Scott Fardy vs Tadhg Beirne Round 2 - Sat 3.15 Sky Sports

[Dave Cahill]

The law is 'A player is accidentally offside if the player cannot avoid being touched by the ball or by a team-mate who is carrying the ball.'

Do you reckon Deegan could've avoided that?

Forget the semantics about what a kick really is. The letter of the law is the important point. No way could Deegan have avoided it.

Thats why we're discussing the semantics of what a kick really is. If its not a kick then its a super-harsh interpretation of the law as Deegan couldn't have avoided it and it should really have been accidental offside. If it is a kick, then what Deegan could or couldn't do is irrelevant, as the 10 metre law applies and its the players problem.

[LeinsterLeader]

"SEAN O’BRIEN’S SHOULDER injury may not be as serious as first feared despite the Ireland flanker being forced off just 27 minutes into his return to competitive action with Leinster.

Playing his first game since undergoing minor hip surgery in January, O’Brien left the field less than half an hour into Leinster’s 10-10 draw with the Scarlets.

The 31-year-old was hit hard in contact by Werner Kruger and Dan Jones and initially played on before leaving the field.

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt had hoped O’Brien would come through the game in Llanelli to put himself in contention for next Saturday’s potential Six Nations Grand Slam decider with England at Twickenham.

That game now looks one too far for the British & Irish Lions star, but Cullen wasn’t too downbeat when asked for an update on the game’s main talking point.

It is understood O’Brien was up and about in the changing room at the end of the game and talking positively with his Leinster team-mates.

“Sean is OK in there. He took a bang on the shoulder and we’ll just have to see how that settles down,” said Cullen.

“It’s early days yet, so we’ll just have to see. We’ll have a report on that next week.

“There’s no long-lasting damage I’m aware of and once I have more information, I’ll have more to tell you.”

Asked if O’Brien could yet face England at Twickenham, Cullen played a straight bat.
He said: “I don’t know how many ways I can keep answering the same question.”

More information is expected from the Leinster camp within the next 48 hours."

[desperado]

Apart from Nigel's performance; which is outside our control, one of the most annoying/worrying observation for me was James Lowe continuing to shoot up and in (and miss). Did it twice tonight. Leocaster have to be concerned with that if they're considering him for the bigger games ahead. It's not like its the first or second time he's done that.

[Laighin Break]

Apart from Nigel's performance; which is outside our control, one of the most annoying/worrying observation for me was James Lowe continuing to shoot up and in (and miss). Did it twice tonight. Leocaster have to be concerned with that if they're considering him for the bigger games ahead. It's not like its the first or second time he's done that.

And he gave away a stupid penalty for shoving a Llanelli player. There's no way he makes the Euro team, based on today's performance

[cormac]

If Leo says Seanie's injury isn't serious I presume that means he's out for the season?

[paddyor]

If Leo says Seanie's injury isn't serious I presume that means he's out for the season?

Where's that pinable post about the meaning of injury updates? Someone knows.

[JohnB]

Thought Owens was poor enough tonight. At one stage late in the game Beirne dived headfirst into a ruck straight at Fardy connecting with Fardy’s with sufficient force to knock Fardy out of the ruck - no arms, nothing, right in front of Owens and he ignored it completely. It was as blatant an offense as you could see and nothing happened to Beirne or the Scarlets.

[paddyor]

Not happy with Owens.

Stupid of Conan to offload from thr ground as he did but I thought they took out the SH before that.
There was another peno where Beirne was clearly presenting the carrier in the 2nd half by holding on after the tackle near their 22.
I'm not sure how they got that last peno, unless it was given to someone under the pile of bodies.

There was another one where Fardy tackled someone in the ruck and they fell back out of it. Would need to watch it again but seemed like they just fell back and out of the ruck.

Bottom line is though we had the possession and territory to put socres on the board and failed. Those 2 first half LO/mauls were terrible. Credit to Brian Byrne his darts wer good. We had ample opportunity to take it beyond the ref and didn't.

[COYBIB]

Great result you'd have to say, 6 - 3 in the head to head on match points, definitely would have taken that before the game, but very frustrating at the same time. If we had ground out a win, we'd be 6 points clear at the top and you'd have to say that's all she wrote in terms of us getting the top spot, a rest week before a home semi and potentially home final, t'would be a good spot, but we've done very well in my opinion, taken control of the conference on the home stretch with by far the easier run in.

Not job done, but we've navigated some very tricky waters and we've come out on top.

[TerenureJim]

Happy out with the back to back but it'll be a long while before I'm happy seeing Nigel on the pitch reffing a game I've got proper backing in. Too inconsistent, and the YouTube clip of the week thing is beginning to grate honestly what was the point in speaking in Weksh last night?

