[Closed] Winters coming;all inclusive rugby thread.

[i]Winner @30secs
You think?[/i]

Stating the facts!

Newcastle scraped past Leeds with a 4 point aggt win over the 2 legs in the play offs. Just Bedford Blues to go and I think Leeds are actually a better team than Bedford at present, so I don't see the play off finals (2 legs) presenting any problems for the Newcastle. Bedford have stated that they don't want prem rugby though so there is a little gleam of light for LW...but not much.

Bedford have stated that they don't want prem rugby though so there is a little gleam of light for LW...but not much.

That would be a ****ing disaster for LW

That's the way it would work. If Bedford win the championship playoff; no team gets promoted. LW would stay up, although I remember a few seasons ago, a prem side offering money (I think to Bristol) to stay down.

Wow so Newcastle my not make it back??? Why don't Bedford want Premiership rugby? Ground issues?

In Finland ice hockey the team that wins Mestis plays the bottom team in SM Liga. IE Winners of Chamionship play worst team in Premiership.

The Mestis team 9 times out of 10 get trounced. Who would win between LW and say Bedford or Newcastle?

Newcastle have had a dip in form recently. Unbeaten (although it came close a good few times) until their last game when Bristol beat them, then Leeds beat them in the first play off round. Bedford have been less convincing recently as well. LW would probably do them both on a good day. It isn't always that way, Leeds came down and stayed down, Exeter went up and stayed up. Worcester are up and down.
Bedford don't have anywhere near the set up for the prem and they know it.

Judging by the two Newcastle games, they would struggle themselves. A big old gap starting to grow between the two divisions. Brizzle, Leeds,Newcastle all consider themselves prem teams, but don't look like Saints or Quims did during their seasons in the Championship.. LW showed how hard it is to plan and imagine if they had splashed the cash on a few big names on 3 year deals. Not having notice to prepare may be the best thing to happen to them in light of the withdrawl of their backer.

The same could be said of Sale and Worcester at present. Exeter didn't even win the league when they went up, and look at them now. I'd disagree that there's a big gap, certainly between the bigger Champ clubs and the poorer prem sides. LW did better than anyone thought.
Brizzle have a sugar daddy and have made some very good signings for next year. I'd bet quite a bit of money on them/us going up and staying there for a good while.

"I have always found beer is the best thing for these sort of things to be honest. I think people get caught up with team-building exercises but if you lock 35 guys in a bar, I think that is probably the best way.

Aye Wrecker, but one of those signings was Andy Robinson,so you could get Carter at 10...and he would be played at full back. Where did Robinson play his club rugby,I forget.... 🙄

Vern Cotter as new Scottish head coach. Now I am fond of using the phrase that "Ye can only pish wi the cock yiv got." when describing Scotish rugby But if C-A are anything to go by that cock will be bigger,fitter,better organised and more agressive.(sorry for the mental image)

Where did Robinson play his club rugby,I forget....

Is that inside info Duckman? While i am disappointed Scottish coaches are not being given many opportunities, Vern Cotter would be a really good signing.

ijs445ra - Member

No, there has been a bit of chat that Johnston was not going to get it but was going to be involved in some way. I don't think there are any Scottish coaches that are good enough, Lineen and Townsend aren't good enough,even though townsend has been a revelation at the Weedgie.

Wrecker, my complaint about Robinson was that he would prepare some parts of the game really well and then some situations would arrive, say a sin-binned prop, and he would take a centre off and move a w/f to centre.

Johnson is now in the newly created Director of Rugby role whatever that may involve.

I agree we dont have any Scottish coachs good enough for the head coach role at present but we have brought in Humphreys as forwards coach, surely with a decent head coach and a director of rudby we should be looking to develop home grown coaches. Will the SRU give Stevie Scott a chance at Edinburgh?

Jo Ansbro and Doug Howlett both forced to quit due to injury. 🙁

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22537531

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22527495

Very sad about Ansbro had a few more caps in him.

Howlett is a legend and at least he had fulfilled his potential, hope they can both find someting good to do now that its finished.

Ansbro seems to be very highly thought of and is considered to be somebody who maximised his potential,(even though he isn't really Scottish. 🙂 )I would hope that our game can find something for him that gives him an opportunity to share his attitude and application with others.

