Nigel Owens to make history by being first referee to officiate in a match involving their own country
Wales v Barbarians at the Principality Stadium on 30 November 2019
Pivac v Gatland
@MiketheSnow First time in the professional era maybe but certainly not the first time.
Personally I would be more than happy to see Owens ref a match between Wales and the AB's. Rather have a competent "home" ref than a mumpty neutral.
@dogmeat said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow First time in the professional era maybe but certainly not the first time.
Personally I would be more than happy to see Owens ref a match between Wales and the AB's. Rather have a competent "home" ref than a mumpty neutral.
Yes, of course
@dogmeat said in NH International Rugby:
Personally I would be more than happy to see Owens ref a match between Wales and the AB's. Rather have a competent "home" ref than a mumpty neutral.
Not for me in a test, especially at ref's home. Baabaas sure.
It just opens the ref up to criticism of home town bias (or even the opposite from home fans). I don't think that it is fair on the ref.
Nothing against Owens he's a good ref and I went and saw him speak (and sing a little) when he was in town awhile back. Interesting and entertaining guy.
The other nations should be able to produce a decent neutral ref rather than a mumpty, and remove any question of bias. There is enough advantage playing at home with crowd, TB producers, no travel. Leave the refs out of it.
@Snowy said in NH International Rugby:
Not for me in a test, especially at ref's home
So...Owens or Garces?
@Snowy For sure. I don't think it would be fair on a ref to ask him to ref his home side. I was trying to keep my post pithy for once so didn't elaborate.
@taniwharugby Owens every time
@canefan said in NH International Rugby:
@Snowy in this day and age I think home town bias is overstated. Endless replay, TMO and numerous camera angles means you can't get away with SA level cheating anymore
ah, yeah, right. Super Rugby season wasn't that long ago! Even this board lights right the fuck up when a hometown ref makes and "error"
@canefan said in NH International Rugby:
@Snowy in this day and age of pro refs I think home town bias is overstated. Endless replay, TMO and numerous camera angles means you can't get away with SA level cheating anymore
I never said that they were biased in the modern age and @mariner4life is correct in the post above. We have neutral refs in tests for a reason (that you mention).
It doesn't change the fact that it gives media and fans the opportunity to criticise over contentious decisions - real or perceived - basically call them cheats when it was just an error. I am as bad as most people.
I don't think that it is fair on the refs and therefore not a good idea.
@taniwharugby said in NH International Rugby:
@Snowy said in NH International Rugby:
Not for me in a test, especially at ref's home
So...Owens or Garces?
Why didn't you just mention "super city" rates as well as Garces and the cricket world cup rules and, and, and,...You would see the mushroom cloud from Whangarei.
I am now going to go and break things anyway.
2 months later
The French Rugby Federation have announced that Shaun Edwards will join France head coach Fabien Galthie’s backroom staff as the new defence coach.
Edwards stepped down from his position as Wales defence coach at the end of the recent Rugby World Cup in Japan after occupying that role for 11 years.
Edwards will now work with Galthie, who has taken over Les Bleus’ coaching reins from Jacques Brunel, who stepped down after France suffered a 20-19 defeat to Wales in their World Cup quarter-final.
Galthie was already confirmed as Brunel’s long-term replacement in April.
@Stargazer If Edwards can beat the head coach with a stick evey time he tries to completely vary the 23, Frnce could do well going forward
Both Jonathan Davies and Rhys Patchell out of the 6N injured.
Hopefully Jarrod Evans gets his chance.
@Tim said in NH International Rugby:
@canefan The South African refs are clearly biased.
I'm assuming that's in jest.
Otherwise that's the most hackneyed fishing attempt of the year.
@Billy-Webb said in NH International Rugby:
@Tim said in NH International Rugby:
@canefan The South African refs are clearly biased.
I'm assuming that's in jest.
Otherwise that's the most hackneyed fishing attempt of the year.
If you think that, then you just haven't been paying attention.
Simon Mannix left Pau in April of this year after yet another poor performance of the club. Last week, it was announced that he'll be the new head coach of ... all national teams of Singapore.
@Stargazer Surely that has to be the easiest job going. Ranked 55th in the world. No expectation for them to ever be any good. 12000 registered players.
@Magpie_in_aus To the contrary, if the goal is to improve all the teams, I'd say that makes it a difficult job. Exactly because there are not many players to pick from.
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has named New Zealand-born backs Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo in his first squad.
No doubt we will see James Lowe lining out for Ireland eventually too.
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has named New Zealand-born backs Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo in his first squad.
No doubt we will see James Lowe lining out for Ireland eventually too.
They've earned it
@MiketheSnow
Living out their childhood dreams.
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has named New Zealand-born backs Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo in his first squad.
No doubt we will see James Lowe lining out for Ireland eventually too.
They've earned it
I say this without knowing the players and knowing the rules but it just doesn’t sit right to me. Not knocking Wales here, we’re guilty the right side of the river too. I have no problem with the Faletau’s and Vunipola’s but three years at these ages is just wrong to me. There’s a world of difference between 3 years at 15 and say early 20’s. Worse still is the parachuting of players like Shields. And yeah, I know this has been done to death in here. 
️
@Catogrande to be fair, Shields has spent his whole career showing the handling skills I got used to at club level here.
