The rugby

[Beebo]

SA next international fixture is 4th July 2026.
So he would miss no international games even if he had a 6 month ban.

 

[rualexander]

OK, here's Cyclechat's own rankings-driven predictor of how things will play out. Far superior to the BBC's

I'll repost it as and when rankings change.

I can't guarantee that I've distributed the best 3rd placed teams properly, but as they all lose in the round of 16 it doesn't have any further consequence.

Winners picked out in green. These aren't my predictions, they are all based on the rankings.
View attachment 794559
I was surprised to see Canada absent and ranked so low. And then realised I was getting the women's game mixed up with the men's

Based on the rankings SA and NZ shouldn't be anywhere near each other until the final or semi final at the earliest.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

LOL
Holly Davidson was absolutely flattened by a huge Saracens forward on the charge and an equally huge Clermont tackler.
Fair play to her, despite being in the middle of that sandwich, she still managed to get up with a smile on her face.

 

[Dorset Boy]

She's a great ref!

It's crap for English rugby fans that the euro Cup is on Premier Sports - so many (like me) cannot and will not justify yet another subscription.

 

[Pross]

Even Saffa fans think he should have got a year.
12 weeks is a low end sanction, even on the accidental gouge.

Most of the comments I’ve read from them have been trying excuse / justify him. One said the cameras missed his hand slipping up after grabbing his jersey (begged the question how did that person know if the camera missed it?) and others saying it was ‘just’ retaliation after a finger in the eye when he was on the ground just before which apparently made it OK.

 

[Pross]

SA next international fixture is 4th July 2026.
So he would miss no international games even if he had a 6 month ban.

It’s such a stupid system doing it by time not matches and it should be matches for the team you were playing for at the time of the incident.

 

[Pross]

She's a great ref!

It's crap for English rugby fans that the euro Cup is on Premier Sports - so many (like me) cannot and will not justify yet another subscription.

The Wales v NZ game was the first time I’ve really seen her and I was impressed. I couldn’t understand the criticism she was getting from some quarters but I suspect it was more to do with them refusing to accept a woman can do a good job reffing a men’s match than the actual detail of her performance.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

The Wales v NZ game was the first time I’ve really seen her and I was impressed. I couldn’t understand the criticism she was getting from some quarters but I suspect it was more to do with them refusing to accept a woman can do a good job reffing a men’s match than the actual detail of her performance.

I have seen her ref lots of matches in the URC and she rarely makes a wrong call. Not something that can be said of many male refs, either in the URC or Gallagher.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

She's a great ref!

It's crap for English rugby fans that the euro Cup is on Premier Sports - so many (like me) cannot and will not justify yet another subscription.

I managed to justify their 5 quid Black Friday offer.
Got to watch the star studded T10 cricket and now all these Euro matches.
Just watched the Bulls Bordeaux belter.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Based on the rankings SA and NZ shouldn't be anywhere near each other until the final or semi final at the earliest.

Agreed, it's bonkers based on both the rankings and common sense. Having SA (1), NZ (2) and France(5) in one side of the draw (top of my diagram) and England(3), Argentina(6) and Ireland(4) in the other just looks wrong. Especially given that rankings-wise Ireland and France are near as dammit equal 4th.

Still, it is what it is. As an England fan I'm not complaining.

 

[Rusty Nails]

The Wales v NZ game was the first time I’ve really seen her and I was impressed. I couldn’t understand the criticism she was getting from some quarters but I suspect it was more to do with them refusing to accept a woman can do a good job reffing a men’s match than the actual detail of her performance.

A couple of my keen rugby following, ex-playing friends don't like the idea of women refs, or even women commentators/pundits. Tbf not just rugby but also football. There's a lot of it about.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Watching the big one now, Bath vs Munster.
Llanelli and Bristol will have to wait.

 

[Pross]

A couple of my keen rugby following, ex-playing friends don't like the idea of women refs, or even women commentators/pundits. Tbf not just rugby but also football. There's a lot of it about.

My only gripe with female pundits is the apparent need to have one whether they are good or not. Basically if there’s a male pundit there has to be a female for balance. I’m happy for there to be two female pundits but they need to be there for their insight not because of any other reason (there’s plenty of male pundits who shouldn’t be getting work too though).

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Bath bonus point in 18 minutes.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

A couple of my keen rugby following, ex-playing friends don't like the idea of women refs, or even women commentators/pundits. Tbf not just rugby but also football. There's a lot of it about.

As I said earlier about refs: my main requirement is competency, gender isn’t an issue.
On the other end of the spectrum for me are women commentators as they get a hard no. I just can’t get my head around the high pitched delivery, especially when things get exciting.
Pundits fall in between, as I rarely listen to pre/post match chat. I only rate a handful such as Sam Warburton and John Barclay, because they are the most insightful, while remaining neutral. Consequently, I don’t rate female pundits. However, there are several good touchline links.