French rugby is on another level right now both internationally and domestically. So many talented players and the atmosphere is more like football matches than our Guiness drinking middle aged Range Rover crowds. But when barely 10% of tickets to Twickenham are available to the general public and they cost in excess of £150 then in this country it’s a sport run by toffs for toffs unfortunately. Rugby needs a rethink in this country. Don’t get me wrong the 6 Nations is an awesome tournament but rugby outside of that is on its arse this side of the Channel.
Only going to get worse from next year as it’s being broadcast by TNT.
Once again it would be a monumentally bad decision by the rugby powers. Rugby needs to be on terrestrial tv right now.
all about selling rights to the highest bidder .. professional R U is in a terrible financial state in England, Wales and Scotland .. proper R U fans will pay the subs to watch the 6 Nations, just as proper CAFC fans will pay to watch our games
It’s in a terrible state because the people that run it haven’t a clue. Rugby doesn’t have the fan base of football and it needs to widen its net not close off potential new fans in my opinion. There aren’t enough ‘proper’ fans to sustain it in its current guise.
But then Rugby Union has always been a minority sport in England. Amateur right until the 1990s, decades after sports like cricket went professional.
People watching the 6 nations but not club rugby is the reality, just like most people only watch athletics for the major competitions like the Olympics and Worlds.
French rugby is on another level right now both internationally and domestically. So many talented players and the atmosphere is more like football matches than our Guiness drinking middle aged Range Rover crowds. But when barely 10% of tickets to Twickenham are available to the general public and they cost in excess of £150 then in this country it’s a sport run by toffs for toffs unfortunately. Rugby needs a rethink in this country. Don’t get me wrong the 6 Nations is an awesome tournament but rugby outside of that is on its arse this side of the Channel.
Only going to get worse from next year as it’s being broadcast by TNT.
Once again it would be a monumentally bad decision by the rugby powers. Rugby needs to be on terrestrial tv right now.
all about selling rights to the highest bidder .. professional R U is in a terrible financial state in England, Wales and Scotland .. proper R U fans will pay the subs to watch the 6 Nations, just as proper CAFC fans will pay to watch our games
It’s in a terrible state because the people that run it haven’t a clue. Rugby doesn’t have the fan base of football and it needs to widen its net not close off potential new fans in my opinion. There aren’t enough ‘proper’ fans to sustain it in its current guise.
But then Rugby Union has always been a minority sport in England. Amateur right until the 1990s, decades after sports like cricket went professional.
People watching the 6 nations but not club rugby is the reality, just like most people only watch athletics for the major competitions like the Olympics and Worlds.
Like a lot of sport except maybe football and cricket. And maybe rugby league oop north?
Is it correct that the men's and women's England cricket teams get paid the same? Maybe I should caveat my previous comments with 'men's'
Good win for Ireland, the scoreline flattered England i m o, who were very brave in defence until tiredness took a toll, but they were mostly inept in attack. Ireland do what they always do, and did it well A win for Scotland over a decent Italian side. The Scots play Ireland at home next Sunday, that should be a cracker, as should England V France on Saturday. I expect Italy to beat a bedraggled Wales, who were not quite as bad as the French whitewash over them might suggest
According to the BBC, England fans have nicknamed the Curry boys, the Twindaloo. I do wonder though if they will ever be selected again as England 'starters' (please don't say they are more of a main meal ?)
10 points Ireland were given by the officials. 3 for the so called push which wasn't one for a penalty, then a try scored which had a forward pass leading to it. Plus Lowe should of been punished after getting involved in another scuffle. England far too many errors but really could of won it if the officials did their job properly.
10 points Ireland were given by the officials. 3 for the so called push which wasn't one for a penalty, then a try scored which had a forward pass leading to it. Plus Lowe should of been punished after getting involved in another scuffle. England far too many errors but really could of won it if the officials did their job properly.
If you watch 10 internationals featuring England id say 8 of them I'd say the officials are biased against us especially away. Maybe something to do with the dirgey Twickenham atmosphere compared to Murrayfield, Lansdowne Road, Stade de France and whatever they are calling Cardiff stadium now
10 points Ireland were given by the officials. 3 for the so called push which wasn't one for a penalty, then a try scored which had a forward pass leading to it. Plus Lowe should of been punished after getting involved in another scuffle. England far too many errors but really could of won it if the officials did their job properly.
If you watch 10 internationals featuring England id say 8 of them I'd say the officials are biased against us especially away. Maybe something to do with the dirgey Twickenham atmosphere compared to Murrayfield, Lansdowne Road, Stade de France and whatever they are calling Cardiff stadium now
What about the trip on Lowe or the no arms tackle on Conan in the corner to stop him going over for a try?
10 points Ireland were given by the officials. 3 for the so called push which wasn't one for a penalty, then a try scored which had a forward pass leading to it. Plus Lowe should of been punished after getting involved in another scuffle. England far too many errors but really could of won it if the officials did their job properly.
