[Closed] summer rugby

Fingers crossed wales dont lose to the mighty Japan this week!!

wales 22-20 up in the youth world cup.a few mins left.

Nevermind that shit heres some big news

Bath head coach Gary Gold said: "Gavin is still a very ambitious man and the prospect of him playing at The Rec is an exciting one."
He added: "We know Gavin's qualities and have seen him work extremely hard for his team and perform at a consistently high level last season."

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/22895240

Whats the point in Henson,so much talent wasted,yes he's won some g slams but think how good he could have been.Waster.

Yeah its a shame he's made of glass and keeps getting injured.

And doesn't play [i]Summer Rugby[/i].

Oh sorry thread police are transfer stories not allowed?

I wonder who will be first choice at 10 between Ford and the orange one?

[b]anagallis_arvensis[/b] - Member
Yeah its a shame he's made of glass and keeps getting injured.

I do agree that looks like the first test team, it will be interesting to see how they go, the Wallabies have released a number of players to bolster the home side.

[b]Tom B[/b] - Member
I wonder who will be first choice at 10 between Ford and the orange one?

He was fit enough to go on Strictly. You need to understand we are giving him the credit for being a wonderfully talented player. He has sadly wasted that talent. FWIW I'm not surprised you've attracted the attention of the moderators, I'm sure they have better things to do than police non biking threads

yeah dancing on strictly is right up there with playing pro rugby as far as fitness is concerned. So what have I said that attracted the attention of the mods? Care to point it out?

If Bath have got any sense he'll be on a pay as you play contract.

AA you little minx Gav IS the most shocking waste of talent I have ever seen, and you know I does love him loads. He should of gone to the Dragons, the green welly denizens of Bath will have the knives out for him already. He will find no love at the Rec

Iirc B see him as a 12. Interestingly, another b player (eastmond) is at 12 for England this weekend. I find it interesting that "alternative to a shower" want him enough to sign him and I want to see what they can do with him where quite a few others haven't been able to. Gold is no fool.

Go on Wrecker type the word Bath, I dare you 😉

He hasnt played 12 for a couple of seasons!! 😉

AA you little minx Gav IS the most shocking waste of talent I have ever seen, and you know I does love him loads. He should of gone to the Dragons, the green welly denizens of Bath will have the knives out for him already. He will find no love at the Rec

true how long before the witch gets dunked at bath. My guess is he'll sink.

Exchanged messages with a Bath fan and great student of the game ... He's happy to have him, knows he's cost very little, feels he can offer a lot on training field to the young bath backs and is capable of being a game changer off the bench or if his head is right in the starting 15

Can't do it pigface. It's a swear word around here. 😀
It's fair to say that he's had his problems, but he's still playing at a high standard so people more knowledgable than I think he still has something to offer. We'll see. Don't think we'll see him in a Wales shirt again though. I'd have been happy to have him at brizzle.

He was mostly very good for Welsh last season on the few occasions he played. He was a class apart in the game v sale. Lyn Jones had nothing but praise for the attitude he showed in training too. I wonder how much the injuries are in his head though. He played through injuries during the 2009 season and changed his game from a kicking 12 to a much heavier bosh 12 who couldnt actually kick cause his groin had gone. It would appear that after that he must have mentally thrown in the towel and now if he's not 100% he wont play.

I'll type the word Bath only as its so Hilarious they have signed Henson.

1. Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University, vice captain) 
2. John Ulugia (Eastern Suburbs)
3. Paddy Ryan (Sydney University) 
4. Will Skelton (Sydney University) 
5. Ollie Atkins (Sydney University)
6. Jed Holloway (Southern Districts) 
7. Pat McCutcheon (Sydney University) 
8. Dave Dennis (Sydney University, captain)
9. Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs) 
10. Bernard Foley (Sydney University, vice captain) 
11. Peter Betham (Sydney University)
12. Tom Carter (Sydney University)
13. Rob Horne (Southern Districts)
14. Cam Crawford (Northern Suburbs)
15. Drew Mitchell (Randwick) 

