RaboDirectPro12 2012/13 General Discussion (with transfers/season preview)

irishbucsfan

Winters wrote: »

In some of the match reports from the Treviso v Leinster game on the weekend it was reported that there may be the risk of the Benetton Family pulling out of Treviso Rugby which would be a massive worry for the Italian Rugby's ongoing participation in the Pro12.

I think their president lost to a Calvisano Rugby member to replace Dondi as FIR president. It said also that Benetton also pulled out of two other sporting bodies in Treviso.

There is a lot of very shady politics at play in Italian rugby. For example think back to the decision to allocate Treviso a place in the tournament originally. They were skipped over for a Roman team because it was thought a strong presence in Rome would be great for Italian rugby and the cost would be lower for the FIR in the long term. Then a committee consisting of Treviso board members found that it should be Treviso instead! And Aironi were obviously let go, god knows why!

Seems that the new president is looking to stamp out a bit of corruption and he seems to be referring to things such as this.

http://italianrugbynews.com/2012/09/benetton-family-demand-explanation/

ray jay

Matt Williams just tweeted the following:

Sorry to confirm I am not on the Breakdown this season.Setanta and I could not make ends meet.All done with goodwill.Maybe next season.
Good news is I am back with The Irish Times from Next Monday.
Doing The Breakdown with Frano was great fun.Timetables for 2012 for both sides became impossible.Hope I can be with Setanta in the future.

ray jay

ray jay wrote: »

Matt Williams just tweeted the following:

BAAAAALLLLLLS

get him on Talking Rugby lads!

thomond2006

Zebre

Deleted User wrote: »

BAAAAALLLLLLS

get him on Talking Rugby lads!

You read my mind...

(tweet sent!)

profitius

Zebre

Tin Foil Hat wrote: »

I'd be interested to know how many of the 76 people who voted for The Ospreys would stand over their choice now. It's a terrible start for them.

I know I'm biased, but I'm very impressed with Munster's start to the season. They've played some decent rugby.
The top spot in the Rabo is still Leinsters for the taking though.

I voted for Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Edinburgh as being my top 4. Nothing biased in it its just taking into account the team strengthening over the summer and squad sizes. The Ospreys simply lost too many players. Its one thing having a good academy but its another trying to replace world class players with kids. They also had a bit of luck last season and its very difficult to win back to back titles.

It looks like the Scarlets could be the main contenders for making the top 4 outside the 3 Irish teams. They also look to be closing in on the Ospreys as being Wales' top team. Early days yet though.

irishbucsfan

Ospreys still have one of the best packs in the competition.

Jones, Hibbard, Jones, Wyn Jones, Evans, Stowers, Tipuric, Bearman

That's more than good enough to make them contenders. Then their backs like Beck, Bishop, Kahn etc. are all excellent players. I find it hard to write them off after watching how they ripped Munster apart in the semis last year, they haven't lost all that much. They obviously need to turn things around pretty quickly, but I would expect them to mount some sort of challenge.

durkadurka

Ospreys have lost three games that they should have won. Or won at least two of. They'll struggle to make the play offs IMHO.

profitius

Zebre

Big game in Wales tonight. The Scarlets at home to the Ospreys. They're expecting a full house too! Its a game Scarlets must win. Its early days yet in the season but the Scarlets look to be the no 1 team in Wales now.

GerM

If anyone is following it, Scarlets and Ospreys entering last few minutes at 9-9. Priestland is taking up where he left off with 3/7. If Scarlets cannot find another goal kicker, they might see their season disappear on the basis that he is currently the lowest percentage kicker in the league.

molloyjh

Zebre

GerM wrote: »

If anyone is following it, Scarlets and Ospreys entering last few minutes at 9-9. Priestland is taking up where he left off with 3/7. If Scarlets cannot find another goal kicker, they might see their season disappear on the basis that he is currently the lowest percentage kicker in the league.

2 quick tries from Ospreys? Por12 Live has 9-21.

chris_d

what the hell? how was that a try?

im perplexed.

entertaining game all the same.

Hagz

Scarlets

Will someone explain the North try to me. I switched channel when I saw it in real play cause I assumed it was no try. What happened? Was he not over the dead ball line?

chris_d

just found this...

