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Bloody hell! Sale 0 - 21 Warriors. Now awaiting a novel way for a Scottish team to shoot themselves in the foot.
Don't worry - Big Naka got a yellow, Ryan Wilson has pee'd off the ref, Hastings is running up blind alleys!
Austin Healey is a somewhat one eyed commentator jeepers I want to slap him. Doesn't understand the rules bitching about the Sale Yellow. Forearm to the head of a man on the ground - lucky not to be red ( right call tho - no force)
Sale just cannot cope with the speed of Glasgow and the "no exit strategy" tactic. DTH having a great game, Fraser Brown is well fired up. Ryan Wilson has successfully wound up the entire Sale pack
Sounds English for sure
And we have a biter....😂
Nice demolition job Glasgow. Its up to others now. Finns racing beat Sarries then Glasgow go thru I think. shame Glasgow had such a poor start to the season - Finally Rennie and the team seem to be on the same page just in time for Rennie to bugger of to take up some poxy little job down south
Ah well now waiting to see if other results go our way. Thanks for the update Tj trying to follow the game on twitter here.
😀😀😀😀😀😀
Funny
Not if you are a player though.
NOw as you need to be compliant with all your league rules to be in the euro cup do Sarries get kicked out of that as well?
Be like a homecoming, Billy and Mako are apparently Welsh. AA posts a picture up and everything from time to time.
Is that AA second from left front row?
No, he was on a secret mission to the Turks and Caicos Islands looking for the next George North. Speaking of Welshmen, anybody read Stephen Jones column? I think Sarries bunged him a few quid. Gems like the only reason other prem clubs didn’t take Sarries stars last week was to ensure Sarries couldn’t comply. No mention of the fact they were told to comply in October, haven’t handed back the trophies, refused to be audited and are still in breach.
Signing more players this season and not getting rid of any really showed intent to comply.
Wrays arrogance has cost them big time - he thought he could bluff and bluster his way out.
What still stinks a bit is that rather than open the books so a proper analysis can be done or what they actually did they just took relegation. Seems a bit of an easy way out really; they’ll have a year in the championship but they’ll probably go undefeated.
Maybe EJ knew what was going on when he said that the WC squad was finished? Either way it’s a massive shit show for English rugby.
Going back to rhat pic, imagine if Billy, Talupe and Mako had all stayed in Wales, you English would never win anything, I'm discounting the Scots, as, well....you know.
At least our saffers and Fijians stay loyal!
@duckman - i just read that, and the Barnes article too. I’m stunned! They cheated, no wonder they won loads.
Is it any less simple than that?
Why are Jones and Barnes defending it? Are they seeing something we don’t?
Both trying to stay relevant l think.
AA; what is it England have won exactly? World cup? Grand Slam? Calcutta Cup?
AA; what is it England have won
Through to the knockout stages of the last world cup?
Whats this Calcutta cup you speak of? I thought it disappeared when John Jefferies booted it down the street?
AA; what is it England have won exactly? World cup? Grand Slam? Calcutta Cup?
Sweet FA for a few years; mid table obscurity.
I only have a few more weeks to rub it in. 😀
Sarries / Racing is a cracker of a game. Sarries 14 nil after ten with Racing with a yelloow. 17 21 down at the half with Skelton red carded.
Finn is playing a blinder. Farrell is all over the place.
Glasgow manage to exit the competition in the most Scottish of ways possible.
Actually, that's not true. True Scottish style would be for Racing to win 27 - 24 and then have Gloucester win with a last minute penalty.
I am happy for Glasgow not to go through. they need to concentrate on the league and if they had gone thru it would have been away to a big team. A week off will do them more good
Bad blunder from the reffing team tho. The pen that put sarries in a scoring position was a mistake - daly knocked on onto the racing guys head. Still - mistakes happen in every game and Sarries fought really well to get the win
The issue for me with Saracens is that they are still benefiting from their breach of the salary cap. Yes they will be relegated at the end of the season. But they are now in a position to pick up a Euro Cup place, albeit depending on how Gloucester go against Toulouse.
