Wayne Barnes getting usual drivel on social media from aggrieved NZ fans. Thought he did well. It’s the sport that has a problem with head contact. Has to be sanctioned but it will massively impact a game. Don’t blame the ref
First Uruguay, now Portugal ( with honourable mention to Chile ) - it’s time to end the patronising pats on the head for these teams and give them proper competitions to develop.
Just filed various pieces for Sunday Telegraph bumper coverage
Usually more measured on a re-write, once adrenaline of moment passed
But bollocks to that. England gave most towering performance I’ve ever seen
What a bookend weekend
France-NZ to kick off
Wales-Fiji to round off
Best game to bring curtain down.
Matt Carley ridiculously lenient to Wales. Stuffed Fiji good and proper over yellow cards
1,000 words filed from Murrayfield. What a match to warm the cockles. As good as I’ve seen here in 30 years of covering Calcutta Cup.
Top game, top effort from Scotland.
36 years and out: Long days and intoxicating nights - rugby may have changed but the stories remain │
@MickClearyTel
bids farewell after a decades-long career in sports journalism
Seilala Mapusua:”Lost for words if I’m honest. As I said pre-match, my heart breaks for these boys. They deserved a lot more than they got from that game.We did enough to earn a victory. Such is the cruel nature of sport that it wasn’t to be. it’s a tough one to take”
@manusamoa
Ridiculous.
Concussion is the sport’s gravest issue
Governing bodies claim to recognise that disturbing fact/trend
And then let this slip by as if it were a routine incident.
A final tip of the hat to NZ. They are the ones that set the benchmark. They are why other teams work so hard. That is why Sat night was so special.
And I’d still make them favourites for RWC 2019
Just
Some very pertinent observations. Here
Garces had allowed the try.
Should not be overturned unless clear and obvious
It was not clear and obvious.
Ludicrous that such a spectacle decided on such fine-line judgements
Having suffered the hell of getting in and out of Cardiff and Twickenham on match days, or sprinting for last RER at Stade de France, bravo Bilbao.
All night metro specially arranged, brilliant ground staff, terrific backdrop, a triumph.
Seen a few stirring sights at (eight) World Cups. None to match the impact these guys have had, on the country itself as much as on the way the game can be played. Did everything right. Chapeau
#JAPvSA
Right now, these players may not realise the impact they have had on the future of Japanese rugby and Japan.
Not only have they inspired a generation, they’ve changed what it means to be Japanese.
#RWC2019
Final reflections.
Yes, it’s only one performance by England
But it was a bloody impressive one. And you’d have to be without a brain or foresight not to put it into some sort of World Cup context. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be doing your job
England in a very good place at the end of autumn
Three wins. Plenty of depth unearthed in prop pool, Mark Wilson, at home at this level, Sinckler a monster and Cokanasiga the X-factor that any WCup aspiring team needs
I’d be happy if never saw another shot of TMO in studio bunker. Well-intentioned people squeezing life from the game. Give me old school ‘rub of the green’ any time
#IAmNotARobot
Bag packed for flight home from cloudy Cape Town.
SA always a bracing, vivid experience. Best place to tour.
Rugby transforming here which is great to see. England have more routine issues to address.
Same old, same old. What was the name of that team who delighted us at this World Cup. Began with a P.. Port something. Wonder whatever happened to them? And their T2 mates ?
The World Rugby Council has approved transformational reform of the global men’s and women’s rugby calendars
Including the first-ever dedicated women’s and men’s calendars from 2026 and expansion of Rugby World Cup to 24 teams in 2027
To find out more:
If the standard of international rugby seen in NH lately doesn’t pick up sharpish, fans won’t be coming through the doors once they do open up. Scrappy, crabby. Too many pens. Too much offside.
Well said, Mick. Andy was one of my first interviews in mid-80s. He didn’t know me so Mentioned I’d been at UEA, played rugby and also lived in Sussex.’ ‘Fab, babe, see you at Crawley athletics track We can do a session and then chat.’ Almost killed me
Andy Ripley died ten years ago today. A brilliant, brave, charismatic man, he took on life, rugby and cancer with equal flair. His e mails arrived signed “Stay fab”. He did.
Hats off to the Polish chef
have-a-go hero who stood up to the London Bridge terrorist with a narwhal tusk he grabbed from the wall of Fishmongers Hall.
England were never as good as their record suggested
Not are they as bad as their fifth place finish indicates
But they are in a muddle. Eddie’s Midas touch deserted him
Anyway
Terrific test match so huge credit to both teams in dreadful conditions
Yes, rub of green is part of sport
But this was a deeply flawed process of decision
Big day for Sam Underhill.
England now got two 7s.
In memoriam: 'Chester Williams was the face of the 1995 World Cup. He was a symbol of hope for black South Africans at a time when the country was undergoing significant changes,' writes
@jon_cardinelli
Every single parent in the country has faced the same dilemma as the Cummings. Every single family. It’s not exceptional or unique at all
And please let there be a Barnard Castle photo still to come
You could have done your full shift 14 days of self-isolation and you’d emerge to find that scrums were still being re-set in
#scot
-Fr. Ten seconds then free-kick.
Springboks worthy champs. Grit counts just as much as glamour in sport. Kings of the One-pointer. Knockout masters All Blacks fought fabulously well too. The never-ending tournament finally ends
At least France got two bonus points. One for losing margin and one for the four tries scored, two for themselves and two for Wales
France played as France, wilful, dramatic and as mentally robust as an eggshell.
Always aware that might embellish 6Nts. Yet delivers every time
Gary Neville on the racism problem in the Premier League
🗣"We had a general election and both main parties are accused of fueling and accepting racism in their parties. it's accepted in the highest office in the country"
If football ever doubts the value of technology, then check out the howler from ref Luke Pearce in NZ-France. Yellow card to French lock without ref to TMO. Wrong call. ABs scored two tries v 14 men,
Raise a glass tonight for one of the great figures of our game, French journalist, Jean Cormier, who has passed away.
Rather mundane words to depict one of the warmest, most vibrant, fun-loving of men, a Basque down to his little cotton socks. 🍷
3 NZ tries when France ( wrongly ) down to 14 men.
The best refs are the invisible ones
Luke Pearce will be the only talking point at the final whistle
This is such a bad call. Sometimes you wish administrators would shove their own regulations up where the sun don’t shine and stand up to, and for, themselves
Use the video of England’s response to the haka to get millions of hits on your YouTube channel, but then sanction England for doing it. Not at all hypocritical
@WorldRugby
Quins v Bristol
End-to-end, fierce, inventive,back from the dead.
Club rugby warms the cockles.
International rugby got a tough act to follow in November
.
@leinsterrugby
supporters: We brought 1500 flags over today’s game and
@bathrugby
are refusing to let us distribute them. They are saying that the flags failed a health and safety test.