Other 6N games

[stevedog1980]

I did hear a call from Wayne Barnes at one point that I liked of "no, you have to be trying to lift it, you can't just have your hands on it". Hopefully this is going to mean a more active attempt to win the ball rather than just getting your hands beyond the ball and stopping it being released

[Sandydragon]

Rewatched the Ireland game last night

Barnes was interpreting the ruck area funny
Several times wales had hands on ball and a clear lift but Barnes went back to the stupid interpretation that you have to survive the first hit

Ireland lost that game with some really brain fart rugby from ringrose, trying offloads in your own 22 when they are not on. It brought a tear to my eye. At least someone is playing like Scotland of old.

Wales got 2 try’s from 2 mistakes , zammits try is good but is a defensive cock up of lowe
North’s try is from a ringrose fuck up and then Henderson being a lazy bastard and not getting in the right position.

Murray was so much better on second watch and ringrose so much poorer but Sexton created nothing for his team

You can argue that henshaw created their try as Sexton at key bits kept going into rucks????

Not sure if this a 14 man thing but Ireland would attack really narrow and then flatten up before going wide, it didn’t work and led to some chances really not getting exploited

On wales
One of the areas that really allowed Ireland to stay in the game was attacking the guard at rucks, quite a lot wales didn’t have the posts properly guarded and a pop to a player led to 3-4 welsh forwards all getting sucked into the tackle, then the fast ball would get sent out to Sexton who

I really don’t know how wales are trying to structure their attack. They seem to either go wide really early or have a couple of forward moves and then find they are still numbered up because they have sucked no one in.
Their breakdown work is excellent though and a different ref would have punished Ireland much more.

Don't most tries result from mistakes? Apart form a 2 inch pick and drive, someone normally has to cock up for a try to be scored fro many distance. The Irish try was good awareness, but resulted from the right hand Welsh defence not pressing up.

[Donny osmond]

Been amused by the Irish bursting into tears at Barnes being mean to them and picking on them and stopping them from winning. *Very* reminiscent of the ABs after France knocked them out of the WC because Barnes had stopped letting them away with all their shit, seems like Ireland are now in the same boat.

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[whatisthejava]

I did hear a call from Wayne Barnes at one point that I liked of "no, you have to be trying to lift it, you can't just have your hands on it". Hopefully this is going to mean a more active attempt to win the ball rather than just getting your hands beyond the ball and stopping it being released

It’s a nice addition to the laws, means that you can’t just lie their, brace and you get the ball.

[Cameo]

I did hear a call from Wayne Barnes at one point that I liked of "no, you have to be trying to lift it, you can't just have your hands on it". Hopefully this is going to mean a more active attempt to win the ball rather than just getting your hands beyond the ball and stopping it being released

It’s a nice addition to the laws, means that you can’t just lie their, brace and you get the ball.

Yeah, it was a key part of the new interpretations when first introduced. It's annoying because I still think those interpretations were largely good (based on applying the laws mainly). However, refs seem to have backed of large (but varied) parts of them. At first they became looser again on offside meaning attacks had less space. Then they got loose on the defender having to actually lift (or try to lift) the ball to get a hackling penalty. Then everyone said it was too hard to attack so they have got looser on the ruck entry and staying on your feet.

It's the same point everyone always makes. You need to actually apply the whole package to see the improvements (or not).

Anyway, Sat will be interesting. As we get closer, I am getting more and more nervous about Wales. I don't think they were good last week but they will be decent at the breakdown so it could become a battle.

[switchskier]

So Italy looking fairly similar to last week. There's some ambition and some talented runners in there. But they give you chances and look like the young team that they are. Our wingers should have some joy as they're quite narrow a lot of the time.

[General Zod]

Did Daly not jump the tackle there?

Also, did I hear someone Italian shout at Farrell “kick it - you’re boring”.?

[septic 9]

Did Daly not jump the tackle there?

