Again agree with the need for tightening to prevent Howarth-esque abuse, but here's a scenario where your argument falls down
Player A grows up in Country X and is capped at an early age
Player A then emigrates with his family to Country Y and qualifies for Country Y nationality
It would be descrimatory to prevent Player A from representing the country of his current nationality, Country Y on the grounds you suggest.
As the headmaster of Juhel Miah's school noted correctly this week, Juhel is as Welsh as anyone else, unless you are Donald Trump.
Again agree with the need for tightening to prevent Howarth-esque abuse
In that case the rules were in place. He didnt have a welsh nan so wasnt qualified. It just wasnt checked.
Problem is England and France have the best paid leagues so will get more time servers. Scotland and Ireland actively recruit time servers like O'Stander and McStraus. Wales are a shambles so we get no one and Italy dont have the cash to get anyone good.
Scotland team up
1. Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors)
2. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
4. Richie Gray (Toulouse)
5. Johnny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
6. John Barclay (C) (Scarlets)
7. John Hardie (Edinburgh)
8. Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors)
10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors)
11. Tim Visser (Harlequins)
12. Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors)
13. Huw Jones (Stormers)
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)
15. Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)
Replacements
16 Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
17 Allan Dell (Edinburgh)
18 Simon Berghan (Edinburgh)
19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Hamish Watson (Edinburgh)
21 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Duncan Weir (Edinburgh)
23 Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors)
A bit tough on Watson who I thought as a standout player and our shortage of wings shows up with the flying dutchman AKA the turnstile getting in 'cos those dastardly english broke Maitland
Scrum should be stronger with shrek back at loosehead
Sexton back in action, for how long who knows.
15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 74 caps
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 56 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 5 caps
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 26 caps
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 30 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 63 caps
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 55 caps
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary's/Leinster) 38 caps
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) c 101 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 13 caps
4. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 44 caps
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 44 caps
6. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 12 caps
7. Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster) 46 caps
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) vc 93 caps
16. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 1 cap
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 64 caps
18. John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 3 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 29 caps
20. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 37 caps
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 10 caps
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 21 caps
23. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 69 caps
or the alternative real names for the scotland team
1. Shrek
2. Private Frazer
3. Zoozander
4. Big Richie
5. Ickle Johnny
6. Barcs
7. Kamikaze
8. Batman
9. One Price
10. Dancer
11. Turnstile Tim
12. Alex Dunbar ( for some reason he don't have a proper name)
13. Who he?
14. Tennessee Tam
15. Didier Hoggba
Replacements
16 Samwise
17 Laptop
18 Simon Berghan ( another poor unfortunate with only one name)
19 Tiny Tim
20 Hamish the coo
21 Piecrust
22 Meatball
23 The messiah
I failed to spot that yesterday. I wonder if its Ford/Farrell/Daly starting with Farrell/Slade/Teo finishing? I guess theres potential for Teo to start and bash up the Italians in the first half, but whichever it is England need to rack up the points to counter a potential loss against Ireland in the 6N table with point difference.
They've been training with Farrell at 10, Te'o and 12 and Daly at 13 apparently this week. Was hoping Brown might get rested this week, but looks like another 80mins of him looking angry and running into traffic with the ball under one arm.
or the alternative real names for the scotland team
1. Shrek
2. Private Frazer
3. Zoozander
4. Big Richie
5. Ickle Johnny
6. Barcs
7. Kamikaze
8. Batman
Or England
Browny
Watsony
Dalyly
Farrally
Mayey
Fordy
Carey
Hughesy
Woody
Itojey
Lawesy
Launchburyey
Colesy
Bitey
Vunipolsy
I don't think Joseph would be absent if we were playing Ireland.
Read a piece by Austin Healy saying that the lack of the go-forward ball carrying usually supplied by the Vunipola brothers has allowed opposition teams to defend better wider out as they don't have to defend narrowly so much. This, in turn, cuts down on space out wide for Joseph.
The RFU should change their qualification rules NOW. They already refuse to pick players not playing at home so they could extend it further by only picking ENGLISH players. Personally I'd rather see the likes of Strettle and Abendenon playing for England than Te'o and Solomona.
Hmm, I like the idea of tightening rules, but if we do it alone, in 3 years we will find them all playing against us!!!
AA - 😆 sounds like a bunch of footballers nicknames.
Itoje, Haskell and Hughes in the back row for England. Pretty lumpy!
Te'o to start at 13 too - bit more bulk on the pitch for sure.
Care starts. I think they're looking to play at a higher tempo and Youngs needs a kick up the arse too.
Ford stays at 10 with Farrell at 12. Pleased to see Slade retained - he did look very good at the weekend.
Mako to come off the bench too.
but if we do it alone, in 3 years we will find them all playing against us!!!
True. I agree that it would be great if all teams did it and would give the PIs a chance to retain their talent.
