[Closed] 2013/14 Rugby Thread

Luke MacLean should be a good signing. Tom Arscott hasn't made much of an impression from the bits I've seen. Anyway, roll on next season....I should be at a few more games 🙂

See you in The Unicorn then - rapidly becoming our regular pre & post match stop off 😀

Wonder what Hook and Girafferis will do next season. Hook would be a good buy for someone, Girafferis a bit of a sick note so might end up back in Wales. Would be a good replacement for Evans at the Ospreys

Charteris is leaving according to his agent. Offers in France and also Wales.

So Seabass to retire, Ryan Jones jumps ship to Bristol in time for the play offs and Muliaina is off to Connaught.

Woohoo! Just back in from sixways after a rare premiership win against those uncouth Web-fingered forest dwellers from the South! Worcester 28: Gloucester 27

Im hoarse from shouting but still grinning as is Jr. 🙂

30 mins gone Glasgow Warriors 40 Zebre 0

Poor Worcester, had to wait til after falling to get a home win, but glad it was against Gloucester and not us!
Hurry up back Worcester, your fans are lovely.

Chabal announced his retirement, he's helped Lyon into the top 14. Great player and character, I'll miss him.

Castres stunned Clermont to reach the semi final of the top14. Clermont's season has really disintegrated. Sexton kicked Racing to victory over Toulose who failed to make the semis of the top 14 for the firs time in over 10 years.

I have very fond (if somewhat blurred) memories of Chabal & Bruno pouring beer down my throat (and shirt) from the Challenge Cup trophy Sale had won against Pau earlier that day 😀
Lovely bloke Msr Chabal and a great player.

Return of agent Orange?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27378354

Shame he may not be released for the game!

Gloucester sack Nigel????? All is not well at Kingsholm

Probables Squad (coach Rob Howley):

Forwards: Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Owen Evans (Dragons), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (Captain), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Bristol), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Blues), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Taulupe Faletau (Dragons).
Backs: Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Sam Davies (Ospreys), Jon Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Gavin Henson (Bath), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton), Hallam Amos (Dragons), Liam Williams (Scarlets).
Possibles Squad (coach Robin McBryde):

Forwards: Paul James (Bath), Phil Price (Dragons), Rob Evans (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Blues), Kristian Dacey (Blues), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Scott Andrews (Blues), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Macauley Cook (Blues), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), James Davies (Scarlets), Dan Baker (Ospreys).
Backs: Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Lloyd Williams (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Matthew Morgan (Ospreys), Harry Robinson (Blues), Owen Williams (Leicester), Steven Shingler (Scarlets), Cory Allen (Blues), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys), Tom Prydie (Dragons), Jordan Williams (Scarlets).

Great to see Matt Rees back and playing well after his cancer scare. James Hook has really pissed on someones chips at some point hasnt he. No idea how Gav is picked in the probables over Hook or Owen Williams or McShingler. Seems Samson Lee is picked over Rhodri Jones as back up 3 which is nice. Gyll ahead of Paul James is odd too. I reckon a few like Hook may be in the possibles to get more game time.

V SA I'd pick:

Gethin
Owens
Adam
Charteris
AW Jones
Lydiate
Baker/R Jones
Faletau
Phillips
Biggar
North
Roberts
Davies
Cuthbert
Hook

All is certainly not well at Kingsholm .

Rumour has it that Charteris is moving up the coast to Montpellier to fill Jim Hamilton's boots. The only question would be who would replace him when he gets injured next time?

Henson back for Wales, Cipriani for England. Who would have thought it, a mouth watering discussion of what might have been ?

@aa was offered a pint of Brains in a Chelsea pub last week, seemed a bit of a bizarre place to find it offered. I didn't realise they sold it outside of Wales.

@aa was offered a pint of Brains in a Chelsea pub last week, seemed a bit of a bizarre place to find it offered. I didn't realise they sold it outside of Wales.

There used to be a brilliant Welsh rugby pub on the King's Road, the Cadogan Arms. Many a day spent quaffing in there!

Pubs serving Brains in SW3 now? Could it have been the Trafalgar, perhaps? Intrigued.

