Blackadder had a rep up here of getting players to fulfil their potential,just what Bath need.

Aye – he was well liked and respected. I was disappointed we could not entice him back to Scotland

Underhill has done his shoulder in training, joins Owen Watkin as another young promising Osprey in going under the knife. Out for 4 months.

When and what channel are the Olympic 7’s?

I had presumed it was all on beeb. Not that fussed about 7’s though I find itca bit dull.

You surprise me AA I love a bit of 7’s I like that it needs a bit of thought, though most teams just get it to the speedster and let him get on with it.

Not a good injury for Underhill at such a young age.

As per the Olympic thread I’m not interested in 7’s – Rugby shouldn’t be part of the games

Wrecker, now we don’t have Dean “cheerful” Ryan holding us back we’ll fly!

And brizz will bounce straight out unless they can massively up the game they played against Doncaster the other day! 😉

And brizz will bounce straight out unless they can massively up the game they played against Doncaster the other day!

To be fair, wuss beat us by one point in the PO’s, didn’t look great and they have managed to stay up so I’m quietly confident.
We now have a (very good) defensive coach, some decent centres and no more of Holleys hair brained ideas of how to play.

Willie La Roux to Wasps.

Thoroughly shit news this morning. Hope he can make a full recovery.

http://m.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/36995066

Too right A_A. Hoping for full recovery.

SR final –
Lions had me a bit worried over the past few weeks, looking fast, powerful… but the Hurricanes were amazing. Didn’t give em a sniff. Gonna miss that tournament til next season.

Yes, shit news, wishing him a full recovery.

£95 for a Engerland match day strip! I take it the captain will be delegating somebody to fold them the right way out before they get dropped off at the launderette?

Well that is the end of the Sevens at the Olympics and I really enjoyed it, I guess Team GB is going to be our only effort at putting a Lions like 7 squad together.

I think it has enhanced the sport of Rugby around the world.

Cotter quits!
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37107327

Townsend to take over from end of season, that was always going to happen eventually.

I knew Townsend was going to end up going somewhere soon so Scotland is about the best I could have hoped for. I was worried he was going to end up at Bath.

Now someone just has to find Pat Lam’s number for a chat about the Glasgow job.

Best of luck to Townsend, I really rated him as a player.

At least the rabbits will be safe. Odd timing though going before a world cup.

Seems a bit bizarre to me. MY guess is Townsend told the SRU that unless he got the Scotland job he would be off to a rich club. I have my doubts about the wisdom of this move. I wanted Big Vern to stay longer with Scotland.

MY guess is Townsend told the SRU that unless he got the Scotland job he would be off to a rich club.

Should have told him to piss off then. Why lose a coach doing a good job for an untried one?

With Blackadder going to Bath looks like they’ve recruited Robbie Freuan at centre too. He’s had some injury blighted years but could be handy.

Dave Rennie to take over at Glasgow after Townshend. That’s a coup…

The Chiefs have played some fabulous rugby under Rennie. I guess he’s widening his CV with the long term aim of coaching the ABs.

Chiefs to Glasgow. That is an interesting switch. I hope Exeter can maintain last years form and maybe kick on a bit, they where great to watch.

Sale Sharks 33-Edinburgh 28 good game from both teams. Had a chat with Edinburgh’s lock Fraser McKenzie after the game, bugger is huge! Lovely chap though.
I don’t watch much Pro12 rugby, so can anyone tell me how Edinburgh’s pack is rated? Sale were destroying them tonight.

Muddy – lst year Edinburgh had the pack to beat in the pro 12. Pushed everyone around without cheating best front row, OK second row, average back row)

I’ll go check who the team was.

Edinburgh put 4 past Sale tonight, looked very good tonight especially in the loose. Scrum was getting humped though.

Very much a second team from Edinburgh especially in the forwards. NOne of the first choice test players played that I can see. So a very much weaker pack than the first choice.

The edinburgh first choice front row is the scotland one – Nel, Dickinson, Ford. NOne of them played. McInally in the second choice scotland hooker and he ws in the squad. I can only find squad details for the match not who the actual team was. Good to hear the backs were good. Was Meatball ( Duncan Weir) starting 10?

Yes, Weir was playing – nice soft hands from what I could see!
Weird to be wandering around the pitchside with so many big name players and their families mingling around, Edinburgh lads very happy to chat with us lowly mortals.

Edinburgh do have the rather oddly named Will Helu in the backs. I cannot read his name without thinking of Leslie Phillips

😆

The rugby community on STW has missed you, TJ! 🙂

Will Helu – big PI centre? Made some very hard yards tonight if its thr chap I’m thinking of.

Thats him. Good player.

Ta CFH.

This year Edinburgh should be able to mount a serious challenge in the pro 12. We how have not one but two decent 10s. Last year we played the whole season without one. I hope Sam Hidalgo-Clyne can rediscover his form at 9. Weir has moved from Glasgow where he was 2nd choice behind Russell and has hardly had any gametime. another one who needs to rediscover form. 3 years ago he looked great, injured then too much sitting on the bench has meant he has not progressed as he should. Couple of good young uns to watch. Kinghorn at fullback ( 19 yr old), Jamie Ritchie a 99 kilo back row who is only 20 and Hamish Watson who I hope really kicks on this year – a fearless and fast back row but a bit lightweight.

Solomans needs to rotate a bit more tho – he worked the front row into the ground and didn’t give the youngsters much gametime

Best bit about tonight?
Queuing at the bar with an Edinburgh fan & his young son, wee chap yelling ‘daddy juice’ every time a pint was pulled – I love rugby!

Those Aussies eh!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-37137843

Great opening try from NZ vs Aus.

The virtues of fixing the man and giving the pass…..

The try that was disallowed for offside was another fantastic example of 1-15 drawing a man and giving a pass, simple stuff done well, amazing. Combined with Barretts pass injections from 10 the are wonderful to watch.
Aus 3 NZ what is it 32 now at half time.

Some nasty injuries though which I dont like to see.

My god, are the Wallabies really as bad as the ABs are making them look?
Some of the selections for the Australian team are beyond my comprehension. Clearly they needed a shake-up after the England tour, and yet the only difference seems to be Genia back in at scrum half?? And he is bottling tackles!
Scarily good NZ team anyway.

32-3 at HT!

Masterclass from the ABs notwithstanding the Aussies losing three inside centres. Beauden Barrett certainly worth his starting place.

Looks like whatever the Wallabies learned from bugging the AB’s meeting hasn’t helped them much.