The Official English Rugby Thread

[sockwithaticket]

Newcastle have been quite happy to offload their bigger names mid-season over the last couple of years. I guess it's a sign that they know they're effectively in a life-support holding pattern as a club.

[inactionman]

Newcastle have been quite happy to offload their bigger names mid-season over the last couple of years. I guess it's a sign that they know they're effectively in a life-support holding pattern as a club.

I presume it gives them a few bob rather than losing them at end of contract, which is what they're in desperate need of.

[Margin__Walker]

Newcastle have been quite happy to offload their bigger names mid-season over the last couple of years. I guess it's a sign that they know they're effectively in a life-support holding pattern as a club.

I presume it gives them a few bob rather than losing them at end of contract, which is what they're in desperate need of.

I'd be surprised if they got anything more than his (relatively high for the club) wage off the books for the second half of the season.

[Paddington Bear]

Also an element that they can now see Ealing will probably win the Champ, meaning that there’s no relegation.

They really ought to be very investable - big city with an identity, own ground etc.

[geordie_6]

Gutted to lose him, but the big hope would be that it increases his chances of more England caps. Special player.

[Kawazaki]

Also an element that they can now see Ealing will probably win the Champ, meaning that there’s no relegation.

They really ought to be very investable - big city with an identity, own ground etc.

I'm surprised with their Newcastle United links that PIF haven't bought the club and stadium. They could buy the club, all the assets and pay up to the cap limit for years and still pay less than what they'd pay for a defender.

In fact, I'm not sure why PIF don't just purchase English professional rugby outright. It would buy them more bang for their buck that LIV golf does.

[Paddington Bear]

Also an element that they can now see Ealing will probably win the Champ, meaning that there’s no relegation.

They really ought to be very investable - big city with an identity, own ground etc.

It’s crossed my mind as well.

If you want to buy a sport and take full control buy the ECB - unlike the FA/RFU they have no remit/historical grounds to have to run the sport in this country

I'm surprised with their Newcastle United links that PIF haven't bought the club and stadium. They could buy the club, all the assets and pay up to the cap limit for years and still pay less than what they'd pay for a defender.

In fact, I'm not sure why PIF don't just purchase English professional rugby outright. It would buy them more bang for their buck that LIV golf does.

[Kawazaki]

Bill Sweeny has broken cover and is on the latest GBR podcast.

I've not listened to it yet but will vent my spleen later...

[ASMO]

Bill Sweeny has broken cover and is on the latest GBR podcast.

I've not listened to it yet but will vent my spleen later...

I stopped watching those ages ago as Haskell just makes everything about him and i really dislike that cunt.

[Kawazaki]

Bill Sweeny has broken cover and is on the latest GBR podcast.

I've not listened to it yet but will vent my spleen later...

I stopped watching those ages ago as Haskell just makes everything about him and i really dislike that cunt.

Well quite. And I agree, but you won't hear Sweeny on any other platform.

[SaintK]

Bill Sweeny has broken cover and is on the latest GBR podcast.

I've not listened to it yet but will vent my spleen later...

I stopped watching those ages ago as Haskell just makes everything about him and i really dislike that cunt.

GBR is dreadful, stopped listening to it ages ago. Just the platform for the current CEO of the RFU mind.
Here's the PA take on it from the Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/ ... ugby-union

[Kawazaki]

It's worth a listen tbf. Sweeney deals with all the questions as well as you'd imagine an experienced CEO would sitting around a table with 3 idiots but they do throw everything at him. They just didn't have the follow up questions to really work him over.

[Paddington Bear]

Bear in mind GBR have a contract to do pre match entertainment in one of the Twickenham suites as well as stuff for England Rugby Travel. It’s going to be underarm stuff.


Can’t listen to Hask, managed it for a bit but the period where they’d heavy breathe whilst scoffing dominoes was a wake up call as to what I was doing with my time.

[Paddington Bear]

Did decide to listen to it walking across town this morning. Sweeney comes off reasonably well as you’d expect from a corporate man, Payne makes a pretence of asking hard questions but Hask’s contribution could broadly be described as ‘Mr Sweeney, your tenure as CEO appears to have the momentum of a runaway freight train. Why are you so popular’

Really didn’t get into England performances at all. Never really got pushed on how digital growth wins rugby matches, now or in the future. Nothing on sticking the 6N behind a paywall. His constant claim that the community game is in good health is laughable, I assume they’re claiming that based on figures from the new registration system.

Toga’s right that some follow up questions may have been helpful. Yet another ‘look how well rugby league is doing’ segment - am I going mad or is rugby about 10x more popular than league?

The clash in priorities between the pro and community games is a fair point but hardly a new one, just got to work with it. It’s reasonably clear the RFU see the grassroots as an inconvenience that ought to be sat on the sofa boosting tv deals

[inactionman]

I'm assuming Quins Northampton match tonight is going ahead - i.e. isn't called of with the weather warnings further north?

[SaintK]

I'm assuming Quins Northampton match tonight is going ahead - i.e. isn't called of with the weather warnings further north?

