Pool 3 (Sale, Saracens, Scarlets, Toulon)

[TRF_Olyy]

I know people say it a lot but I'm seriously falling out of love with rugby union.
Both our yellow cards were laughable - first is shoulder on shoulder as the attacker lowers to sprint and they call it as shoulder to face and bin him.
2nd Ostrikov is diving at a player, the player passes,Ostrikov makes contact and is binned for a late tackle.
Unless he's been on at the ministry of magic learning apparition there's literally nothing he could've done to avoid that hit.
They're ruining this sport.

 

[Groundhog]

Yeah there's a bit too much emphasis on the outcome rather than the actions, intent or responsability of the guy involved. If you make contact with someone in the air and they land badly you're done. If the guy lands ok, or indeed manages to land on his feet it's treated as nothing. Really quite unfair.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Still no scarlets card
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Amiga500]

I know people say it a lot but I'm seriously falling out of love with rugby union.
Both our yellow cards were laughable - first is shoulder on shoulder as the attacker lowers to sprint and they call it as shoulder to face and bin him.
2nd Ostrikov is diving at a player, the player passes,Ostrikov makes contact and is binned for a late tackle.
Unless he's been on at the ministry of magic learning apparition there's literally nothing he could've done to avoid that hit.
They're ruining this sport.

Agree on both.

Never yellow. In fact, IMO, they were not even close to being worthy of penalties!

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Toulon Sarries was a proper game of rugby. Sarries were immense in the first half. Good to see Fazlet back, Kruis and George were both immense. Sin binning again totally changed the momentum, a little halo slippage there maybe.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Just been watching the Sarries game. Something I found baffling was during the period where Itoje was off the game carried on when Sarries had 2 players down injured. That's a 3 man disadvantage and essentially a guarenteed try to the attacking team. Surely when more than 1 player is down injured for the defending team the game should be brought to a halt as it's just giving such an advantage to the attacking team... If such a rule doesn't exist, it should. Toulon didn't deserve that try as they just walked through a space created by Sarries missing 3 players.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Cue 2+ defending players getting cramp whenever they get a player carded...

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Cue 2+ defending players getting cramp whenever they get a player carded...

Which would be very risky as if the game isn't stopped instantly, they could cause their team to concede a try, add to that potential punishment for faking and it doesn't seem like a viable tactic to exploit it. As it is having a 3 man advantage due to injuries is ludicrous, especially in tight games. You can handle it for a short while but if those players have been down for any length of time, a try WILL be scored, unless you go full Wales vs Aus.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale Sharks: 15. Mike Haley, 14. Byron McGuigan, 13. Will Addison, 12. Mark Jennings, 11. Paolo Odogwu, 10. Sam James, 9. Peter Stringer, 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Neil Briggs, 3. Brian Mujati, 4. Bryn Evans, 5. Andrei Ostrikov, 6. Cameron Neild, 7. Magnus Lund, 8. Josh Beaumont (c)

Replacements: 16. Eifion Lewis-Roberts, 17. Halani Aulika, 18. Jonathan Mills, 19. David Seymour, 20. Tom Curry, 21. James Mitchell, 22. Dan Mugford, 23. Sam Bedlow


Bit dodgy in the middle:
Stringer just back from an injury (I'm expecting him to fail a late fitness test), Sam James first competitive start at 10 (after a pretty average start to the season) and Jennings first game time of the season after injury and it's up against Basta/Nonu.

This ain't gonna be pretty.

 

[munstermuffin]

Peter attended the funeral here today. Fairplay to him on a matchday. He will do ye proud

 

[RedruthRFC]

Just been watching the Sarries game. Something I found baffling was during the period where Itoje was off the game carried on when Sarries had 2 players down injured. That's a 3 man disadvantage and essentially a guarenteed try to the attacking team. Surely when more than 1 player is down injured for the defending team the game should be brought to a halt as it's just giving such an advantage to the attacking team... If such a rule doesn't exist, it should. Toulon didn't deserve that try as they just walked through a space created by Sarries missing 3 players.

Not something that I've ever thought about before, it's something that I always considered part of the game. I take your point, but I can't see a snowball in hell's chance of a rule change to make the game more stop start being introduced and could see a hat full of problems introducing a fair, effective rule to prevent this from happening.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Thompkins for England.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Thompkins for England.

Twas nice to be fair. He's got an awesome running style. Weight forward early he's going to be a handful.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

So vunipola is on his feet, scarlets player is holding on and jake ball attempts to neck roll vunipola, scarlets penalty. Earlier scarlets player knocks on, penalty scarlets. I'm getting fed up with French refs giving everything they can against English teams.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Thompkins for England.

Not watching this game, but he was awesome on the Saxons tour.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

No not Itoje!!!!!!!!

Fingers crossed nothing serious.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Another great game for us, leaves the other team without a point against us.
Farrell was scary good again, will probably play 12 for England but still would like to keep him at 10. Our lack of players at 12 is a problem. Tompkins played well considering he had little to no time to prepare.

 

[Groundhog]

Mike Ford has been appointed Toulon's head coach. The gift that keeps on giving

 

[Gavin]

Mike Ford has been appointed Toulon's head coach. The gift that keeps on giving

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/toulon-part-ways-with-dominguez/

According to reports in the French media there was unhappiness among the Toulon coaching staff with claims that Ford had complained to Boudjellal about his role, which was apparently too small. Ford also criticised Dominguez's failure to hold collective meetings with his entire staff.

Interesting if what the above is true.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Jesus Christ!

This is, what... the fourth time Ford has done this!?