Juicy weekend of rugby, kick offs in GMT
Friday
Ireland vs New Zealand - 2010
Saturday
England vs Australia - 1510
Italy vs Argentina - 1740
France vs Japan - 2010
Sunday
Wales vs Fiji - 1340
Scotland vs South Africa - 1610
Share your predictions, post some reactions, and bonus question: how many cards this weekend?
Ireland have always been on the edge of legality in terms of holding on too long after a tackle and interfering at the breakdown. They have been doing it for years but referees have only just started pinging them for it. Berry was all over it last night and it prevented them gaining any momentum.
I think if anything he was still pretty lenient towards them, and only when they most blatantly rolled into the path of the cleanout or halfback were they pinged. I’ve noticed in a few of these NH internationals now the counter-ruckers swimming around the side of the ruck and not driving tryline to tryline by more corner to corner which for mine is probably something worth more attention than the current focus on escorts for contestables.