United Rugby Championship

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newgalesurf
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by newgalesurf »

Son of Mathonwy wrote: Sat Oct 04, 2025 11:00 am
Sandydragon wrote: Sat Oct 04, 2025 8:27 am Williams and De Beer need to spend some time practicing drop goals. FFS
Frustrating. They didn't get the W but after last season a D is remarkable, especially with their scrum being destroyed. But, yeah it was there for the taking in the last 2 minutes.
Turned me into a crazy man again. Shouting at TV at Rhodri when De Beer was in position. Was there for the taking

What happened to the scrum? Are Sharks that much better than Ulster or did the hooker change affect it so badly

Still to be that close after being destroyed all day in the scrum was a great effort. Here's to more of that
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Sandydragon
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by Sandydragon »

There are clear signs of improvement and I agree that any side which gives away nine scrum penalties is lucky to get a draw.

But we need a win to get some confidence and this one was, remarkably, there for the taking.
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UKHamlet
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by UKHamlet »

Son of Mathonwy wrote: Mon Oct 06, 2025 9:46 am
Sandydragon wrote: Sun Oct 05, 2025 9:08 am
Son of Mathonwy wrote: Sat Oct 04, 2025 11:04 am
Looks like (from the highlights) the Ospreys put in a better show vs the Stormers than Leinster did. Still fell well short although the Stormers definitely got the bounce of the ball in a couple of tries.
I watched the game and I’d suggest that the better team won on the night. Some beautiful tries which needed a bit of chance, but the Sotermers made their own luck. Ospreys started well but seemed to run out of ideas at times.
Sure, no doubt the Stormers deserved the win, I'm just saying the scoreline should have been closer.

Frustrating for Cardiff to lose to Munster but good that they were that close. They should have won, unfortunately just two games in Sheedy has forgotten how to kick again - which lost them 7 points. Okay, I guess the wind was a nightmare but Sheedy always curls them to the left. He otherwise had a great game but he could be Wales's 10 if he fixed this.
The 1/2p acquisition is making more sense now.
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Sandydragon
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by Sandydragon »

Meanwhile, the scarlets got utterly stuffed in Llanelli. I can’t recall a time when a scarlets/llanelli side failed to land a single blow, even when push around the park by a better pack.

This was proper men against boys stuff. Peels future has to be on the line here as many players just looked disinterested and Stormers players just constantly took the piss.
pompey-zebra
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by pompey-zebra »

Sandydragon wrote: Sat Oct 11, 2025 9:06 am Meanwhile, the scarlets got utterly stuffed in Llanelli. I can’t recall a time when a scarlets/llanelli side failed to land a single blow, even when push around the park by a better pack.

This was proper men against boys stuff. Peels future has to be on the line here as many players just looked disinterested and Stormers players just constantly took the piss.
Only saw the first half, glad I didnt stick around for the second having seen the final score. I thought a couple decisions against the Scarlets were a bit dodgy, but the Stomers looked so much stronger and faster that it didn't make much difference. And from what I did see, the Stormers didn't look that slick on times and left a few scores out there. God knows what the score would have been had they clicked.
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Sandydragon
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by Sandydragon »

There were some very questionable decisions but equally the scarlets should have list a prop to a yellow for the repeated scrum infringements.

But totally agree that the Stormers looks like they don’t have to get out of third gear.
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UKHamlet
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by UKHamlet »

A bit annoyed we let Connacht sneak a losing bonus point at the death :P after they spent seventy-five minutes refusing to play rugby. But last season we would have been looking for the lbp. So, it's a baby step forward. Tom Bowen is making a big bid for inclusion in the Wales squad. Sheedy is playing well enough, place kicking aside, to make a case for a bench spot in the Wales squad.

Connacht are a horrible, negative, niggling side. But I thought they were going to nick the game before Bowen got his intercept try. Fair play to Cardiff, they stuck at it, but seemed to run out of ideas after sixty minutes. It's a shame Lloyd didn't get to have a proper run out, I think he would have brought more penetration to Cardiff's attack.
pompey-zebra
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by pompey-zebra »

The Cardiff game was very frustrating, as for a while a decent game of rugby threated to break out. If Cardiff had taken more of their chances in the first half, it might have forced Connacht to play more. As it was, Cardiff's failure to pull away and the long stoppages for injuries & comms issues just sucked the life out of the game & Connacht did the rest.

As for the Dragons that was just dispiriting. Like the Scarlets on Friday they looked second best on pace, power and speed of thought. At the end of the weekend the regions had 2 wins and 2 defeats, but an aggregate score of 38-91 isnt very encouraging.
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Sandydragon
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Re: United Rugby Championship

Post by Sandydragon »

pompey-zebra wrote: Sun Oct 12, 2025 12:46 pm The Cardiff game was very frustrating, as for a while a decent game of rugby threated to break out. If Cardiff had taken more of their chances in the first half, it might have forced Connacht to play more. As it was, Cardiff's failure to pull away and the long stoppages for injuries & comms issues just sucked the life out of the game & Connacht did the rest.

As for the Dragons that was just dispiriting. Like the Scarlets on Friday they looked second best on pace, power and speed of thought. At the end of the weekend the regions had 2 wins and 2 defeats, but an aggregate score of 38-91 isnt very encouraging.
I was expecting a hiding in Glasgow from the minute I saw the team sheet. Basically a dragons second string which got duly hammered.
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