Rugby World Cup
64 watchers
Sep 2015
3:32pm, 29 Sep 2015
11,446 posts
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TRO Saracen
Burgess did OK against Wales. He did his job, main part of which was to stop Roberts busting over the gain line at IC. Brad Barritt was a bigger problem. He was not the defensive rock that is supposed to be his USP; Wales breaks came from attacking Barritt's outside centre channel. He is also not much of an attacking threat at his own position of IC when on form and at his best, so was a ludicrously stupid selection at outside centre - a position where attacking is far more important, when also far from at his best form. But then they hadn't given Slade enough game time to trust him, so had snookered themselves when JJ was crocked, and went for the bloke they trusted despite being his wrong position and him being way off form. |
Sep 2015
3:35pm, 29 Sep 2015
4,280 posts
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Dai Bank
Well we've selected Mathew Morgan and the last time I saw him play at the Ospreys last season he had a relatively unmuscled upper body but all of a sudden he's become Mr Universe. He must have had a hurry up from Sean Holley at Bristol as he's really put on some bulk in the last few months. He didn't have a lot of opportunity against Uruguay but if he's kept his speed and gets the opportunity I think he might show a few people how good he is. I've followed that lad since the agegroup games that we are shown in Wales and if he's not quite as quick as Shane Williams was, he can dance through a tackle line and his acceleration off the mark is lightning fast. Thursday at 4:45 can't come soon enough. |
Sep 2015
3:39pm, 29 Sep 2015
5,597 posts
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Little Nemo - this kitten can
"If Twelvetrees is the solution, what the f$%k was the problem?" What 2 numbers multiplied give you 36? Ba-doom tish  *I'll get my coat...* |
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Sep 2015
3:57pm, 29 Sep 2015
11,447 posts
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TRO Saracen
'Shane Williams fast' Not any more, I put 2hrs 30 mins into him at Ironman Wales ;-). Much more impressive than either of us though was the mighty Richard Webster (again), knees so completely wrecked by his rugby career that he has to do the marathon on crutches. He beat Shane as well :-), just awesome and inspiring to watch.
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Sep 2015
4:03pm, 29 Sep 2015
4,281 posts
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Dai Bank
Love it TRO. Of course Webster is not possessed of a brain, never had one, never will have one so wouldn't know that injury or lack of cartilage could prevent him doing anything.( He's actually quite a bright lad!) Agree about the inspiration seeing him push on mind. |
Sep 2015
4:07pm, 29 Sep 2015
5,105 posts
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paul the builder
I don't disagree in general TRO (11446, not you battering on about Tenby ;-)). Although I do think Burgess was at fault when they got through the centre in the first half - otherwise he did keep Roberts quiet largely. On the other (other) hand he put in the worst kick of the game when England did have a good bit of momentum at a critical point in the 2nd half (a diagonal punt straight down 15's gullet). And he got away with a clearance kick in the first half that Billy Vunipola would have been ashamed of. No, make that Mako Vunipola. I made myself watch it again last night (OH said - "why are you doing this to yourself?"). There's a clear shift in momentum at 55 min, I think mostly due to Wales finding a bit of oomph, to be fair. It's finely balanced for a while. Then on 65min the break down the blind side by May, with a few off-loads to follow, was the chance to get the game back to where it was. It ended up in chaos with the ball bobbling around everywhere, Welsh injuries all over the place, and ultimately 3 points. But it was a chance missed, and the opportunity to snuff out the spark of Welsh hope (or at least get 2 scores clear again) was missed. And I haven't even got words to describe how badly managed the last 10 minutes for England were. Despite what had gone from 55-70, we were still in it, favourites to win, and just stopped playing. Froze. Bad decisions everywhere. TCUP was never less evident than that. To fuck up one line-out in the last 2 minutes is one thing, but to do it again a minute later - we were just empty husks of men by then. As much of a tool as Will Carling is (and was), he has the nub of a point in his latest effort at self-promotion(*). Are many of Lancaster's team real leaders on the pitch? Seen it all for club and country before? Not enough. Dylan Hartley's a miss here, but even then we're light on leaders. (*) theguardian.com (although Carling suggests the squad *could* have had the leaders emerge, but they weren't given the chance to develop) |
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Sep 2015
4:24pm, 29 Sep 2015
11,448 posts
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TRO Saracen
Can't argue with that analysis. I did try and rewatch the game. After KO we gave a penalty away in 25 seconds, which gave the Welsh possession and territory. The ball was back in play for about another 20 seconds, and we then gave them the game opening 3 pointer. I could go no further... |
Sep 2015
11:43pm, 29 Sep 2015
20,963 posts
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SPR
And I'm going to disagree with TRO use of an Ironman to prove Shane Williams isn't fast anymore!?! Shane Williams shouldn't be messing about with Ironmans, he should join his local club and run in the 100m and maybe 200m in the track league!
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Sep 2015
7:26am, 30 Sep 2015
4,282 posts
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Dai Bank
Did you miss the wink in TRO,s post SPR? Local news reporting that Gatland threatened to drop anyone who didn,t show enough intensity at training yesterday. I wonder how Sir Gareth Edwards would have coped as he was notorious for soft training. Different times eh! |
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Sep 2015
8:08am, 30 Sep 2015
11,451 posts
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TRO Saracen
Shane Williams would be a disaster at 100m/200m track. Drawn in lane 2, he'll jink into lane 4, fend the bloke off in lane 5, swerve into lane 3.......DQ every time.....
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