Comments on: Best Of The Weekend: Premiership Semis Go Down To The Wire, Scarlets Make History

By: Don P

Don P — Thu, 25 May 2017 13:15:46 +0000

Why huge? BV was ineffectual in the pivotal Dublin game. The Irish set a sufficient number of players up to stop him on the gain line. As the AB’s prev all but shut Ireland out @ the same venue, do think they too wouldn’t have been capable of stopping him, esp in NZ? BV’s predictable & his bullocking rep is mainly based on club or 6N matches in winning teams. Felatau may offer more opportunities.

By: Don P

Don P — Thu, 25 May 2017 12:45:14 +0000

Entitled to yr opinion, but how do you justify yr differences? E.g George may be better off bench as Best unlikely to blow vital line out like former (v Ire).

By: sevegolf

sevegolf — Wed, 24 May 2017 09:51:20 +0000

Paulo and Don I have a better team.
Mcrath
George
Furlong
Itoje
Kruis
Stander
Warburton
Falataue
Murray
Sexton
Watson
Henshaw
Daley
Williams
Hogg

By: Don P

Don P — Tue, 23 May 2017 16:27:56 +0000

Barring further injury & tour form, I’d go for the following in the 1st test v NZ.
1. M. Vunipola
2. R. Best
3. T. Furlong
4. G. Kruis
5. A. W. Jones
6. S. O’Brien
7. S. Warburton
8. T. Faletau

9. C. Murray
10. J. Sexton
11. T. Seymour
12. O. Farrell
13. R. Henshaw
14. G. North
15. L. Williams

16. J. George
17. J. McGrath
18. D. Cole
19. M. Itoje
20. S. O’Mahony
21. R. Webb
22. J. Davies
23. L. Halfpenny

They’ll require plenty EXP & ballast & be able to deliver for a full 80. All Irish front row might also be a consideration as combos have a better understanding. I’d have Farrell for his goal kicking, otherwise J.Davies. Unsure about O’Mahony or Stander, but O’Brien got the exp & can carry. Kruis & AWJ more beef than Itoje. Best can hit HIS line outs & again exp’ed, as capt’n too. Seymour can catch the high ball 7 the back 3 will be tested. Liam Williams is also good on D & A. Halfpenny can kick & catch & is yet again exp. Maybe they’ll miss Billy, although he is predictable as & was exposed in Dublin. Would the AB’s have been any less prepped v him? Unlikely. Besides Felatau offers more options.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Tue, 23 May 2017 15:02:53 +0000

I have and I get ur point completely ok any blame that could be given could be given to the linesman on Carley’s right who wouldn’t need to have been watching the game so attentively as the one on the left where Bassett scored so in theory could and should have seen the incident better. I do feel that a lot of the time linesman don’t do enough in the game to inform the ref of what they saw.

By: Trevor Nelmes

Trevor Nelmes — Tue, 23 May 2017 14:44:52 +0000

Jacob, watch the 2-3 minute game highlights in HD as it includes the incident in full. Watch the ref’s eyes (his face). See where he is looking? He is watching the ball, not the players from the tackle. He does not see him down at all. No eyes in the side/back of his head. It would have taken a second or two for the assistants or TMO to give him a message on the mic. Had this happened in the Wasps’ 22, Bassett would not have gotten far before the ref had stopped play. As it was, Bassett had only a yard or so to cover.

By: Jacob Bassford

Jacob Bassford — Tue, 23 May 2017 14:37:29 +0000

It just seems to me that refs have recently downplayed injuries when they are supposed to be strict on them. I am not moaning about the result but rather concentrating on the safety as I play junior rugby myself

By: Jacob Bassford

Jacob Bassford — Tue, 23 May 2017 14:33:54 +0000

I worded it wrong ok

By: Blub

Blub — Tue, 23 May 2017 11:37:13 +0000

Yes Jake, you’re correct that he wasn’t feigning injury and that the game could have been stopped.

I didn’t suggest that he was feigning, but there are many occasions when a player gets a knock, and stays down for 2 or 3 seconds before getting back up, sometimes when a tackle his missed – or misjudged.

My point – perhaps poorly made – is that everything happened so quickly, that the referee needs time to process it all, and by the time it was processed, the try was scored.

By: Paulo

Paulo — Mon, 22 May 2017 21:46:29 +0000

I agree with you on that one Pablito, I think Billy’s loss is Faletau’s gain and that opens up Stander for the number six shirt as the designated ball carrier. It’s such a tough call but I would start the following for the first test barring any further injuries:

1. M. Vunipola
2. K. Owens
3. T. Furlong
4. M. Itoje
5. A. W. Jones
6. C. J. Stander
7. S. Warburton
8. T. Faletau

9. C. Murray
10. J. Sexton
11. E. Daly
12. O. Farrell
13. R. Henshaw
14. G. North
15. S. Hogg

16. J. George
17. J. McGrath
18. K. Sinckler
19. G. Kruis
20. S. O’Brien
21. R. Webb
22. J. Joseph
23. L. Williams

By: Dazza (Dazzle)

Dazza (Dazzle) — Mon, 22 May 2017 15:12:34 +0000

Slade goes in around the knees, so he may have been attempting to drive him back but he loses his balance in the driving phase and goes over backwards. After watching it several times in slo-mo it all ends up looking very clumsy.

By: Dazza (Dazzle)

Dazza (Dazzle) — Mon, 22 May 2017 15:06:33 +0000

Just watched it again and Ellery doesn’t jump at all, he pretty much stops running when he gets to Slade and Slade lifts him over the try line. Slade goes in very low I guess hoping to get Ellery’s legs and stop him moving forward, but then lifts his legs off the floor. As he’s being lifted Ellery stretches himself out to get over the line. It’s all very clumsy to be honest from both parties.