4 weeks for Moriarty, welsh players must have upped their biscuit game!
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<h3 class="sp-story-body__cross-head">Heineken Champions Cup 2018-19 draw</h3>
<b>Pool One: </b>Leinster, Wasps, Toulouse, Bath
<b>Pool Two: </b>Castres, Exeter Chiefs, Munster, Gloucester
<b>Pool Three: </b>Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Lyon, Cardiff Blueso
<b>Pool Four: </b>Scarlets, Racing 92, Leicester Tigers, Ulster
<b>Pool Five: </b>Montpellier, Newcastle Falcons, Edinburgh, Toulon
<h3 class="sp-story-body__cross-head">Challenge Cup 2018-19 draw</h3>
<b>Pool One:</b> Northampton, Clermont Auvergne, Dragons, Timisoara Saracens
<b>Pool Two:</b> Pau, Ospreys, Worcester, Stade Francais
<b>Pool Three:</b> Sale Sharks, Connacht, Bordeaux-Begles, Perpignan
<b>Pool Four:</b> La Rochelle, Zebre, Bristol, Enisei-STM
<b>Pool Five:</b> Benetton, Harlequins, Agen, Grenoble
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Apologies for the formatting!
Bristol sign George Smith, I am sure Gareth Edwards has some game time left in him.
Two years ago George won Wasps' Players' Player of the Year, Wasps' Player of the Year, Aviva premiership Players' Player of the Year and Green Flag Forward of the Season and got Queensland reds players player of the year only last year. As you will know, Pat Lam is no fool. He wouldn't have signed him for a laugh.
Amazing how they've gone from looking scarily strong to a bit meh!!
Cippers has never been good enough, why would he be now?
<b>England team to face South Africa: </b>Elliot Daly (Wasps); Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Owen Farrell (Saracens, capt), Mike Brown (Harlequins); Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Jamie George (Saracens), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Nathan Hughes (Wasps).
<b>Replacements: </b>Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Spencer (Saracens), Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks)
Cips is a far more mature individual than he used to be . This is huge for him, a very tough platform in which to prove your worth.
I still thinks he's cleverer in the head attacking and better going backwards that Ford . Well see on Saturday.
Cips is a far more mature individual than he used to be . This is huge for him, a very tough platform in which to prove your worth.
I still thinks he’s cleverer in the head attacking and better going backwards that Ford . Well see on Saturday.
Downside is they've picked him for a game with a shit westher forecast - he'd probably have done a bit better on the previous, dry pitches. Eddie seeting him up to fail? He'll still be hamstrung by a pack that can't win ball and Youngs and his super slow service and eratic passing.
There are far too many people in thats squad with very little form. Can't help thinking that we'll get whitewashed this tour and I'm sure there'll be a shedload of stupid penalties given away.
Downside is they’ve picked him for a game with a shit westher forecast
I know what you mean about the previous dry pitches, but wet and windy Capetown is still better weather than wet and windy Twickenham in January.
And at least they won’t have to contend with playing at altitude this week.
Can't help but agree with you mind map. Its not the best platform for Cips to show his skills, and should there be a fallout at 10 after we lose, he hasn't dented the confidence of his bestest yet fragile mentality 10.
The Donkey Stockdale back in for Ireland, in Tandem with The Shit Keet Earls and Kearney.
WT actual **** was Lacey thinking giving that!!
Very rarely do refs look bent but thats an awful decisiin.
16 v 15
Lacey has made an absolute howler there.
Pass looked forward as well.
I could see why he gave it - where were the other French defenders? Made no difference to the outcome anyway. Fantastic game of rugby, really well reffed. Pleasure to watch.
could see why he gave it – where were the other French defenders?
Well the one who's man it was was being blocked by the ref. He an that clown Ayoub should hang their heads in shame. Worse decision I've seen in years.
No, I said where were the [i]other[/i] defenders.
Least match affecting decision I've seen whinged about on here in years. What about the AB's disallowed try that the ref clearly saw grounded?
Ireland make history with a series win in Australia. What a year it’s been so far.
Some people aren’t going to be happy.
#TheFutureIsGteen 🇮🇪
Least match affecting decision I’ve seen whinged about on here in years
Considering the score at the time it had a masdive effect. As for where the other defenders were well they were marking their men.
Ireland make history with a series win in Australia. What a year it’s been so far.
Awesome effort, second favourites for the World Cup at the moment?
