URC 2024/25

Sharks beating Stormers but 2 more of their Springboks picked up injuries - Fassi and Esterhuizen

Edinburgh immediately reply!

Contest their restart and pilfer the ball from Glasgow. Schoemann of all people puts in a grubber kick to a wing to regather then a few phases later he's the one to score the try. Ben Healy makes the conversion.

No trys for 69 minutes then two are scored in 90 seconds.

Edinburgh with the big upset victory over Glasgow. They were humiliated last weekend, but were far more physical and disciplined this time around. Didn't allow Glasgow easy possession or territory and gave them crap ball to attack from

Didn't overcommit in defence when the Warriors backs tried their pull back sweeps from side to side. Kept a full defensive line at all times and the Glasgow backs couldn't find a way around them. They were a bit like Ireland in the recent November internationals. Tried too much to stick to their passing patterns and didn't play to win contact first.

Fender (Ospreys No 5) red carded for a croc roll, again all his weight on the exposed leg of the Cardiff player.

Cardiff 5 YC now for team indiscipline

Scarlets take all 5 points from their derby vs Dragons. Up to 6th in URC.

Scarlets have to play away Ulster & Munster, host Leinster and a trip to SA. The fight for the bottom 4 of the top eight will be tight.

That's outrageous when you consider what Latu got away with on saturday

How is the scrum half protection worded?

Cleaner play at set piece

Rationale: Protect the 9 to enable more ball in flow from base of ruck, maul and scrum

Ruck: New 15.18

15.18: A player who is, or was part of the ruck may not play an opponent who is near it (within 1m), and who is attempting to play the ball away 
Sanction: Penalty 
(Current 15.18-19 renumbered) 

Maul: New 16.18 

16.18: A player who is, or was part of the maul may not play an opponent near it (within 1m), and who is attempting to play the ball away.  Sanction: Penalty

Scrum: 9 stays at tunnel

19.30a Once play in the scrum begins, the scrum-half of the team not in possession:
a. Takes up a position near the scrum, no further than the centre line of the tunnel.

(The line 'No further than the centre line of the tunnel' is the new rule here)

I've no problem with the scrum change. Some SHs absolutely take the piss these days, going beyond the ball, hassling the SH of the team in possession while the ball is still in, and none of it gets picked up.

Exactly, enforce the rules that are present already

No idea and watching the game I was screaming for the ref to give us a penalty for that illegal entry, the ref waved play on until the TMO called his attention to it but you can't ban a player based on how long a player could be out injured. It could lead to a blood gate type injury to have an opposition player banned for a long period.