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USER1999

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Whilst the right team probably won, I have never seen a more biased referee in my life. They should have given him a red shirt and had done with it.
 
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birdieman

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Whilst the right team probably won, I have never seen a more biased referee in my life. They should have given him a red shirt and had done with it.

He was almost as biased as Brian Moore in commentary ;)

Good game though!
 

Basher

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Didn't see the game. To be honest I'm not particularly interested in English rugby anymore, too inconsistent and mostly bad.
I never watch club rugby, 6 nations doesn't grip me like it used to do, only the World Cup worthy of a sit down nowadays.
 

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Don't get me wrong, I changed allegiance to Ireland when England sold their home games to Sky in the 90's, so I really don't give a stuff, but I thought the ref was appalling. He should have swapped shirts with a red after the game.
 

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Yes Wales did kill the ball, but they were much more street wise doing it, Andy Food etc were just plain stupid when they tried it.

Interesting to see Clive the bus Woodward in the stand, watch that space.

Still fancy Wales to win it but no grand slam this year.
 

USER1999

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My money is on Ireland. Playing well. And long over due. It will all come down to the last game, in Cardiff. Green v red. Cracker. Bring it on.
 

Basher

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Good question Hywel.

There doesn't seem to be any characters in rugby these days.
Looking back, there were players such as Fitzpatrick, Moore, Jenkins et al.
Some more athletic than others I admit. Some real "pie eaters" used to play. Nowadays they seem to be conditioned out and out athletes.
Wilkinson was a fantastic kicker but had the personality of a pot plant!
I think England peaked after their World Cup triumph, never been the same since.

More likely I lost interest when England started playing poorly to be honest!!!!!! ;)
 

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I know what you mean about characters but the professional game killed all that public eye characters off, if the modern players got up to what the old guard use to the press would have a field day! Trust me on this, what goes on behind closed doors would still raise the eyebrows.

England are just in a slump all teams get them, however, Johnson is not the man you need, you have too many players that think they are the bees knees but are no way established, the forwards are too slow and you dont have a 10. However, your point about losing interested? How? Just watch a Leicester vs Wasps game, Bath vs Toulouse etc they will get the blood flowing. Bring on the next round of the Heineken Cup (ace beer and tournament!)
 

Imurg

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I don't get the negative stance modern sides take in the kicking game. These days it seems to be - punt it downfield and let them make a mistake - and yet when England ran the ball instead of kicking it they looked dangerous.

Several times there was a ping-pong match going on until someone spilled the ball or "accidentally" put into touch - which is where it would go every time a few years ago. Is this prevalent in club rugby too?
 

HTL

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Not so much mate, its the new ELV`s, they do produce a ping pong match every now and again. Players are of often scared of solo attacks due to the risk of turn over due to hanging onto the ball.

England did look good im attack with Flutey pulling the strings but Goode or Flood are not your players. As for ho you should play? Um................... I dont know.
 

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Nout wrong with League mate, its the most brutal game I have ever played, I loved it. Played all my time at uni won the BUSA cup and played for Welsh students in League.
I love the game and prefer playing it but prefer to watch union? Odd I know as league is a much faster and more flowing game.

Go the Celtic crusaders!
 

Imurg

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Not so much mate, its the new ELV`s, they do produce a ping pong match every now and again. Players are of often scared of solo attacks due to the risk of turn over due to hanging onto the ball.

England did look good im attack with Flutey pulling the strings but Goode or Flood are not your players. As for ho you should play? Um................... I dont know.

ELV's??
 

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Experimental law variations, i.e. cant kick for touch when ball passed back into 22, you allowed to pull down a maul, unlimited number in line outs etc.
 

Imurg

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So which prat thought that lot up??
Mauling is one of the fundamental parts of forward play.
They'll change the shape of the ball next.

Actually it explains a lot. You see a lot more penalties for handling the ball in the ruck - because there's more rucks because the mauls get pulled down.

Quite funny when England got pulled up for a lineout that wasn't straight when both scrumhalves fed the ball to the 2nd row at every scrum.
 

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I was astounded at how biased the ref was, however I rekon that it had a lot to do with Martin Johnson saying before hand that england were going to slow the ball up and so the ref saw that every thing that england did was a diliberate attempt at stopping Wales play.
 

medwayjon

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I dont trust any game where the ball isnt round!

An ex of mine and her family were season ticket holders at harlequins and she took me and one of my yid brothers who fancied her mate for a game once.

We couldnt resist, everytime a player picked the egg up we were shouting "handball ref!" and the like.
 
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