Still don't know enough about the game to be able to say we won because we were good, or England played shit. But I am glad about the result and glad Gatland was there to see it.
Shocking referee but Irrespective of what went on earlier in the game, England got back to 24 all and then threw it away in the last 20mins. Well done Wales
That was a great game to watch as a neutral party. Wales played strong, incredible line outs, dominant in the air, Biggar kicks out of this world, and that #14 kid is a rocket! Looks like they will be a serious opponent in the next steps of the tournament... May be England should have played like they did twice 5 minutes (scoring two tries), for the entire game? Quick decisive passes, ending with the sprinters near the wings. I was actually shocked to see Farrell running this fast. Refereeing did look pretty awfully and somewhat partial. That knock on try is totally embarrassing... Above all, I am deeply shocked that a French referee resorted to this style of game control, as the French team suffered from this phenomenon for the past ten years or so, from « world class referees » like Owens, Peyper or Barnes... (announcing before a game that one team’s scrum is going to be under heavy surveillance due to a general lack of discipline is not fair play. It’s called a trial of intent, if I am not mistaken). What English supporters and players feel today is how you feel when a referee is briefed to keep an eye on your team or on some specific players deemed indisciplined by... God knows who (and for whatever reasons). If someone actually looks into every single foul a team can produce, it becomes totally game (and mind) destructive for said team. As I said, the French have now a long history of being scrutinized and penalized for every single mistake (indiscipline, as you guys like to call it) made on the field, forced into becoming the six nations « black sheep », which literally destroyed their game and their flair for a decade as a national group. Welcome to the club, England... That being said, English have been playing « naughty » for a while, but always got away with murder. Farrell needs to shut his fecking mouth and Itoje, in spite of being a fantastic player, should have been sin bined after 20 minutes in that game. That bloke should play for France!
We have learned that giving away endless penalties loses you matches. We haven't yet learned how to stop giving them away!
It's a ball game at the end of the day, the trick is simple keep ball possession as that means points on the table if your smart enough with the field play.
nah, the trick is to keep poke poke poking when england loose (again) then disappear for a while when my team looses.
Nah... The trick is trying to outplay your opponents instead of focusing solely on disrupting their play. And having as much fun and pleasure as you can while you’re at it. That’s what this game is all about.
Is this going to be the rugby equivalent of “ We won the World Cup in 66” Apparently, according to the pundits on tv quoting the rule book, it wasn’t a knock on as it hit his knee. Don’t know if that’s correct interpretation or not though.
Agreed with the 1966 thing the ways things are going at the minute, and yes first contact with his hand so a knock on in my book, but hey what do i know.
I believe the knock on rule actually gives room for interpretation in such a case. As the referee and the TMO were watching the replay trying to make a call, the French commenters (a journalist and the former player Dimitri Yachvili) laughed and wished them luck on making the right decision... And as for #14 looking surprised by the decision, he was running full speed (10,5 sec / 100m, if I am correctly informed) and wouldn’t have been able to see what happened down his legs, I think.
