Dark day for rugby in Aviva Premiership

That's right. There's a few other things that get right on my nerves: - There's no mention of the Long-Arm and Short-Arm penalties that Spiro so loves - they're Free Kicks and Penalties! - Some of our UK commentators still go on about 'double movement' - no that's League, nitwit - and - 'Downward Pressure' when the player crosses the line; not needed in that situation! - Plus a ball knocked forward doesn't have to hit the ground to be a knock-on - it's still a knock-on if it just hits an Opposing player; this one came up in the (I think) Quins game on the weekend. Gosh, that's better.

Don't know what all the fuss is about. This was Bath v Glouester. Would love to have seen what Graham Dawe would have done if playing!

Hear hear!

Since when do the laws of the game say anything about "crossing"? There is a law about obstruction. If there's no obstruction, it doesn't matter that a ball carrier has run behind one of his teammates.

so is this a record for number of cards ? i remember last year there was a fiji test where 5-6 cards were given out. :)

The game reminded me of the match between the 2001 British and Irish Lions and the New South Wales Waratahs. The game was made infamous by the incident where Waratahs full-back, Duncan McRae attacked Lions out-half, Ronan O'Gara. O'Gara was left badly bloodied by the assault and McRae was red-carded and later received a 7-week suspension. The game was fraught from the onset. At the kick-off, Waratahs' lock, Tom Bowman, assaulted Lions' lock Danny Grewcock (who got into a lot of trouble in his career) and got a yellow card. Later in the game, 2 players from each side were sent off for foul play. At 1 point in the match, 13 Lions' played 12 Waratahs'! The referee lost control of that 1 as well. Of course, 12 years before that, the 1989 Lions got some bad press for the robustness of their play. These kinds of incidences are bad for the game and will put prospective players off and turn viewers away. Most of the incidents can be easily avoided and players need to learn to keep their cool as nothing good ever comes from them. It's just amazing that Gloucester were able to stay in the match, considering that they only had 11 players at 1 point!

Can't just blame the ref. Players need to take responsibility also. A hugely entertaining match, good to see long established club sides with a bit of history going at it. It's what makes much of NH rugby so great. The quality may not be the best, but the passion more than makes up for it. Much of Super XV seems sterile by comparison.

Just read Loe's article in the NZ Herald......makes Spiros look eloquent!

This bad for the game of rugby but also is part of what the fans like. Is like watching a ski downhill race where the expectaror are waiting for a crash. I am sure that when these two teams meet again all type of coments about what happened in this last game will drew a larger crowd and audience spoured by this new rivarly. Reporters have plenty of writting and opinions about the game and evrything becomes more intresting.

I agree, I thought it was very entertaining. Pretty much all the cards were warranted. The disallowed try was contraversial but there was plenty of rugby played. Gloucester seemed to run it from everywhere. Not sure there was too much to criticise the ref about.

Reds could learn a thing or two about throwing a few

Don't see what the problem is. You still get this in the Pro D2 where there a lot of derbies in southern France. The small town hot bed clubs that used to rule the roost that still can't stand each other.

As Austin Healey said in commentary - the rugby was rubbish, but everything else was fantastic.

I agree - just because you drop the ball doesn't mean it has gone forward. League calls every fumble a knock on. I like the fact that in rugby if the ball goes straight down or backward, it is play on. Same wth forward passes. However, I do agree with Richard Low on the TMO.

Did the pitch invader not get tackled plus Gloucester fans can be quite rowdy sometimes.

Hmmm... i remember the days in RSA where the game wasnt complete until there had been a little blowing off of steam.... Now its a newsworthy event that crosses continents.

English rugby at its best.

"It's the same with a knock-on. I saw Hoffman rule a few times when Bulls players dropped the ball, that it had gone backwards and to play on. Really? A dropped ball is a knock-on. Simple." Richard Loe was a thug and clearly not a clever one. If you drop a ball and it goes backwards it isn't a knock on. I found his article complete drivel.

A very spitfull game with the concluding drama made for compelling viewing.

I enjoyed the game. The punch up wasnt that bad and only a few connected (lucky none of Leroys first few connected!). its not tiddlie-winks!