The Official English Rugby Thread

[Margin__Walker]

TBF it's gone under the radar, but I can't imagine Exeter are anywhere near the cap. It's a pretty modest squad compared to a few years ago. They've definitely cut back.

Fair play to Newcastle though. That must feel pretty good today.

[Paddington Bear]

Amazing game, both sides put on a show. Bristol were profligate and will see that as one that got away

[ASMO]

Bristol absolutely blew that, at least 3 tries on my count they butchered badly, and dumb penalties.

[sockwithaticket]

Isgro looks pretty handy!

[JM2K6]

Saints doing Saints stuff. Freeman looking good at 13, can't wait to see Slade there for England.

I don't think it's any surprise that Freeman produced the goods at 13. It's what earned him his call up and I think he's a lesser player on the wing. Gotta give him a run there.

[ASMO]

Pretty dumb by Quins keeping the ball in the scrum in an attempt to get the penalty, get it in and out, at least they have posession and its all on Bath to stop them.. scrums were a bit 50/50 in that game.

[inactionman]

Pretty dumb by Quins keeping the ball in the scrum in an attempt to get the penalty, get it in and out, at least they have posession and its all on Bath to stop them.. scrums were a bit 50/50 in that game.

Marler seemed to have sorted the scrum for quins, but yep, get it out before the ref sees, senses or invents some offence or other

[JM2K6]

Pretty dumb by Quins keeping the ball in the scrum in an attempt to get the penalty, get it in and out, at least they have posession and its all on Bath to stop them.. scrums were a bit 50/50 in that game.

I don't think it was deliberately held in, we'd been struggling to get the ball out quickly all game. Thought the penalty was extremely harsh - Bath tighthead folds in and hits the deck - but with no replays it's hard to be certain and it's not like Bath hadn't been on top four most of the match. Sadly our tighthead options are poor right now.

Frustrating match to lose given Quins outplayed Bath for large parts of it, but them's the breaks, and if the scrum is a problem and you can't take high balls cleanly, that will lose you matches.

Nice to see Marcus win the head to head with Russell again, mind

[ASMO]

Pretty dumb by Quins keeping the ball in the scrum in an attempt to get the penalty, get it in and out, at least they have posession and its all on Bath to stop them.. scrums were a bit 50/50 in that game.

I don't think it was deliberately held in, we'd been struggling to get the ball out quickly all game. Thought the penalty was extremely harsh - Bath tighthead folds in and hits the deck - but with no replays it's hard to be certain and it's not like Bath hadn't been on top four most of the match. Sadly our tighthead options are poor right now.

Frustrating match to lose given Quins outplayed Bath for large parts of it, but them's the breaks, and if the scrum is a problem and you can't take high balls cleanly, that will lose you matches.

Nice to see Marcus win the head to head with Russell again, mind

It wasnt even close, comprehensively outplayed him,he is undoubtedly the premier 10 in Europe.

[Oxbow]

Pretty dumb by Quins keeping the ball in the scrum in an attempt to get the penalty, get it in and out, at least they have posession and its all on Bath to stop them.. scrums were a bit 50/50 in that game.

I don't think it was deliberately held in, we'd been struggling to get the ball out quickly all game. Thought the penalty was extremely harsh - Bath tighthead folds in and hits the deck - but with no replays it's hard to be certain and it's not like Bath hadn't been on top four most of the match. Sadly our tighthead options are poor right now.

Frustrating match to lose given Quins outplayed Bath for large parts of it, but them's the breaks, and if the scrum is a problem and you can't take high balls cleanly, that will lose you matches.

Nice to see Marcus win the head to head with Russell again, mind

It wasnt even close, comprehensively outplayed him,he is undoubtedly the premier 10 in Europe.

That's Slick bait.

[inactionman]

Anyway, the BT commentators are doing marvellous work - timing the in-game chat with the coach to the exact moment their team concedes a soft try.

They did it to Pat Lam, they've just done it to George Skivington. I'm hoping they can do it to Chieka.

[SaintK]

Too little to late, has the horse already bolted?

The Rugby Football Union has been warned it is facing an existential crisis and has been urged to make radical changes in schools rugby to avoid becoming a “declining ­minority sport” that could weaken Steve Borthwick’s England side amid a damaging decline in participation.

According to an independently chaired review commissioned by the RFU, “rugby is not winning” in the schools marketplace because of “changing attitudes and values ­coupled with greater risk aversion in the part of society”. The review, entitled Changing the Game: the Future of Schools Rugby in England, also highlights fears over head injuries and an image problem of a sport for “posh white boys” as reasons behind the decline in participation numbers.

