Official United Rugby Championship thread

[FalseBayFC]

Everything dying with Bosch in attack it feels

Sharks seem to have poor halfbacks considering the quality they have elsewhere in the team.

Bosch is really not delivering and Hendrickse has been poor as well. Grant Williams did well when he came on.

[GogLais]

I’ve watched plenty of bad ones over the years but this must be the worst Welsh regional performance I’ve had the misfortune to see.

Is this a second string Cardiff XV?

Backs definitely - no Adams, Lee-Lo, Halaholo or Evans. Forwards missing Navidi and Botham but the back row of Jenkins, Lewis-Hughes and Ratti are in or close to the Welsh international squad.

[Chilli]

Everything dying with Bosch in attack it feels

Sharks seem to have poor halfbacks considering the quality they have elsewhere in the team.

Their 9's and 10's are plain crap.

A team awash with so much money should just buy better players in those positions.

[bok_viking]

Great showing by the Bulls away. Gave away 2 very easy tries at the end but overall a good performance up North for a team that does not travel well historically. Lots of very promising youngsters in that team so I really hope they call hold on to them. It seems that White has sorted out the coaching structures at the Bulls, they just look a lot more organised and calm throughout compared to the Sharks that often looks out of ideas with ball in hand considering the players they have on the field. It looks like the Bulls strategy of playing alternative UFC players in the Currie Cup over the last 2 weeks stopped them from being rusty, where as the Sharks looked off the game with their playing basically sitting on the beach for the last 2 weeks.

Sad that we are losing Tambwe to France next season but Nkosi is a great player to come in and replace him. We need a new centre and it seems Simelane will be coming over the Jukskei so that might be sorted as well. Where the hell we are going to find another flyhalf is a completely other story, Smith is solid but does not have that extra bit required. Hopefully Mossie will stand up to the plate in coming seasons. The Bulls seem to have a great team in the making as long as they can hold on to the majority. But flyhalf is a problem for all the SA teams apart for the Stormers where Libbok is looking great.

[ia801310]

Everything dying with Bosch in attack it feels

Sharks seem to have poor halfbacks considering the quality they have elsewhere in the team.

Their 9's and 10's are plain crap.

A team awash with so much money should just buy better players in those positions.

I rate Chamberlain highly, don't know why they play him more often

[Sards]

Not too unhappy with the result. That was a very good Ulster side. Opened us up too easily. We really looked half asleep in the first half.
Well we are there now.
Jayden was terrible. I don't understand why he feels the need to take so long to clear the ball. Must start with Williams. Am will be more on form next game

[Chilli]

Sharks seem to have poor halfbacks considering the quality they have elsewhere in the team.

Their 9's and 10's are plain crap.

A team awash with so much money should just buy better players in those positions.

I rate Chamberlain highly, don't know why they play him more often

He and Chiat both deserve a decent run at 10.
Bosch is just too limited.

9is also a big problem fir them.

[OomStruisbaai]

Bosch and Jayden is Everett love child's.

[Uncle fester]

The last match between the two Irish rivals is going to be interesting.Obviously we want Leinster to win don't know enough of the players but looking at the caps they don't look that bad.

Very strong Leinster team. Could get ugly for Munster.

[FalseBayFC]

I am so impressed with the pro club set up in Ireland. Especially how good the young academy guys are when they step up. There seems to be a very strong talent development system in place. Its one of the things I feel is lacking in South Africa. Our youngsters often struggle on the skills and game management front. We have a coaching deficit I feel.

[Uncle fester]

Guys are coming out of the schools system pretty much ready for pro rugby, especially in Leinster and on top of that, the non-schools route is generating players as well but sometimes these lads need a bit more work.

[CM11]

The coaching at u20 level seems to be top notch too.

[fishfoodie]

The coaching at u20 level seems to be top notch too.

Yeah, now we don't have the A Internationals anymore, the U20s is now very important, & you just need to look at how Italy is using them to good effect. 7s is also becoming a bit of a feeder too.

[OomStruisbaai]

The Stormers should play running rugby today. No matter win or lose. The worst scenario is playing Munster/Ulster away. Best ending 2nd

[OomStruisbaai]

I am so impressed with the pro club set up in Ireland. Especially how good the young academy guys are when they step up. There seems to be a very strong talent development system in place. Its one of the things I feel is lacking in South Africa. Our youngsters often struggle on the skills and game management front. We have a coaching deficit I feel.

Saru must work on the loan process between franchises. There are plenty better players not playing for the 4 URC provinces while Ireland only have 4 provinces.

