United Rugby Championsip Round 3

[The Seeker]

 

[big ginger 8]

Leeiiinnnnsteeeeeer.

 

[dullonien]

Scarlets were a joke today. A 2nd string Munster side made them look like kids and honestly the scoreline flattered Scarlets in the end.

Need to take a long hard look at themselves, as do the Ospreys and Cardiff and question whether they're actually giving their all! Coaches need to take some blame as well, there must be reasons why they're looking so hopelessly rudderless...

 

[The Seeker]

I think the announcers are speaking in the native Welsh language. I don't know what they're saying but it sounds cool.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Watched the games this weekend and it felt that this was the week that the South African teams truly arrived in the URC.

I'd give it a while still before making any calls. Stormers could easily have won but we could just as easily have lost it. Lions were more competitive than the loss suggested but still their only win was vs Zebre. Bulls also could easily have lost. Sharks were the only SA team that one could say looked like they had a handle on the game. Not sure how highly rated or not Ospreys would be at this stage and how much improvement one might expect from them but the Sharks have a ton of talent to come in so I would expect them to be the only realistic team from SA to push for a top 4 spot this year.

 

[rN_X]

Sharks have 7 springboks that will be joining after the end of year tour and then the signings they made. Their lineup will almost have a complete change.

 

[MikeTheNative]

There was always going to be a price to pay for an away Dragons win in Ireland. Apparently 3 home losses for the other regions is the balance.

Some rather embarrassing performances Welsh wise, is was all to easy to get over the gain line of the Scarlets, Ospreys and Cardiff's defences rather worrying to be fair.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Sharks have 7 springboks that will be joining after the end of year tour and then the signings they made. Their lineup will almost have a complete change.

Just to see if I have it, Sharks will get:

1 Nche
2 Mbonambi
6 Kolisi

9 Hendrickse
11 Mapimpi
13 Am
14 Nkosi
15 Fassi

I take it you didn't count Hendrickse as I suppose he is still injured? Pity. I would've loved to see Hendrickse and Chamberlain as an exciting up and coming 9-10 combo with all that class out wide. Do you know which signings in particular? Surely your not picking the Stormers apart for more? I'm having trouble sleeping as is.

There was always going to be a price to pay for an away Dragons win in Ireland. Apparently 3 home losses for the other regions is the balance.

Some rather embarrassing performances Welsh wise, is was all to easy to get over the gain line of the Scarlets, Ospreys and Cardiff's defences rather worrying to be fair.

The Elrich Louw tap and go straight over for a try was a bit of a strange one sure. You don't see that too often but probably just a lapse and one of those odd one-offs. It did swing that game though. And to be fair most South Africans see Louw and Roos (Stormers #8) as being in competition for a Bok #8 spot beyond Vermeulen. I suppose Wiese has the inside track ATM but expect one of Louw or Roos to have a good shot.

 

[rN_X]

Yes that is about right left out hendrikse due to injury.

Sharks also bought Ben Tapuai ( Australia inside centre) and Argentina flyhalf Bonilla and then Eduan Keyter from griquas. I think Ben will start as our #12 and Bonilla our starting #10

Grant Williams also returning from the springboks

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yes that is about right left out hendrikse due to injury.

Sharks also bought Ben Tapuai ( Australia inside centre) and Argentina flyhalf Bonilla and then Eduan Keyter from griquas. I think Ben will start as our #12 and Bonilla our starting #10

Grant Williams also returning from the springboks

Ah, yes I suppose I knew about those but thanks for the confirmation!

 

[rN_X]

Ah, yes I suppose I knew about those but thanks for the confirmation!

I just wish SARU will step in and sort the admin stuff out at W.P there is so much talent in the region but the management of the union is just ruining everything.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I just wish SARU will step in and sort the admin stuff out at W.P there is so much talent in the region but the management of the union is just ruining everything.

Ag! Don't even get me started! Politics!

 

[WaterboySA]

I see RG out with serious injury again, not good for the man....

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I see RG out with serious injury again, not good for the man....

Him and Lood, hey! As long as he is good come 2023 let the Irish pay his wages in the meantime. Its the risk you take.

 

[unrated]

I hear rumours that Frans Steyn might also join up with the Sharks for the URC in a similar agreement with the Cheetahs as the one that has Ruan Pienaar and Tian Meyer playing for us. Will see if that realizes, but holding thumbs.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I hear rumours that Frans Steyn might also join up with the Sharks for the URC in a similar agreement with the Cheetahs as the one that has Ruan Pienaar and Tian Meyer playing for us. Will see if that realizes, but holding thumbs.