In response the RFU has ­commit­ted to the rollout over the next four years of a non-contact form of the sport called T1 Rugby, while the review also recommends ­introducing a third “reduced contact” variant of the game alongside the traditional model to ease parents’ fears over injuries and break down perceived barriers to entry into the sport.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024 ... -levels
The report
https://rfu.widen.net/s/cwxvbglbtw/ch ... t-review

[Rhubarb & Custard]

We should have been pushing touch rugby or far less contact rugby, and indeed handball, from quite some years back. But better to start now than continue to ignore the obvious

[SaintK]

We should have been pushing touch rugby or far less contact rugby, and indeed handball, from quite some years back. But better to start now than continue to ignore the obvious

The RFU shouldn't have made redundant all the Regional and County Development Officers as a cost cutting exercise 15 or so years ago

[sockwithaticket]

I really can't get my head around the focus on rushing Slade back for the ABs. It often backfires with players who are worth taking the chance and I really don't believe he's in that category.

[Oxbow]

Most of Saints' first choice backline missing tonight for the game at Bristol. Interesting that they've gone with Makepeace-Cubitt at 10, they obviously see something in him.

[inactionman]

Most of Saints' first choice backline missing tonight for the game at Bristol. Interesting that they've gone with Makepeace-Cubitt at 10, they obviously see something in him.

I was quite looking forward to a running Northampton against an almost cavalier Bristol side, but then I remembered half the Northampton backline won't be there. Think Bristol just missing Genge and Randall to England?

[Oxbow]

Yup. Saints also missing Mitchell and Dingwall through injury, though both of those would probably have been called up as well.

[JM2K6]

Most of Saints' first choice backline missing tonight for the game at Bristol. Interesting that they've gone with Makepeace-Cubitt at 10, they obviously see something in him.

He sounds like a budget 3D printer

[JM2K6]

I really can't get my head around the focus on rushing Slade back for the ABs. It often backfires with players who are worth taking the chance and I really don't believe he's in that category.

Right, especially when you have options all of a sudden

[SaintK]

Yup. Saints also missing Mitchell and Dingwall through injury, though both of those would probably have been called up as well.

Can't see Saints winning this one. Got dicked here last season!

[SaintK]

Most of Saints' first choice backline missing tonight for the game at Bristol. Interesting that they've gone with Makepeace-Cubitt at 10, they obviously see something in him.

He sounds like a budget 3D printer

Big step up for the lad
Played well for the U20's when he was registered to The Rams in National 1

[Hal Jordan]

I really can't get my head around the focus on rushing Slade back for the ABs. It often backfires with players who are worth taking the chance and I really don't believe he's in that category.

Right, especially when you have options all of a sudden

They'll crowbar him in at 12 because kicking or something.

[Tichtheid]

Briz v Saints was great fun - a bit like Super Rugby used to be when attack was everything and defence was "meh, we'll score more than you"

[JM2K6]

Cheers Eddie

[petej]

Hadn't clocked that Dan Cole has been called up. I think heyes has been playing better for Tigers and is a lot younger.

[petej]

The crappy musical interludes and gobshite on the mic at sarries is incredibly tacky.

[SaintK]

Chessum broken
Out for up to 3 months

[ASMO]

Quins put a game but overwhelmingly shit Exeter to the sword, wonder how long before Baxter falls on his. BT presenters wanking over Slade who was totally outplayed by the Quins midfield, yet somehow they think he should start for England next week....a joke really

[fishfoodie]

Quins put a game but overwhelmingly shit Exeter to the sword, wonder how long before Baxter falls on his. BT presenters wanking over Slade who was totally outplayed by the Quins midfield, yet somehow they think he should start for England next week....a joke really

Dog I wish I could just universally mute rugby commentators; they're almost universally shit !

... I'd love to have an AI dubbing Bill McLarens commentary of whatever match I'm watching, but failing that I'd rather just have the ref's mic & the crowd noise.

[JM2K6]

Quins put a game but overwhelmingly shit Exeter to the sword, wonder how long before Baxter falls on his. BT presenters wanking over Slade who was totally outplayed by the Quins midfield, yet somehow they think he should start for England next week....a joke really

Did laugh at them bigging up his stats. 8 tackles! I looked and it was actually him going 5/3 rather than successfully making 8 tackles. Very funny. He did basically fuck all.

[inactionman]

Ted Hill and Alex Coles called up for the 36 man squad for NZ.

Ewels and Chessum both out, so - assuming like-for-like - Borthwick might be seeing Hill as an option at lock along with Coles. He's a freakish athlete who has played there for Bath, but not sure you'd want to play anyone out of their prime positions in Tests. Gives you a good bench option though.

Likely as not it'll be holding tackle bags, Maro is nailed on and George Martin has looked good, but we'll see.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... yxx2yv9pyo

[JM2K6]

I honestly don't get how England haven't been champing at the bit to give Hill a shot at 6. Great lineout forward. Fast. Big. Hits hard. Carries hard. What does he lack - work over the ball at the ruck? That can be coached.

I get that having 6 be the dumping ground for whichever 7 isn't good enough to start at 7 or locks needing to be on the field is the current way, but looking at successful teams in the modern game suggests having someone who plays 6 by default goes a long way towards having an excellent pack and a successful team.

[inactionman]

I honestly don't get how England haven't been champing at the bit to give Hill a shot at 6. Great lineout forward. Fast. Big. Hits hard. Carries hard. What does he lack - work over the ball at the ruck? That can be coached.

