Rugby Thread

[Fade and Die]

The last time I went to Twickers I swore never again. Left in plenty of time yet we were running into the stadium as the anthems were played. Can't recall how long it took us to get a few miles from the stadium after the match but enough to scar me for life.

It’s always a nightmare, after watching England get beat by Ireland on paddy’s day for the grand slam (can’t remember what year) we drank for an hour after the game, had a curry, and still queued for an hour to get into the station. It’s the worst Rugby stadium to get away from.
@Lord Tyrion I think Cardiff is a great place to visit, I’ve watched a play off final, an FA cup final and 3 Wales V England 6 Nations games, always thought the whole thing was well organised although tbh I’ve never had to get the mainline back to London, I’ve either driven or been staying at Cardiff bay or with friends in Cwmbran.

 

[Crazyface]

2019 and 2021 are not so far away to be looked upon as a "different era".

Wales will have chances to prove themselves against Scotland and Italy.

But it is a simple pain fact that the current team is not as good as it was 5 or 6 years ago - and no way near as good as the current England, Ireland or France teams.

Someone has to come last. Doing so in a very sporting way is worthy of some appreciation for a sporting effort. Particularly so for the smallest population country.

smallest population that used to run rings round everyone at Rugby. I don't believe in all this size thing. The Wales doesn't really bother with most other sports. Those that aren't good enough to play rugby are allowed to play football and that's where it stops. So Wales IS RUGBY! Reading Ians post, it seems he is more clued up on what's happening, and not for the good it appears. Rugby in the Northern hemisphere needs Wales performing well, and all the others for that matter so that when they come up against the lads from the other half of the world they are ready for it.

 

[Voyager EMH]

smallest population that used to run rings round everyone at Rugby. I don't believe in all this size thing. The Wales doesn't really bother with most other sports. Those that aren't good enough to play rugby are allowed to play football and that's where it stops. So Wales IS RUGBY! Reading Ians post, it seems he is more clued up on what's happening, and not for the good it appears. Rugby in the Northern hemisphere needs Wales performing well, and all the others for that matter so that when they come up against the lads from the other half of the world they are ready for it.

Cycling.
Geraint Thomas and Nicole Cooke

Boxing.
Joe Calzaghe and Lauren Price

Golf.
Dai Rees and Ian Woosnam

Sailing - Hannah Mills, the most successful female Olympic sailor ever.

Snooker - too many to mention

Athletics.
Lynn Davies, Tanni Grey Thomson, Colin Jackson

And Non Evans who excelled in Rugby, Judo, Weightlifting and Freestyle Wrestling.

 

[The Squirrel]

The proper rugby starts tonight.

First top flight match for decades in York, now in Superleague.
Full stadium which is rocking.
A team that were largely part time last year in a lower league, and predicted to lose by 70 every week going toe to toe with the champions.

Paul Vaughan hurling his cookies on the 40yd line before the restart but still in on the first tackle

Should have put this in gladden the heart.

BRILLIANT!

 

[IanM]

Cycling.
Geraint Thomas and Nicole Cooke

Boxing.
Joe Calzaghe and Lauren Price

Golf.
Dai Rees and Ian Woosnam

Sailing - Hannah Mills, the most successful female Olympic sailor ever.

Snooker - too many to mention

Athletics.
Lynn Davies, Tanni Grey Thomson, Colin Jackson

And Non Evans who excelled in Rugby, Judo, Weightlifting and Freestyle Wrestling.

Given how many folk play good golf in Wales, it's a very long time since they've had a top player.

 

[Fade and Die]

Given how many folk play good golf in Wales, it's a very long time since they've had a top player.

lol… he actually proved Crazyfaces post with that puny list

 

[Vikingman]

The proper rugby starts tonight.

First top flight match for decades in York, now in Superleague.
Full stadium which is rocking.
A team that were largely part time last year in a lower league, and predicted to lose by 70 every week going toe to toe with the champions.

Paul Vaughan hurling his cookies on the 40yd line before the restart but still in on the first tackle

Should have put this in gladden the heart.

BRILLIANT!

And Mikey Lewis doing what Mikey Lewis does.

 

[NearHull]

And Mikey Lewis doing what Mikey Lewis does.

Lots of smiles this morning in the west side of Hull.

 

[The Squirrel]

Hard to state how big an upset that was to non Rugby League people. York were expected to lose by 60+ every week at the top level, having a side of elevated part timers sprinkled with some free agent veterans whose choices were basically York or retirement. Instead they take down the dominant team in the competition first match. It’s as if you stuck a local club pro in the Ryder Cup and first match he takes down Scheffler. The stadium was in absolute shock and going wild; they’d largely come to clap the team to an honourable defeat (me included). Brilliant for the club and city - all those first timers will now be YorkRLFC fans and there was a long queue out of the club shop after the match. York is an attractive destination for a day or weekend for any away fan (no disrespect but rugby league towns are generally grittty rather than pretty - it’s get in, get out, not spend the day) and yet not far to travel for most. Might this be an ‘expansion’ team (sort of) that finally works?