There used to be a brilliant Welsh rugby pub on the King's Road, the Cadogan Arms. Many a day spent quaffing in there!

It's turned into a French Rugby pub now. I believe in keeping with it's traditional kind of punters, they've called it Le Plastique.

@CFH Queens Head just behind John Lewis Sloane Square. First and last time we'll go in there, I can't understand how it is still open. I like a traditional boozer and there are a few good ones in Chelsea/Belgravia but this wasn't one of them.

In fairness, hensons a probable, not picked, and Cipriani will still be behind Daddy's boy 1 and 2, and possibly Marker once the good teams have finished playing.

Tigers looking good so far - I feel the second half is going to be nail biting!

The Queens? Stays in business because it caters very well to a specific market. Only gay pub in the (Chelsea) village.

DD, as predictable as me! Still funny, though.

Glasgow 16 Munster 7 Huge physical game non stop still 33 mins to go

Bugger me backwards - what a semi-final!
Brutal 80 minutes, one of the best games of the season.

Agreed. Bloody excellent game. Ah well, it was always a Saracens final to loose.

Great game at Franklin's Gardens Northampton 21 Leicester 20.

Personally i'd love to see Quins lift the trophy. They are playing some fantastic rugby at the moment.

Two big days to end Johnny's career ?

Toulon eased past Racing to make the Top 14 final (they have never won it) Giteau scored a try and JW kicked conversion, two penalties and a drop.

Roll on Cardiff next Saturday.

Massive win for Saints, what an atmosphere that must have been.

There was an incident in the tunnel yesterday after the class act that is Chris Ashton shouted "miss it" during a quims kick. What a tool,you could hear a pin drop in the crowd,yet he can't behave.

What a cock. Between him, Callum Clark and the kiwi biter I can't decide which one I dislike more!

I wonder what it is / was at Northampton that breeds utter arseholes?!

Yep no love for Saffas of Saints here either.....ah well I'm in Rome when the final is being played-every cloud and all that.

Tinybits Henson isnt a probable or a possible. Gatland said they picked the probable 15 and then the possible 15 then filled the benches. He's way down the list. Wont be allowed to play anyway. Gatland does love though so he may tour.
Cipriani to be fair is still young and did have that horrific leg break...good luck to him.

I think the game would be duller if we didn't have Cipriani type players. Wouldn't like him playing for any team I followed mind...

Duckman - Cipriani has been simply fantastic for Sale this season, a complete turnaround from last season.

I have seen him a few times on telly,it was more the get knocked down by a bus/shag Jordan bit I am worried about.

What he does off the pitch i couldn't care less about as long as he delivers on the field. Having said that, in an interview at the beginning of the season he spoke about his friend who committed suicide (that young cricket player who's name escapes me) and how it affected him & made him reevaluate his life and approach to his job.

Plus, he got to hump Kelly Brook - admit it, you would love the chance 😉

you would love the chance

I believe duckie turned her down. 🙂

I rolled over her to get to DD iirc. 😳

Toulon have won the French champioships three times, although they have not won it under the current owner. Clermont were the "eternal seconds" having never won it until 2010 when they won their first final at their eleventh attempt.

JW announces his retirement

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27467391 ]BBC link[/url] [url= http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9317427,00.html ]Planet Rugby Link[/url]

@mefty - you are correct (of course), I checked 1931, 1987, 1992

Be a good send off winning the cheap lager cup.
Watching the news now. Great drop goal under pressure but dawsons pass was awful, slow and looping!!

really? 15 yards back at about the same trajectory. Wilkinson under no pressure despite the aussie offside. looked ok to me for a bloke who'd played 100mins of a World Cup final, and had just made a 25yard break as well!

True he had just made a good break thats partly why I thought it was a forward who lobbed it the first time I looked!

I remember martin Johnson talking about the and he said the reason he went for a pick and go after Dawsons break was because he knew JW was in the pocket and didn't want anyone but Dawson passing it him. Hence giving Dawson time to get back on his feet and play the ball next phase. Pretty incredible moment one of those sports moments that you couldn't have written. Like Man City's title win in 2012.

My views on Wilkinson have been said often on here, hope he enjoys his retetirement and can get his head around coaching people who are not the same as him.

