About half of the England first team is out. I’d be surprised if we get through the next six months without a loss* mostly playing second string players.

*got my excuse in early,

Out of curiosity, what’s the average cost of a seated ticket in at the Welsh Pro14 clubs? (Side of pitch rather than behind posts)

Just wondering what the cost to a punter is v the average Aviva Premiership ticket (which I struggle to afford more than once a month realistically)

Te’o could be really crocked. Given how much support, strapping and padding that arm injury needs an injured ankle could mean him effectively immobilised.

Did he drop his arm protection on his foot?

onehundredthidiot – Member
Te’o could be really crocked. Given how much support, strapping and padding that arm injury needs an injured ankle could mean him effectively immobilised.

IdleJon – Member

Did he drop his arm protection on his foot?

😆

Out of curiosity, what’s the average cost of a seated ticket in at the Welsh Pro14 clubs? (Side of pitch rather than behind posts)

Just wondering what the cost to a punter is v the average Aviva Premiership ticket (which I struggle to afford more than once a month realistically) Not been this season but Glasgow and Edinburgh are £20 – 25 unless its gone up this year

£30-40 at Ravenhill. £60 for me and the boy, aged 5

Half arsed attempt at toys out of the pram to set up a pre arranged RFU agreement that Eddie Jones will do the job.

No surprises at all.

What are you dribbling on about!

Similar to Sale then I guess 25-35 quid depending on where you sit. I get the coach trip from my local (45 mins away from the Salford city stadium) and it’s £40 for bus, ticket and a pint. Always spend at least a tenner on a few beers….. expensive do!

There’s not a team around that hasn’t got injuries, it’s getting bloody awful!
Most of the English first choice team are ok, Teo shouldn’t be anywhere near the squad, he’s clearly Irish!

Not shopped.

😆

£60 for me and the boy, aged 5

That’s not good. Bris are the same unless you get the “kid for a quid” games. Crap.

Wales looking at
1/2p
L Williams
J Davies
S Williams
Evans
Biggar
G Davies
Faletau
Tipuric
Shingler
AWJ
Charteris/Ball
Lee/Francis
Owens
Smith

Bench
God knows

Scotland not looking too bad on the injury front. Barclay is struggling to recover from a concussion tho – possibly career ending and we look a bit thin in the centres with a Dunbar and Bennett crocked. Props could be an issue. Dickinson looks like the end of his career

Ickle Jonny and Hogg back is a good thing

Wee Grieg has broken his leg but I am not sure he would have been in anyway given the SHs we have available

Still need a backup to Russell. Adam Hastings looks plausible but very very young and inexperienced – otherwise its Peter Horne IMO

Barclay is struggling to recover from a concussion tho – possibly career ending

Got it in the same game as Rob Evans didnt he? Both still out.

Against Edinburgh iIRC. Well he was a weegie in the past

Gloucester I think these days starts at £37 for seats. However, terrace is where it’s at from £19, £30 for the Shed.

15. Anthony Watson; 14. Semesa Rokoduguni, 13. Jonathan Joseph, 12. Max Clark , 11. Aled Brew; 10. Rhys Priestland, 9. Kahn Fotuali’i; 1. Beno Obano , 2. Tom Dunn, 3. Anthony Perenise, 4. Charlie Ewels, 5. Luke Charteris, 6. Zach Mercer, 7. Sam Underhill, 8. Taulupe Faletau
16. Jack Walker , 17. Nathan Catt, 18. Scott Andrews, 19. Elliott Stooke, 20. Paul Grant, 21. Darren Allinson, 22. Josh Lewis, 23. Matt Banahan

V

15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Johnny Mcnicholl, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Gareth Davies, 1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens ©, 3 Samson Lee, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Lewis Rawlins, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Will Boyde, 8 Tadhg Beirne

Replacements; Ryan Elias, Dylan Evans, Werner Kruger, David Bulbring, Josh Macleod, Jonathan Evans, Paul Asquith, Scott Williams

Should be a good game, lots of welsh players in that Bath team.

Boyde v Underhill could be tasty both very physical. Boyde does tend to get a bit “over excited” at times.
Any Bath watchers tell me how Brew is going. Couldnt catch or get a pro contract in Wales but is still hanging around the Bath team. Was bought in as a short term injury cover last season wasnt he?
I presume Andrews is still a good rugby player but a shit prop?

