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AWJ's knee still is following his late tackle.
That was late, I agree. Is AWJ arse ok though? Henderson fairly set him back on it 😀
Reasonably happy with the Ire squad but gutted for Trimble, I suppose they must have thought he hadn't had enough game time. I still think he offers a different dimension and greater physicality than Earls or Fitzg.
Hopefully the Wales game was our poor performance. The backrow esp Murphy were really poor, made Tips look good IMO. The pack against Eng is likely to be much stronger with Best, Toner, Ross and SOB back.
Can't believe Scotland aren't taking Cowan, he's a great player
duckman - MemberI am going to type something I never thought I would...
Scotland have a really good set of backs there
Indeed.
Plus Sean Lamont..... 😉
That was late, I agree. Is AWJ arse ok though? Henderson fairly set him back on it
His arse is fine, his knee is ****ed. Wont make the first game and given the fact we have 5 locks including Dom Day in the squad I'm very worried that he wont make it at all.
Maybe someone can enlighten me or possibly I have the wrong end of the stick but has the Springbok squad been chosen with a minimum 30% non-white quotient for political reasons?
Kolisi in over Brussouw and Paige over any number of other Scrum Halves for example.
Surely positive discrimination in favour of non-whites is as wrong as discrimination against them.
SA obviously has to reform its rugby system to get more blacks into the higher levels but surely they should get there on merit?
Kolisi in over Brussouw
How good/bad is Kolisi in your opinion?
Maybe someone can enlighten me or possibly I have the wrong end of the stick but has the Springbok squad been chosen with a minimum 30% non-white quotient for political reasons?
It's being called "racial transformation"
Cue young (white) south african rugby players seeking moves abroad to qualify for other nations.
How good/bad is Kolisi in your opinion?
TBH I don't really have one as I haven't seen too much of him. He had a great debut against Scotland and certainly offers more in the lineout than Brussouw or others.
He certainly looks one for the future but seemed a surprise to me that Brussouw got left out although many feel he's no longer as effective as he was.
It was more that he and Paige were being held up by many as only being in to satisfy the quota. The quota is surely unfair on the black players too as people will doubt whether they've been selected on merit - even if they have.
How good/bad is Kolisi in your opinion?
She's lovely.
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Kolisi is above average as a Superrugby level player. Struggled with form and injuries this year, and certainly not up to scratch at the moment as an international. Defnitely in as a quota player, as Brussouw has been playing some of the rugby of his life.
What the politicians pushing the whole quota thing in SA don't realise is that it's not a racial thing, it's a cultural thing. Afrikaners are passionate about their rugby, and by a freak coincidence are big boys too. South African blacks traditionally play / follow football. The few black rugby players are generally from privileged backgrounds, hence their exposure to rugby.
All companies in SA have to fulfil racial quotas - not always easy IME - and sport is simply mirroring that.
Lost of noise on the issue at the moment but hope talks of not allowing them to travel will disappearx. SH sides are more entertaining to watch at the moment.
The few black rugby players are generally from privileged backgrounds, hence their exposure to rugby.
I understood that it's a lot to do with school; black kids generally don't go to schools which play rugby. I'm no social engineering expert, but I would suggest that the government starts there rather than negatively impacting on their most successful sports team just because they can.
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What the politicians pushing the whole quota thing in SA don't realise is that it's not a racial thing, it's a cultural thing. Afrikaners are passionate about their rugby, and by a freak coincidence are big boys too. South African blacks traditionally play / follow football. The few black rugby players are generally from privileged backgrounds, hence their exposure to rugby.
I typed a long reply to this - several in fact - and deleted them all simply because this sums it up....
That's the sort of crap that white south Africans have been spouting forever to justify their racism.
I would suggest that the government starts there rather than negatively impacting on their most successful sports team just because they can.
Perhaps the quotas are being imposed because this development hasn't been done voluntarily?
Ire reported to be fielding full strength side, apart from Healy, for Saturday.
R Kearney; T Bowe, R Henshaw, J Payne, S Zebo; J Sexton, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best, M Ross; D Toner, P O'Connell (capt); P O'Mahony, S O'Brien, J Heaslip.
Perhaps the quotas are being imposed because this development hasn't been done voluntarily?
SARU can't make schools teach rugby. That's the governments job. imposing arbitrary quotas is lazy and divisive. I wonder how some of the players added due to the quota feel knowing that they aren't there on merit?
Why hasn't the football team been given a quota?
Going to watch Georgia v's Japan on Saturday at Kingsholm, I think I shall support Japan.
Big game for both ire and england after their defeats last week. COME ON IRELAND!!!!
