Gallagher Premiership 2018/2019

conor678

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/exclusive-obrien-set-for-big-money-move-to-london-irish

Prob posted on the Leinster thread but interesting rumours. Don't blame him if after the world cup he wants to too up the pension as it also gives an opportunity for the talent coming through in Leinster

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/london_informer/status/1095425181282168832?s=19

accensi0n

Hate to be a fullback facing a 2 on 1 of him and SOB.

Tigerandahalf

Owen Franks has joined Northampton, joining up with his brother Ben.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47240060

troyzer

I just saw the score of the Saints game. They absolutely disemboweled Sale.

67-15.

sydthebeat

Leicester gonna do an unlikely here away in satacens??

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1098510945117065218?s=19

sydthebeat

imagine tuilagi and vakatawa running at you full pelt........

Squidgy Black

Saracens are under investigation for salary cap breaches again, this time it turns out that Wray is "in business" with players (Wigglesworth, Farrell, and the Vunipola brothers), operating under names like "Faz Investments LTD", "Wiggy9 Investments Ltd" and "Vunprop Limited", as well as co-owning houses with Saracens players.

Zzippy

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Saracens are under investigation for salary cap breaches again, this time it turns out that Wray is "in business" with players (Wigglesworth, Farrell, and the Vunipola brothers), operating under names like "Faz Investments LTD", "Wiggy9 Investments Ltd" and "Vunprop Limited", as well as co-owning houses with Saracens players.

Well I never! I'm shocked. Shocked I tell you!

Former Former

There isn't necessarily anything wrong with that.

If you were trying to hide illegal payments to a player, would you set the company up as 'Vunprop Investments' and declare yourself and him as shareholders??

Saracens are under investigation by the Daily Mail btw. There is no suggestion that Premiership Rugby are investigating.

Buer

Indeed. A lot of unanswered questions here. Saracens say they've declared all relevant information to the league regarding salary cap information. If they're being truthful, that means this is either part of the declared salary or it's outside the remit of the salary cap.

This sort of stuff has gone on since the game went professional and will continue to go on. There were always all sorts of tricks to get around things such as employing family members, providing accommodation etc.

troyzer

Buer wrote: »

Indeed. A lot of unanswered questions here. Saracens say they've declared all relevant information to the league regarding salary cap information. If they're being truthful, that means this is either part of the declared salary or it's outside the remit of the salary cap.

This sort of stuff has gone on since the game went professional and will continue to go on. There were always all sorts of tricks to get around things such as employing family members, providing accommodation etc.

It's been going on since before the game went professional. They didn't call if shamateurism for nothing.

Burkie1203

Low blow

https://twitter.com/leictigress/status/1109487827845292033?s=19

Squatter

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Low blow

https://twitter.com/leictigress/status/1109487827845292033?s=19

She must have stopped watching the game at half time (as did I!) - because in fairness to Leicester, they won the second half 12 - 9 and managed to stop the Saints from getting the bonus point try!

OldRio

Squatter wrote: »

She must have stopped watching the game at half time (as did I!) - because in fairness to Leicester, they won the second half 12 - 9 and managed to stop the Saints from getting the bonus point try!

Northampton kicked their penalties instead of going to the corners in the second half. Leicester were brutal to be honest.

Clegg

According to teh Daily Mail Leicester have appointed Mike Ford as head coach. Will start on Monday. They're currently 10th in the premiership, 5 points off bottom and with the worst points difference in the league. They're in very real danger of being relegated.

This is a team that have made bad decision after bad decision. Appointed MoC as head coached and when he predictably bombed they followed bad with bad by appointing Geordan Murphy as boss.

Squatter

Clegg wrote: »

This is a team that have made bad decision after bad decision. Appointed MoC as head coached and when he predictably bombed they followed bad with bad by appointing Geordan Murphy as boss.