IMO they should be kicked out of the competition as of now. They are continuing to gain financially from the Euro games, they also receive a parachute payment when they go down to the Championship.
It stinks.
apparently the rules of the euro cup include that you have to be compliant with the rules of your league. I suspect that if Sarries do go thru there will be decisions to be made by the euro cup folk
for me they should be thrown out of he Euro cup as well and stripped of all titles the last 4 years. Maybe like some of the TDF ones don't award the titles to anyone else - just call it void.
God Zammit, scores a try v Toulouse then goes off injured 😥
Hope he can get fit and on the pitch v Italy
Billy V suspected broken arm, real shame for the lad he has had more than his share of injuries.
Leinster's reward for winning every game and topping the seedings - Saracens with their whole season (and next season too) resting on that one game.
Big shame about Billy; fourth broken forearm for him now.
Eddie has some if calls to make tonight / tomorrow about the make up of the squad. Watson is broken too, although I’m not sure how badly.
Billy will take a long time to recover. How old is he? He might never be back. Break a bone that has already been plated is a big issue
Seems that 8s break arms, why is that? What are they doing to keep breaking arms?
It's not like calum Clark is in opposition every game.
Carry lots into big ****ers!!
What happens if Saracens go on to win the European cup, that would cause a right stink.
I suspect the european cup bods are having a big think about this. By being in breech of their home leagues rules they are automatically in breech of the european cup rules by my understanding
they should be thrown out of the european cup and I suspect they will be. It could be done done with no disruptiuon
Sarries have caused a proper shitstorm that isn’t going to go away anytime soon.
If they’re not booted out of Europe, they’ll chuck the kitchen sink at it and just bin off the Prem. Which is ironically the exact thing that many English fans say about the likes of Leinster.
Listened to the BBC pod on it this morning. Venter is still very defensive of what Sarries have done and is complaining that they didn’t get enough time to cut the age bill...piss off. They knew there was a risk that they wound get found out when they knew they were being investigated. They thought they knew better. **** ‘em.
Interesting squad announcement by EJ...
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No number eight is an odd call. Wilson is only just making his comeback from injury but has always deputised well for Billy previously. Can’t believe that Dombrandt hasn’t been called up because he’s looked good for Quinn’s and we need his ball carrying ability.
No Nowell is an odd call too given that Watson is broken. That’s a decent amount of experience from our backs missing plus he can cover other positions.
Currey/Lawes/Ludlam/Underhill mobile back three in rotation I guess. Can't see us winning this with the same 'ol Ben Youngs and a lack of experienced wings/FB
**** me. England.... 3rd? But, wasn't it always the way this was never "all conquering England" but a run up to the next RWC?
I see professional cycling like professional rugby now, in that the physical limits mean you only have a short term of winning things such is the strain, unless your an all black of course.
All Blacks generally have shorter international careers as they get replaced by the next wonder kid.
Didn’t realise that Nowell is due to have surgery again, hence his omission. Sone of the youngsters called up from Saints are playing pretty well at the mo.
Sounds like Finn Russell has fallen out with the coaching staff; he’s been sent home from the training camp and will not play against Ireland but it is not yet clear if he will take part in any further 6N games.
I assume that Hastings will step up in his place.
Pray for TJ!!!
Wow Finn Russell out - I've tried to find some details but found nothing. It will be interesting to know what happened!
Wow Finn Russell out – I’ve tried to find some details but found nothing. It will be interesting to know what happened!
The reports just say that he broke team protocol. Sounds like a polite way for saying that he clashed with Gregor to me.
Wow Finn Russell out – I’ve tried to find some details but found nothing. It will be interesting to know what happened!
The reports just say that he broke team protocol. Sounds like a polite way for saying that he clashed with Gregor to me.
I did wonder if that is the case too, especially as it sounded as if he almost 'mutineered' against England last year.
Sounds like the Russell family vs SRU feud rumbles on.
Jeepers - what has happened there.
