Leinster v Saracens Sat 3pm

[paddy no 11]

That neck roll is scandalous - glad he got walloped for it

Whats the story with these types who go out thinking its ok to hurt another person......

[Raggs]

Just to say, what Rhodes does there, is literally (and literally literally, not virtually literally), what is taught when you're shown how to do the sort of headlocks that are used to snap necks. Twist to the side and then bend down/up. It's probably the single most deliberately dangerous act I've seen. Taking someone out badly in the air can put that in similar risk if they land badly, but he's already setting it up to end badly by placing the neck in that awkward position in the first place.

[Puja]

Clarke broke someones arm, Rhodes was lucky he didn't break someone's neck:



I'd rate Rhodes higher than Clarke.

Jesus f*ck! I had not seen that incident before and it has had something of an effect on my opinion of Rhodes. Piutau is the luckiest man on the planet - if any of his limbs had been trapped or he'd been any less flexible and able to roll with it, that was either career or life ending.

Lemme guess, the citing commission did not give him a ban?

Puja

A google tells me that, in a rare case of citing kind of making sense, he was banned for 6 games (should've been much longer, but at least it was something), while Piutau was not punished despite pleading guilty as the commission said his reaction "was that of someone who had been seriously endangered (and) to impose a sanction in these circumstances would not reflect the effect on Piutau of the incident and a reaction that was the product of shock rather than retaliatory intent.”

Puja

[Peej]

Clarke broke someones arm, Rhodes was lucky he didn't break someone's neck:



I'd rate Rhodes higher than Clarke.

Jesus f*ck! I had not seen that incident before and it has had something of an effect on my opinion of Rhodes. Piutau is the luckiest man on the planet - if any of his limbs had been trapped or he'd been any less flexible and able to roll with it, that was either career or life ending.

Lemme guess, the citing commission did not give him a ban?

Puja

A google tells me that, in a rare case of citing kind of making sense, he was banned for 6 games (should've been much longer, but at least it was something), while Piutau was not punished despite pleading guilty as the commission said his reaction "was that of someone who had been seriously endangered (and) to impose a sanction in these circumstances would not reflect the effect on Piutau of the incident and a reaction that was the product of shock rather than retaliatory intent.”

Puja

An interesting outcome for Piutau given his recent experiences before the judiciary...

[Mr Mwenda]

That made me ill. Nasty. Glad he only briefly appeared in England training squads.

[Raggs]

Not enough evidence that Rhodes hit the head, therefore he's free to play.

[twitchy]

Is this guy serious?


https://extra.ie/2020/09/22/sport/rugby ... rish-rugby

[FKAS]

Is this guy serious?


https://extra.ie/2020/09/22/sport/rugby ... rish-rugby

Sounds extremely bitter to me. If you are going to complain about "illegal" scrummaging you should at least explain why you believe the ref should have penalised it. Awful article and looks like click bait.

Quite some transition if Sexton goes that quickly from being made Ireland captain to being finished.

Ross Byrne started the Pro14 final I think so succession planning is in place. Joey Carberry would be the logical choice for Ireland if he could stay fit for more than five minutes. Problem is replacing someone like Sexton who has been at the top of the game for so long and with Ireland in a little bit of a transition period lacking leadership in the backs.

He’s got a huge work rate, good in the lineout and puts his body on the line. Perfect for the premierships general aspirations; he’s not that skilful and is pretty unthinking and dirty. Kind of shows a certain sort of mindset that he got motm.

Doesn't really score too high on dirty scale but then that could be because he'd normally be compared to his low life teammate Callum Clark. I'd be interested to see the whole of the incident as you can't see what provocation there was before the headbutt. Unusual position to lash out in if there isn't any provocation, either way he'll get a fairly decent ban. I can't remember too many bans previously but I'm sure I've seen him sin binned a few times not that, that is unusual for a Sarries forward.

You seem to have a high bar for dirty play tbh. I’m far from squeamish, in fact put the old into old school, but Rhodes seems a pretty dirty player to me.

I'd not seen the neck roll citing before, that's pretty nasty. A callous disregard for the safety of the opposition and it should have been more than 6 weeks, I presume it was 12 halved to 6.

Generally I think it's a bit of a think at the minute to call players dirty just because they play in the edge so I tend to sit on the fence unless I've stuff previously that makes my mind up. The clip of the neck roll certainly goes some way to changing my opinion. Callum Clark is still the worst I've seen because he heard the player cry out before he pulled down on the arm again to break it, he really should have been banned for life the citing commission were pathetic.

[Stom]

Is this guy serious?


https://extra.ie/2020/09/22/sport/rugby ... rish-rugby

Sounds extremely bitter to me. If you are going to complain about "illegal" scrummaging you should at least explain why you believe the ref should have penalised it. Awful article and looks like click bait.

