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A Classic for JG on this weeks Q&A, i am not sure if it is a troll form him or what.
Q: With Nick de Luca now injured who would be your pick for the Scottish number 13 jersey? JL9
A: I'd be tempted to put Tim Visser in at 13 and gets Max Evans back on the wing, where he played for French side Castres at the weekend.
Visser at 13? A joke surely? Lamont maybe but Visser. Next he will be back out with his stats that prove Warburton was shit was six nations!!!
Backrow for Wales a big call, wonder if Tips at 7 and Warbs at 6 will be considered? I might be tempted to play Toby at 6 and bring Bearman into 8. Although given the lock problems if Shingler is fit he should play 6 for his lineout work.
AA without wanting to take the p1ss who do you actually have left to play in the 2nd row? Could Shingler play there?
I would like to see Hogg at 13 with Evans and Visser on the wings. I would also have liked to see Tonks in the squad he has been one of Edinburghs better* players this season.
*better being a standard just above utter gash.
I'd like to see Visser at 13 cause he can't tackle!
Shingler could but is injured and maybe needed at six. Dom Day and a few kids from Ospreys. ****ed basicly!
Is Jonathan Thomas injured as well? He's played plenty in the second row. Mobile, too.
Ah but Visser at 13 means at last someone who can catch a ball there, passing and tackling score would hold constant though.
Good to see Laidlaw in his best position though I'm sure that we'll probably move him to 13 and put visser at scrum half.
JT not getting in Ospreys team Peers and King two promising locks, be very lightweight for wales though.
Oh and Lou Reed too. Been trying to forget about him!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21023589
Forwards: Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Adam Jones (Ospreys) Paul James (Bath), Gethin Jenkins (Toulon), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys) Lou Reed (Blues), Ian Evans (Ospreys), James King (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Blues), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Blues), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Andries Pretorius (Blues)
Backs: Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Lloyd Williams (Blues), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets) Alex Cuthbert (Blues), George North (Scarlets), Eli Walker (Ospreys), Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Lee Byrne (Clermont).
Lee Byrne..... Wasnt expecting that. Lot of injured players too.
1/2p
Cuthbert
Davies
Roberts
North
Biggar
Phillips
Bevington
Hibbard
Jones
erm
err
Shingler
Warbs
Toby
I would expect. Hopefully Evans will be fit at lock with Read and King next in line. If North doesnt recover 1/2p to wing and Bryne to 15.
One thing about Biggar that I noticed in the Leicester game is that Fotulai'i was taking loads of pressure off him by taking more control of the game himself, even standing in the OH position at points.
Not noticed it to that extent before.
Thats true, quite French in style where the 9 is more of a decision maker. Marshal used to do much the same with Hook. Still think Biggar is the best option at ten though. Kahn is proper world class though. Shame he'll be gone at the end of the season!!
Unlucky Dragons 😥
Did somebody mention how bad the Dragons' new strip is? They obviously haven't seen the Wasps' away strip. I'd expect it to be based around yellow and black and not make them look like a 2nd division Romanian team?
I supposed to be watching Exeter/Leinster tomorrow, hoping I can fly into Exeter this evening
Doubtful. No flights out of Bristol and Cardiff airports at the moment.
Anyone catch Quinns Biarritz last night? Worst conditions I've seen for a long time. In the second half the trainers wereon constantly rinsing peoples eyes out! Joe Marler was in the thick of it throughout getting 10 minutes in the bin along the way. Quite an entertaining match really, Danny Care seems to be really sorting himself out too which is excellent news for England as he really is a world class player.
Tom B - Member
Anyone catch Quinns Biarritz last night? .........Quite an entertaining match really,
I sat down and then remembered that Biarritz are the most conservatively boring side in history and noticed that the conditions weren't conducive to exciting rugby either.
And yes, it was much better than I expected! (Although I didn't see the last 20 minutes.)
