The Official English Rugby Thread

[Torquemada 1420]

I thought we were in the Challenge, my bad. For all the likelihood of us making the knock outs, the distinction doesn't really matter.

TFFT. Thought I'd gone senile.

[sockwithaticket]

I thought we were in the Challenge, my bad. For all the likelihood of us making the knock outs, the distinction doesn't really matter.

TFFT. Thought I'd gone senile.

I forgot that finishing 8th was sufficient to qualify for the supposed top tier of Europe (which it really shouldn't be...).

[JM2K6]

Not really sure how Saracens lost to that Exeter team, who look miles off the pace with real problems at prop, flanker, 9, and 12. Then again, aside from Malins, the Saracens backs and reserve backs barely made a yard between them, just a complete paucity of ambition. The only big surprise was their utter inability to learn from last week; they turned the cuntery up to 11 and got repeatedly penalised for mouthing off to the ref. Billy's been particularly bad for this this season and to see him get marched back twice in a row was funny, he really is thick.

Good contest, albeit massively lacking in quality bar a few games on each side. LCD and Nowell had big games, Itoje was huge again.

[Margin__Walker]

LI beat Newcastle 43 - 21 at the BCS in a rare panic free victory. Played some really nice rugby, with OHC picking up a hat trick.

Other than having the upper hand in the scrum, Newcastle not really at the races. Radwan was kept very quiet for 79 minutes, before finishing the game with a cracker of a solo effort from turnover ball.

Highlight of the game for me was 5 foot nothing Kyle Rowe running straight through Gary Graham to break through and score. He won't want to see that again on Monday morning.

[Happyhooker]

LI beat Newcastle 43 - 21 at the BCS in a rare panic free victory. Played some really nice rugby, with OHC picking up a hat trick.

Other than having the upper hand in the scrum, Newcastle not really at the races. Radwan was kept very quiet for 79 minutes, before finishing the game with a cracker of a solo effort from turnover ball.

Highlight of the game for me was 5 foot nothing Kyle Rowe running straight through Gary Graham to break through and score. He won't want to see that again on Monday morning.

Quite enjoyed that. Stadium is nice, compact and easy to access. Reasonably priced as well, but they really need a bigger crowd. Rowe had a great game, as did creepy. Radwan's last minute try was electric.

Lad behind wasn't keen on mike brown, although 'gypsy tramp' seemed an odd choice of invective

[Margin__Walker]

Guess they'll have to keep playing decent rugby and hope the crowds follow. Don't seem to be doing any worse than Reading and have a much better commercial deal on this place by all accounts.

Really was electric from nothing for Radwan. When he goes, he really goes.

[Kawazaki]

Not really sure how Saracens lost to that Exeter team, who look miles off the pace with real problems at prop, flanker, 9, and 12. Then again, aside from Malins, the Saracens backs and reserve backs barely made a yard between them, just a complete paucity of ambition. The only big surprise was their utter inability to learn from last week; they turned the cuntery up to 11 and got repeatedly penalised for mouthing off to the ref. Billy's been particularly bad for this this season and to see him get marched back twice in a row was funny, he really is thick.

Good contest, albeit massively lacking in quality bar a few games on each side. LCD and Nowell had big games, Itoje was huge again.

That was the worst I've seen Malins play.

Saracens are missing Farrell. Fuck the haters, that's the truth.

[JM2K6]

I agree, Farrell would've provided some control. Saracens played with three fly halves and all of them were shit.

[Kawazaki]

Can't see Mako lasting much longer.

Isiekwe and Itoje were the best two players on the pitch bar none though so not all bad news.

[JM2K6]

Think I would've wanted something from Isiekwe in attack to give him that accolade ahead of slade or LCD or Sam Simmonds

[Kawazaki]

Think I would've wanted something from Isiekwe in attack to give him that accolade ahead of slade or LCD or Sam Simmonds

Of course you would.

Hilarious that LCD got MoM, how many of his lineouts did Itoje and Isiekwe steal?

[ASMO]

Saracens need a 9, the ones they have are utter dogwank

[Slick]

LI beat Newcastle 43 - 21 at the BCS in a rare panic free victory. Played some really nice rugby, with OHC picking up a hat trick.

Other than having the upper hand in the scrum, Newcastle not really at the races. Radwan was kept very quiet for 79 minutes, before finishing the game with a cracker of a solo effort from turnover ball.

Highlight of the game for me was 5 foot nothing Kyle Rowe running straight through Gary Graham to break through and score. He won't want to see that again on Monday morning.

Quite enjoyed that. Stadium is nice, compact and easy to access. Reasonably priced as well, but they really need a bigger crowd. Rowe had a great game, as did creepy. Radwan's last minute try was electric.

Lad behind wasn't keen on mike brown, although 'gypsy tramp' seemed an odd choice of invective

I thought that was you down the front

[Kawazaki]

Saracens need a 9, the ones they have are utter dogwank

I agree on the new Saffa but Davies is a good player.

[JM2K6]

Think I would've wanted something from Isiekwe in attack to give him that accolade ahead of slade or LCD or Sam Simmonds

Of course you would.

