NPR

Kelly having a good defensive game.

Coming away from Welford Road just 2 points down is going to be something few teams manage this season I feel. Yet it could've been completely different but for Jones' white line fever...

9 from 9 in the league is some achievement, Borthwick's doing well.

Irritating performance from Quins. Tigers had more control and better decision making. Huw Jones' butchery, Smith's idiotic yellow, the really stupid approach to the kick tennis when Smith's 10 was up, and the dumb penalties/free kicks hurt us almost as much as Ford's superb kicking game and Steward's security.

Pretty decent reffing too, missed a few things and the idea that Care out jumped steward was funny, but got a hell of a lot right.

Quins look fairly mediocre at the moment and the awkwardness might be bringing into question the reduced training we do, we haven't looked a cohesive side for a while with the injuries and call ups and other sides have coped better with similar or worse issues.

I owe Collier an apology though, he gave Genge an absolute pasting. Sadly, Jack Walker couldn't hold up his end of the bargain and his throwing is killing us, Gustard continues to fuck us from the metaphorical grave with Baldwin's removal. Time to trust the u20s more I think.

What's people's opinion on Huw Jones so far? Can't say I'm overly impressed, maybe expectations were too high.

Hopefully once him and AE click we'll see some more backline tries.

assfly wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:15 am What's people's opinion on Huw Jones so far? Can't say I'm overly impressed, maybe expectations were too high.

Hopefully once him and AE click we'll see some more backline tries.

Just don’t… I haven’t seen any of him in the Premiership but apart from Hogg and Russell, if there’s one player I want to see firing for Scotland it’s him. Just a sublime player when on form, but it seems a long time ago now. There were flashes last year, I really hope he can find himself again

Looked terrible off the bench in the Prem, looked great in the Premiership Cup, did a job against Tigers but a world-class howler probably cost Quins the win. The crowbar's crowbar.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:03 am Looked terrible off the bench in the Prem, looked great in the Premiership Cup, did a job against Tigers but a world-class howler probably cost Quins the win. The crowbar's crowbar.

Prem Cup maybe, but I thought he was distictly average against Tigers. Poor hands and as you say butchered an opportunity. Northmoor looks easily the best option alongside Esterhuizen at present.

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:30 am

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:03 am Looked terrible off the bench in the Prem, looked great in the Premiership Cup, did a job against Tigers but a world-class howler probably cost Quins the win. The crowbar's crowbar.

Prem Cup maybe, but I thought he was distictly average against Tigers. Poor hands and as you say butchered an opportunity. Northmoor looks easily the best option alongside Esterhuizen at present.

Well no, Marchant is the best option, but both he and Northmore were unavailable. Jones won a few turnovers and filled a gap without shitting the bed in defence, that's all I expect from him.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:00 pm

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:30 am

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:03 am Looked terrible off the bench in the Prem, looked great in the Premiership Cup, did a job against Tigers but a world-class howler probably cost Quins the win. The crowbar's crowbar.

Prem Cup maybe, but I thought he was distictly average against Tigers. Poor hands and as you say butchered an opportunity. Northmoor looks easily the best option alongside Esterhuizen at present.

Well no, Marchant is the best option, but both he and Northmore were unavailable. Jones won a few turnovers and filled a gap without shitting the bed in defence, that's all I expect from him.

Ah yes Marchant, forgot him. Jones would behind two other players foir that position then.

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:41 pm

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:00 pm

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:30 am
Prem Cup maybe, but I thought he was distictly average against Tigers. Poor hands and as you say butchered an opportunity. Northmoor looks easily the best option alongside Esterhuizen at present.

Well no, Marchant is the best option, but both he and Northmore were unavailable. Jones won a few turnovers and filled a gap without shitting the bed in defence, that's all I expect from him.

Ah yes Marchant, forgot him. Jones would behind two other players foir that position then.

Yes. That's the point, he's a flexible squad option who can play midfield or fullback if needed.

