The Rugby Thread

[E17yid]

can't disagree with that tbh. Even at 75% i'd still play him even though i thought watkin had a good game yesterday. Just getting to the final will be amazing as no-one is even close to the all black level if they really turn it on. the time to get at them was the quarter final, now they've got a sniff of the trophy it's going to take a sending off or a performance out of this world to beat them.

It will take a miracle for us to beat NZ, or 2 red cards. Going on current form England look better placed to beat them, sadly, but they still have to hope NZ have an off day which I don’t think they will.

I’m a big Watkin fan. considering we’ve been playing Parkes every game and he can’t be more than 70% fit there’s an argument you could make to drop him, play Watkin in his preferred position at 12 alongside J Davies at 13. Gatland won’t though but he knows what he’s doing.

 

[TorontoYid]

I really can't see the Kiwi's failing to make it 3 in a row. They just look too strong and the days of them choking in the finals seem long gone.

Likely a NZ vs SA final and if that happens I really hope NZ doesn't lose or we will end up with another American actor trying to put on a South African accent in Invictus 2

 

[teok]

Vahaamahina has retired from international rugby at 28.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Vahaamahina has retired from international rugby at 28.

I hope that isn't a final decision. He was stupid, but I wouldn't want him to look back on that incident every day of his life (as I am sure he will) without allowing himself the chance to make amends to his team and country on the pitch.

 

[Japhet]

Vahaamahina has retired from international rugby at 28.

He must feel stupid and guilty in equal measure but he shouldn't let be his final moment in a French shirt. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if he pulls a Mahler before the 6 nations.

 

[teok]

I doubt it was purely the elbow the politics of the french squad seems really complicated, they had some huge bust up in the camp.

 

[E17yid]

I hope that isn't a final decision. He was stupid, but I wouldn't want him to look back on that incident every day of his life (as I am sure he will) without allowing himself the chance to make amends to his team and country on the pitch.

He’s got previous apparently.

To be honest, that was disgusting, saying it was stupid (which it obviously was) takes away from how dangerous that could’ve been. If someone can point me to a worse red card in the last 5-10 years I’d like to see it.

I played scrum half so I was never in to my driving mauls but some of the few I’ve been in were terrifying. When every part of your body from your chest down is being pulled left right and center by a load of 18 stone plus men and someone has control of your neck doing what he did to Wainwright is actually a good way to break someone’s neck. All it takes it someone driving your chest and lower body one way and the force of your elbow to the head to go the other way and at best it’s career over and at worst he could die. You may think I’m being overly dramatic but I honestly think if he did that 100 times in that exact same situation then he breaks his neck 1 or 2 times. Considering Wainwright’s mouth was wide open at the time of impact I’m amazed he didn’t break his jaw. So you’ll forgive me if I show zero fucks that he’s retired. Fuck him.

 

[TorontoYid]

He’s got previous apparently.

To be honest, that was disgusting, saying it was stupid (which it obviously was) takes away from how dangerous that could’ve been. If someone can point me to a worse red card in the last 5-10 years I’d like to see it.

I played scrum half so I was never in to my driving mauls but some of the few I’ve been in were terrifying. When every part of your body from your chest down is being pulled left right and center by a load of 18 stone plus men and someone has control of your neck doing what he did to Wainwright is actually a good way to break someone’s neck. All it takes it someone driving your chest and lower body one way and the force of your elbow to the head to go the other way and at best it’s career over and at worst he could die. You may think I’m being overly dramatic but I honestly think if he did that 100 times in that exact same situation then he breaks his neck 1 or 2 times. Considering Wainwright’s mouth was wide open at the time of impact I’m amazed he didn’t break his jaw. So you’ll forgive me if I show zero fucks that he’s retired. Fuck him.

I played 2nd row and was involved in all the mauls and I agree with this 100%. There is infinite potential in the sport to receive not only career ending injuries but life changing ones too. Yes you want to win but players have a responsibility to keep within the confines of the rules which are put there to minimize the danger to players. I was very competitive and yet felt no need to try and seriously hurt other players. Having watched the video replays, he had a decent position in the maul and actually had to release him in order to elbow him in the head. France were comfortably in control of the match and there was no need whatsoever for that kind of behavior. I would have expected somebody from the losing team to be the one to snap and do something stupid not the side winning.

I suspect he is resigning to avoid the lengthy or permanent ban that would likely be given to him and will reverse his retirement decision in a few years.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Admittedly I didn't know he had previous.

 

[E17yid]

Admittedly I didn't know he had previous.

tbh, neither did I. And I have no specific incidents to refer you to so certainly not gospel I think it was Nicky Robinson who said he did on a podcast I was listening too.