[Chilli]

I am so impressed with the pro club set up in Ireland. Especially how good the young academy guys are when they step up. There seems to be a very strong talent development system in place. Its one of the things I feel is lacking in South Africa. Our youngsters often struggle on the skills and game management front. We have a coaching deficit I feel.

Saru must work on the loan process between franchises. There are plenty better players not playing for the 4 URC provinces while Ireland only have 4 provinces.

There should be a draft system whereby the Cheetahs, Pumas, Grikwas players can be drafted into a UC team to increase depth or cover injuries.

[OomStruisbaai]

I am so impressed with the pro club set up in Ireland. Especially how good the young academy guys are when they step up. There seems to be a very strong talent development system in place. Its one of the things I feel is lacking in South Africa. Our youngsters often struggle on the skills and game management front. We have a coaching deficit I feel.

Saru must work on the loan process between franchises. There are plenty better players not playing for the 4 URC provinces while Ireland only have 4 provinces.

There should be a draft system whereby the Cheetahs, Pumas, Grikwas players can be drafted into a UC team to increase depth or cover injuries.

Agree 100%. Maybe play CC after the URC/European league ended.

[FalseBayFC]

I am so impressed with the pro club set up in Ireland. Especially how good the young academy guys are when they step up. There seems to be a very strong talent development system in place. Its one of the things I feel is lacking in South Africa. Our youngsters often struggle on the skills and game management front. We have a coaching deficit I feel.

Saru must work on the loan process between franchises. There are plenty better players not playing for the 4 URC provinces while Ireland only have 4 provinces.

There should be a draft system whereby the Cheetahs, Pumas, Grikwas players can be drafted into a UC team to increase depth or cover injuries.

And vice versa. Guys like Bosch, Hendricks can be sent to those unions to develop or harden up.

[PornDog]

I am so impressed with the pro club set up in Ireland. Especially how good the young academy guys are when they step up. There seems to be a very strong talent development system in place. Its one of the things I feel is lacking in South Africa. Our youngsters often struggle on the skills and game management front. We have a coaching deficit I feel.

Rassie actually commented on this from his time at Munster (ironically enough as Munster wouldn't be renowned for their development of players) - saying that in SA, if a player wasn't able to do the thing you wanted him to do, you simply got rid of him, because the next cab off the rank would be able to do it. Whereas in Munster he couldn't do that and so had to coach the lacking skills into the existing players.

[Chilli]

Saru must work on the loan process between franchises. There are plenty better players not playing for the 4 URC provinces while Ireland only have 4 provinces.

There should be a draft system whereby the Cheetahs, Pumas, Grikwas players can be drafted into a UC team to increase depth or cover injuries.

And vice versa. Guys like Bosch, Hendricks can be sent to those unions to develop or harden up.

Thanks, but the Cheetahs don't need either of them.

[Chilli]

Anyone have a link to the Lions match?

[FalseBayFC]

I am so impressed with the pro club set up in Ireland. Especially how good the young academy guys are when they step up. There seems to be a very strong talent development system in place. Its one of the things I feel is lacking in South Africa. Our youngsters often struggle on the skills and game management front. We have a coaching deficit I feel.

Rassie actually commented on this from his time at Munster (ironically enough as Munster wouldn't be renowned for their development of players) - saying that in SA, if a player wasn't able to do the thing you wanted him to do, you simply got rid of him, because the next cab off the rank would be able to do it. Whereas in Munster he couldn't do that and so had to coach the lacking skills into the existing players.

We get a lot of freakish athletes and massive units who are flat track bullies at school. Then they join a pond of similarly huge, fast and strong guys and become anonymous.

[Blake]

Anyone have a link to the Lions match?

Bit of a cripple fight. Not missing much..

0-0 after 20 mins.

Neither team able to finish off that last pass. Stupid mistakes in the red zones.

[Blake]

Dragons just scored.

Lions trying to run out of their 22m, Jaco Visagie with a poor, floating pass to his wing that gets interception.

Terrible skills on display by the Lions today.

Dragons 5-0 Lions

[Uncle fester]

I am so impressed with the pro club set up in Ireland. Especially how good the young academy guys are when they step up. There seems to be a very strong talent development system in place. Its one of the things I feel is lacking in South Africa. Our youngsters often struggle on the skills and game management front. We have a coaching deficit I feel.

Saru must work on the loan process between franchises. There are plenty better players not playing for the 4 URC provinces while Ireland only have 4 provinces.

Do you guys have strong affinity to the teams you end up playing for?

