General Rugby Discussion II

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/WalesRugby/status/1194208509535100931?s=19

Clegg

Looks like Davies suffered a ligament injury in the pool stages, but played two further games. Tough man, but he's paying for it now. Patchell is probably out of the 6 Nations too. Couple that with Anscombe's serious injury and Wales are down to Dan Biggar at 10. A good player, but one who is wholly unsuited to Wayne Pivac's style of play.

Jonathan Davies and Rhys Patchell both need surgery after sustaining injuries at the Rugby World Cup and face lengthy spells on the sidelines.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced the news in a statement, with Davies set to be out for more than six months because of a left knee injury suffered against Fiji.

The centre missed the quarter-final against France but returned for the semi-final against South Africa and the third-place play-off against New Zealand, playing the full 80 minutes on both occasions.

However, he wore heavy strapping and it has now been revealed that the injury he sustained is a serious one.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/nov/12/wales-lose-injured-centre-jonathan-davies-six-months-rhys-patchell-rugby-union

Clegg

Heyneke Meyer has resigned from his position as Stade Francis head coach. The team is bottom of the Top 14 and seven points behind second last place.

Squidgy Black

Clegg wrote: »

Heyneke Meyer has resigned from his position as Stade Francis head coach. The team is bottom of the Top 14 and seven points behind second last place.

Hans-Peter Wild gave them the largest budget of the league, 40 million, and they've really squandered it. Steyn came out in the papers a couple of days ago saying the internal squabbles are getting out of hand and the players and staff are clashing big time.

sydthebeat

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Hans-Peter Wild gave them the largest budget of the league, 40 million, and they've really squandered it. Steyn came out in the papers a couple of days ago saying the internal squabbles are getting out of hand and the players and staff are clashing big time.

Meyer is supposed to be a bit of a bollox.

And I don't think POC was too impressed with them either during his very short stint

Squidgy Black

sydthebeat wrote: »

Meyer is supposed to be a bit of a bollox.

And I don't think POC was too impressed with them either during his very short stint

Yeah I heard POC and Meyer clashed a few times and POC was quite frustrated with him, Prendergast left around the same time too.

They escaped relegation by a ball hair in 2017, I don't think they'll be that lucky this season.

They've sacked more or less the entire backroom staff as well, Pieter De Villiers, Dewald Senekal, John MacFarland and Ricardo Loubsche are all gone alongside Meyer with Sempere and Arias taking over.

DelBoy Trotter

His first in depth interview since the points deduction/fine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DborBnWqJgA

sydthebeat

^

playing a bit of a sympathy card at the start, talking of possible job losses etc...
but that shows a marked disconnect from persons who made have lost their jobs with saracens competitors over the last 3 / 4 seasons, due to not reaching season goals......

it will be VERY interesting if they do not look for a review by saturday (i think)

Quin_Dub

sydthebeat wrote: »

^

playing a bit of a sympathy card at the start, talking of possible job losses etc...
but that shows a marked disconnect from persons who made have lost their jobs with saracens competitors over the last 3 / 4 seasons, due to not reaching season goals......

it will be VERY interesting if they do not look for a review by saturday (i think)

Hard to swallow the poor mouth, when they are still hiring players?

With the cash-strapped Stormers continuing to struggle to hold onto all their high-profile stars, it has now been revealed that talented young utility forward Cobus Wiese is in advanced negotiations with Premiership giants Saracens to sign a five-year deal with the European champions – which would see him qualify to play for England.

irishbucsfan

Yep, for all the talk of how unfair it is it’s very interesting how there’s been no appeal yet...

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Yep, for all the talk of how unfair it is it’s very interesting how there’s been no appeal yet...