@Bones said in NH International Rugby:
@Catogrande to be fair, Shields has spent his whole career showing the handling skills I got used to at club level here.
Well in THAT case. A shoe in for the England back row.
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow
Living out their childhood dreams.
Their childhood dream was to play international rugby for the ABs I'm sure.
They weren't good enough, so playing against the ABs is the next best thing.
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has named New Zealand-born backs Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo in his first squad.
No doubt we will see James Lowe lining out for Ireland eventually too.
Superfluous word
@Catogrande said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has named New Zealand-born backs Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo in his first squad.
No doubt we will see James Lowe lining out for Ireland eventually too.
They've earned it
I say this without knowing the players and knowing the rules but it just doesn’t sit right to me. Not knocking Wales here, we’re guilty the right side of the river too. I have no problem with the Faletau’s and Vunipola’s but three years at these ages is just wrong to me. There’s a world of difference between 3 years at 15 and say early 20’s. Worse still is the parachuting of players like Shields. And yeah, I know this has been done to death in here.
Always worth re-airing.
@booboo said in NH International Rugby:
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has named New Zealand-born backs Johnny McNicholl and Willis Halaholo in his first squad.
No doubt we will see James Lowe lining out for Ireland eventually too.
Superfluous word
Agree, direct quote from the article.
Every rugby fan I met at the WC agreed that players who move as professional rugby players should have even stricter rules applied by meeting residency plus some other criteria or combination of criteria such as being married to a local, having a child with the local passport, gaining a passport for said country, buying and owning property for a certain amount of time. It’s mad that professionals, moving simply for professional reasons, are treated the same way as (for example) 13 year olds who are moved by their parents.
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow
Living out their childhood dreams.Their childhood dream was to play international rugby for the ABs I'm sure.
They weren't good enough, so playing against the ABs is the next best thing.
"Wales"
Just call it the Welsh Invitational XV and be done with it
@mariner4life said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow
Living out their childhood dreams.Their childhood dream was to play international rugby for the ABs I'm sure.
They weren't good enough, so playing against the ABs is the next best thing.
"Wales"
Just call it the Welsh Invitational XV and be done with it
Ha ha
Didn't see too much blather when Japan were ripping through the pool stages of the WC
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@mariner4life said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow
Living out their childhood dreams.Their childhood dream was to play international rugby for the ABs I'm sure.
They weren't good enough, so playing against the ABs is the next best thing.
"Wales"
Just call it the Welsh Invitational XV and be done with it
Ha ha
Didn't see too much blather when Japan were ripping through the pool stages of the WC
i was making heaps of jokes about how modern and inclusive their UN side was.
However it is so sad to see the Welsh have fallen to basically saying they are no worse than T2 sides like Japan. And Scotland.
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@mariner4life said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@mofitzy_ said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow
Living out their childhood dreams.Their childhood dream was to play international rugby for the ABs I'm sure.
They weren't good enough, so playing against the ABs is the next best thing.
"Wales"
Just call it the Welsh Invitational XV and be done with it
Ha ha
Didn't see too much blather when Japan were ripping through the pool stages of the WC
Not looking close enough
Whilst there's an element of truth that Wales has fallen to WC SF status and needs an influx of overseas born players to bolster our chances of actually making a Final, the real reason is the concurrent playing of Pro 14 matches during the Autumn Internationals and 6N.
Each of the Welsh regions provides players to the Wales national squad - as it should be - and in their absence the regional teams need players who in the short term are not going to be called away on international duty.
Their reward for keeping the regions competitive?
Residency and a possible call up to Wales. Or Scotland. Or Ireland. Or England. Or France.
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
Whilst there's an element of truth that Wales has fallen to WC SF status and needs an influx of overseas born players to bolster our chances of actually making a Final, the real reason is the concurrent playing of Pro 14 matches during the Autumn Internationals and 6N.
Fallen?
It's their peak.
@MajorRage said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
Whilst there's an element of truth that Wales has fallen to WC SF status and needs an influx of overseas born players to bolster our chances of actually making a Final, the real reason is the concurrent playing of Pro 14 matches during the Autumn Internationals and 6N.
Fallen?
It's their peak.
I think Mike is referring to misguided optimism. That has now fallen.
@Catogrande said in NH International Rugby:
@MajorRage said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
Whilst there's an element of truth that Wales has fallen to WC SF status and needs an influx of overseas born players to bolster our chances of actually making a Final, the real reason is the concurrent playing of Pro 14 matches during the Autumn Internationals and 6N.
Fallen?
It's their peak.
I think Mike is referring to misguided optimism. That has now fallen.
I was being sarcastic in reference to the Tier 2 quip.
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
@Catogrande said in NH International Rugby:
@MajorRage said in NH International Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in NH International Rugby:
Whilst there's an element of truth that Wales has fallen to WC SF status and needs an influx of overseas born players to bolster our chances of actually making a Final, the real reason is the concurrent playing of Pro 14 matches during the Autumn Internationals and 6N.
Fallen?
It's their peak.
I think Mike is referring to misguided optimism. That has now fallen.
I was being sarcastic in reference to the Tier 2 quip.
What's the point? You're on a Kiwi website.