A club, not a team! The team is guilty of many crimes, but it doesn't appoint its own coaches! Although given the ongoing incompetence of the Leicester Brains Trust, maybe it should!

My opinion of Mike Ford is coloured by the fact that he drove the excellent Gary Gold out of Bath - at this stage, he appears to be part of a family package; originally, you signed him to get his sons, now you sign the sons and dad comes along soon afterwards! I wish him well as I wouldn't like to see a once great club like the Tigers going down.

The appointment of Geordie was a laudable, albeit naive, attempt to restore the winning Leicester culture. I was surprised that he took the job, as it was pretty evident that the team - and quite possibly the club - is in free fall. No longer have they the financial clout, nor the status, to attract top level players. (I wonder will Noel Reid reconsider signing for them if they are relegated. )

troyzer

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/saracens-agree-five-year-deal-to-use-tottenham-s-new-stadium-1.3846777

Burkie1203

Tigers getting humped by Exeter. They are going down

Squatter

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Tigers getting humped by Exeter. They are going down

Given that Matt O'Connor was sacked after a 40 - 6 away drubbing by the Chiefs, presumably Geordie M will be on his way following a 52 - 20 home drubbing by the same team!

A really good game to watch; far better then the turgid tripe currently being served up by Connacht - shame about the red card for Youngs, but the ref was right.

sydthebeat

Squatter wrote: »

Given that Matt O'Connor was sacked after a 40 - 6 away drubbing by the Chiefs, presumably Geordie M will be on his way following a 52 - 20 home drubbing by the same team!

A really good game to watch; far better then the turgid tripe currently being served up by Connacht - shame about the red card for Youngs, but the ref was right.

They've already brought Mike Ford in take over.

Squatter

sydthebeat wrote: »

They've already brought Mike Ford in take over.

True. Clever of Tigers to scrap the Lada and replace it with a shiny new Trabant!

Former Former

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Tigers getting humped by Exeter. They are going down

Bristol and Worcester both lost so that was something, but you'd have to wonder what is going on at Tigers.

Appointing Murphy was an odd call. They had Cockerill who was Leicester to the core. Then Mauger was promoted from within but he didn't work out, so they brought back former coach MOC. He didn't pan out so they turned to Murphy whose only real qualification was being a lifelong Leicester man and it hasn't worked.

So now Ford is in as "consultant coach". No connection with Tigers, oh yeah, apart from having two sons on the playing roster. And Murphy is still in charge.

Could they not look for a genuine outsider to come in and shake things up?

sydthebeat

i still dont think they will go down....

its their defense thats letting them down seriously, and that can be tweaked with system changes, which no doubt mike ford is brought in for.

of their 4 remaining games, they play their relegation competitors in 2, away to newcastle this friday, and the following week home to bristiol.

newcastle look strong favs to go down, as they face saints (fighting for champions cup place), Gloucester home and away, before being at home against Bristol... but they may already be gone down at that stage.

irishbucsfan

Bloody relegation making the bottom of the premiership all interesting and actually giving those games meaning!

They need to get rid of that asap

Digifriendly

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Bloody relegation making the bottom of the premiership all interesting and actually giving those games meaning!

They need to get rid of that asap

To be fair every game at present seems to have something riding on it as it is very tight in terms of points especially just below the top 2 where just 9 points separate 3rd from 8th. So Champions Cup qualification as well as 2 play off places are wide open. Agree with you though (as long as I'm interpreting your sarcasm correctly) that relegation is an important element of the excitement.

OldRio

Northampton v Glocester is a bit mad. Defence optional.

Jewelers

micko sherry on

Squatter

OldRio wrote: »

Northampton v Glocester is a bit mad. Defence optional.

The Saints defence coach should be getting worried: that's over 100 points and 14 tries conceded in their past two games.

Great games to watch all the same -- although far too many injuries and HIAs for my liking.

Maxwell-Keyes is a pretty poor ref - almost as bad as Clancy.