The Official English Rugby Thread

[SaintK]

Sarries takeover confirmed as complete today

The Premiership club announced the takeover in October with Saracens owner Nigel Wray agreeing to sell his controlling stake in the club. A club statement said on Wednesday: “The board of Saracens Group Holdings Limited is pleased to announce the completion of the previously announced transaction regarding the refinancing of the group and the acquisition of a controlling stake in the group by Kimono House Limited.

“This follows the receipt of the various approvals required (including from the RFU, PRL and the London Borough of Barnet). The group includes Saracens Rugby Club, Saracens Mavericks Limited (the owner of the Saracens Mavericks netball team), and Saracens Copthall LLP (the owner of the StoneX Stadium). Kimono House is owned by a consortium of investors including Dominic Silvester, Neil Golding, Nick Leslau, Paul O’Shea, Francois Pienaar and Marco Masotti.”

[Kawazaki]

Leslau has been a shareholder at Saracens nearly as long as Wray has. In fact, bar Masotti, I think all them have been investors for years. Pienaar might even have got some equity as part of his playing contact over 20 years ago?

[sockwithaticket]

Wasps v Quins tomorrow

Wasps


Unavailable (10): Alfie Barbeary, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Frost, Francois Hougaard, Zach Kibirige, Joe Launchbury, Rodrigo Martinez, Matteo Minozzi, Brad Shields, Thomas Young

Jack is back, baby!

Honestly, based on what Blackett was saying at the last injury update I read a couple of weeks ago I didn't think either Willis would be ready for this game and we get both of them

The unavailable list still has a lot of names on it that we'd rather have available, but that looks a handy team.

If we hadn't played like absolute spackers in the last couple of rounds and won despite ourselves, I'd be pretty confident


Quins


Back row aside, that looks a strong team to me. Surprised Edwards starts ahead of Allan. Marler will be a big test for Alo who's come on leaps and bounds recently.

[JM2K6]

We have two tightheads on the bench

Dreadful 7+8 but can't argue with Marler and Collier being back. Huw Jones at 13 makes me weep. Decent options on the bench though, Lawday and Chisholm both making their way back, Louw getting a bit more time.

[Margin__Walker]

LI v Sarries teams for tomorrow

1 Mako Vunipola (c)
2 Tom Woolstencroft
3 Vincent Koch
4 Nick Isiekwe
5 Tim Swinson
6 Theo McFarland
7 Ben Earl
8 Billy Vunipola
9 Ivan van Zyl
10 Manu Vunipola
11 Alex Lewington
12 Dom Morris
13 Alex Lozowski
14 Rotimi Segun
15 Alex Goode

Replacements:
16 Kapeli Pifeleti
17 Eroni Mawi
18 Sam Wainwright
19 Andy Christie
20 Jackson Wray
21 Ruben de Haas
22 Nick Tompkins
23 Sean Maitland

[Margin__Walker]

We have two tightheads on the bench

Dreadful 7+8 but can't argue with Marler and Collier being back. Huw Jones at 13 makes me weep. Decent options on the bench though, Lawday and Chisholm both making their way back, Louw getting a bit more time.

Archie White is one of those guys, that despite making 50 appearances for a prem club, you (well people that don't pay attention like me anyway) have to google to see what they look like.

[Hal Jordan]

We have two tightheads on the bench

Dreadful 7+8 but can't argue with Marler and Collier being back. Huw Jones at 13 makes me weep. Decent options on the bench though, Lawday and Chisholm both making their way back, Louw getting a bit more time.

Huw Jones joins the pantheon of Quins centres that make you think, "How the fuck has this guy got Test caps? And double figures worth of them?"

Other members include Viliame Satala, De Wet Barry and Hal Luscombe.

[Woddy]

We have two tightheads on the bench

Dreadful 7+8 but can't argue with Marler and Collier being back. Huw Jones at 13 makes me weep. Decent options on the bench though, Lawday and Chisholm both making their way back, Louw getting a bit more time.

Huw Jones joins the pantheon of Quins centres that make you think, "How the fuck has this guy got Test caps? And double figures worth of them?"

Other members include Viliame Satala, De Wet Barry and Hal Luscombe.

What's gone wrong with Huw Jones? He was the Bright, Young Thing not too long ago, tearing it up for fun.

[sockwithaticket]

His reputation has largely been built on reeiving a dynamite pass from Finn Russell in a Scotland - England game the former won.

That's quite a while ago now Can't say I've seen much from him in a Scotland shirt or a Quins one since then to justify the rep.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

We have two tightheads on the bench

Dreadful 7+8 but can't argue with Marler and Collier being back. Huw Jones at 13 makes me weep. Decent options on the bench though, Lawday and Chisholm both making their way back, Louw getting a bit more time.

Huw Jones joins the pantheon of Quins centres that make you think, "How the fuck has this guy got Test caps? And double figures worth of them?"

Other members include Viliame Satala, De Wet Barry and Hal Luscombe.

What's gone wrong with Huw Jones? He was the Bright, Young Thing not too long ago, tearing it up for fun.

Good skills, bad decision making including, but not limited to - white line fever, dumb penalties, running away from support, bad defensive positioning etc. etc.

[JM2K6]

We have two tightheads on the bench

Dreadful 7+8 but can't argue with Marler and Collier being back. Huw Jones at 13 makes me weep. Decent options on the bench though, Lawday and Chisholm both making their way back, Louw getting a bit more time.

Archie White is one of those guys, that despite making 50 appearances for a prem club, you (well people that don't pay attention like me anyway) have to google to see what they look like.

