The Official English Rugby Thread

[Slick]

The atmosphere at Twickenham would improve if:

1) England were playing well
2) tickets weren’t priced to stop ordinary people going

Twickenham has good acoustics, can be deafening and England fans made tonnes of noise at the world cup. So we know it can be done.

I’ve said it before, but I would reserve one section of a few thousand seats together for an England ‘fan club’ of some sort. Put a bunch of people together who actually care, price these tickets at something half reasonable, and I think the atmosphere comes back very quickly.

Oh Christ, an entire stand of middle aged twats dressed as crusaders, red faced making wanker signs.

[Hal Jordan]

LEAVE FARRELL ALONE!!!!!!!

[Raggs]

Marcus Smith apparently left training today on crutches and went for a scan... Ford and Fin.

[sockwithaticket]

Which raises the question, who is the 4th choice fly half? Furbank expected to fill in if required or someone from outside the squad?

The only EQP 10s playing at the weekend were:
Charlie Atkinson
Harvey Skinner
Louie Johnson
(and of course one Owen Farrell).

Atkinson is probably the frontrunner out of that trio, but he was struggling to get past Shillcock and Pollard at Leicester and has only just played his first game for Glaws.

[Paddington Bear]

Which raises the question, who is the 4th choice fly half? Furbank expected to fill in if required or someone from outside the squad?

The only EQP 10s playing at the weekend were:
Charlie Atkinson
Harvey Skinner
Louie Johnson
(and of course one Owen Farrell).

Atkinson is probably the frontrunner out of that trio, but he was struggling to get past Shillcock and Pollard at Leicester and has only just played his first game for Glaws.

Alex Goode. You know it makes sense

[sockwithaticket]

[Sinkers]

Latest list. Actually pleasantly surprised by how many have picked up contracts already before the end of July. It looks like most of the senior squad will before the start of the season (albeit with the upheaval of unplanned moves and potential pay cuts). A few of those left like Loader and Collins sound like they have signed and are just waiting for announcements. Can't imagine the like of WGC, Ruiz, Basham and Morisi will have too much of an issue.

The others are likely struggling for prem or equivalent gigs.

Still some good academy prospects there. Vajner, Brooke, Bradbury and Harmes in particular.

Ben Atkins - Rams (ND1)
Matt Cornish - Ealing
Agustín Creevy - Sale
Ignacio Ruiz
Lovejoy Chawatama - Harlequins
Luke Green
Ciaran Parker
Danilo Fischetti - Zebre
Will Goodrick-Clarke
Ollie Hoskins - Saracens
Josh Caulfield - Bristol
Adam Coleman - Bordeaux
Chunya Munga - Northampton
Api Ratuniyarawa - Bayonne
Ed Scragg - Scarlets
Josh Basham
Ben Donnell - Gloucester
Jack Cooke
So'otala Fa'aso'o - Perpignan
Juan Martín González - Saracens
Izaia Moore-Aiono
Tom Pearson - Northampton
Matt Rogerson (c)- Leicester
Josh Smart
Caolan Englefield - Gloucester
Joe Powell - Leicester
Ben White - Toulon
Jacob Atkins - Rovigo
Paddy Jackson - Lyon
Rory Jennings - Newcastle
Tom Hitchcock - Ealing
Benhard Janse van Rensburg - Bristol
Will Joseph - Harlequins
Luca Morisi
Eddie Poolman
Matt Williams
Ben Loader
Lucio Cinti - Saracens
Henry Arundell - Racing 92
Kyle Rowe - Glasgow
Tom Collins
Michael Dykes - Gloucester

Calum Scott - Rams (ND1)
Joe Vajner
Afolabi Fasogbon - Gloucester
Tarek Haffar - Northampton
Mikey Summerfield - Bath
Chandler Cunningham-South - Harlequins
Jarlath Gleeson - Lyon
Lucas Brooke
Ollie Allan - Leicester
Monty Bradbury
Conor Cross
George Makepeace-Cubitt - Rams (ND1)
Jake Shortland
Jack Walsh
Alexander Harmes
Ralph McEachran - Sale
Rory Taylor - Gloucester
Finn Worley Brady
Toby Maddock
Charlie Moss

Just heard that Basham had turned up in Yokohama? Apparently had offers in the prem but around the 30k level.

