The Official Rugby Thread

[wisp]

Thread name changed as per request.

thank u , now its a amptelike/official thread sommer :)

[wisp]

The first result is Highlander 14 - Hurricanes 9

[echo]

Totally messes up my Superbru. But I love an upset!

[Gammaray]

Dammit Canes! You're gonna screw me the whole season again, aren't you!

[Boggle24]

The Saders and Canes both let me down in Superbru :P

Wish I could have watched the games, highlight clips will have to do till next weekend I guess.

[Cleric]

Sharks v Cheetahs was a snorefest. Hope both teams step up their game.

And before anyone says it was a weather thing, the Lions v Bulls game was also played in the rain and had some of the best running we've seen from SA sides in a while. Great game, glad my boys are at least playing with heart again.

Oh and that New Zelander in the squad is a FIND of note. Really fantastic runner.

[Cleric]

EDIT: This double posting out of nowhere is getting annoying.

[echo]

Have to agree with the first game being a snorefest. Hopefully it's just a start of the season thing, otherwise both those teams are gonna get mauled. The Blues Crusaders game on the other hand was magic. When you're 16-3 ahead and your the ****ing Crusaders, you don't lose.

And I swear if Rory Kockott didn't knock that ball on, the Lions would have won. They were all over the Bulls.

[wisp]

Have to agree with the first game being a snorefest. Hopefully it's just a start of the season thing, otherwise both those teams are gonna get mauled. The Blues Crusaders game on the other hand was magic. When you're 16-3 ahead and your the ****ing Crusaders, you don't lose.

And I swear if Rory Kockott didn't knock that ball on, the Lions would have won. They were all over the Bulls.

a good old Rory , living up to his usual standards i see :), he a yellow card waiting to happen . Agree about the Sharks game , the scrumming on the cheeetahs side seemed to be a problem or was i imagining that the ref was a little bit erractic when saying crouch, touch , pause............engage

whats this i hearthat u get 4 points for a bye , is it true or it just to make sure that the Lions for once can get 4 points in super rugby;)

[echo]

Double post time!

Mitchell: No prizes for 2nd

Johannesburg – “No, I’m not satisfied. There are no prizes for second place.”

Finally, a Lions coach that refuses to just accept defeats by offering excuses about a building process, lack of experience or other factors.

John Mitchell’s Lions nearly shook the Bulls with a fightback in the second half that almost spurred them to a famous Vodacom Super Rugby victory. The Bulls won the Jukskei Derby 24-20 at Coca-Cola Park.

When Mitchell was asked about the positives of his team’s performance, it was as if he was indignant.

“I’m not interested in coming second. We will have to learn our lessons fast. If we want to be the best in the country and in our conference, we have to win the close games. We let this one slip. I’m not interested in people praising one another because they came close to winning,” said Mitchell.

It was clear from the fightback that the Lions have been transformed into a side that believes mediocrity is for the birds. That is why there will be some straight talk about the issue of individualism, which also featured in Mitchell’s half-time team-talk.

It’s no surprise that the two youngest players were guilty of it in the first half. They are flyhalf Elton Jantjies and fullback Jaco Taute.
Taute took a heavy blow to the face and was replaced by James Kamana after 27 minutes.

Jantjies took his admonishment by Mitchell to heart and was part of a team effort that had the Bulls gasping for air with the kind of high-tempo running rugby that the Lions like to play.

“The plan was always to stretch the Bulls (on defence). But some of our players chose not to do that in the first half,” said Mitchell.

“The individuals did what they wanted to and that really cost us. It’s clear that we have the answer when we stick to the plan.”

Part of the plan is to hold onto the ball at all cost and not to give away possession with pointless kicks. When the Lions used possession as they had planned in the second half, they looked a very exciting team.

Kamana, wing Michael Killian and centre Waylon Murray were suddenly inspired on attack.

No more of that "building phase, young team" BS. I like.

[Gammaray]

Lions comeback of note. Man I loved them in the second half. Not sure why they bought Kockott, really despise that guy more than Fourie Du Preez.

Good weekend Stormers! :P

[Boggle24]

What's up with getting 4 points for a by ?

I can't really find a reason for doing it, if everyone is going to be getting 4 points for having the week off at some point then why give the points at all ?

wanna stop people from ending up with 0 points on the log perhaps ?
Still seems pointless.

