The Official English Rugby Thread

[Oxbow]

But not that.

[sockwithaticket]

That's a nonsense turnover. Lawes hands were on the floor first.

Big one for us from Willis to stop what looked a likely Saints scoring opportunity.

[sockwithaticket]

Brilliant individual break from Young to put Robson away.

[sockwithaticket]

Umaga in the bin and a pen try after Atkinson's undone by the bounce of a ball when fielding a kick.

[ASMO]

Another decent game

[sockwithaticket]

Grabbing a try while a man down always feels good.

[sockwithaticket]

Biggar needs to stfu about the mark thing. It's long past and the ref had his say, just drop it.

[ASMO]

Biggar needs to stfu about the mark thing. It's long past and the ref had his say, just drop it.

Its a Welsh thing.

[sockwithaticket]

Biggar needs to stfu about the mark thing. It's long past and the ref had his say, just drop it.

Its a Welsh thing.

Mainly a Biggar thing, I can't think of any others that whinge at the ref so much. Sheedy has had a couple of moments recently, perhaps picked up some bad habits during the 6 Nations.

[Raggs]

Refs aren't keen on Biggar going on either.

[ASMO]

Biggar needs to stfu about the mark thing. It's long past and the ref had his say, just drop it.

Its a Welsh thing.

Mainly a Biggar thing, I can't think of any others that whinge at the ref so much. Sheedy has had a couple of moments recently, perhaps picked up some bad habits during the 6 Nations.

Priestland had a habit of doing it to

[Oxbow]

I don't know this referee but he's handled the game pretty well so far.

[Raggs]

I don't know this referee but he's handled the game pretty well so far.

Adam Leal, one of the good up and comers. He's also fast enough to keep up with the game. And he's a nice guy.

[Oxbow]

Sleightholme is ridiculously quick.

[sockwithaticket]

Sleightholme has rare pace. Jesus. Wasps thanking our stars that didn't count.

[sockwithaticket]

Wasps have been terrible at protecting their ball in the maul today.

[sockwithaticket]

Weirdly, it feels like we're more than 3 points down.

[sockwithaticket]

Biggar forearm smashing Umaga in the head at a ruck inexplicably not being checked by the officials.

Edit - followed by a knock on at the lineout not being caught to disallowe the Saints try, the field position for which they wouldn't have had if the Biggar incident had been caught...

Two pretty big moments that marr an otherwise good performance from the officials.

[sockwithaticket]

Now Hughes is needing to be talked into a clear seatbelt tackle call. He's not done Wasps any favours today.

[Oxbow]

Galling as a Wasps fan, but almost worth it for Austin's deliciously salty tears.

[ASMO]

Chiefs 3 tries up, Simmons got 1 of them and another disallowed (wrongly in my view)

[sockwithaticket]

Didn't realise this was an early kick off, just tuned in to watch Slade go over unopposed.

Going about the way I'd expect vs Falcons' B team.

[Lobby]

Chiefs 3 tries up, Simmons got 1 of them and another disallowed (wrongly in my view)

4 now. Newcastle have tried hard, but the floodgates have opened now after just 30 minutes.

[ASMO]

Chiefs coming into form at just the right time, cant see anyone beating them when they are playing like this.

[sockwithaticket]

While I don't disagree, this is hardly a game to verify their credentials or form. Rodney Ah You is propping up the Newcastle scrum ffs.

Should be a 60 point win easy with the gulf in class on the field.

[ASMO]

All too easy

[sockwithaticket]

Jesus, barely recognised Fearns. He, uh, enjoyed the cuisine during his spell in France, eh?

[ASMO]

This is nothing more than semi opposed training

[ASMO]

Mismatches like this make me think the mercy rule should be invoked. Exeter should just get all their key players off the the field to protect them, game is long won, they could even play with 13 and still win.

[sockwithaticket]

That was forward to Hill. Think the officials have ceased giving a shit tbh.

[ASMO]

Newcastle can take nothing from this game, dont get this bollocks about gaining experience, experience of what, getting arseraped by over 70 points?

[sockwithaticket]

Newcastle can take nothing from this game, dont get this bollocks about gaining experience, experience of what, getting arseraped by over 70 points?

Yeah absolutre horseshit, there's no winners here. Exeter get to see that they look good in a training situation (super useful info I'm sure) and Falcons get a reminder that their second string are miles off the reigning Prem champions. As if they didn't already know that.

This was simply Falcons fulfilling a fixture because they have to and saving players for a winnable game next week.

[Margin__Walker]

They've had almost two weeks off. Why were they playing a second string?

[SaintK]

Sarries not finishing top in the Championship and have got the hump

Saracens are considering appealing against the Championship disputes committee’s decision to rule their postponed game with Hartpury due to an COVID outbreak as a draw without any league points awarded denying the North London club the chance to finish top of the table.
A bonus-point win with a margin of at least 12 points would have let Saracens leap-from Ealing Trailfinders into top spot at the end of the regular season of the truncated Championship and allow the former Premiership and European champions to hit the initial target they set after being relegated last season for salary cap breaches.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/sarace ... ionship/

[Margin__Walker]

Were there any guidelines in place at the start of the season covering the eventuality?

To be fair to them, a draw in a game they would have run away with when Hartpury had the positive cases is a bit galling to take. Probably not worth the effort getting too shirty though.

[duke]

That decision seems to be at odds with pretty much every other one on matches cancelled due to Covid both in national and European competitions.

[SaintK]

That decision seems to be at odds with pretty much every other one on matches cancelled due to Covid both in national and European competitions.

Yes it does appear very strange. Especially as Sarries would have likely won by 50+ points!!!

[Kawazaki]

Sarries not finishing top in the Championship and have got the hump

Saracens are considering appealing against the Championship disputes committee’s decision to rule their postponed game with Hartpury due to an COVID outbreak as a draw without any league points awarded denying the North London club the chance to finish top of the table.
A bonus-point win with a margin of at least 12 points would have let Saracens leap-from Ealing Trailfinders into top spot at the end of the regular season of the truncated Championship and allow the former Premiership and European champions to hit the initial target they set after being relegated last season for salary cap breaches.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/sarace ... ionship/

That's a stitch-up and a fuck you to Saracens, the Premiership and the RFU though not necessarily in that order.

[Kawazaki]

That decision seems to be at odds with pretty much every other one on matches cancelled due to Covid both in national and European competitions.

Yes it does appear very strange. Especially as Sarries would have likely won by 50+ points!!!

Nearer 80+

[Kawazaki]

I've just watched the Biggar hit on Umaga, that's a clear yellow card. Possibly a RC but I suspect the citing officer will say it won't be cited as he thinks it doesn't quite meet the criteria he invents for the day but it would have just merited a YC had it been dealt with during the match.

I met Hughes exactly 10 years ago at a social function as his other half knows my other half and I chatted with him for quite a while. TMOs hadn't been introduced then but he was being trained up for their introduction. To be quite honest, he already seemed quite old to me back then so I'm quite surprised he's still being paid to do it a decade later.