Ireland A v England Saxons

[danny]

Id rather hear about how England are too scared to play on a ****-tip like Donneybrook

 

[Sir Speedy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 6 2009, 07:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Feb 6 2009, 07:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In that case, I'm turning this thread into a Scotland v Wales U20 match commentary.

HT Score: 6 - 10 to Wales after a try late into HT.[/b]

on your bike this thread is gonna be all about England being pussys cause it's a little cold in Dublin.
[/b][/quote]
Can't we have a hybrid thread?
"So England too - AND WALES SCORE THEIR FIFTH TRY - afraid to play in nippy conditions means Ireland don't get - NOW THEIR SIXTH! - to expose them for the rubbish frauds they are."

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danny @ Feb 6 2009, 07:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Id rather hear about how England are too scared to play on a ****-tip like Donneybrook[/b]

yeah don't worry we'll keep on your back, poor Cipriani could have got frostbite even though it's a positively tropical 2.7°C

 

[monkeypigeon]

That Stuart Lancaster fella tells the lovliest stories. Sounds like the England squad had a fairly shitty day,

 

[An Tarbh]

I love the way the BBC ticker is reporting this:

Originally posted by BBC Sport
Friday night's match between Ireland A and England Saxons in Dublin has been called off after freezing conditions left the Donnybrook pitch unplayable.

Referee Jerome Garces made the decision a minute before the scheduled 1935 GMT kick-off on grounds of player safety.

It is understood the fixture will not be rearranged.

An Irish Rugby Football Union spokesman said: "The pitch is freezing and the temperature kept dropping so the referee decided to call it off."

Michael Bradley, coach of the Irish side, said: "It is disappointing - we were keen to play. There were a couple of new caps and it is sad for them."

Not a mention of England refusing to come out, not a mention of pressurising the referee after he'd said they were good to go. No talk of club representatives getting in contact with the England management to force them to look for a postponment

 

[Prestwick]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 6 2009, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

yeah don't worry we'll keep on your back, poor Cipriani could have got frostbite even though it's a positively tropical 2.7°C[/b]

Can I get some clarification here in perfect seriousness.

Was the pitch:

a) Frozen.
B ) Water logged.
c) In any kind of possible disrepair which could have been used by a team who did not want to play in Ireland tonight.

There is no "Because England are pussies" option as I want a proper answer. Thanks

If option A is chosen then I agree with the decision to refuse to go out. I read an article Brian Moore wrote after Wasps refused to come out against Bath at the REC because the pitch there was frozen and thus unplayable and I agree with what he said, I'll try and dig it out...

EDIT: Found it -> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunio...en-pitches.html

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Feb 6 2009, 09:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 6 2009, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah don't worry we'll keep on your back, poor Cipriani could have got frostbite even though it's a positively tropical 2.7°C[/b]

Can I get some clarification here in perfect seriousness.

Was the pitch:

a) Frozen.
B ) Water logged.
c) In any kind of possible disrepair which could have been used by a team who did not want to play in Ireland tonight.

There is no "Because England are pussies" option as I want a proper answer. Thanks

If option A is chosen then I agree with the decision to refuse to go out. I read an article Brian Moore wrote after Wasps refused to come out against Bath at the REC because the pitch there was frozen and thus unplayable and I agree with what he said, I'll try and dig it out...

EDIT: Found it -> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunio...en-pitches.html
[/b][/quote]

I doubt the pitch was frozen, the Sun has been splitting the sky all day, Donnybrook is a very open venue so there wouldn't have been any issue with the pitch being frozen as far as I'm concerned.

It's clear that the club owners didn't want their players playing in this match so any excuse to get it called off and they jumped on it.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Yeah, clear skies means quicker disappation of heat. And it's only slightly above freezing. Sun also means there was less moisture and ehnce softness on the pitch. So Yes, in fairness it was probably frozen.

When the Saxons coach was speaking in the interview he mentioned that he has a "Duty of Care of care to the players". Which is his way of saying that if he let them play and someone got injured because of conditions, then he could possibly be liable.

And for that reason, I say fair enough. Shame they probably won't stick around untill tomorrow though.

 

[An Tarbh]

well I doubt Bradley would have been willing to send players out onto a frozen pitch with the risks involved, he was certainly keen for the game to be played which would suggest the surface was ok.

 

[monkeypigeon]

True, I noticed that too.

And the Big Softy Kidney was there too and I seriously doubt he'd let anyone out on a dangerous surface.

Not surprisingly one of the biggest whingers was Cribiani. Wilkinson would have been delighted to play...

 

[An Tarbh]

Kidney did look fairly bemused to be honest.