[Margin__Walker]

Just heard that Basham had turned up in Yokohama? Apparently had offers in the prem but around the 30k level.

Yeah, pretty much everyone in that list was sorted in the end, albeit many took a step down in level.

Basham would have had a few offers. Probably took the opportunity for a bit of life experience.

He's a bright lad who's already taken the scenic route once in his career, dropping out of the LI academy to study full time for an Economics degree at Durham.

[Margin__Walker]

Marchant has signed for Sarries next season according to the Mail

[Paddington Bear]

Marchant has signed for Sarries next season according to the Mail

Great news he’s back in England. I do wish we’d focus on sorting a ten and a front row

[Margin__Walker]

Marchant has signed for Sarries next season according to the Mail

Great news he’s back in England. I do wish we’d focus on sorting a ten and a front row

Ben Botica's probably available for the right price

[petej]

Marchant has signed for Sarries next season according to the Mail

Great news he’s back in England. I do wish we’d focus on sorting a ten and a front row

Ben Botica's probably available for the right price

Don't they still have lozowski and goode?

[sockwithaticket]

Great news he’s back in England. I do wish we’d focus on sorting a ten and a front row

Ben Botica's probably available for the right price

Don't they still have lozowski and goode?

They work as 10 cover, but if other teams you're up against have got the likes of Finn Russell and George Ford pulling their strings you want a somewhat equivalent player, not a nearly 36 year old fullback out of position.

[Paddington Bear]

Marchant has signed for Sarries next season according to the Mail

Great news he’s back in England. I do wish we’d focus on sorting a ten and a front row

Ben Botica's probably available for the right price

I was having a discussion the other day along the lines of ‘who was that dogshit ten Quins had between Evans and Smith’. Now I have my answer, thank you

[Margin__Walker]

Great news he’s back in England. I do wish we’d focus on sorting a ten and a front row

Ben Botica's probably available for the right price

I was having a discussion the other day along the lines of ‘who was that dogshit ten Quins had between Evans and Smith’. Now I have my answer, thank you

Never forget...

[Raggs]

Ben Botica's probably available for the right price

I was having a discussion the other day along the lines of ‘who was that dogshit ten Quins had between Evans and Smith’. Now I have my answer, thank you

Never forget...

I was staying in the Ricoh hotel, having watched a Wasps game, bumped into Nick Eastwoods wife in the lobby (never met either before), think I was chatting to my wife about how the other results may have gone, and she asked if I'd heard about the ending. Told us about the insanity kick. Then Nick came in too, and had a natter. It was nice to see that the people near the top did have a genuine enjoyment for the sport.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Ben Botica's probably available for the right price

I was having a discussion the other day along the lines of ‘who was that dogshit ten Quins had between Evans and Smith’. Now I have my answer, thank you

Never forget...

And the Challenge cup final kick as well. :shudder:

[Margin__Walker]

Hard not to enjoy that ending tbf

[Margin__Walker]

And the Challenge cup final kick as well. :shudder:

Yep. The lad was an absolute disaster waiting to happen.

Huge asset to the league. Could do with a few more like him these days to drive fan engagement.

[Hal Jordan]

Marchant has signed for Sarries next season according to the Mail

He's dead to me now. Greatest betrayal since Benedict Arnold. Strettle redux. Just a poor man's Jonathan Joseph.

[JM2K6]

Ben Botica went on to become a fan favourite 10 in France, along with another sub-par Quins reject Benjamin Urdapilleta.

No-one ever remembers Dmitri Catrakilis at Quins, though

[geordie_6]

Does the overseas player rule not apply to u20s? Junior Kpoku turned out against Italy, despite playing in France. I know he went mid season, but seems to have been by choice.

