The Official English Rugby Thread

[Paddington Bear]

Feels like that could be the ballgame unless Bristol can find some of the magic they pull out every so often. Phenomenal half time team talk

[westport]

Bath are on fire must have been some cups thrown at HT

[westport]

Game over now

[Paddington Bear]

Bristol being torn apart and it’s time to book trains to Paddington from Bath

[westport]

What a game. That was very enjoyable and the old game of two half's.

Miles Reid was like a demon when he came on.

[Paddington Bear]

Bristol had the opportunities to win this game and consistently blew them, Bath have taken every single one of theirs in the second half and deserve their win. Feel only Sale can match Bath in a final

[SaintK]

What a game. That was very enjoyable and the old game of two half's.

Miles Reid was like a demon when he came on.

Thought Reid was outstanding
Tom Dunn looked as if he’d been in a front on car crash without a seatbelt he was so battered when interviewed

[ASMO]

Quirke was utter gash, pretty sure he lost Sale the game, but regardless Bath will smash Leicester in the final.

[Stranger]

Nah, Bath will win, but I think it will be close.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

In game after game for side after side Pollard just looks such a bad player, and then you look up and he's reached another final

[Kawazaki]

Carley penalised Sale for a ridiculous holding on penalty when they were just 5m out from scoring a try in the last 10 minutes. The Leicester player put his hands on the ball whilst still retreating back from the Sale side and then kept them on as he moved to the Leicester side. It was such an obvious penalty the other way.

Ridiculous.

[Kawazaki]

In game after game for side after side Pollard just looks such a bad player, and then you look up and he's reached another final

Owen Farrell has won 6x Premierships and 3x ECs.

People still think Marcus Smith is better.

[Torquemada 1420]

In game after game for side after side Pollard just looks such a bad player, and then you look up and he's reached another final

Owen Farrell has won 6x Premierships and 3x ECs.

People still think Marcus Smith is better.

In the period that Sarries were cheating.......

[SaintK]

Updated England training squad
Will Porter and Charlie Bracken added at scrum half following Randall's nast looking shoulder injury. Shame to see Joe Batley on the in jured list again as well. Looks like Furbank is working his way back from the concussion after the knee in the face against UBB.

Forwards:
Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Richard Capstick (Exeter), Arthur Clark (Gloucester), Alex Coles (Northampton), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Ben Curry (Sale), Theo Dan (Saracens), Trevor Davison (Northampton), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Manny Iyogun (Northampton), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), George Kloska (Bristol), Curtis Langdon (Northampton), Tom Lockett (Northampton), Gabriel Oghre (Bristol), Tom Pearson (Northampton), Bevan Rodd (Sale), Tom Willis (Saracens).

Backs:
Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester), Oscar Beard (Harlequins), Charlie Bracken (Saracens), Joe Carpenter (Sale), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter), George Ford (Sale), Rekeiti Ma'asi-White (Sale), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Luke Northmore (Harlequins), Will Porter (Harlequins), Raffi Quirke (Sale), Tom Roebuck (Sale), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton).

Rehabilitation: George Furbank (Northampton).

Not considered for selection: Joe Batley (Bristol), Ollie Lawrence (Bath), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), George Martin (Leicester), Harry Randall (Bristol).

[SaintK]

Arundell called up.
Can only assume that one of the original selections has picked up a knock
Would certainly have hoped Radwan would have been in with a shout if he'd been available

[sockwithaticket]

It might just be to take a look at him as well. Been a while since the England coaching stuff could run the rule over Arundell.

[Kawazaki]

Radwan must have really annoyed somebody.

[SaintK]

Radwan must have really annoyed somebody.

Playing for Tigers on Saturday
No Bath or Tigers players available

[SaintK]

Sanderson shuffling the coaching set up at Sale for next season
Mike Forshaw already back as defence coach and head coach Paul Deacon leaving after 10 yuears.

Head coach Paul Deacon has parted company with the Gallagher Premiership semi-finalists Sale Sharks after 10 years’ service at the club.
Rumours have been circling for a while that the Sharks were looking for a change of head coach, with Marco Bortolami and Joe Shaw’s names being mentioned, while former player Joe Ford has been strongly tipped for a coaching role.
Former Azzurri international Bortolami is a free agent after Benetton decided to release him from his contract earlier this year, while Saracens head coach Shaw is an old ally of Sharks Director of Rugby, Shaw, from their time together at Saracens. Of the two, the Bortolami rumour would appear to have more legs.

[SaintK]

Sanderson shuffling the coaching set up at Sale for next season
Mike Forshaw already back as defence coach and head coach Paul Deacon leaving after 10 yuears.

