Just been watching England win the Cape Town 7s, beating Fiji and SA along the way. Brilliant stuff. 😀
Just a thought. Dan Norton. I know he never made it at 15s with Bristol/Gloucester and the consensus was he was too lightweight. He looks a bit more powerful now and he's effing quick. In a sport where almost everybody is quick - he still burns most people off. His extra time try against Fiji was terrific, not just pace but a stop-and-go to beat the first man followed by an in-and-out to beat the sweeper. His defence has been top notch and his all round ability and reading of the game likewise.
Anyway, France bought in Vakatwawhotsisname straight from their 7s squad into the 6N last year and he was a hit. Maybe EJ should take a look at Norton? OK, at 28 maybe it's a bit late for him to go back to 15s but I'd love to see it.
Me too. Can he debut against Wales please.
Meanwhile this made me chuckle..objectionable little **** Keet Earls
"It was a massive game, it meant a lot to us,” says Earls. “It was a tough week in general, from burying your head coach and then an hour later doing a captain’s run. It’s just not right.“I suppose the only thing I do apologise for – I don’t apologise for anything else - is kicking the bottles on the side of the pitch. I wouldn’t like to see a young lad doing that at underage or some young lad at Thomond Park.
“I suppose I’ve been waiting to be interviewed to apologise for that.
“I don’t apologise for the rest of it.
“I spoke to Fraser Brown on the phone and I felt he could have done a bit more. Yes, I did lift his leg but I felt he could have done a bit more to save the impact. The way he went, I thought he was going for it a small bit, to be honest with you. I spoke to him and he said he was just trying to protect himself.
“I felt I was cheated really going off the pitch; they denied me an opportunity to put in a performance for my head coach and the Munster supporters, so I kind of lost it a bit coming off the pitch.”
Think someone has had a quiet word with (by quiet word I mean boot up the arse)
The following statement has been issued by Keith Earls.I wish to address my part in the Champions Cup Munster v Glasgow Warriors game and a subsequent interview I held, as the incident in question has rumbled on for a number of weeks and in addressing this I hope to put to bed a matter that has escalated because of my own doing.
In a poorly worded interview on my part I failed to acknowledge that I apologised to Fraser Brown for my actions during the Munster v Glasgow Warriors game. I also failed to confirm that I acknowledged I had committed an act of foul play, and fully accepted the corresponding sanction, apologising to Glasgow Warriors and EPCR for my conduct.
I have since written to EPCR once again confirming my acceptance of the disciplinary decision and outcome. I have also addressed the misunderstanding directly with Fraser and unreservedly apologised again for my actions and the wording I used during the interview.
I hope this paints a clearer picture for all and I believe it is important October 22nd in Thomond Park is remembered for the right reasons and not for something I deeply regret.
[url= http://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/champions-cup/neil-francis-dylan-hartleys-first-instinct-is-to-bite-gouge-or-hit-high-and-he-deserves-careerending-ban-35283972.html ]Usual level headed article from Neil Francis...[/url]
Seems fair to me 😆
Don't recall Hartley being banned for anything that could paralyse an opponent unlike Keith Earls ........... 🙁
Don't recall Hartley being banned for anything that could paralyse an opponent
You are right on this one at least for most of today.... Normally his modus operandi is to try to blind people and the key point here is deliberately
That's a bit of an over reaction!
The odd thing is that his discipline is pretty good for England, but it's awful for Saints.
Still don't think that a player with 54 weeks* of bans is the right person to captain a national side from a reputation standpoint. Sends a bad message.
*And counting.....
If you ad up all the missed Lions and England fees as well as his domestic losses he must have lost AT LEAST £500k in earnings.
He's not even the best hooker in England!
Nice bloke when I met him at Pennyhill Park though - had a lovely chat in the bar. Ditto Launchberry and Robshaw. Lawes looked far too scary though!!
He did it.
He got sent off.
He'll be banned for a few/several weeks.
He'll come back and play for England again and, most likely, the Lions too.
We'll all be cheering for him if he's in the Test XV against the ABs whether we like him or not.
We'll all be cheering for him if he's in the Test XV against the ABs whether we like him or not.
Nah, he's [s]a kiwi[/s] English - that cant be forgiven!
Nah, he's English - that cant be forgiven!
