Rugby

Watching Bedwas v Ebw Vale on S4C. It’s also on their website :slight_smile:

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I see that Scarlets and Ospreys are playing in the Pro12 semi finals. I do not follow this level, being an old cumudgeon who liked teams being genuinely local and money having less influence, but I wish both fiifteens well. It would be lovely, if unlikely, if the Final featured both!

West is best!! Eh @Iestyn :wink:

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I may have lived on Gower, surrounded by Swansea fans, but I always had a soft spot for the Scarlets!

My mentor at work is trying as equally hard to make me a Scarlets fan as she is a good physio.

Well, with Scarlets through, I am obliged to wish Ospreys well! I admit to having real trouble with this strange joining of swan and Maltese Cross to give a predatory fishing bird not seen wild in the area! ‘Blackbacked Gulls’ would have been a better cross! But I do think a final (I believe in Dublin?) between two teams from South Wales would be fun!

If this game carries on as is and the final is Scarlets v Munster what colours do they play in?
13 - 3 to Munster - frankly, after that try and 15 - 3 conversion, I honestly think Munster deserve to win!

So, next week, Come on Scarlets!! Sospan fach rules! re-my last question, as the game is in Ireland, I should hope Scarlets will retain their jerseys and Munster will play in dark blue!

Watching! Loving! Da iawn Scarlets!! 35 minutes to go!
Later at 10 - 37, how can they walk out before The End? I have stayed in.pouring rain to support Harrogate 3rd team! However badly my team played, never would I walk before the final whistle!
My college team lost to everyone, but still we watched! Now, see Munster, one of your lads just scored! And half your crowd not there to see! And a free gift for Earls at 77 mins 35 seconds! But still the Bechgyn Bach Coch win and with yet another try! Oh Duw Mawr! Oh, Mam bach! 22 - 46!

Yes, a brilliant game to watch on TV. A sort of celebration to the way that the Scarlets have improved over the last few weeks.

Moving on to the subject of leaving early or arriving late/skiving off to the bar - I have recently noticed this to be a common place activity (by a minority) at matches or other live gatherings, even church services. I appreciate that there will be times when personal situations, the care of children or unfit supporters will take precedence. However, in general, I feel uncomfortable with it. On the plus side, I was impressed with the behaviour of the players and supporters; in general, but especially during the Manchester silence and also during the conversion kicks.

I once had a member of the Congregation walk out when I was a Local Preacher. I rightly guessed that she disapproved of what I had said and was heartened by all the support I received after the Service from all the rest who stayed and assured me that - well she had no good reason to go, my Sermon had been fine and if she objected to one sentence, she would have found out that I explained it later and that it added to the impact.
But Rugby is different. Walking out means, “I am fed up because this is one-sided and we are losing,” It implies a lack of interest in watching excellent play and lack of hope that your team may turn themselves around! It just implies lack of true support. When whole banks of seats empty, as on Saturday, how do the team feel - deserted? Dispirited! I was sorry for Munster! I have watched ‘my’ taem slaughtered on a lot of occasions, but I just would NOT walk out on them, poor dabs!

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Nice listening to the live commentary on the British & Irish Lions v Provincial Barbarians this morning, on my way past Cardiff. They sound like a fantasy Pro12 & English Premiership team.

Sorry to mention footy, but Gareth Bale will be playing as I drive back this evening at a time, which will hopefully avoid the M4 scrum :smiley:

Wales v Tonga Friday at Eden Park! In New Zealand! Lwc dda! Ond, why are the team not Wales A, as many of the best players are Lions?

Wales don’t have an “A” team. Just as it was England who played Argentina this week, not England Saxons. They’re full cap games. (Think of it as; if this many players were injured would the Six Nations squad be called the A team?). Have Scott Baldwin and Gareth Davies been relegated to the “A” team because they are not Lions?

Also - “A” teams are the “lowest level of representative rugby” which means that, if you play for them you can’t switch nationalities. Wales’ “A” team is their U20s. England’s isn’t. This is why Ross Moriarty can play for Wales now after representing England U20s.

Sorry, that was tongue in cheek! I was getting at the fact that having tours for each Nation at the same time as the Lions is a bit unfortunate!

my poor old brain finds supporting black v red hard, however much I tell myself it is the colours of baner Croes Dewi Sant!
A lot of Davies to Davies in our team! Diolch am Cuthbert, Roberts ac Anscombe for variety!
I see we and NZ have similar rain!
Ah, Davies replaced by… Davies!
Result? Not sure how I feel. Tonga has fewer people than Newport, Gwent!

Just a slight diversion - Congratulations, Llongyfarchiadau to my current place of exile! We (Cymru) just managed to beat Tonga - but Scotland beat Australia! Sadly, most of my neighbours probably haven’t even noticed! They are bemoaning the position of Glasgow Rangers!

It’s interesting you say “just”. Cuthbert was within inches of having a hat-trick and Davies missed 8 points. The Tongans didn’t threaten the line. A slight change in luck and Wales could have won by 40 points.

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Samoa v Wales on BBC2 Wales, Friday 7.30 a.m. in English. I hope the fact that we are playing all of Samoa will not make it harder to win! (Or am I the only one old enough to remember the joke from 1991?)
p.s. On BBC Wales news, the King of Samoa was waxing lyrical about Dylan Thomas and the continuing existence of our language. They are having trouble keeping theirs alive and Welsh gives them hope!

well, we won. But I honestly think a draw would have been fair! i welcome the opinions of those who have played/play! I have been watching for a lot of years but have never actually touched a rugby ball! In my day there was the odd men v girls game at college, not taken at all seriously, since the guys were too scared of hurting a female to try very hard! :wink: