The Official English Rugby Thread

[Tichtheid]

still more so when one of them should be at 13

That’s a pisser, I even went to the trouble of looking up an England selection from the 6N

[Rhubarb & Custard]

still more so when one of them should be at 13

That’s a pisser, I even went to the trouble of looking up an England selection from the 6N

oh he often is a wing, just his acceleration isn't exactly explosive at the top level. be nice for once if we could develop a player too, rather than another Tuilagi allowed to drift through a career with... minimal progress in skills and decision making.

[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

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

A nice dip at Bamburgh should set him straight

[sockwithaticket]

still more so when one of them should be at 13

That’s a pisser, I even went to the trouble of looking up an England selection from the 6N

Freeman has played the clear majority of his rugby for club and country on the wing, so it's not like you've made a blunder. Some just want to move him to 13 for some reason. I don't see the point in shifting him unless his pace goes. We've got plenty of centres coming through, more of them 13s than 12s. If we're looking to convert anyone from back three to centre we should be trying to get Freddie Steward to follow in Jamie Roberts' footsteps because the lad is simply not quick enough to play back three at the top level.

[Slick]

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!!

Ahhhhhhhhh

Tichtheid, hang your head

[Kawazaki]

still more so when one of them should be at 13

That’s a pisser, I even went to the trouble of looking up an England selection from the 6N

Freeman has played the clear majority of his rugby for club and country on the wing, so it's not like you've made a blunder. Some just want to move him to 13 for some reason. I don't see the point in shifting him unless his pace goes. We've got plenty of centres coming through, more of them 13s than 12s. If we're looking to convert anyone from back three to centre we should be trying to get Freddie Steward to follow in Jamie Roberts' footsteps because the lad is simply not quick enough to play back three at the top level.

Freddie Steward would be a terrible centre - epically shite.

He's more akin to a lock.

[Paddington Bear]

That’s a pisser, I even went to the trouble of looking up an England selection from the 6N

Freeman has played the clear majority of his rugby for club and country on the wing, so it's not like you've made a blunder. Some just want to move him to 13 for some reason. I don't see the point in shifting him unless his pace goes. We've got plenty of centres coming through, more of them 13s than 12s. If we're looking to convert anyone from back three to centre we should be trying to get Freddie Steward to follow in Jamie Roberts' footsteps because the lad is simply not quick enough to play back three at the top level.

Freddie Steward would be a terrible centre - epically shite.

He's more akin to a lock.

Decent hands, steps pretty well, physical guy, his limitations are obvious but I’d be intrigued to see him try it

[Slick]

Freeman has played the clear majority of his rugby for club and country on the wing, so it's not like you've made a blunder. Some just want to move him to 13 for some reason. I don't see the point in shifting him unless his pace goes. We've got plenty of centres coming through, more of them 13s than 12s. If we're looking to convert anyone from back three to centre we should be trying to get Freddie Steward to follow in Jamie Roberts' footsteps because the lad is simply not quick enough to play back three at the top level.

Freddie Steward would be a terrible centre - epically shite.

He's more akin to a lock.

Decent hands, steps pretty well, physical guy, his limitations are obvious but I’d be intrigued to see him try it

I would as well actually. Not sure his defence is up to it but I think he is a little unfairly maligned, he’s a very good rugby player

[sockwithaticket]

Freddie Steward would be a terrible centre - epically shite.

He's more akin to a lock.

Decent hands, steps pretty well, physical guy, his limitations are obvious but I’d be intrigued to see him try it

I would as well actually. Not sure his defence is up to it but I think he is a little unfairly maligned, he’s a very good rugby player

From my perspective his defensive issues are more about getting in the right position in the vastness of the backfield to mitigate his lack of pace and being run around due to that same lack. I don't think he's particularly poor at making front up tackles. You get a lot more of those as a 12 and very rarely will 12 be the last line of defence in an ocean of empty space. It could potentially suit him. I mentioned Roberts, but Jordie Barrett has also made that switch more recently.

Not that I was seriously advocating for moving him to 12, just that if England were to think about moving a back three player infield I'd be looking at Steward before Freeman.

As we've got Dingwall, Ojomoh and Atkinson all in line for the 12 shirt plus youngsters like Ma'asi-White and Hartley coming through, it ought to be moot.

