The Official English Rugby Thread

[Kawazaki]

As I said, my source was Jim Hamilton saying they had a word. Perhaps you've listened to the wrong podcast JM.

[JM2K6]

As I said, my source was Jim Hamilton saying they had a word. Perhaps you've listened to the wrong podcast JM.

Hamilton talks about how McFarland was signed, on the rugby pod, Episode 35, about halfway through. He doesn't say what you think he said. His quotes are actually here as well: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/hes-qual ... mcfarland/ and they tally with what the Telegraph article says.

If it is the wrong podcast, feel free to point me to the right one. If I'm wrong I'm wrong, and I'll happily admit to it, but so far there's no evidence anywhere that Saracens had a word with Samoa to get him capped so they could sign him. It would be pretty disgraceful had that actually happened - a player getting international caps at the behest of a foreign club so they can sign him easier? That would be ridiculous.

edit: ooh, 11:40pm. Good night! Hope you don't have a hangover in the morning x

[Kawazaki]

I don't drink at weekends. Got kids.

p.s there's nothing wrong with a club asking the head coach of a national team to cap a talented player to smooth his transition to a higher standard if it benefits both the player and the national team. Where's the problem?

[Margin__Walker]

In other news Farrell seems to have gotten away with a clear punch in front of the AR and TV cameras. Bullet proof, that lad.

[Kawazaki]

In other news Farrell seems to have gotten away with a clear punch in front of the AR and TV cameras. Bullet proof, that lad.

Quite right too.

Was Symons cited for his punch on Farrell?

[Margin__Walker]

In other news Farrell seems to have gotten away with a clear punch in front of the AR and TV cameras. Bullet proof, that lad.

Quite right too.

Was Symons cited for his punch on Farrell?

Not seen a front on angle on the Symons one.

This though is pretty clear. If that's not someone as high profile as Faz on the eve of a tour, there would be a citing.

[Kawazaki]

He's got an open hand for starters so it's not a punch.

I really don't understand why England rugby fans hate the England rugby captain so much. We have a pathological hatred of winners in England.

[JM2K6]

I don't drink at weekends. Got kids.

p.s there's nothing wrong with a club asking the head coach of a national team to cap a talented player to smooth his transition to a higher standard if it benefits both the player and the national team. Where's the problem?

Clubs shouldn't be pressuring national sides (especially T2 national sides with no money) to pick players to suit their own commercial needs. Players shouldn't be getting capped to suit the recruitment or financial requirements of any other team, tbh. It's unlikely that's what happened here anyway so it's a moot point, but it's a line that would be dangerous to cross and would devalue and demean T2 rugby even further.

[Raggs]

He's got an open hand for starters so it's not a punch.

I really don't understand why England rugby fans hate the England rugby captain so much. We have a pathological hatred of winners in England.

That's a very funny looking open hand.

[Margin__Walker]

He's got an open hand for starters so it's not a punch.

I really don't understand why England rugby fans hate the England rugby captain so much. We have a pathological hatred of winners in England.

That's not an open hand.

I don't hate the England rugby captain. I hate inconsistency

[JM2K6]

A punch you can't see from Symons is a punch. A punch you can see from Farrell isn't a punch. Why do you guys hate winners?

[Kawazaki]

A punch you can't see from Symons is a punch. A punch you can see from Farrell isn't a punch. Why do you guys hate winners?

A punch you can see. Into the back of his head which started bleeding again after this punch.

[sockwithaticket]

In other news Farrell seems to have gotten away with a clear punch in front of the AR and TV cameras. Bullet proof, that lad.

Quite right too.

Was Symons cited for his punch on Farrell?

Evidently not with no citings from either game.

Like Margin the only one I've seen particularly clear footage of is that one of Farrell on Marchant and it's a bit jokeshop that it hasn't been cited. If there's similarly clear cut clips of Symons he should be up before the beak too.

[Kawazaki]

He's got an open hand for starters so it's not a punch.

I really don't understand why England rugby fans hate the England rugby captain so much. We have a pathological hatred of winners in England.

That's not an open hand.

I don't hate the England rugby captain. I hate inconsistency

That is an open hand...

[sockwithaticket]

Open hand or not, striking an opponent in the head is a red card offence.

[JM2K6]

A punch you can't see from Symons is a punch. A punch you can see from Farrell isn't a punch. Why do you guys hate winners?

A punch you can see. Into the back of his head which started bleeding again after this punch.

Amazingly, I did think it was a punch by Symons. But if you slow it down, the swinging arm is actually Farrell's - he's having a pop at Northmore!



Clearer video here:

[Kawazaki]

I don't drink at weekends. Got kids.

p.s there's nothing wrong with a club asking the head coach of a national team to cap a talented player to smooth his transition to a higher standard if it benefits both the player and the national team. Where's the problem?