Jones is an unusual player, you know that "good club player, didn't really make the step up to international level" thing?

He seems to be the opposite of that, he's had some outstanding performances in a Scotland shirt but he never really impressed at Glasgow, not consistently.
Scotland's defence desperately needed shoring up and Chris Harris makes that tick, in contrast to Jones, Harris plays at a very high level every week in whatever shirt he's in.

Pollard signing for tigers now confirmed.

About as decent a replacement for Ford as you could hope for given who's available.

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:12 pm About as decent a replacement for Ford as you could hope for given who's available.

Yep! Good business I reckon. Looking forward to seeing him in the Prem

Koch going from Sarries to Wasps, good bit of business by Wasps i would say.

Holy shit, where are you getting that from? Big if true.

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:39 pm Holy shit, where are you getting that from? Big if true.

They've announced it...

Raggs wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:43 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:39 pm Holy shit, where are you getting that from? Big if true.

They've announced it...

Huh, so they have. Didn't pop up in my feed for some reason and Wasps posts are usually front and centre.

Bit of a statement signing and a necessary one. The scrum has been noticeably weaker without Brookes.

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:39 pm Holy shit, where are you getting that from? Big if true.

NPR, first with the breaking news

The rumours around Johan Van Graan to Bath as defence coach are getting stronger.

inactionman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 10:25 am The rumours around Johan Van Graan to Bath as defence coach are getting stronger.

Why would he want to? Isn't he head coach where he is now?

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 10:39 am

inactionman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 10:25 am The rumours around Johan Van Graan to Bath as defence coach are getting stronger.

Why would he want to? Isn't he head coach where he is now?

That's the headscratcher - wondering if this is a stepping stone and we'll see a rejig in offseason

Even then not sure why he'd really want the move - although I would say that Bath have the makings of a decent team (assuming some people are drawn to 'potential' rather than 'actual), it's all pretty dreadful at the minute. The cynic in me says 'money'.

Ashton has left Worcester, appreciate he's had a few tweaks but a bit surprised. Sounds like he wasn't fully engaged?

eta: I forgot sexy Steve Diamond has recently joined Worcester.

inactionman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 11:20 am Ashton has left Worcester, appreciate he's had a few tweaks but a bit surprised. Sounds like he wasn't fully engaged?

eta: I forgot sexy Steve Diamond has recently joined Worcester.

He's been 'unavailable for selection' for ages. Assumption is that there's been a big bust up etc.

He should've retired two years ago, he's lurched from one disappointment to another.

The BBC's Rugby Union Weekly crew have made a couple of allusions to him being the process of having his contract terminated and Worcester's very deliberate silence, except to say that they won't discuss him, over the last several weeks was pretty suggestive that he didn't have a future there.

I wonder if he ran his mouth too much after one of the tonkings earlier in the season? Iirc he was quite vocal after Racing thumped Quins last season and it didn't go down well with his then teammates.

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 11:33 am The BBC's Rugby Union Weekly crew have made a couple of allusions to him being the process of having his contract terminated and Worcester's very deliberate silence, except to say that they won't discuss him, over the last several weeks was pretty suggestive that he didn't have a future there.

I wonder if he ran his mouth too much after one of the tonkings earlier in the season? Iirc he was quite vocal after Racing thumped Quins last season and it didn't go down well with his then teammates.

I dunno about that, he's good mates with the senior players at the time. I suspect if it didn't go down well it's because his own performances were pretty awful, including against Racing. I think there's a disconnect between what he says and what he delivers / is capable of delivering at this stage in his career.

He looks done really.

May be a desperation signing for someone (eg. Cips to Bath). Realistically though he's the wrong age for a wing, hasn't produced in a long time, can clearly be difficult to manage and is likely to be after a few more quid than he'd be worth.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 11:42 am

sockwithaticket wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 11:33 am The BBC's Rugby Union Weekly crew have made a couple of allusions to him being the process of having his contract terminated and Worcester's very deliberate silence, except to say that they won't discuss him, over the last several weeks was pretty suggestive that he didn't have a future there.

