Autumn Internationals this weekend

[Mich the Tester]

Is this League (proper hard men build like Dairylea Triangles), or Union (Fatties)?

Union. 17 stone fatties that run like tulip off a shovel. The only serious league player I came across was Brad Hepi. Not a big lad; I flattened him. Unfortunately I was yellow carded for a late tackle. He had the ball when I set up for the hit, honest ref, but when we hit the ground someone else had run off with it. Apparently that's called 'ball skills', but I is a union forward so I know nothing of that stuff. Scrum, grunt, fart, maul, grunt, fart, tackle, grunt, fart, clear up ball after some back's dropped it.

[Mich the Tester]

Proper Rugby, Union.

Best after dinner speaker I have had the pleasure of listening to was, John Bentley. Very witty man.

Bentos! Hilarious. Loved the Cleckheaton joke. Pigeons that fly upside-down because there's nothing worth tulipting on in Cleck.

[Mich the Tester]

Tim Rodber, I'd forgotten all about him.

Well, you had a go MTT. I packed up rugger in my teens.

That's how I console myself. At least I tried.

[Mich the Tester]

John Bentley; the try's impressive but look at the tackle at 2:10. Ouch.

[doomage]

Wot? I missed this. Is someone trying something sensible instead of 'crouch - touch - pause - collapse'? or is it something even worse?

Sorry, just back from the pub. I think they are removing the 'pause'. Crouch, touch, set! I expect mayhem to start with.

[Mich the Tester]

Sorry, just back from the pub. I think they are removing the 'pause'. Crouch, touch, set! I expect mayhem to start with.

It might help in the long run, but I don't see why we don't just build the scrum front row, second row, back row. The hit's perhaps entertaining for people who don't really care about rugby, but it's just shortening players' careers.

[stek]

Ya know, I was a Union fan, coming from the middle of RL-land but Bolton, with no Rugby interest whatsoever, but one Bommy night I was in Farnworth Cricket club and it was GB vs NZ RL test on telly and it was magical. I did like the RU ruff and tumble and the rucking and mauling but what I saw that night was amazing. Fast ball-to-hand, forwards that were practically sprinters - all fast, bang, bang, bang, try...

I still like my RU, but it does seem a bit lumbering now. Would be interesting to try the RU-RL switch code test again - was it Wigan - Bath?

[Doggy Styles]

It might help in the long run, but I don't see why we don't just build the scrum front row, second row, back row. The hit's perhaps entertaining for people who don't really care about rugby, but it's just shortening players' careers.

I agree with you there MTT. Hits just introduce an extra element of instability.

[Pondlife]

I'm all for the play within 5 secs rule. Will save my voicebox no end of grief.

[Mich the Tester]

I agree with you there MTT. Hits just introduce an extra element of instability.

Back in the 80s and 90s there were 40+ front rowers playing first class rugby; they could do that on experience because a) the scrum still mattered and b) there wasn't this imbecile 'hit' between the two front rows so their shoulders lasted long enough to enjoy playing for longer.

Plus, there were more mauls because you didn't have the 'use it or lose it' when it stood still, and that meant defenders were sucked in instead of waiting in midfield; that way, centres were skilful guys who had a little space to throw a dummy and sidestep a man, instead of being fooking great battering rams that provide the entertainment value of a turd drying in the sun.

It wasn't all better back then; I prefer 7s and the standard of 7s has risen dramatically to the point that there are now young guys earning a living from it and only playing 15s to stay fit in the summer.