Last 20 fizzled out a little-players were really struggling with vision and I guess fitness for some too as playing in those conditions must really take its toll!
Toulon Montpellier is a good game atm. Fierce at the breakdown from both sides. Delon Armitage has just been sin binned for a tip tackle. His brother is definitely the best English openside imo.
Fingers crossed for a home QF for Ulster. Poor performance today but a win is a win!
SUFTUM
Clermont are a bit good arent they!!
http://www.frombar.tv/v-4/10/108/v-510805.html
Just got home from the Montpellier match. I'm speechless, Gorgodze was immense as were Tulou, Bias and Beattie in the 3rd row and Paillauge at scrum half.
Off to the pub to celebrate!
In the absence of anything to cheer in welsh performances I am loving the fact Glasgow beat Northampton
You should celebrate the Blues win over Sale a_a....other than over the Italians, they wont be winning again this season!
It's always nice to see Northampton lose though!
Did you see the Sale team? Nothing to celebrate in struggling to beat them!!
Anyone going to the Tigers v Tolouse match today?
How about score predictions ?
Frankers - MemberAnyone going to the Tigers v Tolouse match today?
No but I'll probably watch that game rather than the Ospreys pointless game.
Anyone else notice that Leinster have perfected the art of walking the scrum around on the opposition put-in without get penalised? They've done it in every game I've seen this season and been given the reset scrum or a penalty.
Havent noticed the Leinster scrum but I'm shocked you'd suggest an irish scrum may cheat 😆
As an aside I thought Scarlets stuck to their task well yesterday despite being hoplessly outgunned. Nalaga v Kristian Phillips was the biggest mismatch I've seen for a while. Jiffy Junior looked dangerous which is promising for Wales and at the risk ofgetting more shit flung my way Samson Lee did well enough against a very strong pack. Liam Williams got broke so we might see Lee Byrne make the bench for wales, his attacking lines could be what the back line is missing.
Wales interim boss Rob Howley has welcomed the move to add Mark Jones to his staff for the RBS Six Nations as he stands in for Lions boss Warren Gatland.[b]Former Wales winger Jones will join Howley, Robin McBryde, Shaun Edwards and Neil Jenkins[/b] in plotting Wales' Six Nations title defence, which begins against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium on February 2.
Jones, the current Scarlets attack coach, will have specific responsibility for the Wales backs throughout the Six Nations campaign as the team make do with Gatland as he prepares for this summer's British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
"Mark is an important addition to the coaching team," said Howley. "He has played the game at the highest level and developed his coaching skills during his time with the Scarlets.
"He is a 'hands-on coach' and understands how our environment works, which is important leading into the tournament. I would like to thank Simon Easterby (Scarlets head coach) for allowing Mark to join us and to start work immediately.
"We have always been an integrated coaching team, and Mark will be a great addition alongside Robin, Shaun and Neil."
Jones, 33, had already been confirmed as part of the Wales coaching team for a two-Test tour to Japan in June, but he is now on board for the Six Nations as well.
"I am looking forward to this exciting opportunity for me to develop further as a coach," Jones said. "It will help me to explore new ideas and gain wider experience that I hope will, in turn, benefit my full-time role with the Scarlets region."
Scarlets chief executive Mark Davies described the Wales opportunity as
an "exciting" one for Builth Wells-born Jones, whose playing career was ended by injury in August 2010.
"As a region, our belief is to develop and support the talent we have invested in at the Scarlets, and to see people reach their full potential," Davies said.
"That philosophy applies as much to our coaching set-up as it does to our players. This will be an important landmark and a valuable experience for Mark as he progresses as a top-class coach."
****ing hell, Mark Jones as backs coach, when he was playing he could hardly ****ing catch and when he did he fell over, McBryde the forwards coach presided over the worlds worst lineout, at least Jenkins could kick but him and Howlers have no previous success as coaches, only Edwards has... Only in Wales would elite world class players be coaches by these clowns. They even admit to using it for the coaches to gain experience... they should be doing that in lower leagues surely not at international level.
