😆

Scarlets have smashed Osprey!!

Another cracking win for RGC this afternoon.

Might not mean much to most, but a strong north Wales side is something that has been missing for, like, ever!

Great for rugby in Wales.

Ben Youngs has withdrawn from the Lions tour for personal reasons. Seems like a pretty crap time ahead for the family in the not too distant future.

http://www.englandrugby.com/news/youngs-withdraws-from-lions-tour/

In other news, punchy French player above has been banned for life.

was just reading that, Tom.

It’s a v personal decision so his will be so much his own, but I cant help think I’d probably have made a different one. Coincidentally I was reading an article on mortality in the Economist over breakfast this morning and the choices one makes and the reasons for them as you approach the end of your life can be quite disparate.

Thoughts with the Young family.

Yes, thoughts with the whole family.

Stoner, yes indeed have had a few discussions with my ex neighbour who is a Professor specialising in the field.

Best wishes to Ben and Tom Youngs. Decision made and best of luck to them both, hardest thing is making a decision, any decision is a good one. Not sure what people are thinking of trying to suggest it might nit be the right one or that they could gave any **** idea what decision they would make in this situation.

Rugby is important, but family is more importanter.

It’s just a game and a job,even pro players hopefully work to live. Well done Youngs.

I’m not sure there really was another option for Youngs in that situation was there?

Wasps actually put in a reasonable defensive performance yesterday and Le Roux actually looked like a good signing with no howlers! Beale was very good too I thought. Hopefully I’ll get to make the Tigers game in a few weeks.

Yeah Beale and Le Roux were great yesterday. As above, no brainer for Youngs really. If my sisters partner was terminally ill that last thing that I’d want to do is go to the other side of the world for a month.

Gutted to see Gethin will miss Wales tour to Tonga/NZ. I had this hope he would be an emergency call up to the Lions and pull on the shirt again.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39838197

Faf De Klerk to Sale, great signing 🙂

Anyone watching the likely ABs line-up? They’ve got quite a few injuries but can’t see them being too weak come the tests.

Dagg (knee), Read (broken thumb), Coles (concussion), Milner-Skudder (foot), Squire (thumb), Kaino (knee) and SBW (possible concussion).

Dagg and Read are likely to return and Kaino/M-S possibly so. Coles is a major doubt as he has delayed concussion symptoms that they haven’t been able to attribute to any particular game or incident.

Still, with the quality of backups they can employ and Beauden Barrett playing like this, I think they’ll cope:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFco-ziUKT8[/video]

FOUR tries from kick-passes!

Beauden Barrett playing like this, I think they’ll cope:

Double team spear tackle him in the opening minutes of the first test. Job done.

#nztactics

So, Laidlaw called up. Do we reckon it’s on merit, or to try and appease all of the pundits/coaches from Scotland that were moaning?

No Patchel or James Davies in Wales squad for Tonga and Samoa!!!
Ollie Gritfiths and Cory Allen go though.. odd

Well Mr Angry Mike Brown has done a good job of proving why he shouldnt have been a Lions pick hasnt he!!

I concur AA, bad form even from Mr Angry.

Laidlaw. Sorry not on merit for me.

Draw for the pools today, Wales, Argentina and England in one pool?

Yeah laidlaw on merit. Playing and steady captain. Will be able to ground younger players in the midweek team.

Whats Brown done?

Whats Brown done?

I should have been picked waaaaaaahhh waaaah wwwaaaaaaahhh, I habent even been spoken to about why I wasnt waaaaaah waaaaaahh waaah.

Because you are a bell end who would throw his toys out of the pram if not given a test spot I suspect. Too quick to whine in front of a camera.

England, France, Argentina in pool C. Think more being made of that than needs to be. It’s France that should be worried.

Full draw

Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1, play-off winner (Europe 2 v Oceania 3)

Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1, repechage winner

Pool C: England, France, Argentina, Americas 1, Oceania 2

Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Oceania 1, Americas 2

Even as the most ardent England supporter even if Brown makes the tour he’s not going to start.

Another tough draw for England at RWC 2019. Yes on current form it’s France / Argentina who should be worried but a lot can change in 2 years. Definitely the hardest group. Soft draw for Scotland and there should be no real problems for Wales or Ireland either.

You could easily have England Arg France USA Tonga as a group which is nuts!

Getting out of a “group of death” is one thing – I think it’s getting out with an intact squad that’s key. The three games between England, France and Argentina will be attritional – although I expect England to qualify easily from that one.

May well be Ireland to open with game against Japan. The green machine will need to win it, as according to TeeJ, Scotland are vastly superior and should qualify with four wins. 😉

I can live with that draw as an Irish supporter. Home team will be fired up and Scotland further along there development curve but we certainly can’t complain.

I think it’s getting out with an intact squad that’s key.

Georgia in the same pool as Wales. Ouchy.

Great Irish draw for fans going over.
Playing the hosts will be the big event of the first round.
Can’t wait.

Makes this summer tour interesting too, although it prob means Joe will go into conservative “reveal nothing mode” rather than giving many new things the try.

Anyone know if it’s A v B, C v D next round (1st v 2nd places) or something different?

It’s always tough on the group opposite NZ ‘cos finishing top becomes so much more important to avoid them. But this time out that prize looks like a SA game.

If it is like above, then that’s the one blessing for the Eng/Wal side of the draw – 1st or second is just as good really.

Couldn’t find confirmation on RWC site, but, that was how it went last time. A1vB2, A2vB1, etc. Not sure whether that’s TBC this time or not.

Could be the first time in 357 games for Wales to finally beat Australia.

Georgia in the same pool as Wales.

Due to lose to them this autumn!!

Beauden’s little bro’s try on the weekend was amazing. The last angle.. how the..!
[video]https://youtu.be/54_gRiqA-4k[/video]

Anyone else think that Japan will be reasonably pleased with that draw?

They’ve got the fourth best team from the first pot.
And the fourth best team from the second pot.
As a 3 pot host , that’s about as good as it could get really.

Whats Brown done?

It’s what Brown hasn’t done. HE’S NEVER PASSED THE EFFING BALL!

No pundits ever had him in any notional Lions squads yet he’s still moaning about not getting picked.

Far better players who were left out took it with more class. Haskell – “I tried hard but just wasn’t good enough.” Or Launchbury congratulating and encouraging those who were picked.

The sooner England dispense with him, the better.

Well done sarries! Two on the bounce.
Farrell, Billy and Itoge were outstanding.
Quality interview by Billy too;

“I’d like to thank the Lord Almighty for today and I would also like to apologise because I’m going to be drunk tonight”

Like that^^^ !!!

2 on the bounce is pretty impressive. Genuinely good teams from all nations this year which is good.

Wouldn’t bet against them taking the AP title too. That’ll be the double double, and the most players in the Lions team of any club, who could conceivably all be in starting XV, certainly in the test squad.