Particularly impressive when you consider we've had 7 yellow and 2 red cards across the 7 rounds so far. Does it say more about the Reds' defence, or others' inability to convert?Really happy with our defence so far this season, we've conceded the fewest tries (10) and the fewest points (108) so far, even having played at least 1 more game then most other sides. Here's hoping we can keep it up into the crossover rounds.
Particularly impressive when you consider we've had 7 yellow and 2 red cards across the 7 rounds so far. Does it say more about the Reds' defence, or others' inability to convert?
Agreed. On the other hand, I'm actually looking forward to the matches against the kiwis instead of dreading them, which hasn't happened in a while. Hoping that we'll see some good contests.This is my main concern and I posted it in the game thread for the weekend.
Having caught up on the kiwi games over the weekend, I'm not sure we can play with 14 men against those sides for multiple weeks in a row and still come out with enough wins.
And part of the concern here, for me, is that a lot of the penalties & cards are careless. Tuilima’s clean out on the weekend was only ever likely to end one way, as Reg pointed out, the ball should have already been won.This is my main concern and I posted it in the game thread for the weekend.
Having caught up on the kiwi games over the weekend, I'm not sure we can play with 14 men against those sides for multiple weeks in a row and still come out with enough wins.
Here's the full article - MSN butchered the republish. He was having a crack at the SANZAAR intervention for that incident, and made general comments about stoppages and rulings that take away physicality ruining the gameIs there meant to be something more about that article?
The headline paints the picture that 'pedantic' Refs are killing the game. But the issue Latham is cranky about was actually fine by the Ref. It was the citing commissioner who pulled it up.
Feels like a half baked article?
I also blame the coaches, McKellar and Thorne have come out and shaken their head at cards, and that 'wouldn't have happened in my day'And part of the concern here, for me, is that a lot of the penalties & cards are careless. Tuilima’s clean out on the weekend was only ever likely to end one way, as Reg pointed out, the ball should have already been won.
I know it is not just the Reds struggling with the tackle height, but it is something we need to be better at. And there are still too many offside penalties for my liking (although I think the hard thing here is that almost every team seems to be regularly offside and it is one of those penalties that the refs seem to call inconsistently.
All that said, credit where it is due. The Reds have been good enough to deal with it and no one can deny this team is one where the players involved work their backsides off for each other.
To be fair, that’s not what Bella Thorne said..Then you have Thorne after the game shaking his head saying, I'm a dinosaur and I'm not going to talk about it. Like seriously if your coach thinks it's a joke how do the players take it seriously..
Then you have Thorne after the game shaking his head saying, I'm a dinosaur and I'm not going to talk about it. Like seriously if your coach thinks it's a joke how do the players take it seriously..
Maybe the coaches should focus more on getting their teams executing efficiently if they want more ball in play time, eh.
Maybe the refs should call what they see and give up the on field coaching lessonsMaybe the coaches should focus more on getting their teams executing efficiently if they want more ball in play time, eh.
I literally said them both...For goodness sake. McKellar made a determinedly big noise about the "stop-start" nature and not enough rugby being played. [I happen to agree with him.] Thorne, having been previously criticised for commenting on the effect of refs, did his very best to simply not comment. If someone was making a noise, it wasn't Thorne and of course there was legitimacy behind any noise that did come. IMO.
It wasn't just Thorne shaking his head. So was I, and from the response I suspect McKellar was doing somewhat more than that.
Huge shame for both of them - Nasser's development from last season has been immense, and it really seemed like Wright was starting to find some form again.Injury update:
Sad to see Nasser hurt, but not too surprised given how he was looking as he left the field on Saturday night. Wright just can't catch a break.