Empty the bench and go for a LBP. Saracens playing like Saracens. Efficient, powerful, don't think we've been in there half so far in the 2nd half. Scrum is pathetic. Has been poor all season but this is abysmal. Garner will be itching for a hatrick of penalty tries.
Cole is getting mullered by Rhys Gill. Sad to see him like this. I wonder how big an effect that neck injury has had on him. Yellow card. I don't think I've ever seen that happen to him.
You have to consider the surface which the props wont be used too and the fact he doesn't have 2 huge blokes pushing behind him, if we had Slater and M. Williams in the pack I guarantee we wouldn't be going backwards like we are
Sarries are doing to us what we used to do to others; playing percentage rugby and pushing the laws to the limit.
I despair at the way the game is ref'd now, not just by the inept Garner we see today, but by most in the premiership.
What is the point of having a scrum, when you don't need to hook the ball as it is put behind your hookers feet?
What is the point of defending a maul when as soon as you end up on the attacking side of the maul, you are told to detach when this does not apply to the attacking side?
What is the point of a ruck when supporting attackers go beyond the tackle and block, whilst the tackled player hangs on to the ball?
What is the point of a line out when you can throw the ball in straight down your own line. whilst encroaching onto the pitch?
What is the point of a scrum, which used to be a means of re-starting the game, but is now a means of winning a penalty?
Rugby used to be a contest, at ruck/maul/line out and tackle - not any longer.
The answer to all the above is not that the laws have changed, just the way they are ref'd, and the way that players are taught to play the game.
I find it increasingly difficult to enjoy what used to be a great game - all for want of the laws not being applied.
He has just penalised Gill for pushing early. This shows the problem that any side has at Sarries as the hit is so important. Sarries have had it every scrum really until then. It is so difficult to scrum once the initial hit has been made, especially as they are quite heavy.
Sarries play really well on their plastic pitch, it suits their style.
However, we know they play on plastic so do we train on it, as ours at Oval Park is a composite and completely different.
Bowden Tiger wrote:He has just penalised Gill for pushing early. This shows the problem that any side has at Sarries as the hit is so important. Sarries have had it every scrum really until then. It is so difficult to scrum once the initial hit has been made, especially as they are quite heavy.
Should have been pinged before one of the penalty tries, that kick did go ten, plus TV being pinged as tackler when "ruck had formed". That dais we were completely done over. There was a gulf between these sides today, not a gap.
(Has a happy clap and waves flag! No remy though )
Exile Wigstonite living in Wales.
Poet laureate of the "One Eyed Turk".
Bar stool philosopher in the "Wilted Daffodil"
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