Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

No game is that dull...:zzz:

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

After the early promise of the opening weekend, when Ireland ran Wales ragged, England powered past Scotland and Italy stunned France, the rugby has been as grim as the weather, culminating in last Saturday’s desperate encounter between Scotland and Wales. That was, by common consent, the worst game in the 13-year history of the Six Nations, ruined by a whistle-happy official who awarded 28 penalties during the 80 minutes.

The referee in question, Craig Joubert, is from the southern hemisphere, as is Steve Walsh, the man charged with officiating in Cardiff tomorrow night. Put bluntly, there is a feeling among many in Europe that southern hemisphere referees just aren’t up to the job, particularly when it comes to overseeing the scrum. Walsh, an Australian, was in charge of last week’s Ireland against France match and he came in for much criticism on the back of another questionable display with the whistle.

For England the prospect of being refereed by Walsh as they attempt to win their first Grand Slam in ten years is not a happy one because the two have ‘previous’. During the 2003 World Cup in Australia Walsh was given a three-day suspension for what the International Rugby Board termed "inappropriate behaviour" during England’s pool win over Samoa, behaviour which allegedly involved squirting water from a rehydration bottle over one of the England coaches after an argument about substitutions.

Walsh was eventually sacked by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union in 2009 after arriving drunk at a refereeing conference in Sydney, an episoide he later admitted. He then moved to Australia, sobered up, and returned as a referee in 2010 having changed his nationality from Kiwi to Aussie, but still bristling with self-importance.

He was in charge of last year's Six Nations encounter between England and Wales, a match the Welsh deserved to win although English fans were convinced their cause wasn't helped by several questionable decisions by Walsh.

It’s not just the English who have had problems with Walsh. Described by a fellow official in 2009 as a "walking timebomb", Walsh was once suspended for four months for verbally abusing Ireland’s Shane Horgan during a British and Irish Lions tour match in New Zealand in 2005. As recently as March this year, he had what one paper called a "physical altercation" with All Blacks centre Conrad Smith during a match between the Hurricanes and the Queensland Reds.

It was crass of the IRB to appoint Walsh as referee for this fixture. They know his reputation and they should have avoided the risk of any potential controversy by giving the game to another referee. Instead the most eagerly-anticipated match in Six Nations rugby for years is in danger of being overshadowed by a man who often gives the impression of believing spectators have paid to watch him, not the 30 players he should be officiating.

Sums it all up for me although well done the Welsh for exploiting the situation.

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...44096093_n.jpg
One for the album :amen:

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

That's interesting and was obviously written before the game - by whom?

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

Even the Welsh were talking about his impartiality....


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbyna...1466-32997432/

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

I think this was the article....


http://www.theweek.co.uk/rugby/52001...-england-wales

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

I agree, much the same as I said, they deserved their win, you play to the ref. After England were grateful and lucky to come out of the Italy game with a win, I didn't hold out much hope for them in Cardiff, but the appointment of Walsh just made it a whole lot easier. Reading the Welsh forums, that's the Welsh team all penciled in for the Lion's Tour.

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

That's what worries me, look at how shit they were in South Africa when the majority of the team were Welsh?

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

Forget the exact figure, but the Wales side yesterday had about 350 more caps than England, so very experienced, couple that with the fact Gatland is in charge, there could well be a glut of Welsh players and few English. Some maybe be past it by 2015 for the RWC, perhaps England might just peak then! :rofl: Provided Walsh isn't involved! ;)

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

I love the Lions tours, always have, I collect Lions shirts and merchandise and never miss the games, even if I have to record them but the over reliance on Wales is beginning to annoy me. Wales just don't travel as well as other teams. It was an embarrassment that the Lions lost to Provincial sides in South Africa. With all the effort it takes to get the team together and the expense involved it seems such a let down to just go for the big names. You only have to look at the nominations for the Player of the Tournament to see where the bias will be.

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

Let me try to bring some respect into all of this. Born in the Rhondda then moved about spent many years earning my living in England.

Once saw JPR in his prime against NZ at the Brewery field and was stamped on. Then saw the blood coming from his cheek. His father was a GP stiched him up and he came back on. JPR was either mad or courageous.

That was then today is now. Yesterday with the roof closed England lost it and lost it badly. Was also at Wembley when in the last minutes.............

Up and until yesterday the scores on the door proved that England were the better team. But the scores on the door at the end in Cardiff proved differently but only for that game.

It was a great game fantastic atmosphere and the better team solely on the day won. Surely that is the end of it?

There is history between us but it should finish at the end of the game and everyone should acknowledge everyone and put their hand together and applaud both winner and loser. I applaud England up to yesterday but at the end the better side won on the day.

I just wonder how many of our English friends have been to the stadium in Cardiff. It is not like Twickenham and when you have to leave on Thursday to get to the ground by Saturday. The stadium is the very heart and soul of us Welsh.

Well done to both sides.

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

A long time ago but perhaps rugbymatt should go back to the Lions tours of JPR JJ Gerald Gareth and the King Barry. They did not travel well? Then the Pontypool front row. They did not travel well? JPR never lost against England. Does that tell you something.

But he may not have been with us at that time. He certainly is not with us today with such stupid comments.

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

:D:amen:

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

Yeah, it tells me you don't watch too much rugby now and have forgotten the years between about 1980 and 2004.... Even when you hosted the World cup you still choked, in 2011 you were the best Northern Hemisphere team by a long shot yet in the World cup, you know, a tournament with more than four teams in you choked.

This is the problem, at least the English know when they have been lucky, not one Welsh supporter has pointed out that you won the tournament on points but my god, imagine if we had won on points alone, Scrum V would be full of crap about how we stole it from you just on points! You know, like you lot all bitched that poor old Warberton was unfairly sent off for his dangerous tackle eh? Funny how refs have such an effect on games, even with the dirtiest team in world rugby, Wales....

Re: For all you Welsh expats
 

A Welsh friend was proudly telling all on FB he got one of Adam Jone's match socks yesterday, never to be washed! No idea how he got it!;)