May - yes, he did. TBF he might just have been trying to dive for the line but he has all the athletic grace and coordination of a pantomime hippo

[septic 9]

So Italy looking fairly similar to last week. There's some ambition and some talented runners in there. But they give you chances and look like the young team that they are. Our wingers should have some joy as they're quite narrow a lot of the time.

unluckily for us and luckily for them Mike Adamson won't be in the middle stuffing them

[whatisthejava]

Nigels came out and said May jumped. Can tell he isn’t an international ref so will give his opinion now.

[switchskier]

Ireland having some joy chasing box kicks. They tend to be good at it but it does point towards Maitland starting in a fortnight

[Donny osmond]

Ireland haven’t got any easier to watch under new management, this game is shit

[septic 9]

Ireland having some joy chasing box kicks. They tend to be good at it but it does point towards Maitland starting in a fortnight

its about their only tactic. Head coach thinks have to kick before the 6th tackle or ball tuned over

[paddy no 11]

Ireland having some joy chasing box kicks. They tend to be good at it but it does point towards Maitland starting in a fortnight

its about their only tactic. Head coach thinks have to kick before the 6th tackle or ball tuned over

[Cameo]

Nigels came out and said May jumped. Can tell he isn’t an international ref so will give his opinion now.

I'd have been surprised to see any ref (including NO) give that against May. Was awkward but was close enough to a dive to the corner that I don't think most refs would give it

[septic 9]

Nigels came out and said May jumped. Can tell he isn’t an international ref so will give his opinion now.

I'd have been surprised to see any ref (including NO) give that against May. Was awkward but was close enough to a dive to the corner that I don't think most refs would give it

they wouldn't but they should. More a jump than a dive, and thus dangerous. If a defender rushes across and fairly makes a diving tackle on a player diving for the corner, he's a hero. If a defender had rushed across and tackled May 4 ft in the air he'd be sent off for taking the man in the air and not putting him down safely

[Big D]

The difficulty is what is allowed in open play v in the act of scoring, what the position of the defender is, what the body position of the attacker is etc.

You could perhaps tweek the law to say a scoring player must be no higher than [insert desired reference point] and must be chest on to the ground in the dive. But even that allows for interpretation which leaves refs potentially exposed.

For me the test would be, "would I penalise the defender if he tackles him". Ultimately fans want to see tries scored and to chop one off for that the ref needs to be really sure*. With the May one, I can see the potential for a dangerous situation due to his actions e.g body shape but don't think I would bring myself to penalise him if the ref. A "normal" dive for the corner doesn't bring the same potential.

* Adamson would never make that call. He just isn't a good ref, want a good ref when accelerating through grass roots either.

[switchskier]

Nice little bit of analysis from BOD there about Lowes tendency to bite in from the wing in defence. Something it would be good to see Russell/Redpath attack.

[Donny osmond]

Not a single ginge in the whole Irish team. Disgraceful.

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[Donny osmond]

Italy are looking particularly shite today

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[switchskier]

Italy are looking particularly shite today

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Are

Are Ireland good or are Italy shite? Feels like this is mostly a bad style match up for Italy as much as anything and they're not adjusting well. Ringrose has been impressive for the Irish.

[Donny osmond]

Italy are looking particularly shite today

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Are

Are Ireland good or are Italy shite? Feels like this is mostly a bad style match up for Italy as much as anything and they're not adjusting well. Ringrose has been impressive for the Irish.

As good as Ireland are, Italy were just shit. Ireland cruised that in 2nd gear, they didn't have to do anything particularly other than control possession, which is as natural as drinking to the Irish.

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[Donny osmond]

Refereeing seems to have taken a turn for the worse in this Wales game. To the Welsh advantage so far, but strange decisions.

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[Donny osmond]

The French ref in the Ireland match was pony as well

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[switchskier]

Wales are going to be the weirdest slam champions ever aren't they?