I think Friday night 6 Nations game are generally a bad idea. They're perfectly fine for club matches when attendances are usually below 10000 but when you have seven times that number at a game more consideration is needed.
I chose not to go to the Wales v France game this year because of the transport issues. Watching a 6 Nations game should be one of the highlights of a rugby fans' year. Nobody wants their day ruined straight after the match by having to endure the chaos of getting home from a packed city. Saturday is the ideal day for a match; 2 to 3 pm kick off. Game finishes at 5. No mad rush to go home at the same time. Fans can stagger the time they leave.
The other Nations should all host a Friday night 6 Nations game, then the IRB should assess whether to continue with this experiment.If the fans had their say I think the majority would prefer not to have a Friday night game, but in the future I think a compromise will be reached when each Nation plays one Friday night game every other year.
I have been lucky enough to go to the last 3 France v Wales games. Last year's game was the first Friday night 6 Nations game. I found the atmosphere was down on 2005 & 2007. Most of the home crowd had been working. The French fans seemed quite quiet, even during their winning performance. Although the paper plane throwing in the 2nd half was annoying. I don't recall many Mexican waves.
I suppose the result of the match helps as well.
Originally posted at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A63661836
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Thursday, 11 February 2010
LV= Cup
Blues 45-24 Newcastle. 31 Jan. 2010
I joined the Blues Supporter's Club at the start of the season and was sent a complimentary ticket to this match. I got to go upto the hospitality area on the top level of the main grandstand. Quite nice it was too. Before the game Craig Quinnell did a short interview with Ben Blair and Rhys Thomas for the benefit of those in the hospitality lounge.
The game was a comfortable run out for the Blues and allowed alot of fringe players to get a first team game. As the 6 nations was only 1 week away no Wales squad players were involved. A good day out.
Wasps 13-18 Scarlets. 30 Jan. 2010
Dragons 40-19 Ospreys. 29 Jan. 2010
I joined the Blues Supporter's Club at the start of the season and was sent a complimentary ticket to this match. I got to go upto the hospitality area on the top level of the main grandstand. Quite nice it was too. Before the game Craig Quinnell did a short interview with Ben Blair and Rhys Thomas for the benefit of those in the hospitality lounge.
The game was a comfortable run out for the Blues and allowed alot of fringe players to get a first team game. As the 6 nations was only 1 week away no Wales squad players were involved. A good day out.
Wasps 13-18 Scarlets. 30 Jan. 2010
Dragons 40-19 Ospreys. 29 Jan. 2010
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Heineken Cup. Rounds 5 & 6
Harlequins 20-45 Blues. 24 Jan. 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8466424.stm
Ospreys 17-12 Leicester. 23 Jan. 2010
The Welsh team produced an all around solid game to beat the Tigers. James Hook, playing at inside centre was especially creative, and his centre partner Andrew Bishop had a fine game in defence. The match will be remembered not for the great win but for the fiasco surrounding the Lee Byrne substitution. He left the field as a blood replacement and on his arrival back it appeared the correct protocol was not observed. This resulted in the Ospreys playing with 16 men for about 1 minute, before referree Alan Lewis was notified. A few days after the game an independent tribunal handed the Ospreys 22,000 Euros fine and suspended Byrne for 2 weeks, meaning he would miss the England v Wales game. Byrne and the WRU appealed, and rather amazingly, had the ban lifted, and the fine dropped to 5000 Euros. This is the first major appeal I can remember being succesful. It's a huge boost to the Welsh team and a big surprise.
Munster 12-9 Northamton. 22 Jan. 2010
Northampton 34-0 Perpignan. 17 Jan. 2010
The Saints secured a bonus point win with the last move of the game in dramatic fashion. Perpignan were already out of the cup so the result is not as impressive as it may seem.
Clermont Auvergne 27-7 Ospreys. 16 Jan. 2010
Ulster 21-13 Edinburgh. 15 Jan. 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8466424.stm
Ospreys 17-12 Leicester. 23 Jan. 2010
The Welsh team produced an all around solid game to beat the Tigers. James Hook, playing at inside centre was especially creative, and his centre partner Andrew Bishop had a fine game in defence. The match will be remembered not for the great win but for the fiasco surrounding the Lee Byrne substitution. He left the field as a blood replacement and on his arrival back it appeared the correct protocol was not observed. This resulted in the Ospreys playing with 16 men for about 1 minute, before referree Alan Lewis was notified. A few days after the game an independent tribunal handed the Ospreys 22,000 Euros fine and suspended Byrne for 2 weeks, meaning he would miss the England v Wales game. Byrne and the WRU appealed, and rather amazingly, had the ban lifted, and the fine dropped to 5000 Euros. This is the first major appeal I can remember being succesful. It's a huge boost to the Welsh team and a big surprise.
