6 Nations Thread 2012 - Wales Grand Slam Winners!

I agree that both knock-ons were attempted interceptions and I think the yellow card decision was ridiculous. I think someone suggested it was for repeated infringements, but I didn't get that impression from the referees wording at all. Not quite sure how he can justify giving England a yellow and not France to be honest.

Ooh lots of things to reply to.

Okay, I am inferring repeated infringements since England had a team warning and the 'I've got no choice 'would only be something a ref would say if they had said already the next cynical penalty is a bin. Ultimately I agree since England's discipline and penalty count was awful and, as a team, fully deserved a bin. Also, my refereeing colleagues came to the same conclusion.

Collective responsibility is as old as the hills and if you don't like or understand it then... Well, I certainly wouldn't want you on my team, be it sports or in a professional context.

Rugby laws are very interpretive at the best of times.

Lastly, penalty tries, in law, are for foul play (in the law 10 sense of the word) offences that prevent a probable try. So the referee would have to conclude the repeat offences are deliberate (and thus fall under law 10 rather than the individual law that is being broken) and that were they not a try would probably be scored. The only fairly reliable one is collapsing a scrum repeatedly (collapsing a maul is an easier PT to give but it's not a repeated infringement), but I still would want to have seen the attacking scrum drive 3-5m at some point in the match, else how could I judge the try to be probable? I've never awarded a PT in that scenario, incidentally, only for one off law 10 offences.

But nought wrong with not knowing much about rugby. I'm only trying to give you a better idea of why referees do what they do. All rugby players know when they break the laws and often so do their team mates. Getting caught is just part of that and sometimes less guilty players will 'take one for the team' and get binned. It's part of the game!

Thoughts on the Halfpenny yellow card, Slartibartfast?

Another thing is that professional rugby players will make a deliberate killing of the ball (say, by knocking on) look like an attempted interception but their primary aim is to deny the opposition of their legitimate attack. If they catch the ball it's a bonus and all they lose is a scrum (which allows defences to be reset and so on). Which is why it's a cynical infringement.

Not seen either of Saturday's games as I was refing then drove to Cardiff. Will watch them this week sometime.

Something Fishy

Eighthours wrote:
Lucien wrote:I'm hoping Scotland will continue their streak this weekend. Five games out of five? I think we have the talent to make it happen.

Did no one in Scotland take a look at the England games where Andy Robinson was in charge?

I thought this at one point but then I saw he did well up at Edinburgh.

I think engs biggest consistent weakness was Wells, he screwed the team up through three different coaches,

I'm going to Cardiff to watch Wales V France this weekend. Hope Wales get it as the place will go mental!

I'm also going to Cardiff

Grand Slam Saturday is almost here, I'm getting very excited now. Here's a song to help get the rest of you Welsh guys hyped up

Ireland V England on St Patricks day, surely we can't lose! :wub:

Ad7 wrote:I'm going to Cardiff to watch Wales V France this weekend. Hope Wales get it as the place will go mental!

This.

I'll be meeting up with a uni buddy who I was watching with last time we played France and won the grand slam, too. Getting very excited/nervous right now.

Ah crap, didn't realise the game was in Cardiff. Traffic!

Row 11 seats 8-)

Hoping for England to win, France to win, and Italy to win. Shame it's the last weekend.

Ad7 wrote:Row 11 seats

Bastard. I'll just be watching on a screen in a pub. My Dad's managed to get a ticket though, jammy git.

Cardiff on international match day = :wub:

sea of red.

Something Fishy

Photek wrote:Ireland V England on St Patricks day, surely we can't lose!

when do england ever beat you these days?

it's a shoe in. Your guys just need to turn up, they could even start drinking beforehand.

I'd tell them that if i were you.

(please).

After all those years where it was Eng every year i guess it's karma that it's gone the other way. I'd never have believed it back ten years ago aftes so much dominance but Ireland have totally dominated since 03. Sport does go in cycles and i can see it changing one day but yet? no probably not.

I don't reckon it's a forgone conclusion at all.

England played really well against France, didn't deserve to lose to Wales, and have steadily improved throughout the tournament.

Could be a close call. If England finished second in the table, it will be a massive over-achievement.

Something Fishy

Yes but sadly I fear Eng have no chance with the Sextinator on the pitch on Saturday

(and the small matter of the Irish backrow winning the breakdown - though i think this lot will work harder than last years lot).

And the fact that the Irish raise their game about 300% when facing those pesky Englishers.

6 Nations Thread 2012 - Wales Grand Slam Winners!

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