kind of like a bedside table, a little diddy one.

Ah, that’s noice. 😀

Anybody else think Cipriani was guilty of nothing more than tackling like a no10? Under the new laws it is a red, but it looked far more like a traditional “standing in the way and hoping it doesn’t hurt” stand off tackle. The thing is, he had done a couple where his body position was the same. I would be running folk right down that channel every time doesn’t have 2 defensive posts. Worst case is that you are going speedbump him, best case he is getting sent off.

He hit him shoulder to face so the red was inevitable, it was a lazy tackle though. Its the reason he’s not a regular international.

If you want comedy tackle technique, or lack thereof, check out Steph Evans and his attempts on Tuilagi!! He was give Edwards a nervous breakdown when he’s in the Wales team, he couldnt tackle a kebab!

Any Irishers with a view on Carberry at 10. He looks excellent, can he displace Sexton? Also Bierne seems to be coming into form too, if he isnt in the Irish 23 can we have him back please, I’m sure he must have a Welsh nan somewhere!!

Anybody else think Cipriani was guilty of nothing more than tackling like a no10?

Yup.  Ford tackles the same way.  Earlier in the match he’d  got under the ribs of one of the Flankers I think – certainly a much bigger man – and stopped him in his tracks.   I think this time he was aware of the incoming support and stood out of the tackle, unfortunately drawing the red card.

Thats what I meant by a non issue.  Sure it impacts the game, but its not cynical neither is he suddenly a dirty player and nor should it change his potential England spot, other than he should never do that in a white shirt…

Elsewhere, things looked good for Mercer.  Morgan had an average game, Itoje was a total menace, Youngs look slow, Simpson looked fast, Farrell looking good and good grief twelvetrees was doing alright also.  Shields was pretty good at everything except staying in the defensive line.

Remains a mystery to me how Tom Young isnt in the Wales squad. Mercer looks a bit lightweight for an 8, especially given the role England use their 8 in and with the loss of Mako Newport Boi Vunipola they need carriers for the heavy traffic or they will need to alter the game plan.

Ford tackles the same way.

Havent noticed any red cards for him recently.

On the plus side the Cipriani red helped me work out why Owen Williams hasnt been playing for Leicester this season!!

Ford is a lot shorter, his shoulder is legal.

Cardiff Glasgow was a good game, again shame about the result though.

Tom Young has really stood out for Wasps this season. He’s one of the very few positives from a team who have lost their way a tad.

Itoje has a pretty good game at six yesterday and scored a good try. Think Jones will keep him at lock though having said in a Five Live interview that they see his best position as lock.

Mercer is having a good season but not sure how he fits into our game plan especially having lost two of our main ball carriers.

Scrum half looks to be an issue; Ben Youngs is poo at the moment and was poor on Friday night. Simpson has looked pretty poor for Wasps this season too.

Has Youngs been capped yet? I am sure he has lived in England long enough to qualify for them, and I think he is much better than shields

Shields has done sweet FA for Wasps so far. He was woeful in the first half yesterday but had a good second half.

Thompson had a bloody good game for Tigers on Friday; Wasps shouldn’t have let him go he was the kind of solid player that clubs need. Good player but not an international so available for a full season etc.

Has Youngs been capped yet?

Yep

Glasgow stuff Blues as predicted 😉

I didn’t get to see the game but it sounds like Hastings is maturing fast and Ickle Jonny once again showed just how good he is.  Why he does not get the respect outside scotland I just do not get –  but quite possibly the best forward in the NH and certainly the best second row.

I see Glasgow beat the blues because we cheated by wearing blue strips…at least according to Gareth Anscombe who last night very publicly failed a HIA. On it being pointed out to him that it was a) the same for both sides b) the home teams duty to change, he answered b by stating he “didn’t think that was fair.”

” You never beat the Welsh, you only score more points than them.” Iain Kirkpatrick, 1971.

I didnt think Anscombe was welsh?

Shirts were very similar, seemed a bit daft. It was a cracking game but Cardiff just seemed to drop the last pass everytime.

Oh AA……………….He isn’t; but still has 18 caps.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gareth_Anscombe

Oh AA……………….He isn’t; but still has 18 caps.

Yeah, imagine how many he would have if he had a Scottish nan!! McShingler would have had 50 by now if he was allowed to be Scotch and he is 3rd choice at Cardiff.

Yet there you were happy as a lark when he chose Wales. Based on the pumping Cardiff took yesterday he would be about 8th choice at Glasgow then?

Under tournament rules, teams must submit two kit designs to governing body European Professional Club Rugby before the start of the competition.

Two weeks before each match, officials tell the sides which strip they will be wearing.

Seems the winging wels….. kiwi may have had a point.

Yet there you were happy as a lark when he chose Wales

Not really he’s been good to very good for Cardiff but been average at best in his few caps for Wales. Would prefer we poached a decent 6 like McThompson or a lock. Biggar and Patch are better 10’s and 1/2p or Loopy better 15’s and Patch is a better 10/15.

Glasgow regularly play Jackson at 15 so I think Anscombe would get some game time!!

Waldrom retires.

Seems he was one of the good guys, too.

Yeah finish that one AA; who changes strip again? But Bach Anscombe didn’t think that was fair. By regularly ,do you mean when they are resting first choice players? Like against the Welsh and Italians. Until a cruciate and medial tear Jackson was starting for Wasps, he has never been the same player. Anscombe wasn’t fit to lace his boots…actually Anscombe probably can’t lace his own boots.

