Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealand - Rugby 2017

[Kevin S]

Coverage of the Varsity match from Twickenham will be on BBC Two in about 10 minutes if anyone's interested.

Edit - I mean the men's one. The women's match was this morning and finished Oxford 0-24 Cambridge. Here they are with the impressive trophy.

https://twitter.com/VarsityMatch/status/938760464741425152

[Ray de Galles]

Ah cheers, I had considered going to that this year - wish it wasn't always on a weekday afternoon but I presume there is a good reason for that (it gets old boys an excuse for a piss up on company time?)?

[ursus arctos]

That was the case when I attended in 83 or 84, though there also tons of schoolboys.

[Ray de Galles]

There doesn't appear to be tons of anyone there today. It's probably a decent crowd but nowhere near enough to justify playing at Twickenham, they should use The Stoop. I always forget that's another reason I don't go (as well as not having been to either University, though I do favour Cambridge).

[Kevin S]

Couple of kicks missed by Mike Phillips for Cambridge - these could be costly.

[Ray de Galles]

The whole game does a pleasingly seventies/eighties amateur feel to it, even down to the low score.

[Kevin S]

And they have 'rugby collars' on their shirts, too. Or is that a thing that some professional teams still have too?

Edit - my guess is not since Harlequins have tried to make it look like they have a collar when they actually don't, by doing a funny black shape around the neckline:

[Ray de Galles]

There is still the occasional proper collared shirt, a useful work of reference here.

I hadn't spotted that Quins collar fakery before, there is so much going on with the rest of the kit to drink in.

[Levin]

Bloody Hell.

Gloucester's armed forces shirt.



And Wales' sevens shirt is terrible as well.

[Kevin S]

Big try there, the light blues steamrolling over from a lineout. Had started to look like Oxford were getting back in it.

[Flynnie]

Having got into rugby in the late 90s, when there were still proper shirts going around, I really hate the lack of collars on rugby shirts. It's a damn shame that Canterbury's shirts didn't take on. Nike developed their horrible cycling top for the 2003 World Cup that ruined rugby shirts forever, and Canterbury released an updated Temex shirt that made a point of being form-fitting while still having a collar and looking smart.

[Flynnie]

This might be a consequence of learning rugby from New Zealanders, but Canterbury's bankruptcy and breakup into separate, shitty lifestyle brands that don't use their iconic (and I don't use that word lightly) hooped collar drives me barmy. I don't think I owned a single bit of kit from any other manufacturer for a while (they did sponsor my club). Canty boots, shorts, jerseys, tracksuit. They were all superlative.

My white whale of eBay finds is an All Black Steinlager Canterbury top. They go for loads when one's auctioned off.

[Ray de Galles]

And Wales' sevens shirt is terrible as well.

I actually don't mind it, Sevens shirts are meant to be nutzoid. I'm sure my ten year old son will love it actually.



The sponsor is still the worst part of it, thank gawd we changed for the XVs shirt.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

There's more than just the sponsor wrong with that shirt, Ray.

[Antepli Ejderha]

The next two weekends see the return of European rugby and it's the back to back/ head to head matches. I've not seen who's playing but remember seeing an advert for Saracens versus Clermont on BT Sport.

[Antepli Ejderha]

La Rochelle versus Wasps is the match I'm looking forward to most as I've yet to see Rochellais(?) play this season.

Sam Warburton is ruled out for the season and the Dragons are after Quade Cooper as he's available after being ditched from Super Rugby. The Dragons also have two forwards close to signing for them, the announcement is expected in the New Year, I'm expecting one to be a gnarly second row in the manner of Victor Matfield.

[Antepli Ejderha]

I'm out so can't watch but the Scarlets have scored three tries, 2 in the first 5 minutes, against Benetton. Benetton have also had Minto sent off so with an hour to go it's nearly job done.

[Antepli Ejderha]

It's all gone wrong for the Scarlets heading in to the final quarter. It's tied at 21 and James Davies is in the bin.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Scarlets pull it out last minute and win 33-28.

Bath beating Toulon 13-7 away at half time. Aled Brew having a stormer.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Scarlets pull it out last minute and win 33-28.

Bath beating Toulon 13-7 away at half time. Aled Brew having a stormer.

Pulling it off in the last minute is an understatement. Scarlets got two tries in the opening six minutes and two in the final six. They lead 21-7 and had a man advantage but nearly managed to lose it. That being said the two Italian sides are no pushovers any more.

I've always liked Aled Brew and was surprised he's never really made it in Wales for either the regions or the national team.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Final score 24-20 to Toulon.

Ospreys currently beating Northampton 38-8 after 56. Saints are shocking.

[Ray de Galles]

20-43 now, Northampton trying to make it respectable. Dan Evans has been having a stormer here, however poor the opponents have been.

[Ray de Galles]

27-43 now! Northampton fans were streaming out after 50 minutes and now it’s game on after Ospreys were 8-43 up.

[Ray de Galles]

32-43 now, with an almighty ruck following the try where the scorer and last defender are yellow carded, the latter harshly.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

This game is nuts