Quad nations

[leinster4life13]

first round of fixtures. NZ v Arg and AUS v SA.

New zealand are cruising, at the minute just a level above Argentina no matter the pace of the game.

[leinster4life13]

Kieran Read strips an Argie, scores, game over, 32-6 50 mins gone....... New Zealand flashing it wide offloading from the wingers(fancy that Joe, they dont just hit rucks or go back infield to recycyle, wingers can actually f%~king offload the ball)

[Experimental]

Having seen Aus and SA in action, I would still see us as 2nd in the world at the moment. I would also say that we look like we have as much depth of quality players as either of those teams. The ABs however ....

[Donny B.]

Cricfree acting the b*%&!x now. Any other good links out there?

[simonokeeffe]

Hooper given a one week ban so he misses a club game for Manly he was named on the bench for

Sanzar appealing it

[leinster4life13]

Ridiculous ban in the first place, this drive to clear the game of all niggle is insane, just going to create more cheating, more off the ball jersey tugs, holding in the ruck and general annoying nonsense that is best dealt with by a quick bout of handbags.

[neill_m]

SANZAR are appealing it as they either feel that it is too lenient/he is taking the michael using a club game to cover it so he can play v NZ. The incident happened at International level, can't use a club game to cover the ban - surely must be the same level of rugby as when the incident occurred.

The Aussie's are counter-appealing the SANZAR one saying there is no case to answer.

http://www.the42.ie/michael-hooper-ban- ... 8-Jul2015/

[leinster4life13]

Watching it in slo-mo Sanchez was trying to to stop Hooper from supporting, hanging out of him, if Aus didnt score and then there was a turnover at the ruck due to Hooper being impeded, and Argentina clear their lines, would Sanchez be cited, not a chance. If that appeal wins its creating a cheats charter, if you want to get involved in off the ball stuff expect it back in spades.

[simonokeeffe]

SANZAR are appealing it as they either feel that it is too lenient/he is taking the michael using a club game to cover it so he can play v NZ. The incident happened at International level, can't use a club game to cover the ban - surely must be the same level of rugby as when the incident occurred.

The Aussie's are counter-appealing the SANZAR one saying there is no case to answer.

http://www.the42.ie/michael-hooper-ban- ... 8-Jul2015/

yeah the ridiculous aspect is the club game part, be like saying Healy or McGrath would be lining out for Mary's or Clontarf

[LeRouxIsPHat]

SANZAR are appealing it as they either feel that it is too lenient/he is taking the michael using a club game to cover it so he can play v NZ. The incident happened at International level, can't use a club game to cover the ban - surely must be the same level of rugby as when the incident occurred.

The Aussie's are counter-appealing the SANZAR one saying there is no case to answer.

http://www.the42.ie/michael-hooper-ban- ... 8-Jul2015/

yeah the ridiculous aspect is the club game part, be like saying Healy or McGrath would be lining out for Mary's or Clontarf

Yeah I'm not a fan of that either. I'm surprised a club game hasn't suddenly been organised before to create a situation like this, at least I don't think it has.

With that said, I think it's a nothing incident and a ban is OTT.

[johng]

England and Wales oficially crapping themselves.

Kane Douglas in a suit with the lads at the game

[simonokeeffe]

England and Wales oficially crapping themselves.

Kane Douglas in a suit with the lads at the game

who got MoM?

Hooper is a phenom

[simonokeeffe]

Boks Argentina was amazing

runners up in England/Wales/Australia wont be fearing Boks if they play that or get Poite!

similarly we dont want Poite or a french ref for our (touch wood) QF with Argentina

[leinster4life13]

that Argie jersey is sexy as fuark, would pay full whack for one, cant beat a collar.

[Made Of Ale]

Boks Argentina was amazing

runners up in England/Wales/Australia wont be fearing Boks if they play that or get Poite!

similarly we dont want Poite or a french ref for our (touch wood) QF with Argentina

Poite was atrocious. Boks were dire but can still feel hard done by. The last Argentine try in particular should never have even started to happen. Even Joe Schmidt couldn't legislate for the randomness.

[simonokeeffe]

De Villiers out now for 4-6 weeks

IMO centres were going great without him and hes a liability to take to world cup now, still think they will but they really shouldnt

[jezzer]

Boks Argentina was amazing

runners up in England/Wales/Australia wont be fearing Boks if they play that or get Poite!

similarly we dont want Poite or a french ref for our (touch wood) QF with Argentina

Poite was atrocious. Boks were dire but can still feel hard done by. The last Argentine try in particular should never have even started to happen. Even Joe Schmidt couldn't legislate for the randomness.

Totally agree. Poite was appalling - for both sides to be honest. Saffers were a disorganised mess for most of it. Some very poor performances - Koch, Coetzee, Pienaar wasn't great, neither centre was great and Willie Le Roux was shite. But the talent levels are there in the squad as a whole.

You wouldn't be taking Argentina lightly, would you? BUt they commit enough errors, give up enough pennos and miss enough kicks that a smart team like Ireland should be able to stay ahead of them. Superb pack though, good scrummie and decent back three.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

South Africa are a strange side, their performance levels can vary quite wildly but I'd expect them to be a serious force at the World Cup. Can't see them under performing although the Oz and NZ games mean they might have a hang up about closing out that games. If we play them and it's tight in the last quarter I'd expect us to win.

[simonokeeffe]

South Africa are a strange side, their performance levels can vary quite wildly but I'd expect them to be a serious force at the World Cup. Can't see them under performing although the Oz and NZ games mean they might have a hang up about closing out that games. If we play them and it's tight in the last quarter I'd expect us to win.

even allowing for Victor Meldrew in the second row if they have a fit panel theyll be good, easy group but then they have tough quarter final against Australia probably (presuming they finish second to England)
its hard to mess up when you have Beast, DuPlesis, Etzebeth, Coetzee, Alberts etc, the problem is when injuries come in the coach runs out of ideas and they lack quality in depth in one or two positions

[jezzer]

They've lost 4 in a row now and you have to look at the coaches, because there's enough quality to field a team that wins more than they do. I know they got close to NZ and Aus, but they look like they're relying on talent, at a time when "great gameplanning + good talent" will beat "good gameplanning + great talent" 7 times out of 10. They're the France of the SH.