[Closed] 2015-16 rugby, world cup year

You know my views on that @wrecker but today is not the day to discuss it. Farrell deserves the medal as do the rest of Saracens

@tmh Carter tweaked something in the qf I went to and stopped kicking penalties, he clearly wasn't right.

If I where Wasps I'd be taking a breather on the big money contract for Beale, that sort of injury on a player like Beale who had such acceleration and movement makes him a different prospect. I hope they have a get-out clause as he hasn't started yet.

See the Billy V post-match interview with stud marks almost into his eye? "I'm ugly anyway!" Brilliant 😆

@Dez ouch, quality responce and he had a couple of key interventions

Another top notch moment - in the 7s commentary. Brazilian called Albuquerque scores. Commentator: "Hot dog, jumping frog. Albuquerque!" Marvellous 😆
Next game Argentina beat NZ!

Ford sacked by Bath

Ford sacked by Bath

Nah, this is who they need!![img] [/img]

[s]Ford [/s] Cipriani keeping the england bench warm. He's been [s]shit [/s] really quite good all year.

Ford sacked by Bath

@wrecker yup me too, Lancaster deserves a decent role. Mike Catt could be in the frame too perhaps ?

@wrecker yup me too, Lancaster deserves a decent role.

😳

I would have got the joke if you'd said Farrell

You weren't to know!

Ford sacked

Heard he was shagging George's mum

I would sack anybody who looked at David Denton since he had enough money for takeaways and thought he was worth a £60k fee and £150k a year!

Lancaster deserves a decent role

I think McDonald's are hiring at the moment. He could improve the "culture" by getting all the relatives and friends of the burger flippers to write to them and tell them how proud they are and what a great job they're doing.

Good article in the Grauniad about the lows of playing in the 2nd tier of professional rugby.

[url= https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/may/17/championship-wild-west-professional-rugby-union-dangers ]https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/may/17/championship-wild-west-professional-rugby-union-dangers[/url]

And at the other end of the scale; Armitage to Wasps?

So when do Wales lose to England? Followed by losing 3 games to NZ and then no doubt an autumn series of NZ, SA and Aus losses? Think we have Italy first up in Six Nations next year...hope we are not going into that on the back of 7 or 8 losses.

😆

End of May I think. Exclusively on Sky of course.

A-A; does it not affect rankings this Summer? We are going to Japan and the Pitcairn Islands. I think Vern is also trying to arrange a test match with Bora-Bora as well.

Don't forget the first leg of the championship play off finals is on sky tonight. Brizzle vs Donny.
Remember to cheer for Brizzle (please).
A_A; young Calum Sheedy is starting at 10, he's been immense recently (far better than morgan ever was!).

I expect the seedings for the world cup will be done after November to ensure Wales are again as low as possible!!

Forgot we also get to lose to the chiefs this summer.

Apparently we have aus, arg, japan and SA this autumn..SA game is outside the window so we will have a shit team out. Still at least we dont have to play NZ again!

does it not affect rankings this Summer?

Pool allocation for next RWC will be May 2017. AFAIR, the pool allocation for RWC2015 was made in 2012. Wales had had a shocking streak up till then which left them 9th - leading to all the fun of that group. (Although it was England that suffered in the end.) IRB have said that three years was too long so are leaving a gap of two this time. So the Summer & Autumn tests will have a fair old impact on the home nations & France who occupy places 4,5, 7, 8 & 9. And an extra bit of spice for next year's 6N competition as those games will be taken into account too. I imagine Argentina will stay in the top 8, so again, looks like a home nation or France will be occupying that lovely 9th position. 🙂

EDIT

I expect the seedings for the world cup will be done after November to ensure Wales are again as low as possible!!

One of the most vocal critics of the three year gap was Gatland! Looks like he got his way.

We are going to Japan and the Pitcairn Islands. I think Vern is also trying to arrange a test match with Bora-Bora as well.