[wisp]

2011 Super Rugby standings




Points will be awarded in all 2011 Super Rugby matches on the following basis:
Win: Four points
Draw: Two points
Loss: One point for loss within seven points or less of the team that wins
Loss: No points for loss of more than seven points
Bonus points: One point for four tries or more
Bye: Four points for every bye

Super Rugby
Aus
Team Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Bonus Total
Waratahs 1 1 0 0 43 0 1 5
Brumbies 1 1 0 0 28 20 0 4
Reds 1 1 0 0 21 20 0 4
Force 1 0 0 1 20 21 1 1
Rebels 1 0 0 1 0 43 0 0

NZ
Team Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Bonus Total
Highlanders 1 1 0 0 14 9 0 4
Blues 1 1 0 0 24 22 0 4
Crusaders 1 0 0 1 22 24 1 1
Hurricanes 1 0 0 1 9 14 1 1
Chiefs 1 0 0 1 20 28 0 0

SA
Team Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Bonus Total
Sharks 1 1 0 0 24 9 0 4
Bulls 1 1 0 0 24 20 0 4
Stormers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
Lions 1 0 0 1 20 24 1 1
Cheetahs 1 0 0 1 9 24 0 0


Joint Super Rugby Log
Team Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Bonus Total
Waratahs 1 1 0 0 43 0 1 5
Sharks 1 1 0 0 24 9 0 4
Brumbies 1 1 0 0 28 20 0 4
Highlanders 1 1 0 0 14 9 0 4
Bulls 1 1 0 0 24 20 0 4
Blues 1 1 0 0 24 20 0 4
Reds 1 1 0 0 21 20 0 4
Stormers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
Force 1 0 0 1 20 21 1 1
Crusaders 1 0 0 1 22 24 1 1
Lions 1 0 0 1 20 24 1 1
Hurricanes 1 0 0 1 9 14 1 1
Chiefs 1 0 0 1 20 28 0 0
Cheetahs 1 0 0 1 9 24 0 0
Rebels 1 0 0 1 0 43 0 0

Yep the stormers are lying 8th and they didnt even work up a sweat ...and for once the Lions are not at the bottom of table

[wisp]

This weeks games are

Week 2
Feb 25 - Highlanders v Chiefs
Feb 25 - Rebels v Brumbies
Feb 25 - Cheetahs v Bulls
Feb 26 - Hurricanes v Crusaders
Feb 26 - Waratahs v Reds
Feb 26 - Sharks v Blues
Feb 26 - Stormers v Lions
Force Bye

After watching the Blues beat the Crusaders i think the Sharks are in for a tough game , Stormers - Lions should be tight and lets see if the rebels can actually cross the try line this week

[echo]

And just for those who care about the Six Nations, some smack talking by the French coach ahead of Sundays clash against the English.

From Planet Rugby

Marc Li?vremont has turned up the heat ahead of this week's Six Nations encounter with England by admitting: "We don't like the English".

Saturday's game will be pivotal in deciding the destiny of the Six Nations crown with both teams boasting 100 per cent records after two games.

The France boss also claims the rest of the countries in the tournament are willing his side to beat the English and deny coach Martin Johnson his Grand Slam bid.

"We don't like them and it's better to say that than be hypocritical," said Li?vremont.

"We have a bit of trouble with the English. We respect them - well in my case at least I respect them.

"But you couldn't say we have the slightest thing in common with them.

"We appreciate our Italian cousins with whom we share the same quality of life.

"We appreciate the Celts and their conviviality and then among all these nations we have one huge thing in common. We all don't like the English.

"We beat Ireland yet left Dublin with the encouragement of all the Irish who said 'for pity's sake, beat the English'.

"With the Scots, it's the same thing. It is also what gives you strength against the English, more than just because of rugby."

Li?vremont nevertheless regards England as a huge threat, saying that their players appear to be operating at a "different level".

He added: "This insular country, who always drape themselves in the national flag, their hymns, their chants, their traditions. They are people who one regards as a very proud people.

"But we are also very aware, in terms of planning and preparation, that the English are already in 2011 World Cup mode.

"We can feel that all of the English players are physically on a different level."

Haha! While I don't condone Pommie bashing I really like it when coaches say stupid stuff just to make things more interesting.

[Cleric]

Waylon Murray

What a player that guy has developed into. I remember very clearly disliking him a few years back, but he's turned into a great running centre.

Lions comeback of note. Man I loved them in the second half. Not sure why they bought Kockott, really despise that guy more than Fourie Du Preez.

How can anyone despise the man who possibly the one of the greatest rugby players of all time? And I don't mean that in the hyperbolic sense, the man is a genius. The boks and bulls both look flat without him as he takes a fly-half's role and builds it into his scrummy play

[Boggle24]

I was wondering the same thing.

Fourie Du Preez has got to be one of the greatest scrumhalves the game of Rugby has ever witnessed, he's one of the most intelligent players I've ever seen, tactically he probably has no equal.

[echo]

Fourie Du Preez.

Probably the only Bull I actually like. You really can't have a Bok team without him. A lot of people say that Matfield is the reason for their success. I think Du Preez is.

[Cleric]

Mattfield's lineout prouwess is unmatched, but him constantly getting in the way and thinking he's a centre has caused a lot of ill in various tests.

[Gammaray]

No no, you guys got me all wrong. I have no quibble with his game, but he's a doos when he keeps lifting his arms talking to the ref while the maul is moving or when the ball is sitting at the back of the ruck. That **** started with Joost, and i'm sorry I just can't take it.

Play the ball quickly instead.

*EDIT: My bad. I don't despise him (bad choice of words), just when he does that I want to huff a kitten*