Rugby 22-23 Season

Will be an interesting and exciting season, with the WRC build-up, the reduced salary cap and new players coming in. Not to mention the women's WRC this autumn, with England being favourites. I can't wait. It doesn't feel to me like I've had much of an off-season with refereeing either, first game back for me is 13th August..

Regan Grace for Wales!!

Funnily enough I have had some gossip that a certain local club player who plays for England was moaning that he should have played for Wales because he had to turn down a fat offer from France in fear of losing his England status.

Commonwealth games sevens is on iPlayer with a live link when games are on

Challenge for you. we have some Irish girls in out club who want to watch the womens tour in japan on 20th and 27th August. Where is it on TV/web/streaming?
I can't find it anywhere.

Eye catching results this morning for both Argentina and the Wallabies. The Argentina result certainly casts the Scottish tour outcome in a better light than I had considered previously.

I’d add the links, but it’s bloody impossible on an iPhone with the current forum software.

Wow, way to go Argentina. The AB’s are really on the rocks right now.

Regan Grace for Wales!!

That post didn't age well!!

5plus8 try the world rugby website? Iirc they strem matches not picked up by a broadcaster or rugbypass is a legit site for this

Argentina are a good side. I think we wil see them as a top 4 team soon. The result is no fluke

England rinsing the USA on ITV4 right now. 33-0 up after 36 mins.

Vakatawa "banned" from playing in France by French rugby medical board. Heart condition.

Interesting article in the guardian about finances in the premiership. I hope they find a sustainable solution. Relying on rich folk.pumping money in never seemed like a good idea to me.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1568981266539634690

Harry potter has turned into a bit of a ****.

(Welsh) Wizard? 😀

Bronze for Ireland. Not too bad.(Rugby 7's).

Eddie Butler has passed away, albeit peacefully in his sleep.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62919134

Another voice of rugby lost, RIP

Sad news. RIP Eddie.

Sad news, my brother played with him and said he had this extraordinary ability to read the game so that he was always there.

Oh; that’s a shit bit of news. 6N won’t be the same without his voiceove segments and his commentary.

Very sad news about Edward Butler.

The Bledsoe Cup game was extraordinary, big call by the ref. Darby Swain becomes a vile player, shocking thing to do and should get a long ban.

<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am devastated by this news. <br>Ed, I'm sorry I never told you how much I admired you as a broadcaster and as a man. Well, it wasn't like that between us, was it.<br>Condolences to Sue and your family. <br>Sport has lost an iconic voice, I have lost a very dear friend.<br>Goodbye Edward. https://t.co/wtbEmQJhCm </p>— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) September 15, 2022

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Very sad news about Edward Butler.

+1 His 6N partnership with Brian Moore was the indicative audio of the contest for me.

Cardiff struggling to put Munster away. Loopy bust his collar bone, Faletau class, Fekitoa has hands like tits!!

When I say Faletau class, what I mean is unbelievably brilliant

Agreed Pigface. That "tackle" by Swain should result in a very lengthy ban. I wonder did the referee and TMO miss it at the time? If they didn't why didn't they deal with it then. Also imo it is possible that there might be some mitigation about Swains intent to injure another player.
As far as the big call at the end of the game goes I think the ref got it right.

Dregs beat Munster 😳😳😳😄😄😄👋

Rio Dyer try was pretty special, followed by later humiliating Zebo one on one!

Any Exeter watchers got an opinion on Christ Tshuna? Seems to have started all Exeter's games at 7...bloody big unit for a 7!!

Exeter quins was some game. Good on the dregs as well. Munster are my bogey team

AA - he’s an athletic big unit…… with a decent pair of hands too

Dyer try
Try

he’s an athletic big unit…… with a decent pair of hands too

Yep, quite quick too, but not a 7 surely

That try was just some poor tackling, although he has pace.
I’d be excited about the Exeter player though he looks very good.

That try was just some poor tackling, although he has pace.

From the initial bust yes but he went round the full back so easily, I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed him rounding Zebo one on one later in the game.

I’d be excited about the Exeter player though he looks very good.

Yeah if he keeps up the progress he is exactly what Wales always lack in the pack, size, power and athleticism, Wales really lack players with all 3.

That try was just some poor tackling, although he has pace.

You have to see it in the context of the Dregs not having won a game since 1066 😄😄😄

That try was just some poor tackling, although he has pace.

From the initial bust yes but he went round the full back so easily, I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed him rounding Zebo one on one later in the game

I thought he did well, the tackling was suspect, but he still did well imho. I get the feeling he’s going to be brought along well by Exeter and get some great experience. He’s still only 20 😀

I thought he did well, the tackling was suspect, but he still did well imho. I get the feeling he’s going to be brought along well by Exeter and get some great experience. He’s still only 20 😀

I thought he was talking about the Dyer try, but having watched some highlights just now the same could be said about Christ our Saviour

Just watched the Dragons game on YouTube, nice to see them win. The Dyer try was good. I’ve not seen him play before, how good is he? - he certainly looks the part - another possible Wales youngster?

The Christ try - they used the TMO to look for forward pass to Shickerling from dreadful hair Hogg, there was a breakdown after that, and then the ball moved across field for the try. What is the limit for how far back the TMO can go?

Watch it here.

As far as they want . I dont think there is any official limit. Usually its events leading up to the try but i am pretty sure what the refs did is fine. Its not just back to the kast ruck

Such a sad day for Worcester.

Is it wrong to be glad my poor old dad (former 1st team player) is not around to see this?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/63038335

Thought there was a two break down limit but I've been known to be wrong.