I think it looks like it's a bit of the other way round.
Japan are 9th at the moment and would overtake Scotland with a series victory.
WC Wouldn't want the hosts going out in the group stages again, would they?
Best shot at getting them through is to get them seeded and best shot at getting them seeded is , sorry to put it this way, play Scotland.
You've been "chosen". 😉

Doncaster 13-28 Bristol. 😀

Looking forward to going to the second leg next week at Ashton Gate. Surely they can't mess it up from here? Can they? 🙂

We were rubbish and still won by a decent margin. Game at bris will be a strangle job.
Point 1; our centres look like they are under-17s players who have accidentally walked into a senior game.
Point 2; Why TF aren't Cortez, Traynor and Brooker starting? Losing all scrums in the first 60 mins isn't a ruse, it's stupid.
Point 3; Glad my mate Jamie did well again. That 8 shirt suits him.

@aa yes 20-something of May, really pointless match. In other news Marler is taking the summer off

really pointless match

Indeed.

However, a number of Welsh players have missed out a lot of the season and might benefit from a run out. Plus all the Welsh regions ended their seasons early May.

It's also a good chance for some of the fringe England players not involved in the play-offs to stake a claim as well.

Not sure who the fanboi on this thread was but [url= http://www.rugbydump.com/2016/05/5076/jarryd-hayne-set-to-compete-with-fijis-superstars-in-a-bid-for-an-olympic-spot ]Jarryd Hayne has quit his dream whilst having a dream to follow another dream after his dream wasn't a dream anymore... dream[/url]

Jarryd Hayne has quit his dream whilst having a dream to follow another dream after his dream wasn't a dream anymore... dream

He should stop eating so much cheese before going to bed.

I think Hayne probably left the 49ers before he was pushed - by the incoming head coach.

I can't see how he's going to make the Fiji squad. They're already the world's best and it's not like they're short of talented athletes either.

The Aussie 7s squad actually gave him an open invite a few years back if the NFL didn't happen but he claims he's never heard from them.

If he'd come in with Fiji or Australia, got conditioned and played in a bunch of tournaments then you could see him making it. It looks doubtful that he's even going to play at the London 7s so where does that leave him?

Also on my RD browse this morning...

He may have made a gypsy comment too in the past but he seems like an alright kind of bloke

I can't see how he's going to make the Fiji squad.

Let's be fair to the bloke, he's an exceptional athlete (better than Burgess IMHO).

Have to pick him for this to have a proper look I'd say

Yeah I reckon so Jamba. He's bloody good though, I'm not at all surprised he's under consideration and with all that NFL coaching(!), I bet he's faster and stronger than ever.

Come on you Chiefs!!!

Congratulations to Exeter, whilst they are the romantic choice I fear Saracens will be just too street smart with too much quality.

Saracens look hard to beat after today's showing.

WOW!! Well done Scotland 7's!!!!!

Ben Teo and his magical arm guard in the England squad...can I just point out that I was calling him a **** well before he became English so dont accuse me of being anti english!

Forwards: D Cole (Leicester), L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), J Clifford (Harlequins), E Genge (Leicester), J George (Saracens), T Harrison (Northampton), D Hartley (c) (Northampton), J Haskell (Wasps), P Hill (Northampton), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), M Mullan (Wasps), C Robshaw (Harlequins), K Sinckler (Harlequins), B Vunipola (Saracens), M Vunipola (Saracens).

Backs: M Brown (Harlequins), D Care (Harlequins), E Daly (Wasps), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Bath), A Goode (Saracens), J Joseph (Bath), J Nowell (Exeter), H Slade (Exeter), B Te'o (Worcester), M Tuilagi (Leicester), A Watson (Bath), M Yarde (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester).

No Ashton...you need him back in!!

Strange one, no Ashton.

[i]WOW!! Well done Scotland 7's!!!!![/i]

Yes! amazing! Every team I wanted to win this weekend lost, then Scotland go and beat SA. Fantastic 😀

No Cipriani, maybe Jambalaya had a word?

Jones is a realist, not a fantasist. He wants a big, hard team. Cipriani would get smashed by the Aussies IMHO. Care, Farrell, Slade, Joseph, Watson, Nowell, Goode looks a nice back line. Not seen Teo play yet. Ashton obviously not popular with Jones.

He wants a big, hard team.

+

Care, Farrell, Slade, Joseph, Watson, Nowell, Goode

=

Does not compute 🙂

Farrel Gashton Teo Burrel Banahanahanahan Goode

Thats much bigger, pick that