I think the issue (in Wales particularly... but probably affects other nations to varying degrees too) is that rugby is so deep-rooted into the culture of being Welsh that... some of/most of these idiots probably 'consider' themselves rugby fans simply because they are patriotic & in Wales' case rugby is the ultimate emblem of our nation/culture.
Yeah... funny thing is I've just bought a new build in Dragons territory. It'll be built by September, so by that point I'll no longer be a blue (well no one will by that point to be fair) and I'll be a man of Gwent.
What's wrong with Dragons games? Why is it a masochism?
Can't answer for prominent rugby playing areas but certainly being a rugby fan here (East Sussex Sussex, pretty close to Marlor) puts me in a huge minority I know very few other rugby fans outside of those I grew up playing with. I don't think there is a huge wide spread fan base or passion by comparison but of course there is a degree of idiots that will watch the 6 Nations flock to social media to spout what ever Hatred they can conjure.
Yeah, to be honest... and this is not me casting shade at other nations etc. just my opinion (informed by over 40 years in this country... but part of the audience of the British and therefore English media) there are very few other places in the world where rugby is such an intrinsic facet of a nation. Obviously New Zealand (but they don't get half the hurt us Welsh do)... and to a lesser extent South Africa (obviously cricket is very popular... and football amongst the black population is the most popular sport there). Then maybe the Pacific Islands.
Until recently they were massive whipping boys. Since Dean Ryan has taken over, this has changed somewhat, they still struggle but they do now win the occasional game.
But if it was a deliberate knock (as surely he wasn't trying to take the ball with one hand) then he might have walked for that and a penalty would have resulted.
It could easily be he (scrum 5) who pays the piper (Owens) calls the tune or put simply 'dont bite the hand that feeds you...Nigel'
Am technically agreeing it would look like that but it's more likely owens is pandering to the paymasters.@ForumWhore wasn't serious... I know it seems that way to you but he was just looking for a bite
Or just to the 'fans' who want to hear that their team should've won if not for this or that... every country has them
Yes it was a good job for Luke Pearce and Wayne Barnes no problem but ask them to do it in french and the result may be less obvious. For Pascal Gauzere and TMO Ruiz It would have been better to let them chat in their native language and then give their decision to the players in English
It seems obvious that they should be speaking to each other in their first language. Some of the decisions are so convoluted that a small translation error can make a big difference.
It sounded like Pearce wanted too much info. And was lacking confidence. Instead of stating on field decision is a try he might have been better simply asking if there was any reason not to award a try. Then Barnesy wouldn't subconsciously have felt his hands were tied.
If Pearce gave atry he must have seen the ball grounded. Yet he asked if there was any evidence that it wasn't grounded. Which in effect casts doubt on what he says he saw
