General Rugby Discussion 3

Lost Ormond · 24-11-2022 09:06PM

Better suited to here than Junior rugby/AIL threads...

Thoughts on this...

https://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/its-now-a-dog-eat-dog-approach-where-the-bigger-clubs-dont-care-if-they-put-someone-out-of-business/34836.htm

CIARAN_BOYLE · 24-11-2022 09:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917607#Comment_119917607

I was reading a discussion on a Welsh forum recently about Welsh problems.

A consensus that was reached was that the majority of WRU grants to amateur clubs (about 5 million per annum) was disappearing as boot money despite the clubs not being supposed to pay at all.

I don't want to say that lower league clubs can't pay players but I have to ask what they realistically expect to get from it. Its just a blackhole that will bankrupt junior clubs.

Red Silurian · 25-11-2022 10:06AM

Saw this earlier this am, politicians not happy about what happened at Worcester and Wasps.

One of the comments suggests an all-island league URC style competition would be a good idea for England/Scotland and Wales. Would be a strange one in my mind

https://www.the42.ie/english-rugby-5929621-Nov2022/

25-11-2022 10:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918904#Comment_119918904

One of the comments suggests an all-island league URC style competition would be a good idea for England/Scotland and Wales.

Wasn't this notion utterly dismissed by the CEO of Premiership Rugby as "not a current serious consideration", and unlikely to be seen in the next decade?

The RFU chief also said there haven't been any real or active discussions on the topic.

25-11-2022 11:36AM

Exceptionalism will only get you so far. The reality is the English clubs should probably be thinking about getting into the URC rather than Scottish and Welsh clubs leaving their fortunes completely up to chance in a mismanaged league.

Blut2 · 25-11-2022 03:01PM

We should swap the 4 Welsh teams for the top 4 English clubs. That would make everyone happy.

CatFromHue · 26-11-2022 12:43AM

The Welsh teams are away in SA this weekend and next. There's a good chance they won't win one game!

Burkie1203 · 26-11-2022 06:25PM

https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1596554586893975554?t=Wh8Svr2OLhlo0q2gFWGHVw&s=19

Sad news

CatFromHue · 26-11-2022 06:37PM

He was at one of the recent games and was looking very ill.

It's just a terrible illness.

blackwhite · 27-11-2022 01:50AM

A close friend lost his father to MND a few years ago. There came a point where the family knew it would be a release for him to reach the end point, no matter how painful it was for those left behind.

Seeing Doddie Weir at Murrayfield reminded me of the last time I saw my friends dad, maybe a month before he passed. Hopefully his family can remembering a good life well lived prior to his illness, knowing that there’s no more suffering

Red Silurian · 27-11-2022 10:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918954#Comment_119918954

Not sure if it was dismissed so I'll take your word on that.. If the 6 scottish/welsh teams were to join the 11 premiership sides you could feasibly create a league similar to the URC. I know that Dragons and Edinburgh are owned by their respective unions (possibly Glasgow as well) so I can see the English clubs being not too happy with that setup

Red Silurian · 27-11-2022 10:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119923170#Comment_119923170

Welsh and SA national teams both played over the weekend so what happened with the clubs was going to be a bit unpredictable

stephen_n · 28-11-2022 09:35AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119928951#Comment_119928951

It was dismissed in the same article it was mentioned in. The Premiership clubs won’t want less home games. Which is what happened with the pro 14 when it expanded. Also games against Dragons or Ospreys are unlikely to draw big crowds. There is very little if anything attractive about this for the English clubs.

Quin_Dub · 28-11-2022 10:28AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119929941#Comment_119929941

Welsh fans might travel to Bath/Exeter away games because they are sort of close , but they won't travel to many of the other games.

They barely make it to home games as it is.

28-11-2022 10:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119928951#Comment_119928951

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/tonights-rugby-news-anglo-welsh-25598808

One of the questions asked of was whether they saw any future in the proposal of an Anglo-Welsh league. Mr Massie-Taylor said: "It's not a current serious consideration." He then agreed it was not something fans would see in the next decade or so.

RFU boss Mr Sweeney said of the proposals, which surface from time to time: "I've heard it and I've seen it referenced but there haven't been any real active conversations about an Anglo-Welsh league.

stephen_n · 28-11-2022 12:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119930055#Comment_119930055

reminds me of this.

28-11-2022 12:06PM

Word online seems to be that Pivac is gone today.

