[Rugby] Union / League / Super / Sixes Sevens Pro14 / Cups & Tours / Olympics

[aoluain]

Rugby Union

Yea the odds for the second Lions game v Springboks is very close with the
Springboks as favourites. Everyone expects a big revenge match, I dont know
which way to bet, I might go with the Lions again but I'm holding off on that
for the moment.

Rugby 7's

All my picks won yesterday and I have a few on for today two have been played
and two won.

Ireland v Kenya - 12 - 7
South Africa v USA - 17 - 12
South Africa v Argentina
Great Britian v USA

Timelord I cant believe Nitrogensports dont have the 7's listed for the Olympics.

Rugby League

I'm out of funds and cant bet on the NRL until maybe tomorrow, chances are I'll
bet on the top 4 excluding the rabbitohs...

[aoluain]

Rugby 7's

My picks from yesterday were successful bar South Africa v Argentina with Argentina winning that one.

I missed the first session today. The second session is the business end, the medal playoff's.
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/rugby-sevens/olympic-schedule-and-results.htm

I'm going with South Africa, Argentina and Fiji



Tomorrow I turn my attention to the womens matches I think.


Rugby League

As posted above my picks for the NRL are: Eels, Storm and Sea Eagles.

I hope The Eels can put in a better performance than last week and not
get overtaken by The Roosters

[Timelord2067]

I hope The Eels can put in a better performance than last week and not
get overtaken by The Roosters

Sadly, the Roosters beat the Eels 28 -- 0 tonight.  I saw from the 20th minute to the 50th minute and there were flashes of brilliance on both sides, by the Roosters just managed to find holes and run with the ball easily outscoring their opponents.

I haven't been able to see any of the Olympic Rugby games.  Channel seven (and any other news service in Oz) are obsessed with swimming or gymnastics (i.e. young girls/women in skimpy outfits) above any other matches.  The female feather-weight boxer's gold medal game wasn't shown, only that she lost and was tearful winning silver.

Disgraceful stuff.

[aoluain]

Rugby League

Cant believe The Eels failed to score a point, they have been playing so well all year
and being second earlier on. Have they got their eyes on the finals and taken their
foot off the gas?


Australia have 12 medals out of 20 in swimming, really strong sport for you guys.
But you also have Gold in Canoe Slalom, and 2 other's in Rowing along with some Bronze
medals in Surfing, Canoeing and Rowing. If all that channel is showing is swimming
(or gymnastics) thats a bit sad and creepy and also dissapointing to all your other
athletes who deserve the support and recognition.


Fiji took Gold in the 7's tournament followed by Silver for NZ and Bronze for Argentina,
All southern Hemisphere teams!

Its also looking good in the womens 7's for Fiji and Australia are there in the Quarter Finals today
in the second session.

[Timelord2067]

Channel Seven Australia (Seven Network) (who are showing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics) as well as Women's Swimming and Women's Gymnastics today showed Women's Beach Volley Ball (along with shots of bent over butts and replays of the Australian and ROC women embracing in slow motion after each play.  Definitely creepy.

I managed to see most of the Aust Vs GB Women's Soccer match and they briefly (and I mean very briefly) showed very heavily edited highlights from the Australia Vs Fiji Rugby Sevens' game (and they didn't actually say who won!).

If it's not an Australian Female team in skimpy outfits playing for a medal, they're just not showing it...

 

[Timelord2067]

BREAKING NEWS:

As you can see from this screen shot taken just seconds ago, it has been announced that the whole eleven LGA's that comprise the Greater Brisbane have been put into a three day 10klm stay at home  lock-down starting at 4pm today GMT +10 (less than four hours from now).

This is due to a school student at Indooroopilly High and their sibling at nearby Ironside Primary school being infectious with other confirmed case from this cluster as far as Noosa and the Gold Coast (i.e. the very north and the very south of SEQ).



All NRL games are cancelled.  All Australian Rules football games cancelled.  All Super Netball games cancelled.

