The Official English Rugby Thread

[Tichtheid]

Scottish online rugby magazine The Offside Line are reporting that Russell to Bath is to be confirmed this week.

[Kawazaki]

Support staff wise Charlie Morgan at the Telegraph has Proudfoot and Hodgson going. Cockers staying on

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... ve-latest/

Having confirmed Sinfield this feels needlessly non-committal.

Asked specifically about Hodgson, whose arrival was only announced in November, Sweeney himself would not comment on the individual situations of any coaches.

“I think it's too early to say that yet,” Sweeney said.

Afaik Hodgson is defence only and we're not going to have him doubling up with Sir Kev are we?

Hodgson has been a kicking coach at Sale. He was sacked as Hull RL coach after winning 1 game. Been an assistant coach at a few other RL clubs. He's not an elite RU coach, he has no place at the elite end of English rugby. I hope he makes a decent cup of tea otherwise he has no use at all.

[westport]

Finn signs for Bath

[SaintK]

Finn signs for Bath

So that rumour was true all along!
Joins after 2023 RWC

[inactionman]

Finn signs for Bath

So that rumour was true all along!
Joins after 2023 RWC

I'd initially written it off to agent playing sillybuggers, but a very welcome development.

[dpedin]

Finn signs for Bath

So that rumour was true all along!
Joins after 2023 RWC

I'd initially written it off to agent playing sillybuggers, but a very welcome development.

I wonder what it was about the million pound pa contract that attracted him to Bath?

[inactionman]

So that rumour was true all along!
Joins after 2023 RWC

I'd initially written it off to agent playing sillybuggers, but a very welcome development.

I wonder what it was about the million pound pa contract that attracted him to Bath?

There are plenty worse places to live and work.

He'll not win much, mind.

[Prembore]

So that rumour was true all along!
Joins after 2023 RWC

I'd initially written it off to agent playing sillybuggers, but a very welcome development.

I wonder what it was about the million pound pa contract that attracted him to Bath?

Should get him a decent two bed semi in one of the side streets.

[sockwithaticket]

You'd struggle to find a player who seems less Johan van Graan. This has Bruce Craig signing without consulting his DoR written all over it.

[inactionman]

You'd struggle to find a player who seems less Johan van Graan. This has Bruce Craig signing without consulting his DoR written all over it.

At least he actually got his man this time.

Last time rumours were flying about a rich man's plaything signing it was Dan Carter and we ended up signing an injured Steven Donald*.



(*Who I thought was actually a very talented flyhalf, but damned by trying to play half-fit through a hip injury and by the fact he wasn't Dan Carter)

[JM2K6]

Always amusing when the papers announce what a deal is worth

[Tichtheid]

You'd struggle to find a player who seems less Johan van Graan. This has Bruce Craig signing without consulting his DoR written all over it.

At least he actually got his man this time.

Last time rumours were flying about a rich man's plaything signing it was Dan Carter and we ended up signing an injured Steven Donald*.



(*Who I thought was actually a very talented flyhalf, but damned by trying to play half-fit through a hip injury and by the fact he wasn't Dan Carter)

I guess there is a bit of luck involved with signing players - on the other side of the coin to Donald is Quins signing Nick Evans and getting a terrific international quality fly half for a long time

We (Edinbugh) signed Robbie Fruean after his brief stint at Bath and he looked fantastic when fit, which wasn't very often at all.

[Kawazaki]

London Irish v Saracens

The teams:

London Irish: 15 Ben Loader, 14 Lucio Cinti, 13 Will Joseph, 12 Benhard van Rensburg, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ben White, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Adam Coleman (c), 4 Api Ratuniyarawa, 3 Oliver Hoskins, 2 Mike Willemse, 1 Will Goodrick-Clarke

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Ciaran Parker, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Rob Simmons, 21 Chandler Cunningham-South, 22 Caolan Englefield, 23 Rory Jennings

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Ivan Van Zyl, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Andy Christie, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Nick Isiekwe, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Tom Woolstencroft, 1 Mako Vunipola

Replacements: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Duncan Taylor, 23 Max Malins


No George, Itoje or McFarland. Lozowski banned for 1 match.

