My good friend and ex-colleague went to school with and is very close to Doug and Mike Catt, there is another side of the Chippy story. As STWers know I think Cipriani is a waster of his talent with poor discipline so I’m always going to come down on the side that he should never have been in the squad so who cares if he gets the sharp end of a coaches temper when he’s not cutting it in training. I’m no international sportsman but have been coached by people at that level and its not all smiles and “well done lads”

@Kryton I agree with your assessment I just feel Mike has something good to add to the setup and his area was one where we’ve seen a big improvement over the past few seasons (admittedly from a low base !)

England coaching setup has become a bit of a poisoned chalice really, better for folk to stay in club rugby longer IMHO.

Slade is a very good player,nearest you have had to a centre with an attacking brain in years.

Oooh. Looks like it’s getting juicy.
BBC;

Bristol rugby;

Steve Borthwick is subject to a recently signed long term employment contract. Bristol Rugby did not give the RFU permission to speak with Steve Borthwick.

Bristol Rugby will take all reasonable actions as necessary to protect the Club’s position and, therefore, will not be making any further statement at this stage.

It’s not even as if it’s another club who have broken the rules; it’s the ****ing RFU FFS!
I hope Mr Lansdowns legal team tears them a new arsehole.
Fair enough, Borthwick wants to go and they want him, but do it properly at least?
Pricks.

Why should they?
They signed a coach in good faith. The least the RFU should do is follow their own rules. Bristol have been on the receiving end of a very unfair play off system for a long time, and had just signed a coach who looked like could help with promotion. I don’t blame the club for saying **** ’em.

Plenty of english clubs are doing very nicely, despite the national team being pretty bloody poor for a good few years. Poaching staff is poaching staff no matter where it comes from. If the RFU want the clubs to behave they need to set an example, not trample over it’s members.

Bristols only word has been the press release so the bristol owners tone has not been established. Borthwick has been employed for a very short time at the start of a fairly long contract by a club desperate for promotion. It is a very different situation to saracens, as an AP club they will have no problems recruiting. A champ club has no such luxuries, no matter what the pay packet.
The RFU need to wind their necks in and treat clubs fairly. If they don’t it will go legal and breach of contract doesn’t get any more cut and dried than this appears to be.

Bristol can’t block the move. They can sue though, and given the time spent recruiting, equipping, training etc why shouldn’t they?

That would be a fantastic appointment.

This.

Plus he has some grit & experience as a player and captain also.

Also published is a vice-captaincy setup proposed, so Dylan will know its only his to keep if he behaves himself, as there’s obviously a succession plan in place.

I don’t think Robshaw in his 40 odd caps as Captain ever got subbed. Fat lot of good that did England 😆

Interestingly (well for me anyway) the record holder is Marco Bortolami with seven yellows.

The list of players on six includes usual suspects like Jamie Cudmore, Schalk Burger, a couple of Georgian Back-Rowers and Bryan Habana!

Yellow Card Individual Records

Anyone want to Fantasy 6N England Team? I’ll start:

1 – Hartley/Youngs
2 – Dunno / Alex Brown
3 – Cole / Dunno
4 – Launchbury/Attwood
5 – Lawes / Gaskell
6 – Robshaw 😀
7 – Nathan Hughes / Dunno
8 – Vianikola / Sam Jones
9 – Care / Youngs
10 – Farrell / Ford / Lowoski
11 – Watson / Gashton / Semendaki
12 – Elliot Daly / Burrell / Farell
13 – Tuilagi / / Daly / Nowell
14 – Nowell / May
15 – Brown/Goode

Froth away… 😀

Hartley as a prop??? Fantasy is a good word

Beat the Scabs at their place by a point doesn’t get better than that. 😆

Waiting for Idle Jon to give details as I am in Cumbria