Super 15

[Mint Condition]

From what I saw he lifted him up, angled him where his head was closest to the ground and then drove him down. If the guy hadn't put his arm up he would have been slammed onto his neck with a much harder drop than any collapsed scrum. As I said, lifting tackles, where a guy is driven down onto his upper back or higher have basically been outlawed and have been for a few years now.

And all the changes to the scrum in recent years have been made for safety reasons. There will probably be more. Hopefully they get rid of the hit so less scrums collapse and it's more of a wrestle (rewarding better scrummaging!)

 

[Mint Condition]

Two great matches to start the weekend. Quite surprised the Hurricanes won, seems they've really turned it around. Barrett at 10 looks very promising. NZ aren't going to be short of depth at fly half anymore that's for sure. And the rebels did really well to hold on. Would have been pretty heartbreaking for them to lose from 21-0 up after what happened last week. Thought Cipriani played very well before he had to go off (terrible post try dancing aside!). Actually there's been a lot of very close matches so far this season.

 

[Santana]

Actually there's been a lot of very close matches so far this season.

No kidding. Three more close ones today. 24 out of 33 games so far this season the losing teams has got a bonus point.

Brumbies get another win tonight. Hell of a job Jake White is doing up there this year.

 

[krisholio14]

My boys proving tonight that the stats mean nothing. First loss of the year, which is disappointing, but we were due I guess.

 

[Mint Condition]

The Bulls destroyed the close match vibe of the weekend.

61-8 ... you'd have to think a loss like that will give the Reds some scars. Very hard to pick the winner this year.

Waratahs game was the most entertaining tahs game for what feels like a long time, with the right result at the end! Great to see them play with some speed with ball in hand. The Sharks were well on top in the first half but ran out of steam.

 

[Aucklander]

Always looked like he was heading towards his back not head. Can't believe he stayed down.

[YOUTUBE]wh-0aPZWowg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Mint Condition]

I think he milked it but if it wasn't for the fact he stuck his arm out it would have been pretty ugly. Read that report I linked to on the last page. It's pretty clear the tackle is dangerous by the wording of the rule.

 

[Aucklander]

I'm not doubting the wording of the law, just how soft it is. How many people put out their arms when a tackle is being laid on them? The majority I would think.

 

[Mint Condition]

The point is if it wasn't for the sharks players arm it would have been head/neck driven into the ground first as he was beyond the horizontal. This isn't the case with a normal tackle. What if he'd lifted him up completely upside down and then dropped him, but the player managed to land on his arms and avoid having his head hit the ground and got up without any problem. Would you think it soft for a guy to be suspended for something like that? Because this is basically just a mid range version of that...and that would result in someone out for more than 10 weeks.

 

[Aucklander]

The point is if it wasn't for the sharks players arm it would have been head/neck driven into the ground first as he was beyond the horizontal.

This where we disagree. I still think he was always heading towards his back. I don't know if you've seen Robbie Farrah and Tony William's tackles from last week, but to me they were dangerous tackles.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

See what happens when Barnes plays 10...

 

[Bobby P]

Giddy up Brumbies!

 

[S120]

Brumbies have been super impressive so far. Jake White doing a lot of good for their young squad. Hard-working forward pack flanked by a pretty talented back line runners.

Dan Palmer for the Wallabies squad bandwagon. Number one ticket holder = me.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Brumbies have been super impressive so far. Jake White doing a lot of good for their young squad. Hard-working forward pack flanked by a pretty talented back line runners.

Dan Palmer for the Wallabies squad bandwagon. Number one ticket holder = me.

Christian Leoifano is a big chance for the Wallabies IF he stays fit, the form back for Australia this season.

 

[S120]

Leali'ifano is someone I've always liked. He's just been stuck behind older players for so long and now he finally has got his chance. Would love to see him in the squad.

Always rated him above To'omua though he has been on one less Wallabies touring squad. Can play 10, 12 and 15 which is a very handy attribute to have.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I like the fact he has something that I call the "X Factor". Imagine him coming off the bench against a tiring pack...he could be the Mat Rogers type we have been searching for off the bench. However as I said, he is made of glass and is injured all the time! Hope he stays fit!

 

[Lions1024]

I like the fact he has something that I call the "X Factor". Imagine him coming off the bench against a tiring pack...he could be the Mat Rogers type we have been searching for off the bench. However as I said, he is made of glass and is injured all the time! Hope he stays fit!

Matt Rogers?

 

[chargers 09]

Brumbies have been super impressive so far. Jake White doing a lot of good for their young squad. Hard-working forward pack flanked by a pretty talented back line runners.

Dan Palmer for the Wallabies squad bandwagon. Number one ticket holder = me.

Best scrummager in Australia?

 

[S120]

I definitely don't think there are any better tight heads. Benny Robinson is tough to beat as a loose head though. Put them together with Moore as the hooker and TPN and Slipper/Kepu/Alexander off the bench and we have a very capable scrummaging outfit. We will be in a position where the hooker (Moore) is taller than the 2 props which could put somewhat of a spanner in the works as that's often something that coaches try to avoid.

Palmer has deserved to be in the Wallabies squad for the last 12 months in my mind. How guys like Daley and Ma'afu were making it in over him is beyond me. He is just unmovable on the tight head side. Perfect technique and better than solid around the ground. He should fill the Wallabies number 3 jumper.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Matt Rogers?

Same thing, my point stands, we missed a utility off the bench like Rogers was. He may not start but off the bench he could be lethal.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Rogers was an average Union player at best.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Did enjoy this.

[youtube]wwXG8LWrn38[/youtube]

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Rogers was an average Union player at best.

Maybe so, but gave the bench UTILITY value. Don't underestimate the utility on the bench, it is why the All Blacks are so good, they have utilities that cover injures so damn well, at the moment we have none (don't say Barnes as he can only cover 10/12)

 

[Lions1024]

Maybe so, but gave the bench UTILITY value. Don't underestimate the utility on the bench, it is why the All Blacks are so good, they have utilities that cover injures so damn well, at the moment we have none (don't say Barnes as he can only cover 10/12)

I'm so confused? Matt Rogers was a utility because he was shit at every position he played. In todays game, you almost have to be utility to be a back. I'd even say that Australia has more utilities than any other country in the world. I mean we've already got AAC, Beale, Barnes, JOC, Turner, McCabe, Mitchell and players like Foley,Lucas, Kingi, Lilo & Morahan coming through the system. Having a utility on bench is extremely overrated unless they can play scrumhalf...

 

[krisholio14]

**** all your, Highlanders are 5-1 and looking mighty dangerous