Jackson is only getting regular starts for Glasgow as Hogg is injured.

Yeah finish that one AA; who changes strip again? But Bach Anscombe didn’t think that was fair

The EPCF or whoever decides 2 weeks in advance apparently and then everyone has to do as they are told according to the Beeb.

Jackson is only getting regular starts for Glasgow as Hogg is injured.

I know, but he isnt a great full back, was a better 10. It was just an example to point out that Anscombe would hardly be 8th choice as Duckie suggests..

Still I suppose the success starved Scots need to have their time in the sun. So you crack on with your hubris. The fall will no doubt be just round the corner.

AA; Glasgow are so much better than Cardiff that I don’t know how you can accurately compare them as players.

Actually in the opinion of most Glasgow / scots fans Jackson is a far better full back than 10.  Its just h is not as good as Hogg
He was brought in as utility back / full back cover / emergency 10 cover

Cockerill’s old team-mate Dean Richards reportedly put his credit card behind the bar on Sunday after his Newcastle side beat Montpellier in the same Champions Cup pool as Edinburgh, so Cockerill was asked if he had done the same.

“You know how our players behave when they drink,” he replied. “No. I don’t have a credit card. I’m trying to get one off [Edinburgh managing director] Jonny Petrie, but he’s a tight bugger.

🙂

AA; Glasgow are so much better than Cardiff that I don’t know how you can accurately compare them as players.

Well its a team sport, I’m sure if we looked hard enough we could find the odd Cardiff player who could get in the Glasgow squad on a good day.

They could stay in the same strip and nobody would notice?

What sort of team are you expecting v Wales. Will you be without English based players too?

Wales something like

1/2p

North

Davies

Parkes

Luke Morgan/Stef Evans

Patchel or Anscombe if Patch doesnt recover from head knock

G Davies

Moriarty

Tipuric

Jenkins

Ball if fit

AWJ

Samson

Owens

Evans if fit

Or they might go full second choice.

Loopy Liam, Adams, Biggar and Holmes not available.

Have to wait another week to see if Holmes and Moriarty are picked together!!!

Scotland team for that pointless “doddie weir cup” match?  Yes Scotland will be without English based players so I would expect something like

Dell

McInally

Nel

Gray

Gilcrest ( but I’d rather have Toolis)

Watson

Fagerson

Bradbury

Price

Hastings

Seymour

Scott

Jones

Graham

Kinghorn

I think Russell has a release clause in his Racing contract so he might be able to play

an awful lot of youngsters but thats seems to be how we are rolling in Scotand these days.  a very powerful tight five, a very mobile back row and a very exciting back division

G Horne might well get in ahead of Price,  wouldn’t be surprised to see Lee Jones instead of Darcy Graham.  Props could be mixed and matched as well.  Don’t think Fagerson the choirboy wil be fit by then

Of course we could just play all our midget backs so as to milk high tackle penalties all day long.

AA – which Cardiff players do you think would get into the Glasgow side?

AA – which Cardiff players do you think would get into the Glasgow side?

Tomos Williams

Anscombe or Jarrod Evans at 10 over Hastings who does have a lot of potential but has looked a bit wobbly in the last few weeks. Seymour is no 15 either so Anscombe at 15 would enable  you to play Seymour at wing.

Ellis Jenkins or Navidi too.

None are clear cut but those lot would certainly add to your squad (which is what I said).

I was thinking Nick Williams – he is a blues player is he not?  Anscombe might get in for depth but not at 10.  Hastings has that spot now.  Seymour plays wing almost always   Much as I rate Navidi I don’t think  he would add a lot.

I was thinking Nick Williams – he is a blues player is he not?

Yeah but he’s well past his best. Anscombe is a far better 10 than Hastings currently is, Hastings is really raw, has he started 10 games for Glasgow yet? Navidi and Ellis Jenkins are easily as good as Hamish Watson all 3 have different strengths and weaknesses but are certainly comparable.

Watson plays for Edinburgh 🙂  Glasgow could do with a bulldozer back row.  One type of player Scotland seem to be short of

The thing with Hastings is that he is being developed for the future so he gets the starting 10 spot and I don’t really think Anscombe is better anyway.  Hastings is the incumbent and he is looking a fine player.  Lets pout it this way – there is no clamour from the fans to recruit another 10

I don’t really think Anscombe is better anyway.

You are entitled to an opinion but thats a crazy one. Hasting may be a great but Anscombe is a better player currently. How many games has he started in pro rugby? Less than 10 I’d say. Its a bold shout to say he’s better than an U20 world cup winner with NZ who has played more games for Auckland Blues and Waikato than Hastings has played for any pro team. I bet Anscombe has more Wales caps than Hastings has played pro games.

Watson plays for Edinburgh

That’ll teach me to watch most games with the sound off!! Who does play for Glasgow at 7 then, must be foreign if he’s not in the Scotland squad.

Glasgow back rows M Fagerson, Harley; Gibbins, Smith, Fusaro; Wilson, Ashe, Tameilau, Flockhart.  They tend to mix and match rather than playing a 6 / 7 / 8  Wilson Gibbons and Fusaro are probably the “7s”

Hastings has 12 appearances for Bath and 9 for Glasgow.  this is his first season as a starter

Anscombe may be more experienced but he simply is not needed.  Hastings is well worth his spot and is rapidly developing into a fine 10.  He has a lot more experience than you give him credit for including 7 under 20s caps

I’ve just been reading about the new policy for resting players from the RFU – seems a good start at least.