2015 Rugby World Cup **Potential spoilers**

[Crackle]

TBH I thought that the ref could go to the TMO for anything in this RWC but it appears it's only for foul play or a try scoring situation. With that in mind I think it's pretty disgraceful to be piling such abuse onto a ref who made a difficult, split second decision. Yes in hindsight he got it wrong but that happens.

Not forgetting the appalling Lineout by Scotland that led to it. One of many on the night that they got wrong.

 

[AndyRM]

Despite the loss, I'm pretty upbeat.

We gave more of a game to Australia than any team has managed in the tournament and Cotter has us playing the best and most inventive rugby I've seen in years.

Both sides benefitted from some shonky refereeing, but I do feel we suffered most.

'Mon Argentina!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Not forgetting the appalling Lineout by Scotland that led to it. One of many on the night that they got wrong.

Home nation side effs up a critical line-out in the closing seconds of the game. Where have I read that before?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Despite the loss, I'm pretty upbeat.

We gave more of a game to Australia than any team has managed in the tournament and Cotter has us playing the best and most inventive rugby I've seen in years.

Both sides benefitted from some shonky refereeing, but I do feel we suffered most.

'Mon Argentina!

Current Scottish is good for four or five Lions I'd say.

And to think the used to call Ritchie Gray "Bambi"....

 

[nickyboy]

A driving/rolling maul is precisely one of the things that rugby should be about. Setting one up isn't a matter of luck and requires a great deal of skill. Keeping it moving, and moving forwards towards the oppo goal line, requires huge strength, teamwork and is one of the most exhausting things you do as a forward on the park. Well built and executed it is almost impossible to defend against, and once it crosses the goal line and ends grounding the ball is far from a formality.

What I find strange is how few penalty tries get awarded at elite level from rolling mauls that collapse in the red zone or in-goal, and how infrequently referees sanction defenders for all the manner of illegality they apply once the oppo start trundling forwards.

Provided the ball is at the back, and the ball carrier and all the players in front of it are properly bound together, ie full arm, no offsides. Any more than there would be if the ball was at the base of a scrum or ruck. The issue I have is too often, and too often at RWC in particular, the ball carrier is holding on with mere finger tips to the guy in front of him. Smacks of classic truck and trailer to me. But that is a question of materiality and the elite refs apply different standards to the rest of us.

That's the problem isn't it? It looks and feels like offside because the binding is so weak but it seems that the refs are willing to go with it. Reminds me of my open side days when I always got pinged for gently holding on at a ruck, waiting for the opposition scrum half to pass the ball

 

[AndyRM]

Current Scottish is good for four or five Lions I'd say.

And to think the used to call Ritchie Gray "Bambi"....

Yeah I'd agree with that.

I hadn't heard that about Gray - I've always rated him. He's massive, skilful and has ridiculous hair. What's not to like?!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Yeah I'd agree with that.

I hadn't heard that about Gray - I've always rated him. He's massive, skilful and has ridiculous hair. What's not to like?!

well, he did seem to fall over a lot for no reason at one time

 

[GrumpyGregry]

That's the problem isn't it? It looks and feels like offside because the binding is so weak but it seems that the refs are willing to go with it. Reminds me of my open side days when I always got pinged for gently holding on at a ruck, waiting for the opposition scrum half to pass the ball

That's showbiz folks! Televisual entertainment. no one is there to listen to the ref play tunes on a tin whistle and so the refs are "coached" to ignore things that are immaterial.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Has Stuart Lancaster departed yet? Or Rob Andrew?

 

[Fubar]

Despite the loss, I'm pretty upbeat.

We gave more of a game to Australia than any team has managed in the tournament and Cotter has us playing the best and most inventive rugby I've seen in years.

Both sides benefitted from some shonky refereeing, but I do feel we suffered most.

'Mon Argentina!

You pretty much summed up how I felt yesterday, everyone wrote that team off and they took Australia to the wire. Loads of positives, but we do need to develop some "street smarts".

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The world of NH rugby is a much better place if Scotland are in with a shout at the 6N's each year.

 

[martint235]

So the panel has been decided. Ian Ritchie, Ian Watmore, Ian Metcalfe, Ben Kay and Ian McGeechan. That's an awful lot of Ian's. I'm sure Watmore has been involved in these before (2011 if not the post-Woodward appointment of Rob Andrew). I don't think Ritchie should have a place, in fact his role shouldn't have been placed off limits for the review. Likewise the review really should be looking at Rob Andrew does (if in fact he does anything). I'm also not sure if Ben Kay is really qualified but I'll welcome his impartial input.

The whole shebang could really have just been left to McGeechan. In fact, he could do the review and then give himself the Director of Rugby job when he's finished.

 

[AndyRM]

What's the point of having a review panel about it? England played p!sh, predictable rugby, haven't developed young players over the last few years and have a ludicrous selection policy which excludes some of their most creative players. You don't need 5 guys having a chat to work it out.

 

[martint235]

What's the point of having a review panel about it? England played p!sh, predictable rugby, haven't developed young players over the last few years and have a ludicrous selection policy which excludes some of their most creative players. You don't need 5 guys having a chat to work it out.

Ah you need 5 guys having a chat about stuff to make it look like you haven't pre-decided who is going to get a kicking and be made to leave Twickenham holding a can of sh*te. Once you've finished your chat, you retire to the Twickenham lounge for brandies and discuss how you're going to spend the money you made whilst dreaming up another group of people to be scapegoats in 4 years time.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Not forgetting the appalling Lineout by Scotland that led to it. One of many on the night that they got wrong.

That was unforgivable, wet ball, tired players and a few minutes of good slow solid possession needed.
Much like England not going for the draw against Wales.