Ire reported to be fielding full strength side, apart from Healy, for Saturday.
Excellent, a proper test unlike the weaker side Wales played. I'm pretty confident we'll win it tbh. *runs away*
SARU can't make schools teach rugby.
They can go into schools, arrange summer camps, get the community interested in rugby. Maybe they do this already and the black communities just ignore their efforts?
The Ospreys seem to be in my local school every few weeks.
Edit : I've just done some googling and within two pages there are reports of the Ospreys visiting the local hospital and a Gower school. I did the same search for the Bulls, Griquas and the Sharks and found that the Bulls visited a car plant. Some good community work there.
Ire team confirmed. Got the Kearney brothers wrong, excited to see Zebo at full back. Should be a good game.
15. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13. Jared Payne (Ulster)
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
11. Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
10. Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. Paul O'Connell (Young Munster) (capt)
6. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7. Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)
Replacements:
16. Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
17. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
18. Nathan White (Connacht)
19. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
20. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
21. Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
23. Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Maybe they do this already and the black communities just ignore their efforts?
I toured SA in 1997 and even back then as part of the tour the SARU made sure that a third of our matches were played in 'development zones,' townships to you and me. It was a great experience but football is the preferred sport.
I think the problem is government interfering in sport, they would be best to leave it to the union.
excited to see Zebo at full back
I don't think he'd suit most international sides but Ireland's model seems to be for a running fullback so could do well
Ireland's model seems to be for a running fullback so could do well
Excuse me? Ireland kick more than most.
As a team yes, but Kearney in particular seems to run the ball back more than the average FB, even from deep when there is all the time in the world for a well placed kick. Zebo wouldn't be such a departure from this and probably do the same sort of thing pretty well too. Sure Kearney is partial to the odd high ball as is Ireland's way, but he definitely does run the ball a heck of a lot
Jarrod Hayne still doing well in nfl.
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That cornerback got nailed! A lot of RBs will step out over the sideline at that point, especially in preseason - but not Hayne.
Sounds like he has a good chance of making the 49ers roster by all accounts.
So I am posting this even though it makes us look ridiculous, what where they thinking ? England "send off" concert at the O2 with headline act "Take That". billboards up around London. That will strike fear into the opposition, I mean we are not even going anywhere it's a home tourmament 😳
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TBH sll of that ^^ going on is a bit embarrassing...
Not least because Burrell isn't even in the squad....
Oh yes, I hadn't noticed!
Wrecker just seen Bristol have Gav on the bench this weekend... not too late for him to replace Morgan in the Wales squad is it?
I'd sooner you had neither!
Watching Ulster Ospreys and BBC NI had a piece about the Nevin Spence centre opened recently at Ravenhill. Can't believe it's three years since he died.
Tragic, was the guy who went in thecslurry tank wasnt it. ****ing awful.
Harsh yellow card, shite game I've stopped watching.
Yes that's the one. Poor game, hope for better viewing today.
Seems odd that Trimble was left out of the Ireland squad when you have plodders like Karney on the wing. Him, his brother and Earls arent exactly a scary back 3. Bowe is obviously very good but Zebo hasnt ever really kicked on.
There were some interesting performances in the second half. Brendan Leonard looked sharp, Rory Thornton and Dan Baker were good for the Ospreys, and the Ulster 12 and Trimble looked good. Sam Davies isn't good enough when he's playing outside a non-world class scrum half. (A bit like his father, only ever looked good when the players inside him were good.)
agreed about those 3 looking good. Leonard especially. Sam Davies is worth sticking with IMO, if he cuts out the errors he could be very good. Remember everyone wrote off Biggar when he was that age. Davies took the ball to the line and put some good passes to Ben John (another coming on well). Real shame for Beck he should be a welsh regular and the replacement for Henson of a passing centre with a bit of size too but has been blighted by injuries.
Yeah, I agree about Davies - they need to stick with him BUTTTTT not for too much longer. I find that if a player doesn't fulfil his promise within a couple of seasons they turn into James Hook. 😆
Beck - make a great break then take 2 months out..
WRT that picture above, I'm guessing it's not aimed at rugby fans, but trying to use the home WC to broaden the interest in rugby. Not my cup if tea, but I'm not the target audience.
Now, trying desperately to get my sky go password here in Toronto before the match starts!!
Davies is only about 21 isnt he? Has a few more years to improve. Biggar was 23 ish before he came good.
Well that's not a bad start!! I think our line out will be under a lot of pressure today.
Ireland have been very disappointing in the first half. Hope Murray is ok.
England looked a bit tired at the end, a bit of a worry.
I think both sides are still deep in hard training, so not surprised by that.