The Galacticos of Toulon win the beer cup, listening on the radio it sounded like a Barbarian team. Have they bought the cup?

Great match, high intensity. Clermont must be gutted. Bastareaud was in tears after the game and said "we stuck together and we did it, no one thought we could do it" so I'm assuming the press had Clermont as strong favourites. Also it was on free tv in France (coverage split between free and paid) something we need in the UK.

@pigface - the owner started putting money into the team some time ago when they were in the second division, he's always tried to attract players standing down from international rugby, if I recall george gregan and victor matfield went there sometime after the 2003 world cup. Wilkinson, the Armitage brothers, Sheriden plus Matt Giteau and Bakkies Botha, Gethin Jenkins currently in the squad so yes pretty international. Clermont have a ex all black superstar Sivavatu and Lee Byrne of Wales plus a few Aussies amongst their ranks. Many French clubs have international players as do the English. Currently the French clubs have no salary cap which the English are subject too so they have an advantage. So you are right, it's a pretty international setup.

Headline of the Times sports section "Brit pack rule" Clutching at straws that one.

for a spectacle the heine final was a brilliant match. the intensity of both teams was outstanding start to finish. clermont had all the stats, except tackle count and score !

Moore v Dulun on ****ter:

Brian: if a player did to me what Armitage has just done I'd have to chin him after the touchdown.

Delon: anytime you fat prick! Go write another shit book..

Brian: Delon, at least I can write.

Shame Dulun is such a knob as he is a talented player

Its a Dailymail link unfortunately but if his actions match his words we may see a better Danny next season

[url= http://www.****/sport/rugbyunion/article-2328651/Danny-Cipriani-exclusive-interview-Ive-spoilt-arrogant-time-grow-up.html ]Danny Cipriani [/url]

Shame Dulun is such a knob as he is a talented player

Unfortunately, he's a lot better now than he was. He doesn't come to a standstill before contact which used to wind me up and he can tackle now too. He is a weapons grade chopper though.

i'd pick The Kiwi Biter over Hibbard but other than that its a good analysis.

So the league finals tomorrow. Predictions please... I'll go with Tigers by 5 and Ulster by 2. It will be a tough ask for Ulster but I really think we can beat them up front and hopefully contain the backs.

SUFTUM

Northampton by a couple of point in a very close game. Ulster by a slightly bigger margin.

I'd be happy with that Tom!

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/lions-threats-and-how-to-counter-locks-and-lineout/

not sure where the idea that AW Jones can play six has come from.

Splendid day thus far :-)[IMG] [/IMG]

Hartley red carded?

Am dischuffed. Was hoping the Flounge at T5 would be showing the final. It's not on.

So, interwebz and a Glenlivet 18 or two (ahem) instead!

Good to see the scum Hartley living up to expectations

Flood munched fairly twice by Lawes. Off with concussion after catching his noggin on Dank Hole's knee.

Situation vacant for a lions no 2.....

Indeed.

So is hartley likely to be banned for lions?

Best?
Owens?
Anyone but scum Hartley.

If he's playing on Saturday, I'll lead the booing from the stands!

Or Ford?

Well, excellent day out and a pretty good game I thought. Last 15 minutes were the real killer for the Saints-too many gaps appeared. Flood going off looked like a potential game changer until Hartley piped up with 'the refs an effing cheat'. Goal kicking was pretty diabolical......I was expecting more from Ford.

Not sure who I dislike more the idiot who wrote this or Hartley himself. Sad that North will be playing with this team next season.

But Barnes had told him that "You can't kick it straight to touch". In other words there was time for the scrum if he did. Barnes, though, from the Forest of Dean, has a slight West Country drawl, which flattens the "a" of "can't", so that in the midst of a stadium of 80,000 the "can't" was all but indistinguishable from a "can". Myler protested that he thought he had said he could kick it out. It was a misunderstanding. Hartley's Lions tour could be over, effectively, because of a referee's accent.

http://m.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/may/25/dylan-hartley-red-card-premiership-final

AA that's easy Hartley is a vile specimen playing in a vile team. The thought of Gogzilla playing there doesn't please me.

Yeah I read that....seems stupid. We all know that you cant kick the ball dead from a restart when there is time clearly left on the clock. Myler seems to have missed out on learning this though!

11 week ban then, Hey Rory I think your phone may be about to ring.