Official United Rugby Championship thread

[FalseBayFC]

Because he never tries anything!

I will have Morne over Bosch any day.

Morne has all the physicality of Naas Botha and the flare of a late career Derick Hougaard. The ultimate Bulls flyhalf.

Load up my Bok RWC squad with Bosch instead, thanks chief.

Loftus always has a weird relationship with its cult no.10s. Chris Smith will never get there because he's a SACS boy from CT. But Naas, Moernaai and Houghaard will have Ge Korsten and Steve Hofmeyer pumped out in their honour. They're like the equivalent of a blue-eyed star quarterback at a Alabama or Florida college football team. That level of adulation.

[FalseBayFC]

Ox expect only 5 Stormers in the Bok squad, now they have the same as his team.

According to Chilli's rule, Evan Roos is a Shark and a Natalian as are Jesse Kriel and Marcell Coetzee.

[OomStruisbaai]

Ox expect only 5 Stormers in the Bok squad, now they have the same as his team.

According to Chilli's rule, Evan Roos is a Shark and a Natalian as are Jesse Kriel and Marcell Coetzee.

Minus Kolisi, Bongi

[Ymx]

What have you boys done to this European competition?

[PCPhil]

What have you boys done to this European competition?

Celtic-Roman if you don’t mind.

[Ymx]

What have you boys done to this European competition?

We are waiting for the Saffers to go.home and then we have the actual final between Leinster and Ulster. It's pretty cunning

[Slick]

What have you boys done to this European competition?

We are waiting for the Saffers to go.home and then we have the actual final between Leinster and Ulster. It's pretty cunning

[OomStruisbaai]

Look like the Bulls will play a URC Final and CC semi final on one day.

[Sards]

Well done Stormers. Just saw the result. Obviously came back in the second half.

[assfly]

Congrats Stormers, but that last kick deserved a look by the TMO!

It's fantastic for SA rugby to have two teams in the final. Especially when looking back at where we were in week 4 of the competition.

Let's hope they lift the restrictions for the final and it's a sell-out.

[OomStruisbaai]

Adamson is by far the kakkest ref in the competition. There were a few times that he could go to the tmo. That first Ulster try and Roos try.

[OomStruisbaai]

The most irritating is Kitshoff asking like a naughty boy while Ulsters lock shout at him at times, pushing the boundaries.

[Torquemada 1420]

Adamson is by far the kakkest ref in the competition. There were a few times that he could go to the tmo. That first Ulster try and Roos try.

He is the worst ref in the world. The fact that he's given intl duty as some sort of token effort to even up representation by county is a disgrace.

[Torquemada 1420]

Almost tempted to go for a look on PR to watch the swarm eat itself

Opportunity to continue the debate from the European finals thread where I was arguing that the URC was a weak comp.
1) Yes, Leinster would do well in the T14........ but as 2 finals have evidenced, when real competition is faced and the pressure is on, it's not a dead cert. "Fatigue" I hear some say Errr......... that was my key point i.e. the T14 is a massive grind and so much harder than the URC.

2) There are too many easy games in the URC. Leinster 76 -14 Glasgow in a 1/4 final. Seriously? The only game like that in T14 was Toulouse hammering already relegated BO who were fielding a 2nd team and had thrown in the towel. In the last rd of the season, relegation threatened USAP beat title favourites Bordeaux.

3) Outside of Leinster (and maybe a couple of the SA sides... although they were not really part of the debate), the rest of URC would struggle to do anything in T14 and that includes Munster and Ulster.

4) What was the make up of the European finals again?

T14 is a horrible watch most of the time but there is no harder proving ground. Not really in a good way for the most part (skills, player welfare etc) but it is tough. So much so that most sides actually pay lip service to Europe because it's too much to contest on 2 fronts (Frog was whining about Castres finishing top because they didn't try in Europe.......... umm........ that's the point, isn't it?) and so Europe is often a false picture.

[OomStruisbaai]

Dunno if SA teams not playing in the Heineken Cup was an advantage or not. Jake White managed his Bulls players nicely between CC and URC to keep them match sharp which work well. This gaps the Stormers, Sharks and Lions had didn't work well.
We are still without 50% of our Bok players but then we have a great development structure to bring youngsters through the system.

Looking forward to next year.

[Biffer]

Adamson is by far the kakkest ref in the competition. There were a few times that he could go to the tmo. That first Ulster try and Roos try.

He is the worst ref in the world. The fact that he's given intl duty as some sort of token effort to even up representation by county is a disgrace.

And we have a better ref in Scotland, Hollie Davidson.

[Torquemada 1420]

Almost tempted to go for a look on PR to watch the swarm eat itself

Opportunity to continue the debate from the European finals thread where I was arguing that the URC was a weak comp.
1) Yes, Leinster would do well in the T14........ but as 2 finals have evidenced, when real competition is faced and the pressure is on, it's not a dead cert. "Fatigue" I hear some say Errr......... that was my key point i.e. the T14 is a massive grind and so much harder than the URC.