If they go back to Gatland it's a real sign that they're completely out of ideas in Welsh rugby.

28-11-2022 12:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119930467#Comment_119930467

Yeah seems so. Pivac was supposed to go on a World Cup planning trip to France yesterday and pulled out of the trip.

Gatland on a 12-month deal is virtually guaranteed.

sydthebeat · 28-11-2022 01:23PM

the rugby world has progressed way beyond "warren ball", and that golden generation that Gatland had from 2012 onwards are on their last legs.

His grand slam in 2019 reminded me so much of Fergusons last premier league title in 2013, where weight of personality alone got the last drop of blood from the stone of declining players.

his time at the chiefs when he went back to NZ showed he struggles when he cannot apply the power game. His first season was a disaster with 0 wins from 8 games. A move upwards to DOR followed so its debatable if the upturn in performances which resulted in a second place Aotearoa and a 5th place finish in trans tasman were his results, or clayton mcmillians result, the new head coach.

Gatland would get them out of the pool, but a quarter final win against england is looking highly unlikely

Quin_Dub · 28-11-2022 01:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119930750#Comment_119930750

Don't disagree with any of that , but to be fair to Gatland he always seemed to get the Welsh playing above themselves - No matter how poorly the clubs teams were going , he managed to get them all to step up several notches when they played for him.

He is the definition of "caretaker manager" though - Bringing him in as he has coached the majority of the squad very recently and knows all the back-room details.

He'll get them playing with a bit more structure and a bit more bite and will make them harder to beat , but he won't make them any more likely to win against the Top 5/6 teams.

sydthebeat · 28-11-2022 02:33PM

yeah, i look at south africa and the rassie situation where he came in 18 months out and completely transformed that team.

i just don't think gatland has the raw material to change a lot of the on field personnel, and his go to guys are really pushing on in years. ive been personally saying for ages that their options at lock are pitifully poor. AWJ is still a good player but cannot offer the consistency needed for a 6n or rwc. If Adam Beard hadnt the physicality hed never have made it as an international rugby player. Theyve tried 5 different newly capped locks alongside Beard or AWJ underPivac and none have shown any consistency at test level, resulting in having to revert back to Jake Ball and Cory Hill.

id love to see Gatland come in for the novelty of it. But as you say i dont see him being able to make wales competitive in the next 6N or realistically at RWC 23. They wouldn't lose to Georgia or Italy under gatland though, but i dont think thats what the welsh public demand.

pickarooney · 28-11-2022 02:36PM

Eddie Jones to take over Wales?

sydthebeat · 28-11-2022 02:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119931020#Comment_119931020

theyd have to fold 2 teams to afford him 😅

stephen_n · 28-11-2022 03:20PM

I think with Rassie and SA, the raw materials were there. They were just really poorly coached. As highlighted, for Wales that simply isn’t true. If he could keep all of the old guard injury free. Gatland might be able to cobble together a team that could compete. The way England are playing at present. He might even be able to beat them in a quarter. Which would just paper over the massive cracks in Welsh Rugby.

30-11-2022 11:54AM

Seems ROG might have been playing some of his old Miami Dolphins tricks on La Rochelle by repeatedly talking up his interest in the England job, as it appears he is about to sign a 3-year extension at Stade Rochelais to take him out to 2027.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2022/11/30/ronan-ogara-set-to-extend-la-rochelle-stay-despite-england-links-reports/

Red Silurian · 30-11-2022 01:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119938850#Comment_119938850

One way to get the deal you want... ROG isn't the only one who does it in fairness

AbusesToilets · 30-11-2022 05:59PM

Hope he can coach Leinster in the future, think he'd be a great fit

molloyjh · 01-12-2022 12:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119940609#Comment_119940609

Not until he sorts out his behaviour. I doubt any Irish side will hire him until he stops getting banned for his reactions to match officials. He also has a bit of a history of responding to supporter criticism on social media in, let’s say, less than constructive ways.

Clegg · 01-12-2022 12:29AM

Still holding out for Tony Brown to one day join Leinster.

I just want to see madshit on the pitch.

Red Silurian · 01-12-2022 11:18AM

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2022/1130/1339263-epcr-optimistic-club-rugby-world-cup-will-happen/

Club World Cup drum being beaten again. Aussies and Kiwis want a slice of the European money without the risk that was taken in Europe back in the 90s

General Rugby Discussion 3

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