Domestic and European Rugby Union

[nigel]

Exeter v Sale
Another good game

Exeter look good

[paul_e]

I think Exeter will win the final pretty easily now, Bristol should've won it, they're the best team in the league by quite a way but you can't account for a collapse like that.

[nigel]

I think Exeter will win the final pretty easily now, Bristol should've won it, they're the best team in the league by quite a way but you can't account for a collapse like that.

Didn’t see the Bristol game.
Saw they were 28-0 up and thought why bother.
It then became a wtf moment when I saw they were in extra time 😂

[paul_e]

I think Exeter will win the final pretty easily now, Bristol should've won it, they're the best team in the league by quite a way but you can't account for a collapse like that.

Didn’t see the Bristol game.
Saw they were 28-0 up and thought why bother.
It then became a wtf moment when I saw they were in extra time 😂

I saw about 25 minutes and expected them to put on a cricket score, no idea how they lost from there.

[dcdavecollett]

It was a fantastic reversal at Bristol.

Harlequins are brilliant to watch when they get it right.

[UK Redsox]

Although I attended two pre-season games, today was my first proper Rugby match in over 18 months.

Lydney 42, Old Patesians 29 in the awkwardly named South West 1 West

You know you’re getting old when you’re friends with the grandfathers of some of the players 

[UK Redsox]

Well, this looks like nonsense

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/sep/07/world-12s-rugby-union-tournament-to-launch-in-2022-with-hope-of-emulating-ipl

“World 12s is a natural evolution for rugby union,” chairman Ian Ritchie said.

No...no, it's not

[UK Redsox]

Result from yesterday……

Sidmouth 0, Lydney 0

As far as I can tell from my records, this is our first scoreless game for 40 years.

[paul_e]

Played my first game with 'normal' rules for 18months yesterday and I have 2 thoughts, the 50-22 law is good but doesn't have massive impact at my level (but I think will play a big part at top club and international standard) and goal line drop-outs make the game better.

[UK Redsox]

We’ve had a few goal line drop outs so far. However, the Ref fecked up on one by awarding a GLDO when the ball was kicked dead in goal.

I didn’t know that the 50/22 rule was in effect yet. I haven’t seen an occurrence in the games I’ve watched live.

[paul_e]

We’ve had a few goal line drop outs so far. However, the Ref fecked up on one by awarding a GLDO when the ball was kicked dead in goal.

I didn’t know that the 50/22 rule was in effect yet. I haven’t seen an occurrence in the games I’ve watched live.

The real impact you'll see from 50-22 is that I can see teams playing with, effectively, 1 'open' winger and 2 full backs at times. We had 3 in our game yesterday but 2 were due to incredibly lucky bounces and I don't think any were intentional.

The GLDOs will speed games up though, 5m scrums are the messiest version of them and see more resets and penalties than scrums anywhere else on the pitch. I've benefitted with tries from them a fair few times and at lower levels I think they were less troublesome but at the top level they needed to be addressed and doing that in a way that encourages counter-attacking rugby is fine by me.

[nigel]

Maybe a cheeky bet on Sarries winning the league?

[paul_e]

Maybe a cheeky bet on Sarries winning the league?

Not sure, Bristol started brilliantly but didn't react when sarries switched to a rush defence. Bristol also really missed Afoa in the front row (who was supposed to start but pulled out yesterday lunchtime. Sale are my outside tip to top the table, not sure once it gets to the playoffs.

[UK Redsox]

Hopefully Saracens won’t win. They should have had to play a full Championship season before being allowed back into the top flight.

[paul_e]

Decent day today:

Leicester looked much better than they have for a few years and after slagging Jones off for calling him up in the 6N I have to be honest and say George Martin was superb.
Northampton were very good against Gloucester, Mitchell has become a top quality 9, Grayson will be an England player before long and Furbank is too good to not get more chances as well.
Massive win for Worcester, I think taking the pressure of relegation away for them will really help.
I said earlier that Sale are my outside bet to top the table and I stick by that, they have a strong squad and are good at grinding out wins without playing well, which seems to have happened again today.