Northern Hemisphere Rugby Season 15/16
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mxyzptlk
Colin Windon (37)
Couldn't they work out some weighting system for home and away bonus points?
Same goes for the risk of a team winning a grand slam but losing the tournament (what KevinO mentioned); I'm sure they could work something out to make sure that couldn't happen, like a team who wins a grand slam automatically obtains 100 extra bonus points or something.
My previous comment was over 600 words, so I'm sure I could whip up 400 or so in a 6N recap or two. Consider my hand up.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
The reason I gave about why they didn't have a bonus point system came from the fellow running 6N.
Another variation could be that they have a bonus points system and the usual tie-breakers, but with the proviso that Grand Slam winners always win the competition regardless.
mxyzptik - I will contact you about 6N writing.
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Another variation could be that they have a bonus points system and the usual tie-breakers, but with the proviso that Grand Slam winners always win the competition regardless.
mxyzptik - I will contact you about 6N writing.
.
the plastic paddy
John Solomon (38)
Five point bonus for a GS sorts that.
mxyzptlk
Colin Windon (37)
Speaking of bonus points, did you see this article from Thursday on ESPN Scrum? It's from John Taylor, a former Wales and B&I Lions flanker 40-some years back. He responds to 6N CEO John Feehan's claim that a bonus points system would be inherently unfair.
The takeaway is that he thinks a bonus points system would encourage the kind of attacking rugby that we saw on the last day of the 2015 6N, and that it's necessary if Europe is ever going to catch up with the Southern Hemisphere. The dominance-oriented attritional style currently encouraged in the tournament just leaves tier 1 European sides under-prepared to compete with the rest of the tier 1 nations. He probably has a point.
And given when Argentina, Japan, and even teams like Canada are trying to do, creative, attacking rugby is the way the world is going. Even if it does eventually swing back to set piece-oriented grudge matches, the teams who developed some kind of attacking style during this period will be better prepared to take their chances in those attritional games.
the plastic paddy
John Solomon (38)
Do you know how much it has rained in Britain and Ireland this winter? Glasgow will probably not play another game at their home ground until next season such is the terrible damage done by the feet of rain that have fallen. The idea teams are going to play like the Fijian sevens team when the prevailing conditions resemble the battle of Passchendaele is a little fanciful. I would bring in BPs to the six nations btw with a five point bonus for a GS, simples.
If we really want to address the NH SH imbalance then the next RWC should be played in March/ April so we see how the SH teams cope playing for 18 months without a break. Alternate between the NH and SH Autumn for RWCs and we will get a fair comparison of the relative strengths of the hemispheres.
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
Wish public transport to Broadwood was better. I know the SFA have heavily invested in it for Clyde and the Football Age grades, but watching the U20s play lovely rugby despite the piss weather made me wish it was a feasible choice for Glasgow.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
FFS Plastic that is just the same rubbish that the touring sides have dribbled for years. Pre-season they are not settled into test matches while the RC sides are coming off that competition and Super Rugby. Post season tours they are too tired.
As for being unable to play in the wet, that only really applies to the Wallabies, I have seen the ABs play sublime rugby with the ground literally under water and the Boks could (when they have a decent coach and no political interference out grind just about anybody.
The problem with the NH sides is they are so very predictable. Gatland hasn't had an orignal idea since he took over the Welsh side, the Irish have really improved under Schmidt, but after years of limited play they lack depth to cover injuries. The real disappointment for me was England, they had been playing some very good attacking rugby until the RWC and were developing well. The Lancaster had his 2011 Robbie Deans panic attack and decided to play a safe no risk game and the players were torn between the two styles and couldn't execute either with the selections they had and the change in style. Add to that the attack of the SH sides was just so much better that the conservative game could contain, such as with the Argentines dismantling of the best defensive side in the NH.
The French have been totally wrecked by the Top14 clubs and we may never see a decent consistent (for the French) side again.
As for being unable to play in the wet, that only really applies to the Wallabies, I have seen the ABs play sublime rugby with the ground literally under water and the Boks could (when they have a decent coach and no political interference out grind just about anybody.
The problem with the NH sides is they are so very predictable. Gatland hasn't had an orignal idea since he took over the Welsh side, the Irish have really improved under Schmidt, but after years of limited play they lack depth to cover injuries. The real disappointment for me was England, they had been playing some very good attacking rugby until the RWC and were developing well. The Lancaster had his 2011 Robbie Deans panic attack and decided to play a safe no risk game and the players were torn between the two styles and couldn't execute either with the selections they had and the change in style. Add to that the attack of the SH sides was just so much better that the conservative game could contain, such as with the Argentines dismantling of the best defensive side in the NH.
The French have been totally wrecked by the Top14 clubs and we may never see a decent consistent (for the French) side again.
the plastic paddy
John Solomon (38)
So, if SH rugby is so far ahead I am sure they would welcome the suggestion that the requirement to forego a summer break and full pre season is share equally between NH and SH.