I get that having 6 be the dumping ground for whichever 7 isn't good enough to start at 7 or locks needing to be on the field is the current way, but looking at successful teams in the modern game suggests having someone who plays 6 by default goes a long way towards having an excellent pack and a successful team.

I think he suffers from being in a generation of very good backrows, so there's no real complaints when Underhill, Curry, Earl etc get the nod.

I'm less content when Hill isn't even in broader squads and prospects such as Ethan Roots and Chandler Cunningham-South get a go. They're both good players, but Hill has been a standout at 6 for the last couple of seasons.

[SaintK]

I honestly don't get how England haven't been champing at the bit to give Hill a shot at 6. Great lineout forward. Fast. Big. Hits hard. Carries hard. What does he lack - work over the ball at the ruck? That can be coached.

I get that having 6 be the dumping ground for whichever 7 isn't good enough to start at 7 or locks needing to be on the field is the current way, but looking at successful teams in the modern game suggests having someone who plays 6 by default goes a long way towards having an excellent pack and a successful team.

I think he suffers from being in a generation of very good backrows, so there's no real complaints when Underhill, Curry, Earl etc get the nod.

I'm less content when Hill isn't even in broader squads and prospects such as Ethan Roots and Chandler Cunningham-South get a go. They're both good players, but Hill has been a standout at 6 for the last couple of seasons.

Agree entirely about Hill. I also think that Tom Willis has been very unlucky on current form. Particularly as there is only one specialist No8 in the squad and he hasn't really found his feet at test level.

[inactionman]

I honestly don't get how England haven't been champing at the bit to give Hill a shot at 6. Great lineout forward. Fast. Big. Hits hard. Carries hard. What does he lack - work over the ball at the ruck? That can be coached.

I get that having 6 be the dumping ground for whichever 7 isn't good enough to start at 7 or locks needing to be on the field is the current way, but looking at successful teams in the modern game suggests having someone who plays 6 by default goes a long way towards having an excellent pack and a successful team.

I think he suffers from being in a generation of very good backrows, so there's no real complaints when Underhill, Curry, Earl etc get the nod.

I'm less content when Hill isn't even in broader squads and prospects such as Ethan Roots and Chandler Cunningham-South get a go. They're both good players, but Hill has been a standout at 6 for the last couple of seasons.

Agree entirely about Hill. I also think that Tom Willis has been very unlucky on current form. Particularly as there is only one specialist No8 in the squad and he hasn't really found his feet at test level.

I've only caught a few highlights of Sarries but Willis has featured in said highlights a fair bit. Think his time in France might delay his England opportunity? Not that it counts against him, more that players in France may be a bit invisible to England selectors whilst they're away, and so he's only had half a dozen games in the shop window.

Has Earl gone to 7 when Willis is at 8, or do they swap in and out? I've not seen any live Sarries games so not sure how they arrange it, but makes an interesting call if Willis is prefered at 8 to his colleague who plays a lot for England at 8.

[SaintK]

I think he suffers from being in a generation of very good backrows, so there's no real complaints when Underhill, Curry, Earl etc get the nod.

I'm less content when Hill isn't even in broader squads and prospects such as Ethan Roots and Chandler Cunningham-South get a go. They're both good players, but Hill has been a standout at 6 for the last couple of seasons.

Agree entirely about Hill. I also think that Tom Willis has been very unlucky on current form. Particularly as there is only one specialist No8 in the squad and he hasn't really found his feet at test level.

I've only caught a few highlights of Sarries but Willis has featured in said highlights a fair bit. Think his time in France might delay his England opportunity? Not that it counts against him, more that players in France may be a bit invisible to England selectors whilst they're away, and so he's only had half a dozen games in the shop window.

Has Earl gone to 7 when Willis is at 8, or do they swap in and out? I've not seen any live Sarries games so not sure how they arrange it, but makes an interesting call if Willis is prefered at 8 to his colleague who plays a lot for England at 8.

Earls is usually at 7 when Willis has been playing 8

[Sinkers]

I’m assuming Chessum was penciled in to play 6 and Hill is the next nearest thing?

Not a dig at Hill, I would have had him in from the start, but maybe explains why he’s in now?

[ASMO]

a Hill, Earl, Willis backrow would be a bloody good backrow i would be happy for England to start with ~(its never gonna happen) then put 1 of the curry brothers and CCS on the bench you have some great options to bring on and keep the energy levels up.

[inactionman]

a Hill, Earl, Willis backrow would be a bloody good backrow i would be happy for England to start with ~(its never gonna happen) then put 1 of the curry brothers and CCS on the bench you have some great options to bring on and keep the energy levels up.

I think I'd have Underhill in there - appreciate I'm wearing my Bath scarf but I still think he's stand-out - although with Willis the need for a crunching tackler is diminished somewhat.

These are previously underheard-of riches - wer could create 3 different backrows that would do a very good job, and there's still lads like Pearson who would be worth a look.