Its not just budget.  There is something not right in England rugby  I don’t watch enough to be sure but Edinburgh beating Sarries and Scotland consistently beating England shows something.  My guess its that they have drank the Kool aid of ” the best league in the world” and don’t innovate enough and are inflexible and insular

yes the french have bigger budgets but beyond that and leinster with an edge URC teams generally have less money than GP teams I believe – tho i wish we had transparancy to be sure

No doubt at all that Edinburgh have a smaller budget than Sarries

No doubt at all that Edinburgh have a smaller budget than Sarries

And that is why Sarries win stuff and edinburgh dont

But Edinburgh beat Sarries 🙂

also Edinburgh and Glasgow have similar budgets and look how they played this season.  sure you need a decent budget to build a team but you cannot just buy success..  Edinburgh and Glasgow have similar playing budgets to the Welsh clubs.

Leinsters budget while bigger than the rest of the urc teams its not that much bigger and they don’t buy success.  The develop and nurture talent.  Sexton could have got a lot more money elsewhere but for him it was worth the smaller salary to be well looked after.

leinster took a long time building the team and their success – and look at Ross Byrne who plays a lot at 10.  He is the understudy and get a moderate amount.  for sure he could be first choice in many teams and earn more but chooses to stay with leinster

Whats gone wrong with English rugby i am not certain – but budgets is only a part of the jigsaw.

But Edinburgh beat Sarries

And compare the trophy cabinets, you can do the same with England V Scotland if you like.

Leinster do nurture talent very well and crucially have the budget to hold onto it and where they need a player or two they can buy in like Ala Alatoa, Gibson Park, James Lowe, Fardy etc…

It’s pro rugby, money talks, I mean Ospreys won a few Euro games this season, it doesn’t make them any good

But Edinburgh beat Sarries

…and then lost to Leicester, who then got stuffed by Leinster.

Not just the budget though, English prem teams can’t rest their top players like Leinster can.

Rugby in England is broken at the moment though. Financially as well as the amount of games players have to play. Teams, apart from Tigers, just don’t get the people through the gates. Salary cap is rubbish but then most teams probably can’t afford to pay more anyway….

Not just the budget though, English prem teams can’t rest their top players like Leinster can.

This is partly budget related too, bigger budget more cattle…

and where they need a player or two they can buy in like Ala Alatoa, Gibson Park, James Lowe, Fardy etc…

they were not expensive players tho were they?

No Maori All Blacks and Wallabies, or most 100 games for Crusaders dirt cheap.

Greig Laidlaw finally hangs up his boots at 37 after a final couple of years in Japan where he was a cult hero.  He is going into coaching in Japan but I hope we see him back in Scotland one day

What a servant to the Scots team he was and he carried the team thru some dark dark days

Who can forget this as well

Will the last player leaving Wales turn the light off please:

Cardiff
Lloyd Williams, Rey Lee-Lo, number eight James Ratti and Wales hooker Kirby Myhill.

Wing Jason Harries is joining Wales’ Josh Navidi and Kristian Dacey in retirement while Rhys Priestland could also do so.

Utility back Harri Millard, Lock Joe Peard and prop Brad Thyer are also leaving the Arms Park.

Cardiff are looking to sign an outside-half after Jarrod Evans’ long-trailed departure was confirmed by Harlequins.

Wales prop Dillon Lewis has followed Evans to Harlequins and centre Max Llewellyn is also moving to England to join Gloucester.

Plus Arhip and Halaholo

Dregs

However, former World Young Player of the Year Sam Davies and Wales prop Rob Evans are among those leaving at the end of 2022-23.

Dragons boss ‘never doubted’ coaching ability
Former Newport benefactor Tony Brown dies
They follow the exit of Wales back row Ross Moriarty, who has already joined Brive, while lock Will Rowlands previously confirmed he will also be in France next season, having been tipped to join Racing 92.

Fly-half Davies has been strongly linked to French second division side Grenoble.

Lock Huw Taylor, back-row pair Ben Fry and Lennon Greggains and utility back Ioan Davies will also depart.

Ospreys

Fly-half Gareth Anscombe faces an uncertain future, while Wales and British and Irish Lions back row Dan Lydiate has signalled he has played his last game for the region.

Alun Wyn Jones appeared to signal his intention to retire from Ospreys duty at the end of the season, when he applauded the Swansea crowd following their last home game of the campaign, although the record-breaking lock is expected to make the World Cup his swansong.

Fly-half Steven Myler has already confirmed he will retire.

Joe Hawkins’ departure to Exeter Chiefs has raised doubts over his future eligibility for Wales given he has only won five caps, well below the 25-cap threshold.

Back row Ethan Roots has also joined Exeter and ex-Wales Under-20s centre Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler has signed for Japanese side Toyota Shokki Shuttles.

Meanwhile, Wales props Nicky Smith and Tomas Francis have been linked with moves to the English Premiership, with Booth admitting Ospreys may be “powerless” to stop them leaving.

Scarlets

Scarlets

Wales backs Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Patchell are the highest profile of 15 players leaving Parc y Scarlets this summer as head coach Dwayne Peel dramatically cuts his squad.

Peel expects to have a squad of about 38 players in 2023-24, compared to about 50 this season, as they absorb financial cuts.

Among those leaving is former captain and Wales forward Aaron Shingler who is retiring following 15 years at Llanelli.

Sione Kalamafoni is heading to French side RC Vannes, Scotland prop Javan Sebastian will join Edinburgh and scrum-half Dane Blacker has signed for Dragons.