Head coach Paul Deacon has parted company with the Gallagher Premiership semi-finalists Sale Sharks after 10 years’ service at the club.
Rumours have been circling for a while that the Sharks were looking for a change of head coach, with Marco Bortolami and Joe Shaw’s names being mentioned, while former player Joe Ford has been strongly tipped for a coaching role.
Former Azzurri international Bortolami is a free agent after Benetton decided to release him from his contract earlier this year, while Saracens head coach Shaw is an old ally of Sharks Director of Rugby, Shaw, from their time together at Saracens. Of the two, the Bortolami rumour would appear to have more legs.

Bortolami appointed head coach at Sale with immediate effect.

[sockwithaticket]

Interesting and a pretty big move for Italian rugby you'd think. Having one of theirs reach a level of coaching proficiency that he's considered a viable head coached for a Premiership team. He must surely be on the watch list for the FIR as a potential national head coach.

Also interesting that Joe Ford's reached a point where his name is in discussion for Premiership level appointments.

[sockwithaticket]

Take it with a pinch of salt because Rugbypass, but apparently Farrell's early exit from Racing and return to Saracens is a done deal.

[Paddington Bear]

It’s seemed like it’s just been logistics stalling it for a few weeks now. Broadly happy to have him back and I assume it’s step one to a coaching career which by all accounts he is very well equipped for.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

oh god, are some more poor sods going to have to listen to that 'we taking it to another level' speech every sodding week, over and over?

[SaintK]

It’s seemed like it’s just been logistics stalling it for a few weeks now. Broadly happy to have him back and I assume it’s step one to a coaching career which by all accounts he is very well equipped for.

As long as he's nowhere near an England shirt, I'm pleased for him and Sarries

[ASMO]

It’s seemed like it’s just been logistics stalling it for a few weeks now. Broadly happy to have him back and I assume it’s step one to a coaching career which by all accounts he is very well equipped for.

As long as he's nowhere near an England/Lions shirt, I'm pleased for him and Sarries

Corrected for accuracy

[Tichtheid]

How has Fergus Burke done at Sarries over the season?

[Paddington Bear]

How has Fergus Burke done at Sarries over the season?

Highly variable, some good games, some shockers and most in between. Been a little disappointed and suspect we may well have been looking for a replacement starting 10 regardless

[Tichtheid]

How has Fergus Burke done at Sarries over the season?

Highly variable, some good games, some shockers and most in between. Been a little disappointed and suspect we may well have been looking for a replacement starting 10 regardless

It's more annoying then that he's been included in the Scotland squad this summer over Edinburgh's Ross Thompson who has been playing well especially over the last few months

[SaintK]

How has Fergus Burke done at Sarries over the season?

Highly variable, some good games, some shockers and most in between. Been a little disappointed and suspect we may well have been looking for a replacement starting 10 regardless

Burke has not been displaying any kind of international quality
You'd hope Louie Johnson would be developing and getting more game time at 10

[SaintK]

It’s seemed like it’s just been logistics stalling it for a few weeks now. Broadly happy to have him back and I assume it’s step one to a coaching career which by all accounts he is very well equipped for.

As long as he's nowhere near an England/Lions shirt, I'm pleased for him and Sarries

Corrected for accuracy

Quite!!
It would be extraordinary if he was on the standby list

[sockwithaticket]

Red Bull confirmed to be buying Newcastle Falcons. Great for the club and for the Premiership.

[Tichtheid]

Red Bull confirmed to be buying Newcastle Falcons. Great for the club and for the Premiership.

I hear they are looking to sign Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme


cough

[SaintK]

Red Bull confirmed to be buying Newcastle Falcons. Great for the club and for the Premiership.

Good!
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/202 ... ugby-union

[Slick]

Red Bull confirmed to be buying Newcastle Falcons. Great for the club and for the Premiership.

I hear they are looking to sign Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme


cough

Finn to take on the Rob Andrew role?

[Paddington Bear]

Red Bull confirmed to be buying Newcastle Falcons. Great for the club and for the Premiership.

Excellent news. Hopefully they can get Radwan/Pepper etc back, and perhaps if there’s proper money being put in maybe get Willis over from France as a marquee player

[Tichtheid]

Red Bull confirmed to be buying Newcastle Falcons. Great for the club and for the Premiership.

I hear they are looking to sign Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme


cough

Finn to take on the Rob Andrew role?

I was more thinking that Red Bull gives you wings.

Casting pearls among swine here

[SaintK]

Red Bull confirmed to be buying Newcastle Falcons. Great for the club and for the Premiership.

Excellent news. Hopefully they can get Radwan/Pepper etc back, and perhaps if there’s proper money being put in maybe get Willis over from France as a marquee player

Now let me think.
Life in the SW of France or life in the NE of England

[SaintK]

I hear they are looking to sign Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme


cough

Finn to take on the Rob Andrew role?

I was more thinking that Red Bull gives you wings.

Casting pearls among swine here

tooooooooooooooooooooooo subtle!!

[Rhubarb & Custard]

still more so when one of them should be at 13