I remember martin Johnson talking about the and he said the reason he went for a pick and go after Dawsons break was because he knew JW was in the pocket and didn't want anyone but Dawson passing it him. Hence giving Dawson time to get back on his feet and play the ball next phase. Pretty incredible moment one of those sports moments that you couldn't have written. Like Man City's title win in 2012.

Yep the calmness of all involved was amazing, to be able to think so clearly when so tired and under such pressure makes it look so easy but many teams have shown that it is anything but.

@Pigface - that's an interesting point you make. He certainly galvanised the 2007 RWC squad, whether that was just with his presence and the confidence he brought to the squad or whether he had other leadership qualities I don't know. I hope he takes his time with what he does next, he's recently married and he deserves a rest but he's not that type of man. They love him down in Toulon, they have their own Johnny chants. An assistants job to Laporte would be perfect.

My views on JW are equally well known here, it is his ability to perform under pressure consistently at such a high level which makes him a very special winner for me. We all love to see someone making line breaks and running 40m for a score but the more mundane aspects of the game win big high pressure matches and the pressure JW puts the oppostition under is enormous, they know a mistake them from costs 3 points.

Roll on Cardiff.

Scotland squad v USA and Canada

Forwards: Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors), Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Kevin Bryce (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Cowan, Geoff Cross (both London Irish), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low (Exeter Chiefs), Pat MacArthur (Glasgow Warriors), Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Kyle Traynor (Bristol).

Backs: Chris Cusiter (Sale Sharks), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Tom Heathcote (Bath), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester), Sean Lamont, Sean Maitland, Finn Russell (all Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Tim Visser (Edinburgh).

Scotland squad v Argentina and South Africa

Forwards: Kevin Bryce (Glasgow Warriors), Geoff Cross (London Irish), David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray, Rob Harley (both Glasgow Warriors), Moray Low (Exeter Chiefs), Pat MacArthur, Gordon Reid (both Glasgow Warriors), Tim Swinson, Jon Welsh (both Glasgow Warriors).

Backs: Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Dougie Fife, Grayson Hart (both Edinburgh); Stuart Hogg, Peter Horne (both Glasgow Warriors), Ruaridh Jackson (London Wasps), Sean Maitland, Peter Murchie, Henry Pyrgos, Tommy Seymour, Duncan Weir (all Glasgow Warriors).

Anyone explain this. Looks like the best players are split. I'd be worried if I were a Scot.

New manager coming in and wanting to get a good look at the players he's got available to him. Seems like a sensible idea. It's interesting to see the young players moving from the EDP program at Edinburgh to full-time pro contracts at Glasgow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27484858

and I'm worried about wales being dry humped by SA. Tbat Scottish squad will be destroyed if SA take it seriously.

Listening to Toulon playing it's like Saracens art taking on a World 15, what an amazing team.

Glad Wilkinson won. Other than him Toulon v Saracens is like choosing between genital warts and herpes.

Toulon were really rather good, there!

Good to see Habana getting a word for the dive, though.

Well that was all I hoped it would be. What a send off JW got, he was magnificent he just does so many things well.

Saracens must have been deflated to have had so much territory, to lead just 3-0 and then see Toulon add a little magic to make it 10-3. Thereafter the crowd seemed to have given up on Saracens, they where really quiet and it was like a Toulon home game. Someone needs to tell Stefon he's a number 8, I was hoping for a Mauri sidestep not a slip, I'm surprised Toulon didn't run up a bigger score as Sarries where as demoralised as Clermont where a couple of weeks ago. The two forwards combining for their second try should be in a coaching manual for the kids.

Good to see Habana getting a word for the dive, though.

No send him to New Zealand and I hope he gets a battering, Cippriani waiting in the wings 😆

Hook to Gloucester is a big rumour 😯 replacement for Burns?

H cup semi, Premiership semi, H cup final, Premiership final, NZ test 1,2 3 - a 7 week schedule that makes no sense at all

So Cipriani or Burns at ten for the first test v nz. I fear a real drubbing coming Englands way.

