Smudge
Hall of Fame Member
Ever heard of the butterfly effect?Ridiculous to think that if O'Connor kicks his goals and a blatant knock-on is called back, then the game is a draw
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Official Rugby Thread
- Thread starter KennyD
- Start date
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
Few of my thoughts from the match on the weekend and the NZ vs SA match the week before:
- Pleasing to see Jane and Sivivatu finding some much needed form. I have them in my best All Blacks XV and I'm hopeful that those two players will make up our top wing combination for the RWC.
- Carter played better in the two Tri Nations tests than the entirety of Super Rugby, while Quade Cooper probably hasn't played as bad as he did at Eden Park since last year.
- McCaw comfortably outplayed Pocock, and as someone who rates David Pocock particularly highly that certainly deserves mentioning.
- With the conjecture over our centre combination, I think its quite clear that Nonu and Smith should be the best pairing for the RWC, with SBW from the bench. Conrad Smith was outstanding against Australia IMO.
- Wyatt Crockett and Zac Guildford won't make the RWC squad.
- Did the "spider camera" really add that much to the broadcast at Eden Park? Personally I didn't think it was overly beneficial and I would imagine it would be annoying for spectators. Unfortunately, I gather it'll be used for all the Eden Park RWC matches.
- Digby Ioane should be favourite for top try scorer at RWC.
- For all the criticism over South Africa's weakened squad, I still believe it was in their best interests and I'd say that the extended "injury recovering" of their top players will eventually work in their favour, especially for some of their older players.
- Pleasing to see Jane and Sivivatu finding some much needed form. I have them in my best All Blacks XV and I'm hopeful that those two players will make up our top wing combination for the RWC.
- Carter played better in the two Tri Nations tests than the entirety of Super Rugby, while Quade Cooper probably hasn't played as bad as he did at Eden Park since last year.
- McCaw comfortably outplayed Pocock, and as someone who rates David Pocock particularly highly that certainly deserves mentioning.
- With the conjecture over our centre combination, I think its quite clear that Nonu and Smith should be the best pairing for the RWC, with SBW from the bench. Conrad Smith was outstanding against Australia IMO.
- Wyatt Crockett and Zac Guildford won't make the RWC squad.
- Did the "spider camera" really add that much to the broadcast at Eden Park? Personally I didn't think it was overly beneficial and I would imagine it would be annoying for spectators. Unfortunately, I gather it'll be used for all the Eden Park RWC matches.
- Digby Ioane should be favourite for top try scorer at RWC.
- For all the criticism over South Africa's weakened squad, I still believe it was in their best interests and I'd say that the extended "injury recovering" of their top players will eventually work in their favour, especially for some of their older players.
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
Whilst they'll have lost some confidence, and certainly taken a shock to the system, I think any talk about writing Australia off because of their loss on the weekend is extremely premature. If they can sort out their centre combination (AAC played poorly and I'm not convinced about McCabe), get Sharpe and/or Vickerman in for Simmons, and Higginbotham for McCalman, then they're still a clear threat. I'm still unsure as to why O'Connor isn't playing at 12 (perhaps he and Cooper don't have enough of a combined physical presence at 10 and 12) but I think that'd be their best move, with Turner/Mitchell if fit on the wing.
Johnners
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
AWTA, man's a machine, here's hoping he stays fit....
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Tears all gone now, I hope?
benchmark00
Request Your Custom Title Now!
Never had you pegged as an Ashton Kutcher fan itbt.
Goughy
Hall of Fame Member
Does someone want to educate me?-- nothing overly simple as I have an ok understanding of the game.
I have probably played in more Union games than I have watched. Watching both Wales-England and SA-Aus last night, one thing stood out. The Southern Hemesphere teams appeared to commit half or fewer players to the ruck compared to Wales/England. Clearly there is a reason for this but clearly there is a reason why the Northern Hemesphere teams do different.
Why the difference in rugby culture/strategy? What are the pros and cons of both or am I just missreading the situation?
I have probably played in more Union games than I have watched. Watching both Wales-England and SA-Aus last night, one thing stood out. The Southern Hemesphere teams appeared to commit half or fewer players to the ruck compared to Wales/England. Clearly there is a reason for this but clearly there is a reason why the Northern Hemesphere teams do different.
