Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Feb 06, 2011 12:23 am  

The fact that comments on a BBC blog about the 'pulsating' game are mainly about Chris Ashton having the audacity to 'celebrate a try' tells me everything I need to know about union.

(Why do the BBC need so many ex-players hanging around to explain the subtleties and nuances of the game? Oh.)

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Feb 06, 2011 9:54 am  

i swear if that pitch side reporter/interviewer lady from the BBC had banged on about chris ashtons try scoring antics one more time, id have teleported down there through force of will alone and slapped her silly.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:37 am  

vikingsmurf wrote:

i swear if that pitch side reporter/interviewer lady from the BBC had banged on about chris ashtons try scoring antics one more time, id have teleported down there through force of will alone and slapped her silly.

Especially the idea that this is some kind of Rugby League celebration - the stupid swan dive in the air is and always will be a Rugby Union try scoring celebration, I can't remember a RL player doing it in the 20+ years I have been watching the game

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:43 pm  

Have to agree with Dunbar, the basic skills on show were embarrassing considering this was arguably the pinnacle of international rugby union.
Will try and catch the highlights of the other two games this week.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:23 pm  

that game reminded me just why i stopped watching rugby union. around 20 of the first 40 minutes spent either arsing around at scrums, which then never actually happen and become penalties anyway, or watching people take and mostly miss penalty kicks. oh the excitement. a complete inability to run decent lines, draw the man and pass at the apppropriate moment, always running at defenders instead of on the outside shoulder (if your expecting to recieve the ball) and always running at defenders instead of the inside shoulder when you have the ball and an overlap outside you.
and then their are the forwards who seem to believe that everything should be reduced to a titanic and (apparently) manly struggle which involves mauling for several minutes at a time when you have a three man overlap and would walk over with one straight pass.......and then knock on, or hold onto the ball and concede posession. And yet League forwards have the reputation for being thick, brutish northerners. <sigh>

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:53 pm  

Dunbar wrote:

Especially the idea that this is some kind of Rugby League celebration - the stupid swan dive in the air is and always will be a Rugby Union try scoring celebration, I can't remember a RL player doing it in the 20+ years I have been watching the game

Yep. Like the guy playing for London Irish who dropped it. Never seen him play league.

Put 'London Irish missed try 18/3/07' in that video site.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:59 pm  

Conroy wrote:

Yep. Like the guy playing for London Irish who dropped it. Never seen him play league.

Put 'London Irish missed try 18/3/07' in that video site.

His face when he drops it is class

YEEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!*drops* AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:05 am  

vikingsmurf wrote:

that game reminded me just why i stopped watching rugby union. around 20 of the first 40 minutes spent either arsing around at scrums, which then never actually happen and become penalties anyway, or watching people take and mostly miss penalty kicks. oh the excitement. a complete inability to run decent lines, draw the man and pass at the apppropriate moment, always running at defenders instead of on the outside shoulder (if your expecting to recieve the ball) and always running at defenders instead of the inside shoulder when you have the ball and an overlap outside you.
and then their are the forwards who seem to believe that everything should be reduced to a titanic and (apparently) manly struggle which involves mauling for several minutes at a time when you have a three man overlap and would walk over with one straight pass.......and then knock on, or hold onto the ball and concede posession. And yet League forwards have the reputation for being thick, brutish northerners. <sigh>

What I like best about RU, particularly the way England play it, is the forwards tow their bollox off, putting their careers on the line to win the ball off the attacking opposition only for some back or half back to punt it straight back to the opposition ...and more defending and pain for the forwards. That's gratitude is that.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:30 am  

vikingsmurf wrote:

that game reminded me just why i stopped watching rugby union. around 20 of the first 40 minutes spent either arsing around at scrums, which then never actually happen and become penalties anyway, or watching people take and mostly miss penalty kicks. oh the excitement. a complete inability to run decent lines, draw the man and pass at the apppropriate moment, always running at defenders instead of on the outside shoulder (if your expecting to recieve the ball) and always running at defenders instead of the inside shoulder when you have the ball and an overlap outside you.
and then their are the forwards who seem to believe that everything should be reduced to a titanic and (apparently) manly struggle which involves mauling for several minutes at a time when you have a three man overlap and would walk over with one straight pass.......and then knock on, or hold onto the ball and concede posession. And yet League forwards have the reputation for being thick, brutish northerners. <sigh>

nah,can't believe that ! (from a southern softie btw)

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 07, 2011 3:23 pm  

Urmston Wire wrote:

Did you see Scotland v France? One of those had nearly 4 minutes on the scrum count. Even Jonathan Davies was getting irritated by it.

I wonder how long the scrum clock will last. Seems a very anti union thing to have.