[riocard911]

Thought Nick McCarthy was great. DK looked like he's back to form, thank God. Ross Byrne impressed too - particularly his try-saving tackle on Varndell. But what's up with Adam Byrne? That box kick he failed to catch after just coming on was a shocker and put us right back under the cosh again.

[Dave Cahill]

what was the point in speaking in Weksh last night?

Indeed, why would a Welsh speaker speak Welsh to a Welsh speaker in a Welsh speaking area of Wales?

[hugonaut]

But what's up with Adam Byrne? That box kick he failed to catch after just coming on was a shocker and put us right back under the cosh again.

It was his first touch, in lashing rain, under competition, in the air. I'd give him a pass on that.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

But what's up with Adam Byrne? That box kick he failed to catch after just coming on was a shocker and put us right back under the cosh again.

It was his first touch, in lashing rain, under competition, in the air. I'd give him a pass on that.

Thought that was a poor substitution actually, it was always going to be tough for him to get up to speed so quickly in the circumstances. It looked like they just wanted to give him a run when there was no need.

That reminds me, credit to Bent for going the 80, he put in a great shift.

[TerenureJim]

what was the point in speaking in Weksh last night?

Indeed, why would a Welsh speaker speak Welsh to a Welsh speaker in a Welsh speaking area of Wales?

Well you've foiled me there with your facts and logic so fair play but I think given ref mikes, and it is tv entertainment as Nigel well knows, and that opposition players aren't Welsh speakers and yet need to know the conversation it is somewhat on the rude side when all concerned are native English speakers.

Just felt needless to be honest.

Main problem with Nigel (and I still think he is an excellent ref but has just lost the run of himself a bit) is decisions in many recent games, while mostly technically correct, seem to suit a narrative of a tight game with very, very close finishes often decided by a call from him as ref and often with a blind eye turned to infringements that don't suit the narrative.

[simonokeeffe]

by letting Nig ref his own cousin the league were making a rod for their own backs to begin with

That kick pen was wrong on grounds it went backwards alone?

But of the 9 or so penalties we conceeded 4 or 5 shouldve been the other way and 2 were just wrong eg offside kick one and IMO the off feet near their line too
A lot of their jackalling was helped by players on the wrong side affecting the clearout; how could Sacrlets only have illegally tried to slow the ball twice the entire game???

That said we messed up running down the clock badly, ball popped to the 9 I think unexpectedly and he shouldve passed
Maul calls seemed wrong too (by us)

[Laighin Break]

what was the point in speaking in Weksh last night?

Indeed, why would a Welsh speaker speak Welsh to a Welsh speaker in a Welsh speaking area of Wales?

Well you've foiled me there with your facts and logic so fair play but I think given ref mikes, and it is tv entertainment as Nigel well knows, and that opposition players aren't Welsh speakers and yet need to know the conversation it is somewhat on the rude side when all concerned are native English speakers.

Just felt needless to be honest.

Main problem with Nigel (and I still think he is an excellent ref but has just lost the run of himself a bit) is decisions in many recent games, while mostly technically correct, seem to suit a narrative of a tight game with very, very close finishes often decided by a call from him as ref and often with a blind eye turned to infringements that don't suit the narrative.

Did you find it rude when Alain Roland spoke french to the French?

[TheBear]

Well you've foiled me there with your facts and logic so fair play but I think given ref mikes, and it is tv entertainment as Nigel well knows, and that opposition players aren't Welsh speakers and yet need to know the conversation it is somewhat on the rude side when all concerned are native English speakers.

Just felt needless to be honest.

Main problem with Nigel (and I still think he is an excellent ref but has just lost the run of himself a bit) is decisions in many recent games, while mostly technically correct, seem to suit a narrative of a tight game with very, very close finishes often decided by a call from him as ref and often with a blind eye turned to infringements that don't suit the narrative.

Did you find it rude when Alain Roland spoke french to the French?

It's fine if it in some way aids the players' understanding. Can it really be argued that was the case on Friday night?

[Dave Cahill]

It's fine if it in some way aids the players' understanding. Can it really be argued that was the case on Friday night?

A welsh speaker speaking welsh to a welsh speaker in a welsh speaking part of wales is likely to cause confusion alright.

[TheBear]

It's fine if it in some way aids the players' understanding. Can it really be argued that was the case on Friday night?

A welsh speaker speaking welsh to a welsh speaker in a welsh speaking part of wales is likely to cause confusion alright.

Did it aid anyone's understanding? If not, there's no point in doing it. It'd be akin to Clany deciding to explain certain decisions in Irish to Luke Fitzgerald. Sure, he'd understand, but it doesn't aid understanding.