rugby

I don't understand the rugby hate here either, I went to a rugby school and it was full of wankers but I still love watching a good game of Rugby Union. I never played mind you. What you/I have to remember aswell though perhaps is that in Ireland Rugby Union is not solely a snobby or posh sport, sure there are loads of Brian O'Driscoll style "i jusht got a sooper troy alroysh man" types but outside of Dublin people are really into rugby and it's not a snobs thing at all.

Just look at Keith Wood or Peter Stringer, the Keano's of Irish rugby without the borderline psychosis or annoying Man U connection.

Rugby is an absolutely brilliant sport, when it's good. I have only begun to admit this to myself recently, perhaps my enthusiasm is also because Ireland have been quite successful recently.

I don't think I've ever been as animated/mental watching anything as I was watching Munster beat Leicester last year or indeed Ireland squeezing out a result against Wales in the last minute. Absolutely invigorating stuff I'm telling you.

Rugby is also the most competently administrated sport I can think of, they are always trying new rules and ways of refereeing and it's the better for it. This is one area where other sports could really take note.

A fantastic game to watch.

also in medieval football seeing as the pitch was infinitely big and you could like strab the opponents etc i'm sure picking up the ball and running w.it was also on the menu

i never played either, which i think is where some of the hate of others comes from, long afternoons with one's face in the mud etc. also i hated ruggerbuggers at college, and i'm sure international players (england in particular) are no better, but when played at the top flight rugby is a marvy game to watch.

[xx] = william webb ellis, mark.

The local team was great because we were so crap that you'd score one try and all the parents watching would go absolutely mad. I remember playing one absolute stormer one day and getting clotheslined and punched and things cos I was running by so many people. Afterwards some dude told me to try out for the district team or something but I never did. I was 11 or so and I knew it was a flash in the pan brilliant performance. I never got stuck in enough to be really good at sport.

I will say that the random bunch of drunk rugby louts I ran into there didn't mind me and were chatty, but they probably thought I was fairly harmless, as opposed to Lady Lurex, who they rightly fear and are shamed by, for they are not as cool as she.

I have always had a weakness for Number 8s.

Sorry. I am completely irrational on this one. It offends me.

lions doing so well...would make the weekend if they can win against this grim dour s african side

right on. the wallabies who represent australia did a ok too!

that's knocked the wind out of my sails

yes, mine too. and o'garas x1000. couldn't tackle steyn into touch on the try and then couldn't leave du preez alone in the air. team game and all but shit he let the whole touring party down.

yeah what in the name of jesus was rog doing with that last play. the garyowen was stupid enough, then the foul. a draw would have been a good result considering they lost both centres and both props. if they didn't lose the two props I think they would have won.

i can't actually accept they've lost the first two tests, just feels so wrong, they were easily good enough to beat that fucking sa side and played far more attractive rugby.

also at fault i thought was mike phillips' box kick after every restart that came to the lions, just gave the boks the ball back - have another go chaps i'm sure we'll defend heartily.

with you on the fact that the series has gone, feels very unfair. i've felt though in both tests that captain-wise o'connell wasn't quite there. he played his usual solid game but the leadership x-factor wasn't there. a martin johnson would have read the riot act at restarts and made sure that no one was in a position to make a mistake like o'gara did.

oh well. still a fantastic game to watch. sadly the boks are 2-0 up despite being made to look pretty ordinary since half time last week.

yeah o'connell didn't play particularly well over the two games either. it's a bit of a catch 22 tho. for ireland before the grand slam everyone used to lambast bod's captaincy and say o'connell was the true leader. now after this season most people say the reverse.

I agree about the box kicks actually, I think in general they kicked too much in the second half, nerves I guess.

just remembered jones missed a penalty kick for touch with about 5 mins to go...

yeah that was dire. you've got to also blame mcgeechan a bit for getting the forwards so wrong in first test. man...need to just go have a beer and forget about it!

nice to get the win even against a weakened boks side. great performance by them, they should have won this series. that lions backline is unreal. why only every four years, should be every two!

just found this to be a pretty dope photo...

http://images.smh.com.au/2010/04/08/1300337/ind_berrick-barnes-400x267.jpg

but yuh, the QUEENSLAND! back combo of Genia AND WHT THE FKKKKK Cooper IS ACTUALLY PROOVING TO BE DEADLY kudos, LINK

he's...kind of massive http://images.brisbanetimes.com.au/2009/09/01/707886/420genia-420x0.jpg

and has the dopest/silkiest skillz

and is wearing the ugliest uniform in the world.

bb-b-but it's for 'grip'. HEY E!

but, yeah, you've gotta give it up 2 cooper for the break&enterz imo

ka mate wilter!

