Brive - Scarlets (08/04/2012, 20:15)

[dullonien]

Soo many mistakes in this game so far. Scarlets look the more dangerous team, but their lineout is appalling so far. Scrum has been a mixed bag, but Scarlets are under pressure there.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Nah, never could handle pressure.
I've seen him miss plenty of sitters.

Very scrappy so far.

Dunno Draggs, when he came back from France he was pretty immense in his kicking. As the years have gone on, his kicking has worsened and now is at an all time low sadly.

 

[Feicarsinn]

He was top class for the Lions, and they were fairly important kicks.

 

[Draggs]

Dunno Draggs, when he came back from France he was pretty immense in his kicking. As the years have gone on, his kicking has worsened.

I suppose I remember the misses more than the successful ones.
NZ 2004 still sits badly with me.

Wellies misses one in front, and later makes one over 40m out on the side. Go figure.
6-6 HT.

 

[dullonien]

Nah, never could handle pressure.
I've seen him miss plenty of sitters.

Very scrappy so far.

I normally felt confident when Stephen stepped up to take a kick at goal. He could sometimes miss sitters, but nowhere near as many as in recent weeks. He was never the best kicker under pressure, but I wouldn't call a game like this a big pressure match for him.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Soo many mistakes in this game so far. Scarlets look the more dangerous team, but their lineout is appalling so far. Scrum has been a mixed bag, but Scarlets are under pressure there.

To be fair Scarlets with a more understanding referee of the scrums would win far more penalties.

 

[welshglory]

Scarlets being demolished in the scrums now

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I could be wrong but I think a win for Brive puts Connacht through to the Heineken Cup.

If Brive win, all four Amlin semi finalists are from France, giving France a 7th Heineken Cup place. If Clermont win the Heineken Cup, France can't get an 8th place. If Edinburgh win the Heineken Cup, there's no 3rd Scottish team who can enter the Heineken Cup. Since Irish teams have done better than Welsh teams in the Heineken Cup, I think the final spot in the Heineken Cup goes to Connacht by default.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Brive living offside.

 

[Draggs]

Penalty advantage 40m straight in front, few minutes to go...
Scarlets need a proper pack. No way they can compete otherwise.

 

[Toko_11]

I've been watching Georgian props whole day... its funny sometimes, how come we of all countries have scrummers this strong. the game was a pretty scrappy affair.. even though it was so tense i couldn't really enjoy it. would love to see Brive vs Toulon final. Clermont vs Ulster in Heineken. good times ahead!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

You might find Eifion Lewis-Roberts might well come back into contention with moving back to Sale ... but then again, if you play for Sale you seemingly can't play for Wales.

 

[Draggs]

You might find Eifion Lewis-Roberts might well come back into contention with moving back to Sale ... but then again, if you play for Sale you seemingly can't play for Wales.

Fitness issues were what kept him out.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Fitness issues were what kept him out.

Aye, but he seems fitter now.

 

[big ginger 8]

I've been watching Georgian props whole day... its funny sometimes, how come we of all countries have scrummers this strong. the game was a pretty scrappy affair.. even though it was so tense i couldn't really enjoy it. would love to see Brive vs Toulon final. Clermont vs Ulster in Heineken. good times ahead!

I hope not!

 

[Me 1]

Congratulations Scarlets, you lost to the Brive 2nd XV, and got outscrummaged by a 19 year old loosehead in his first ever start at professional rugby, and lineout was also dreadful

In fairness our starting props were both 3rd choice and one of them was also a 19 year old.

 

[Teh Mite]

I could be wrong but I think a win for Brive puts Connacht through to the Heineken Cup.

If Brive win, all four Amlin semi finalists are from France, giving France a 7th Heineken Cup place. If Clermont win the Heineken Cup, France can't get an 8th place. If Edinburgh win the Heineken Cup, there's no 3rd Scottish team who can enter the Heineken Cup. Since Irish teams have done better than Welsh teams in the Heineken Cup, I think the final spot in the Heineken Cup goes to Connacht by default.

Unbelievably, I think it means Wasps:
http://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s96.htm?98,13194577

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Rhodri Jones is 21 and has been called up to the Wales squad, is he really third choice?

To be slightly pedantic but Rhodri is 20 (December 23, 1991)

 

[dullonien]

I thought Rhodri did well. The times the Scarlets got on top in the scrums was because Rhodri was going forwards on his side. Unfortunately, Peter Edwards and Gardiner were under a lot of pressure on the other.

Anyone else think that Ken Owens is currently playing much better than Matthew Rees? He had an absolutely huge impact in this game. The lineouts which were such a mess in the first half improved drastically, and he appeared everywhere in defence and attack. Who's going to go to Aus as first choice hooker? Owens and Hibbard are the form hookers (although Hibbard still needs to work on his conditioning), but Rees has the experience.

 

[Draggs]

I think that too

On current form, Matthew Rees is fourth.
Yes, I put Bennett and Hibbard ahead of him...

Matthew Rees is the new Huw Bennett!