NPR

Kawazaki wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 1:32 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 11:22 am Players talk about being sort of 'battle-hardened', like there's only so much you can prepare your body for the impacts of games, at a certain point only playing and getting hit trains your body in the right way.

Manu spends so much time on the sidelines that he can't possibly be in that state and then you start him in two of the most physical games of Sale's season before sending him into England camp and Eddie's notoriously tough training...


I also reckon he's a combo of too big for his frame and bearing the result of being used as a battering ram in senior rugby since he was 18 years old.

Have you seen pictures of Manu Tuilagi when he was playing for England u16s? He's always been massive. I think he's about 110kgs which is not excessive for his frame.

Hal Jordan wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:54 am Yes, but he's cut three killer lines in three years for England so he's a shoo in.

Slick wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 3:23 pm

Hal Jordan wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:54 am Yes, but he's cut three killer lines in three years for England so he's a shoo in.

Nearer 10 years, but anyway.

I love the punishment handed out to Tom Youngs for abusing the ref - a reffing course and must officate some junior games. There should be a lot more of that

Slick wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 3:23 pm

Hal Jordan wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:54 am Yes, but he's cut three killer lines in three years for England so he's a shoo in.

Nearer 10 years, but anyway.

I love the punishment handed out to Tom Youngs for abusing the ref - a reffing course and must officate some junior games. There should be a lot more of that

Hal Jordan wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 4:05 pm

Slick wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 3:23 pm

Hal Jordan wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:54 am Yes, but he's cut three killer lines in three years for England so he's a shoo in.

Nearer 10 years, but anyway.

I love the punishment handed out to Tom Youngs for abusing the ref - a reffing course and must officate some junior games. There should be a lot more of that

Attending an academic course? Truly a cruel and unusual punishment for a Youngs brother.

sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:27 am Miles Reid has fracture something in his face, so he's gooooone from the England squad

sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:19 am It'll be interesting to see how they start this one. Without knowing much about this particular crop of Scots, they're not typically that strong at age group level, so I wouldn't expect our boys to find themselves in a hole as they did against France. The depth of that hole may possibly have brought the best out of them, though.

JM2K6 wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:29 am

sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:27 am Miles Reid has fracture something in his face, so he's gooooone from the England squad

Poor guy.


How could anyone tell?

JM2K6 wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 12:06 pm Can't believe they've picked Carley to ref the final (and Dickson as an AR!). Is Luke Pearce ill? Did Exeter and Quins piss off the RFU again?

ASMO wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:06 pm

JM2K6 wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 12:06 pm Can't believe they've picked Carley to ref the final (and Dickson as an AR!). Is Luke Pearce ill? Did Exeter and Quins piss off the RFU again?

Carley is still several magnitudes better than Dixon mind

sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:22 pm Pearce wasn't involved in either semi even as an AR, so maybe something is up with him.

The officials for the Sharks - Chiefs semi were astonishingly low tier.

Referee: Tom Foley
Assistant Referees: Jack Makepeace & Anthony Woodthorpe.
TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys.

The ARs in particular are huge question marks. You'd have thought every single official in the semis could be one of the frontline refs, let alone the final.

Do they pick straws or something?

JM2K6 wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:38 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:22 pm Pearce wasn't involved in either semi even as an AR, so maybe something is up with him.

The officials for the Sharks - Chiefs semi were astonishingly low tier.

Referee: Tom Foley
Assistant Referees: Jack Makepeace & Anthony Woodthorpe.
TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys.

The ARs in particular are huge question marks. You'd have thought every single official in the semis could be one of the frontline refs, let alone the final.

Do they pick straws or something?

Pearce did the Championship final

Margin__Walker wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 10:56 am U20s for Scotland tomorrow. Same backline, with some rotation in the forwards. Quirke onto the bench. Looking forward to seeing Haffar if he makes it off the bench. He can be pretty fun to watch.