Nice to see the wru are still thoroughly inept.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41688915

I guess toulon pay is the clincher, at the end of the day it’ll make a difference to his life. WRU seem to want an Irish model but without the flexibility.

Any Bath watchers tell me how Brew is going.

Well he’s not stalking me anymore, which is good. I used to bump into him and his brother literally everywhere I went. My wife thought I was making it up up until she tripped over him in the Disney store one day.

AA – its certainly inept. The condition was not in place when he signed the deal so he signed it thinking it would not exclude him I( alto he would have to be one of the wild card picks)

Makes the SRU look competent

WRU seem to want an Irish model but without the flexibility cash to back it up.

FIFY

The condition was not in place when he signed the deal so he signed it thinking it would not exclude him

Gatland says he told him it was coming

From an employment/ contract point of view it really isn’t on if there was no forewarning that this is how things would look.

That said, Webb is towards the end of his career and presumably the greatest motivation for the move is earning more money while his body still has the capacity to play top level rugby and that won’t change. Realistically, he would have done well to be within the few wild cards picks given the other players playing outside Wales but his chances go from slim to non-existent which of course must hurt.

He’s first choice 9 and 28, would certainly be in next world cup squad. Remember North, Roberts, Charteris are not caught by the rules as their contracts predate the rules.

He made a move for money knowing his place could be at risk in the Welsh set up. That was always a given. Webb being one of the two would always be touch and go. Its really poor from the WRU but as a player you have to know such a move puts you at high risk of not playing for your country again.

He made a move for money knowing his place could be at risk

which is very different from knowing it would mean no place.

I bet if they have a rash of injuries a way is found to play him. For me he is the top 9 by a long way

which is very different from knowing it would mean no place.

True, though I’m fairly sure he was quoted before as saying while he would of course love to play for Wales given the chance, he acknowledges now is the time to make money as he doesn’t think his body has much rugby left in it. I can’t find the interview but the tone was that he knew he wouldn’t play again. That is what contracts are for though. Assume nothing and get everything in writing. Toulon aren’t known for their love of internationals not being available for the club so you would have thought this would be the very first thing to nail down. Always easy in hindsight but I guess I’m a bit sceptical of him (presumably) knowing the situation and trying to have it both ways

Anyway. This weekends fixtures

Edinburgh away in Krasny Ya who beat Stade Francais in russia. Junior Rasolea in fine form in the centre. Alan Dell first game back in the front row. Pretty much a full strength team
*holds head in hands*

Glasgow Leinster in what is a must win home game for Glasgow. Hogg and Ickle Jonny back for Glasgow but struggling for front row. Likely to be wet tho so which is to Leinsters advantage so might not be a great game but it will still be a mighty battle.

Looking forward to Bath and Scarlets. I would expect Bath to have the power to see them win but are missing some key players so it could be quite close

Toulon aren’t known for their love of internationals not being available for the club so you would have thought this would be the very first thing to nail down.

It was. Toulon have a contract in which he is available.

I guess I’m a bit sceptical of him (presumably) knowing the situation and trying to have it both ways

So you are saying he’s lying?

I would expect Bath to have the power to see them win but are missing some key players so it could be quite close

Scarlets are missing some key forwards in Rob Evans, Barclay and Davies too. The five day turn around will be tough also. Still it should be close and both teams have some great attacking players.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41700660

One wonders what Hardie has been up to…

I’m not sure Gatland would publicly lie about having talked to Webb and his agent about the change in policy but its all such a mess. Webb’s wording was not knowing “the full implications” which suggests he knew but if he didn’t or was given reassurance that it wouldn’t apply to him then it is an awful situation for him. Either way it is poor from the WRU to not handle this more professionally.

Anyway, apparently the bookies have the Scarlets as fairly comfortable favourites which I really can’t see myself. Despite Bath being my most local team I rarely keep up with them. I’m working on the assumption they can more often than not play very poorly as a team despite having a strong side on paper

AA – I believe Barclay is OK. Dunno if he is in the squad. That may be the pick of the weekend and Barth is the big nearest to where I was born 😉

Likely to be wet tho so which is to Leinsters advantage

😀

Scarlets have just scored a peach of a try…worth a watch if you can get hold of @btsportrugby on twitter.

Great try but they score tries likecthat all the time.
As Jiffy Junior said when interviewed on the Lions tour about being involved in such a great try. “I play for the Scarlets we score tries like that all the time”

Wasnt the game we hoped due to the weather. Baths superior pack won it fairly easily really