Don’t think it matters to much. Assuming he has zero previous (which I doubt) he’d still be looking at what 6 months minimum. With previous I think he could’ve got a year plus for that. Shocking. It’s way way beyond stupid. Stupid is what he did first by strangling him. What he did after that was horrendous.

 

[E17yid]

Also, apologies I know I keep making this point but I really wish intent would be taken into consideration. That incident was a million miles away from say the Lavanini incident or most of the others. The only one that comes close was that other one on Farrel by the American

 

[E17yid]

I played 2nd row and was involved in all the mauls and I agree with this 100%. There is infinite potential in the sport to receive not only career ending injuries but life changing ones too. Yes you want to win but players have a responsibility to keep within the confines of the rules which are put there to minimize the danger to players. I was very competitive and yet felt no need to try and seriously hurt other players. Having watched the video replays, he had a decent position in the maul and actually had to release him in order to elbow him in the head. France were comfortably in control of the match and there was no need whatsoever for that kind of behavior. I would have expected somebody from the losing team to be the one to snap and do something stupid not the side winning.

I suspect he is resigning to avoid the lengthy or permanent ban that would likely be given to him and will reverse his retirement decision in a few years.

Totally agree mate. It wouldn’t look out of place in the 70s to be honest.

There’s just no need for that shit. One of the best things about rugby is that you can legally hurt people and it says a lot about him that instead of waiting to single out Wainwright in a game and put in a big hit he just couldn’t help himself. I’d have even maybe have given him some sympathy if Wainwright had done something wrong but he just seemed to be annoyed that Wainwright was standing there.

If a Welsh player did that yesterday I’d wouldn’t want them playing for Wales ever again and I honestly wouldn’t give a shit if they had retired. Sorry.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

tbh, neither did I. And I have no specific incidents to refer you to so certainly not gospel I think it was Nicky Robinson who said he did on a podcast I was listening too.

Don’t think it matters to much. Assuming he has zero previous (which I doubt) he’d still be looking at what 6 months minimum. With previous I think he could’ve got a year plus for that. Shocking. It’s way way beyond stupid. Stupid is what he did first by strangling him. What he did after that was horrendous.

Presumably the rugby authorities will pass sentence regardless of his retirement.

 

[Japhet]

He’s got previous apparently.

To be honest, that was disgusting, saying it was stupid (which it obviously was) takes away from how dangerous that could’ve been. If someone can point me to a worse red card in the last 5-10 years I’d like to see it.

I played scrum half so I was never in to my driving mauls but some of the few I’ve been in were terrifying. When every part of your body from your chest down is being pulled left right and center by a load of 18 stone plus men and someone has control of your neck doing what he did to Wainwright is actually a good way to break someone’s neck. All it takes it someone driving your chest and lower body one way and the force of your elbow to the head to go the other way and at best it’s career over and at worst he could die. You may think I’m being overly dramatic but I honestly think if he did that 100 times in that exact same situation then he breaks his neck 1 or 2 times. Considering Wainwright’s mouth was wide open at the time of impact I’m amazed he didn’t break his jaw. So you’ll forgive me if I show zero fucks that he’s retired. Fuck him.

Callum Clark could probably fill a top 10 all on his own.

 

[E17yid]

Callum Clark could probably fill a top 10 all on his own.

I was talking international level but I’ll have a look at some of his incidents later.

Safe to say at grass roots shit worse than that happens every weekend and you still see it professionally at club level but you rarely see it at international level these days.

 

[talkshowhost86]

We really do have a quite astonishing depth of talent in the back row now. When players like Nathan Hughes and Dave Ewers don't get a sniff along with at least a dozen more of very high quality you know you're in good shape.

Depth and great hopes for the future as well. Dombrandt also looks like he'll be a star, but Wills really does look the real deal.

Now all we need is to somehow find a scrum half somewhere, anywhere in England!

 

[talkshowhost86]

Also, apologies I know I keep making this point but I really wish intent would be taken into consideration. That incident was a million miles away from say the Lavanini incident or most of the others. The only one that comes close was that other one on Farrel by the American

I imagine it would be taken into account in the length of ban.

I don't think that because his was worse, that means the others weren't reds.

 

[E17yid]

Owen Lane has been called up as Navidis replacement.

 

[E17yid]

I imagine it would be taken into account in the length of ban.

I don't think that because his was worse, that means the others weren't reds.

Under the law they were reds but some for me weren’t and I’d like to see the rules change. Obviously never going to happen and the rules are the rules.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Under the law they were reds but some for me weren’t and I’d like to see the rules change. Obviously never going to happen and the rules are the rules.

To be fair, as I've said before, they do take intent into account. That's what the whole 'mitigation' factor is.

It's probably what saved Moriarty on Sunday.