2) There are too many easy games in the URC. Leinster 76 -14 Glasgow in a 1/4 final. Seriously? The only game like that in T14 was Toulouse hammering already relegated BO who were fielding a 2nd team and had thrown in the towel. In the last rd of the season, relegation threatened USAP beat title favourites Bordeaux.

3) Outside of Leinster (and maybe a couple of the SA sides... although they were not really part of the debate), the rest of URC would struggle to do anything in T14 and that includes Munster and Ulster.

4) What was the make up of the European finals again?

T14 is a horrible watch most of the time but there is no harder proving ground. Not really in a good way for the most part (skills, player welfare etc) but it is tough. So much so that most sides actually pay lip service to Europe because it's too much to contest on 2 fronts (Frog was whining about Castres finishing top because they didn't try in Europe.......... umm........ that's the point, isn't it?) and so Europe is often a false picture.

You have countered your own arguments multiple times in that post but the most important is T14 is a horrible watch

Feel free to support your claim rather than stating it as if anything you say is assertive simply because you said so.

It is a horrible watch most of the time. I usually am watching games for individual players rather than the game itself. But in many ways, no less horrible than URC games where nothing is at stake most of the time so sides not bothered and the games have far too many one sided outcomes. "Competition" is a misnomer.

[Torquemada 1420]

Adamson is by far the kakkest ref in the competition. There were a few times that he could go to the tmo. That first Ulster try and Roos try.

He is the worst ref in the world. The fact that he's given intl duty as some sort of token effort to even up representation by county is a disgrace.

And we have a better ref in Scotland, Hollie Davidson.

Agreed, she is miles better. Didn't like her performance of one of the U20 games involving France but that was down to her over officiousness which is better than Adamson's random, make it up as you go along sh*t.

[Slick]

I didn’t watch the game yesterday- was following online - was the fingers near the eyes thing as bad as I’m reading or a bit unlucky?

[FalseBayFC]

I didn’t watch the game yesterday- was following online - was the fingers near the eyes thing as bad as I’m reading or a bit unlucky?

It was bad and worthy of a long ban. If there is any mitigation it is that the Ulster player had the offender in a UFC style joint lock and was cranking down hard. Not a cool thing to do.

[ia801310]

I'm still not 100% convinced

[OomStruisbaai]

I'm still not 100% convinced

You need glasses or two eyes.

[lemonhead]

I'm still not 100% convinced

Was only able to listen on radio but looks fine from that angle.

[FalseBayFC]

Nice interaction with the crowd by Stormers players after the match. Fans singing isiXhosa gwijo songs.

[FalseBayFC]

I'm still not 100% convinced

Check out this angle. Looks good to me.

[OomStruisbaai]

It was fine. I paused it and it is clearly inside when it comes out of the lights. Would have been hilarious if not. Pity

That's Libbok, always hilarious when he kick and he kick like shite all game.

[PornDog]

I'm still not 100% convinced

You need glasses or two eyes.

In fairness it was pretty bloody close - but yes he got it. The two ARs were in the best position and neither of them hesitated for a second.

Also trying to paint Hendy as the bad guy in that gouge incident? WTAF!!!
A bit of niggly lock shenanigans - you know, his job - of course, but he was perfectly legal at all time and there was not any sort of " UFC style joint lock" style pressure hold or any bollocks like that. Trying to paint the scumbags gouge as some sort of reaction to an illegal pressure hold on a joint is pretty fucking scummy in itself!! You should be ashamed of that effort!

[OomStruisbaai]

I didn’t watch the game yesterday- was following online - was the fingers near the eyes thing as bad as I’m reading or a bit unlucky?

It was bad and worthy of a long ban. If there is any mitigation it is that the Ulster player had the offender in a UFC style joint lock and was cranking down hard. Not a cool thing to do.

Watching the game again. That lock was a pain in the arse all game. Even caught without his pants in the end and Roos fright to clean him out.

[FalseBayFC]

You need glasses or two eyes.

In fairness it was pretty bloody close - but yes he got it. The two ARs were in the best position and neither of them hesitated for a second.

Also trying to paint Hendy as the bad guy in that gouge incident? WTAF!!!
A bit of niggly lock shenanigans - you know, his job - of course, but he was perfectly legal at all time and there was not any sort of " UFC style joint lock" style pressure hold or any bollocks like that. Trying to paint the scumbags gouge as some sort of reaction to an illegal pressure hold on a joint is pretty fucking scummy in itself!! You should be ashamed of that effort!

Oh please! I never tried to excuse anything and if you went back in the thread you'd see I've condemned the player in question from the very second he gouged. However I took one screenshot from the video which shows Hendo had Smith in an armbar and was putting quite significant torque on the lock. Easy to snap ligaments and tendons with an act like that and its not "niggly lock shenanigans" by any means. The full close up video shows Hendo with his hands locked and bearing down on Smith's shoulder joint.

