Rugby 2021-2022 Season

Plus the Womens rugby is blossoming with talk of a womens Lions tour.

I find the Saracen's thing strange. Are all those farmed out players going back? Who paid their wages this past year? Surely they've now got good knowledge of lots of other teams moves.
Are the new law changes coming in?

New lawz????

New lawz???

Nigel Owens said the ball held up in the act of scoring will now be a defensive scrum. Christ knows how that improves anything! WRONG! I mean it's a goal line dropout. 😀 (Fewer scrums = good)

He said it was a goalline drop out didn't he?

Yeah, corrected myself. 🙂

(Fewer scrums = good)

NRL has been stellar all season, any interest in a League thread?

In case anyone interested - Joe Marler's autobiography is 99p on Kindle at the mo

I"m a Marler fan but..

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-rugby-club-players-stunned-21264337

2 times world cup winning former all black turns out for Hendy against local rivals Pontarddulais.

But one of the boys did let him know that although he had played in two World Cups he’d never played in a Hendy-Bont derby and just to try his best!

Ha ha thats good.

"If he wanted to play 10, I wouldn’t tell him no! He can play wherever he wants."

Cracking AA.

Something about the Kiwis; they seem to genuinely like playing rugby, no matter what level they have reached in the game. I remember having a beer at a club house on a Sunday and the vets tournament going on had guys well into their 60's and 70's playing. They got a band to wear that (I think) meant you weren't allowed to tackle them below/for several metres. Still; I think I would prefer playing against Franks to Jerry Collins.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/33025064

NZ V OZ on sky now for those who took the now TV month.
More fun than the lions already

They scored tries n stuff! It was bizarre! 😂

England watchers : Farell vs Smith. Whats the consensus?

https://www.ultimaterugby.com/news/barnes-calls-for-on-eddie-jones-to-drop-owen-farrell/641262

Smith much more creative, out and out 10. Not weak defensively.
He's got that Mike Brown angry man face which is hysterical

Eddie would keep Farrell and drop Ford for Smith I think. Really looking forward to the new season, after a disappointing Lions, autumn internationals look good. Also reffed my first game of the new season yesterday, so good to be playing proper rugby again, the law trials are going to take a little getting used to mind.

See Bristol beat Exeter decently yesterday.

In the women’s league.

Farrell was a decent captain and good at Eddie’s prescription Rugby and a second rate centre, Ford more instinctive, flatter but terrible on the back foot. Smith with a decent pair of centres would be a much better option and proved that being brown onto the big stage didn’t throw him. And, Itoje come of age, he should be captain by now and indeed he needs that exposure as captain 2 years out of the RWC.

So for me, Farrells time is over.

Some chatter about World Rugby considering WC's every 2 years. Seems bonkers to me, but is there a good reason?

Some chatter about World Rugby considering WC’s every 2 years. Seems bonkers to me, but is there a good reason?

Apparently just copying the other World Cup. I'm pretty sure there'll be money involved. I actually think it's a good idea, it'll give the Tier 2 teams a lot more opportunities to play the big boys. Japan has improved from being a joke to being a team that has to be taken seriously. Would be great to see the U.S., Canada, etc. improve to that level too.

Oh footy is going 2 years is it?

Just read Gerard Meaghers Breakdown in the Grauniad. I don't often really dislike what journo's say about rugby but this one was twaddle for the sake of it.
Basically, some old guys are still really good, and some young guys may take their places.
It's like he went to Kitson and said,
GM " Damn I'm stuck for ideas. "
RK " At this time of year I use this article, just change the names for the top 10 oldest and youngest players and we have instant clickbait"

Well I say don't click, I've read it and will save you the bother.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/sep/14/absent-lions-give-england-young-hopefuls-their-premiership-chance-rugby-union-the-breakdown

https://www.90min.com/posts/fifa-world-cup-2-year-plan-explained

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/rugbychampionship/world-rugby-considers-staging-world-cup-every-2-years-orange-cards-report-20210914

Thanks thols2.

Ok read those. I think there should be one important rules change. A limit to player minutes played each year. It will mean bigger squads, more opportunities, less knackered and hence less injured players.

Who is your favourite player from another country?

I think my new man crush is Faff deKlerk. We often hear pundits saying that teams need "players with a bit of the dog". I am not sure they meant badly trained jack russells! If he was a dog he wold be chewing your furniture and peeing in corners ( he probably does do this)

He is such a good player, must be the most irritating SH around like now and he is totally fearless ( but does overstep into shithousery to often)

But rugby is an entertainment business and he is entertaining to watch.

Do you mean outside the 6N? As an Englander I am a huge fan of Dupont, for me he is probs the best NH player in 2021. Outside that Ardie Savea is brilliant to watch, typical AB's complete player, he stops anyone, skins wingers for fun and always got a bit of magic up his sleeve. De Klerk is a dirty little cheat, hard to like. People say that I don't like him cos he beats us, but I used to be a massive Shane Williams fan and he scored a billion awesome tries vs England, But he wasn't a snakey little ****er, he was just sheer brilliance.