22.4 OTHER WAYS TO SCORE A TRY.
g) Player in touch or touch-in- goal. If an attacking player is in touch or in touch-in-goal, the player can score a try by grounding the ball in the opponents’ in-goal provided the player is not carrying the ball

never knew that. i dont think G. North did either really. Well played video ref.

thomond2006

Zebre

That is a massive result/relief for the Ospreys.

thomond2006

Zebre

On an unrelated and point, Richie Gray why oh why did you go to Sale?! They just lost at home to London Welsh....

Bad decision Richie, you should have stayed at Glasgow!

Morf

Scarlets

thomond2006 wrote: »

On an unrelated and point, Richie Gray why oh why did you go to Sale?!

A lot of money . . .

thomond2006

Zebre

Morf wrote: »

A lot of money . . .

I'd say he would have got double what he's on at Sale in France. A guy his quality should be playing for a club the level of Leinster, Leicester or Clermont.

Morf

Scarlets

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'd say he would have got double what he's on at Sale in France. A guy his quality should be playing for a club the level of Leinster, Leicester or Clermont.

True. I'm sure he had plenty of offers though. I'm sure money and being near(er) to Scotland might have played a part in it.

.ak

Zebre

George Stowers cited for this tackle.

As bad as it looks on the replay, in full speed it's hard to tell if it was intentional or not.

Winters

thomond2006 wrote: »

On an unrelated and point, Richie Gray why oh why did you go to Sale?! They just lost at home to London Welsh....

Bad decision Richie, you should have stayed at Glasgow!

I remember reading an article way back and he said he had friends in Manchester but you're right I dont think he has moved upwards. I would have liked to see him stay in the Pro 12, big loss for Glasgow who by their own reports offered him quite a lot to stay.

He was a genuine contender for the Lions 12 months ago, now hmm not so sure.

thomond2006

Zebre

Glasgow:
15 Fraser Thomson, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Byron McGuigan, 12 Graeme Morrison, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Sean Kennedy, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Chris Fusaro (c), 6 Angus Macdonald, 5 Tim Swinson, 4 Tom Ryder, 3 Mike Cusack, 2 Finlay Gillies, 1 Gordon Reid.

Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Ofa Fainga'anuku, 18 Moray Low, 19 James Eddie, 20 Ryan Wilson, 21 Niko Matawalu, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Stuart Hogg.

Josh Strauss starts at number eight for his new club while Stuart Hogg is back from injury.

CatFromHue

.ak wrote: »

George Stowers cited for this tackle.

As bad as it looks on the replay, in full speed it's hard to tell if it was intentional or not.

He should have been paying more attention, to me that tackle should have him miss a game or two. I don't think he was even looking at what he was doing.

Also some lovely play there from Lanelli, nice awareness to put it wide from the drop off.

come on Zebre!

Podge_irl

Zebre

Drat, Glasgow just gone ahead. Imagine they'll hold out from there.

thomond2006

Zebre

Treviso 5-20 Scarlets atm, 2 tries scored for Scarlets.

thomond2006

Zebre

12-20 now

thomond2006

Zebre

another converted try, 19-20

Hagz

Scarlets

Treviso 22 Scarlets 20

Called it:cool:

thomond2006

Zebre

Hagz wrote: »

Treviso 22 Scarlets 20

Called it:cool:

Aboy Treviso!!!

profitius

Zebre

Early days yet but Connacht have scored a try per game this season more (2.2) than last seasons average (1.22).

Munster are down on last seasons average. 1.8 tpg (tries per game) this season compared to 2.05 tries per game last season. They had a tough enough start so that should go up as the games get easier and the team are more comfortable with Penneys new style.

Ulster managed 2.4 tpg last season and so far have 2.75 this season. Ulster were top scorers last season and look to have the best backline again this season.

Leinster have scored 2.2 tpg this season compared to 2.18 tpg last season. However the most surprising stat in the league this season is the Leinster defense. They're conceding 3.6 tpg this season compared to 1.27 last season!

I have not included the playoff matches last season. Overall the average tpg is up this season from 3.55 to just over 4.1.