I've got bad news for you - there will probably be a few Englishmen in the Lions team. 😉
Still don't think that a player with 54 weeks* of bans is the right person to captain a national side from a reputation standpoint. Sends a bad message.
Personally, I think his appointment by EJ was exactly the deliberate message that EJ wanted to send.
England were almost "nice" under Lancaster, and that was going to change.
Results have too
I've got bad news for you - there will probably be a few Englishmen in the Lions team.
Not possible, they're all crap, dirty, cheats, opportunity wasters, ref chatterers, over-rated etc 😉
Personally, I think his appointment by EJ was exactly the deliberate message that EJ wanted to send.
England were almost "nice" under Lancaster, and that was going to change.
Results have too
Now we are as nice as the ABs!! Not that good though yet!!
Not possible, they're all crap, dirty, cheats, opportunity wasters, ref chatterers, over-rated etc
Don't forget imports / mercenaries either.
No other team uses the residency rules, just England. 😆
Don't think that this will help peoples view of English rugby...
We'll all be cheering for him if he's in the Test XV against the ABs
I wont. I often wonder what Haskel thinks about his captain being a bloke who tried to blind him.
by that reasoning do you think that Earls was trying to kill Fraser Brown?
BTW I think that gouging should be a lifetime ban
by that reasoning do you think that Earls was trying to kill Fraser Brown?
No Earls just has a shit tackling technique.
Gethin looks set to miss 6 nations. Real shame I had a dream about him making a 4th lions tour
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38265487
So who do we think will get the longest ban. Hartley for the swinging arm to the head or Jiffy Juniors Little Bro for doing the ****er sign hand signal?
Anyone see Beale's yellow card for Wasps?
The most innocuous "high tackle" on a player bending down low as he goes for the tackle. If that's the new law, I'll be yellow carding kids left right and centre. Bloody stupid.
The softest red has to be Phil Burleigh for Edinburgh Gave pape a little slap on the cheek Open hand but still a red card ( rightly by the laws) Mind you we did have a sniper in the stands as well
https://twitter.com/GLove39/status/807739723951308801
Wow. That was some terrible overreacting. Has he been cited for that? It was a crack down initiative last year.
Beale's card was a bit soft. Dai Young isn't impressed either.
Pape has not been cited. Its only a penalty / yellow card offence so no point. the ref should have reversed the penalty. Initial offence the slap - pen and red card. simulation - reverse the penalty
I think all simulation both soccer and rugby should see the player treated for the injury, if pape's slap was that hard then he definitely needs a hia.
I think the best way to deal with simulation is mockery. As well as man of the match have "dive of the match" Highlight it as much as possible. Ask him about it in post match interviews
Pape has form, did the same in Word Cup when SOB gave him a tap after been held in a ruck.
Now if we were picking players attempting to seriously injure an opponent Pape's fracturing of 3 of Heaslip's vertebrae must be up there.
^^
Exactly
Now I'm not saying that heaslips injury wasn't serious. But was he really only out for 4 weeks............with fractured vertebrae?
Pape got a citing commissioners warning ie a yellow for his dive. Burleigh a one week ban.
3 weeks for James Davies
Six week ban for Hartley. Seems fair enough.
He'll be available for the 6N opener against France, if a little rusty.
Now can we get back to talking about rugby?
Yes, but its an outrage that we won't be able to start with our #1 hooker 😉
Yes, but its an outrage that we won't be able to start with our #1 hooker
😆
6 wks for Hartley is about right IMO - inline with the laws and guidance.
2 weeks added for his previous and then 1 removed for good biscuits.
Neil Francis won't be too happy.......
O'Halloran joins Jones, Schmidt and Townsend in turning down the Lions. Something is going seriously wrong here.
Yeah. They don't want to work with cementhead, that's what!
No point in any of the scots coaches going. the style Glasgow and Scotland ( and to some extent Edinburgh) play in is nothing like Gatlands style so whats the point? Townsend sends his players out with a attack from anywhere anytime and take risks approach.
They don't want to work with cementhead, that's what!
I think it may be more that they have contracts, but does that not fit your narrative?
What narrative? I wouldn't want to work for the bloke. Why so personal? you know he's a kiwi right?
I dont take it personally. Dont really like Gatland but I dont like people making stuff up. Gatland was the only choice for the Lions as he was the only person available other unions rightly dont want to release their coaches.