Lewis Rawlins, Tom Price, Phil Price, Taylor Davies, Daf Hughes, Corey Baldwin, WillGriff John and Iestyn Rees will also be leaving, while Alex Jeffries has been forced to quit rugby due to fitness issues.

Argentina forward Tomas Lezana moved to Montauban in February.

Here Teej; I am watching the Glasgow against Scabs challenge cup semi-final tomorrow, I can’t seem to find the Embra European game tomorrow; what channel is it on?

No idea.  I get mine from a chap with an eyepatch 😎🤣

High tempo and error strewn from both sides at Parc y Scarlets so far

Glasgows “attack from everywhere as fast as you can” style has cost them a good few points.

Hopefully Glasgow will find their head in the 2nd half. Look like they’re bottling it.

Yes Glasgow “screwed the nut “in the second half. Scarlets tried hard but made errors under pressure Glasgow 35 Scarlets 17

Anyone watch the eng v Fra women’s match? I’ve been playing cricket all day but I hear it was a cracker!

Anyone watch the eng v Fra women’s match? I’ve been playing cricket all day but I hear it was a cracker!

Yes, it was an amazing game, with England thrashing France in the first half, only for France to reverse the trend in the second. The game itself was amazing, with even Mrs K stating “this is what rugby was like before they turned the men into Monsters”. Such great interchange of skills from backs and forwards a stunning game to watch.

And over 58,000 in attendance at Twickers for the record Women’s rugby crowd which is great news for women and girls rugby throughout. This is the end of Simon Middletons coaching reign though, let’s see what happens after this.

I’d love to see Squidge cover this but with so much going on itd be a 45 minute video probably!

Made even better by me managing to secure Men’s England V Wales tickets on the 10m line for the August match for me Jnr and Grandad. It’s Jnr’s first England at Twickenham so that should be a good day out.

So a Welsh 12 signs for Exeter so cannot play for Wales but some bloke who played for England 3 years ago can now play for Wales. The game has gone mad.

A capped all black plays in France can now play for France, Australia and presumably New Zealand. Truly daft.

London “Irish” in trouble, proof that Karma, while slow to act, does exist. Hopefully they will get EXACTLY the same support from the RFU Scottish and Richmond got i.e. relegated to the lowest league and having to buy their own names back.

So a Welsh 12 signs for Exeter so cannot play for Wales but some bloke who played for England 3 years ago can now play for Wales. The game has gone mad.

Ermmm- Welsh rugby has by having the stupid rule that you must play in Wales

But the English capped prop who is in the Welsh Squad plays in France…madness

Sorry over indulgent post to follow….

My lad was voted Brentwood RFC U12s Player’s Player at the weekend 🙂

I’m more pleased than he is. I think I’d have retired if ever voted that! That but he just shrugged his shoulders and gave a cheeky smile.

After a frustrating football season, he has been playing rugby like he’s on mission to prove something to himself. It’s been an absolute joy watching him expressing and enjoying himself.

I could wax lyrical about his running or passing/defender fixing or kicking or tackling or awareness. But it is best summed up by…. You know when you are playing with someone good and they seem to have all the time in the world to play their game, that’s what he has got at the moment.

It’s blooming brilliant !

Anyway, sorry again for the proud dad nonsense. But it is good to remember rugby is bloody ace at grass roots, away from all the politics and financial malarkey in the pro game.

Awesome stuff. My son is u12 too and whilst he’s not the most talented he is an absolutely tireless machine of a player, rucking tackling passing running. It’s great watching him he really is the player who allows his team mates to play, it’s great to watch.

That is great new Ro5ey!

My U14 is thinking of giving it up based on the fact their inspirational coach of 7 years is leaving and he’s primarily a swimmer / triathlete.

At some point they have to chose I guess.

I’d be happy enough if my boy dropped it for something less injury inducing by that time.

Henry Thomas sacked by Montpelier for taking up Wales offer

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/henry-thomas-axed-club-choosing-26860004

I’m preparing to be underwhelmed by Englands BIG WORLD CUP ANNOUNCEMENT on Monday. Likely the same group of players with Captain Farrell and Genge.

Out by the semi’s I predict.

Good first half from Munster

Losing the man to the red card wrecked things for Glasgow. It was an absolute nailed on red though.

Losing the man to the red card wrecked things for Glasgow. It was an absolute nailed on red though.

Haven’t seen a red that clear for a long time, not sure what he was trying to do there. Munster have no players left for next week, 4 players removed with HIAS in one game,

I feel incredibly neutral about this:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/65531121

On balance now he seems to have learnt how to be an international coach I am in favour.  Its just a shame he wasted a few years learning how to do it.  He was given the job too soon.

In other news ruddy Exeter broke ickle jonny!

I’m neither enthused nor despairing about Townsend staying on, we’ll miss J Gray though.

Ro5ey
Free Member

Sorry over indulgent post to follow….

Not at all. This is why we love rugby. As kids or parents.

My 8 & 10yr olds play. Both love it.

According to his coach, my younger son was “born to play rugby”. He wants to be a professional rugby player and play for Scotland when he grows up. (Despite his parents being English!)

Then I told him how much footballers get paid compared to rugby players and now he’s having a re-think! 😄

Tips and AWJ both retire from international rugby!

I’m aware that the following statement is abso-bleedin-lutely obvious but, something is not right in the Wales camp that the pair of them announced this now within an hour of each other despite being selected for the training squad ahead of the world cup.

Come on Warriors!

Thats pretty much game over.  Boooooooooooo.  too many mistakes