Rugby - Pre Binding Edition

[Calibandar]

This topic will get me into another of my infamous pet theories, which is the genetic advantage that some nations have over others in a sport like rugby. Let's just say that Jonah Lomu, Joeli Vindiri or Sitiveni Sivivatu are unlikely to pop up from the native Japanese population. Basically, Polynesians have the perfect build for rugby - particularly for backline players.

So there is a physiological advantage that I firmly believe in, which gives NZ the edge despite their small population numbers. Same with South Africa and powerful forwards - particularly locks and loose forwards.

Well this goes without saying. There will be a difference between Asian countries and European countries like England, France, Scotland or NZ/Australia. The build that is achieved here by natives from those countries is different so you will see that reflected in top level rugby as well. And build matters more in rugby, obviously.

[Which Tyler]

A meeting was held in Dublin today, attended by FFR, FIR, IRFU, SRU and WRU, to discuss the on-going issues surrounding European club competitions.

All five Unions believe that it is critical to the interests of the game in Europe that the Unions are at the heart of the governance of cross-border club competitions given that rugby in each country is organised in a pyramidical structure.

Clubs, provinces and regional organisations form an integral part of the development of the game throughout this structure, from grassroots to the international game. Cross-border club competitions must not conflict with the development of the sport in Europe by Unions, this being in the best interest of players, spectators and the sport in general.

The five Unions reconfirmed:

• Their agreement with the new competition formats and financial distribution formula previously agreed by the six Unions who attended the mediated meeting in Dublin on 23-24 October (http://www.ercrugby.com/news/25300.php ).

Following today's discussions, the five Unions have agreed the following:

• A European club competition is to take place during the 2014/2015 season following an optimised sporting and economic format with 20 teams, no matter how many countries are involved.

• The competition will be driven by the existing organisation (currently named ERC) which will remain in charge of the centralised sale and management of all commercial rights, amongst other things.

• Discussions over governance will be pursued in order to optimise the internal functioning of the existing organisation (currently named ERC).

• The common aim is to move eventually towards the integration of European competitions within an all-encompassing European rugby framework.

[ljkeane]

I wonder why the RFU wasn't at that meeting?

I'm not hugely confident that they're going to get it sorted out soon enough for there to be a European rugby competition next season.

[Alex.]

At Finchley Road wetherspoons pre-rugby. There are a pleasing amount of Northerners in London today.

[Which Tyler]

I wonder why the RFU wasn't at that meeting?

 

I'm not hugely confident that they're going to get it sorted out soon enough for there to be a European rugby competition next season.

not invited, a rookie error by the ERC as it gives a currently neutral party an unnecessary grievance

[Calibandar]

Just got acquainted with Rugby League. BBC showed England vs New Zealand.

At first I thought they were doing a replay from last week.

But no, this has somewhat different rules, and different players. It was a massive game, tremendously exciting and a fight till he last minute.

England nearly pulled off an upset, but New Zealand scored a try in the final minute of the game.

Sam Burgess was man of the match. What a monster he was. The famous Sonny Bill Williams played as well. Doesn't he play for the Rugby Union team as well?

[Alex.]

Proper heartbreaking loss today. We had the Kiwis in hand but lost to a stupid mistake.

[The Marquis de Leech]

But no, this has somewhat different rules, and different players.

And a very different power base. International rugby league is a bit of a joke, since Australia (or more accurately, just New South Wales and Queensland) is pretty much the only place that cares about the game (OK, there's the North of England, and South Auckland in NZ, but generally the point stands. League's focus is on club-level competition, not internationals).

[ljkeane]

Wow, I just watched the game. Great game but I can't believe we lost. The pack were immense against those massive New Zealand forwards, but just one half mistake rushing out of the line seconds from the end loses it. Gutted.

[ljkeane]

Great start for Ireland, I certainly wasn't expecting this given how poor they were last week.

I didn't use to be Conor Murray's biggest fan but fair play to him he's really sharpened up his service at the base of the ruck. He looks a very good scrum half now.

[The Marquis de Leech]

Have just turned on the radio. What. The. Fuck.

