LOWEST SCORING SUPER 14 RUGBY MATCH EVER

[shasta]

Looks like not too many agree with us. Rugby Heaven is running a poll. I'm with the " right idea, wrong forum " brigade which is only rating about 13%

BY far most voters said "Go Eddie, someone had to say it" - Work that one out

[frontrow]

I just voted for that as well Shasta, but i can also see why "someone had to say it" has got the lead, as you pointed out to me in a previous post...The standard of reffing, especially in the scrums arena, has been generally pretty woeful...But the fact is, he should've complained through appropriate channels and not coming to a press conference crying and bitching, that is the sign of a bad sportsman if ever i saw it...

[Jess]

I just read in today's paper that Eddie might be suspended for his comments. Therefore becomming the first coach to be suspended.

What's the deal if that happens? Is he just not allowed to sit in the box and has to sit on the bench in a fancy suit?

[Nick]

Hmm Eddie is a tool but he did have a point - wrong forum obviously.

The dissapointing thing is the level of Rugby that has been dished up in general, as mentioned elsewhere the withdrawal of the 22 All Blacks has effected some of the NZ teams however there is some ordinary rugby being played by all the teams at the moment and not all of them have that excuse.

The game itself is hardly likely to inspire intrest in the code or please the current fans, it ceratainly doesn't develop any thing for Connelly I'm sure, It was very ordinary Rugby.

Thankfully the Force is one of the Teams that is doing well and hopefully will have a few home wins this year by the look of things.

There is rugby out there but the question is it Super?

[Burgs]

If things are that bad though Nick, surely the Coaching Staff from each team concerned need to have a bit of a look at themselves as well rather than deliberately and with pre-meditation going the public rant on the officials?
Haven't seen the match yet but am willing to concede that the Ref may have made some bad calls however, he doesn't make them knock on, miss tackles, miss passes etc as reported?
Unless you are playing in a foot of mud under a deluge (like at Guildford ) then there is more than Ref decisions creating a 6-3 scoreline in any given match?

[Nick]

Oh yeah for sure brugs without a doubt. I guess what I was trying to say is that both teams sucked out there and the level of Rugby in general from most ofd the teams in the comp is sub par and that the penalisin of the stronger scrum on there feed by the ref just didn't make sense at all.

But your totally correct the two teams were shocking and the coaches especially have to take a long hard look at there game plan becuase that wasn't worth watching.

[jazza93]

yer definatly below par they both should of scored

it was very hard for the red though i see eddy jones point now about the scrums and he is 100% right. the ref sucked as well. it was a very scrappy game by the reds too and they should have scored at least 2 trys. o well i guess a wins a win

[shasta]

i can also see why "someone had to say it" has got the lead, as you pointed out to me in a previous post...The standard of reffing, especially in the scrums arena, has been generally pretty woeful...But the fact is, he should've complained through appropriate channels and not coming to a press conference crying and bitching, that is the sign of a bad sportsman if ever i saw it...

Well, well. Looks like the coach doesn't agree with our view. Just saw John Mitchell on Foxsports News. He's come out in support of Jones. Reckons everyone else is judged on a weekly basis so why not the referees. Free speech and all that.

If he means all and sundry should have open slather in the media every week then I just can't agree with him on this one. He has said things like "the referees need to show more respect to The Force". I agree and that's fine. Not only The Force but many of the teams who haven't done so well seem to be refereed more severely, particularly at the breakdown and scrummage when compared to the high-flyers.

There should definately be a better system for coaches to get their points across. Just not in the media or at least not for someone who's a serial offender. Do they have an annual conference with the coaches on law interpretations like in the NRL?

BTW great reporting on The Force by Tanya Armstrong. Not bad for an WAFL kid

[AndyS]

I have to admit, I was a little surprised to see JM backing Eddie Jones. I know he has concerns over consistency in the way different teams are refereed, but that is a long way from slagging them in public.

Thought the following was interesting - the main points I got from it was that referee performances are reviewed and assessed, but that making that a public affair wouldn't help maintain player respect for the match officials (if it were known a particular ref had been marked down on, say, the scrum, you don't think a Gregan would play on that?).

http://www.planet-rugby.com/Story/0,...933015,00.html

Actually, I liked Paddy O'Brian's take on it - perhaps the referees should start airing their opinions on the coaching of various teams...

[Burgs]

I think that Mitch's "support" is more a chnace for him to air his concerns rather than actually agrre that Eddie "did the right thing".
From what I've seen and heard, none of the "supporting" Coaches have actually approved his actions, just his message and his right to be heard through the approved channels.
That is different to approving his pre-meditated public rant.
Splitting hairs a bit I know but I'm clinging to it in the hope that Mitch isn't that type of boofhead behind his new found media savvy
I still maintain that the public shaming is incredibly damaging to the sport and the possabilty of recruiting new officials.

[MysticBalls]

I watched the first half, but not the second, due to other circumstances. Very glad now not to have seen the turgidity continue. Johanson has lost us three games now. Force must not pursue his signature. Eddie was in charge of champs, now he's become a chump. His 'reject' in Huxley scores the opposition's game winning points after Johanson's 'what the'. The Reds need Big (H)Eddie but not if he's become a loose cannon in ARU.

[shasta]

Johanson has lost us three games now. Force must not pursue his signature. Eddie was in charge of champs, now he's become a chump.

Err. I think Mitch has things pretty well covered in the backline department
And yer dead right - Huxley has been going real good at the Brumbies.

Haven't seen you around these parts for a while MB. Welcome back.