Why the difference in rugby culture/strategy? What are the pros and cons of both or am I just missreading the situation?
ripper868
International Coach
Less players in ruck = more players to defend. Basically the southern hemisphere play an attacking game where they kick less (run more) than the northern compatriots - so you need more people out of the rucks to defend the raids.
Quite enjoyed last nights Wobbles vs Bokke, Some good running rugby from both, just needed some passes to stick/not be thrown and there could have easily been 3-4 more tries. Why the ref pulled it up at halftime after the wallabies just went 95 metres I'll never know.
Glad to get the win but both teams will need to up their game by 100% to beat the AB's - they are dead set certainties for the cup.
Quite enjoyed last nights Wobbles vs Bokke, Some good running rugby from both, just needed some passes to stick/not be thrown and there could have easily been 3-4 more tries. Why the ref pulled it up at halftime after the wallabies just went 95 metres I'll never know.
Glad to get the win but both teams will need to up their game by 100% to beat the AB's - they are dead set certainties for the cup.
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Goughy
Hall of Fame Member
So when northern and southern teams clash do both teams defend the raids with fewer people in the ruck or do southern teams have to commit more to protect the ball? How does it balance out?
ripper868
International Coach
Bit of Column A and B mate. The Northerns attack the ruck so the Southern needs to commit to maintain the ball, but at the same time the Southerns attack wider on quick ball so the Northerns can't commit so many to the ruck - it just works out really!
Northern teams will tend to look more for the set piece (lineout/scrums) and bash through in tight whereas the southerns (well NZ and Aus) are more likely to run it wide - particularly for the wallabies given the potency of the backline they now posess.
Northern teams will tend to look more for the set piece (lineout/scrums) and bash through in tight whereas the southerns (well NZ and Aus) are more likely to run it wide - particularly for the wallabies given the potency of the backline they now posess.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
The answer is really one of two main parts; partly one of rugby philosophy and partly one of rule interpretation.
Traditionally (and still currently) there has been more of an emphasis on forward play in the NH; the scrum and the set piece are viewed as genuine attacking weapons. Even France, home of the lavishly gifted devil-may-care back, has had some fearsome packs over the years.
This had lead to a veneration of possession; the rolling maul cannot be used without the ball, so more men are commited to the breakdown to ensure the pill is kept hold of. This is why often England (especially versus the Wallabies were the extremes seem most marked) will have far more possession than their SH opponents, yet one comes away from the game with the feeling that they still created fewer line breaks & chances to score (more men at the breakdown = fewer active in defence).
The why is probably the weather; winters in northern Europe aren't conducive to running rugby or safe handling of the ball. This has created a tradition that venerates physicality over skill; we prefer the bludgeon to the rapier (forwards, self included, talk disparagingly of the "girls" in the backs) and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. As an aside it isn't coincidental that three of England's centre options in Flutey, Hape & Tuilagi aren't exactly native sons of John Bull; we genuinely struggle to produce ball-players up here.
The interpretation bit is how the games are refereed. SH refs tend to be more generous in the amount of time they allow tackled players to dispose of the ball and what goes on in the recess of the ruck. A good openside flanker (the truffle pigs of rugby possession) always opperates on the very edge of legality, but the leeway granted to some by SH refs seems, to one raised on NH interpretations, occasionally excessive. Richie McCaw, to name the elephant in the room, whilst respected and envied, is definitely seen as a ref's favourite, to put it politely.
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Goughy
Hall of Fame Member
Cheers. When I was in South Africa if you wanted to start an argument then you defended the quota policies but if you wanted to start a fight then you defended Richie McCaw. The most hated man in the country.
Interesting stuff on the interpretation of the rules. As a League boy, there seems to be infractions at every ruck.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Yeah, tbh, if a ref was minded, he could probably call up pretty much every breakdown, which would obviously kill the game.
In the first five-ten minutes of games sides generally chance their arms a bit to see what kind of a ref they have. Stricter refs aren't better or worse, just different. On any given day the most one asks is consistency.