[Hal Jordan]

England squad largely the same for Wales, but Marcus Smith is out.

[Ovals]

Does the overseas player rule not apply to u20s? Junior Kpoku turned out against Italy, despite playing in France. I know he went mid season, but seems to have been by choice.

Doesn't apply to the age group teams.

[sockwithaticket]

Yeah as far as I know the overseas player stipulations are part of the PGA and that only affects the senior teams.

[inactionman]

Joe Marler is doing a reddit AMA at 5

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/com ... arler_ama/

[SaintK]

Marchant has signed for Sarries next season according to the Mail

Great news he’s back in England. I do wish we’d focus on sorting a ten and a front row

The Rugby Paper reporting that he has actually signed a 12 month extension to stay in France and is not heading to Sarries next season!
Saints have announced that Ludlam has signed for Toulon and is off at the end of the season. Sinkler will be joining him there but not officially announced as yet.

[SaintK]

No changes to the wider England training squad.
Beard back in, Martin back with squad but in rehab and no Marcus Smith

[geordie_6]

Does the overseas player rule not apply to u20s? Junior Kpoku turned out against Italy, despite playing in France. I know he went mid season, but seems to have been by choice.

Doesn't apply to the age group teams.

Cheers

[SaintK]

Lynagh off to Italy by the looks of it? First step to an Italian cap I'd have thought.

Louis Lynagh is edging towards the Harlequins exit door when his contract runs out at the end of the season at the Gallagher Premiership club and move to the United Rugby Championship.
The 23-year-old is set to follow in the footsteps of his father, Wallabies legend Michael, by joining Benetton, the Treviso franchise who have emerged as favourites to win the race for his signature.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/harlequ ... enetton/

[JM2K6]

It's a bit strange. He's had his defensive issues but there's no questioning his strike rate. I think maybe he lacks the real pace for international rugby, and you can't have that in a winger AND defensive issues, but he's only 23 and has shown some remarkable ability already.

I guess this is all the Covid contracts and tightening of the belt coming home to roost. Quins have a number of talented young back 3 players but if we've not offered him any kind of deal then that suggests something else going on.

Anyway, I'm sure he'll tear it up whereever he ends up and if he plays for Italy he'll be a real handful.

[sockwithaticket]

Might he also be looking around at the back three players ahead of him in the England squad and others who are or have recently been in the mix and thinking that if he has international ambitions, they're probably best furthered elsewhere?

[JM2K6]

Might he also be looking around at the back three players ahead of him in the England squad and others who are or have recently been in the mix and thinking that if he has international ambitions, they're probably best furthered elsewhere?

Well, that's the thing. It's not a list of established players with long careers ahead of them. We're currently playing a has-been, and another guy whose best form is actually as a 13. There's a group of players vying to be the next generation of England back 3 options but the door is wide open

[sockwithaticket]

Might he also be looking around at the back three players ahead of him in the England squad and others who are or have recently been in the mix and thinking that if he has international ambitions, they're probably best furthered elsewhere?

Well, that's the thing. It's not a list of established players with long careers ahead of them. We're currently playing a has-been, and another guy whose best form is actually as a 13. There's a group of players vying to be the next generation of England back 3 options but the door is wide open

Regardless of what we think, it doesn't seem like Daly is going anywhere any time soon and is apparently seen primarily as a back three player by the England management. With his 30 caps Steward is actually quite an experienced player at this point, especially relative to the rest of the squad and seems pretty nailed on.

While none of the rest are established and could be overtaken, there are more players to contend with for an England jersey than an Italy one.

Leaving Quins to go to an Italian club seems like a very deliberate move he didn't necessarily have to make. I would be surprised if other Prem clubs or even a few French ones wouldn't show some level of interest in signing him.

[JM2K6]

Daly is 31, he's not going to make the next world cup as he's only getting slower. Steward is definitely first choice but we all know he has some major weaknesses and if his ability in the air drops off for whatever reason then he looks very vulnerable.

It's not like Ireland or France!

