aDONisSheep

The tackle laws are a mess.

Turner has had a good game.

What a lovely little step that was bt Graham.

I think he's done a good job. Lots of mistakes, but it is a decent game of rugby. Italy really playing well. Scotland just a bit better.

I agree, but I've never recovered from Goodman and Cusiter game... I was particularly sad, because I was (and still am) a big fan of Cusiter. Yours, I'm not crying, I've got erm something in my eyes! aDONis

I've never understood the draft, but is Aberdeen's very own Ojabo (Wolverines linebacker) likely to be picked and if so, any idea who would pick him?

I understand the sentiment, but I'm the complete opposite, I think you win the game, then you worry about the score. I know Italy are the weakest team in the competition, but they are not as bad as is being made out. They have some proper talent, that I'd like to see subdued before we think about bonus points. I genuinely think that Italy are building. I think Lamaro is the Italian Watson i.e. vastly underrated. If I'm being honest, he might well be the best flanker in the competition. I think Garbrisi is finally getting some help from Braley and I love watching Ioane out wide (he's like Teddy Thomas with additional work ethic) [OK, I exagerate, he's not Teddy Thomas, who I think is suuuuupeeerb but a bit lazy], but he's a very good player all the same. Gone are the days of Italy's push and shove up front only approach. Scotland have had two bruising encounters one v Wales where we go bored to death up front and the other where even though I think we played well, France were just better, we need to get back on the winning horse. Those, games must have dented confidence in the game plan etd. Italy have nothing to lose, they are expected to get beat, so let's make sure that they do, first, then turn on the razzamatazz later. Italy fronted up v Ireland (which is no mean feat) and were getting some good front foot ball (until the sending off). Scotland are no-ireland up front, we need to be careful. I'm genuinely nervous about tomorrow, it has disaster written all over it. Italy got some shyt officiating last week, will the opposite happen this week? Yours, aDONis

Paul Hartley mark II leaves us. What's the best I can say about his time in Aberdeen... at least we didn't let in 9 v Whore FC... That's about it! Yours aDONis

Let's be honest her doubles partnership with Hingus didn't do her any harm either!

Felt sorry for Henman at times with the pressure he was under at Wimbledon time. I've posted before on the tennis thread that he has a very good career with what was fairly limited ability, so imo he didn’t underdeliver. The hype never came from him or his entourage, but the flag waving tabloids especially went OTT whenever he was at SW19. I would still pay to watch Henman! If he underdelivered in his career, God help the rest of us. At Wimbledon, In his pomp (in 9 years) he made 1 x 4th round (lost to Philippousis in 5) 4 x Qtr and 4 x SF (losing to the eventual winner every time Pistol Pete x 2, Goran x 1 and Hewitt x 1). That's not flash in the pan or underperforming that's quality. His game wasn't suited to other surfaces, but he managed a Semi-final at the French and a semi-final at the US Open (losing to eventual winner Federer) I wish I'd underperformed like him. Yours aDONis

The tackle laws are a mess and ruining the game. The referees are bound by the protocols and if this gets picked up I can't see why it wouldn't be a red. I switched off after the Italian Red yesterday. What's the fvking point of watching a training run. God help those that spent $$$$s on attending that farce! I'm convinced the IRFU are running scared of a class action. I think that a 10 or 20 min penalty for both tackles would have been sufficient, but the referees have no real discretion at the moment. It very quickly escalates from penatly to yer-off. Yours aDONis

Much easier said than done. There is a lot that goes on at the breakdown, particularly around the tackle and forming rucks and mauls. If you're the tackler, you've got to worry about tackle height and the possible off-load, the length of time you hold on (too short and player is not held, too long and it's a penalty for not releasing and rolling away). If you're the ball carrier, you've got to worry about retaining and presenting the ball, but not to be seen to be 'holding on' to stop the opposition from getting on the ball. If you're the jackler, you've got to make sure that you're seen as first to the ball (assuming you're not the tackler who has to be seen to have released and gone back in for the ball), and that no ruck has formed. You have to be seen as supporting your own body weight, which means that you can't slightly over-balance and put a hand on the ground to support you even for an instant (although technically you can put a hand on the ground if you're actually supporting your own weight). The French got away with one that led to a try when the jackler went down on one knee for an instant, but got up and continued to compete (and won the ball). And you have to do all of this when one, two or maybe even three other players are about to smash into you trying to clear the ruck. Then you get the guys securing the ruck. Their job is to stop the jacklers and secure the ball. This can be done, by being first to the tackle area in which case they must bind with their own player, but remain on their feet (otherwise it's a penalty for sealing off). If they are clearing out, they have to "come in through the gate' bind and drive their opponents (the jackler) off the ball. The ruck also establishes the offside lines for both teams who fan across the pitch, and encroaching on the gap is a penalty. You've also got to look at the manner of how the ruck is cleared. A drive through is fine, a roll is fine, but a 'neck role' isn't. All of this happens in probably under a second, and the chances of it all happening in a pristine manner is remote. The referee can only adjudicate on what he sees and on whether he thinks the offence is impacting ability to play. As a couple of examples of why he may not penalise a penalisable offence 1) If the clear-out player goes off his feet because the jackler moves away. The ref might well ignore it, because the defending team has given up on winning the ball. 2) If the tackler is not rolling away from the tackle because the ref thinks he's being pinned in by the attacking team. Unfortunately for us, Scotland got on the wrong side of Dickson at the weekend. It's up to Scotland to adapt to him and his interpretation, not the other way around. Oh, and if you could be bothered reading all that, my apologies for me being such a rugby nause! Yours aDONis

