Good to see Scotland and Georgia continuing the "Group of Boredom" theme this morning.

Last two games, one try.

[url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/8760521/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-Gilbert-balls-leave-England-manager-Martin-Johnson-with-a-headache.html?Probably the ball's fault[/url

Well. That was an epic fail.

Need to consider whether to back the yanks -7 to try and get my money back.

Dwarf throwing contest

'His head in her boobs...' I assumed he was looking for the dwarf he'd just chucked.

I'll comfort Zara if she's upset

Just don't give her a bite of your apple.

I knew there was a reason England took three specialist scrum-halves...

I can't be bothered searching for the quote about Premiership attendances last week but here's my piece.

The World Cup has definitely had an impact on attendances. I'm not sure I agree with why, but there's not really any doubting it has. Somebody said they don't know how games played on the opposite side of the world, at different times would effect them. It's nothing to do with people actually being at the games. It's more - people don't want to pay top dollar to watch their reserves getting thumped or grinding out a win for the same price as a normal game would be. That's the bottom line in their reasoning with that. Clubs haven't put discount prices on during this period, yet the competition on offer is very much that.

There are plenty of other reasons too. The main reason in all this is pricing full stop. A lot of people are being priced out of the game. I think next season will see the first time in years where Super League probably beats The Premiership on average attendances. I made a list of prices the other week and I'll post it here for those interested. The prices are the range between the cheapest and most expensive adult ticket at each club.


Exeter Chiefs

£21-£41


Gloucester Rugby

£15-£47


Harlequins

£20-£42


Leicester Tigers

Category A - £21-£47

Category B - £17-£47


London Irish

N/A


London Wasps

£21.50-£56.50


Newcastle Falcons

£15-£40


Northampton Saints

£28-£40


Sale Sharks

£10-£40


Saracens

£20-£65


Worcester Warriors

£16-38

Some of those prices are just ridiculous. Northampton seem to have completely priced out average Joe from walking in on a match day and paying on the gate. The terrace at Franklins Gardens is crammed and unless you're well over 6 foot your view is going to be restricted by some tall blokes. £28 is just a joke.

Exeter made it clear last season that they needed to charge what they do to make a profit. Even still, despite what people try and tell me on forums about what a great away day it is - I'm not buying it. It has one nice stand and the rest of the ground is a temporary structure or at least resembles one.

The biggest movers are Wasps and the champions Saracens have added a few quid too. Their cheapest ticket last year was £13.50 and now it's £20. I've never been but Vicarage Road is meant to be a dump in most people's eyes, and I don't know how they can charge £20 at one end and £30 at the other. They both look the same to me.

Worcester is fairly reasonable, £16 to stand and £18 to sit in their best stand. Sale, Newcastle and Gloucester all offer good value for money.

People simply can't afford it. Whether some of you think all Union fans are loaded or not - the attendances are showing otherwise. I went over to the Bath forum the other day where they were outraged at the price hike. I always thought Bath was a rich area, it may well be, but even they know when they're being ripped off.

So there are a number of factors as to why attendances are low. They will pick up after The World Cup, but unless England win it with some attractive Rugby I don't see it happening.

I completely agree with most of the negativity on here about England by the way, along with The World Cup in general. I haven't heard or seen anybody outside of Union forums talking about it. I've only watched one game live so far and the rest as highlights.

One might happen, when never has & won't during this WC.

Even thought the prices are outrageous I'm not sure this is the real problem. I think it more to do with saturation of coverage. I love my RL more than most, but there were times towards the end of the season when I was ready for a break, & that is with a fraction of the media promotion yawnion gets. Having said that, I am freshly excited about the play-offs & 4 Nations.

Another pointless (well plenty of points) mis-match in the Union world cup shocker!

Aye and $onny Bill scored two tries on the wing and the union writers are creaming themselves.

Two more one sided encounters, followed by Ireland beating the Aussies 5 penalties to 2.

If you don't like it, don't watch.

I don't intend to watch it anyway!

Good lad. Problem solved.

This could get even messier. CCTV footage was stolen by a security guard who is threatening to release more revealing images.
Good piece in Guardian;

'If Johnson agreed to a night on the town and long before they came out here he said he would treat his players as adults and sensible ones at that, then someone with a memory of the events of 2008 might have had a quiet word. That way the England group combing a pretty sad area for enjoyment might have thought twice about sampling the delights of a bar advertising a "Mad Midget Weekender" and "Leprechaun Bar Wars", let alone getting into a position where some were pictured being tackled by the stars of the show.
Johnson had already been appointed manager in 2008 and picked the tour party for New Zealand but stayed home for the birth of his second child, leaving Rob Andrew in charge of a tour which ended on a sour note – England refusing to help Auckland police after allegations that four players had been involved in serious misconduct.That Twickenham subsequently inquired into the events and decided against further action does not matter; it was more than a strong hint that the "on tour" adage meant nothing when high-profile professional sportsmen were in the public eye and especially in a land which is not averse to taking a poke at the – perceived – arrogant big earners from the mother country.'

[url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/sep/19/rugby-world-cup-2011-samoa?cat=sport&type=articleThe Samoa and Gloucester centre, Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, could face disciplinary action after he said the schedule for second-tier sides at the Rugby World Cup was "like the holocaust, like apartheid".[/url

He should count himself lucky he's not a footballer. That bin Laden quote who have seem him in very, very hot water.

I see that Romania have made 11 changes to the team that lost 43-8 to Argentina for when they face England. This is in order to ensure that they can concentrate on the game against Georgia and come away from the World Cup with at least one win. Is this really a credible international tournament?

I can imagine the wedding night:
"Crouch...touch...pause...engage...oh sorry love, I've collapsed again"
"It's the eye-gouging I'm more worried about".

Aussie's running in tries for fun in another one sided contest. No doubt the powers will be will do a press release at the end of the world cup saying how many tries have been scored in a try fest world cup.

They're focussing on the Georgia game because if they lose that they'll likely have to qualify for the next World Cup IIRC.

The smaller teams do seem to have been stuffed by the scheduling this year. The big sides get a full week off between their games, while the little guys are expected to back up after playing midweek.

Poor Romania, it was like men against dwarves out there.