Bath vs Exeter

[fivepointer]

That was a good game. Bath right in it for an hour but Exe had an extra gear. Plenty of good performances from England players and potential England players. Enjoyed the battle between the hookers in particular. Cokanasiga must be very close to getting a chance.
On Dallaglio, or should I say Lawrence "Look at that" Dallaglio. Its only his name that keeps him employed. There are plenty of contributors on this board who could offer more insight.
The ref was OK. Agreed some of the scrum calls didnt look 100%, but overall he managed the game well.

[Mellsblue]

I didn’t watch the game but, from what I have seen and from what I’ve read, this ref looks like a ready made replacement for Wayne Barnes. If only there were one for Stuart.

[Mikey Brown]

Dallaglio is terrible. I’d be amazed if he knows what point he is actually trying to make even half the time

And nobody has yet answered this. HOW IS HE THE SAME HEIGHT AS AUSTIN HEALEY??? I really would like to understand.

[Oakboy]

Apart from getting most of the scrum pen decisions the wrong way round.

Was that really his fault? From what I heard on the ref's mike, it was one of his assistants giving the decisions most of the time (i.e the offence was on the opposite side). The TV coverage was inconclusive but a guess, based on Exeter's record in recent games, suggests that Bath could not keep the scrum up. Props always try to look amazed of course. No doubt, they would claim the head shaking was neck exercise - not the open dissent that could see them carded.

[Beasties]

Tbf it was indeed his assistants that were giving most of the calls. I was a TH so I know what I'm looking at, just about every decision in the first 40 went the wrong way. Things improved after the break. It happens to a degree in every match and it is very difficult for refs and assistants but it's just so frustrating when they get it so wrong, I can live with errors but errors favouring one side over the other again and again I struggle with. Flats would've called all those. Dayglo and Ugo are a total waste of space.

[Puja]

Apart from getting most of the scrum pen decisions the wrong way round.

Was that really his fault? From what I heard on the ref's mike, it was one of his assistants giving the decisions most of the time (i.e the offence was on the opposite side). The TV coverage was inconclusive but a guess, based on Exeter's record in recent games, suggests that Bath could not keep the scrum up. Props always try to look amazed of course. No doubt, they would claim the head shaking was neck exercise - not the open dissent that could see them carded.

I would say a bit of it is down to attitude - a scrum that goes down that many times and results in that little ball is because the props have decided that the ref has abdicated responsibility and so they'll run it themselves and risk penalty roulette. The ref should've been in their ear early, telling them he wants them higher and straighter and with a proper bind so there's a nice solid engage and less slipping, and that he'll regard continued f*cking about as a request to go sit on the bench for 10 minutes. 90% of scrum refereeing is getting it set in how the ref wants and how's likely to stay up, rather than how the props want and how they think they're going to get an advantange/not lose out.

Puja

[twitchy]

For people that don't use twitter, jones is an embarrassment. Isn't he in his 50's?

[Puja]

For people that don't use twitter, jones is an embarrassment. Isn't he in his 50's?

Wow. That is... I'm actually lost for words.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

For people that don't use twitter, jones is an embarrassment. Isn't he in his 50's?

Wow. That is... I'm actually lost for words.

Puja

Apparently he blocks anyone who even slightly disagrees with him. Taking the irony/hypocrisy of his tweet to another level. All made even worse by his constant, repetitive championing of big/low skill set/past it (choose at least two out of three) players in his weekly bilge in the Sunday times.

[Digby]

Maybe like Kk67 he likes to post three sheets to the windr

[Mikey Brown]

Lol. Reading about Nowell’s wonder try painted rather a different picture to when I actually watched it.