Welcome to your holiday mud wrestling Dragons v Ospreys

[ALunpg]

I was hoping this may be the match up which would lift the haze of last night and this morning and fill me with joy and good will to all.
................

I can understand that the match actually met the referees criteria etc.but it was not even a game for the purists except for those that love the art of course rugby circa 1970's..

Ospreys got 4 points Dragons 0 points

[Sandydragon]

Our pitch is a fricking disgrace.

[kk67]

I can understand that the match actually met the referees criteria etc.but it was not even a game for the purists except for those that love the art of course rugby circa 1970's..

Tip's looked fairly comfortable with the conditions. As did the Dragons 7.

[whatisthejava]

Have to say after seeing Scotoun last season, so glad weeg went for an artificial pitch, mind u I don't think u guys can because the football team isn't allowed.

[kk67]

It would be a shame if mudlarks were to disappear from rugby.

[Sandydragon]

It would be a shame if mudlarks were to disappear from rugby.

In the professional age, Id disagree with you there. Whilst I have fond memories of games that resorted to mud wrestling, in the pro era the idea of games being called off due to flooded pitches is not good. A 10 man slug fest will do nothing to attract new supporters either and whilst they might be mocked for not being traditional rugby supporters, they are still paying an entrance fee.

[Son of Mathonwy]

It would be a shame if mudlarks were to disappear from rugby.

In the professional age, Id disagree with you there. Whilst I have fond memories of games that resorted to mud wrestling, in the pro era the idea of games being called off due to flooded pitches is not good. A 10 man slug fest will do nothing to attract new supporters either and whilst they might be mocked for not being traditional rugby supporters, they are still paying an entrance fee.

Agreed. It has no place at the professional level IMO.

Bad weather we will always need to cope with (and that's fine), but we need some kind of reliable surface.

I'm sure pools of mud will continue to be a feature at lower levels, for those who appreciate it.

[kk67]

Well,....maybe you're both right.
But mudlarks are a part of rugby development. Tips and Griffiths have clearly played some and I've seen Richie doing it without changing his natural game.
Rugby would be dull if we were all flat track bullies. And the term flat track bully would become obsolete.

[Sandydragon]

Well,....maybe you're both right.
But mudlarks are a part of rugby development. Tips and Griffiths have clearly played some and I've seen Richie doing it without changing his natural game.
Rugby would be dull if we were all flat track bullies. And the term flat track bully would become obsolete.

There will still be bad weather to contend with as few stadiums can afford roofs. That gives forward based teams a chance to play some old school ten man rugby.

The dragons pitch just needs replacing. For a top flight rugby team it is a disgrace.

[kk67]

10 man rugby my arse.....Tips was playing 15.

[ALunpg]

Whether or not it is a right of passage... and most go through it ... this pitch was not a great advert for rugby at this level. The players adapted as best they could... but it was a lottery at times.

[kk67]

Rite de passage. ....Aye.

[Graigwen]

One of the most enjoyable games I ever played in was an end of season 0=0 draw played on a pristine green but waterlogged pitch that was due to be relaid in the summer, so we were allowed to destroy it. Within five minutes scrums were being moved sideways to find a bit of solid ground. We could have played for a week without any chance of scoring. We forwards loved it, but the backs were slowed down to our pace.

[kk67]

Not exactly mudlarks but this Scarlets/Ulster game is interesting. There are some quality underwater performances.

That was a very odd game. I can picture Henderson and Best sitting in the dressing room looking at each other in sheer disbelief. Very technical, loads of continuity. Good fun.
Of the 6/7 games I watched over the 12 days of Christmas,....that was the most enjoyable. Gloucester have been interesting,...a worthy 2nd place.