Clubs shouldn't be pressuring national sides (especially T2 national sides with no money) to pick players to suit their own commercial needs. Players shouldn't be getting capped to suit the recruitment or financial requirements of any other team, tbh. It's unlikely that's what happened here anyway so it's a moot point, but it's a line that would be dangerous to cross and would devalue and demean T2 rugby even further.

How about suiting the financial benefit of the player? McFarland is, by a massive margin, much better off financially and with a very bright future career now than he was when his move to the MLR fell through due to Covid. Nothing underhand has happened here, it's just great networking, great approach work and a great result for the player, his national team and his new club.

[Kawazaki]

You can't see Symons punching Farrell?

[JM2K6]

You can't see Symons punching Farrell?

No. I thought the swinging arm was Symons. It's not, it's Farrell. It's entirely possible Symons has a dig at him but it's much less obvious and we have very little to go on beyond a shoulder movement. Once you realise that's not his arm...

[Kawazaki]

Open hand or not, striking an opponent in the head is a red card offence.

He was pushing him away because he was holding him in. It was shithousery from Marchant if anything.

[Margin__Walker]

He's got an open hand for starters so it's not a punch.

I really don't understand why England rugby fans hate the England rugby captain so much. We have a pathological hatred of winners in England.

That's not an open hand.

I don't hate the England rugby captain. I hate inconsistency

That is an open hand...

A. That's a blur
B. That's not the point of contact
C. That was a punch
D. I've got better things to do with my day than argue about anything Sarries related with you.

[JM2K6]

Pretty filthy from Faz. Hope he calms down for the tour.

[Paddington Bear]

It does still leave the question of how Faz ended up bleeding from his head immediately after though.

Find the whole rivalry and yelling about hatred all week pretty sad really.

[Kawazaki]

You can't see Symons punching Farrell?

No. I thought the swinging arm was Symons. It's not, it's Farrell. It's entirely possible Symons has a dig at him but it's much less obvious and we have very little to go on beyond a shoulder movement. Once you realise that's not his arm...

A shoulder movement? You mean when he clearly punches him. And just for confirmation, Farrell is covered in his own blood immediately after this.

[Kawazaki]

Pretty filthy from Faz. Hope he calms down for the tour.

That shows that all Farrell was doing is grabbing the back of Northmore's shirt and pulling him down.

Top fail from JM.

[SaintK]

Who gives a flying fuck
No on field sanctions and no post match citings
Let's move on

[Kawazaki]

It does still leave the question of how Faz ended up bleeding from his head immediately after though.

Find the whole rivalry and yelling about hatred all week pretty sad really.

Indulge them, hating Saracens is what defines Harlequins now.

[Kawazaki]

That's not an open hand.

I don't hate the England rugby captain. I hate inconsistency

That is an open hand...

A. That's a blur
B. That's not the point of contact
C. That was a punch
D. I've got better things to do with my day than argue about anything Sarries related with you.

You think his hand went from a closed fist to open between the frame when you can't see it connecting (when you're certain it's a fist) and milliseconds later when you can see his hand clearly open?

And you claim all you want is consistency?

Yeah right. You're just another anti-Farrell, anti-Saracens bigot.

[sockwithaticket]

Open hand or not, striking an opponent in the head is a red card offence.

He was pushing him away because he was holding him in. It was shithousery from Marchant if anything.

That was far more than a push.

I'll leave it, though. We'll just go in circles.

[Kawazaki]

Open hand or not, striking an opponent in the head is a red card offence.

He was pushing him away because he was holding him in. It was shithousery from Marchant if anything.

That was far more than a push.

I'll leave it, though. We'll just go in circles.

You do seem ambivalent to the Symons 'shoulder movement' though. Strange that.

[sockwithaticket]

He was pushing him away because he was holding him in. It was shithousery from Marchant if anything.

That was far more than a push.

I'll leave it, though. We'll just go in circles.

You do seem ambivalent to the Symons 'shoulder movement' though. Strange that.

'cause we can only see it from the back, whereas we have a clear front view of the other incident. It doesn't look good, but it's not definitive.

