Despite the shambles of a season looks like Glaws home match against Munster is sold out. Last time they visited queues were forming in the early hours that tickets went on general sale.
Scrum rule change from now, ref will no longer give 9 verbal instruction to feed,but will instead use a pre-arranged signal. Hope that involves a cattle prod when Care is playing.
Despite the shambles of a season looks like Glaws home match against Munster is sold out. Last time they visited queues were forming in the early hours that tickets went on general sale.
I'll be there. 😀
That makes a lot of sense duckman, to be fair you'd have thought that it'd have been standard from the off!
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25637004 ]Best hope Bris get promotion this year![/url]
Where you sitting/standing DD?
Was going hospitality courtesy of a mate Scamper but had to change plans today so can't make it now. I was there the last time we played and was hoping for a better result this time. Arse! 😡
The only time I've got anywhere near hospitality was using the grounds baby changing facilities, the only ones which I could find we're up with the prawn sandwiches under lock and key 😀
Byrne and Brew playing for the Dregs next season!
England Six Nations training squad (35):
Forwards:
Props: Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Matt Mullan (London Wasps), Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks), Mako Vunipola (Saracens). Hookers: Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers). Locks: David Attwood (Bath Rugby), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers). Back-rows: Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints).
Backs:
Back three: Chris Ashton (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Alex Goode (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby). Centres: Brad Barritt (Saracens), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby). Fly-halves: Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints). Scrum-halves: Danny Care (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
better hope Farrell doesnt get broken.
36 can cover 10?
Mowen has walked out on Aus to go to France too.
I would be very happy to see Ford, Myler or 36 play ten versus Wales.
Money talks these days. Hardly surprising given the attrition rate due to injury. Careers can be very short so it makes sense to rinse the French clubs for a few Euros whilst your knees and shoulders still work.
To be fair, and I say this as a Welshman, Wales don't exactly have a glut of talent at fly-half either.
Vunipola
hartley
cole
launchbury
lawes
wood
vunipola
robshaw
Care
Farrel
?
Barritt
Burrell/36
Ashton
Brown
excellent pack very very average backs.
To be fair, and I say this as a Welshman, Wales don't exactly have a glut of talent at fly-half either.
true but I'd take Biggar, Priestland or Hook over any of those 3.
True, but lose Adam, Alun Wynn and Toby through injury and...
I would like to see Eastmond and Watson play together for England. They have been playing well for Barf.
At least the potential replacements will have some international experience. Those england backs are very raw.
Has Eastmond being playing well? one week I heard he played 12 outside Ford and didnt get a pass all game and then the next week he ****ed off home at half time.
😀
When I've seen him playing the outside channels, he has linked very well with Watson. You're right though, it's a very young, inexperienced set of replacement backs in that England squad.
:Forwards: Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Métro), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Rabah Slimani (Stade Français), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).Backs: Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Métro), Jules Plisson (Stade Français), Rémi Talès (Castres), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gaël Fickou (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Sofiane Guitoune (Perpignan), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Geoffrey Palis (Castres), Hugo Bonneval (Stade Français), Brice Dulin (Castres).
how they dont win every year is beyond me
Well, they often do well after a Lions tour so maybe this year...
@aa you go far in the RWC controlling the game upfront and kicking your goals, October / November tournament in 2015. It's nearly 2 years to the start so time for development and change of form for better or worse.
I saw the Mowen news, he's 29 so not a surprise. The young NZ wing Guilford is going to Top 14 too, he hasn't played for NZ since 2012 so understandable
Fofana has been outstanding, looking forward to seeing him in the 6N, going to be a tough match for England away to France first up.
I think the current. Aus captain leaving is a suprise.
France have not selected Freddie M or Trin-duhc so they must be in with a better chance this year
Barclay playing well, has he pissed on his chips as far as scotland is concerned?
Lydiate shockingly bad
Ulster win, but no BP! 😯 Massive game at Welford Road against Leicester now for home advantage in the QFs, given that Leicester give Benetton Treviso a battering tomorrow, which is fairly likely.