Two NRL teams (didn't hear which) are sitting in a plane in Rockhampton about to disembark after flying there for one of today's NRL fixtures, so had they got off of the plane, the city of Rockhampton would have been put into lock-down too.


NRL puts clubs on level 4 protocols after Queensland lock-down

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/07/31/nrl-puts-clubs-on-level-4-protocols-after-queensland-lockdown/

The NRL has placed all 16 clubs on Level 4 bio-security protocols in the wake of the Queensland government announcing a snap three-day lock-down on Saturday morning.

All clubs have been advised to inform their players to return to the team hotels and remain at the team hotels until further notice.

Level four is Hotel lock-down.

[aoluain]

BREAKING NEWS:

Ah right, my 3 remaining bets are marked VOID and my stakes for each
returned and I was thinking "What the hell is going on?"

And yes I see now, from this article in The Guardian it looks like someone
wasnt following the rules >
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/jul/31/queensland-covid-lockdown-enormous-number-of-hotspots-expected-after-six-new-cases

It is believed the outbreak is linked to a leak from hotel quarantine.

The consequences for many people are massive because of the selfishness
of other people.

[Timelord2067]

I hadn't realised it at first, but the week-end's Rugby League matches at first had been postponed on Saturday (due to the Greater Brisbane lockdown) but were then given the go ahead to restart on Sunday morning after some serious discussions were had overnight.





As you can see, the Rabbitohs were at it like... er, rabbits with their fifty point drubbing of the Dragons still out of form after their players were sidelined due to covid breaches.

The Broncos has an emphatic win over the Cowboys (not enough to edge them into the top eight as they languish in 2^nd last place on the overall table)

Tonight, the titans face off against the last place Bulldogs, who have had a couple of late season wins, then the Sea Eagles and Sharks clash in what I expect to be a close game given the Sea Eagles strength is on the decline while the Sharks form is on the rise.

[aoluain]

Ah damn it I didnt see that at all! I assumed the games would be postponed until
at least next weekend, it now looks to me like the decision to postpone in the first
place was a kneejerk decision.

So I have 2 bets on the 2 remaining games, Titans to beat The Bulldogs and contrary to
your prediction above ^^ I'm going with the heavy favourites The Sea Eagles
They are 1.13 against 6.0 for The Sharks....

[Timelord2067]

Yes, I would have placed a wager on the Sea Eagles ( they won 40 - 22 against the Sharks ) with the Titans dominating the Bulldogs 34 - 6 in their earlier game.

The Sea Eagles are currently in sixth place overall while the Sharks are at eight ( and the Titans nestled into seventh position ) .

[aoluain]

Yes the two favourites won which im happy with!

I totally forgot the second Lions v Springbocks game was at the weekend and I would
have put a bet on the Springboks to win, which they did 27-9. According to this article
the game was not pleasant to watch > https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/arid-40350110.html

I think everyone knew the Springboks would rebound back with a win.

[Timelord2067]

Both the Sea Eagles and the Titans have continued the 2021's season of unusually high scoring games with 34 -6 and 40 - 22 wins against the Bulldogs and Sharks respectively.

Round 21 is just around the corner and I expect those in rank 6 through 12 will no doubt try pouring on the power to secure their places in the top eight before the finals roll in.

[aoluain]

I can imagine that will make fr some really good games, potentially very competitive games.

So with 5 rounds left positions 7, 8, 9 and 10 on the ladder are the hot spots. Raiders and Dragons
are very close, either could bump The Sharks out of 8th spot.




Rugby Union

Series decider coming up on saturday in the Lions tour, Warren Gatland has made
6 changes after the heavy defeat last weekend but I still thing the Springbok will
be too strong, im not placing my bet yet though.

[Timelord2067]

My three wagers on the SA tour were/are all for the England/Irish Lions.  I know the Springboks always play a tough game and hopfully the third match will be a powerful encounter.