[SaintK]

This squad looks strong enough for a win against England on Sunday
Barbarians: 15 Max Spring (France, Racing 92), 14 Damien Penaud (France, Clermont), 13 Virimi Vakatawa (France, Racing 92), 12 Tani Vili (France, Clermont), 11 Davit Niniashvili (Georgia, Lyon), 10 Antoine Hastoy (France, Pau), 9 Batiste Couilloud (France, Lyon), 8 Charles Ollivon (France, Toulon, c), 7 Levani Botia (Fiji, La Rochelle), 6 Dylan Cretin (France, Lyon), 5 Will Skelton (Australia, La Rochelle), 4 George Kruis (England, Saitama Wild Knights), 3 Trevor Nyakane (South Africa, Racing 92), 2 Pierre Bourgarit (France, La Rochelle), 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros (France, Toulon)

Replacements: 16 Danny Priso (France, La Rochelle), 17 Christopher Tolofua (France, Toulon), 18 Sipili Falatea (France, Clermont), 19 Thomas Lavault (La Rochelle), 20 Yoan Tanga (France, Racing 92), 21 Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92), 22 Louis Carbonel (France, Toulon), 23 Sekou Macalou (France, Stade Français), 24 Thomas Laclayat (Oyonnax)

[Paddington Bear]

Interesting from Healey today:

You could arguably even play Smith on the wing - and I know people might read that and think why on earth would England do that. But on the blindside wing you can pick and choose when you come up to the line, and that's what Smith does for England. At Harlequins he plays on the line all the time, but for England he has been sat three to five metres back from where he would be at club level. Playing him on the wing and drifting infield, you can have a powerful centre, a runner in Joe Marchant and then two fly-halves directing play.

[Slick]

Interesting from Healey today:

You could arguably even play Smith on the wing - and I know people might read that and think why on earth would England do that. But on the blindside wing you can pick and choose when you come up to the line, and that's what Smith does for England. At Harlequins he plays on the line all the time, but for England he has been sat three to five metres back from where he would be at club level. Playing him on the wing and drifting infield, you can have a powerful centre, a runner in Joe Marchant and then two fly-halves directing play.

I suppose he must have had a column to fill.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

Interesting from Healey today:

You could arguably even play Smith on the wing - and I know people might read that and think why on earth would England do that. But on the blindside wing you can pick and choose when you come up to the line, and that's what Smith does for England. At Harlequins he plays on the line all the time, but for England he has been sat three to five metres back from where he would be at club level. Playing him on the wing and drifting infield, you can have a powerful centre, a runner in Joe Marchant and then two fly-halves directing play.

I suppose he must have had a column to fill.

It's just a bit weird because it supposes what the 10 does comes from having the ball, that's obviously an important but most of them running the game doesn't see them hands on the ball and he can't run the game from the wing, blind or open. it's like he's watched some highlights and assumed all rugby must be akin to the highlights reel

[Hal Jordan]

His wig must have slipped and obscured his vision.

[Kawazaki]

Interesting from Healey today:

You could arguably even play Smith on the wing - and I know people might read that and think why on earth would England do that. But on the blindside wing you can pick and choose when you come up to the line, and that's what Smith does for England. At Harlequins he plays on the line all the time, but for England he has been sat three to five metres back from where he would be at club level. Playing him on the wing and drifting infield, you can have a powerful centre, a runner in Joe Marchant and then two fly-halves directing play.

Jesus wept. And to think I still get stick for suggesting Tuilagi on the wing back when he was still in his mid-20s!

Stick to commentary Austin, there's a reason nobody has asked you to coach.

[Madness]

That's a cheeky Barbarian squad!!

What this England team needs now is someone who is great on the training field, backs up the real leaders, offers little on the pitch plus gets yellow or red carded for the same fucking offence again and again. Step forward our new captain...Ewels.......no?? Please god no, any news on why no Launch??

Before the random antipodean number generator spits out his next lot of mad choices this is my 23 out of the named squad, aiming to win game and set up Australia tour but more importantly ensure Arundel goes nowhere near the other countries trying to poach him.

Rodd
Blamire
Stuart
Hill
Lawes
Curry (c)
Willis
Dombrandt
Randall
Smith
Hassell-Collins
Atkinson
Marchant
Radwan
Arundel


Goodrich-Clarke, Singleton, Collier, Hill, Ludlum, Mitchell, Bailey, Freeman

Simple policy of picking players in their best position, I still think Lawes is better second row than 6

[petej]

Interesting from Healey today:

You could arguably even play Smith on the wing - and I know people might read that and think why on earth would England do that. But on the blindside wing you can pick and choose when you come up to the line, and that's what Smith does for England. At Harlequins he plays on the line all the time, but for England he has been sat three to five metres back from where he would be at club level. Playing him on the wing and drifting infield, you can have a powerful centre, a runner in Joe Marchant and then two fly-halves directing play.

Jesus wept. And to think I still get stick for suggesting Tuilagi on the wing back when he was still in his mid-20s!

Stick to commentary Austin, there's a reason nobody has asked you to coach.

Another way to write that is Eddie doesn't set up his team to suite Smith's strengths but that would have made a less interesting article.

[ASMO]

That is a pretty scary and rapid back 3, broken field will be interesting