(BM, even if there was money on it, I'd be hoping Ulster do the job 🙂 )
[b]ijs445ra[/b] - MemberÂ
France have not selected Freddie M or Trin-duhc so they must be in with a better chance this year
Michelak has been saying he wants to play at 10 for Toulon but he's having a terrible season. I saw him play there for Toulon against Stade Francais and he was truely appalling, a big factor in their 29-0 loss. Trin-duhc has never had the confidence of the various national coaches, I do wonder why he didn't take a chance in RWC 2011 with a drop goal - national hero if he scores and if he misses it makes no difference to how people see him.
@aa Gatland didn't take any Welsh 10's on the Lions Tour so even your national coach doesn't agree with you.
PS in fairness perhaps the selectors told him he had to take a few non-welsh on the tour
Jambalaya not taking Hook, Priestland or Biggar on the Lions tour (Priestland was injured anywa doesnt mean anything in relation to Ford, Myler and 36 being poor back up to Farrel at ten for england. Ford could be good but the other twao will never be international tens.
And neither will priestland, hook or biggar!
Well one is a lion with a grand slam under his belt, another has a grand slam and the final one a six nations win. None will ever be more than serviceable international tens but Myler and 36( as a ten) will never be as good and have no international experience. Ford could be better but is very raw. Without Farrel England ate screwed. England are poor at bringing young talent on. Burrel is an uncapt 26 yrar old similar age to J Davis.
Scarlets front row last night was exceptional Lee, Phillips and John all under 23. Want to see Lee bench in this six nations. G Davies at 9 could be the answer as back up to Mike Phillips for wale too. As england have little behinf Farrel at ten wales have NOTHING behind Phillips
I'm not sure how raw Ford is. I have seen him play a couple of times now and he controlled the game very well.
He is extremely dedicated and works very hard at his game. He has been picked as cover but will probably get some game time in 6N which will help him develop. Might struggle to dispose Farrell at moment, but if he handles his game time well then he could be a real star.
So could Watson having also seen him play a few times he is a real handful. If they are good enough they are old enough.
So? Dan Luger has a RWC winners medal.....
I don't often say this about players, but they are all shit. I also think that 36 is shit at centre and FH. Nothing wrong with myler other than his age. If you had been watching AP rugby, you'll see he's playing exceptionally well.
England's policy of neglecting young talent is long and frustrating, I hoped we'd see an end to It with SL but alas he's just the same.
And Ballshaw plus hes a lion too. My point is the options for england lack experience the welsh options are better due to experience rather than a gulf in talent. Have seen Ford play for Bath he kickss lots his kicking for posts is erratic and hes part of the reason Eastmond and Joeseph have been in poor form/quiet they rarely get a pass.
Scamper, if you're reading, plans changed again. I'm at Kingsholm today. I'll be up on the prawn sandwich balconies. 😀
I'm not sure those are quite the reasons.
I think the weather may have a big part in how teams play, don't think there have been too many dry games this season. They are also 4 on the tries scored table so must be scoring from somewhere.
His goal kicking has been erratic but is improving, his kicking from hand has been good and has controlled some games very well in difficult conditions.
Obviously Gav should be playing at 10 for Bath, but he seemed quite happy the other day walking round parading the A trophy that Bath have just won...... (sorry don't do smiley faces with a wink or whatever it is)
He scored a try too in the A final. Classic Gav gliding along looking slow but still got in at the corner. I am glad he looked happy. He's playing 13 v Dregs today I think, hes a bit slow for 13. May get a chance at ten if Heathcote gets in Scotland squad.
This thread does need more Gav love!
Sounds like Quims were nlucky.
Careless would be a better description TBH
Had a great afternoon at Kingsholm. The atmosphere was, as expected, fantastic, with Munster fans travelling in big numbers. And I won a tenner in the table sweepstake having predicted a score of 22-7. 😀
Gloucester fans were never quiet during the game - and as one would expect, very gracious in defeat. They had no complaints. The welsh referee was very poor though.
Great result for Leinster coming from 14-0 down to get the away victory at Castres. All down to the last weekend in that group. Hopefully that'll see Northampton exiting. 🙂
And I won a tenner in the table sweepstake having predicted a score of 22-7
I thought you didn't gamble? Or do you just not gamble when it's against the best province in Ireland. 😀
