General Rugby Discussion II

Interested Observer

Speaking of French 10s, Clermont have shipped so many injuries to their 10s this season that Isaia Toeava was named at 10 for the game against Saracens.

Interesting we story from Gatland - apologies if already posted:

Clegg

Faletau was injured his knee in Baths defeat to Toulon yesterday. They aren't sure how bad it is yet but they fear it's serious.

Burkie1203

Clegg wrote: »

Faletau was injured his knee in Baths defeat to Toulon yesterday. They aren't sure how bad it is yet but they fear it's serious.

Third time this year he has had a knee ligament injury

thomond2006

Clegg wrote: »

Faletau was injured his knee in Baths defeat to Toulon yesterday. They aren't sure how bad it is yet but they fear it's serious.

Wales will already be without Ball, Warburton and Jon Davies.

Buer

Keith Wood looks extremely uncomfortable in that clip...

Interested Observer

Buer wrote: »

Keith Wood looks extremely uncomfortable in that clip...

It's a good few years back now but I can remember Wood really laying into Gatland on OTB before, they were doing a retrospective on Irish rugby in the pro era and he seemed to be a large part of the reason Gatland was ditched.

Buer

Interested Observer wrote: »

It's a good few years back now but I can remember Wood really laying into Gatland on OTB before, they were doing a retrospective on Irish rugby in the pro era and he seemed to be a large part of the reason Gatland was ditched.

It was believed that he led the player movement that saw EOS appointed and Gatland ditched undeservedly.

The look on his face in the clip is of a man desperately trying to figure out where the story is going.

CatFromHue

OTB have put a few clips up on their youtube page and there's an element of awkwardness in every one of them.

I'm not sure exactly what they were thinking but it was never going to be a laugh a min show with those 3 guys who have a bit of a history.

irishbucsfan

This whole SRU buying Worcester thing is quite interesting. I'm not sure I can see it actually going through, but already Worcester fans seem pretty appalled at the idea of them becoming a feeder team to the Scottish national team

razorblunt

thomond2006 wrote: »

Wales will already be without Ball, Warburton and Jon Davies.

Wales didn't have any Balls when playing for Howley anyway.

razorblunt

irishbucsfan wrote: »

This whole SRU buying Worcester thing is quite interesting. I'm not sure I can see it actually going through, but already Worcester fans seem pretty appalled at the idea of them becoming a feeder team to the Scottish national team

Edinburgh are equally distraught, they fall further down the order.
They're already behind Glasgow, London Scottish, Currie RFC, Melrose u-12s Girls Team, and the RBS Summer Tag Rugby team.

irishbucsfan

razorblunt wrote: »

Edinburgh are equally distraught, they fall further down the order.
They're already behind Glasgow, London Scottish, Currie RFC, Melrose u-12s Girls Team, and the RBS Summer Tag Rugby team.

Forgot the Melrose 7s side, their event is probably the most relevant Scottish rugby manages to get on the calendar!

razorblunt

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Forgot the Melrose 7s side, their event is probably the most relevant Scottish rugby manages to get on the calendar!

Yes, of course!

irishbucsfan

Jim Mallinder sacked.

Well... that was drawn out! Could have happened a year ago!

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Jim Mallinder sacked.

Well... that was drawn out! Could have happened a year ago!

So now they need to replace him mid-season. Talk about making life harder on yourselves than you need to....

errlloyd

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Jim Mallinder sacked.

Well... that was drawn out! Could have happened a year ago!

Do you think he's a good coach that had gone stale? Like a Cockeril or Lancaster he could find himself in the Pro14?

Tom Mann Centuria

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Jim Mallinder sacked.

Well... that was drawn out! Could have happened a year ago!

One of the rich old boys must have found the money in the back of the sofa to pay him off.

I'll be sorry to see him go, I liked the fact he had the Saints playing nearly as badly as the Town football team are.


Club statement.
https://t.co/yWyhaesHRj?amp=1

irishbucsfan

errlloyd wrote: »

Do you think he's a good coach that had gone stale? Like a Cockeril or Lancaster he could find himself in the Pro14?

He was there 10 years and was a darling when he brought them to the European final... But I think there were always flaws there and the game has passed him by. I think he could do well elsewhere but I don't think he'll ever be an elite coach.

But who do you replace him with? Lancaster? They need someone much more pragmatic and technical to turn them around.

prawnsambo

molloyjh wrote: »

So now they need to replace him mid-season. Talk about making life harder on yourselves than you need to....

They may have been lining someone else up for a while. It's not as though Saints have suddenly got bad, the writing's been on the wall for Mallinder for a while now.

Time will tell. Who's free at the moment? EOS?

FACECUTTR

prawnsambo wrote: »

They may have been lining someone else up for a while. It's not as though Saints have suddenly got bad, the writing's been on the wall for Mallinder for a while now.

Time will tell. Who's free at the moment? EOS?

Sure he's only down the road ish......

Personally I think Rob Baxter is the best coach in the premiership at the moment. I'd have him ahead of McCall and maybe even Jones. He'd be my ideal replacement for Schmidt as I find the two very similar and recent interviews posted here have only reinforced that opinion.

Buer

Faletau confirmed out until March at least. That's him, Warburton, Jon Davies and Jake Ball all out. If Ross Moriarty doesn't make it back soon, they could be in real difficulty in the back row for the 6N.

I'm not sure what sort of back row they'd put out. Tipuric, Lydiate and Navidi potentially and Tupuric hasn't played in 2 months at this stage.

Buer

Buer wrote: »

Faletau confirmed out until March at least. That's him, Warburton, Jon Davies and Jake Ball all out. If Ross Moriarty doesn't make it back soon, they could be in real difficulty in the back row for the 6N.

I'm not sure what sort of back row they'd put out. Tipuric, Lydiate and Navidi potentially and Tupuric hasn't played in 2 months at this stage.

Still a fairly decent back row.

Bazzo

Always thought Navidi was criminally underused by Wales. He's always been an annoying bollox to play against, perfect 7.

Interested Observer

There's a blindside at the Dragons, name escapes me at the moment, who is pretty decent whenever I've seen him.

swiwi_

Congratulations Beauden Barrett on being named NZ Rugby player of the year!

What do you mean "he wasn't"? But he was World Rugby player of the year, surely that makes him automatically NZ rugby player of the year too?

Oh, I see. Well you can't have it all, but at least he was nominated!

What do you mean "he wasn't"? You're telling me the World Rugby player of the year couldn't even make the nomination for NZ rugby player of the year?

But what is up with World Rugby? They usually get these things right - I mean Brian O'Driscoll got the award in 2009, and Jerome Kaino in 2011 for example.

What do you mean "they didn't"?

Oh I see. Well who did get NZ Rugby player of the year then? Let me guess - Rieko Ioane!

Not him either?!



(congratulations to Sam Whitelock )

prawnsambo

swiwi_ wrote: »

(congratulations to Sam Whitelock )

Is that a bit like getting the Oscar for never having got an Oscar and we'd like to make up for it now?

Tadhg Furlong is the best player in the world.

And he easily has the best fashion sense.

FACECUTTR

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Tadhg Furlong is the best player in the world.

And he easily has the best fashion sense.

Farm chic !