Replacements
16. Luke Holmes (Warringah)
17. Richard Aho (Randwick)*
18. Sam Talakai (Sydney University)**
19. Lopeti Timani (Southern Districts) 
20. AJ Gilbert (Northern Suburbs)*
21. Matt Lucas (Manly)
22. Ben Volavola (Southern Districts)
23. Tom Kingston (Sydney University) 

On the Bath front, Kyle Eastmond is a local lad (ish, from Oldham) and a good friend of a young chap at work. From what he's hearing Eastmond is doing great things at Bath, He has been moved from the wing where he played League into the centres as he is looking good in that role.
As he is English and Bath will be getting RFU money for that then i see Henson as cover really. Henson, whilst still talented, is getting on and Bath will be looking to the future.
Eastmond is a really interesting one for the future as regards England.

Muddy,
Eastmond was mainly a half-back in league , mostly scrum-half (7), sometimes standoff (6), and ocasional full-back (1). Always a decent playmaker and kicker. It's at Bath were he's been playing wing - he is quick enough with a good step.
I guess he's been kept a bit further from the decision making while he adjusts to the new code and learns the game a bit more.
Personally, reckon inside centre could be tough for him long term. Defence wouldn't be easy being 5'7 and 12andahalf stone with some of the modern 12s like Roberts bashing lines all day. Don't get me wrong, he can tackle like a goodun, but that's asking for injuries later on.
I reckon fly half, wing or FB personally. But if you call a young player a future international 10 the pressure seems to build massively. So probably not the thing to say just yet.
He still uses the tag - kyleeastmond7

Tom B - Member
I wonder who will be first choice at 10 between Ford and the orange one?

Tom Heathcote? Ford wasn't good for Leicester when he played this season.

Agreed, he was pap in the final!

Pigface - Member
Idle John I always though it was me who offended you somehow.

Always! 😆

Anyway, is anybody else thinking that tomorrow's back row - Croft, Heaslip, Warbs, with Lydiate on the bench - looks unbalanced, and ready to be taken to pieces by a quick opposition back row?

Yep.....in defence certainly....should be exciting going forwards. If Warbs doesn't play too wide I think that it could work though-very interesting!

wings wil be crowded with Heaslip and Croft playing there. hopefully zebo and maitland will hit some rucks!!!

Agree with IJ that the back row looks a bit weird at the least.

Heaslip's done ok so far , but about the same as faletau tbh. Both have played alright, with not a lot between them. Either or, really.
Croft hasn't done badly, but hasn't really done a lot yet. Hasn't he only played the Force game last Sat, and didn't finish that either?
If he is a test likely, then it's as if Gatland's holding him back as a "secret weapon". Seem's very strange for a fella on his second Lions tour.
But all three of them (heaslip, croft, & toby) seem to prefer to do their carrying a bit too wide though (outside the 12 chanel). I reckon if Croft has got "chosen one" status at 6; and 7 will be Welsh*; then it might be worth giving SOB a pop at 8 to bring a bit more close-in grunt to the balance. But most likely he's battling faletau for the test bench spot as the're the two most versatile.
But it's Warburton that most owes them a decent game. He was entitled to his "first game back" performance last time, only fair after injury. Now needs to show he's worth a spot. He can play better. But it's not just been about the injury. He's not been firing consistently all year. It's as much about form as fitness.
At the moment Tipuric and SOB have put stronger cases for the 7 spot. And Lydiate, Croft and SOB have all put stronger cases for the 6 spot. And he can't play 8. By that reckoning he's last choice of the back rowers on form, not even a bench place to be honest.
Hope he does something really special tomorrow or there really will be a test of Gatland's

"I have been 100% consistent from day one. It is about picking the best players,"

For what it's worth, I'd like to see 4,5,6,7 as POC, Gray, SOB, Tipuric, - reckon that's got a nice balance.

* Anyway back to the Tips v Warbs point as any student of [s]welsh[/s] Lions rugby will tell you when not sure Gatland always just picks the [s]biggest[/s] Welshist player - so if Warbs doesnt start [s]SOB[/s] Tipuric will.

