General Rugby Discussion 3

Arrested a few hours before he was due in court on a separate charge of domestic abuse.

The man is a danger to his family and to himself.

I cant remember if someone else mentioned it on here before, but found this interesting:

https://www.balls.ie/rugby/johnny-sexton-south-africa-trip-610124?fbclid=IwY2xjawFOMtlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbqylUa5GLiLrsE-O2Yz9IQSsxs0tr0Dy3AuNruidVdEV9XaeMMIFobBRA_aem_8jzNsUenCDhy7GXNIAvh8Q

Sexton in SA last weekend to watch SA vs NZ in Cape Town, but its his first time in SA, even though he played rugby for 17 years.

Article mentions he missed the 2016 tour to SA due to a shoulder injury in the Pro12 final just before. And then wasnt picked for the 2021 Lions tour. And I guess never toured with Leinster either in the 2 seasons of URC that the SA sides joined while he was playing.

The **** is happening to the Rugby championship for 26,28 and 30 ?

Turning into a farce and really dismissing Argentina and the Aussies

I dont think they know themselves. And I dont like it.

Look at Argentina, beating NZ, beating Aus, maybe even a win against SA on the cards in the next couple weeks. Playing less against NZ and SA wont help them at all. Where do they go then? Play against Uruguay, USA and Canada? Rugby moving to time zone based competitions instead of north and south?

I also dont fancy SA vs NZ 4 games against each other every second year, with other games inbetween also, NZ vs URC sides etc. And still playing alternating years regular Rugby Championship games too. Think it will lose some of its magic if we play each other so often.

I could be wrong, it happens sometimes.

If the South American teams continue to develop, it could become a feasible prospect. You could have a pretty decent pacific competition between NZ, Aus, Japan, Fiji, and maybe some of the other PI teams. In the long run, it would probably be better for the sport, but everything revolves around chasing the cash.

If time zones are the deciding factor then idk how US and Argentina can be lumped in with Aus/NZ/Pacific Islands. Samoa furthest to the east is currently just after 6am tuesday morning. Perth the furthest west are just after 1am tuesday morning. 5 hours not too bad. But then you go US and its anything between 1pm monday afternoon on the east coast or 10am monday morning on the west coast. Think it might be even worse than the 6-9 hours difference between SA and Aus/NZ.

The Americas should be developed amongb themselves. Could see a set up where the MLR serves north America, with an equivalent in the south. Have them complete in a HC style cup. Build a proper age enduring international competition

Yea, I'm honestly surprised that WR didn't insist on reform for the US Union (along with the Canadian one) as part of them getting the WC. I hope the high profile of the 7s team currently can be used to push for change.

Not arguing the validity of having SA and their clubs in Europe instead of Aus/NZ/Pacific, I agree with that.

But I dont agree with your argument that NZ/Aus are only 5 hours behind the US and should be in with them.

Auckland is 19 hours ahead of Los Angeles, not 5 hours behind. So if a game is scheduled for 17:00 on a saturday afternoon in Auckland it will be 22:00 friday evening in Los Angeles, or 01:00 saturday on the US east coast. Or other way around, if a game is on at 17:00 saturday on the US west coast its noon sunday in NZ, or even earlier in Aus.

Its not much better for the players either. Leave on a non-stop flight at 16:00 from Auckland, fly for over 12 hours, and get to LAX at 08:00 the same day, actually going 7 or 8 hours back in time. Sure if you can get proper sleep for most of those 12 hours then its grand, but I somehow doubt these clubs are flying first class.

Coming from LAX back to Auckland isnt much better, leave 20:00 from LAX and you get to Auckland 12 hours later at 05:00am, but its 2 days later, not just the next day.

Its not impossible, would be a massive scheduling headache I would imagine, but just wont be any better than having SA as part of the Aus/Nz competition.

The national stadium

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guam_National_Football_Stadium#/media/File:Guam_National_Football_Stadium.jpg

from BBC Sport

Scotland legend John Jeffrey said he feels "hurt, bitter and betrayed" as the former flanker ended his bid to become chairman of World Rugby after failing to secure the support of his own union.

Jeffrey is the vice-chairman of the game's governing body and was considered the favourite to succeed Sir Bill Beaumont as head of World Rugby in November.

But the 65-year-old, one of the stars of Scotland's 1990 Grand Slam-winning team, was informed on Friday that Scottish Rugby would not be backing his candidacy.

Jeffrey was chairman of the Scottish Rugby Limited Board from 2020-23 and was told various aspects of his performance in that role were the reasons he could not be supported in his bid to be chair of World Rugby.

"I'm very bitter. I'm very upset - very, very upset. To be beaten by your own country really, really hurts," he told BBC Sport Scotland.

"It came as a huge shock. It doesn't reflect well on us as a country. People are now laughing at us - 'you said you were standing and now you're not'.

"I don't know if they are laughing at me or if they're laughing at Scottish Rugby, but they're certainly laughing. It does not reflect well on the [SRU] board.

In light of Scottish Rugby's decision, Jeffrey is resigning as president of the Six Nations and as an executive board member, council member and vice-chairman of World Rugby.

He is retiring from all rugby union administration in order to return to his farm in Kelso in the Borders.

His withdrawal means the race for arguably the most powerful role in the game is down to former France back row Abdelatif Benazzi, ex-Australia flanker Brett Robinson and professor Andrea Rinaldo, the former Italy lock.

Out with the dinosaurs please.

Not sure how the Tmo didn't call back that last tackle by NZ looked to me like initial hit by savea was shoulder to the head and TJ looked high aswell joining in before he got on the ball.