Yeah, they are obviously having a hard time putting a case together that they feel will be strong enough. I'd have thought they'd have been able to do that relatively quickly if they did indeed have legal advice supporting them plus precedent to fall back on.

sydthebeat

molloyjh wrote: »

Yeah, they are obviously having a hard time putting a case together that they feel will be strong enough. I'd have thought they'd have been able to do that relatively quickly if they did indeed have legal advice supporting them plus precedent to fall back on.

appears so...

there are aspects of the report that they have fully admitted guilt to... so maybe they are finding it hard to untangle some weaves.

molloyjh

sydthebeat wrote: »

appears so...

there are aspects of the report that they have fully admitted guilt to... so maybe they are finding it hard to untangle some weaves.

Possibly. Or maybe they are learning the hard way that legal advice means feck all when its challenged. I've worked compliance projects a fair bit and legal opinions can sometimes change with the wind if they are pushed.

Exclamation Marc

Great (and entertaining) interview with Wayne Barnes on PlanetRugby.

https://www.planetrugby.com/exclusive-wayne-barnes-on-japan-the-past-and-his-future/

prawnsambo

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Great (and entertaining) interview with Wayne Barnes on PlanetRugby.

https://www.planetrugby.com/exclusive-wayne-barnes-on-japan-the-past-and-his-future/

Great to hear he's not retiring after all. Wonder where that rumour started?

Podge_irl

prawnsambo wrote: »

Great to hear he's not retiring after all. Wonder where that rumour started?

From him...

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/29/wayne-barnes-rugby-referee-retiring-tmo

blackwhite

Have to wonder if he was thinking of retirement based on getting the RWC Final, but when Jones & friends scuppered his chances he's decided to keep going in hope of going out on a high further down the line?

sydthebeat

blackwhite wrote: »

Have to wonder if he was thinking of retirement based on getting the RWC Final, but when Jones & friends scuppered his chances he's decided to keep going in hope of going out on a high further down the line?

he should keep going.. he has plenty of years ahead of him

blackwhite

No reason why he can’t be on the field in France 2023.

He’s improved immensely in the past few years, and has a lot to offer for some time yet

Podge_irl

Him continuing on is great news. Comfortably the best ref around at the moment to me.

swiwi_

...Mako Vunipola is surprisingly very very bright...

(cf Indo summary of Gatland interview)

Clegg

Shaun Edwards is the new France defence coach. That's a game changer for the 6 Nations. Wales won a Grand Slam off the back of an excellent defensive structure. If he can impose that discipline on the French behemoth pack every other nation will be in big trouble.

sydthebeat

Clegg wrote: »

Shaun Edwards is the new France defence coach. That's a game changer for the 6 Nations. Wales won a Grand Slam off the back of an excellent defensive structure. If he can impose that discipline on the French behemoth pack every other nation will be in big trouble.

they are hosting england in the first round... and if they catch england cold they definitely have a great chance of winning the competition.

wales will be a bit unknown... some serious injuries already... and who knows how the new coaching team will bed down.

England obvious favourites as they are at home to both wales and ireland.

ireland... who knows ?? sort of the same as wales without the serious injury part.

Shefwedfan

Edwards is great addition to France but he will get no time with players till the 6 nations. I know he is good but I doubt he will be able to implement a short time.

They have a plan since they wont the hosting of the WC to win it. Maybe they could do something this year but I can't see it. They will become better over the next few years

jr86

Early days but hard enough to look past an England Grand slam, they will have the most continuity in their side, and the two toughest matches at home.

Paris may actually be their toughest obstacle though

ScrubsfanChris

Baabaas v Fiji is a 2:30pm kick off Saturday on BBC One

Hard to see myself wathcing it over Champions Cup but if might fill the gap a bit between Bath/Ulster and La Rochelle/Exeter

sydthebeat

According to scotty stevenson.


AB coach job looking like a three horse race:

Scott Robertson
Jamie Joseph
Ian Foster

December 12 announcement.

Dubinusa

I reckon Joseph. Just a guess.

pappyodaniel

Oh to hear Shaun Edwards speaking French in his strong Wigan accent will be magnifique!

Dave_The_Sheep

I thought Foster was the heir apparent, no?