Rugby 2023-24 World Cup Year!

Arundel signs for 2 more years for Racing so is ineligible for England, on the back of Mark Nawaqanitawase going to league that  serious box office players leaving international rugby.

Money talks. Also would you rather November games in Newcastle away or somewhere in the south of France.

He was also treated like shite – alledgedly – in the England camp.  3 years in France on good money and he’ll still be 24 – a good age to have matured, sign for an England club to be eligible and avoid bumping into Farrell again.  

They could get rid of the rule that disqualifies overseas leagues players if it’s no longer achieving what they wanted. Would be funny if he still turned them down because the dressing room is so toxic.

Billy V has his red card overturned, even though it was a glancing blow it was a tucked arm with force.

No Sarries fan but thought it should have been overturned, fair amount of simulation from the guy it hit

Coming as no surprise whatsoever to anyone, Eddie Jones appointed Japan coach.

Cardiff Bath first half was awesome. Not sure Cardiff can keep this up though. It’s men v boys in the forwards 

Yip, cracking match so far , excellent entertainment.

Cannot understand how the Bath player got away with headbutting the opposition on the floor after the try. Clear pen, clear to wipe of try. Just bizarre, ok it wasn’t that hard but he did it twice.

Because according to the ref it was tit for tat handbags.

But of course no welsh team is ever beaten without the help of crooked refs

Also was it not after the whistle so it wouldn’t have led to the try being chalked off?

Because according to the ref it was tit for tat handbags.

Was it, I don’t think the ref saw or looked at it.

But of course no welsh team is ever beaten without the help of crooked refs

Sometimes I think you are ok, but then you always manage to be an arse for no apparent reason. If you don’t want to talk about rugby incidents maybe avoid rugby threads.

Cardiff were soundly beaten by a far better team but put up a brave fight given the circumstances. I expect Russell’s wages are more than the entire back 5 of the Cardiff pack combined!

The ref clearly did as he told both players any more behaviour like that then both will get cards

As for the rest of it?  Pot kettle and black come to mind and you are the reason why I and many others rarely post on this thread

The ref clearly did as he told both players any more behaviour like that then both will get cards

That was when talking to the players involved in the wrestling match after, he didn’t look at the headbutting.

you are the reason why I and many others rarely post on this thread

Well don’t let the door hit you in the ass…

Good win for Exeter again today, didn’t get to see it though.

Toulouse just miss out on putting 50 on Harlequins in London!

Watched it, Munster imploded after a great first half. Mainly because all their big second rows are injured, and they had to play a number 8 at 4 for the game but Conor Murray’s appearance off the bench didn’t help. Has been a great player Munster and Ireland but he had a game he will want to forget and I don’t think he should be near the side now except the odd URC game. Credit to Exeter though, really agressive blitz defense and Slade is playing really well.

He was also treated like shite – alledgedly – in the England camp

The flipside is that he’s considered a lazy winger who waits way out at touch for the glory kicks and doesn’t work as hard as he should during the rest of play.

Allegedly.

Bath are looking really good for the title run this season. And that’s coming from a regular at Sale, who are missing a couple of key South Africans.

I thought Bath would dispatch Cardiff more easily than they did. The demise of the Welsh regions is pretty painful to watch.

No mention of the Black Lions?

I watched Black Lion play Gloucester and I thought BL were a bit unlucky. Maybe the moment got to them as it was a Georgian clubs first outing in any of the big European competitions, plus it was lashing it down all day. Handling errors aside they played good attacking rugby and tested a young Gloucester side. Great support from the damp home fans & great to see some old Georgian legends and a few English ones too.

Great result last weekend for Black Lion, Scarlets were expected to win IMO but BL fought well and got a memorable win. It meant a lot to the players and the fans, now hopefully BL can beat Clermont on Jan 20th. People in Georgia really know their rugby and many have played but money & good opposition are holding them back. A good run in the Challenge Cup might just be a turning point.

Great result last weekend for Black Lion

Not that great they beat Scarlets who are beyond awful at the moment. Any keen Scarlets watchers would have predicted a loss, they have only won 2 games so far this season.

