed he was, and his position for the incident was totally wrong and should have been a penalty, however, you point it out to the ref, you don't stamp on his head.  This is part of the problem for a few English sides, they're not good at making sure the ref sees what they want him to, Irish rugby on the other hand is practically built around it.

[cheltenhamlion]

And if you do give someone a clout make sure he doesn't see it.

[paul_e]

Lovely first phase try for Glaws vs saints, brilliance in midfield from Burns and 12trees, they've got to be 10 and 12 for the autumn internationals, they've got a great understanding and have started the season superbly (even though Glaws have struggled).  Saints leading 10-8, glaws set piece is failing again.

[paul_e]

Glaws 26-24 Saints - One of the best games you'll ever see, the saints try with a minute to go was sublime and then some very controversial calls to give Glaws a penalty 2mins into overtime which 12trees nailed.  2 really good sides who both played their part, brilliant watching.

[cheltenhamlion]

We finally won a game at Newcastle.

[JD]

If you are into Rugby its The Springboks v The All Blacks this weekend at Ellis Park. It's going to be brutal.

[paul_e]

If you are into Rugby its The Springboks v The All Blacks this weekend at Ellis Park. It's going to be brutal.

I'm looking forward to it, it's the only one of the championship games I really enjoy most years.

[cheltenhamlion]

Another home defeat.

[paul_e]

Another home defeat.

If you're talking gloucester as I assume the front 5 were awful again, Burns and 12trees were just totally starved of space by how poor the ball back to them was.  It then didn't help that they lost so much confidence in the breakdown that they were standing almost flat ready to deal with the turnover when they should've been trying to hit the ball at pace and use the quality in the backs to create chances.  It was a really poor performance but I can't see what they can do other than completely rebuild the front of the pack, from the back row out there is loads of quality but they just don't get the opportunities to show it off.