I'm reasonably sure he's only kept around to keep his girlfriend happy (Jess Breach of Quins and England fame)

[Margin__Walker]

We have two tightheads on the bench

Dreadful 7+8 but can't argue with Marler and Collier being back. Huw Jones at 13 makes me weep. Decent options on the bench though, Lawday and Chisholm both making their way back, Louw getting a bit more time.

Archie White is one of those guys, that despite making 50 appearances for a prem club, you (well people that don't pay attention like me anyway) have to google to see what they look like.

I'm reasonably sure he's only kept around to keep his girlfriend happy (Jess Breach of Quins and England fame)

MOM performance incoming.

[Ovals]

Wasps v Quins tomorrow

Wasps


Unavailable (10): Alfie Barbeary, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Frost, Francois Hougaard, Zach Kibirige, Joe Launchbury, Rodrigo Martinez, Matteo Minozzi, Brad Shields, Thomas Young

Jack is back, baby!

Honestly, based on what Blackett was saying at the last injury update I read a couple of weeks ago I didn't think either Willis would be ready for this game and we get both of them

The unavailable list still has a lot of names on it that we'd rather have available, but that looks a handy team.

If we hadn't played like absolute spackers in the last couple of rounds and won despite ourselves, I'd be pretty confident


Quins


Back row aside, that looks a strong team to me. Surprised Edwards starts ahead of Allan. Marler will be a big test for Alo who's come on leaps and bounds recently.

Wonderful to see Jack Willis back in the matchday squad - starting XV is much better than I'd feared - whether it'll be good enough is doubtful but they should be in with a shout.

Our squad is starting to look pretty handy now that we're getting players back from long term injuries. I hope we're not losing Launchbury and Alfie just to see them left out of Englands match day squad against Wales. With Lawes now fit again, and certain to play @ 6, I'm not sure that Alfie will figure - he'd make an fantastic bench option though.

[ASMO]

Bristol are a bit of a car crash at the moment, Semi seems to have lost interest, either that or teams have just worked him out.

[Slick]

His reputation has largely been built on reeiving a dynamite pass from Finn Russell in a Scotland - England game the former won.

That's quite a while ago now Can't say I've seen much from him in a Scotland shirt or a Quins one since then to justify the rep.

He did quite a bit more than that to be fair to him. For a couple of seasons he was almost unplayable. Then. God knows.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

8 degrees and 80% chance of rain. Motivation to cycle to the Stoop is a little low right now,

[SaintK]

Bristol are a bit of a car crash at the moment, Semi seems to have lost interest, either that or teams have just worked him out.

Yep he appears well off where he was last season!
Thought Worcester were well worth their win though.

[petej]

Bristol are a bit of a car crash at the moment, Semi seems to have lost interest, either that or teams have just worked him out.

Yep he appears well off where he was last season!
Thought Worcester were well worth their win though.

I genuinely think it is a good thing that the premiership is so competitive. I know it will hurt us in Europe comp but better to have domestic comp in good health than a comp that is dominated by a team favoured by a national union.

[Happyhooker]

Oh shit, just realised that the wasps/quins game isn't the televised one.

Do I remember someone mentioning a russian solution to this problem?

[Raggs]

Oh shit, just realised that the wasps/quins game isn't the televised one.

Do I remember someone mentioning a russian solution to this problem?

Taken from the Wasps forum, hope it works: https://vk.com/video/@rugbyonsofa?z=vid ... 0149158_-2

[Happyhooker]

Ta muchly

[Happyhooker]

V good feed so far, but fuck, cruse off in under a minute

[Paddington Bear]

Bath really are wank, wish they’d stop televising them

[petej]

Bath really are wank, wish they’d stop televising them

Bit too easy for Tigers.

[Paddington Bear]

… and then they go and do that. Excellent try

[sockwithaticket]

Dumb by Odogwu to hold on after the knock on and concede the pen. Cracking finish from Beard.

[petej]

… and then they go and do that. Excellent try

Our comments led to a generous bounce on that kick

[Paddington Bear]

… and then they go and do that. Excellent try

Our comments led to a generous bounce on that kick

Normal service resumed

[Raggs]

Dumb by Odogwu to hold on after the knock on and concede the pen. Cracking finish from Beard.

So often the ref just gives the knock on in those situations, when it's wrong, the pen is the right call. Just another of those times that it seems to be Wasps that they get it right :D

[sockwithaticket]

That was frustratingly pedestrian attack at times.

[sockwithaticket]

Lots of posession and nothing to show for it.

[Kawazaki]

Why on earth don't referees allow tackled players to place the ball? The contact area is so biased in the tackler's favour that it's little wonder teams kick so much.

[Raggs]

Lots of posession and nothing to show for it.

Frustrating that we couldn't do more with it then, needed someone to run a hard line. That said, Tom Willis has been immense so far!

[petej]

… and then they go and do that. Excellent try

Our comments led to a generous bounce on that kick

Normal service resumed

Tigers not running away with this.

[sockwithaticket]

Lots of posession and nothing to show for it.

Frustrating that we couldn't do more with it then, needed someone to run a hard line. That said, Tom Willis has been immense so far!

Definitely! Making a lot of yards from his carries.

[Paddington Bear]

Please redact the words ‘Bath’ ‘wank’ and ‘televise’ from the record

[petej]

Please redact the words ‘Bath’ ‘wank’ and ‘televise’ from the record

Bath did try pretty hard against Tigers at Welford Road despite being wank in all of the other games.

Tigers being very inefficient.

[Hugo]

This is an enjoyable game.

That was a wingers finish for the 3rd try. Great footwork.

[sockwithaticket]

Quins much more dangerous with the ball when they have it. All too often Wasps look a bit aimless and slow.

[sockwithaticket]

45 minutes and with the scoreboard in dire need of rescuing, it's Jack Willis time.