Its no secret he and Townsend have not got on at all. Hastings I do not rate. I'd rather have meatball ( Weir)
Has Townsend lost the dressing room? rumours have been circulating. No player is bigger than the team but neither is the coach!
ON rugby forums I am on the consensus is its a row over tactics. Townsend has been sticking to his guns despite being shown to be wrong. Russell basically mutinied in the second half against England last year and played how he wanted to not how Townsend wanted to and Russell was right.
So the suspicion is its a row between Russell and Townsend over tactics that ended up as "back me or sack me" and Townsend won
I would not be surprised if Townsend does not survive the 6N. He should have gone after the WC
Speaking after Scotland’s remarkable comeback against England during last year’s Calcutta Cup, Russell told ITV: “I actually had an argument with Gregor [at half-time]. I said to him ‘you’re telling us to kick and when we kick, they just run it back and cut us open, and when we run it, they’re just hitting us behind the gain line and winning the ball back’.
“Second half, we just came out with nothing to lose, played our rugby, kicked out of our half and scored some great tries. We played good Scottish rugby.”
Too early?
he broke team protocol.
By laughing out loud when the new defence coach was!!!
We now have " it is understood that" ie some third hand info leaked) that Russell got pissed on sunday night ( all the team had a few beers but he went OTT) (this is the night after the sarries game and they had all met in Scotland) Missed training on monday, was told he was dropped to the bench for the ireland game as a result, then took a big huff and stomped off.
To me this does not seem like the whole truth. More to come I am sure. Whatever Russell may be I have never heard a hint of that sort of behaviour from him - indeed the other way - first to traiing last to leave sort of chap
whatever - its an effing mess and worst of all gives Townsend an extra excuse when we have another below par performance " I lost three senior players and my 10 is a dick" which could save the useless burks job
According to the Guardian, Finn got pissed and ignored people when they asked him to stop...
‘He spent the evening drinking in the team’s hotel but when approached by teammates and members of Scotland’s backroom staff declined to stop and later left to return to his parents’ home in Stirling.
Russell missed training the next morning but did report later. He was then told he would not be selected for duty against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday week. Townsend left it open to the 49-cap stand-off to decide whether he wanted to stay in Edinburgh but Russell decided to return to Paris.‘
More bits and pieces of info are dribbling out. How true we do not know. Russell left the hotel at 10 pm. Not 2 am. NOt pissed as a fart. He was pictured chatting with his teammates not long before. Everyone looked happy. Townsend told him he would phone him on Tuesday morning but didn't until the evening. this all apparently happened Sun - tuesday. Wednesday HOgg was talking with journalists and Russell was being talked about as the ten.
I do think there was an underlying row with Townsend behind all this. Townsend is no international coach and his tenure has been a disaster. Russell knows this. I bet Russell told him so - the drink just made a volatile situation more volatile.
Russell is no Cipriani. He has always been a model professional. He does not miss training, he is clearly absolutely passionate and committed to playing for Scotland
We do not know the whole truth yet on this but I am absolutely certain there is more to come and that Townsend is not blameless.
I'd put it 50 / 50 Townsend is out before the end of the 6N.
I’d put it 50 / 50 Townsend is out before the end of the 6N.
Is that in part because it’s 50:50 whether they’ll beat Italy?
We do not know the whole truth yet on this but I am absolutely certain there is more to come and that Townsend is not blameless.
I think you have to stop jumping to the conclusion it's down to Townsend until we have more information. If I was Finn I'd be a lot more pissed off that the guy who royally ****ed over my Dad just got paid a million quid.
Plenty for Finn to be pissed off within the Scotland set up.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/44428170
Scottish Rugby has amateur hour written all over it. Maybe Finn has just had enough.
Fair point Bruce
Oh FFS - Darcy Graham is broken!
Oh FFS – Darcy Graham is broken!
That is pish. Whilst I find it hard to truly take to someone with such awful hair, he’s exciting to watch and I presume not easily replaced. Hopefully it won’t keep him out for long.
