Team v Ireland

[Spiffy]

Congrats on the win.

Ireland certainly played the ref better but I don't think he allowed Scotland to compete at the breakdown in the first half.

Irish won as they have much better halfbacks.

But they remain a desperately cynical bunch.

More cynical than a scottish team who set out to commit an offence at every breakdown? Sure.

Yes. Puir wee Jonny Sexton's play acting. Playing men beyond the breakdown as per. Extensive arm waving and faux hard-mannery. Keith Earls for being Keith Earls. BODs trousers.

There's no shame in being embarrassed by all of that.

What's your complaint about Earls? I think he has a had a great 6N and for a little bloke hits way above his weight,always gives 100% + , and is a clean and honest competitor. If all the Ireland playes had his level of comittment we would be in much better shape. Am I missing something here?

[switchskier]

More cynical than a scottish team who set out to commit an offence at every breakdown? Sure.

Yes. Puir wee Jonny Sexton's play acting. Playing men beyond the breakdown as per. Extensive arm waving and faux hard-mannery. Keith Earls for being Keith Earls. BODs trousers.

There's no shame in being embarrassed by all of that.

I do wonder if you lot all watch Scotland games through your fingers (who could blame you) and it somehow obscures the Scotland team committing penalty offences. Scotland are every bit as bad at taking people out beyond the ball. Hell there was a supremely comedic moment in this game when one of your players tipped over one of ours about 5m away from the breakdown right under the nose of the ref with no penalty awarded.

Eugene I agree with you that the ref complaining on this thread has gotten a bit ridiculous and welsh but this is nonsense. Ireland set out to get to the second man as a clear tactic and they can be very good at it. They do it more blatantly than any other team apart in the same way that NZ did a few years ago. As a tactic it clearly works for them so fair enough but it still isn't legal and I wish we were doing more to bring it to the refs attention because it must be hard for the ref who has to concentrate on the ruck area first and foremost.

[ARM]

I thought it may have been obvious that I wasn't being entirely serious.

Although fair to say that I didn't particularly enjoy the play acting. Still as others have said we've got some form with Hogg etc.

[OptimisticJock]

A few players who had 'big' games in the two wins were poor today. Barclay and Hardie come to mind. Despite Gray's try he was darting out of the defensive line all day. We missed Jonny as well even though Swinson wasn't poor himself.

On the whole they were just not mentally there and the ref whistled them out of the game the entire first half which made it incredibly difficult.

You lot really need to quit whining about refs. You were whistled because every single breakdown without fail you hung around trying to prevent us from contesting it. Gauzere demanded both sides cleared the breakdown. We started out clearing away much quicker than you did - we were moving to the side rather than not moving at all or like Barclay pretending to contest the breakdown 5 hours after being beaten by the ruck - and we also had much more of the ball so you were committing more offences. You didn't even learn. A halfway competent side might have done the prep to see what he would be doing or adjusted what they were doing to the way he was reffing but the picture you painted from the very first breakdown was of a team determined to kill ball at all costs, whereas the picture we painted was of a team trying to get back into the defensive line as quickly as possible. It is little wonder that we got the benefit of the doubt when later in the game we stopped clearing out of the way anywhere near as quickly.

Get yourself tae fuck. People here pay good money to watch rugby and when they are subjected to the shite level of officiating that is constantly on play they are more than entitled to have a dig at refs. Particularly ones that are as shite as that cunt.

And as far having a dig at Scotlands cheating when you don't acknowledge Irelands and seem to think they're a bunch of choir boys... llf.

[Big D]

Regardless of the ref, or the way one may perceive he reffed, our players showed a stunning lack of brains. Barclay was in at the side for his yellow (I rewound to check at the time) despite being on a warning and Dunbar was idiotic no matter if Sexton hammed it up.

The leadership of Laidlaw has been praised lately but based on yesterday either he has no influence over the team to stop them offending or he is just isn't up to the task.

We lost 3 tries when down to 14men and those yellows were avoidable.

[Adder]

Regardless of the ref, or the way one may perceive he reffed, our players showed a stunning lack of brains. Barclay was in at the side for his yellow (I rewound to check at the time) despite being on a warning and Dunbar was idiotic no matter if Sexton hammed it up.

The leadership of Laidlaw has been praised lately but based on yesterday either he has no influence over the team to stop them offending or he is just isn't up to the task.

We lost 3 tries when down to 14men and those yellows were avoidable.

I agree. Scotland were also penalised 5 times before Barclay was sent off. I thought we were getting Ref-savvy, especially after the games against Italy and France where we were all over the ball, seems we still have quite some work to do. Laidlaw communicates like a grumpy hobbit.
I think we also really missed J Gray. His size and work rate really help us at the Breakdown. Swinson didn't play too badly but he doesn't have Gray's presence.