😆 I must say I'm looking forward to seeing Wales 'play' more than England this 6N's.....it's hardly believable that the odds suggest that one of Scotland, Italy and Wales will surely win a match 🙂
anagallis_arvensis - MemberHavent noticed the Leinster scrum but I'm shocked you'd suggest an irish scrum may cheat
As you say, cheating is expected of Leinster, but so [i]blatantly[/i] coached into them? For me, coached cheating is far worse than any high tackle because it is so cynical. The other thing they seem to have started doing is trying to stop a tackle turning into a ruck, not by choke tackling because refs are starting to pick up on that, but by lifting the tackled players legs up and carrying him. Still dangerous but they'll get away with it for a season or so until refs actually start watching what is happening.
at the risk ofgetting more shit flung my way Samson Lee did well enough against a very strong pack
You mean he was examining the turf for only 60 minutes? 😉
And as to Mark Jones, well it's all about money isn't it? Roger Lewis et al have to get their bonuses (for the size of the WRU bank statement) so who cares how bollixed up Welsh rugby is at the end of it?
Gargh, Tigers you had me worried! Even looking as poor as they have done all season, somehow they've qualified and sit close to the top of the AP.
not sure who they get to play in the next round but I don't expect much.
Toulon away isnt it? They have been lucky that ospreys and toulose missed so many kicks at goal. St Johnny is unlikely to miss much.
Is it? Ah we'll, that's where it ends then!
Ok they missed a few kicks but also Tigers played well, Tolouse also made many mistakes which helped us
St Jonny was awful yesterday A_A and I'm an unashamed fanboi! Sexton is the only outside half in the Northern Hemisphere that gets close to Carter imo (and he doesn't get very close!)
Carter to Toulon next season was being mentioned yesterday.....
What do you call a Welshman in the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup?
Nigel Owens
SUFTUM
😆
Or Gethin Jenkins
Right enough Tom, you could name a number of mercenaries!!
He was the only one that I could think of? Any others in the Heine? Apologies too....I've spoiled a rather good joke!
Lee Byrne? Don't worry about it boss. At least my beloved Ulster are through and have avoided a trip to France. Sarries can definitely be taken then we would have a semi in Dublin
Bit harsh to label welsh players mercenaries when you consider the tax breaks the irish players get. How Ulster cope with that remains a mystery to me though.
Not really AA. Mercenary is about right. Ulster are very good at raising revenue from gates, sponsorship and corporate events. Remember they are the only fully professional team in Norn Iron. Also a certain golfer who landed a decent gig with Nike last week gives them a bob or two 😉
Teams in the Rabo cannot compete with French or English wages,with the damage pro players inflict on themselves during an increasingly short career, they deserve every penny (or cent) Apart from Callum Clark, he deserves to have his bumhole heal over.
A-A; change of tact but do you teach in the private sector?
Absolutely agree DM, if I was a pro player with a family to look after you would have to go with the Euros!!
Racing are rumoured to be chasing Sexton very hard, Irish papers mentioned 800k Euro per year
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2013/0115/1224328850601.html
800k a year! But we all know he is only the second best 10 in the UK (behind A-A's latest err..Great Mahogany Hope)Have the Irish not got a similar policy on foreign players to England on its way? Also Racing? Seems to be better clubs to go to,esp as he will start for the lions (Again,behind whoever is playing there for Wales.) Having watched C-A I also wish Hines would un-retire.
No Duckman the state sector.
Part of the reason few irish players are in France
http://limerickrugby.ie/news-427/Frank-Quinn-writes-on-Sportsperson-Tax-Relief---
behind A-A's latest err..Great Mahogany Hope)Have the Irish
Patchel is ginger!!!
Frankers - MemberOk they missed a few kicks but also Tigers played well, Tolouse also made many mistakes which helped us
I didn't think either side looked particularly good. I'd also echo that they were very lucky with kicks.