Unlike Owen Lane who appears to be out Of the Wales squad for a long time with a hamstring injury.
Is it inevitable that so many rugby union players get injured?
Sad about Graham, looks like he’ll be bust for the England game too.
Interesting and to read a bit more about Sarries and their cap fiddling like underpaying Itoje who apparently would t have made it into the top ten best paid locks in the prem...but he was then paid a load of cash for appearances that he never made.
Shame about Lane he's a good young player, seems more 13 than wing I think, or maybe just hope.
God Dammit takes another step closer to the team.
So a week to go, any team predictions, Wales first up v Italy is an ideal time to experiment but Pivac will want to go out and win his first proper game well.
1/2p
McNicol
North/Tompkins
Parkes
Adams
Biggar
Davies/Williams, I'd pick the latter
Faletau
Tipuric
Wainwright
Ball/Beard
AWJ
Lewis
Owens
Jones
Rhys God Dammitt
Evans
Williams/Davies
Ball/Beard or maybe the new poach
Moriarty/Jenkins
Rob Evans
Dee
Brown/John
Sarries getting absolutely battered by Quins. Good.
Dombrandt has had a bloody good game. How he hasn’t made the 6N squad is beyond me especially with Billy bust.
Dombrandt has had a bloody good game. How he hasn’t made the 6N squad is beyond me
Because his own coach has always questioned his fitness. Properly soft hands yesterday.
Some interesting thoughts on what is going wrong in the Scotland camp. Morrison usually seems to have a good line on insider info
https://www.theoffsideline.com/gregor-townsend-man-management/
Morrison usually seems to have a good line on insider info
Or he just makes shit up and attributes it to 'sources'.
Morrison has an axe to grind with Townsend for some reason. And that's on top of his general level of negativity about all things Scottish pro rugby.
Fir point Bruce but he is usually right about selections and so on so must have some sources
https://www.scottishrugbyblog.co.uk/2020/01/which-type-of-scotland-fan-are-you/
Superficial Optimist here. Although the SRU is doing its best to deflate my balloon early. Its the only thing they are doing well at them moment.
Anyone hear Ashton talking about his deal with the Saracens boss, was it me or did it sound very shady? I may be biased as I have no time for either.
Anyone hear Ashton talking about his deal with the Saracens boss, was it me or did it sound very shady? I may be biased as I have no time for either.
Not listened to it yet, but I’d imagine it sounds shady...the whole thing does. I still struggle to believe that any of the players really thought it was above board.
Because his own coach has always questioned his fitness. Properly soft hands yesterday.
He didn’t look too shabby yesterday and surely it’s better than playing someone who doesn’t really play in that position there?
In other news, Sinkler is off to Bristol for a reported £500k. That’s a big salary.
Anyone hear Ashton talking about his deal with the Saracens boss, was it me or did it sound very shady?
The bit where the Sarries boss "invested" in Ashton's house and Ashton "...had no idea..." the payment had anything to do with his connection with the club?
Oh c'mon, has anyone here has their boss pay their deposit / mortgage for them? Its blatantly a financial incentive for club attendance / performance.
I am willing to believe Ashton is as thick as shit!!
Sam Moore from Sale to Cardiff, hope he can deliver on his early promise.
Well, having been really mean about Cai Evans a few pages ago I found myself in the queue in Aldi right behind him last night. Polite young man - and he looks very young! - he apologised for not putting the 'Next Customer' thing down for me and then chatted away to the cashier. I didn't have a conversation with him in case I put my foot in it! 😀
Exciting looking back three for Ireland, combined with solid midfield and very strong pack.
So, Sarries new boss has quit already! He lasted less than a month. Looks like their ill gotten rise to the top has crumbled very very quickly. Oh well.
Listened to the Ashton pod; I don’t buy it at all. He knew it was shady as.
Another 75 point deduction for Saracens, courtesy of a rule change applied retrospectively if the Guardian reporting is accurate. Does rather feel like the EPL are making this up as they go along.