I wonder if he ran his mouth too much after one of the tonkings earlier in the season? Iirc he was quite vocal after Racing thumped Quins last season and it didn't go down well with his then teammates.

I dunno about that, he's good mates with the senior players at the time. I suspect if it didn't go down well it's because his own performances were pretty awful, including against Racing. I think there's a disconnect between what he says and what he delivers / is capable of delivering at this stage in his career.

I'm sure it didn't hurt his relationship with, say, Danny Care, but for any of the Quins guys who didn't know him so well an ex-Saracen who's new to the club and yet to prove himself in your colours is definitely not someone you'd want to be hearing much from.

Tough series fixtures for England in 2022 AI's

England will play New Zealand and South Africa in next year's Autumn Nations Series in what boss Eddie Jones is describing as a "mini World Cup".
They meet the All Blacks on 19 November 2022 for the first time since beating them in the 2019 World Cup semi-finals.
A week later they will face world champions South Africa.
They start the autumn against two teams they will play in the pool stage at the 2023 World Cup, hosting Argentina on 6 November and Japan on 12 November.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59667278

Yeah, brutal. How many season-affecting injuries will that produce, I wonder?

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 12:30 pm Yeah, brutal. How many season-affecting injuries will that produce, I wonder?

The training or the games?

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 12:30 pm Yeah, brutal. How many season-affecting injuries will that produce, I wonder?

From training? lots; from the games, possibly not quite as many.

From both! Eddie will beast England like never before for that round of matches, then we'll be getting a physical beasting from the teams themselves. Then go back to club rugby.

Madness.

Van Graan confirmed as Bath head coach for 2022/2023 season, Van Rensberg as Defence coach to start now. Hooper untouched. Hatley and the rest of us to not know which way is up any more.

As I mentioned in the other thread, wonder if Hatley will revert to forwards/scrum coach where he seems to be effective.

https://www.bathrugby.com/club-news/bat ... 23-season/

inactionman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 2:20 pm Van Graan confirmed as Bath head coach for 2022/2023 season, Van Rensberg as Defence coach to start now. Hooper untouched. Hatley and the rest of us to not know which way is up any more.

As I mentioned in the other thread, wonder if Hatley will revert to forwards/scrum coach where he seems to be effective.

https://www.bathrugby.com/club-news/bat ... 23-season/

You'd think that Hooper was a dead man walking?
That Tarquin is doing a marvellous job as CEO

SaintK wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 2:48 pm

inactionman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 2:20 pm Van Graan confirmed as Bath head coach for 2022/2023 season, Van Rensberg as Defence coach to start now. Hooper untouched. Hatley and the rest of us to not know which way is up any more.

As I mentioned in the other thread, wonder if Hatley will revert to forwards/scrum coach where he seems to be effective.

https://www.bathrugby.com/club-news/bat ... 23-season/

You'd think that Hooper was a dead man walking?
That Tarquin is doing a marvellous job as CEO

Plenty of room for a DoR and Head Coach to co-exist if that's what the man holding the purse strings wants. That Hooper's lasted this long suggests Craig can't be entirely unhappy with him. I can see Hooper doing a Rob Andrew and claiming the credit for the good stuff like bringing through more homegrown players while ensuring none of the rubbish sticks to him.

Telegraph has Genge back to Bristol in the summer.

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 3:19 pm Telegraph has Genge back to Bristol in the summer.

WOW! thats a huge kick in the teeth for Leicester given they just made him captain.

ASMO wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 4:05 pm

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Wed Dec 15, 2021 3:19 pm Telegraph has Genge back to Bristol in the summer.

WOW! thats a huge kick in the teeth for Leicester given they just made him captain.

That is a blow for Tigers. They've done well to replace Ford so it will be interesting to see who Borthwick brings in.