Although it is a great result for Georgian rugby so I do kind  of agree..

It was a huge result for BL & Georgian rugby. Scarlets started well and scored early. BL looked like an away team in unfarmiliar teritory, but stuck in there and ground Scarlets down, then opened up when they got on top. Scarlets never looked like coming back once they were down a couple of score.

You can only beat whats in front of you, and BL beat a big name Welsh team. They might not be that great at the moment but they were still at home to a Georgian club side. Wonder how long it’ll take for a sponsor to appear on the BL jersey now they’re winning.

Glasgow go top of the URC and more importantly take a 12pt lead in the 1872 cup. Roll on Murrayfield

Cardiff v Dragons rained tries.

Scarlets v ospreys 0:0 at half time

Yeah…glad i didn’t go

Tbilisi Black Lion win again.!! 27-17

This time in the Rugby Super Cup with  Tel Aviv Heat the opponents this time, a team stuffed with South Africans & a sprinkling of Fijians. BL played well in the first half with Tel Aviv coming back surprisingly strongly in the 2nd half.  Tel Aviv tried to play some entertaining rugby but BL held on. BL thoroughly deserved the win and the 3rd year running BL have beaten Tel Aviv.

The match was played in a different stadium than the Gloucester match and was well attended albeit with a lot of extra security. At the final whistle BL grabbed the cup and came straight over and celebrated with their loyal band of vocal supporters. We were embedded with these supporters for this match and the mix of old & young, male & female was remarkable, mums with their daughters and old boys with their grandsons and everything inbetween, it was great way to spend a Friday afternoon.

The entire BL squad then came down to my regular haunt, Pub44 in Tbilisi to celebrate their win, those lads can celebrate! Ha Ha

Roll on 20th Jan and Clermont…..

Fair to say Stuart Hogg getting an honour has somewhat split the Scottish rugby community. 

Well I’d say teries are not supportive of that particular son of hawick. His invite to speak at the 150th anniversary dinner was withdrawn as was the Hogg table of 10 as close to banishment as you can get.

I seem to have missed the stuff about Hogg?!

Posted a pic on social media of him and his new squeeze in a hot tub taken on the day his 4th child was born. His missus then had to leave the new house just outside hawick and afaik have to move back in with her parents.

His SRU car was returned to them early with a reshaped front end.

There’s a “theory” around his retiral that is doing the rounds.

Blimey!

Just watched the Bristol v Exeter highlights on YouTube. Looked like a very good game. Feyi-Waboso does look like he might be a special player – do we think he’ll get called up for the 6 Nations?

Happy New Year by the way.

Ospreys beat Cardiff in a swamp fight. Great try from 18 year-old number 8 Morse.

Next up is the Scarlets Dragons cripple fight…can both teams lose?

do we think he’ll get called up for the 6 Nations?

Signed a long term contract last week which means he can play for Wales till that contract ends. If he played for Wales and then signed the contract he would be ineligible. Don’t think that’s coincidence.

Waboso, Adams,Zammit, Dyer and Grady and we are well set for wings. Just need a 15, a 10 and some forwards and we might avoid the wooden spoon!!

Morse try, this kid could be quite good when he grows up!

The step, the pace, the power ?

What a try from @Ospreys' Morgan Morse ?‍?#BKTURC #URC #OSPvCAR pic.twitter.com/BF5DUKAqOP

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) January 1, 2024

….nice try. 👍

He made scoring against Cardiff look easy

“Just watched the Bristol v Exeter highlights on YouTube”

We spent Friday & Saturday in Bristol for the match, Great atmosphere & just shy of 25k attendance.

Been “busy” in Krakow with Mrs Ducks extended birthday celebrations so sorry for the delay…

Teej; get it right up you!!!!! West is Still best.

Lots of unconfirmed reports on social media that England captain Owen Farrell has signed a 2 year deal with French club Racing 92.

Interesting if true……

If that’s true it’ll be interesting to see of another rule gets bent for the Summer tour.

Edit, wait a sec, the same club as Arundel…?