Anyway, squad pick suggests no luminous taffness. Knackered calf or somesuch.
Ah well A-A, no need to pick up hankies on the way home...
Bravo, Brizzle!
Having lived in Doncaster (twice!), I sort of wanted them to go up, but wasn't going to be upset with either of them actually.
Back to Bath v Briz games as well, which is always a good thing.
Just leaving the ground with the Malvern Sasquatch. All I can say is "Finally..." but they made bloody hard work of it. Great night. Brilliant atmosphere. 16094 attendance. 😀
The new whipping boys of the premiership 😆
Let's hope not PF. Agree with DD. Good night but now the hard work starts now. Hope Olly is okay. Well done Bris.
The new whipping boys of the premiership
We will be if we don't get rid of Holley. The man isn't fit to coach an under 12's side, he's the worst thing to happen to briz since we nearly went belly up all those years ago.
It's 1am and I've just got in - it's a long way back to civilisation from Briz.
Doncaster made tonight a good game in places. Im looking forward to watching it on the small screen tomorrow if anyone knows of a link? Their centres slipped off a load of shonky briz tackling. If Knights discipline had been better in the first half, Bristol could easily have been looking at another choke and 12 more months of cruel jokes. As it is, they have got a lot to do before September or they are going to have a terrible time of it. And I say that as a Wuss!
Great crowd and good natured supporters as ever following Bristol. Amazing noise from 16k at Ashton Gate. Lets hope they can keep those gates up next year. But £40 a ticket in the cheap seats is a bit rich!
andygreener:
https://twitter.com/ollyrobbo/status/735590602906185730
Olly Robinson ?@ollyrobbo 7h7 hours ago
Comeeee oooonnnnn! Thanks for all the well wishes, will teach me to tackle with my head on the wrong side! #bristool
😯 £40 that is taking the piss, does that include an all you can eat buffet or something?
DD will be along in a minute to provide a full review of the catering options at Ashton Gate at the moment... It's going to be a short review.
The following is a review of catering options at Ashton Gate:
Shit.
You have been reading a review of catering options at Ashton Gate.
Are you two living together or something?
Jealousy is a terrible thing 😥
Are you two living together or something?
#strangest
But £40 a ticket in the cheap seats is a bit rich!
😯 Thats outrageous, I should point out you can watch Dan Carter and Racing for £10 (Stadium rubbish) or same money at Stade's beautiful quirky new facility. Best seats in the ground are £50
Congratulations to Bristol, what a fabulous result for Soith West rugby with Exeter flying high, Bath, Gloucester and now Bristol all in the Premiership, Worcester honorary SW members 😉 ?
everyone knows "The North" starts at Kidderminster.
Which bit of Kiddi, my mum lives in Kiddi.
Does that mean you could get a passport ? 🙂
That's one hell of a hobsons choice when it come to dual nationality: Wales or Kidderminster. I think I'd rather be a stateless refugee.
My father was from Llandrindod, Kiddi is like a metropolitan paradise in comparison!
*raises hand*
formerly lived halfway between Dod and Builth
*sheepishly lowers hand*
Builth is quite nice, it doesnt have the heroin addict former victorian resort chic that Llandod has.
Llandod never changes, very odd place but great fun when the Welsh 2 Day is on
Super Gavin Henson ?@UnrealGavHenson
People say to me Gavnor, what are you bringing to the Premiership. And I tell them straight - I'm bringing sexy back.
But £40 a ticket in the cheap seats is a bit rich!
Hm. I paid £35 for tickets for both home play off games (bedford and doncs) in the Dolman, which had a pretty good view.
Worcester honorary SW members
Hmm. No. West midlands, with Wasps.
Shit.
Absolutely. I had to rely on a £4 dried out sausage roll for my tea.
Mike Brown; Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Luther Burrell, Marland Yarde; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Matt Mullan, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole; Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes; Teimana Harrison, James Haskell, Jack Clifford.
Reps: Tommy Taylor, Ellis Genge, Paul Hill, Dave Attwood, Matt Kvesic, Danny Care, Ollie Devoto, Elliot Daly.
Apparently BBC saying Moriarty to play 7 for Wales!!
Is Harrison a kiwi poach? England team should be strong enough to beat Wales at home...Attwood 4th choice lock, amazing strength in depth there.
Is Harrison a kiwi poach?
Yeah I think Hartley played with him in junior rugby and recommended him to Northampton.
Attwood 4th choice lock
5th choice surely?
If you take Kruis, Itoje, Launchbury and Lawes as the first four.
5th choice surely?
Indeed, good job I'm not a maths teacher!
Henry Slade? Playing for England? Scary.
Henry Slade? Playing for England? Scary.
He's a damn site better than George Ford.
I don't agree. And he crumbled under the pressure of today's final.
It doesn't matter if you agree dez, he still is! By a long long long way too!
@wrecker isn't making a point about Slade just Ford.
Ford was number 1 for 18 monthes before rwc and Lancaster should never have lost his nerve during the tournament. Farrell had a good long run in the side and didn't develop. Farrell is a quality club 10 but we need something better for England, if Ford doesn't work out Jones will try someone else.
It doesn't matter what you say wrecker.