"The QRU and ARU agreed that collectively we need to impose on Quade an action plan that he must now adhere to as part of his ongoing employment, and Quade has agreed to make that commitment.

has he been to trial yet?

^LOL. Estela, I will give u mad QLD RUGBY UPDATES as juicy info is swung my way --- I can offer u no moar

ehhh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci-yoF2eg-A

Oh christ, I <3 the Cult

awww Reds lost :(

that is some

fucking

punch

god i know, totally crazy. can't stand ashton but credit to him for staying on his feet. bloke must have boxing experience.

i revived this thread to see if anyone cared about the heineken cup final this weekend. am heading to cardiff to see it with my brothers...should be a great day out.

This might be of interest to you:

http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2870%2C4048%2C4195&parent_directory_id=2865&id=11236

I want to see Prince Harry's face now.

CryingJohnson.jpg

LOL England falling apart.

Bookies across the home counties opening the champagne about now

ahem

GET THAT RIGHT UP YE

What an awesome and ideologically correct occurrence :D

I'm that happy right now I could jump over a dollhouse and then run all the way to the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and lay a big steaming chod in it.

Aussie rules RIP

lol calz

Get it right up ye Grant 🖕🏻😂🖕🏻

— Ryan Connell (@RyanConnell84) November 2, 2019

Sing it

https://www.twitter.com/BBCSport/status/1190384267362275330

To compound the misery for England rugby fans, Margaret Thatcher's still dead.

— David Whitley (@mrdavidwhitley) November 2, 2019

Matt Dawson wouldn't include any South Africa players in his combined XV with England.

This is why: https://t.co/lgWkS94zID#bbcrugby #RWC2019 #RWCFinal pic.twitter.com/P90vur6yXe

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 1, 2019

Replies to that tweet dominated by gloating Welshmen. You llove to see it.

IMAGINE HOW FUMING THE CONSERVATIVES ARE WATCHING BLACK SOUTH AFRICANS SCORING TRIES FOR FUN AGAINST THEIR TEAM WHEN THEY WERE ALL CAMPAIGNING TO GET MANDELA HUNG IN THE 80S HAHAHAHAAHA YEEEERRRRRSSSSS pic.twitter.com/BwSc6JbXmP

— NEO (@MULLET_FAN_NEO) November 2, 2019

Congrats Wales, can't have been easy to throw the semi-final but the right decision in the end

Shit news. Fuck cancer

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50395820

Really need France to do England today to make life a smidgen more bearable.

In the other code of rugby I just noticed last night that the Catalan Dragons have signed Israel Folau. Stay classy lads.

Fine and dandy so far.

Hopefully France can keep it going for the 2nd half

Can see England coming back strong but fingers crossed.

Get it right up ye, Boris Johnson.

And Prince William or whoever the rugby one is

In the other code of rugby I just noticed last night that the Catalan Dragons have signed Israel Folau. Stay classy lads.

And in top trolling, Wigan have announced that their home game against Catalan will be Pride Day with players wearing rainbow socks and laces

Nice one.

Explosive rugby in the first half there

ffs Ireland, give us a try at least.

... yasssss, now three more.

I've little interest in Rugby or in any team-sport but amazon prime pushed this documentary to my recommended list (I guess because they are pushing rugby more generally ahead of the 7 nations cup) and it is fascinating and infuriating. Incredible stats like: 20-25% of professional rugby players come from the pacific islands (fiji, Tonga, Samoa - combined population of 1.5m people) ; pacific island players were getting paid circa £80 per game while western players were getting payed upwards of £20,000 per game and that PI players were busking on the streets while on tour in Europe to earn cash. Some really horribly sad stories in here of the exploitation of PI players.

http://www.oceansapartfilm.com/

Some spin-off docs as well, you'll have to search for on amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Castaway-Romania-Tongan-national-foodbanks/dp/B08NRDHJFL/ref=pd_ys_iyr3

about a PI player who ended up on contract in Romania but got kidney failure and coudn't return to Tonga because they don't have any dialysis machines there. He's currently living on benefits in Romania.

and

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Caucau-Greatest-Mystery-Rupeni-Caucaunibuca/dp/B08NK3L9PS/ref=pd_ys_iyr2

about another player who became lost in the system and is now penniless in Tonga.

First win at Twickenham in 38 years. Get it right up ye's!

Enjoyed that yesterday. Congrats Tom

We were absolutely awful today and would never have won if Ireland hadn't been down to 14

First win at Twickenham in, er, 2 years. Get it right up ye's all the same!

France absolutely murdering England here.

tragic