If you did a player for player comparison, how many of you would - honestly - select more LI players in a composite team? Honestly now...

[Margin__Walker]

Sarries 15 full of LI rejects.

We've got this

[Kawazaki]

Sarries 15 full of LI rejects.

We've got this

The Saracens 23 has got plenty of players that would be regarded as 'shite' or indeed have been described that way plenty of times before. It's a miracle they win, it really is.

[Margin__Walker]

Sarries 15 full of LI rejects.

We've got this

The Saracens 23 has got plenty of players that would be regarded as 'shite' or indeed have been described that way plenty of times before. It's a miracle they win, it really is.

Yeah, I know. Foregone conclusion really. Home banker.

In all seriousness, us following up going through every possible way in the book to lose tight games this season, by handing Sarries their first loss would be typical LI. Wont hold my breath though.

[SaintK]

London Irish v Saracens

The teams:

London Irish: 15 Ben Loader, 14 Lucio Cinti, 13 Will Joseph, 12 Benhard van Rensburg, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ben White, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Adam Coleman (c), 4 Api Ratuniyarawa, 3 Oliver Hoskins, 2 Mike Willemse, 1 Will Goodrick-Clarke

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Ciaran Parker, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Rob Simmons, 21 Chandler Cunningham-South, 22 Caolan Englefield, 23 Rory Jennings

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Ivan Van Zyl, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Andy Christie, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Nick Isiekwe, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Tom Woolstencroft, 1 Mako Vunipola

Replacements: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Duncan Taylor, 23 Max Malins


No George, Itoje or McFarland. Lozowski banned for 1 match.

If you did a player for player comparison, how many of you would - honestly - select more LI players in a composite team? Honestly now...

DEfinitely OH-C for Lewington and Gonzales for Christie in my composite. Possiblly Coleman for Isiekwe

[SaintK]

Interesting?

The Rugby Football Union is thought to be finalising details of the radical law trial, which is likely to come in at level three and below – or everything beneath the Championship. As well as dropping the legal height of a tackle from the shoulders to the navel, it has also been indicated that ball-carriers will be told to remain as upright as possible when taking contact. Official confirmation is expected to come next month.

https://12ft.io/proxy?ref=&q=https:// ... s-roots/

[sockwithaticket]

London Irish v Saracens

The teams:

London Irish: 15 Ben Loader, 14 Lucio Cinti, 13 Will Joseph, 12 Benhard van Rensburg, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ben White, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Adam Coleman (c), 4 Api Ratuniyarawa, 3 Oliver Hoskins, 2 Mike Willemse, 1 Will Goodrick-Clarke

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Ciaran Parker, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Rob Simmons, 21 Chandler Cunningham-South, 22 Caolan Englefield, 23 Rory Jennings

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Ivan Van Zyl, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Andy Christie, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Nick Isiekwe, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Tom Woolstencroft, 1 Mako Vunipola

Replacements: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Duncan Taylor, 23 Max Malins


No George, Itoje or McFarland. Lozowski banned for 1 match.

If you did a player for player comparison, how many of you would - honestly - select more LI players in a composite team? Honestly now...

DEfinitely OH-C for Lewington and Gonzales for Christie in my composite. Possiblly Coleman for Isiekwe

Purely on a scrummaging basis maybe Goodrick-Clarke for Mako.

[Kawazaki]

Did you find out what happened to Isiekwe Kev or would you rather not say?

Good to see he's back, he's one of the Jones forgotten/ignored men of England.

[SaintK]

Did you find out what happened to Isiekwe Kev or would you rather not say?

Good to see he's back, he's one of the Jones forgotten/ignored men of England.

Not sure how common knowledge it was but he had a slight heart issue that required some corrective surgery
He's come through it 100% and ahead of schedule.