Slade isn't ready for England (unfortunately)
1) George ford is the most over rated player in english rugby. Shit in defence, poor decision making and crumples when his team doesn't have a dominant pack. I have seen bath games where he looks like he trying to lose on purpose.
2) Anyone who has watched the AP this year knows that Farrell has developed into a world class 10. I didn't think he would, but the proof is plainly there for those who know rugby.
3) Henry Slade is the most talented player england has produced for over a decade. You mark my words, he will be an england legend. Comparisons with ford are frankly an insult to henry, he is that far ahead.
Personally I wouldn't even have selected Ford for the saxons squad.
@wrecker "you wouldn't" exactly. Lancaster and now Jones however say he's first choice.
We'll see. Lancasters opinion doesn't carry much weight, and Jones is still finding his feet.
The fact that Ford has started for the 2nd XV vs Wales might (or might not) be a hint at how it's going. The bloke hasn't merited his shirt at bath even the majority of their fans will agree that Priestland should have been starting, and probably will now daddy has been sacked.
[i]Comparisons with ford are frankly an insult to henry, he is that far ahead.[/i]
Weird thing to say seeing as you're the one who made the comparison.
Did you see the prem final then?
*Stumbles into thread*
Congratulations Connaght for what has been a fantastic season from them.
*Starts countdown till Aki becomes eligible for the green machine* 😀
now daddy has been sacked.
Oh the irony.
England are dull and predictable with Farrell at 10, he had a good run but its my view we'll never win anything of substance with him at 10. Same as Catt really, quality club 10 but not an International. It was much better when he moved to the centre.
I think Farrell has really moved on this year, adding a flat attacking game to his solidity and great kicking.
I don't think Farrell is a world class 10. He is a world class **** though.
Being highly effective at club level doesn't mean he can be the same at international level. He has improved, no doubt, and his goal kicking is top notch. Ultimately though, he plays by numbers. There's nothing off the cuff.
It'll be interesting to see if Jones picks him at 10. He's gone with Ford thus far but that goal kicking might just get him the nod.
Oh the irony.
Couldn't agree more! Even more ironic that since Farrell senior has been sacked, junior actually deserves the shirt!
Farrell currently is the best 10 in england. Even if being good at club level doesn't make you international class (a la Goode), being shit at club level [u]does[/u] mean that you are definitely not international class. Farrell has not been a play by numbers player this year, far from it. He's been very heads up.
Weird thing to say seeing as you're the one who made the comparison.
I didn't miss that dez! Ultimately though, if having a club game which was slightly below your normal level means that you aren't fit for national honours, that means that ford shouldn't even get a saxons pick. he has been that bad all year.
All was saying was that Slade cracked under the pressure of the premiership final, so to put him in an international squad seems rather premature. Hopefully it'll bring out the best in him, but I have my doubts.
All was saying was that Slade cracked under the pressure of the premiership final, so to put him in an international squad seems rather premature.
Even so dez, ford cracks every time hes doesn't have a dominant pack (not even finals) so that was the rationale I used for comparison.
Have you watched slade play rugby this year? He is something else. He had a hard job today against one of the best defensive 12s in britain. If one of the chiefs team cracked today, it was the 10; Steenson. Missed tackles, kicks etc.
All Blacks squad to face Wales:
Forwards
Hookers
Dane Coles (Wellington, 36 Tests)
Codie Taylor (Canterbury, four Tests)
Nathan Harris (Bay of Plenty, two Tests)
Props
Wyatt Crockett (Canterbury, 45 Tests)
Charlie Faumuina (Auckland, 33 Tests)
Owen Franks (Canterbury, 78 Tests)
Joe Moody (Canterbury, 11 Tests)
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Auckland, new cap)
Locks
Brodie Retallick (Hawke's Bay, 47 Tests)
Luke Romano (Canterbury, 22 Tests)
Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland, seven Tests)
Samuel Whitelock (Canterbury, 73 Tests)
Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty, 31 Tests)
Elliot Dixon (Southland, new cap)
Jerome Kaino (Auckland, 67 Tests)
Kieran Read, captain (Canterbury, 84 Tests)
Ardie Savea (Wellington, new cap)
Liam Squire (Tasman, new cap)
Backs
Halfbacks
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Waikato, 20 Tests)
Aaron Smith (Manawatu, 47 Tests)
First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (Taranaki, 36 Tests)
Aaron Cruden (Manawatu, 37 Tests)
Lima Sopoaga (Southland, one Test)
Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (Canterbury, 15 Tests)
Malakai Fekitoa (Auckland, 13 Tests)
Charlie Ngatai (Taranaki, one Test)
Seta Tamanivalu (Taranaki, new cap)
Outside backs
Israel Dagg (Hawke's Bay, 49 Tests)
Damian McKenzie (Waikato, new cap)
Waisake Naholo (Taranaki, three Tests)
Julian Savea (Wellington, 41 Tests)
Ben Smith (Otago, 48 Tests)
Looks a handy squad.
Good to see Israel Dagg back. Tu'ungafasi was a bit of a surprise but he can play both sides. The loose forwards have a mix of world-class experience and rookies but the two Highlanders, Dixon and Squire, have earned their spots. Only 2 scrum halves, I'd like to have seen Brad Weber but I'm sure he'll get in at some point. The centres lack experience but not talent plus SBW has signed a 3yr deal with the NZRFU so he'll be back after Rio.