Come on, guys. Screw this up, and it won't be the near-perfect season you get remembered for. It'll be blowing 108 years of history.

[ljkeane]

That was an incredibly stupid penalty to give away from Toner, there was no way Crockett was getting there anyway. He better hope that's not key.

ETA: Wow, Ireland have blown that. Great passage of play for New Zealand to score the try but all Ireland need to do is hold onto the ball for 30 seconds.

ETA2: They've even given Cruden a second chance to win the game.

[The Marquis de Leech]

OK. What's Gaelic for "how the hell did we get out of that?"

[The BlackBear]

BALLS! Poor Ireland.

[The Marquis de Leech]

Ireland will be kicking themselves over that missed penalty. But really, all they needed to do was hang onto the ball for a few more seconds.

[Antonius Pius]

To my layman's perspective it seemed like NZ made too many mistakes and wasn't serious enough most of the time. Ireland were more ferocious for most of the game. I didn't think NZ were going to pull it off anymore. It's like they turned it on at the very last minute, and lo and behold it worked.

[Deedles]

Bollix. Really snatched defeat from the jaws of victory there.

[Calibandar]

Like my countryman Antonius, I come into this with a layman's perspective. I'm trying to familiarize myself with the rules and the player positions and what their roles are, and it's interesting to do so.

This is a great sport. This afternoon's game was fantastic. Again. Last week's England vs New Zealand was alo fantastic. Yesterday's Rugby League game between England and NZ was also great.

However, some questions about today's game.

I felt that the referee greatly favoured NZ. I wondered why that was. He should be neutral. He appeared neutral towards much of the game but he an the video ref lost it at the end.

I had the same feeling last week when NZ played England, when they were awarded an unjust penalty, from which they scored, and which made a difference in the end.

That was another game in which I didn't think NZ was the better team. But the diference was greater today, last week the teams were evenly matched.

1) Why did they play on beyond the 80 minutes? Wasn't the game supposed to end at 80?

2) Did it have to do with extra time, like in football? If yes, why does no one know how much extra time the ref will give? It seemed odd to me that they kept playing. NZ's try didn't come until they were just short of 82 minutes. How does anyone know when the game is over, only when the ref blows the whistle, fully at his discretion? He could have gone on for 10 more minutes if he so chose?

3) Why did they award NZ a try at the end? If the ball cannot be played forward, as it very clearly was on the penultimate pass, it should not have stood right? How can it possibly continue to stand, when the video ref can see it is a forward pass? Does the video ref consult with other people in order to make his decision? Because he was talking to other folks outside of his box. It all seemed weird to me.

4) Who decides if it's a try when the video images are reviewed? It now seemed to be the video ref. In other games I see it's done by the ref himself, based on what he sees.

5) Why did Cruden get to take his penalty twice? It seemed as if the ref wasn't happy until his NZ masters had actually won the game.

Why didn't he have Cruden retake his penalty earlier in the second half, when the exact same thing happened, with Irish players running out? Is it because Cruden scored then? Should it not have been retaken as well? The ref did nothing then, so it makes sense that the Irish players thought they could do it again. But now the ref decides to punish them.

Really strange decision making, and our commentators thought this and the awarded try were both very curious decisions in NZ's favour.

[ljkeane]

(1) and (2), the game doesn't end until there is a breakdown in play (a knock on, the ball going out, a score etc) so theoretically the game could go on forever if nobody made a mistake or scored. There is extra time but it's not done by the ref, they stop the clock.

(3) The rule is the pass has to be backwards from the hands of the passing player, which it was.

(4) The video ref generally but they've changed it this year so the ref on the pitch can make a decision from watching the pictures on the big screen (if there is one) if he wants.

(5) It was a conversion which you can charge down but only after the kicker moves. The Ireland players moved to early. The reason he didn't have to retake it earlier was because he scored. Why punish him for the Irish offense?

[The Anti-Targ]

Didn't see the game, as it was a school night and I needed sleep. So agonisingly close for Ireland. Them beating the All Blacks would have been a far bigger achievement than the All Blacks going 100% for the year. I wouldn't have begrudged them the win either. But I am glad the AB's got across the line in the end.