[inactionman]

Interesting?

The Rugby Football Union is thought to be finalising details of the radical law trial, which is likely to come in at level three and below – or everything beneath the Championship. As well as dropping the legal height of a tackle from the shoulders to the navel, it has also been indicated that ball-carriers will be told to remain as upright as possible when taking contact. Official confirmation is expected to come next month.

https://12ft.io/proxy?ref=&q=https:// ... s-roots/

If this removes the endless pick-and-dive-at-the-tacklers-feet whenever the ball is 5m out, I'd be a very happy man.

[Kawazaki]

Did you find out what happened to Isiekwe Kev or would you rather not say?

Good to see he's back, he's one of the Jones forgotten/ignored men of England.

Not sure how common knowledge it was but he had a slight heart issue that required some corrective surgery
He's come through it 100% and ahead of schedule.

[SaintK]

Bloody hell dreadful shoulder to head from Coleman on Sarries hooker
Stone cold red and probably quite a few weeks out I should imagine
Wolstencroft stretchered off

[sockwithaticket]

Bloody hell dreadful shoulder to head from Coleman on Sarries hooker
Stone cold red and probably quite a few weeks out I should imagine
Wolstencroft stretchered off

Comms mentioned he had two reds for the same thing against Sarries last year (one rescinded on appeal). If we're going to take this issue seriously, he really should have the book thrown at him.

Worst thing really is that it was just lazy and so completely avoidable. He wasn't caught out or anything, he just didn't make any effort to get lower.

[sockwithaticket]

Sarries' discipline has been garbage since the red.

[sockwithaticket]

Sarries' discipline has been garbage since the red.

Compounded by conceding their own red

[Bullet]

Have laws changed or commentators just forgotten when 'defending' one of their favourites? - thought that you couldn't tackle anyone if on your knees as counts as being 'on the floor'

[ASMO]

Sarries players really are cretins, and the worst of the lot and who should be setting the example is the petulant child captaining them.

[Torquemada 1420]

Not sure how common knowledge it was but he had a slight heart issue that required some corrective surgery
He's come through it 100% and ahead of schedule.

If only Bath could apply a similar fix.

[ASMO]

Saracens deserve nothing from this game, 14 against 12 and they still pick and go, utterly dumb rugby. Daley twice blown an overlap. Kicking the ball out on the full, this is amateur park level rugby.

[sockwithaticket]

As inept as Sarries were, that was outstanding resilience and work rate from Irish to see that period out.

[Tichtheid]

Gwan Irish

[petej]

Was that farrell flying out the line and missing in the build up to the try?

[Kawazaki]

Saracens have beaten themselves but it's Carley that is the catalyst. Saracens hate him and you can see why.

[sockwithaticket]

Quality try. Margin's a big Pearson fan, I'd imagine that break gave him at least half a chub.

[ASMO]

As inept as Sarries were, that was outstanding resilience and work rate from Irish to see that period out.

Agreed, but they didnt really have to try hard. Sarries dont even get a losing bonus point, exactly what they deserve. Farrell, Van Zyl, Daley, Lewington, Maitland, the replacement hooker all just awful.

[Tichtheid]

I like that big fellah that scored the try, he's been good the last few weeks

Spectacular name too

[Margin__Walker]

Quality try. Margin's a big Pearson fan, I'd imagine that break gave him at least half a chub.

Out on a family thing. Checking the score though.

Pearson is a serious player. Slips under the radar, but I reckon he'd make it on a bigger stage.

Hope wolstencroft is okay.

[sockwithaticket]

Revenge of the league basement dwellers tonight, Newcastle have done for Sale as well.

Quality try. Margin's a big Pearson fan, I'd imagine that break gave him at least half a chub.

Out on a family thing. Checking the score though.

Pearson is a serious player. Slips under the radar, but I reckon he'd make it on a bigger stage.

Hope wolstencroft is okay.

Enjoy it on catch up, probably be easier for your blood pressure knowing the result.