[SaintK]

Might he also be looking around at the back three players ahead of him in the England squad and others who are or have recently been in the mix and thinking that if he has international ambitions, they're probably best furthered elsewhere?

Well, that's the thing. It's not a list of established players with long careers ahead of them. We're currently playing a has-been, and another guy whose best form is actually as a 13. There's a group of players vying to be the next generation of England back 3 options but the door is wide open

Regardless of what we think, it doesn't seem like Daly is going anywhere any time soon and is apparently seen primarily as a back three player by the England management. With his 30 caps Steward is actually quite an experienced player at this point, especially relative to the rest of the squad and seems pretty nailed on.

While none of the rest are established and could be overtaken, there are more players to contend with for an England jersey than an Italy one.

Leaving Quins to go to an Italian club seems like a very deliberate move he didn't necessarily have to make. I would be surprised if other Prem clubs or even a few French ones wouldn't show some level of interest in signing him.

Lynagh had to make the call

Louis Lynagh is this weekend set to complete his move to Benetton after agreeing to sign on at the United Rugby Championship high-flyers for the next couple of seasons.

RugbyPass exclusively revealed on Wednesday morning that Lynagh, the son of Wallabies legend Michael, was heading out of the Harlequins exit door at the end of the season to move to his hometown club.

We understand that former England under-20 winger Lynagh was reluctantly backed into a corner by Quins, who refused to offer him a new deal before a deadline imposed by the Italians to agree to the move expired earlier this week.

[Ovals]

Well, that's the thing. It's not a list of established players with long careers ahead of them. We're currently playing a has-been, and another guy whose best form is actually as a 13. There's a group of players vying to be the next generation of England back 3 options but the door is wide open

Regardless of what we think, it doesn't seem like Daly is going anywhere any time soon and is apparently seen primarily as a back three player by the England management. With his 30 caps Steward is actually quite an experienced player at this point, especially relative to the rest of the squad and seems pretty nailed on.

While none of the rest are established and could be overtaken, there are more players to contend with for an England jersey than an Italy one.

Leaving Quins to go to an Italian club seems like a very deliberate move he didn't necessarily have to make. I would be surprised if other Prem clubs or even a few French ones wouldn't show some level of interest in signing him.

Lynagh had to make the call

Louis Lynagh is this weekend set to complete his move to Benetton after agreeing to sign on at the United Rugby Championship high-flyers for the next couple of seasons.

RugbyPass exclusively revealed on Wednesday morning that Lynagh, the son of Wallabies legend Michael, was heading out of the Harlequins exit door at the end of the season to move to his hometown club.

We understand that former England under-20 winger Lynagh was reluctantly backed into a corner by Quins, who refused to offer him a new deal before a deadline imposed by the Italians to agree to the move expired earlier this week.

I guess that Quins feel they need to invest the salary in other areas - they are fairly well resourced at wing/fb.

[JM2K6]

The rumour on the Quins board is that this stems from Lynagh not putting the work in during his injury layoff, coming back way out of shape, then expecting to be automatic first choice. Things deteriorated from there.

Pinch of salt and all that but it must have been a pretty serious breakdown between player and club for him to not get offered a contract. Feels like a mistake.

[Raggs]

The rumour on the Quins board is that this stems from Lynagh not putting the work in during his injury layoff, coming back way out of shape, then expecting to be automatic first choice. Things deteriorated from there.

Pinch of salt and all that but it must have been a pretty serious breakdown between player and club for him to not get offered a contract. Feels like a mistake.

Not getting offered a contract at all, for a clearly talented player, certainly suggests behind the scenes issues.

[Slick]

The rumour on the Quins board is that this stems from Lynagh not putting the work in during his injury layoff, coming back way out of shape, then expecting to be automatic first choice. Things deteriorated from there.

Pinch of salt and all that but it must have been a pretty serious breakdown between player and club for him to not get offered a contract. Feels like a mistake.

Not getting offered a contract at all, for a clearly talented player, certainly suggests behind the scenes issues.

Doesn’t he qualify for Italy?