Hilarious that LCD got MoM, how many of his lineouts did Itoje and Isiekwe steal?

Two, I think. And made mincemeat of Saracens with his carrying and ruck work.


And yes, I would want someone to do a bit more than steal a couple of lineouts in a losing cause before I anoint them the best player on the pitch. Itoje is a good example, he was fanastic in several aspects of the game.

[Kawazaki]

Mincemeat.

That's shit hyperbole even by your hysterical standards.

[Tichtheid]

Saracens entertain Edinburgh next week.

That'll be fun.

[JM2K6]

He made 40m of heavy carries in an absolute dogfight of a game, which is more than Mako, Lewis, Koch, Itoje, Isiekwe, Wray, Pifileti, and Swinson made combined, and he was a one man ruck wrecking ball at times.

I know being ridiculously one eyed about Saracens is your schtick, but he really did have huge impact on the game.

[Kawazaki]

Meh, Ben Earl ran just as far in half as many carries but I don't think he was MoM.

Stats don't tell the whole story if you know what you're watching.

LCD was good but his throwing isn't good enough.

[JM2K6]

Earl made his metres in wider channels and dropped ball he shouldn't have and gave away dumb fucking penalties he shouldn't have, and didn't make as many metres because he got hooked when Saracens needed to tighten up.

Itoje had a great game - superb at the lineout, a menace at the breakdown, harried the scrum halves constantly, fought for loose ball, charged down kicks and made big tackles.

Isiekwe was miles off that sort of standard.

LCD on the other hand had a similar impact and losing two lineouts vs one of the best second rows in the world doesn't change that any more than the penalties Itoje gave away changes his performance on the day.

The stats don't show you LCD's impact at the ruck and maul any more than they show you Itoje's, but you'd have to be clueless not to have recognised it.

[SaintK]

Meh, Ben Earl ran just as far in half as many carries but I don't think he was MoM.

Stats don't tell the whole story if you know what you're watching.

LCD was good but his throwing isn't good enough.

I thought Earls was relatively poor by his standards yesterday. Too many silly penalties though at least they weren't for choppsing at the ref!!
Itoje was absolutely magnificent and a dead cert for MoM if Sarries had won

[Kawazaki]

Meh, Ben Earl ran just as far in half as many carries but I don't think he was MoM.

Stats don't tell the whole story if you know what you're watching.

LCD was good but his throwing isn't good enough.

I thought Earls was relatively poor by his standards yesterday. Too many silly penalties though at least they weren't for choppsing at the ref!!
Itoje was absolutely magnificent and a dead cert for MoM if Sarries had won

Yeah, agree on Earl, that's why I pointed out carried meters or even meters per carry is a poor way to judge a player's performance let alone quote it in justification. Malins disappointed me, I can't remember him making a real positive intervention.

As I said earlier, Farrell, despite his questionable relationship with referees, keeps Saracens on the right track and always moving forward. The first fundamental key to how Saracens play is actually very very simple - just keep the ball in front of the pack. And it's the same rule in attack or defence.

[JM2K6]

I did make the point it was 40m of heavy carrying. Earl got his from a midfield break and from playing wider, as befits a very speed openside with great footwork rather than a chunky powerhouse hooker.

[Paddington Bear]

Glad to see (some) refs starting to deal with backchat properly. Pinging it regularly in the prem is the only mitigation against it costing England a test match soon.

[Paddington Bear]

Looking forward to this. Has a spectacle to it that the Prem often lack

[JM2K6]

No takers for a Quins win here I assume - horrible place to try and win. Think Genge will have a field day in the scrum, and disappointed to have both Northmore and Marchant out. Bench is fairly weak and we have no reserve 10 so a lot depends on the starting XV here. A losing BP would be decent but Quins need a win.

[Paddington Bear]

Lynagh having a very poor start

[sockwithaticket]

It just occurred to me that Ford might be heading back up North in a bid to finally be rid of Youngs...

[Paddington Bear]

This bloke wearing 9 for Leicester is looking dangerous

[sockwithaticket]

Of course he'd have one of his good games after I posted that...

[Paddington Bear]

Of course he'd have one of his good games after I posted that...

Notable he hasn’t passed at any point where he’s been dangerous

[sockwithaticket]

That attack was weathered well. Thought Murley might possibly be in trouble for accidental contact with the eye area.

[Paddington Bear]

Silly from Smith, big 10 mins coming up

[Kawazaki]

Nomination by Smith there for dumbest yellow card of the season.

[sockwithaticket]

Of course Wiese immediately does something stupid straight after. An incredibly dumb player.

[Paddington Bear]

On the subject of incredibly dumb rugby, utterly butchered there

[sockwithaticket]

Jeez, that had to go left.

[Paddington Bear]

Youngs really wants 150 caps. Fuck me

[Kawazaki]

Youngs really wants 150 caps. Fuck me

150x c.£20k per cap = £3,000,000

[Paddington Bear]

Bolt from the blue, should be a cracking finish now