On paper they will be. Although there’s an Autumn series and another 6N to go. They’ll find a way to **** it up. 🙂
Beirne had a big impact from the bench. (I realise he’s dead to you now but thought you’d like to know anyway.)
Regardless of any effect on the result, it was still shit refereeing. There is a gulf in class between the ABs and France, but France have been very hard done by in every game and it's just not good enough.
I'm not chipping at the AB's at all, I'm annoyed at the quality of refereeing and how they apply some (very ambiguous) laws. It's crap.
Just watched the hilights who is the Kiwi 10? How much pace has he got?
You might hat the AB’s but they are a ruthless machine.
Here we go then. Will Robshaw crumble? Will Cipriani shine? Will the real Maro Itoje please stand up? Will the penalty country be less than 10? Etc.
I couldn't watch for fear of seeing one of the warriors impale himself on his spear slipping over!!
TheFutureIsGteen
Not at U20 level!
Great result, and series, against Australia, mind you.
NZ were excellent this morning, but once again a refereeing decision will be the headline, not the rugby
Cips - GENIUS!!
Not at U20 level!
Been a tough year for you guys.
Cips – GENIUS!!
Strange definition of genius, was Cips any better than Ford? Are both of them any better than Faz... once again England seem to be falling down the non settled team rabibit hole. Good win mind. One day Wales will beat Aus or SA away.....hopefully!!!
Only when I look out of my window and think 'oh look, a flying pig carrying a unicorn'
Yes Cips was better than Ford. In defense that 10 channel was more reliable and less fragile. He also is more effective in the tackle.
No difference on the flat pass, yet more innovation in attack and less fragile mentally , Although probably not the best game to highlight those.
Cips walked into a team and matched Ford everywhere except defense where he beat him. I'd like to see if the same is true in a faster game .
So now its all done we can end the thread with a run down of what we think our best teams will be moving towards the world cup.
1/2p
Loopy Liam
Davies (fingers crossed very short here)
Parkes the Poach
North
Bigger (Patchel)
Davies (shame Webb is gone)
Faletau
Warbs/Tips/Jenkins/Davies
Modiarty/Shingler
AWJ
Cory BIL Hill/Ball/Maybe Seb Davies
Francis/Lee/Lewis
Owens/Dee
Evans
I can't answer that with regard to England!
I can’t answer that with regard to England!
Yeah, the team was starting to look settled but now its less so. Shame really. 15 is open for debate, as is 10 and 13. 7 is still an issue and so is 6. 8 is always injured. Front 5 strong though...not sure Hartley is the best 2 though.
Cipriani is better than Ford. Farrell is better than Ford. Freddie Burns is better than Ford. Marcus Smith will be in two years. Ford is good, very good in certain situations. As an all game, reliable, world standard 10 he is seriously lacking.
Bit of a dead rubber, but good to get a win. Launchbury showed what we had been missing, Marler had a good game. May has had an epiphany, he's looking sharp and Curry of the Twindaloo's offered more in the 7 shirt than we have seen for a while - including Underhill. Brown was excellent.
On the downside; Itoge still not putting performances together. Goerge a bit iffy at the line out, scrum a bit wonky. Hughes well I don't know what the point of him is and Slade hasn't impressed. JJ won't be feeling too worried. I'd have liked to see Lozowski given a good run at 13.
Hughes well I don’t know what the point of him is
I will admit to only half watching but whenever I looked up he was getting smashed backwards which is strange considering his size.
Bit of a dead rubber, but good to get a win.
Really don’t think it’s worth any more comment than that. Nice to bring the losing run to an end but otherwise, pretty meaningless.
Nice to bring the losing run to an end but otherwise, pretty meaningless.
Thats easy for you to say Wales havent won in Aus or SA for 240 000 years!!!
Fair point.
TJ right now...
Scotland thumping Argentina, we haven't dominated a team like this since we last played Enger-lund.
Yeah that 25-13 walloping.......
If anyone doubts just how shit argentina are at present, turn channel 4 on.
Argentina have got worse the more they have played. If Sanchez had coped a ban for punching Moriarty it would only have improved them!
Odd thing is, in Jaguares kit, this team have been pretty good this season. Something wrong when they're playing for Argentina though.
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Nice to bring the losing run to an end but otherwise, pretty meaningless.</span>
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Thats easy for you to say Wales havent won in Aus or SA for 240 000 years!</span>
Bet you wish you were Scots sometimes.