Here young lads will accept a squad role for a few years when they could be first team players elsewhere because they want to give their home province a decent crack.

[Blake]

Lions finally on the board.

Dragons 5 - 7 Lions

Edwill vd Merwe with a score from a scrum set piece move. Hopefully that will be the confidence booster so the Lions can get rid of their yips.

[Blake]

Do you guys have strong affinity to the teams you end up playing for?

Here young lads will accept a squad role for a few years when they could be first team players elsewhere because they want to give their home province a decent crack.

In my experience, this is only really the case with Western Province / The Stormers. Half of the best rugby schools in the country are in Paarl / Stellenbosch / Cape Town so these players have all fought their entire schoolboy career for a hooped jersey. There is also an unbelievable legacy of generations of families that have played rugby in Cape Town, so many players stick here because of the prestige of wearing the same jersey their fathers and grandfathers and uncles wore. There are obviously exceptions; Pollard was contracted by the Bulls when we has still in school. WP just couldn't / wouldn't match the offer.

Elsewhere in the country players in the other big schools / cities seem to be less nostalgic. People from mining and more industrialised areas are quite used to constantly be moving around for better career opportunities.

[Uncle fester]

I know you've got the franchise setup but for Currie cup, is there any desire to play for home teams above all?

[Chilli]

Nock Mallet says the ref doesn't understand momentum.

[Blake]

I know you've got the franchise setup but for Currie cup, is there any desire to play for home teams above all?

Nah, not anymore. Only really at Western Province.

Players that are serious about a pro-career want to get into one of "the big 5" unions so that they have an inside track to get into one of the 5 franchise teams. So they'll typically grab any opportunity to get a foot in the door.
I'm sure most players have a preference for their home union, but when a big union offers a contract, it's a no-brainer. Things get interesting when 2 of the big unions are wooing you like with Pollard (Bulls vs WP) and then the decision is a bit tougher; but the Bulls made him a very good offer and an offer of more game time.

[Chilli]

Dragons / Lions is such a poor quality match.

[OomStruisbaai]

I know you've got the franchise setup but for Currie cup, is there any desire to play for home teams above all?

Like Blake posted. Closest to WP is the Bulls. Our setup is different to the rest where talented schoolboy players get contracted while still in school. The Bulls contacted Pollard while still in school. He got R200,000 pa while still in grade 11.


You lot come through your club system as amateurs.

[Blake]

Dragons / Lions is such a poor quality match.

Ja, it's a bit shit. Match looks like it's being played in slow motion.
Skills are poor, intensity and tempo and general stills are lacking.
Very stop-start affair.

Hope the Stormers match up next is better.

[Blake]

JFC...how many botched tries in this match so far?
That one by the Dragons was a shocker. Well done to Horn for running it down.

[Chilli]

Lions backline passing is shocking.

[Blake]

Lions backline passing is shocking.

You just can't play the brand of running rugby the Lions want to play if you can't pass and catch properly.
They need a serious kick up the backside from their handling coach.

[OomStruisbaai]

Wales can't scrum fat man.

[Blake]

FFS Ntlabakanye...you have one job. ONE. JOB.

EDIT: Also, there's no way that fat lump weighs 128kg as per the URC website. He is pushing at least 140.

[bok_viking]

I hope they do get some drafting system in place for SA. The Lions might be screwed next year, they are already losing about 5 players at the end of the season with talks of a few more. They might need to bring in players from the other provinces to bolster their ranks because im not sure how many players they will be able to buy.

[Blake]

I hope they do get some drafting system in place for SA. The Lions might be screwed next year, they are already losing about 5 players at the end of the season with talks of a few more. They might need to bring in players from the other provinces to bolster their ranks because im not sure how many players they will be able to buy.

Probably the smart thing to do, but if done it could kill the Cheetahs as a franchise / union.

It really is a pity that we just can't seem to fit a 5th team into any of the tournaments we compete in. We always end up with some compromise...
Merging the Cheetahs and Lions was a disaster.
Then the Cheetahs were relegated.
Then the Lions were relegated.
Then we had both back at the same time, but had to include the EP Kings because politics.
Then the Cheetahs got cut from Super Rugby again.
Then the Cheetahs played in Pro 14.
Then they got cut when the other SA sides started playing URC.

We can field 5 teams. I really hope that if the Welsh end up dropping a team that the URC and the other European rugby fans would allow the Cheetahs back.
Then the remaining 9 feeder unions can function as some drafting pool of players for the 5 teams. That would be the best outcome for SA Rugby IMO.