Darge out of autumn internationals.

I think there was a limit in one iteration of the rules

Yeah they do tinker to improve flow.

Is it wrong to be glad my poor old dad (former 1st team player) is not around to see this?

No.

Although the real Worcester local club is still alive and well. Back in the day I played for Bromsgrove and Worcester were local rivals and just another small club. Moseley were the local big boys and Coventry the new up and comers...It's still a sad day though.....

I think there was a limit in one iteration of the rules

I think this is where I remember it from.

Documentary about Steve Thompson on BBC2 at the moment. It's powerful stuff.

Why don’t they use the precedent established with London Scottish and Richmond by the Irish theme pub and sell Worcester’s share of the prem to the team relegated? In return Bath or Newcastle(probably)can put a tiny badge at the bottom of their strips, avoid relegation and then try to sell the name back for a five figure sum to the Amateur side. Or attempt to sue them if a hundred year old club tries to use it’s own name.

Picking at old wounds apart, I wonder how many clubs are actually sustainable long term? Sale for instance spend a fortune but get 6.5k to a home game and Wasps have a level of debt that would scare a Championship football club. No idea how Wasps, Newcastle, theme pub or Sale are sustainable long term. I suspect a British league in a decade or less with centrally contracted players for England as well.

Rumours suggest Cardiff have sacked Navidi, Asserati and Lewis for being dicks.

Hope Worcester have two spare tightheads going cheap if so.

Might be a nice time to highlight the WRWC starts on Saturday. Should be a cracking set of games!

I was hoping to watch the WRWC games on itv hub. However, the games don’t currently appear to be available. Lots of places saying they’re available live - but does anyone know if they’ll become available on catch-up? The times are not great for watching live.

Edit: sorry just found the info. Full games will be available ‘shortly’ afterwards, on ITV hub.

England beat Fiji 84-14. That’s a great start for England, they are in a dominant position and will retain a lot of confidence.

Now I realise that the Australia v New Zealand game is playing right now, but I cannot find it on itv hub. Is it on there ? Am I being stupid?

Ps sounds like a good game too!

The ENG v FRA crunch match next Saturday is an 8 AM start thankfully. Great to see Abbie Dow back after a horrific leg break 6 months ago, scoring on her return.

Looks like Waps are going under now, will this have a knock on effect due to teams missing games?

Gloucester have said that the cancelled Worcester game cost them circa £400k, so for the teams that have played neither them or Wasps at home yet will loose a lot in gate receipts. As a Tigers fan, the Wasps game not happening will mean we have no home game for 7 weeks.

The ENG v FRA crunch match next Saturday is an 8 AM start thankfully. Great to see Abbie Dow back after a horrific leg break 6 months ago, scoring on her return.

That and the AB's will be their biggest test, can't wait to watch it especially with the continuing form.

Wasps have gone too 😕
https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/12722978/wasps-gallagher-premiership-club-placed-into-administration

Finn Russel left out of Scotland squad for Autumn

And Biggar out for Wales, that can't be good.

And Biggar out for Wales, that can’t be good.

The difference being Bigger is injured.

I was thinking the same about sale as poster above this morning, it can’t be a sustainable model however much they pay in wages.
They still don’t own the ground, there’s no hotel, conferencing, casino or community use on the main pitch and if there is they don’t get the income. Realistically the crowds aren’t going to grow much. If the investors go bust or stop bank rolling them it’s over. Sale FC would become the only sale again.
I do like the idea of replacing cancelled games with exhibition games that might generate more interest ala saints v barbarians, I’d also watch tier 2 international v clubs

"Scotland" team to play Aus this weekend

Scotland: Ollie Smith, Darcy Graham, Mark Bennett, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Blair Kinghorn, Ali Price; Pierre Schoeman, Dave Cherry, Zander Fagerson, Sam Skinner, Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie (capt), Hamish Watson, Matt Fagerson.

Replacements: George Turner, Jamie Bhatti, WP Nel, Glen Young, Jack Dempsey, George Horne, Ross Thompson, Damien Hoyland

Watching the Japan-NZ game, NZ leading by 21-17 at half time, hoping Japan can keep this up. Christ, if someone had predicted 10 years ago that NZ would struggle against Japan, they would have been laughed at.

NZ women aren’t struggling against Wales however. It’s horribly one way.

LRZ is on fire at the moment (his tries at 03:18 and 76:50)

Is anyone going to the Scotland v Australia game? Scotland ranked 6th in the World, Australia 9th. Should be close?
Darcy Graham seems to have improved his overall game (to my uneducated eyes), I hope he has a good game today.
C’mon Scotland!

Wow!

This is going to be entertaining - really open

Well that ball bounced nicely! A good time for Scotland to score too.

Where is this being shown please?

Amazon Prime

All the Autumn internationals

Got it - thanks!

Funny game that in the end.

Yeah first 10 minutes offered do much

Yeah first 10 minutes offered do much

Indeed. All got a bit scrappy, with too many little errors. I guess down to lack of playing together? Scotland were lucky with some of the bounces, but let too many points go. Shame to lose so closely.

Kinghorn was one of the better players but overall Scotland seemed rudderless. Not much from Duhan or D'Arcy. Some handling errors. Not much from either team to worry teams ranked above them

Watching the England ladies performance in a downpour vs Australia, my god they make the mens team look terrible, they really are awesome players with weapons from 1-15.

All that while we await the impending disapointment of the next Eddie Jones "surprise" strategy.

FFS they have been fully pro for how long? Not the players fault but it is hardly a level playing field.