The Official English Rugby Thread

[JM2K6]

Jeez, Quins could easily lose 3/4 there

[sockwithaticket]

Going on respective form before the interruption I'd back Wasps for 3 wins. Christ knows what sides will be like after such a protracted break, though.

[Raggs]

Just slowly realising how insane Bristol's 1st XV is starting to look.

[Margin__Walker]

Ha, was going to say. You could write a book on Diamond's denials and subsequent signings

To be fair, cap space is going to be a big issue here for most clubs. It's late in the day for it, especially with a drop in cap approaching for 21/22. So it may end up being overseas or bust.

And the Telegraph seem pretty confident today that he's signing for Sale.

That's a pretty scary midfield they'll have if him and the big Saffer are fit.

[Raggs]

Reminds me of what they had a few seasons ago with those two big PI players. You know what's coming, now try and stop it...

[Margin__Walker]

Yep, could be fun. They look pretty dangerous across the park these days. Expect them to be a fixture in the play offs in the short/medium term.

[Raggs]

Yep, could be fun. They look pretty dangerous across the park these days. Expect them to be a fixture in the play offs in the short/medium term.

A lot of big power carrying options.

[Margin__Walker]

Yep.

Matt Garvey signs for Gloucester until the end of the season.

[Un Pilier]

Yep.

Matt Garvey signs for Gloucester until the end of the season.

Handy squad player - good signing for Glaws I think.

[Raggs]

So can Sale now put out the biggest backline seen by the prem? Tuilagi, Rensburg, Du Preez, Solomona, James.

Just the midfield alone is a case of you know what's coming, you can't stop it.

[Margin__Walker]

It's a really nasty midfield to face. Sale always seem beat us easily these days but remember LI being completely unable to handle van Rensburg before Xmas.

Guess teams will have to try and move them around a little

[Rhubarb & Custard]

Sale are really burning a hold in their CVC monies and it's not easy to see what represents success for them in all this. Bigger picture for my interests would be it's a shame Manu has gone somewhere that might not place an emphasis on improving his skills and decision making

[youthleth]

Sale are really burning a hold in their CVC monies and it's not easy to see what represents success for them in all this. Bigger picture for my interests would be it's a shame Manu has gone somewhere that might not place an emphasis on improving his skills and decision making

After 30 years at Tigers, surely any change would be better for his skills and decision making?

Do you mean representing success for Sale or for CVC? CVC have just invested in a third of the Top14, based I guess on their now intimate knowledge of top flight rugby. Obvious goal for Sale is another championship and a decent European cup run.
Both of them will benefit from Crossford Bridge if that gets the green light.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

I've never really noted Diamond as being the man to develop outside backs, there's a lot he does offer on the coaching front, but not that.

And success for Sale over a sustained period, I can see why they might secure some transient success out of this, but then what?

[youthleth]

I've never really noted Diamond as being the man to develop outside backs, there's a lot he does offer on the coaching front, but not that.

And success for Sale over a sustained period, I can see why they might secure some transient success out of this, but then what?

Crossford bridge. Their own stadium again, back in Sale with actual transport links.

To get bums on seats in Manchester needs a team that's successful.

[Raggs]

Sale have money backing them now. Not Bath/Bristol money, but still, they're OK.

[ASMO]

I've never really noted Diamond as being the man to develop outside backs, there's a lot he does offer on the coaching front, but not that.

And success for Sale over a sustained period, I can see why they might secure some transient success out of this, but then what?

This is why he has recruited props in the centres

[Rhubarb & Custard]

To get bums on seats in Manchester needs a team that's successful.

To me it feels like spending too much now to achieve too little in the future, but we shall see. I certainly hope they're right and I'm wrong, and it has worked for Exeter, but it hasn't yet worked for Newcastle, Saracens, Irish in the longer term.

[Margin__Walker]

LI to play home games at the stoop for the rest of this season (5 games)

https://www.premiershiprugby.com/news/l ... -the-stoop

[Raggs]

Wasps announce 15 long term contract extensions. Some are players that extended earlier this year. Lots of key players nailed down. which is great news.

[Margin__Walker]

Wasps announce 15 long term contract extensions. Some are players that extended earlier this year. Lots of key players nailed down. which is great news.

Is that everyone sorted then or does it sound like negotiations are ongoing with anyone?

[sockwithaticket]

Wasps announce 15 long term contract extensions. Some are players that extended earlier this year. Lots of key players nailed down. which is great news.

Is that everyone sorted then or does it sound like negotiations are ongoing with anyone?

Willis and Young signing further extensions to the new deals they penned recently is fantastic.

As for those missing Bassett, Brookes, Feikitoa, Rowlands, Sopoaga and Zhvania strike me as the significant names we haven't heard anything about yet. I'm pretty sure Sops was planning on heading elsewhere when his deal was up. but the lift in our fortunes before lockdown might have given him pause for thought. Rowlands is probably eyeing a move to Wales once his current deal expires now that he's on the international radar.

[notfatcat]

So can Sale now put out the biggest backline seen by the prem? Tuilagi, Rensburg, Du Preez, Solomona, James.

Just the midfield alone is a case of you know what's coming, you can't stop it.

