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The Aviva Premiership final lived up to its billing – in fact, it was probably the game of the season – while the Top 14 semis provided plenty of thrills and some nasty spills.
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Aviva Premiership: Wasps vs Exeter Chiefs
It was fitting that the two most entertaining sides in the Premiership should end the season as they started it: locked in combat. In their two previous encounters in the campaign, they could barely be separated as they shared 14 tries and 115 points. This Twickenham encounter, under a hot early-summer sun and at the end of an exhausting season followed the same pattern. Another four tries and 43 additional points for the statmasters is only the bones of a thoroughly enjoyable match in which extra time was needed to break the deadlock.
Super Rugby: Highlanders vs Waratahs
An Australian side is yet to tip over a New Zealand side in this year’s Super Rugby competition, and the smart money was on the Highlanders to extend that record when the Waratahs came to town on Saturday night. By halftime that didn’t seem like such a sure thing – the visitors led by a point, and the Highlanders looked like their gruelling road trip might have finally caught up with them. But a yellow card to Dean Mumm early in the second half opened the floodgates for the home side to put on an attacking clinic for the home fans, with their All Blacks stars leading the way.
Top 14: La Rochelle vs Toulon
It was La Rochelle’s first play-off semi-final in 35 years. It was Toulon’s sixth in as many seasons. The Rochelais were rested and just about at full-strength. Their opponents had survived an Earth-shaking encounter against Castres the week before, and had an injury list as long as Brodie Retallick’s fully extended arms, laid end to end. What followed was a bruising nip-tuck battle that was decided only after the hooter, when – amid a pitch littered with near-broken well-known bodies – a new star was born in Marseille.
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Top 14: Clermont vs Racing 92
At this stage last season, these two sides delivered a five-try thriller, decided at the end of extra time by the odd point in 67. Back then, Clermont were left disappointed when Dan Carter converted Juan Imhoff’s outrageous 98th-minute try. And they set out to make amends at Marseille at the weekend. So began a seven-try 68-point encounter that Clermont looked to have in the bag, even after Flip van der Merwe was sent off for a high-tackle early in the second half. With 10 minutes left, it seemed all over, but the defending champions weren’t about to give up their title without a fight. And one retiring rugby warrior would have the final word.
International: England vs Barbarians
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What would you expect from the Baa-Baas? As the invitationals’ Twitter feed said: The boys played like they’d been caged without meat for a week. England set their stall to play winning rugby. The Baa-Baas played to make everyone smile. They actually dominated possession – but raw, inexperienced England matched them ambition for ambition when they had the ball, and with Gandalf-standard you-shall-not-pass defence when they didn’t.
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
24 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
1 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
24 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
1 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
24 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
14 Go to commentsDoes the AI take into account refs? hahaha Seriously why not have two on field refs to avoid bias?
24 Go to comments