As for excuses, every loss by SH teams in November is explained away as fatigue after a long season. NH players play a lot more games than SH players, they miss out on a summer break for the RWC and the best in Britain and Ireland have another of theirs severely compromised touring with the Lions to keep the show on the road for the SH unions who would be skint without the Lions. When we see the same dominance with the two hemispheres being treated equitably then I will believe that Australia and South African rugby players are so much better than NH players. NZ are on a different level I will freely accept. EDIT as for Argentina tearing Ireland a new one, injuries were a massive factor, our outside centre played the game with a broken jaw FFS and that is before you start with the loss of POC, POM, TOD, Sexton, Payne, Healy playing when not even close to fitness etc. And lest we forget, Australia were an appalling refereeing decision, from a Southern Hemisphere referee, from being kicked out of the tournament by Scotland so I wouldn't say that reinforces the Hemisphere as being some sort of master race.
As for excuses, every loss by SH teams in November is explained away as fatigue after a long season. NH players play a lot more games than SH players, they miss out on a summer break for the RWC and the best in Britain and Ireland have another of theirs severely compromised touring with the Lions to keep the show on the road for the SH unions who would be skint without the Lions. When we see the same dominance with the two hemispheres being treated equitably then I will believe that Australia and South African rugby players are so much better than NH players. NZ are on a different level I will freely accept. EDIT as for Argentina tearing Ireland a new one, injuries were a massive factor, our outside centre played the game with a broken jaw FFS and that is before you start with the loss of POC, POM, TOD, Sexton, Payne, Healy playing when not even close to fitness etc. And lest we forget, Australia were an appalling refereeing decision, from a Southern Hemisphere referee, from being kicked out of the tournament by Scotland so I wouldn't say that reinforces the Hemisphere as being some sort of master race.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
The same old....
The facts remain the same. The NH win ration failed to improve even with the Saffas have Pieter DeVilliers "coaching" and the Wallabies having cryptic Robbie in charge. I do not think I have ever seen a SH side excusing the few defeats as due to "fatigue". As for the Scotland game, it was indeed close, but at real time and in replay I still think he was offisde and it was a penalty. Do not forget that it has between Joubert and Owens who is the best referee for a few years.
Anyway if your players are fatiqued to the point they are no longer competitive in test Rugby, which I have feared would happen since the mid 2000's then I would suggest you get your clubs under control with regard to player welfare and the pre-eminence of test rugby and also get them to agree to a global season. I know neither of these tings will happen, so I fear that we will see test Rugby degraded in the same way that football/soccer play "friendlies" now.
the plastic paddy
John Solomon (38)
Ireland beat Aus in the last RWC. Our record against SA and Aus is very competitive in November internationals as well. As I said previously, NZ are in a different league to everyone else, but the next seven teams are very close and results outside of this latest RWC, which was played in freakishly hot and dry conditions for a British September/ October, indicate as much.
I am sure plenty will be made of NH teams' performances in the SH this June, but, by that stage the NH players will have been playing for two years without a break, the SH players will be fresh from FOUR months without rugby. In a four year RWC cycle, the best of the B and I players, who make the Lions tour, and that is double figures for Wales and Ireland per tour since 2005, get 6 months of break, the SH players get 13 months. One means of addressing this massive discrepancy would be to play every other RWC in March /April so the SH players have one of their summer breaks compromised to even things out.
Another means of balancing things out would be to stop Lions tours but that would probably bankrupt the SH unions so is unlikely to happen and, indeed, the redistribution of wealth to prop up the SH nations is about the only thing involving the Lions with which I still agree, generous man that I am.
Ireland has complete control of all the players in Ireland and hardly selects anyone who doesn't play in the Island; welfare and prioritising the national team is an IRFU obsession, much to the disgruntlement of many passionate provincial supporters, but still Irish players play nearly two months more rugby in a year than SH players.
As for talk of global seasons, it is always predicated on the NH changing when they play rather than vice versa. Rugby Union is not going to be played in a NH summer which is the idea suggested by the SH nations. Sadly I think test rugby faces imminent degradation as the English and Scots unions voted to leave the English and French clubs in charge of the European game.
the plastic paddy
John Solomon (38)
World rugby didn't agree. I genuinely don't think it affected the result, I thought Scotland had opportunities to win the game regardless which they didn't take, but to claim Aus did not enjoy a bit of luck is disingenuous to say the least.
Then why mention it in the first place?
Lähetetty minun SM-G388F laitteesta Tapatalkilla
the plastic paddy
John Solomon (38)
To demonstrate that Aus needed a good bit of luck to beat Scotland who are one of the weaker sides in the six nations.
the plastic paddy
John Solomon (38)
Indeed, these things balance out over the course of a game but the injuries suffered by Ireland and Wales, in particular, certainly were not balanced out over the course of the tournament.
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
He signed a contract till the end of the season there.
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