Tom B - MemberSt Jonny was awful yesterday
He was indeed. Nothing to be worried about on that form and it makes you wonder why Giteau wasn't pulled up to 10.
And why aren't there any Welsh teams in the QFs?
-[i]Carter to Toulon next season was being mentioned yesterday..... [/i]
-[i]Also a certain golfer who landed a decent gig with Nike last week gives them a bob or two [/i]
-[i]Racing are rumoured to be chasing Sexton very hard, Irish papers mentioned 800k Euro per year[/i]
I wonder why? 🙄
It's only a few years since the Dragons couldn't even afford a new kit for the season and had to rely on the previous year's used kit.
BlindMelon, what will Ulster do when Ruan Pienaar is injured? Because, let's face it, he's the only player in the team who knows how to play winning rugby.
So what is the collective opinion on Wayne Barnes' red card on the Racing 6?
I had to watch it 3 times before I spotted the knee going in and it didn't seem to connect with anyone if it was even intentional.
Deserved card or a hasty reaction by Barnes which handed a QF spot to Munster, knocking Leinster out in the process?
My opinion was the latter.
BlindMelon, what will Ulster do when Ruan Pienaar is injured? Because, let's face it, he's the only player in the team who knows how to play winning rugby.
They will play Paul Marshall as they did during the AI's and probably continue to win like they did in the autumn. I disagree that he is the only one who knows how to play winning rugby. He is a wonderful talent but we now have strength in depth and can win ugly up front or with a bit of style in the backs. Just look at the injuries we have at the moment: Muller, Touhy, Ferris, Bowe, Marshall etc and we are still winning.
SUFTUM
I should have phrased my question rather differently, BlindMelon, but I assume that you see the irony in saying this?:
[i]BlindMelon - Member
Right enough Tom, you could name a number of mercenaries!!
[/i]
when your main playmaker and star player is one of the same.
Although you might not be using it as an insult, it certainly sounds it.
Anyway, I'm in the unfortunate position of agreeing with Jon Humphreys.
[i]"Our [Welsh] expectations are totally unrealistic. We are the least funded and yet we expect the most," he said.
"Someone justify to me why we should be disappointed.
We have way less money than everybody else in the competition, that's including the Italians... and we are upset about it?" [/i]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21117021
Agreeing with Humphreys is a sign that I've lost any little credibility I ever had. Please shoot me someone!
I'm wondering why the welsh players maximising earnings are mercenaries whilst the irish players who do the same are not despite that just meaning staying where they are. Also what about Bowe?
Also what about Tommy "Subway Ad-whore" Bowe?
Indeed. He's gone so far downhill since leaving Ospreylia...!
anagallis_arvensis - Member
I'm wondering why the welsh players maximising earnings are mercenaries whilst the irish players who do the same are not despite that just meaning staying where they are. Also what about Bowe?
Exactly what I got stroppy about.
Jeez, agreeing with Humph and AA in one day!! 😳 🙂
Anyway, if I was a rugby player and someone offered me a contract to play next to the Med I doubt I'd be thinking about it for too long even if the pay was exactly the same as I had here in Swansea.
I should have phrased my question rather differently, BlindMelon, but I assume that you see the irony in saying this?:BlindMelon - Member
Right enough Tom, you could name a number of mercenaries!!when your main playmaker and star player is one of the same.
Although you might not be using it as an insult, it certainly sounds it.
Jon you are absolutely right about Ruan, Muller John Afoa etc. My original joke was not meant to be an insult, apologies. What I was trying to say, badly, was that most of the Irish players seem happy to remain in Ireland rather than take a trip to France. Even with the players based in ROI and the tax rebate they get after 10 years they could still earn a lot more in another league. I'm not sure how this would work for the NI based players, I can't sen HMRC having a similar set up. I was under the impression that an Irish provincial player with a national contract earned around 250k a year but perhaps it is a lot more than that.