Should imagine so
I'm 30 miles north of London and it's blue sky and a bit breezy with a few gusts from time to time
Would have thought it's not too disimilar to the west of London

[Lobby]

I'm assuming Quins Northampton match tonight is going ahead - i.e. isn't called of with the weather warnings further north?

Should imagine so
I'm 30 miles north of London and it's blue sky and a bit breezy with a few gusts from time to time
Would have thought it's not too disimilar to the west of London

The forecast for London this evening is 'light winds', so no reason for it not to go ahead.

[Oxbow]

Always enjoy having two ex-Tigers commentating on a Saints game.

[sockwithaticket]

That was lovely. Good effort from Pearson to keep up with things.

Makepease-Cubbitt's been an England U20 hasn't he?

[Oxbow]

That was lovely. Good effort from Pearson to keep up with things.

Makepease-Cubbitt's been an England U20 hasn't he?

Yes, he might have been involved in last year's World Cup win, but there's also the chance I might have imagined that.

[Margin__Walker]

That was lovely. Good effort from Pearson to keep up with things.

Makepease-Cubbitt's been an England U20 hasn't he?

Makepeace-Cubbitt's done everything the hard way. Always looked to have something at U18s for LI but was overshadowed a bit and not on the Eng U18s radar

Missed the cut and didn't get offered a pro academy contract at LI with the normal intake. Ended up trialling at the start of the season and then got a contract. LI went under 9 months later and he didn't get picked up by another Prem team. Ends up at the Rams in ND1 and does so well, he forced himself into the U20s.

Now starting games and not looking out of place for one of the best team in the league.

[Margin__Walker]

Nice from Quins

[sockwithaticket]

That was lovely. Good effort from Pearson to keep up with things.

Makepease-Cubbitt's been an England U20 hasn't he?

Makepeace-Cubbitt's done everything the hard way. Always looked to have something at U18s for LI but was overshadowed a bit and not on the Eng U18s radar

Missed the cut and didn't get offered a pro academy contract at LI with the normal intake. Ended up trialling at the start of the season and then got a contract. LI went under 9 months later and he didn't get picked up by another Prem team. Ends up at the Rams in ND1 and does so well, he forced himself into the U20s.

Now starting games and not looking out of place for one of the best team in the league.

Good for him. Always good when lads can overcome these knockbacks and let their talent shine.

[sockwithaticket]

Haffar's looking handy.

[Oxbow]

Haffar's looking handy.

He has been looking very good lately, Iyogun's injury has given him a good run in the side. Rumours that Tigers are sniffing round him. They can fuck right off.

[ASMO]

TV match official clearly said there was head contact in the runnup to the Quins try yet Pearce never reviewed it?

[sockwithaticket]

Haffar's looking handy.

He has been looking very good lately, Iyogun's injury has given him a good run in the side. Rumours that Tigers are sniffing round him. They can fuck right off.

Do they do player development anymore?

[Oxbow]

Haffar's looking handy.

He has been looking very good lately, Iyogun's injury has given him a good run in the side. Rumours that Tigers are sniffing round him. They can fuck right off.

Do they do player development anymore?

They have a young lad called Dan Cole there who looks a good prospect.

[SaintK]

Haffar's looking handy.

He has been looking very good lately, Iyogun's injury has given him a good run in the side. Rumours that Tigers are sniffing round him. They can fuck right off.

Quite. And then fuck off again!

[SaintK]

TV match official clearly said there was head contact in the runnup to the Quins try yet Pearce never reviewed it?

Thought I heard that
Pearce not quite at his best tonight

[sockwithaticket]

Good game for a neutral this. Tit for tat scoring of nice tries.

[Ovals]

Waghorn looks pretty useful - only 20

[JM2K6]

TV match official clearly said there was head contact in the runnup to the Quins try yet Pearce never reviewed it?

Thought I heard that
Pearce not quite at his best tonight

It was a shot on Kenningham, fwiw, so wouldn't have affected the try. I took a look and it was nothing more than a penalty.

Enjoyable game. Still getting used to Quins being able to attack AND defend.

Saints kids did really well. Ramm is a beast, too.

[Kawazaki]

Saracens only have enough forwards for a 4-4 bench today.

[SaintK]

Saracens only have enough forwards for a 4-4 bench today.

Ahhh. That's what it meant!!

[Hal Jordan]

"Saracens have signed former England flanker Jonny May as emergency cover during the 6N"

[Torquemada 1420]

Castres hammering Racing in Paris....... and Farrell is having a stinker. Aimless kicks, passes behind his own players.

{edit} 20-0 and Castres going at a point a minute. Quality stuff this from Lancaster.

{edit 2} Hilarious. Farrell passes the ball. Commentator "Farrell gets his backs moving. Remembers he's in France."

[Paddington Bear]

Youngs having a stinker at Kingsholm but otherwise Leicester look pretty sharp. Good line from Brown to retake the lead

[Paddington Bear]

Good game at Kingsholm. Gloucester the latest in a long line of teams shooting themselves in the foot by turning down simple 3 point opportunities. There must be data telling teams to get your shittest ball handlers to run fancy moves over taking the kick, but I refuse to believe it stacks up

[Stranger]

Yes, it has been a pretty good first half