2015 Rugby World Cup **Potential spoilers**

[PhilDawson8270]

Are the rules governing a knock on the same as those that relate to the forward pass?

In that when it's dropped, or knocked forwards, it's in relation to the player. NOT in relation to the pitch. As a pass can travel forward over the pitch with momentum, so long as it is not forward in relation to the player throwing it.

 

[Aperitif]

Beautiful explanation form the Guardian 'live' report of today's game at Kingsholm: worth a quote of Tom Bryant

Preamble
Oh Scotland. Poor, poor Scotland. A World Cup close to home, an opening match against theoretically far weaker opponents, a reasonable expectation that they could be considered something like the ‘home’ team, and then Japan happen.

Scotland have nothing to win here, nothing but the match. With Japan now almost everyone’s second favourite side, and some people’s out-and-out favourites, Scotland are on a hiding to nothing. Hammer Japan, as people might have expected before the tournament started, and they will immediately become sport’s biggest killjoys. Match them, and they will be pilloried for not beating a team who they should beat - despite the fact Scotland are now below them in the world rankings. Lose, and they will simply be making everyone’s day. Let’s face it, this is a very Scotland place to be.

So with the entire world supporting Japan against them, what else could go wrong for Scotland? Well, they will be playing the Brave Blossoms at Kingsholm, English rugby’s other great headquarters and were thus unlikely to find too many fans among the crowd anyway. And there’s the fact Japan play in a strip remarkably similar to Gloucester’s, and have been already been lovingly adopted by the notoriously raucous Gloucester fans. And there’s also the slight issue that Japan’s Eddie Jones is one of the most notoriously canny coaches in world rugby, and that Scotland’s Vern Cotter is not.

Cotter has named a strong side to face Japan as he seeks to capitalise on Scotland’s recent improving form with an opening win against opponents who may not have recovered yet after Saturday’s heroics against South Africa. “We’ve prepared well for what will be a very tough Test against a powerful and fit Japanese team, who like to play a high-tempo game,” he reckons. “The priority for us is to ensure we get our jobs right with accuracy and impose ourselves on the game.”

That and ruin the fun of every single neutral rugby fan in the world.

Are the rules governing a knock on the same as those that relate to the forward pass?

In that when it's dropped, or knocked forwards, it's in relation to the player. NOT in relation to the pitch. As a pass can travel forward over the pitch with momentum, so long as it is not forward in relation to the player throwing it.

Love it. I didn't dare bring momentum into the conversation - it needed a man of League to write that word. Anyway momentum, or momentum
"What you having, ref?"

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Japan were disappointing today. Didn't look like the same side. Scotland were very good.

 

[HF2300]

Japan were disappointing today. Didn't look like the same side. Scotland were very good.

Can't say I was overly impressed with Scotland. Japan were tired, but they were also prevented from playing their game by constant Scottish infringements that went unpenalised. It's difficult to admire a team that wins that way.

Loving the Rugby so far ..... BUT paloma faith singing the world in union is bleeding terrible.....

Sorry, I hadn't realised that was singing.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Eddy mate, this second half thing you said you'd do to Scotland...

 

[subaqua]

I nearly needed a new fecking telly . Cos that daffodil common spud just said ooh he lost control of the ball. Thankfully the TMO called it correctly as a knock on so no try.

Will I ever get my 3D telly

 

[martint235]

The Millennium Stadium breaking into "Swing Low" was funny!!! Shame they couldn't show us a picture of Shane Williams.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Nicola Sturgeon, Gordon Brown, Keir Hardie, Lulu, Alexander Fleming, James Clerk Maxwell, John Logie Baird, Alexander Fleming, Adam Smith, David Hume, Thomas Telford, Sean Connery, Sir Walter Scott: your boys took a hell of a beating. Oh bugger, they won quite comfortably.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

[

Are the rules governing a knock on the same as those that relate to the forward pass?

In that when it's dropped, or knocked forwards, it's in relation to the player. NOT in relation to the pitch. As a pass can travel forward over the pitch with momentum, so long as it is not forward in relation to the player throwing it.

Forward pass; relative to the player, specifically at elite level their hands/arms.

Knock on; relative to the opposition's dead ball line.

A pass can move forwards due to momentum and be legal. A knock on can't.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I nearly needed a new fecking telly . Cos that daffodil common spud just said ooh he lost control of the ball. Thankfully the TMO called it correctly as a knock on so no try.

Will I ever get my 3D telly

tlh is sat at home today waiting on our new TV to be installed... to go with the Sky HD (yes I have completely sold my soul) box installed on Tuesday.

