Weekend thread - Ita v NZ 1p | Eng v Ton 3.15p | Wal v SA 5.30p | Fra v Arg 8p | Sco v Aus Sun 2.15

[sockwithaticket]

Take your pick of pens. Not much of a wrap in that tackle on Itoje.

[Hal Jordan]

The unions doing well to convince that these games are not all about the cold hard cash.

Ireland in purple so as not to clash with red and white, England who are normally in white, in red, and Tonga, normally in red in white

I fucking hate this "away jersey" and "special edition jersey" nonsense that has crept into the game.

The amount of jersey clashes over the last 5 years because of a team wearing an alternate jersey is completely unacceptable. The fact that Australia and Argentina can have a jersey colour clash speaks volumes.
All to sell a bit merch? Are people actually buying these? Most of the time they are shit.

The English one is Sunday League football level of looking like a knock off.

Remember the purple monstrosity sported in that God-awful game against Argentina back in the late noughties? Ugh.

[Slick]

HQ buzzing

[Hal Jordan]

HQ buzzing

Flies around the corpse?

[PCPhil]

I don’t know why but it still shocks me that England keep giving away penalties year after year after year by thinking, “The ref won’t spot this.”

[Blake]

The unions doing well to convince that these games are not all about the cold hard cash.

Ireland in purple so as not to clash with red and white, England who are normally in white, in red, and Tonga, normally in red in white

I fucking hate this "away jersey" and "special edition jersey" nonsense that has crept into the game.

The amount of jersey clashes over the last 5 years because of a team wearing an alternate jersey is completely unacceptable. The fact that Australia and Argentina can have a jersey colour clash speaks volumes.
All to sell a bit merch? Are people actually buying these? Most of the time they are shit.

Yeah, I can't imagine they sell many.

However, I think they are obliged by their contracts with the manufacturer to wear the change strip at least once per season.

Were it me I'd be telling any potential supplier that since kit clashes occur so rarely we'd be having just the one change strip for a full world cup cycle rather than a new one each season.

I always liked the tradition in rugby that it was the home team to change their strip in the event of a jersey clash. It seemed like such a nice gesture of hospitality to help out the traveling team so that they didn't have to lug around 2 sets of kit. It's a pity we seemed to have abandoned it in an attempt to appease the kit suppliers. You just have to look at the collar situation (or what Puma have done to Bulls kits over the years) to realise many of these manufacturers have no real feel or understanding of the traditions of the game. Just a bunch of ponytails in a design office somewhere.

[Hal Jordan]

I don’t know why but it still shocks me that England keep giving away penalties year after year after year by thinking, “The ref won’t spot this.”

And another at the 5m line lineout.

[Slick]

Agree, Blake

The Tongan 10 is annoyingly crap at kicking and I don’t understand why they are not competing in the air at all.

I like the cut of the England full backs jib

[Ymx]

That dive

[Jock42]

I fucking hate this "away jersey" and "special edition jersey" nonsense that has crept into the game.

The amount of jersey clashes over the last 5 years because of a team wearing an alternate jersey is completely unacceptable. The fact that Australia and Argentina can have a jersey colour clash speaks volumes.
All to sell a bit merch? Are people actually buying these? Most of the time they are shit.

Yeah, I can't imagine they sell many.

However, I think they are obliged by their contracts with the manufacturer to wear the change strip at least once per season.

Were it me I'd be telling any potential supplier that since kit clashes occur so rarely we'd be having just the one change strip for a full world cup cycle rather than a new one each season.

I always liked the tradition in rugby that it was the home team to change their strip in the event of a jersey clash. It seemed like such a nice gesture of hospitality to help out the traveling team so that they didn't have to lug around 2 sets of kit. It's a pity we seemed to have abandoned it in an attempt to appease the kit suppliers. You just have to look at the collar situation (or what Puma have done to Bulls kits over the years) to realise many of these manufacturers have no real feel or understanding of the traditions of the game. Just a bunch of ponytails in a design office somewhere.

