General rugby thread

[prand]

Kermit power said:

Which says a lot about the Varsity match. The really stand out player for either team is one who has already discovered he can't make the level of professional rugby. What does that say about the playing quality of the other 29 who started the match?

I suspect you'd see a much better quality of rugby if they televised the British Universities Super Rugby final. If Alex Dombrandt, who Quins have just poached from Cardiff Met is anything to go by, they're producing some bloody good players!

I'd agree, though I was also thinking that even a second string premiership player with 6-7 years of professional rugby would stand out in any team at a lower level.

I agree with you on the university Super Rugby league though. There's something the BBC could spend their money on!

[Kermit power]

The RFU are apparently considering a plan to split the Premiership into Northern & Southern conferences of 8 teams



I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that would be a complete and utter disaster!!!

For starters, who would you even put in North vs South? OK, there are some easy ones, but it rapidly gets trickier...

Probable North
Newcastle
Sale
Leicester
Wasps
Saints
Wuss?


Probable South
Sarries
Quins
Exeter
Bath
Bris
Glaws

Already you're talking about probably only getting to see the likes of Sarries vs Leicester or Quins vs Wasps if they happen to be in the same pool in Europe - hands up who'd be happy with that??? - but they're talking about expanding it to 16, so you need four more from the Championship. Take a look at the Championship and decide who you'd put up North!!!

The current top 6 are Irish, Ealing, Jersey, Nottingham, Bedford & Cornish Pirates. OK, Nottingham are Northern, but who next? Bedford are what, fifty miles North of London? Do they say that they're going to make Jersey Northern, given that they have to get on a plane anyway? Not so long ago, Leeds would've been an obvious choice, but they're currently sitting bottom with just one win out of nine.

I don't disagree with the suggestion of getting shot of the Premiership Cup, as that does seem rather pointless, but are they going to chop the price of my season ticket in half if they can that and reduce the Prem from 11 to 8 regular season fixtures?

Horrible, horrible, horrible idea to my mind!!!

[JonChalk]

Kermit power said:

The RFU are apparently considering a plan to split the Premiership into Northern & Southern conferences of 8 teams



I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that would be a complete and utter disaster!!!

For starters, who would you even put in North vs South? OK, there are some easy ones, but it rapidly gets trickier...

Probable North
Newcastle
Sale
Leicester
Wasps
Saints
Wuss?


Probable South
Sarries
Quins
Exeter
Bath
Bris
Glaws

Already you're talking about probably only getting to see the likes of Sarries vs Leicester or Quins vs Wasps if they happen to be in the same pool in Europe - hands up who'd be happy with that??? - but they're talking about expanding it to 16, so you need four more from the Championship. Take a look at the Championship and decide who you'd put up North!!!

The current top 6 are Irish, Ealing, Jersey, Nottingham, Bedford & Cornish Pirates. OK, Nottingham are Northern, but who next? Bedford are what, fifty miles North of London? Do they say that they're going to make Jersey Northern, given that they have to get on a plane anyway? Not so long ago, Leeds would've been an obvious choice, but they're currently sitting bottom with just one win out of nine.

I don't disagree with the suggestion of getting shot of the Premiership Cup, as that does seem rather pointless, but are they going to chop the price of my season ticket in half if they can that and reduce the Prem from 11 to 8 regular season fixtures?

Horrible, horrible, horrible idea to my mind!!!

I'm with you, shoddy, narrow, stupid idea.

[768]

This story doesn't sound great - Sales' Director of Rugby asking a journalist to step outside.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

[irocfan]

768 said:

This story doesn't sound great - Sales' Director of Rugby asking a journalist to step outside.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

I'd read a little on BBC - however that article is... WOW! And not in a good way.

[jingars]

irocfan said:

768 said:

This story doesn't sound great - Sales' Director of Rugby asking a journalist to step outside.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

I'd read a little on BBC - however that article is... WOW! And not in a good way.

Seconded.

It will be interesting to see whether a misconduct charge is formally lodged against Diamond.

BT Sport's live match this coming Friday evening is Sale v Sarries; I wonder if these off-pitch events will receive any coverage?

[spikeyhead]

irocfan said:

768 said:

This story doesn't sound great - Sales' Director of Rugby asking a journalist to step outside.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

I'd read a little on BBC - however that article is... WOW! And not in a good way.

Is the reason that no-one from Sale intervened because they were happy for their director of rugby to make enough of an arse of himself to be shown to be as he is?

[Dermot O'Logical]

spikeyhead said:

irocfan said:

768 said:

This story doesn't sound great - Sales' Director of Rugby asking a journalist to step outside.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

I'd read a little on BBC - however that article is... WOW! And not in a good way.

Is the reason that no-one from Sale intervened because they were happy for their director of rugby to make enough of an arse of himself to be shown to be as he is?

