The Official English Rugby Thread

[assfly]

Any reason why Saturday games are all played at the same time? So many good games, you'd think it would make sense to spread them out a bit.

[Paddington Bear]

Yeah it's a shame they've reverted to fewer live TV games. Always been unconvinced that it lowers attendances.

[Margin__Walker]

Yeah it's a shame they've reverted to fewer live TV games. Always been unconvinced that it lowers attendances.

Yep, agree. For fans of the smaller teams a BT subscription really isn't worth it. These are the televised games for the first half of the season. It's no wonder people know little about Newcastle players (unless they are doing highlight reel stuff like Radwan) when they get called up to Eng camp.

[sockwithaticket]

Yeah it's a shame they've reverted to fewer live TV games. Always been unconvinced that it lowers attendances.

Yeah, I'd say that the majority of people who go to see their team live do so regardless of whether the game's televised.

And surely there are more people interested in watching most of the fixtures than would actually fit most grounds anyway? If not the sport's in a sorry state and I'm not sure you expand the viewer base by keeping half the weekend's games off air, only watchable via cach up online.

[Paddington Bear]

This year's highlights being on youtube is also poor, sounds like the Irish game ended with a last gasp drop goal attempt which didn't make the highlights reel.

[Margin__Walker]

This year's highlights being on youtube is also poor, sounds like the Irish game ended with a last gasp drop goal attempt which didn't make the highlights reel.

Jackson shanked it to be fair, but in a 6 or 7 minute highlight video, you'd probably want to find a 15 seconds to show it.

Second time we've gone for last minute drop goals this season and hopefully the last. We had Gloucester under pressure mid field on their 22 and it wasn't like the attack had ground to a halt. The percentage play had to be to keep going either buying a pen or getting the try.

[sockwithaticket]

This year's highlights being on youtube is also poor, sounds like the Irish game ended with a last gasp drop goal attempt which didn't make the highlights reel.

The porportion of the highlights dedicated to kicks at goal rather than awesome stuff that happened in open play, but didn't result in a score, is really annoying.

If you ever watch the highlights of a game you saw live it's really noticeable how much good stuff gets left out so we can watch someone hunched over a ball in front of the posts multiple times.

If it's an absolute baller of a kick or a particularly vital one, by all means leave it in, but most of them are pretty regulation.

[JM2K6]

This year's highlights being on youtube is also poor, sounds like the Irish game ended with a last gasp drop goal attempt which didn't make the highlights reel.

When did they stop putting the full replays on the Premiership rugby site? that's annoying

[sockwithaticket]

This year's highlights being on youtube is also poor, sounds like the Irish game ended with a last gasp drop goal attempt which didn't make the highlights reel.

When did they stop putting the full replays on the Premiership rugby site? that's annoying

They still are. Something's gone weird with the player, though, as all the thumbnails in that section are showing times way lower than an actual match, but if you click on them they are the full game.

[JM2K6]

This year's highlights being on youtube is also poor, sounds like the Irish game ended with a last gasp drop goal attempt which didn't make the highlights reel.

When did they stop putting the full replays on the Premiership rugby site? that's annoying

They still are. Something's gone weird with the player, though, as all the thumbnails in that section are showing times way lower than an actual match, but if you click on them they are the full game.

Ah, I'm blind.

Anyway, it's completely true that the Youtube highlights represent the first way the casual fan is going to view the sport beyond a live broadcast, and they need to be better.

[Paddington Bear]

I think rugby coverage suffers from the same thing I noticed in droves during The Hundred - that not being a 'national' sport like football there are finite amounts of people in the media who actually understand the sport well enough to provide a package that satisfies hardercore fans.

[sockwithaticket]

Wasps have rested most of the first teamers left standing for the trip away to Sarries on Sunday.



Unavailable: Charlie Atkinson, Alfie Barbeary, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Frost, James Gaskell, Ben Harris, Joe Launchbury, Michael Le Bourgeois, Rob Miller, Ryan Mills, Paolo Odogwu, Gabriel Oghre, Dan Robson, Sam Spink, Theo Vukasinovic, Jack Willis.



Looks to be a more or less full strength Sarries team to me?


Not looking forward to it in the slightest tbh. Hopefully we can manage better than Bath did.

[ASMO]

Wasps have rested most of the first teamers left standing for the trip away to Sarries on Sunday.



Unavailable: Charlie Atkinson, Alfie Barbeary, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Frost, James Gaskell, Ben Harris, Joe Launchbury, Michael Le Bourgeois, Rob Miller, Ryan Mills, Paolo Odogwu, Gabriel Oghre, Dan Robson, Sam Spink, Theo Vukasinovic, Jack Willis.



Looks to be a more or less full strength Sarries team to me?


Not looking forward to it in the slightest tbh. Hopefully we can manage better than Bath did.

I predict a bumming.

[sockwithaticket]

I predict a bumming.

You predicted similar last week, if we finish up with a narrow loss and an LBP again I will absolutely take it.

I do agree, though.

[SaintK]

I think the Bath players might need a bit more of Diamond's attitude than Bomber's.