Ross Byrne started the Pro14 final I think so succession planning is in place. Joey Carberry would be the logical choice for Ireland if he could stay fit for more than five minutes. Problem is replacing someone like Sexton who has been at the top of the game for so long and with Ireland in a little bit of a transition period lacking leadership in the backs.



Doesn't really score too high on dirty scale but then that could be because he'd normally be compared to his low life teammate Callum Clark. I'd be interested to see the whole of the incident as you can't see what provocation there was before the headbutt. Unusual position to lash out in if there isn't any provocation, either way he'll get a fairly decent ban. I can't remember too many bans previously but I'm sure I've seen him sin binned a few times not that, that is unusual for a Sarries forward.

You seem to have a high bar for dirty play tbh. I’m far from squeamish, in fact put the old into old school, but Rhodes seems a pretty dirty player to me.

I'd not seen the neck roll citing before, that's pretty nasty. A callous disregard for the safety of the opposition and it should have been more than 6 weeks, I presume it was 12 halved to 6.

Generally I think it's a bit of a think at the minute to call players dirty just because they play in the edge so I tend to sit on the fence unless I've stuff previously that makes my mind up. The clip of the neck roll certainly goes some way to changing my opinion. Callum Clark is still the worst I've seen because he heard the player cry out before he pulled down on the arm again to break it, he really should have been banned for life the citing commission were pathetic.

Indeed insane. It shouldn't have been 12 weeks reduced to 6, it should have been 12 months! Rugby needs to remove this kind of play from the game.

[Peej]

Not enough evidence? That sounds odd.

Rhodes is a dirty player, and cheap shot merchant. I think he's actually worse than Clark.

[Digby]

Not enough evidence that Rhodes hit the head, therefore he's free to play.

I don't know what Henshaw said so he might be lucky on that front, but is it the only grounds for a red card? if not why not ping him for doing something that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. They're off their rockers if they think this is acceptable behaviour in the game, and seemingly they do have no issue with it

[twitchy]

I enjoy the idea that the saintly irish are the bastions of free flowing sport and shouldn't be influenced by the evil english. Has he been watching international rugby or football what so ever?

[Banquo]

Is this guy serious?


https://extra.ie/2020/09/22/sport/rugby ... rish-rugby

Sounds extremely bitter to me. If you are going to complain about "illegal" scrummaging you should at least explain why you believe the ref should have penalised it. Awful article and looks like click bait.

Ross Byrne started the Pro14 final I think so succession planning is in place. Joey Carberry would be the logical choice for Ireland if he could stay fit for more than five minutes. Problem is replacing someone like Sexton who has been at the top of the game for so long and with Ireland in a little bit of a transition period lacking leadership in the backs.



Doesn't really score too high on dirty scale but then that could be because he'd normally be compared to his low life teammate Callum Clark. I'd be interested to see the whole of the incident as you can't see what provocation there was before the headbutt. Unusual position to lash out in if there isn't any provocation, either way he'll get a fairly decent ban. I can't remember too many bans previously but I'm sure I've seen him sin binned a few times not that, that is unusual for a Sarries forward.

You seem to have a high bar for dirty play tbh. I’m far from squeamish, in fact put the old into old school, but Rhodes seems a pretty dirty player to me.

I'd not seen the neck roll citing before, that's pretty nasty. A callous disregard for the safety of the opposition and it should have been more than 6 weeks, I presume it was 12 halved to 6.

Generally I think it's a bit of a think at the minute to call players dirty just because they play in the edge so I tend to sit on the fence unless I've stuff previously that makes my mind up. The clip of the neck roll certainly goes some way to changing my opinion. Callum Clark is still the worst I've seen because he heard the player cry out before he pulled down on the arm again to break it, he really should have been banned for life the citing commission were pathetic.

Degrees of dirtyness isn’t really my point, unless you are saying your start point is Clark:). As I said, not squeamish about playing on the edge, or physicality, but draw the line at actions where the perpetrator is committing cheap shots in a situation where the ‘victim’ cannot defend themselves. It’s too easy in Rugby to do this frankly, and it’s shitty behaviour.

[fivepointer]

"An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Simon Thomas (Wales), Chair, Frank Hadden (Scotland) and Val Toma (Romania) heard evidence by video conference from Rhodes, who did not accept the charge, from the player’s legal representative, Paul Harris QC and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan. The Saracens Director of Rugby, Mark McCall, and the Saracens Team Manager, Warrick Lang, were also present.

The Committee decided that Rhodes had committed an act of foul play, however, it was not proven to the required standard that contact had been made to Henshaw’s head. The Committee concluded that the act of foul play did not warrant a red card and the citing complaint was therefore dismissed.