It's certainly an eye-opener, and if true (from the way it's written and the fact that there were witnesses, then there's a good chance that it might be) then surely the RFU have to take action against Diamond? I can't imagine that CVC, with their recent investment in the Premiership, will be too pleased to see the sport portrayed like this?

[irocfan]

Dermot O'Logical said:

spikeyhead said:

irocfan said:

768 said:

This story doesn't sound great - Sales' Director of Rugby asking a journalist to step outside.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

I'd read a little on BBC - however that article is... WOW! And not in a good way.

Is the reason that no-one from Sale intervened because they were happy for their director of rugby to make enough of an arse of himself to be shown to be as he is?

It's certainly an eye-opener, and if true (from the way it's written and the fact that there were witnesses, then there's a good chance that it might be) then surely the RFU have to take action against Diamond? I can't imagine that CVC, with their recent investment in the Premiership, will be too pleased to see the sport portrayed like this?

fir play to the Indy - they do seem to have been quite even handed here:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

[DocJock]

Yep, good article.

As an aside, 40 ads blocked by ABP on that page!

[Kermit power]

irocfan said:

Dermot O'Logical said:

spikeyhead said:

irocfan said:

768 said:

This story doesn't sound great - Sales' Director of Rugby asking a journalist to step outside.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

I'd read a little on BBC - however that article is... WOW! And not in a good way.

Is the reason that no-one from Sale intervened because they were happy for their director of rugby to make enough of an arse of himself to be shown to be as he is?

It's certainly an eye-opener, and if true (from the way it's written and the fact that there were witnesses, then there's a good chance that it might be) then surely the RFU have to take action against Diamond? I can't imagine that CVC, with their recent investment in the Premiership, will be too pleased to see the sport portrayed like this?

fir play to the Indy - they do seem to have been quite even handed here:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

It's a fair point Diamond makes too. Let's face it... None of his players are extending their contracts because of all the Premierships and European Cups they've won there in recent seasons, and they're equally not going there for the convenient short journeys for away matches!

[irocfan]

Kermit power said:

irocfan said:

Dermot O'Logical said:

spikeyhead said:

irocfan said:

768 said:

This story doesn't sound great - Sales' Director of Rugby asking a journalist to step outside.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

I'd read a little on BBC - however that article is... WOW! And not in a good way.

Is the reason that no-one from Sale intervened because they were happy for their director of rugby to make enough of an arse of himself to be shown to be as he is?

It's certainly an eye-opener, and if true (from the way it's written and the fact that there were witnesses, then there's a good chance that it might be) then surely the RFU have to take action against Diamond? I can't imagine that CVC, with their recent investment in the Premiership, will be too pleased to see the sport portrayed like this?

fir play to the Indy - they do seem to have been quite even handed here:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-un...

It's a fair point Diamond makes too. Let's face it... None of his players are extending their contracts because of all the Premierships and European Cups they've won there in recent seasons, and they're equally not going there for the convenient short journeys for away matches!

amusingly in the photo it looks like the journo is the aggressive one

[Kermit power]

Was anyone at the Worcester Vs Bath game by any chance?

I've just read the BBC match report, and it sounds utterly surreal!

Wuss came back from 19-3 down to win with a try in the 94th minute (!?!) against a Bath team with only eleven players left on the pitch (!?!?!?!?) after picking up a red card and then three yellow after the 80th minute!

Almost as unexpected as Quins going into the second half of the season in third place!

[df76]

Kermit power said:

Was anyone at the Worcester Vs Bath game by any chance?

I've just read the BBC match report, and it sounds utterly surreal!

Wuss came back from 19-3 down to win with a try in the 94th minute (!?!) against a Bath team with only eleven players left on the pitch (!?!?!?!?) after picking up a red card and then three yellow after the 80th minute!

Almost as unexpected as Quins going into the second half of the season in third place!

Crazy rugby at Worcester today, looking forward to the highlights. Bath will be gutted, but a very poor decision by Batty.

Can't believe that Quins are third! A definite improvement over the last few games. Shows how tight the league really is, and relegation still an issue for most teams.

[tight5]

Kermit power said:

Almost as unexpected as Quins going into the second half of the season in third place!

Falcons helped out there by not turning up for the first 40 !!!


Radio Newcastle commentator was very complimentary about Quins backs, tho.

[schmalex]

Tomorrow is a must win for Wasps if they want to have any kind of season. They are now 13 games on the bounce without a win and are looking very shaky indeed.

We went to watch them play Bath at the Ricoh on 23/12 and they were, frankly, shocking.

[tight5]

tight5 said:

Nathan Hughes off to Bristol ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46878302

Told ya !


Thursday 25th October 2018
On page 52.

[irocfan]

Good signing for wasps in the form of fekitoa

[Kermit power]

Afternoon all...

Fantasy Six Nations group up and running again. Details here --> https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[irocfan]

Kermit power said:

Afternoon all...

Fantasy Six Nations group up and running again. Details here --> https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

got the e-mail thanks - I'll be having a think about my choices