Tackle laws are overly fussy. Another game ruined on a marginal at best decision.

He kept some good company! Imagine having to face both of those on the wings... "YOUR MAN!"

Found this, i haven't watched it, but I'm sure there will be plenty clips showing Inga's famous "SIT DOWN" side step. Even though I'm a Wasps fan, you have to admire that 97/98 team, with dare I say it Scotlands greatest player Gary Armstrong in it. Will watch this soon though. Yours aDONis

I had the honour of watching him for both Wasps and then Newcastle. He was a specimen! Even in his latter days, when he had lost a bit of pace, there was a sense of excitement when he got the ball, and anticipation of the havoc he was about to unleash. Couldn't find much video of him (playing union), and although this is not a glorious try, it was a moment I still remember every now and then, and can say "I was there"! He was an absolute star, and one of my heroes! Yours aDONis

Good luck to Mutley and Dundee, I really hope he makes a good fist of it. I'll admit that his time with us was an unmitigated disaster, but I'll also concede that I really wanted him to be our manager and I was gutted that it didn't work out. I still can't bring myself to hate him. Yours aDONis

CVC looking into getting shot of Italy and introducing SA to the 6 Nations (allegedly). I think it's a terrible idea, leaving the Championship (post Covid) with Aus, NZ and Argentina. 6 Nations improved, but from a personal point of view making it exponentially harder for Scotland to win a GS. Italy and everyone else... FVKKED! CVC $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I think the Brexiteer did a wonderful job, of establishing all the wonderful benefits of Brexit!

I need some help to find a clip of Darcy Graham turning Chris Harris (I think) inside out in a phone box at Scotland training. i can’t find it anywhere. Any help gratefully received.

Well as the Yanks say, since the Packers 'fvcked the pooch', is it too much to ask for the Bills or Bengals to win v the Rams in the final. Just think, at the end of this, Joe Burrow, Jimmy Garopalo or Matthew Stafford could have as many SB rings as that science illiterate fvkwit that plays for Green Bay. Yours, not bitter at all aDONis

Hes certainly better than Pistol Pete You, wash your mouth out!

I still haven't seen him play! I'll make a point of trying to watch him, when the AO gets on terrestial telly. I don't know if it's the technology, but some of the players coming through just seem so powerful. The likes of Thiem have big wind-ups to deliver the power (but boy is it power), but the likes of Berretini, just seem to flick the power! When I watched the 'late bloomer' Karatsev v Murray, I couldn't believe the power he was generating off a short backhand swing. That said, it's pushed my appreciation of Daniil up, he seems to be able to harness his opponents power and bamboozle them with his utterly ridiculous technique (I don't know how he gets away with it) . Personally, I'd like to see Rublev win, but I doubt it. Failing that Felix AA. Truth be told I'd like almost anyone other than Nadal. Yours aDONis P.S. It's not that I don't like Nadal, it's just that I might have to admit that he's better than Federer (or even Pistol Pete)!

Oh my, that McGregor decision and those Kent decisions are terrible. McGregor very, very lucky. As for Kent, the little cushioning-touch he used to control the the ball before BrandRangers goal, was a thing of beauty! (Even if he himself is an ugly knvt)! The mighty Dons can take a lot from that game. Starving BrandRangers of possession isn't a bad strategy... but I'm still struggling to see how we break down teams that know how to sit deep.

As a Packers fan he gives me the dry boak! He is an absolute specimen. What a player! In the land of giants, he is the alpha male! I'm soooooooo fearful of him, that I'm rooting for the Bengals. Bengals, Packers, Bills & Rams please Unfortunately, two of those four, are still too good for the Packers. Yours, poopin ma pants aDONis