The Official English Rugby Thread

[sockwithaticket]

It is an odd stat and it would be interesting to see how it's collated. For example, a player like Manu Tuilagi or Billy Vunipola would likely have a low 'players beaten' number but it might take 2 or 3 players to complete a tackle on them which achieves a similar objective (creating a mis-match).

Van Rensberg's on there and he's certainly a pretty Manu-esque centre in terms of taking contact. Lawrence too from what little I've seen of him.

[Un Pilier]

Yeah, I’m struggling to square this stat with the experience of watching rugby. Can’t really buy the notion that only 4 out of 10 tackles on a fly half, say, are successful. I guess it is something to do with the likes of Smith, Gopperth and Umanga kicking the ball from hand so often (chips and grubber kicks perhaps) so that the incoming tackle is not completed? That must happen much more often than a sidestep, for example.

[SaintK]

Contact dodging coward.

I so wish Smith had some sort of Scottish connection so that he'd be the Edinburgh player from Brighton College that Harry Leonard never quite was.

Seriously, I think Smith is brilliant, he could be the best fly half in the world

Hmm, not until he stops preening his hair every 15 seconds during a match

[sockwithaticket]

What is it about old duffers and youngsters' hair?

So long as he's not sporting one of the awful mullets that seem to be spreading (I note Umaga got rid of his, good lad), it's fine.

Grow it while you've got it I say. Clearly sweeping it off his face regularly isn't doing anything to harm his game!

[ASMO]

I see Sean Long has left Quims, cost cutting?

[JM2K6]

Yeah, I’m struggling to square this stat with the experience of watching rugby. Can’t really buy the notion that only 4 out of 10 tackles on a fly half, say, are successful. I guess it is something to do with the likes of Smith, Gopperth and Umanga kicking the ball from hand so often (chips and grubber kicks perhaps) so that the incoming tackle is not completed? That must happen much more often than a sidestep, for example.

He runs the ball a lot and steps people a lot. It's not that complicated :)

Everyone there bar RJvR has good footwork. Some of them have power to go with it.

[JM2K6]

I see Sean Long has left Quims, cost cutting?

Scuttlebutt is he has a head coach job in RL waiting for him.

Can't say I saw anything to suggest he'd changed our attacking style much.

[SaintK]

What is it about old duffers and youngsters' hair?

So long as he's not sporting one of the awful mullets that seem to be spreading (I note Umaga got rid of his, good lad), it's fine.

Grow it while you've got it I say. Clearly sweeping it off his face regularly isn't doing anything to harm his game!

To be honest, I hadn't noticed until Austin Healey mentioned it in commentary
It's been annoying me since mind you

[sockwithaticket]

That was a seriously tasty Wasps maul.

[Oxbow]

It's good to see Brookes playing well again, he was utter shite at Saints for whatever reasons.

[sockwithaticket]

Fuck. That 5 -2 split on the bench is not looking so smart now and for all his qualities Le Bourgeois is not Feikitoa.

[sockwithaticket]

Wondered if that neck grab was going to be called.

[Slick]

So far Bristol look like a team who think they are superstars and Wasps a team that know they are good as a team

[Raggs]

If we've lost Umaga, we're really going to struggle.

[sockwithaticket]

Big sigh of relief, but can we not send Jacob running at someone like Radradra for a bit?

[Raggs]

Tackle looked a bit high, then being held up around the neck by the 2nd/3rd man. Equally, without Wasps coloured glasses, probably the right call.

[Raggs]

Hughes was in front of the mark there wasn't he?

[Slick]

Hughes was in front of the mark there wasn't he?

Tackle off the kick off was dodgy, round the neck atbthe maul then tap not taken from the mark (in front) - pretty poor all round

[Raggs]

Hughes was in front of the mark there wasn't he?

Tackle off the kick off was dodgy, round the neck atbthe maul then tap not taken from the mark (in front) - pretty poor all round

From the kick was fine, he started running it before taking contact.

[sockwithaticket]

This should be a nice settler, want to calm things down a touch and exert a bit of control before things get too helter skelter.

Bourgeois and Gopperth means ther midfield's fairly pedestrian now so we don't want things getting overly loose.

[sockwithaticket]

Malins looked high twice in quick succession there.

[Ovals]

I was just thinking that Bristol were looking the more dangerous of the sides and Wasps break away and then bundle over.

Aside from the lead up to the Brizzle try, I think Wasps have been getting the rub of the green so far.

[sockwithaticket]

That's a big error so close to half time when you'd want to be closing the gap on the scoreboard.

[Ovals]

Happy with that - but Bristol have shown enough to suggest they could get themselves back into this - Wasps need to stay cool and keep organised - wait for the mistakes.

[SaintK]

Happy with that - but Bristol have shown enough to suggest they could get themselves back into this - Wasps need to stay cool and keep organised - wait for the mistakes.

Yep. Well worth the lead

[Ovals]

There would be some seriously amiss if Willis isn't in the next starting XV for England - he has such an impact on the game - fantastic player.

[Slick]

Christ that was poor by Piutau.... 3 man overlap and he runs all the space away then a shit pass

[sockwithaticket]

Hope Radradra and Malins are good to continue, you want to see a hell for leather contest between the best.

[Raggs]

Filth from Robson.

[sockwithaticket]

Filth from Robson.

He's so damned good. Marries the flair stuff to excellent game control.

[sockwithaticket]

That's incredible from Willis.

[Slick]

Haven’t really seen much of Jack Willis before.

Fucking hell

[JM2K6]

To be fair he did get done one-on-one in the first place in order to have to make a try saver

Having a cracking game though.

[Ovals]

Wasps need to get another score of any type - get 3 scores ahead.

edit 2 scores ahead but Brizzle have to score 3 time !!

[sockwithaticket]

Big turnover pen there.

[sockwithaticket]

Wasps need to get another score of any type - get 3 scores ahead.

edit 2 scores ahead but Brizzle have to score 3 time !!

You can tell the long term Wasps supporter by the lingering suspicion we'll fuck up a comfortable lead!

[Raggs]

Huge defence, is it Wasps???

EDIT - Lucky to get away with that maybe...

[Ovals]

Wasps need to get another score of any type - get 3 scores ahead.

edit 2 scores ahead but Brizzle have to score 3 time !!

You can tell the long term Wasps supporter by the lingering suspicion we'll fuck up a comfortable lead!

So true

Ooooh - hit the post - shame.

And, another penalty - good period for Wasps here.

[Ovals]

Robson sneaks in from a quick tap -

[Tichtheid]

Classic “sneaky wee shite” scrum half try