Was all for kolbe but he as with faf not a fan of his antics.
And given I played 9 in the borders in the late 80s that's saying something.

I once got a stern warning from a ref in Hampshire when I played down there "I don't know what you're doing but get punched again and I'm carding you" to be fair everytime the opposition 9 went to feed the scrum I raked his ankle.

What is it with scrum halves? Buggers the lot of them

Who is your favourite player from another country?

Not entirely sure, but the first player to come to mind is Charles Piutau.

Charles Piutau.

Was my 2nd choice after Savea. Incredible player. Doing good things at Bristol.

Ford, both Vunipolas and Jamie Gorge dropped from Englandahire squad, Lynagh's boy in

Vunipolas needed to go but ford and George? Seems a bit harsh

I take it Farrell is still in?

Ouch

Ford, both Vunipolas and Jamie Gorge dropped from Englandahire squad, Lynagh’s boy in

Eddie likes to make poeple worry about their positions. I bet we see all of them back by 6N

If Lucu hadn't been in the air he'd have taken his head off. That's a proper dangerous tackle.

England training squads often aren't a reflection of full squads.

Dupont is probably my favourite non-english player. Faf de Klerk has all the skills, but too often choses the dirty option to be likeable.

Farrell is in yes. Not a surprise, this is the Jones / Farrell era after all.

If itoje has to wait another 2.5yrs for a Captaincy i reckon thats holding him back, i only think Jones will allow that if Farrell is off the field and Itoje proves its not a distraction to his game.

Best “other” player for me is o’Driscoll. Probably the best centre of the recent era, we havent really seen much better although SA are on the verge with a couple.

Favourite non-Scottish player is Itoje, despite playing in the Championship he was fantastic against the Saffers.He has also cut out the bell-endery that got him a broken nose against Glasgow. By the way; good luck to all the Englandshire supporters with Cockers in situ. The story is that he would invite senior players at Edinburgh who attempted to give input out to the car park. With apologies to TJ, Embra needed a bit of steel when he took over but maybe not THAT strong an approach!

I think thats a fair enough summary on cockers - he was what we needed at the time but seemed to have taken the team as far as he could

I would have given him another year tho as last year was just a disaster for the scots teams with more than half the season played with less than half a squad

So I knocked BT Sport off at the end of last season. It was fantastic coverage of the Premiership, they showed every single game, every weekend which was especially good considering we couldn't go and watch.

They've now gone back to business as usual and are just showing selected games. No problem thought I, I'll save my £25 a month and watch the excellent CH5 weekly roundup. Which has disappeared!

It's now on https://www.premiershiprugby.com/prtv/ . Flatman's still on it and they do show games after transmission free to air too. It's quite smooth to watch via XBox on yer big telly too just in case anyone else was missing out and doesn't want to watch on your laptop......

Try of the week is worth a watch too, there were some crackers in the first round.

Oh no

the Mish has cut off his mullet!

Will he ever be the same player again?

One match into the Welsh rugby season and we already have an outside half injury crisis. WRU money grabbers are playing NZ outside the window so Biggar and Sheedy can't play. Jarrod Evans injured last night along with Priestland... That leaves Anscombe who has played 20mins in two years and....erm.....hang on..... Sam Davies and Stephen Myler,,,oh hang on he's not Welsh, OK CAI Evans....he's shit...

We appear to be seeing a new Edinburgh - one that can attack! Ok its only halftime................

Disappointing lack of a lineout in last 10mins for Scarlets, was exciting though!!

The opening weekend of the Pro 24 URC has produced some cracking games. Scarlets / Edinburgh was a beauty

Nice to be able to watch the games too

I have always watched them all. I have a special VIP box 😉

Yes I have watched too, it's nice to do it legally and more reliably!!

Sorry for a link to the Sun but...

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/16253034/exeter-chiefs-tony-rowe-native-american/amp/

When the ****ing Sun is trying to tell you to be less racist maybe you should have a long hard look at yourself.

Problem is that a lot of the Chief's supporters agree with him, so he is playing to the gallery. But yeah; they could and should have have binned it last year.

they could still be called the chiefs just change it to a fire chief! Or police chief

Anyone know of any decent rugby forums preferably ones that cover more than one country? The one I use has been wrecked by trolls and poor moderation

Autumn Internationals are here soon, the first games that interest me are Japan vz Oz next Sat, and then Scot vs Tonga and Wales vs All Blacks on the 30th. There is also Spain vs Italy A, will be interesting to see if anyone else in Europe is raising their game.

Meanwhile I saw this daft question on reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/comments/q9uuyz/is_it_bad_form_to_wear_a_3rd_teams_jersey_to_a/

Seemed odd, as if anyone gives a damn what you wear to a rugby match.

Murrayfield used to have the bloke who was at the wrong match, usually in the non clock terrace (which ages things a bit) Scotland France in a lull up would pop an Irish flag with a huge shout of irrrrrelaaaand. Almost every match I went to he did it.

Wales vs All Blacks on the 30th.