Round 21 of the NRL kick off tonight (at least, I *think* it kicks off tonight):



My pics of the week are the Knights, Dragons, Rabbitohs, Sharks, Panthers, Storm, West's Tigers and the Titans over the Cowboys.

The Raiders can't be discounted in their match against the Dragons who haven't played their best matches in recent weeks.

[aoluain]

I have The Knights, Titans, Panthers and Storm.

Currently The Knights are comfortably ahead of the Broncos 28-8, not a surprise really.

And I have just added The Rabbitohs, it looks like The Eels are slipping a bit. The sportsbet odds
favour The Springbok 1.58 - 2.28


Rugby Union

British & Irish Lions Tour

I'm going with The Lions for the deciding 3rd match, Gatland has changed the
team with 6 new players.

Some interesting articles

https://www.planetrugby.com/six-changes-to-british-and-irish-lions-starting-team-for-series-decider-against-south-africa/

https://www.planetrugby.com/expert-witness-kyran-bracken-previews-the-british-and-irish-lions-series-decider-against-south-africa/

Bledisloe Cup

This 3 match tournament between New Zealand and Australia kicks off this weekend,
obviously NZ are big favourites.

[Timelord2067]

2021 World Cup officially postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/08/05/2021-world-cup-officially-postponed-due-to-covid-19-pandemic/

RLWC2021 CEO Jon Dutton admitted a World Cup without Australia and New Zealand would have lacked credibility and predicted the tournament may produce a better financial return after being postponed until next year.

The World Cup board reluctantly decided to postpone the tournament after the Kangaroos, Jillaroos, Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns were withdrawn due to concerns over the safety of players travelling to England this year.

The tournament will go ahead at the end of the 2022 season, but it is likely to be brought forward to avoid a clash with the FIFA World Cup, which begins on November 21 in Qatar.

I can't say I'm surprised to hear this news given Australia and New Zealand pulled out of the tournament not that long ago.


The Broader Game: International stars commit to NRLW despite delay

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/08/05/the-broader-game-international-stars-commit-to-nrlw-despite-delay/

Titans recruit Karli Hansen was so determined to play in the NRL Telstra Women's Premiership this year she quit her full-time job in New Zealand and waited patiently as four flights were cancelled.

So there is no way the rising Kiwi playmaker was ready to give up her NRLW dream this season when news filtered through the competition won't get underway until the first weekend in October.

Sometimes it takes a little bit of searching to find items about the Women's Rugby League fixtures, but this link was fairly prominent on the NRL's main page.

[aoluain]

I heard that announcement on the radio yesterday about the World cup being postponed
until 2022. I agree with the decision if its only means that the pandemic will be under control
and that we could enjoy the game with capacity audiences.


Do any of the Womens games get televised in Australia?

[Timelord2067]

The Raiders can't be discounted in their match against the Dragons who haven't played their best matches in recent weeks.

I should have gone for the Raiders over the deteriorating Dragons team who lost 12 - 20 against the firming Canberra Raiders tonight.

In the later game it was Rabbitohs who blitz the Eels who are showing signs of having peaked too early in the season.

Tomorrow, the Sharks Vs NZ Warriors game will be the one to watch (my money is on the Sharks)

[aoluain]

I didnt put anything on either the Raiders or Dragons!

I am 2 from 5 so far on Week 21 of The NRL, Titans and Rabbitohs. The Eels do indeed
seem to be slipping, they were so good earlier in the season. I think they will get overtake  
by The Roosters, maybe not tomorrow though as obviously they are facing The Panthers.

I might put a small bet on The Sharks to beat The Warriors.....

[aoluain]

Rugby Union

In the last game of the series of the British & Irish Lions the game was a close one
with the Lions winning by 3 points. Compared to the second game in the series this
was a better game with some really good rugby played.



The Lions played a fast positive game in the first half but could only manage a 10-6
lead at half time. It looked like they couldt keep up that play in the second and just
lost by 3 points.


Rugby League

I didnt bet on The Sharks in the end - luckily! and my 5 picks won their matches.