I don't agree with much that he says, but JB on Eggchasers has often made the point that he thinks Bath players have it a bit too easy. They've never really performed badly enough to be in relegation contention because they've always had enough money to build squad good enough to keep that possibility at bay. As a result they've never faced the prospect of fans not turning up to watch or turn on them. Equally Bath's a lovely place to live and the rugby facilities are top notch. It's all just a bit soft.

Funnily enough, the Cov Telegraph did an interview with Stooke last week where he talked of the new Wasps training facility in glowing fashion and reminisced fondly over the quality of Farley House back in Bath. He outright stated that if Wasps were still using their old training ground and gym he probably wouldn't have signed with the club. It could be nothing, but it certainly plays into the idea that maybe the Bath players need a bit of hardship introduced into their lives to make them appreciate what they have at the club and fight harder for it.

Ditching Hooper and his platitude riddled management speak is a priority, but the rot of underachievement runs deeper than him.

So if Bath capitulate again tonight at Quins what odds Hooper not being DoR next week?

[Marylandolorian]

Which tv site is broadcasting Premiership In the UK ?

[SaintK]

Which tv site is broadcasting Premiership In the UK ?

BT Sport

[sockwithaticket]

I think the Bath players might need a bit more of Diamond's attitude than Bomber's.

I don't agree with much that he says, but JB on Eggchasers has often made the point that he thinks Bath players have it a bit too easy. They've never really performed badly enough to be in relegation contention because they've always had enough money to build squad good enough to keep that possibility at bay. As a result they've never faced the prospect of fans not turning up to watch or turn on them. Equally Bath's a lovely place to live and the rugby facilities are top notch. It's all just a bit soft.

Funnily enough, the Cov Telegraph did an interview with Stooke last week where he talked of the new Wasps training facility in glowing fashion and reminisced fondly over the quality of Farley House back in Bath. He outright stated that if Wasps were still using their old training ground and gym he probably wouldn't have signed with the club. It could be nothing, but it certainly plays into the idea that maybe the Bath players need a bit of hardship introduced into their lives to make them appreciate what they have at the club and fight harder for it.

Ditching Hooper and his platitude riddled management speak is a priority, but the rot of underachievement runs deeper than him.

So if Bath capitulate again tonight at Quins what odds Hooper not being DoR next week?

I'm surprised he wasn't kicked at the end of last season. He was there for the whole of Blackadder's middling tenure and things haven't exactly improved since then.

I reckon he has two more humiliating defeats in him before the powers that be lose patience. Perhaps more if such defeats are reasonably space out.

[Marylandolorian]

Which tv site is broadcasting Premiership In the UK ?

BT Sport

Thanks

[Dragster]

Wasps have rested most of the first teamers left standing for the trip away to Sarries on Sunday.



Unavailable: Charlie Atkinson, Alfie Barbeary, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Frost, James Gaskell, Ben Harris, Joe Launchbury, Michael Le Bourgeois, Rob Miller, Ryan Mills, Paolo Odogwu, Gabriel Oghre, Dan Robson, Sam Spink, Theo Vukasinovic, Jack Willis.



Looks to be a more or less full strength Sarries team to me?


Not looking forward to it in the slightest tbh. Hopefully we can manage better than Bath did.

I predict a bumming.

Bath 72 pts


Wasps-

“Hold my beer”

[Dragster]

That’s a better bath side, interesting to see if they try and save hooper.

[sockwithaticket]

Nearly kick off for the friday night lights game.

Northampton



Worcester


Should be a pretty comfortable Saints win.

[sockwithaticket]

That’s a better bath side, interesting to see if they try and save hooper.

Fucked that post up somehow, here it is again, so that it doesn't look like you're talking to yourself.



I don't know if it's a case of Bath wanting to save Hooper so much as can they? They look very, very badly coached.

[sockwithaticket]

Dumb penalty from Ribbans.

[Oxbow]

And equally as dumb from VDM.

[sockwithaticket]

And equally as dumb from VDM.

Yep. Yellow for me.

Edit - and so it turns out to be.

[sockwithaticket]

Ludlam seems to be spending a lot of time on the wing.

[sockwithaticket]

Oof, Biggar took a big shot as he carried that one over.

[Oxbow]

Ah Saints, same old.

[Oxbow]

That was lovely.

[sockwithaticket]

That was slick. Let's see if they can deal with the restart properly this time.

[sockwithaticket]

How long 'til the bonus point is chalked up?

[Kawazaki]

Eddie's hunch pick absolutely butchered that.

[Oxbow]

How long 'til the bonus point is chalked up?

I'd say about now.

[Lobby]

And another….

Worcester trying to outdo Bath for worst defence at the moment.

[sockwithaticket]

Saints vs. the clock looks to be the more interesting match up now.

And another….

Worcester trying to outdo Bath for worst defence at the moment.

They're just generally shit. Haven't finished higher than 9th in a decade and mostly at 11th.

[Dragster]

Francis has no business playing rugby, concussed every game.

[sockwithaticket]

Francis has no business playing rugby, concussed every game.

I stepped away for 10 minutes, did he get sparked again?

[sockwithaticket]

Can't begrudge Saints supporters enjoying the result, but scorelines like this aren't good for the league.

[Dragster]

Francis has no business playing rugby, concussed every game.

I stepped away for 10 minutes, did he get sparked again?

HIA didn’t come back on. His brain is farked, had some horrendous knocks and never lasts a game. Negligent.