However, England have enough depth to succeed without imports. How many foreigners were in the 2003 RWC winning side?
large steaming pile of mince pretending to be a rugby game on beeb2(scotland) Edinburgh V blues
Two bald men fighting over a comb. But Blues win. Edinburgh were rudderless and showed no heart bar one or two players despite being in a winning position. Cockerill can't arrive quickly enough 'cos from what I know of him his teams don't lack heart.
Edinburgh just seemed to think all they had to do was boot the ball downfield all second half. To be fair with the help of the ref thats all they had done first half.
Booting the ball downfall would have done if you have some chasers and if you kick to space. Nice block tho before the blues try. Edinburgh tackler taken off the ball which allowed the break so the ref didn't give Edinburgh everything and notice how the blues stopped going off their feet and lying on the wrong side?
Utter utter mince from Edinburgh tho
In other news tho Scotland women beat Wales - their first 6N win for 7 years!
Best not look at the U20 score, TJ!
Anyway I have inlaw duties tomorrow even though its my b'day so I wont be around to moan about the ref and talk shit....good luck to all and lets hope all the players get through uninjured and if Scotland win...it will be apt that its the year TJ has returned great to have you back.
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I'll still blame the ref though!
For letting TJ back?
I mean, we all blame refs, but that's too far!
😆
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
I'm working a long day tomorrow and I doubt I can get thru it without seeing the score 🙁
Seriously though, TJ, it's great to have you back. You seem less argumentative, a good thing, yet still wildly optimistic about Scotch rugby, which is an awesome thing!
🙂
You seem less argumentative
No he doesnt!
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CFH - I have tried to learn not to argue too much tho some of the politics threads make it tricky.
As for Rugby - there are reasons to be cheerful (part 3) but like most scots fans it veers between wild optimism and hopeless dejection. It really is time for this team to show what they can do tho - no excuses. depth as ever remains a problem tho. Losing Nel and Dickinson as well as Shrek really hurt us.
On the bright side Edinburgh remain the best looking team with the finest hair of any pro team. Got to look on the bright side.
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Politics is laughable these days. Join in the laughter!
🙂
On the bright side Edinburgh remain the best looking team with the finest hair of any pro team.
In case AA is busy, I'll do it.....
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Shame he is not good enough to play for Edinburgh. Otherwise he would fit right in. We are not known as the exfoliators for nothing!
For TJ's sake I won't post the U20's result for Scotland/Wales.
England U20 killed Italy though & Sale's Ben Curry was MOTM - and there's two of him!
Ben and Tom Curry are great prospects so expect to see those Coventry Pests steal them soon..
Shame he is not good enough to play for Edinburgh.
I tell you what, even at 35 he's better than heathcote and Hastings!
I'm not saying they're good enough to play for Edinburgh but as outside contenders for caps, Henson is still better than both.
wrecker - I was hardly being serious. Edinburgh this season are woeful.
It's sad but (if you is English glad) that the Engalnd team are going rip the Italians to pieces.
There, I said it.
Happy with tigers result last night, seems there's something about them again. Wish they were playing like this when Glasgow smashed them (twice)!
Won't catch the games this afternoon as I'll be driving to sunny Leamington Spa, should get tomorrow's though. Off out on a quick muddy 20k ride now, enjoy the rugby!
Ali Williams (Racing) and James O'connor (Toulon) arrested by police at 3am in Paris trying to buy cocaine. Doh !
Something very wrong with French rugby off-field antics isn't there?
Or is it the Kiwis and their love of recreational pharmacology?
Two old pros on a well paid jolly in France, rather than actually training hard for international rugby.
Really looking forward to a semi-neutral Saturday and esp, Scotland v Wales. Really important line out battle with Lions in mind. Should be fun.
Only downside was Andy Nicoll putting yet another positive spin on the injuries first thing this morning!!Forget glass half full, its glass constantly over-flowing with Andy!! Cotter and Nicol plus Jiffy, the other battle of the afternoon. Unless the Beeb save us and let Butler's soft brogue take over.
Very true, Dan.
There have been whispers that there's a bit of a recreational culture around rugby in NZ for a while though.
Ken owens never throws down the middle. He always takes two or three steps and throws down his line
Nice simple try - Rhys having a great start too.
Wales look physically stronger at the moment if wasteful
Owens throwing is funny, true. But he gets away with it.
Tips player of 1H
Not bad, not great as too many errors. Still think Welsh physicality will see them through
AWJ winning the second row battle too - more with the hits.
Hogg desperate plea for a TMO review when he knew 1/2p had beaten him. Pathetic. Who does he think he is? Biggar?
Biggar being particularly annoying. Clancy needs to clamp down and tell the Welsh boys to stop trying to ref the game and buy penalties.
Dunno why, he's fallen for it a few times 😉
Welsh defence making the difference so far in this one.