But surely the teams are in control of this, they're the customer after all. If the team wants a collar and the supplier comes back with a design minus a collar you tell them to about turn and change it, no?

[sockwithaticket]

Slade continuing to gather material for his England lowlights video.

[Blake]

But surely the teams are in control of this, they're the customer after all. If the team wants a collar and the supplier comes back with a design minus a collar you tell them to about turn and change it, no?

You'd think so, but I actually have no idea what those contracts and negotiations look like.

I wouldn't be surprised if the unions/clubs are just happy when some apparel manufacturer is willing to do their kits.
Not actually sure if clubs/unions pay the manufacturers, or if the manufacturers bid to be a sponsor an load the offering with jerseys and other kit and the one that offers most gets the contract...their incentive being revenue on replica and other merch sales.

Either way, you'd think the team brand managers would have some input in design...

[Hal Jordan]

How the fuck did Laws get to him?

[sturginho]

Dropped it!

[Oxbow]

I love Courtney Lawes, and not just platonically.

[Slick]

Lawes is a fantastic rugby player

[Hal Jordan]

Also, should have dived for it.

[Slick]

Curry is taking an absolute battering today, getting smashed every time he gets the ball

[Hal Jordan]

Curry is taking an absolute battering today, getting smashed every time he gets the ball

How dare you, he's a world class no 8!

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Curry is taking an absolute battering today, getting smashed every time he gets the ball

How dare you, he's world class. no 8!

Fixed.

[PCPhil]

Youngs for 150 caps.

[Oxbow]

Ah shit, another 50 caps for Youngs.

[PCPhil]

Slade continuing to gather material for his England lowlights video.

Yep. He has all the skills but worries me.

[sturginho]

That's Young's place in the team secure for the next world cup

[PCPhil]

Anyone know the attendance in the Italy v Spiritual match?

[SaintK]

Curry is taking an absolute battering today, getting smashed every time he gets the ball

How dare you, he's world class. no 8!

Fixed.

So bloody right

[Slick]

Apart from the fact he’s Tongan, that is almost identical to Barrett last week.

Both yellows have been harsh I think, but that one in particular

[Ymx]

Apart from the fact he’s Tongan, that is almost identical to Barrett last week.

Both yellows have been harsh I think, but that one in particular

Was thinking the same. Thought he genuinely attempted that, knocked it up, could have taken that.

[Hal Jordan]

Oh fuck, another 1,000 caps for Youngs.

[sockwithaticket]

Apart from the fact he’s Tongan, that is almost identical to Barrett last week.

Both yellows have been harsh I think, but that one in particular

Tbf the Barrett one was widely being held up as unusually lenient.

[sockwithaticket]

13 minutes for Mitchell. Might be a record for a replacement 9 under Eddie.

[Sandstorm]

Tongan counter-rucking is less than shithouse.

[Sandstorm]

That’s red

[sockwithaticket]

That's at least two red card offences in quick succession from the Tongan 23.

[Sandstorm]

That's at least two red card offences in quick succession from the Tongan 23.

Not fine from Fine. On the plane home tomorrow

[Ymx]

Villiame Fine.

With a name like that. He lives up to his billing.

[sockwithaticket]

That's at least two red card offences in quick succession from the Tongan 23.

Not fine from Fine. On the plane home tomorrow

[Slick]

“It wasn’t my elbow it was my shoulder”

Games gone soft

Right, that’s enough of this shite, I’m off to scare dogs and upset the Irish

[Sandstorm]

That's at least two red card offences in quick succession from the Tongan 23.

Not fine from Fine. On the plane home tomorrow

Enjoy that level of quality while you can. I’m opening my second pint.

[sockwithaticket]

Not fine from Fine. On the plane home tomorrow

Enjoy that level of quality while you can. I’m opening my second pint.

Enjoy.