That would be a full Bok backline then and you have 4 test backline players to spare. Lekker for you boys.

 

[Groundhog]

Just watched the Munster game and wow I was wrong in thinking we'd have a score put on us. Absolutely fantastic result with the team we sent over. I may have overestimated Scarlets/ was not following their form, but on paper it was a really strong looking side!

Really really strong performance by our young players and some players who are a bit unheralded. Cloete was a machine. For a guy who's my height and only slightly less jacked than me he is ridiculously effective in rucks when he times it right and carries pretty well too! Deservedly man of the match even though his try shouldn't have stood imo. Wycherley was the second best player on the pitch after him. Some of the tackles he made were ruthless. I really hope Coombes is let continue and gets games at 13. A properly fast outside center is something we could really use. His two tries were outstanding and he was a big part of our linespeed. Considering he was against a Lion he did extremely well.

All of the players who needed big games shone really well. Ahern always beat the gainline, Healy was controlled and threw some absolutely class passes, Nash is in supreme, both O'Sullivan and Barron looked seriously atheltic. O'Donoghues break and kick were absolutely brilliant and I'm glad we've shown again it's a myth that we're incapable of being expansive.

Thought guys like Loughman and Cronin were really strong as well.

Big black mark is obviously losing RG again. It's extremely frustrating as a fan so I can only imagine how frustrated he is to have another long term cruciate injury. I'd say your mental health would be in the toilet when something like that happens so I hope he is well.

On Scarlets I'm sure it wasn't the case but they looked at the very least uninterested. Heads dropped way too early and they butchered so much of their possession. Not sure what's happening there, but they're a very different looking side to seasons past. I think a lot of Munster fans would have taken a LBP when the sides were announced because they're usually one score games when we play.

 

[Redman7]

This is brilliant, the touring aspect really adds to this tournament

 

[MikeTheNative]

Just watched the Munster game and wow I was wrong in thinking we'd have a score put on us. Absolutely fantastic result with the team we sent over. I may have overestimated Scarlets/ was not following their form, but on paper it was a really strong looking side!

Really really strong performance by our young players and some players who are a bit unheralded. Cloete was a machine. For a guy who's my height and only slightly less jacked than me he is ridiculously effective in rucks when he times it right and carries pretty well too! Deservedly man of the match even though his try shouldn't have stood imo. Wycherley was the second best player on the pitch after him. Some of the tackles he made were ruthless. I really hope Coombes is let continue and gets games at 13. A properly fast outside center is something we could really use. His two tries were outstanding and he was a big part of our linespeed. Considering he was against a Lion he did extremely well.

All of the players who needed big games shone really well. Ahern always beat the gainline, Healy was controlled and threw some absolutely class passes, Nash is in supreme, both O'Sullivan and Barron looked seriously atheltic. O'Donoghues break and kick were absolutely brilliant and I'm glad we've shown again it's a myth that we're incapable of being expansive.

Thought guys like Loughman and Cronin were really strong as well.

Big black mark is obviously losing RG again. It's extremely frustrating as a fan so I can only imagine how frustrated he is to have another long term cruciate injury. I'd say your mental health would be in the toilet when something like that happens so I hope he is well.

On Scarlets I'm sure it wasn't the case but they looked at the very least uninterested. Heads dropped way too early and they butchered so much of their possession. Not sure what's happening there, but they're a very different looking side to seasons past. I think a lot of Munster fans would have taken a LBP when the sides were announced because they're usually one score games when we play.

I thought beforehand it wouldn't be a decent Scarlets win but didn't expect them to be that bad. I think disinterested is a good way to describe that woeful performance, nothing really positive from that. Set piece, defence, attack, handling, kicking all was poor.
That's not taking anything away from Munster though, they can only play what's in-front of them and they put the Scarlets to the sword.

 

[mdaclarke]

Sharks star Dylan Richardson to play for Scotland in November Internationals

Rising star Dylan Richardson has been lost to the Springboks as he is set to be named in the Scotland squad for their November internationals.

www.iol.co.za

Dylan Richardson to play for Scotland. Wonder if he is a loss to the Boks?

For me the only player poached by the NH that I felt was a loss was to the Boks was C J Stander. All the others have in my opinion not been Bok material. Would be interesting to know what others think.

Also feel that currently the only players up north that would be losses are Tyrone Green and JJ Van der Mescht.