The Rugby Union General Discussion thread

Argentina have beaten Italy for a sixth straight time, holding on for a 30-24 win in a one-off rugby test in Santa Fe.

Flanker Eremasi Radrodro scored a match-winning try on debut as Fiji rallied from 15-0 down at halftime to beat Tonga 23-18 in the opening match of rugby's Pacific Nations Cup today.

"I'm still new to this game and now I'm on the big stage,'' Baker said in the sunny cafeteria at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista on an idle Sunday a few months ago.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says he is undecided on who will replace David Pocock after the star back-rower was ruled out of the rest of the England Test series due to injury.

Wales' hopes of bouncing back from their defeat by New Zealand in the first Test have suffered a serious set-back with the news that George North will miss the rest of the tour because of a hamstring injury he picked up during the game at Eden Park on Saturday.

CJ Stander will miss Ireland's second Test against South Africa after receiving a one-week suspension.

(My Chiefs smash Wales - 40/7 - )

The perfect snapshot of what would become a mismatch arrived at fulltime, when Warren Gatland's Wales formed a guard of honour and applauded an understrength Chiefs off the pitch.

(The Beaver eh, what a legend!!!)

Starting XV: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Ryan Crotty, Waisake Naholo, Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (captain), Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Joe Moody.

Reserves: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea, T.J. Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Seta Tamanivalu.

Starting XV: Rhys Patchell, Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Hallam Amos, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Taulupe Faletau, Sam Warburton (captain), Ross Moriarty, Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Samson Lee, Ken Owens, Gethin Jenkins.

Reserves: Scott Baldwin, Rob Evans, Tomas Francis, Bradley Davies, Ellis Jenkins, Gareth Davies, Rhys Priestland, Scott Williams.

Starting XV: Israel Folau, Dane Haylett-Petty, Tevita Kuridrani, Samu Kerevi, Rob Horne; Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps; James Slipper, Stephen Moore (capt), Sekope Kepu, Rory Arnold, Sam Carter, Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, Sean McMahon.

Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Toby Smith, Greg Holmes, Dean Mumm, Ben McCalman, Nick Frisby, Christian Lealiifano, Luke Morahan.

Starting XV: Mike Brown, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell, Jack Nowell, George Ford, Ben Youngs, Billy Vunipola, James Haskell, Chris Robshaw, George Kruis, Maro Itoje, Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley (c), Mako Vunipola.

Reserves: Jamie George, Matt Mullan, Paul Hill, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Jack Clifford, Danny Care, Elliot Daly.

Starting XV: W le Roux; JP Pietersen, L Mapoe, D de Allende, L Mvov; E Jantjies, F de Klerk; T Mtawarira, A Strauss (capt), F Malherbe; E Etzebeth, P du Toit; F Louw, S Kolisi, D Vermeulen.

Reserves: B Mbonambi, T Nyakane, J Redelinghuys, F Mostert, W Whiteley, R Paige, M Steyn, R Combrink.

Starting XV: J Payne; A Trimble, R Henshaw, S Olding, C Gilroy; P Jackson, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best, T Furlong; D Toner, Q Roux; I Henderson, R Ruddock, J Heaslip.

Reserves: R Strauss, D Kilcoyne, F Bealham, D Ryan, S Reidy, K Marmion, I Madigan, T O'Halloran.

MICHAEL Foley has stepped down as coach of the Western Force effective immediately after a lacklustre three seasons.

Originally posted by SportOvaFilmTV:

News Story

Game Changer: The unusual road Perry Baker took to become an Olympic hopeful

http://www.espn.com.au/olympics/story/_/id/16022059/the-usa-eagles-men-sevens-team-make-debut-rio-olympics-perry-baker-hopes-part-it

"I'm still new to this game and now I'm on the big stage,'' Baker said in the sunny cafeteria at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista on an idle Sunday a few months ago.

Originally posted by SportOvaFilmTV:

2016 - WR U20 - Results

Upcoming Fixtures

http://www.worldrugby.org/u20/fixtures

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes:

* Ireland & Argentina have had great tournaments. Well done.

* England are the favourites.

NZ & Australia have been poor.

* NZ lack a star player, Rieko Ioane who is with NZ 7s would have made a huge difference.

Originally posted by 4x4niner:
Eddie Jones and Glen Ella are the difference, Jones is 1 above Deans, 2 above Cheika, and just shadows Graham Henry. England are the new formidable wallabies. E Wallabies vs Australia.

AB's stale but have shown potential, they will win the next cup.

Originally posted by SportOvaFilmTV:

Those notes I did are for the 2016 U20's World Championship, 4x4... Not the senior national teams.

U20's rugby is a bit different, if you have a beast player he can carry you somewhat in games. Rieko would have made a huge impact for the baby All Blacks. (I'm glad he's with the 7s team though).

Also England have been an U20's powerhouse for awhile now. They won it back to back in 2013/14 & were runner up last year.

I think the best NZ can finish this tournament is 5th... They won it last year.

{Here's an article on the U20 All Blacks campaign...}

Baby Blacks campaign disappointing, but talent production still world's best - Murray Mexted

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/81138233/baby-blacks-campaign-disappointing-but-talent-production-still-worlds-best--murray-mexted

Originally posted by 4x4niner:
Oh, yes yes indeed it is old chap, mayhaps a partiality of too much Brandy rather than
the noticipality of a novices intrigue of the what fors in the world of grassroots rugby. Hmmm i must veribly apologise for the obtuseness and withdraw the concerned above mentioned? Indeed....it is withdrawn and aquitted.

Originally posted by 4x4niner:
Didnt get to watch the chiefs but i can watch the full reply on u tube

The 25-year-old ruptured his ACL when he slipped as he got out of the shower at his Sydney home on Wednesday afternoon, and he was officially ruled out of the squad on Friday.