Getting away from the back row debate, nice article from Adam updating his blog:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22888155
And the Dr is doing a similar thing in the Indy. After all our BOD+1 debates, he makes an interesting point that this will be his first run-out with (future team-mate) Johnny Sexton.
Think Johnny +2 is a more nailed on selection policy, so will be good to see this work out well tomorrow.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/news-comment/jamie-roberts-why-im-looking-forward-to-teaming-up-with-perfect-10-jonny-sexton-8658332.html

Only just caught up with the England Junior World Cup result (v USA).

109 - 0!! ❗

And he can't play 8

Played 8 a lot as a junior asfaik.

Guess that puts him ahead of Heaslip and Faletau for the test spot then. 🙄

could play there mid week if needed, much like Hogg playing 10. Lydiate not hitting form is a big loss. SOB often seems to have poor handling so might not be much of an 8. Faletau hits more rucks and tackles more and carries closer to rucks than Heaslip but I don't think he's been playing that well. Heaslip,SOB and Warbs/Tips for me. I don't rate Croft. Need more graft and ruck hitting which means AWJ may get the nod over Grey if Croft starts, Croft would balance the loss of lineout work.
North and Tuilagi are apparently major doubts for the first test.

Given the state of the lineout then Croft is needed. In that case Heaslip is the wrong option. Warbs will start, but Tiperic is playing better. Second row is more interesting, any of the four could start, although at the moment only PoC seems to be nailed in.

Tips/Heaslip/Croft for me ATM.
Fetcher/Bosher/Mover. POC + 1 in the 'orrible row. If pushed, I'd be tempted to say Evans right now. Adam, Mako and either Hibbs or Youngs at hooker.

i agree with your front row wrecker but tbe backrow is far too lightweight with three players who all enjoy attacking wide channals. a fit on form lydiate with heaslip and tips would be good but doesnt look likely. who knows. sadmadalen if the hookers are the issue croft jumping at the back could just make it worse.... i really couldnt pick a side atm. who'd a coach!!

SOB often seems to have poor handling

You need to watch more games.
With his passing he'd be ahead of Roberts or Davies for a centre spot in Wales. Probably fly half too after his kicking the other day. 😉

Sort of agree about the "one of Croft or Gray argument". My choice would be Gray and SOB, over Croft and AWJ. Looks like it going the other way for the first test though.

Pretty sure Gatland's keeping some surprises up his sleave.
Ideally, we'll all watch the replays after the tests and realise Hibbard was throwing left-handed in the warm up games. He's actually a national javelin and darts champ. All our line-outs will go perfectly straight to Croft, leaping like a salmon in the centre of the pitch, and offloading to a fully fit North to touch down under the posts.

Either that , or the non starter from Tips, Lydiate, and SOB on Tuesday is our secret test weapon.

I agree it's not ideal, but two of the first choices are seemingly a bit off form/short of games. One is playing and one on the bench so it could be all change after saturday. Who knows, Croft/Heaslip/Tips might have stinkers.
Croft isn't a small back row any more (16st7) but he's still not a bosher, I agree. Too early to call.

anagallis_arvensis - Member
Lydiate not hitting form is a big loss.

He shouldn't have been taken in the first place. To do the job he does as well as he does needs immense fitness, which a few half-baked games with the Dragons or against 2nd choice provincial teams wasn't going to provide. (As always I hope to be proven wrong because I really rate him.)

anagallis_arvensis - Member
SOB often seems to have poor handling so might not be much of an 8.

Can't say I've noticed that?

"The game's changed a bit," Dennis said. "I want to beat those blokes and we won't beat them with 13 or 14 men. We need to be smart about that. There's good ways of hurting them but you need to do that legally."

I seem to remember SOB playing eight for ireland once and having hands like feet was a few years ago. He also doesnt seem to be the brightest rugby player which is no problem in a flanker but an eight needs to use his head a bit more.

Probably why mongo never conviced people that he was a proper 8!

AWJ, POC, Croft, Warbs and Heaslip for me with Warbs warned that he needs to be not shit 🙂

doesnt seem to be the brightest rugby player which is no problem in a flanker

Gray broken it would appear, taken off early last week,injections and not trained since.