[Cameo]

I think the ref wasnt great and Dunbar's yellow was strange but Ireland were the better team. They looked more powerful and didnt let us have the ball. I think we are at the stage when we can beat anyone in the 6N but the others are still a bit ahead of us so are favourites for each individual game.

We also massively miss Russel. He is by far and away our best 10. On the plus side in a game like that we scored 3 tries. It's been a while since we could do that while on the back foot against decent sides

[Eugene Wrayburn]

I think the ref wasnt great and Dunbar's yellow was strange but Ireland were the better team. They looked more powerful and didnt let us have the ball. I think we are at the stage when we can beat anyone in the 6N but the others are still a bit ahead of us so are favourites for each individual game.

We also massively miss Russel. He is by far and away our best 10. On the plus side in a game like that we scored 3 tries. It's been a while since we could do that while on the back foot against decent sides

Dunbar's yellow was strange? In the sense of throwing someone onto his head should be a red? I think you're being harsh. Yellow was bang on.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I think the ref wasnt great and Dunbar's yellow was strange but Ireland were the better team. They looked more powerful and didnt let us have the ball. I think we are at the stage when we can beat anyone in the 6N but the others are still a bit ahead of us so are favourites for each individual game.

We also massively miss Russel. He is by far and away our best 10. On the plus side in a game like that we scored 3 tries. It's been a while since we could do that while on the back foot against decent sides

Got to agree with Eugene here you are talking out of your ass. Dunbar was lucky to escape red.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I think the ref wasnt great and Dunbar's yellow was strange but Ireland were the better team. They looked more powerful and didnt let us have the ball. I think we are at the stage when we can beat anyone in the 6N but the others are still a bit ahead of us so are favourites for each individual game.

We also massively miss Russel. He is by far and away our best 10. On the plus side in a game like that we scored 3 tries. It's been a while since we could do that while on the back foot against decent sides

Dunbar's yellow was strange? In the sense of throwing someone onto his head should be a red? I think you're being harsh. Yellow was bang on.

Possibly referring to Dunbar's decision to do that to Sexton... it's the only thing I can think of...

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Hideously hungover today.

Thought Ireland were well worth their win in fairness. 81% possession in the fist half fur fuck sake. Must get ball. Must try harder to keep ball.

Punchiest game I've watched between us in years, and by punchy I mean heaps of fauxmacoism and pushing from both sides, including one highly amusing push from the ref on Laidlaw.

What Dunbar did was mental, and dangerous. I think he was lucky not to get a red, Sexton lands on his head instead of his shoulder and it would be hard not to see it as anything but a red.

On the whole, a fairly promising 6 nations from our cats. I know a lot of you on here might not see it that way, but for the fist time in a long time it genuinely feels like the improvements aren't just one off flashes, and we are getting somewhere.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

A few players who had 'big' games in the two wins were poor today. Barclay and Hardie come to mind. Despite Gray's try he was darting out of the defensive line all day. We missed Jonny as well even though Swinson wasn't poor himself.

On the whole they were just not mentally there and the ref whistled them out of the game the entire first half which made it incredibly difficult.

You lot really need to quit whining about refs. You were whistled because every single breakdown without fail you hung around trying to prevent us from contesting it. Gauzere demanded both sides cleared the breakdown. We started out clearing away much quicker than you did - we were moving to the side rather than not moving at all or like Barclay pretending to contest the breakdown 5 hours after being beaten by the ruck - and we also had much more of the ball so you were committing more offences. You didn't even learn. A halfway competent side might have done the prep to see what he would be doing or adjusted what they were doing to the way he was reffing but the picture you painted from the very first breakdown was of a team determined to kill ball at all costs, whereas the picture we painted was of a team trying to get back into the defensive line as quickly as possible. It is little wonder that we got the benefit of the doubt when later in the game we stopped clearing out of the way anywhere near as quickly.

Get yourself tae fuck. People here pay good money to watch rugby and when they are subjected to the shite level of officiating that is constantly on play they are more than entitled to have a dig at refs. Particularly ones that are as shite as that cunt.

And as far having a dig at Scotlands cheating when you don't acknowledge Irelands and seem to think they're a bunch of choir boys... llf.

Hahaha, Jesus Christ Baz that made me laugh.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

also...

[wanderingjock]

ruck - and we also had much more of the ball so you were committing more offences. the picture you painted from the very first
Get yourself tae fuck. People here pay good money to watch rugby and when they are subjected to the shite level of officiating that is constantly on play they are more than entitled to have a dig at refs. Particularly ones that are as shite as that cunt.

