In the 80s 90s up to ~2006 I would have totally agreed with you Yeti. But rugby has made huge strides since then (well Southern Hemisphere has anyway)... While league has regressed into an attrition battle with its forward/back Hybrid juggernauts followed by same same kicking for repeats .

Enjoyed the GF last night but it was boosted by the JT context ....and the commentators calling standard plays "incredible" doesnt endure or fool

South Africa vs Abs test in republic more than a match for that GF

do you have a link? i'd like to check it out, thanks.

Sorry no link

Scottish robbed

Lol Irish. Pathetic when stood up to as usual

All Blacks playing Ireland next year at Soldier Field in Chicago

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...n-2016--report

Please tell me someone else saw the end of that Clermont game? Such a monumental **** up on their end.

Amazing really, even more so because the kick was such a gimme.

I wonder whether the fact that you only get a LBP in the Top 14 if you're within 5 and not 7 had anything to do with it?

There is no excuse, surely they should have been prepared for a situation like this? Even if they weren't surely someone was watching one of the multiple broadcasts on at the time? They had the "as it stands now" table up and clearly showed what each team needed. Then get the message on to the players so they know exactly what they need. It was unbelievable. As soon as I seen the ref give the pen I knew they would take the quick tap as I figured they had no clue what was going on. Just an amazing sequence of events.

Maybe they can discuss game theory with pellegrini over tea and biscuits

You're right, there is no excuse, was an amazing mistake for them to make, given what was at stake.

Was just offering a reason why they mucked up because the other possibility - that they didn't know that 2BP won them the pool, would be even worse.

Both games have their pros and cons. NRL is certainly very watchable, but just about everything else is quite sub standard compared to that competition, including international matches, and suffers accordingly.

The rugby championship has the highest standard of play consistently in rugby. Most games are worth watching. Super rugby is pretty hit and miss, some awful games but the odd really good ones. Haven't watched any European club stuff so can't comment there, but six nations is probably exactly what you described, so if you don't like that style then fair enough.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL PARISSE

The Italians really should have won that test.

lol I guess

Is the Calcutta as aids as live text reports sound

lol english kicker

Scotland just fail at everything they do in sport

That feel when WALES are robbed of the greatest comeback in international history because a linesman tries to be a hero and blows the call

FYP

Harsh, we're pretty good at drinking and making whisky!

apparently georgia play romania in what amounts to a euro nations cup decider tomorrow, can't tell if it's 5pm local or 5pm uk time, but it can't be worse than whatever six nations game is on at the time, and it's streamed free on something called rugby europe. minorly relevant given gatland is calling for relegation from the six nations

I'd love there to be relegation but I can't imagine it being brought in unless it is with a clause that if England or France finish last they stay up. TV companies aren't going to allow 50% of their audience to not be represented in the tournament

If the relegation was announced to be happening in two years, and it came with a home and away playoff (so in this case, Italy would play Georgia/Romania for the right to stay in the competition) I would be all for it.

If not, they should just have a euro championship instead of the 6N in a WC/Lions off year with something like the 6 + 4/6 of the top second tier nations

I would definitely be for relegation with a playoff if I wasn't Scottish

Apparently that Georgia game had 53k at it!!

In favour of serious revamp tho and bonus points still not being there is just amazing.

Well this is ....... interesting. If anything the NFL will be interested in the data (in terms of player fatigue, etc)

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...17-brian-noble

Toronto Wolfpack to enter League One next season, RFL announces
• Great Britain’s former rugby league coach Brian Noble joins as director
• Wolfpack to pay travel expenses of division’s 13 other sides



The stadium: Wiki says 9600 seats but I think that's a little high, especially if they put some money into it to get it ready. But given that division 3 has attendances of around 1000-2000 ppl I'm sure it's more than big enough.



Lamport stadium is 5 mins from BMO field in Liberty village aka the area of the city that's filled with 30 year old party animals making 100k+. Pretty sweet location for a rugby team since I think beyond die hard expats the only other ppl who are coming to the games will be looking to get drunk on a Saturday afternoon (well at least I'll be doing that .... I don't even know the rules of this sport). The Beer : Ticket income ratio is going to be breathtaking.

Stadium is small and the turf will probably hurt. But yeah, King West for beers on a Saturday afternoon while watching a bunch of big guys beat the crap out of each other sounds like a good time.

Sweet hype video




IN on the ground floor ..... well since this is Toronto this team will probably get relegated to the leagues within 3 years



Not going to lie I'll mark out if they have red & black jerseys