International Rugby

[dcdavecollett]

It looks that way, doesn't it? It's never-ending, or in Manu's case, never starting!

[paul_e]

France are on fire here, 2nd try was incredible.

[PaulWinch again]

Seriously impressive from the French. I reckon they’re the best team in the world right now.

[paul_e]

Seriously impressive from the French. I reckon they’re the best team in the world right now.

yep, and they haven't quite clicked yet in this 6N, if they put it all together against someone it could be a bloodbath.

[paul_e]

Very good first half from England, Randall and Smith showing very clearly where the problems have been for the last couple of years.

[Meanwood Villa]

I'm sure paul_e will join me in congratulating Ben Youngs on his record number of caps 😉

[luke:lamf]

I don’t know much about the finer aspects of the game - will wait for Squidge rugby to produce his analysis to see what I missed - but can’t help but think England are going to be on the end of that French bloodbath. Wales only have home advantage to cling to, because for me, on that showing, they’ll both get dicked by Les Bleus.

[paul_e]

The chance of Italy getting anything today were tiny, the red card made them almost nothing and then the silly scrum laws turned the whole thing into a farce.

[dcdavecollett]

...and down to twelve players by the end!!

[paul_e]

...and down to twelve players by the end!!

The red and yellow cards were absolutely the correct decisions so them finishing with 13 after playing out 55minutes before that with 14 would've bene just and reasonable. I'd even be ok with forcing them to add a front row player to ensure they had 3 front row even if it was uncontested. |Making thme keep a full 8 forwards (and full front row) and then also punishing them by forcing a 2nd back off the pitch is a stupid rule made by people who are so concerned with cheats ruining a match that they created a rule that is far more harmful.

It's simple to fix just make it that, even if the scrum is uncontested, you must field 3 front row and 8 forwards on the pitch whilst you have a player sin-binned/sent off. Nothing more needs to be done than that, adding an extra punishment on top to ensure the other team keep their man advantage is fucking stupid because in truth it'sa punishment for the first player being injured and risks teams either trying to put an injured player back on or going with a 6-2 bench split and trying to create utility front row players who covers all 3 positions. In the latter case that guy will only ever play in these specific circumstances, or it further exaggerates the 'give me everything for 40-50minutes' issue that already exists where you'll have 2 players get 35-40minutes and the utility guy will get a few mniutes at the end.

[Jon Crofts]

Back to the England Wales game and on the subject of crap refereeing, how come England weren't allowed 1 single tap and go penalty all game but Wales were allowed to score from their only one that was 4 metres out? He certainly liked his whistle and the only thing he got right all afternoon was not sin binning Lawes for his finger nail touching the ball and calling it a deliberate knock on.

[paul_e]

Back to the England Wales game and on the subject of crap refereeing, how come England weren't allowed 1 single tap and go penalty all game but Wales were allowed to score from their only one that was 4 metres out? He certainly liked his whistle and the only thing he got right all afternoon was not sin binning Lawes for his finger nail touching the ball and calling it a deliberate knock on.

I actually thought he had a decent game and was pretty consistent until the tap and go you mention.

The only other decision I had a problem with was in the same ruck where Williams got his yellow the Welsh prop did something far worse that should've made it a penalty try.

- go to about the 1m mark here and watch the welsh number 1. I can't work out how the ref thinks that is ok and the TV official doesn't even look at it. Depending on your opinion on the phase the play is in there's 3 possible offences, if the ruck is formed/tackle is complete then he's either in from the side or sealing the ball off and if it isn't then he's guilty of not rolling away once Itoje joins. Given where it is all 3 are yellow card and penalty try offences.

Instead he gave the also clear and obvious Williams pen/yellow shortly after but that couldn't be a penalty try and we ended up with them fucking about in the scrum for a few minutes before the ref gave a penalty against us and we came away with nothing.

All I can think is that the whole thing was so blatant that it just confused the officials.

[luke:lamf]

Woof. France are just a bit good at scoring lovely tries.

[paul_e]

Good game but why have France decided to get into a kicking battle with Wales? There's only 1 winner in that.

When France punch through the middle and drew the wide defenders inside they scored then they seemed to forget that was the plan.

[Scovilla]

Because some of the players are complacent.