Rhodes is free to play and EPCR has the right to appeal the decision"

So the panel decoded that Rhodes did try and strike Henshaw with his head but there was no evidence to confirm contact had been made. Did anyone invite Henshaw for a comment?

[Raggs]

Thing is, striking with the head is apparently a red card offence in itself. No need to hit the other persons head.

[Scrumhead]

I enjoy the idea that the saintly irish are the bastions of free flowing sport and shouldn't be influenced by the evil english. Has he been watching international rugby or football what so ever?

Ill-informed, anti-English BS from an Aussie ... what’s new?

[Mr Mwenda]

I enjoy the idea that the saintly irish are the bastions of free flowing sport and shouldn't be influenced by the evil english. Has he been watching international rugby or football what so ever?

Ill-informed, anti-English BS from an Aussie ... what’s new?

Useless pundit decides to use a bigoted false generalisation in order to avoid having to say anything informative.

[Digby]

I enjoy the idea that the saintly irish are the bastions of free flowing sport and shouldn't be influenced by the evil english. Has he been watching international rugby or football what so ever?

Ill-informed, anti-English BS from an Aussie ... what’s new?

Useless pundit decides to use a bigoted false generalisation in order to avoid having to say anything informative.

As a game it stands apart from what rugby claims it wants as an entertainment package.

There was very little ball in play (substantially down on normal), there was precious little attack ball in hand and consequently very little gained in the way of metres. We saw a pressure defence forcing turnovers and a set piece forcing penalties getting kicked for the 3 points. But as we saw with the WC final, sometimes the other team doesn't want to play rugby, they just want to beat the shit out of you and win. Saracens identified some tactics that have worked for them before around the set piece, their defence and Wigglesworth making box kicks, and there's not nothing to enjoy around how Sarries locked down Larmour and Lowe if you're really into your rugby, but you'd have to be a boring bastard to be interested in that.

The idea the Irish rugby side hasn't played some miserably boring rugby themselves is of course laughable, and Williams should have taken more care to set out this was a take on the club scene or he's deluded.

[Banquo]

Winning eh? Laughable aspiration in sport.

In answer to Matt Williams- Peter O’Mahony.

[jimKRFC]

And people were saying that Pat Lam was wrong to have a go at the disciplinary system, think this and the Nowell incident show he was completely right (although he could have used better langauge around Siale).

[Digby]

Teams finding a way to win through pressure and defence is hardly a new thing, and that's always likely to be a big influence. The question for rugby is whether that's the sort of marque game it wants.

I'd rather watch something more akin to the Super Rugby Aotearoa, but if what you had was power, defence and kicking you could still win with that.

[Banquo]

Teams finding a way to win through pressure and defence is hardly a new thing, and that's always likely to be a big influence. The question for rugby is whether that's the sort of marque game it wants.

I'd rather watch something more akin to the Super Rugby Aotearoa, but if what you had was power, defence and kicking you could still win with that.

It shouldn’t be a binary argument really. Pragmatism is a hall mark of the most successful teams- sometimes you have to work with what you’ve got, or what develops in front of you. Defence is a big part of rugby, like it or not.

‘Rugby deciding whether it’s the sort of marque game it wants’ made me both grimace and laugh.

[Mellsblue]

One of the things I like about rugby is that there are so many different ways to win. Not that some tactics are more enjoyable watch than others.

Given that Sarries’ backline consisted of two players who should be retired by now, a 15 at 10, a player who has hardly played for two seasons and a second/third choice winger, plus a very callow bench, they were hardly going to try and emulate the Harlem Globetrotters. If Leinster didn’t see this coming, or they did see it coming but couldn’t cope with it, then they’ve only themselves to blame.

[Banquo]

One of the things I like about rugby is that there are so many different ways to win. Not that some tactics are more enjoyable watch than others.

Given that Sarries’ backline consisted of two players who should be retired by now, a 15 at 10, a player who has hardly played for two seasons and a second/third choice winger, plus a very callow bench, they were hardly going to try and emulate the Harlem Globetrotters. If Leinster didn’t see this coming, or they did see it coming but couldn’t cope with it, then they’ve only themselves to blame.

Yep. Though I would outlaw caterpillars and hours over taking a box kick.

[Mellsblue]

One of the things I like about rugby is that there are so many different ways to win. Not that some tactics are more enjoyable watch than others.

Given that Sarries’ backline consisted of two players who should be retired by now, a 15 at 10, a player who has hardly played for two seasons and a second/third choice winger, plus a very callow bench, they were hardly going to try and emulate the Harlem Globetrotters. If Leinster didn’t see this coming, or they did see it coming but couldn’t cope with it, then they’ve only themselves to blame.

Yep. Though I would outlaw caterpillars and hours over taking a box kick.

#metoo but thems da rules