Embarrassment in Europe

[Scrumhead]

I think I’m potentially being misinterpreted here.

I would prefer high scoring games to low scoring games, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to see ‘end to end basketball’. There’s definitely a happy medium and I agree that jeopardy is crucial.

OTOH, I don’t really think it’s realistic to expect domestic (or kind of domestic in the case of the URC) to be consistently at the level of test rugby. Top of the table clashes ought to be, but I don’t think the average game is ever going to be at that level of intensity.

It’s not that I don’t see there are considerable issues with Premiership rugby, I just don’t see that there are obvious solutions without any money in the game and I also don’t see it as inferior to the URC.

[Banquo]

I think I’m potentially being misinterpreted here.

I would prefer high scoring games to low scoring games, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to see ‘end to end basketball’. There’s definitely a happy medium and I agree that jeopardy is crucial.

OTOH, I don’t really think it’s realistic to expect domestic (or kind of domestic in the case of the URC) to be consistently at the level of test rugby. Top of the table clashes ought to be, but I don’t think the average game is ever going to be at that level of intensity.

It’s not that I don’t see there are considerable issues with Premiership rugby, I just don’t see that there are obvious solutions without any money in the game and I also don’t see it as inferior to the URC.

Who said it was inferior to URC, out of interest?
Leinster,say, use URC as a training ground for European Rugby.
I do think there are long term solutions without huge money, and you kind of have to believe that, cos there isnt any tbh.

[paddy no 11]

Is this a thread for Henry pollocks behaviour? (I only mention this as sam prendergast has got mentioned here for much less)

[FKAS]

Pollock is very close to not backing up the shithousery today. Twenty years ago he'd be missing his front teeth playing like he does .

[paddy no 11]

Yeah, he should have got a yellow for the tryline incident around 25 mins, castres frustration grew from there, a lot of confidence for a fella who got emptied by an 80kg 10

[Epaminondas Pules]

Rugby fans: The game needs players with personality!


Also rugby fans: Oh my god a personality! Burn the witch!

[Cameo]

Rugby fans: The game needs players with personality!


Also rugby fans: Oh my god a personality! Burn the witch!

Haha - I'm not sure that wanting people to have personality means you have to like every personality.

[p/d]

Rugby fans: The game needs players with personality!


Also rugby fans: Oh my god a personality! Burn the witch!

Indeed. Bloody happy he is ours!!

[Oakboy]

Rugby fans: The game needs players with personality!


Also rugby fans: Oh my god a personality! Burn the witch!

Indeed. Bloody happy he is ours!!

Is it just some sort of English trait to constantly find fault with any outstanding player if he has character? It's almost like some want him to fail because he's chirpy.

[Mellsblue]

Yep. As long as he keeps backing it up on the pitch then who gives a sh!t. If Henry Slade had some of Pollock’s self belief he might have been the player we all thought he could be.

[Beasties]

Is there a highlights programme on anywhere that is free?

[Epaminondas Pules]

Rugby fans: The game needs players with personality!


Also rugby fans: Oh my god a personality! Burn the witch!

Indeed. Bloody happy he is ours!!

Is it just some sort of English trait to constantly find fault with any outstanding player if he has character? It's almost like some want him to fail because he's chirpy.

To be fair Pendergast gets stick too, but likewise keeps backing it up. Both cracking talents and, I feel, really good for the game. It creates a buzz.

[Stom]

On ‘raising the standards of the Premiership’, my question would be ‘in comparison to what?’.

Fair point, but I would agree with FKAS in a few respects - we do appear to have entered an era of defences being overpowered and I don't think it's all to do with an increase in attacking quality. Every gameweek, 2-5 of the games have a total points scored >50 and games where there's 80-90 points scored have become commonplace too. We've become like the caricature of 2000s Super Rugby with defence being optional.

All well and good, but it impacts our attack (as we don't have to work as hard domestically so we're blunt when facing teams that don't wave you through), our defence, and I don't think it's even helping with the marketability of the league as people haven't come to see end-to-end basketball. I'm worried it's going to start costing us at international level as well.

We might not be able to be on par with the Top14, but we shouldn't be this far away.

Puja

I was actually challenging @Banquo’s point rather than @FKAS

On the ‘marketability of the league’, what makes you say ‘people haven’t come to see end-to-end basketball’ with total confidence? It might not be what we know … but I can see a definite argument that it’s more marketable than low scoring arm wrestles.

I still maintain that the best game of rugby I’ve ever seen live was the bloodgate match, that ended 5-6.

That was the most intense, edge of your seats game of rugby, and it had one try.

I just remember how insanely good BOD was, and how tenacious Mike Brown was.

[Danno]

Is there a highlights programme on anywhere that is free?

They usually go up on YouTube within a few hours

[Puja]

This aged well.

Puja

[Danno]

This aged well.

Puja

Don't jinx it Nostropuja

[FKAS]

This aged well.

Puja

Don't jinx it Nostropuja

[Puja]

This aged well.

Puja

Don't jinx it Nostropuja

Puja

[Danno]

Really annoyed about mispelling that