England squad: Joe Marler (Harlequins), Matt Mullan (London Wasps), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks), David Wilson (Bath Rugby), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Joe Gray (Harlequins), Dave Ward (Harlequins), Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers), James Haskell (London Wasps), Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Freddie Burns (Leicester Tigers), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Marland Yarde (London Irish), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors)

In other news
http://www.irblaws.com/index.php?domain=9

Mike Phillips will be pleased!

@aa the schedule is crazy and it will be a series drubbing never mind the first test.

Wales will play the Springboks in two Test matches - in Durban on 14 June and Nelspruit on 21 June - with a warm-up match against Eastern Province Kings in Port Elizabeth on 10 June.

Probables (coach Rob Howley):

Liam Williams (Scarlets); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Jordan Williams (Scarlets); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Capt) (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Lewis Evans (Newport Gwent Dragons), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Sam Davies (Ospreys), Dafydd Hewitt (Cardiff Blues).

Possibles (coach Robin McBryde):

Dan Fish (Cardiff Blues); Kristian Phillips (Scarlets), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Steven Shingler (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Cardiff Blues); James Hook (Perpignan), Gareth Davies (Scarlets); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Capt) (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Newport Gwent Dragons), Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Dan Baker (Ospreys).

Replacements: Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Owen Evans (Newport Gwent Dragons), Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues), Macauley Cook (Cardiff Blues), James Davies (Scarlets), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Matthew Morgan (Ospreys), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys).

Gulp, cant see any combination of that lot keeping the scores down v SA.
Shame we wont get to see what Gav can do unless Gatland takes him on tour which would be a shock. Squad will be light on 10, 12, 15 cover. Hook will go as a 15 I would think. Straight choice between McShingler and Henson I would think.

London Welsh give Bristol a mountain to climb*

* sports cliche alert

I've got tickets for the second leg in Brizzle. Was hoping for less of a deficit. 😐

Ryan jones to the rescue again? 😀

DD i think jones picked up a nasty injury last night, not sure he will be playing second leg.

Jim Hamilton to Saracens confirmed as well.

Apparently Ryan needs surgery on ankle ligaments. Much as I think he's a great player and a great man on top of it I do think theres something karmic about him not playing in the play off game. It seems wrong to parachute such a player in just for the playoffs.

Yeah, just heard he's unlikely to play. Can't see Brizzle turning that one around - it'll be a good atmosphere until it becomes apparent they're not going to do it anyway. 🙂

Jim Hamilton to Saracens? That's a pack that didn't need a hard man of that calibre!

Brizzle have spent a lot of money over the last couple of months. Not too sure what they are going to do if they fail to qualify!

Bad news from Ulster. Ferris has to call it a day. The same ankle has gone again and it looks like the advice is to retire.

I'll miss the way in which the big man played the game.

Some highlights:

All the best Fez

Thats been coming hasnt it. Great player and a big loss. Hope he finds something to be successful at again.

Unfortunately it has. Maybe he can teach our young back rows a thing or two

There is an article in the NZ Herald about Shontayne Hape and why he had to quit rugby, sobering and scary stuff. I can't link it but some one may be able to. Well worth reading.

ALES SQUAD

Forwards:

Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Paul James (Bath), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Cardiff Blues), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (capt, Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Dan Baker (Ospreys).

Backs:

Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan), Steven Shingler (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Jordan Williams (Scarlets), Matthew Morgan (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

Backrow weak

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11264856

Shocking stuff, people need to wake up and make changes

I saw that on twitter,poor sod. Far too much pressure put on players,wonder if it will take an NFL type lawsuit to change attitudes. In other news,Big Jim Hamilton to sarries,dunno how he will fit in with their game.

That's bad news about The Fez. I'd rather see him hang up the boots when it suits him.

Cheers AA much appreciated

[i]There is an article in the NZ Herald about Shontayne Hape and why he had to quit rugby, sobering and scary stuff. I can't link it but some one may be able to. Well worth reading.
[/i]I was only wondering what had happened to him the other day. Shame, such a good player.

Am I the only one watching the final? Rather tense, eh?!

Not watching, hate both teams. Farrel injury sounds funny (as long as its not a serious injury).

Blimey.

😯