And as far having a dig at Scotlands cheating when you don't acknowledge Irelands and seem to think they're a bunch of choir boys...

Hahaha, Jesus Christ Baz that made me laugh.

haha me too. good skills!

as for as we were in the first half, a stuck with them...and whilst I don't think we were the better side, I think it was playing with 14 men for a quarter if the game that put us to bed rather than Ireland...

[Edinburgh in Exile]

haha me too. good skills!

as for as we were in the first half, a stuck with them...and whilst I don't think we were the better side, I think it was playing with 14 men for a quarter if the game that put us to bed rather than Ireland...

Aye, but I think keeping 15 players on the pitch is a skill in itself, it's about discipline, and it's one that we came a distant second in.

[Cameo]

haha me too. good skills!

as for as we were in the first half, a stuck with them...and whilst I don't think we were the better side, I think it was playing with 14 men for a quarter if the game that put us to bed rather than Ireland...

Aye, but I think keeping 15 players on the pitch is a skill in itself, it's about discipline, and it's one that we came a distant second in.

Yeah, I think even with two sevens on we are not particularly good at slowing opposition ball legally. Some matches we can do it but others not. I think we could learn from england's counter rucking

[hugh_woatmeigh]

also...

Is it just me or did the lack of alternative angles bother anyone else? I would love to see the whole play without zooming in on Hogg. I don't think ITV did him or the try justice. BBC much better at this sort of thing IMO.

[whatisthejava]

Can't agree with Dunbar seeing red, I thought yellow was harsh for the following reasons

1 above the horizontal - this was a thing for about 5 mins till the World Cup when refs ignored this time and time again when it suited them. Owens on jp is the one I can remember but their were several

2 suplexing while I think this is a rediculous way to clear out its done all the time, I dont think I have ever seen it yellow carded before now

On a final point this experiment of giving every random whistler a game when you have quality refs running touch is a joke. The TMO's are even worse.

Clancy cocked up, Poite was Shiite yesterday, the ref we had was crap as well deciding after 60 mins of wrecking the game to finally let it flow. Not to mention jouberts and TMO's inability to award even a yellow card for contact with the eyes, mike brown getting away with raking

Either the game is to hard or the refs need better training.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Can't agree with Dunbar seeing red, I thought yellow was harsh for the following reasons

1 above the horizontal - this was a thing for about 5 mins till the World Cup when refs ignored this time and time again when it suited them. Owens on jp is the one I can remember but their were several

2 suplexing while I think this is a rediculous way to clear out its done all the time, I dont think I have ever seen it yellow carded before now

On a final point this experiment of giving every random whistler a game when you have quality refs running touch is a joke. The TMO's are even worse.

Clancy cocked up, Poite was Shiite yesterday, the ref we had was crap as well deciding after 60 mins of wrecking the game to finally let it flow. Not to mention jouberts and TMO's inability to award even a yellow card for contact with the eyes, mike brown getting away with raking

Either the game is to hard or the refs need better training.

I've always thought you were one of the most one eyed posters on the SMB but you are taking this to a new level entirely here. jfc

[ARM]

More cynical than a scottish team who set out to commit an offence at every breakdown? Sure.

Yes. Puir wee Jonny Sexton's play acting. Playing men beyond the breakdown as per. Extensive arm waving and faux hard-mannery. Keith Earls for being Keith Earls. BODs trousers.

There's no shame in being embarrassed by all of that.

What's your complaint about Earls? I think he has a had a great 6N and for a little bloke hits way above his weight,always gives 100% + , and is a clean and honest competitor. If all the Ireland playes had his level of comittment we would be in much better shape. Am I missing something here?

He's from Munster.

[Big D]

Can't agree with Dunbar seeing red, I thought yellow was harsh for the following reasons

1 above the horizontal - this was a thing for about 5 mins till the World Cup when refs ignored this time and time again when it suited them. Owens on jp is the one I can remember but their were several

2 suplexing while I think this is a rediculous way to clear out its done all the time, I dont think I have ever seen it yellow carded before now

On a final point this experiment of giving every random whistler a game when you have quality refs running touch is a joke. The TMO's are even worse.

Clancy cocked up, Poite was Shiite yesterday, the ref we had was crap as well deciding after 60 mins of wrecking the game to finally let it flow. Not to mention jouberts and TMO's inability to award even a yellow card for contact with the eyes, mike brown getting away with raking

Either the game is to hard or the refs need better training.

I've always thought you were one of the most one eyed posters on the SMB but you are taking this to a new level entirely here. jfc

Whilst I don't agree with Java about Dunbar, his point about the overall quality of officiating is sound. How a referee can look at contact with the eye, effectively say to the player you'll probably get banned for this and not send him off is terrible refereeing and that type of shit needs to be addressed.