I will be hiding behind the sofa, no England based players available. Navidi, Tipuric, Jarrod Evans, Liam Williams, Halfpenny all injured.
Liam is the only 15 in the squad and just had his appendix out. Anscombe who has played about 4 games in 2 years and a 240 000 year old Priestland are the options at ten.
Still could be worse, at least NZ are rubbish!

Yeah,the AB's have have been terrible this year; rather you than us playing S/H teams that are in form...oh wait. Don't know why your lot didn't get a easier tune up game first, all about money I guess. The SRU can't normally wipe their bum with both hands but at least were decent enough to line up the weakest Island nation first.

240 000 year old Priestland

I was shocked how old he looked when I saw him play recently

Wainui killed -
https://twitter.com/sonnybwilliams/status/1449913765395378179?s=21

all about money I guess

Yep, this

They have to make money at least. I want the game to thrive. I have no issue with obvious money fixtures. I want to see world class players, I will pay.

One siding stuffings are not much fun tho - seen too many of those as an Edinburgh and Scotland fan!

I used to go to the dogs and do £1 each way bets on rank outsiders, it was a waste of money but every so often one would come in and give us all a thrill. I've seen people spend 150£ on beer taxis night club fees so it is all relative, my 30 quid at the dogs lasts all night and is bloody good fun. These fixtures are like that. All the teams have had a win or near miss agaisnt the AB's. You never know, and that on its own is what makes it worth it.
You could stick 25quid on Scotland and enjoy losing it, or maybe get a fat meal out or a bottle of something on the back of a bit of glory.

All the teams have had a win or near miss agaisnt the AB’s

We haven't beaten NZ since 1066 or something

Jones has gone for a fast interesting young squad.

We haven’t beaten NZ since 1066 or something

Yeah but you lose so entertainingly, come v close a few times. I remember a cardiff game in the noughties there was only a try in it?
One day it will happen and it will be a great day.
Scotland lost by a small margin to AB's a few years ago too?

Draw at Murrayfield is the closest we have ever got to the AB's. I only bet on the 6n, I bet a tenner on the table positions; it's easy, bottom up; Italy,Scotland,France,Wales,Ireland/England.The best I have ever done was betting on ht/ft in the grand slam decider against Will Carlings mob. I was living in London at the time and the odds against Scotland down there were so ridiculous as to make it rude not to.Worst atmosphere I have ever experienced at a match though,truly poisonous.

Anthony Watson has done his ACL.

Jones has gone for a fast interesting young squad.

Apart from keeping old slowpoke Farrel as captain and presumably 10?

In that mad 38 all draw a couple of years ago McInally our hooker outpaced Farrell to the line over 30 m. Now McInally is fast for a forward but even so................

LCD done ankle which brings Jamie George in. He's playing well but him and Farrell and itoje may well impose a Saracens mindset which is not what this squad is designed to do.

Apart from keeping old slowpoke Farrel as captain and presumably 10?

Your constant dismissal of a good international player is getting wearing tbh. I mean I am happy to have Faz as a panto villain, but he is a good player, better 10's in the world for sure, maybe better in England but he is a fine player.

him and Farrell and itoje may well impose a Saracens mindset which is not what this squad is designed to do.

Is it the winning mindset you don't want?

AA - was just laughing at him being outpaced by a scottish forward and at the idea that this is a young fast squad with him at 10

TJ show the video.
Oh no I will...
At no point in this is he quicker than Farrel, he outplayed him, but as a point of fact Farrel closes on him both times.

Are you sure you have the right player 5plus? I have no doubt Farrel would murder him over 50m but in that clip Farrell only gets near to him after he avoids May?(short socks, so I am guessing) and does so by cutting the corners McInally runs to avoid the tackle. The first 20m Farrell isn't closing but McInally has to avoid May twice.

Teej; Itoje is currently the best lock in the world. He was scary good on Sunday, his first game back. Why would you leave him out?

Yup - thats the clip and Farrel cannot catch him over 60 m when he only has 3 m to make up.

it must be a bit embarrassing not to be able to catch a forward when you are a back 🙂 watch the first half of the run. Both flat out and what happens to the gap - it gets no smaller and what duckman says - McInally actually has to run further to side step the other back.

Mind you McInally is obviously burst at having to run so far so fast 🙂 good job it was near halftime. He needed his bit of orange

Want a laugh tho - find the clip of Jonny Gray breaking thru into the backfield. He gets caught in 20 m with a 10 m start. Lumbering is the expression 😉

Whether you rate Farrel or not speed is not his bag.

Teej; Itoje is currently the best lock in the world. He was scary good on Sunday, his first game back. Why would you leave him out?

I wouldn't - brilliant player and improving all the time. Got his aggression under control now but still a bit of a penalty magnet but mhe is still young and will get better at that.

I guess you are asking me that because of someone elses post

I would have Itoje as captain and first man on the teamsheet. He might even be better than ickle Jonny 😉

Here you go - first clip from this Carthorse comes to mind Its not the clip I was thinking of but its still funny.