[PornDog]

You need glasses or two eyes.

In fairness it was pretty bloody close - but yes he got it. The two ARs were in the best position and neither of them hesitated for a second.

Also trying to paint Hendy as the bad guy in that gouge incident? WTAF!!!
A bit of niggly lock shenanigans - you know, his job - of course, but he was perfectly legal at all time and there was not any sort of " UFC style joint lock" style pressure hold or any bollocks like that. Trying to paint the scumbags gouge as some sort of reaction to an illegal pressure hold on a joint is pretty fucking scummy in itself!! You should be ashamed of that effort!

Oh please! I never tried to excuse anything and if you went back in the thread you'd see I've condemned the player in question from the very second he gouged. However I took one screenshot from the video which shows Hendo had Smith in an armbar and was putting quite significant torque on the lock. Easy to snap ligaments and tendons with an act like that and its not "niggly lock shenanigans" by any means. The full close up video shows Hendo with his hands locked and bearing down on Smith's shoulder joint.

Complete and utter bollocks that you have imagined!!!!!


He's holding his arm (legal), its in a bit of a wierd angle (so what), but there is no arm bar, no torqueing, no bullshit at all as you've described - you've imagined all of that. And you've done so to add "mitigation" to an eye gouge.

You're making an excuse for a gouger by imagining a situation that didn't happen. Go sit in the corner and have a think about that!

[FalseBayFC]

Yes the use of the word mitigation was a poor one I admit. But the more I look at the slow motion close up the more I am convinced that Hendo was up to no good too. Judo neck rolls and martial arts holds are absolutely lethal if you get the right leverage. They're illegal and dangerous.
I was originally looking at the footage to see why someone would do something so blatantly illegal and dangerous (the gouge) while clearly visible to the ref, the cameras and all the spectators. Adre Smith has form for skullduggery and I'd be pleased to see him gone for good. I'm a Sharks supporter and supported the Stormers as a Saffer team.

[PornDog]

Yes the use of the word mitigation was a poor one I admit. But the more I look at the slow motion close up the more I am convinced that Hendo was up to no good too. Judo neck rolls and martial arts holds are absolutely lethal if you get the right leverage. They're illegal and dangerous.
I was originally looking at the footage to see why someone would do something so blatantly illegal and dangerous (the gouge) while clearly visible to the ref, the cameras and all the spectators. Adre Smith has form for skullduggery and I'd be pleased to see him gone for good. I'm a Sharks supporter and supported the Stormers as a Saffer team.

I'm not goign to argue that Judo neck rolls or martial arts holds are somehow good - but neither of those things have anything to do with what Hendy was up to.

Smith was trying to get at the ball carrier (fine and legal), Hendy was trying to stop him (fine and legal), his arm was briefly at a weird angle, but there was never any sort of pressure on joints or any nonsense like that.

Why would someone do that? You've immediately answered your own question there - he has form for this type of shit (biting I believe)!

My initial thought on it was, a stupid rush of blood to the head, he's done something he shouldn't have - deserved red card and a healthy ban. But we all do stupid shit sometimes so while he deserves the criticism now, I thought some of your SA brethren were going a little over the top on the criticism of him. That was until they mentioned his priors and now I think Fuck Him - we need that shit out of our game and if that's his MO then he can work as a bouncer at a scummy bar somewhere!

[OomStruisbaai]

I didn’t watch the game yesterday- was following online - was the fingers near the eyes thing as bad as I’m reading or a bit unlucky?

It was bad and worthy of a long ban. If there is any mitigation it is that the Ulster player had the offender in a UFC style joint lock and was cranking down hard. Not a cool thing to do.

Watching the game again. That lock was a pain in the arse all game. Even caught without his pants in the end and Roos fright to clean him out.

[Niegs]

PR filing early to get the scoop on... ?

[OomStruisbaai]

The Stormers stole a few matches this year. The luck must run out. It started against the Bulls at Loftus.

[Chilli]

PR "journalism "

[PCPhil]

Yes the use of the word mitigation was a poor one I admit. But the more I look at the slow motion close up the more I am convinced that Hendo was up to no good too. Judo neck rolls and martial arts holds are absolutely lethal if you get the right leverage. They're illegal and dangerous.
I was originally looking at the footage to see why someone would do something so blatantly illegal and dangerous (the gouge) while clearly visible to the ref, the cameras and all the spectators. Adre Smith has form for skullduggery and I'd be pleased to see him gone for good. I'm a Sharks supporter and supported the Stormers as a Saffer team.

Sorry FB. On this point not seeing any mitigation or slow motion “no goodness” at all

[OomStruisbaai]

Is Hendo in the Irish squad to NZ?

He,ll be great against the All Blacks.

[PCPhil]

Is Hendo in the Irish squad to NZ?

He,ll be great against the All Blacks.

He comes across as one of those guys that never makes headlines but without him, for some reason, the team does not work.

[OomStruisbaai]

The final kick off Saturday at 18h30. Interfere with normal braai time