European Club Rugby
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James Haskell is retiring from Rugby:
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Is anyone surprised by this? FFS no matter how good artificial turf, it's still not as flexible as real grass. One day maybe, but I think they jumped on it far too early in NH. England's (now stopped cos they ran out of money) RWC legacy was supposed to be a ton of these pitches. Probably lucky for them they did run out of cash!
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Is anyone surprised by this? FFS no matter how good artificial turf, it's still not as flexible as real grass. One day maybe, but I think they jumped on it far too early in NH. England's (now stopped cos they ran out of money) RWC legacy was supposed to be a ton of these pitches. Probably lucky for them they did run out of cash!
@Machpants said in NH club rugby:
Is anyone surprised by this? FFS no matter how good artificial turf, it's still not as flexible as real grass. One day maybe, but I think they jumped on it far too early in NH. England's (now stopped cos they ran out of money) RWC legacy was supposed to be a ton of these pitches. Probably lucky for them they did run out of cash!
Well please don't complain when NH rugby becomes even more turgid in the winter months.
And before you trot out the 'simple solution' that the answer is for the NH to switch to a Summer schedule, the second wettest month in Wales is July.
And is one of the biggest factors Glamorgan cricket club rarely win anything - 4pt no result draws.
The plastic pitch at Cardiff Blues has allowed for a better spectacle and games to actually take place.
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Oh I agree that it's a better spectacle, but that won't be great at the expense of lots of broken players. If they start playing on all plastic pitches, will injuries increase exponentially? Looks pretty nasty to me, this sort of thing is not the real problem, it's the trapping/catching of limbs as people fold over in contact situations.
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Sarries would have beaten most international sides this afternoon
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Sarries would have beaten most international sides this afternoon
@MiketheSnow said in NH club rugby:
Sarries would have beaten most international sides this afternoon
Yeah pretty gritty. So be cool to see them against the crusaders, one game on a dry pitch, another wet. I think that would decide it!
I also agree with the comment on the breakdowns, awful free for all.
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Sarries would have beaten most international sides this afternoon
@MiketheSnow said in NH club rugby:
Sarries would have beaten most international sides this afternoon
Yawn. So sick of reading, writing, hearing this shit.
Heads up - only about 6-7 international sides are actually any good. All international sides don’t get 35+ weeks a year together.
The best team in the wealthiest region where rugby is played is if international standard. Colour me surprised.
(Nothing personal, it just seems this was the marketimg for this match ... and it bored the shit out of me).
Good match, very physical. But with no skin in the game, could easily have left the room. And did.
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Cup final very bash and crash and flat footed rugby.
I hope these French refs don’t run the RWC the same way as this. Tacklers are allowed ages to release. Players off their feet over the breakdown is standard play@Crucial said in NH club rugby:
Cup final very bash and crash and flat footed rugby.
I hope these French refs don’t run the RWC the same way as this. Tacklers are allowed ages to release. Players off their feet over the breakdown is standard playThe French are doing their best to ruin rugby. It's a two prong attack; on and off the field.
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Sarries would have beaten most international sides this afternoon
@MiketheSnow said in NH club rugby:
Sarries would have beaten most international sides this afternoon
Whereas the top NZ sides are total push-overs to international touring teams?
The Crusaders are more than a match for most international sides when fully fit.
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Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning chaps?
Yes the good club/provincial sides can & do give international touring sides a hard time / a loss.
This wasn't an English club side are better than a NZ Super team pissing contest.
It was a comment on the structure of their play and tactics. Reminded me a lot of Ireland and Wales despite having lots of English internationals in the team.
And I turned over too.
To the Rugby League Challenge Cup match between Bradford and Leeds.
Far more entertaining.
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Stephen Jones is just a bit early with his gloating.
This year Crusaders vs Saracens would be a good game. Next year, the Crusaders - and I suspect most Super teams - will be significantly weaker.
Razor will need to retain people like Todd and Romano as well as unearth some real nuggets in the forwards if the Crusaders are to be realistically comparable to the best Euro teams.
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I enjoyed the final. The Saracens forward pack would be a decent match for the ABs, Australia could do worse than pick Will Skelton who is unrecognisable from his Waratah days. Leinster did a good impression of Ireland vs England in the 6N, just physically outmuscled and couldn't work a way around the defence. Not helped by a couple of howlers on attack. I would pick Saracens to win comfortably enough vs the Crusaders on English soil, probably the reverse in Chch. But if you felt the Sharks forwards went well enough in Chch, Saracens is a step up.
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I though the final was a cracking advert for weight grade rugby.
The forwards were just colossal. I don’t think it’s sustainable.
@MajorRage said in NH club rugby:
I though the final was a cracking advert for weight grade rugby.
The forwards were just colossal. I don’t think it’s sustainable.
Indeed.
There was a time when rugby league forwards and rugby union forwards were starting to look similar.
Not anymore.
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I enjoyed the final. The Saracens forward pack would be a decent match for the ABs, Australia could do worse than pick Will Skelton who is unrecognisable from his Waratah days. Leinster did a good impression of Ireland vs England in the 6N, just physically outmuscled and couldn't work a way around the defence. Not helped by a couple of howlers on attack. I would pick Saracens to win comfortably enough vs the Crusaders on English soil, probably the reverse in Chch. But if you felt the Sharks forwards went well enough in Chch, Saracens is a step up.
@Billy-Tell said in NH club rugby:
I would pick Saracens to win comfortably enough vs the Crusaders on English soil, probably the reverse in Chch. But if you felt the Sharks forwards went well enough in Chch, Saracens is a step up.
Yeah - though to be fair adding Owen Franks and Sam Whitelock to the Crusaders'starting pack vs the Sharks is also a step up.
Not to mention adding Mo'unga, Crotty and Havili to the backs - and some adjustments to the bench.