[Oxbow]

The one thing that puts me off rugby is too many syllables

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... gr1l1nk72o

[geordie_6]

The one thing that puts me off rugby is too many syllables

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... gr1l1nk72o

How the hell does shortening the name "emphasise the physicality and intensity of the league"!?

Some marketing prick has been paid a fortune to come up with that drivel...

[Hal Jordan]

Jesus, why not just call it the Gallagher We Want You To Chase The CTE Dream Because Big Men Are Manly No Sissy Avoiding Tackles By Avoiding Contact With Strong Men To Make Metres With The Ball In Hamd Are You A Girl League. That emphasises the physicality waaaay more.

[Paddington Bear]

Like a lot of people I’ll call it the Prem in casual conversation but to go with this as it’s official name is laughable. Marketing guys really do steal a living

[Kawazaki]

Freeman has played the clear majority of his rugby for club and country on the wing, so it's not like you've made a blunder. Some just want to move him to 13 for some reason. I don't see the point in shifting him unless his pace goes. We've got plenty of centres coming through, more of them 13s than 12s. If we're looking to convert anyone from back three to centre we should be trying to get Freddie Steward to follow in Jamie Roberts' footsteps because the lad is simply not quick enough to play back three at the top level.

Freddie Steward would be a terrible centre - epically shite.

He's more akin to a lock.

Decent hands, steps pretty well, physical guy, his limitations are obvious but I’d be intrigued to see him try it

He doesn't step very well at all, in fact his footwork is terrible. Centres tend to have decent footwork, even crashball centres and they also need decent acceleration. Steward has neither of these skills.

Play a game of Steward bingo with the commentators later today - they'll ignore the kicks he doesn't catch either because he never reaches where it drops or he knocks on or the opposition winger catches it first, but the first time he actually catches it - they'll be screaming down the mic that he's the best catcher in the world or similar bollocks.

[Slick]

Looking forward to this game, are we just using this thread?

[Oxbow]

What the fuck is this?

[Tichtheid]

It’s all gone a bit Superbowl

[Slick]

WTAF

Has anyone running rugby ever actually been to a rugby club

[I like neeps]

What the fuck is this?

This is gloriously awful. They've completely butchered the anthem for absolutely no benefit lol.

[Tichtheid]

Best version I’ve heard, to be fair

[Slick]

It’s all gone a bit Superbowl

Maybe they let Finn pick the band

[Slick]

Best version I’ve heard, to be fair

Suggested they started a new thread

[Oxbow]

Always good having two ex-Tigers on comms for a final featuring Leicester.

[Slick]

I’m fairly convinced Bath would be better throwing the ball about a bit instead of this kicking

[sockwithaticket]

Horrible drop from Cokanasiga there.

[I like neeps]

Bath haven't shown up so far. So many basic errors.

[Torquemada 1420]

Russell in 30 secs. Moment of genius (butchered) and then clown "tackle" attempt followed by no pressure drop.

[Slick]

The ref being asked to explain every bloody decision is very tiresome

[Tichtheid]

Bath are all over the shop, so many errors

[Slick]

Russell in 30 secs. Moment of genius (butchered) and then clown "tackle" attempt followed by no pressure drop.

Oh, you’re here

[sockwithaticket]

Radwan's really come alive at Tigers in the last few weeks. He's really earnt a recall to the England squad imo. Certainly ahead of IFW who hasn't played in months.

[Oxbow]

This is high-quality stuff so far

[Tichtheid]

Some rugby broke out there, players looking for soft shoulders and space

[Slick]

This is high-quality stuff so far

Was just about to say that if Bath can stop dropping the ball they are all over Leicester really

[Torquemada 1420]

Good pick up that by a fatman for the try.

[sockwithaticket]

Du Toit's try scoring record is absurd for a prop.

[Torquemada 1420]

Yeah. Healey calling great tackle and looked seriously dodgy to me. Obviously Dickson missed it.

{EDIT} More than dodgy it transpires.

[sockwithaticket]

Wasn't a legal tackle attempt. I know they've changed a lot about how to handle these incidents (player safety be damned apparently), but I wasn't aware that they could now apply mitigation to illegal hits?

[Tichtheid]

It may be hot but they can’t seriously suggest the game is fast!

[Tichtheid]

Wasn't a legal tackle attempt. I know they've changed a lot about how to handle these incidents (player safety be damned apparently), but I wasn't aware that they could now apply mitigation to illegal hits?

“No reds” seems to be the directive