If you watch 10 internationals featuring England id say 8 of them I'd say the officials are biased against us especially away. Maybe something to do with the dirgey Twickenham atmosphere compared to Murrayfield, Lansdowne Road, Stade de France and whatever they are calling Cardiff stadium now
What about the trip on Lowe or the no arms tackle on Conan in the corner to stop him going over for a try?
100% agree with the no arms tackle - but that was never an intentional trip. He was just totally wrong footed due to the quality of the cutback.
I wore my new Ulster top I got for Christmas in the pub to stop all the Dubs/Cork City lot who invade for this game to stop them asking me ‘who I’m supporting’ 🙄 And we won, so it’s my new lucky shirt. I agree, I thought the ref was awful. What is it with the line outs now? I noticed it in the U20’s. There seems to be no gap, it’s literally a bundle every time?
I wore my new Ulster top I got for Christmas in the pub to stop all the Dubs/Cork City lot who invade for this game to stop them asking me ‘who I’m supporting’ 🙄 And we won, so it’s my new lucky shirt. I agree, I thought the ref was awful. What is it with the line outs now? I noticed it in the U20’s. There seems to be no gap, it’s literally a bundle every time?
I'm going to have to look and see if any laws have changed anyway as many lineouts yesterday appeared to be uncontested - not something I've noticed before anyway. I noticed the commentator say 'the ball wasn't straight, but it didn't matter because it was uncontested'
England can consider themselves unfortunate on two counts. The 'forward pass' try and the 'pushes' that both resulted in Ireland scores were bitterly disappointing. But the second reason England were unfortunate is clearer and more important: they were playing against a better team.
If those two referring decisions had gone the other way, England might have ended up winning the match. That would have been the wrong result.
England can consider themselves unfortunate on two counts. The 'forward pass' try and the 'pushes' that both resulted in Ireland scores were bitterly disappointing. But the second reason England were unfortunate is clearer and more important: they were playing against a better team.
If those two referring decisions had gone the other way, England might have ended up winning the match. That would have been the wrong result.
The ball did go forward, but was it a forward pass? If you are running and throw a flat pass, it will go forward, similar to Du Pont pass on Friday night.
It seems to be more of the ball leaving the hands and the action beforehand rather than the direction of the ball.
England can consider themselves unfortunate on two counts. The 'forward pass' try and the 'pushes' that both resulted in Ireland scores were bitterly disappointing. But the second reason England were unfortunate is clearer and more important: they were playing against a better team.
If those two referring decisions had gone the other way, England might have ended up winning the match. That would have been the wrong result.
England can consider themselves unfortunate on two counts. The 'forward pass' try and the 'pushes' that both resulted in Ireland scores were bitterly disappointing. But the second reason England were unfortunate is clearer and more important: they were playing against a better team.
If those two referring decisions had gone the other way, England might have ended up winning the match. That would have been the wrong result.
I agree with you - now that is very unusual!
I am happy that you're right for once.
Now we don't disagree any more - as I'm not right 'for once'!
I don't think the refs are biased but they can favour the home side. It happens in football too.
O'Keefe was the referee in Dublin, now I wonder what is his ancestry ? Really the point is that R U is (i m o) now too fast, the laws too complicated for one referee (with the help of 2 'assistants and the replay man) to officiate. Take a leaf from U S Football and have at least two other officials to watch over specific areas of play, e.g. offside, obstruction, forward passes. Issue is, who to appoint ? (It'll NEVER happen malheureusement)
I don't think the refs are biased but they can favour the home side. It happens in football too.
Nigel Owens has always been anti-English, the problem is you get a homer in rugby it is so, so crucial to the game. The calls at breakdowns make or break games
Comments
People watching the 6 nations but not club rugby is the reality, just like most people only watch athletics for the major competitions like the Olympics and Worlds.
Is it correct that the men's and women's England cricket teams get paid the same? Maybe I should caveat my previous comments with 'men's'
A win for Scotland over a decent Italian side. The Scots play Ireland at home next Sunday, that should be a cracker, as should England V France on Saturday. I expect Italy to beat a bedraggled Wales, who were not quite as bad as the French whitewash over them might suggest
I do wonder though if they will ever be selected again as England 'starters' (please don't say they are more of a main meal ?)
England far too many errors but really could of won it if the officials did their job properly.
I agree, I thought the ref was awful.
What is it with the line outs now? I noticed it in the U20’s. There seems to be no gap, it’s literally a bundle every time?
If those two referring decisions had gone the other way, England might have ended up winning the match. That would have been the wrong result.
Really the point is that R U is (i m o) now too fast, the laws too complicated for one referee (with the help of 2 'assistants and the replay man) to officiate.
Take a leaf from U S Football and have at least two other officials to watch over specific areas of play, e.g. offside, obstruction, forward passes. Issue is, who to appoint ? (It'll NEVER happen malheureusement)
South Africa
Ireland
New Zealand
France
Argentina
Scotland
England
Australia
Fiji
Italy
Wales