I think junking the old CRT TV will give us back about 3 cubic metres of space in the living room!

I didn't go 3D nor 4K, nor mega-huge. I had a lengthy auditioning session at the local Sony Centre and ended up buying what is effectively "previous generation" tech because everyone agree that HD sport looked better on it! When I got home I looked in my old day book and discovered it was the the model I decided upon last year but which I didn't "pull the trigger" on! With the money I saved I snuck in a sound bar which means I can ditch the obtrusive and ancient home cinema sound amp and speakers which vex tlh so.

 

[Stephenite]

There are a lot of bluddy rules with this game aren't they?! Not even the players know what they are. Several times i've seen the players look at the ref as if to say 'Can i do this now?', or look at one another confusedly. Eee... when i was a kid it was much simpler.

On a side note @GrumpyGregry we've had a Sony flatscreen tv for sixish years and it still works brilliantly.

 

[martint235]

I think junking the old CRT TV will give us back about 3 cubic metres of space in the living room!

There are a lot of bluddy rules with this game aren't they?! Not even the players know what they are. Several times i've seen the players look at the ref as if to say 'Can i do this now?', or look at one another confusedly. Eee... when i was a kid it was much simpler.

On a side note @GrumpyGregry we've had a Sony flatscreen tv for sixish years and it still works brilliantly.

The space saved all depends on whether you're hanging the new telly on the wall, otherwise you need a base which takes up almost as much room as the CRT. I've got a Sony Bravia W series that's about 8 years old I think. Still going strong with no issues at all. It was flipping expensive at the time though.

As for rules, when I played I just tried to learn the ones that applied to being a lock. There were enough of them.

 

[nickyboy]

There are a lot of bluddy rules with this game aren't they?! Not even the players know what they are. Several times i've seen the players look at the ref as if to say 'Can i do this now?', or look at one another confusedly. Eee... when i was a kid it was much simpler.

On a side note @GrumpyGregry we've had a Sony flatscreen tv for sixish years and it still works brilliantly.

It is a problem that RU haven't really come to terms with yet. The rules they've introduced to make the game more free flowing and less attritional are difficult to enforce, subjective and largely incomprehensible to people who watch the game.
Until the game's governing bodies get to grips with the fundamental issue with professional RU thateveryone's bigger and fitter than the game was designed for so there are too many players on the pitch, I can't see it improving. I guess much tighter limitations on substitutions would help though

 

[PhilDawson8270]

It is a problem that RU haven't really come to terms with yet. The rules they've introduced to make the game more free flowing and less attritional are difficult to enforce, subjective and largely incomprehensible to people who watch the game.
Until the game's governing bodies get to grips with the fundamental issue with professional RU thateveryone's bigger and fitter than the game was designed for so there are too many players on the pitch, I can't see it improving. I guess much tighter limitations on substitutions would help though

There are lots of ways it can be improved that address your issues.

• You could reduce the number of players on the pitch to say, 13.
• You could remove the rucks and force a more simple play of the ball to promote free open play
• This has an extra effect of simplifying the rules of rucks, mauls, and line outs
• The scrum could be pretty much uncontested and ball in at the 2nd row. Allowing forwards to be smaller, faster, and fitter. For a more exciting game, it also opens the game up to a wider a range of pitches, due to less damaged caused by forwards.
• To promote try scoring you could lower the reward for a drop goal
• To speed the game up further, and lean towards attacking style games. You could have a restricted number of phases, say 6? Then you have to give it to the other team.

Do this, and you should have your nice, free flowing, fast rugby, with simpler rules that is easier to follow.

Though the above does sound awfully familiar, I think it's called Rugby League isn't it?

 

[martint235]

There are lots of ways it can be improved that address your issues.

• You could reduce the number of players on the pitch to say, 13.
• You could remove the rucks and force a more simple play of the ball to promote free open play
• This has an extra effect of simplifying the rules of rucks, mauls, and line outs
• The scrum could be pretty much uncontested and ball in at the 2nd row. Allowing forwards to be smaller, faster, and fitter. For a more exciting game, it also opens the game up to a wider a range of pitches, due to less damaged caused by forwards.
• To promote try scoring you could lower the reward for a drop goal
• To speed the game up further, and lean towards attacking style games. You could have a restricted number of phases, say 6? Then you have to give it to the other team.

Do this, and you should have your nice, free flowing, fast rugby, with simpler rules that is easier to follow.

Though the above does sound awfully familiar, I think it's called Rugby League isn't it?

I'll forgive you because you have a decent shirt as your avatar. However the two games need to be kept separate and I'd hate to see RU become even more RL'd than it is already.