 

[Voyager EMH]

lol… he actually proved Crazyfaces post with that puny list

The population of combined Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset is larger than Wales.
I would like to see a similar list of sports people from there.
Will it be punier? They have more people to choose from.
And how would a football and rugby teams from there compete against Wales?

Given Wales very small population they have, over the years, produced many high achieving sports stars. Also done very well in many forms of the arts and entertainment.
Not puny.

 

[Fade and Die]

The population of combined Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset is larger than Wales.
I would like to see a similar list of sports people from there.
Will it be punier? They have more people to choose from.
And how would a football and rugby teams from there compete against Wales?

Given Wales very small population they have, over the years, produced many high achieving sports stars. Also done very well in many forms of the arts and entertainment.
Not puny.

You should stop comparing yourself to counties with no sporting pedigree, have a look at tiny Nottinghamshire or Yorkshire or even New Zealand then get back to me.

 

[Vikingman]

Lots of smiles this morning in the west side of Hull.

I'll bet, though no doubt Hull will find a way to mess it up on Saturday.

 

[The Squirrel]

You should stop comparing yourself to counties with no sporting pedigree, have a look at tiny Nottinghamshire or Yorkshire or even New Zealand then get back to me.

Well as a son of Somerset I’m going to take quite a bit of offence to this as it’s plainly ridiculous to suggest the West Country has no sporting pedigree.

Literally Bath are the current Prem rugby champions while Somerset are the dominant T20 cricket team in the country for several years now and the current champions. Lando Norris (from Glastonbury) is the current F1 champion.

Where are you from and how is that comparing right now .

At his peak, Botham was England’s greatest ever cricketer. From Somerset. Trescothick was world no.1 batsman too. The West Country has a fairly endless list of top rugby union players as a real stronghold of the sport. Bath/Bristol/Exeter/Glos look a whole lot stronger than the Welsh regions right now.

That’s just one county mentioned (population barely 1M) and off the top of my head. 2 minutes with Google and there would be a far longer list.

 

[Neilds]

Well as a son of Somerset I’m going to take quite a bit of offence to this as it’s plainly ridiculous to suggest the West Country has no sporting pedigree.

Literally Bath are the current Prem rugby champions while Somerset are the dominant T20 cricket team in the country for several years now and the current champions. Lando Norris (from Glastonbury) is the current F1 champion.

Where are you from and how is that comparing right now .

At his peak, Botham was England’s greatest ever cricketer. From Somerset. Trescothick was world no.1 batsman too. The West Country has a fairly endless list of top rugby union players as a real stronghold of the sport. Bath/Bristol/Exeter/Glos look a whole lot stronger than the Welsh regions right now.

That’s just one county mentioned (population barely 1M) and off the top of my head. 2 minutes with Google and there would be a far longer list.

Botham was born in Cheshire so don't think you can claim him

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Botham was born in Cheshire so don't think you can claim him

For anyone about to delve into pedantry, he was born in Heswall, which at the time was in Cheshire. It is now part of The Wirral but it was Cheshire in his time. Phew

 

[The Squirrel]

Botham was born in Cheshire so don't think you can claim him

He moved to Yeovil when he was a toddler and went through the Somerset pathway before spending 15 years playing for the county. Nice try though .

 

[Arthur Wedge]

There are a lot of top class sportsmen and women from the West Country , just like there are across all areas

 

[GB72]

The thing about Wales is not the size or population but their heritage. Rugby was in their blood and to see it being wiped out like this is terrible. 18000 tickets were unsold for the match this week which is unheard of. This is more comparable to something like Liverpool or Manchester as a city losing interest in football. Rugby is not the number one sport on many places but fir generations it was in Wales

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The thing about Wales is not the size or population but their heritage. Rugby was in their blood and to see it being wiped out like this is terrible. 18000 tickets were unsold for the match this week which is unheard of. This is more comparable to something like Liverpool or Manchester as a city losing interest in football. Rugby is not the number one sport on many places but fir generations it was in Wales

Money is killing their rugby

Premiership and France offer all the wages that Welsh Rugby can’t

 

[GB72]

Money is killing their rugby

Premiership and France offer all the wages that Welsh Rugby can’t

Not really, premiership is skint as well and wage bills are being cut. France is the only one with the cash as one of their big broadcasters ditched football and invested that spend into rugby. The JIF regulations stop the widespread recruitment of foreign players. The issue in Wakes is poor management and the regions not retaining the prior traditional fan bases. No surprise there. Lack of investment in development is another concern but not so much money and wages. Ireland do very well with similar available revenue streams