Munster 12-9 Northamton. 22 Jan. 2010
Northampton 34-0 Perpignan. 17 Jan. 2010
The Saints secured a bonus point win with the last move of the game in dramatic fashion. Perpignan were already out of the cup so the result is not as impressive as it may seem.
Clermont Auvergne 27-7 Ospreys. 16 Jan. 2010
Ulster 21-13 Edinburgh. 15 Jan. 2010
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Some games
Leicester 34-8 Wasps. 9 Jan. 2010
Ospreys 26-0 Blues. 1 Jan. 2010
Worcester 6-26 Northampton. 26 Dec. 2009
The game sparked to life with 15 minutes to go as Ben Foden made a break from his own half. He fed Chris Ashton to score a a well worked try. Foden was in good form and managed a try for himself as well.
Scarlets 14-21 Ospreys. 26 Dec. 2009
Ospreys 26-0 Blues. 1 Jan. 2010
Worcester 6-26 Northampton. 26 Dec. 2009
The game sparked to life with 15 minutes to go as Ben Foden made a break from his own half. He fed Chris Ashton to score a a well worked try. Foden was in good form and managed a try for himself as well.
Scarlets 14-21 Ospreys. 26 Dec. 2009
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Heineken Cup rounds 3 & 4
Perpginan 14-37 Munster. 20 Dec. 2009
Toulouse 23-7 Blues. 19 Dec. 2009
Biarritz 49-13 Dragons. 13 Dec. 2009
Clermont Auvergne 40-30 Leicester. 13 Dec. 2009
Blues 15-9 Toulouse. 12 Dec. 2009
Went to watch game. It was a nice dry day and I was bit surprised at the poor turn out of 10,500. This was the second time the Blues have beaten Toulouse in Cardiff this year. Both games have featured no tries. The quality of rugby on display was poor from both sides. Sam Norton-Knight at ten kicked alot of ball away and the Blues never really got any cohesion into their game. Luckily Toulouse were in no mood to play an expansive game and the match turned into a defensive tussle. The Blues won because they were the least worst team - it was that bad.
Munster 24-23 Perpignan. 11 Dec. 2009
Friday, 18 December 2009
Solo try of the year?
Burger's supreme effort for Perpignan against Munster on 11 December was pretty cool. Watching the game live on TV he showed an amazing turn of speed and then found an extra gear to burn past the covering defenders. That's probably my favourite solo try of the year, although Spies has scored some great ones too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAHIFkeQt0E
Originally posted at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A60770991
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAHIFkeQt0E
Originally posted at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A60770991
Monday, 7 December 2009
Some games...
Dragons 30-14 Leinster. 6 Dec. 2009
A really good Dragons team performance, albeit against a Leinster 2nd string.
Ospreys 19-14 Munster. 5 Dec. 2009
Barbarians 25-18 New Zealand. 5 Dec. 2009
The Baa Baas first win over the All Blacks since That Game in 1973. Bryan Habana showed his class with a hatrick of tries.
Scarlets 16-17 Edinburgh. 4 Dec. 2009
Wales 12-33 Australia. 28 Nov. 2009
A poor game for Wales. The game kicked off and it was down hill all the way for the home side. Wales lost three players in the first half to injury, both wingers and Matthew Rees. Australia were dominant throughout and played some quality rugby.
Blues 3-31 Australia. 24. Nov. 2009
A really good Dragons team performance, albeit against a Leinster 2nd string.
Ospreys 19-14 Munster. 5 Dec. 2009
Barbarians 25-18 New Zealand. 5 Dec. 2009
The Baa Baas first win over the All Blacks since That Game in 1973. Bryan Habana showed his class with a hatrick of tries.
Scarlets 16-17 Edinburgh. 4 Dec. 2009
Wales 12-33 Australia. 28 Nov. 2009
A poor game for Wales. The game kicked off and it was down hill all the way for the home side. Wales lost three players in the first half to injury, both wingers and Matthew Rees. Australia were dominant throughout and played some quality rugby.
Blues 3-31 Australia. 24. Nov. 2009
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