So how can WRU encourage more Welsh players to stay in Wales?
Also what about Tommy "Subway Ad-whore" Bowe?
Indeed. He's gone so far downhill since leaving Ospreylia...!
Give the lad a break, he's not playing at the minute and needs to pay the winter fuel bill in this cold snap! 😀
Ooh Flashy is back!!
I agree John, I'd take a massive pay cut to play in Southern Frenchlandshire. As has been mentioned, early 30's is pretty old for a rugby player these days. It's not like they're all coming out of it as millionaires (The top 1% may well do?). Take someone like Jamie Noon, he's probably doubling his income in a warmer climate in the second half of his career. He's still not going to be featuring in Forbes anytime soon though is he!
Give the lad a break, he's not playing at the minute and needs to pay the winter fuel bill in this cold snap!
🙂
His ad really should just say, "POTATO! SANDWICH! POTATO!" instead, though! (One for DD if he's reading! 😉 )
So how can WRU encourage more Welsh players to stay in Wales?
Move Wales to the Mediterranean!
CFH he has avoided rugby threads since Ulster won at Thomond last year!
Move Wales to the Mediterranean!
Coed y Brenin? With Pastis and a nice salade Niçoise at the caff? BRING IT ON!
Swansea is compared in some places to the Bay of Naples. (Mainly in the Italian restaurant in Mumbles...)
Ooooh and pastis...... I have an unopened bottle in the house. Seems a travesty not to have opened it but I haven't drunk alcohol for a while now.
If we can attract people to Belfast then surely Cardiff and Swansea shouldn't be too hard!
Interesting article about revenue from ERC
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2013/0119/1224329046459.html
Interesting reading, BM.
😆Quarter finals...... last season €420,000 would have been given to the Cardiff Blues for showing up (which is about all they did do)
I'm pretty sure the reason the irish players have mostly stayed in ireland is that the pay isnt much diffetent. The pay in wales is a fraction. Bod for example had a number of bidding wars as Sexton is doing now. England players stay as they will mis out on the big sums they get for playing for england.
AA I was always under the impression that they got around 250k but I could be wrong.
Bod could have named his price back in the day I'm sure
You have to factor in the tax breaks too. I'm sure Ulster have to pay more but have much bigger budgets than the welsh teams for all manner of reasons.
Absolutely AA. Why don't the Welsh regions have money from 6N and WC though
I don't know how much truth is in it but the WRU have been accused recently of not passing money on to the regions. Hence the £3.5million salary cap, I'd assume.
(Must look into this more when I'm not in work..)
It's not like they're all coming out of it as millionaires
I know he straddled the amateur/pro days but I think it's vaguely sad to see a player like Colin Charvis needing to set up a flooring business. (I don't know why, I've got nothing against flooring businesses! I think I assumed that he had the chance to make more money than he actually did, if that makes sense.)
Too busy paying off the stadium and no one goes to see the regions play as they dont like them.
Flooring? It's all heated wing mirror luxury for the flooring set, donchaknow.
no one goes to see the regions play as they dont like them.
That's an interesting one isn't it. (But true!)
The Ospreys still don't feel like my club despite having season tickets for the majority of their existence, bumping into players and coaches regularly, having the players come into my kids' school, etc.
They just aren't the team I grew up watching.
The Scarlets, Blues and Dragons are exactly the clubs they always were though - the Scarlets even having the cheek to appropriate Llanelli RFC's history when they are supposedly separate entities.
I didn't know about Charvis! I'll be honest it doesn't bother me too much, they have an amazing life experience in a pro rugby career, so what if they have to join the rest of us in the real world. I think that it's the ludicrous sums if money played to players that warm the bench for Man Utd reserves etc that really makes it seem unfair.
Can't captainflasheart just give them all his pocket money? That'd see 'em right 🙂
I have to agree with you there Tom. 800k rumoured for Sexton pa. A lot of average footballers would earn that in a month