Watching the union on bbc 1...mainly out of curiousity rather than entertainment* (it's not)...first game I've seen in ages.

Neither side seems to be able to pass under pressure - they're fine with slow floating passes when running from deep but as soon as they have an overlap or a half break it all goes out of the window...

Other than that Shane Wiliiams is a class act (wish he'd join the crusaders), Ashton is quick but meh (the union press seem to be in love with him) and Shontane Hape playing for England is odd.

[size*The missus is out and the kids packed off to bed...so nowt else to do (mind you think I'll give in a put the xbox on in a min)[/size

Typical a try a piece straight after I wrote that.

Still little entertainment.

Oh and both tries were nearly blown by shocking final passes (slow ball in England's case, behind the winger in Wales')

I actually enjoyed the game, not the greatest quality but close tense action. England's forwards were too strong for the Welsh and it showed when it really counted. England were never in any trouble, and will improve from this performance.

England rather kept the welsh in the game.

As a contest yes the tension made it a reasonable watch....as flipper say's England kept it a game in the second half though.

The skills on show were pretty poor for a major international (and I'm not an out an out Union knocker - I played it at school and for a year or so after, so understand some of the subtleties of the game).

I also think that in unions quest to be "entertaining" is losing some of it's character - the amount of times that a player is tackled and then only two or three players join the ruck while everyone else stands back and pauses waiting for the game to commence is ridiculous...if they want to be League then go the whole hog bring in a play the ball. The problem at the moment is they lack the speed, impact and dynacism of League but have this artificial breaking up of the game. I think this is a southern hemmer-sphere thing and maybe it works better there where they have more skillful attacking talents and play at a higher pace but in tonight's game it just seemed well awkward and a bit artificial.

Only caught about 15 minutes of it. The bit I saw was reminiscent of a day when 3 of us got the Landrover stuck in a bog up in Kielder: spells of vigorous grunting and shoving interspersed by bouts of head scratching and shouting at each other.

The summary on BBC Breakfast just now told us how Chris Ashton had underlined his world class by catching a ball and running the remaining few yards to the try line.

I suppose by Yawnion's standards, he is.

Thought it was an entertaining game last night. Welsh dug there own hole a few times with gaps in their defence etc and silly penalties given away (plus leaving Ryan Jones on the bench,bonkers)

Have to say though, I wish BBC would get rid of Brian Moore, his English bias is ridiculas, "No, thats not a forward pass, look at his hands" , Yes Brian, thats why the ball was in front of him....

How many forward passes ?
and feeding at the scrums....
and as said above have ya seen a slower pass of the rugby ball...?
wished ashton had dropped that ball for the first try..
and it shunt be happy it should be hopeless..
and the welsh commentry on the red button was excellent...

quick question as I have seen a lot of League folk moaning about Union


why bother watching if you know it's going to bore & anger you?

Don't know which posts you're referring to. Mine was an honest opinion about what little of the game I saw.

if the above statement by lorry L was a dig at me its misguided..
i wasn't bored or angry...
just noticed that what goes on in league happens in union too
and unlike league union has a genuine international stage
i actually enjoyed some of it...

Well one things for certain, there won't be queues from Jct 18 on the M4 trying to get to the Millenium Stadium next week

Exactly.

Well said Loz. I thought last nights game was a good one, glad we beat them and glad we got off to a good start. 3 games at home now!