Quins could give them a run - Lang, Lasike, Esterhuizen, Earle, Ibitoye.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

So can Sale now put out the biggest backline seen by the prem? Tuilagi, Rensburg, Du Preez, Solomona, James.

Just the midfield alone is a case of you know what's coming, you can't stop it.

Quins could give them a run - Lang, Lasike, Esterhuizen, Earle, Ibitoye.

somehow the two don't look the same

[JM2K6]

Yeah uh not sure why Lang/Earle/Ibitoye are being used as comparisons. Lasike and Esterhuizen are big lumps though.

[notfatcat]

I posted the names of 5 players who could conceivably play in the Quins backline together. Add up the collective weights and there won't be much difference, which is why I said Quins could give them a run. It's not rocket science chaps.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

I meant not the same as in the Quins heavy lads lean more towards merely looking heavy, whereas that possible Sale lineup looks to have power and rather more ability to deliver on that power

[notfatcat]

I meant not the same as in the Quins heavy lads lean more towards merely looking heavy, whereas that possible Sale lineup looks to have power and rather more ability to deliver on that power

Commonly known as the Jeff the Bear gambit.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

I meant not the same as in the Quins heavy lads lean more towards merely looking heavy, whereas that possible Sale lineup looks to have power and rather more ability to deliver on that power

Commonly known as the Jeff the Bear gambit.

Which is what? and on whose part?

[sockwithaticket]

I meant not the same as in the Quins heavy lads lean more towards merely looking heavy, whereas that possible Sale lineup looks to have power and rather more ability to deliver on that power

Commonly known as the Jeff the Bear gambit.

Which is what? and on whose part?

There was a time when the England U20s were physically smaller than their Welsh counterparts and JtB went with England lads were smaller, but more powerful than the Welsh kids who were just large.

[Raggs]

Commonly known as the Jeff the Bear gambit.

Which is what? and on whose part?

There was a time when the England U20s were physically smaller than their Welsh counterparts and JtB went with England lads were smaller, but more powerful than the Welsh kids who were just large.

Well his original angle was that the English lads were bigger. Until it was pointed out that was just wrong, then he slid into the more powerful side of things :D. Basically the Welsh were always winning/playing with skill, the English were just trying to be stronger.

[Margin__Walker]

That line of argument by JtB was a contortion Houdini would have been proud of.

[Margin__Walker]

Not usually one to talk kits, but this Leicester effort is pretty special

[Raggs]

Not usually one to talk kits, but this Leicester effort is pretty special

It's apparently an attempt to help broaden appeal to the Indian community. I still think it's pretty awful. I appreciate the attempt, but surely there's better designs that could do the same thing.

[sockwithaticket]

Which is what? and on whose part?

There was a time when the England U20s were physically smaller than their Welsh counterparts and JtB went with England lads were smaller, but more powerful than the Welsh kids who were just large.

Well his original angle was that the English lads were bigger. Until it was pointed out that was just wrong, then he slid into the more powerful side of things :D. Basically the Welsh were always winning/playing with skill, the English were just trying to be stronger.

I'd forgotten that was his starting point.

[sockwithaticket]

Not usually one to talk kits, but this Leicester effort is pretty special

It's apparently an attempt to help broaden appeal to the Indian community. I still think it's pretty awful. I appreciate the attempt, but surely there's better designs that could do the same thing.

I don't know enough to speak on how well the design might feed into Indian culture, but it looks like some random Div 4 team's 7s kit. Not great.

I'd also suspect that shirt design is one of the lesser barriers to greater Asian involvement in rugby.

[notfatcat]

Not usually one to talk kits, but this Leicester effort is pretty special

It's apparently an attempt to help broaden appeal to the Indian community. I still think it's pretty awful. I appreciate the attempt, but surely there's better designs that could do the same thing.

Maybe they should introduce feather headdresses and a different type of chant.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

Which is what? and on whose part?

There was a time when the England U20s were physically smaller than their Welsh counterparts and JtB went with England lads were smaller, but more powerful than the Welsh kids who were just large.

Well his original angle was that the English lads were bigger. Until it was pointed out that was just wrong, then he slid into the more powerful side of things :D. Basically the Welsh were always winning/playing with skill, the English were just trying to be stronger.

A more skilful Welsh side must be going back a ways even at u20s or whatever the equivalent level was, certainly as a team, there's always the odd class act popping up on both sides but as a side I don't remember that being the case. Arguably one of the failures of English rugby has been the inability to transition the ability to move the ball into senior level rugby, but it is something we see at the lower level given that little bit of extra time. That said which side stuffed us last time out, was it Scotland who showed us up pretty much across the board? If that was Wales maybe the comment wasn't an old one?

Perhaps it'd have been better if I'd said Sale's possible lumps in the backline look just much better, and all the suggested Quins lineup looked like was a bunch of heavy lads taken as a whole to merely try and reach a similar weight

[JM2K6]

The only "heavy" one he mentioned was Lasike, though. Esterhuizen is a giant Saffa. Earle and Ibitoye are athletic muscular wingers. Lang is a normal bloke.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

So the Quins could give them a run comment didn't speak to that proposed selection having a similar heft, it was merely a comment that selection would be good enough to perform well against Sale?