ENGLAND U20 XV
15 Orlando Bailey (Bath Rugby)
14 Deago Bailey (Bristol Rugby)
13 Jack Bates (Bristol Rugby)
12 Dan Lancaster (Leeds Tykes)
11 Arthur Relton (Exeter Chiefs)
10 Fin Smith (Worcester Warriors)
9 Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers) (C)

1 Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons)
2 Sam Riley (Harlequins)
3 Harvey Kindell-Beaton (Saracens)
4 Ewan Richards (Bath Rugby)
5 Alex Groves (Bristol Bears)
6 Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers)
7 Lucas Brooke (London Irish)
8 Jack Clement (Gloucester Rugby)

REPLACEMENTS
16 John Stewart (Bath Rugby)
17 Tarek Haffar (London Irish)
18 Luke Green (London Irish)
19 Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
20 Harry Taylor (Gloucester Rugby)
21 Nahum Merigan (Bath Rugby)
22 Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks)
23 Tommy Mathews (unattached)
24 Phil Cokanasiga (London Irish)
25 Tom Litchfield (Northampton Saints)
26 Charlie Atkinson (Wasps)

Margin__Walker wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 10:56 am U20s for Scotland tomorrow. Same backline, with some rotation in the forwards. Quirke onto the bench. Looking forward to seeing Haffar if he makes it off the bench. He can be pretty fun to watch.

ENGLAND U20 XV
15 Orlando Bailey (Bath Rugby)
14 Deago Bailey (Bristol Rugby)
13 Jack Bates (Bristol Rugby)
12 Dan Lancaster (Leeds Tykes)
11 Arthur Relton (Exeter Chiefs)
10 Fin Smith (Worcester Warriors)
9 Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers) (C)

1 Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons)
2 Sam Riley (Harlequins)
3 Harvey Kindell-Beaton (Saracens)
4 Ewan Richards (Bath Rugby)
5 Alex Groves (Bristol Bears)
6 Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers)
7 Lucas Brooke (London Irish)
8 Jack Clement (Gloucester Rugby)

REPLACEMENTS
16 John Stewart (Bath Rugby)
17 Tarek Haffar (London Irish)
18 Luke Green (London Irish)
19 Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
20 Harry Taylor (Gloucester Rugby)
21 Nahum Merigan (Bath Rugby)
22 Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks)
23 Tommy Mathews (unattached)
24 Phil Cokanasiga (London Irish)
25 Tom Litchfield (Northampton Saints)
26 Charlie Atkinson (Wasps)

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:34 am

JM2K6 wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:11 am

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:45 am
The current Sale squad has about 3x as many South Africans as the 2012 era Saracens squad did. And worse, the Sale ones are already capped so no chance of them playing for England like many did at Saracens.

Why do you do this?

Sale have 11 Saffers. Saracens squad for the 2011/12 season - 11 Saffers. But yes, Botha and Barritt did play for England, leaving plenty who didn't.

Nils Mordt declared and played for England 7s.

Melk, Du Plessis and Jouber all declared for England but didn't get picked. Jono Ross declared later.

Think only about 3 or 4 capped in the squad with no chance of ever playing for England.

sockwithaticket wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:53 am As far as I'm aware, most of them weren't qualified when they came over. 3 year residency poaches always feel dirty.

JM2K6 wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:50 am

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:34 am

JM2K6 wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:11 am

Why do you do this?

Sale have 11 Saffers. Saracens squad for the 2011/12 season - 11 Saffers. But yes, Botha and Barritt did play for England, leaving plenty who didn't.

Nils Mordt declared and played for England 7s.

Melk, Du Plessis and Jouber all declared for England but didn't get picked. Jono Ross declared later.

Think only about 3 or 4 capped in the squad with no chance of ever playing for England.

(Copied my reply to the England rugby thread)

My apologies, I forgot Mordt was a Saffer, though he wouldn't really be anyone's idea of an import. Still, you count him, so I shall: Saracens 12 to Sale's 11, then.

So Mordt played 7s, and Barritt and Botha played for England in XVs, the sport we're talking about. Jono Ross counts for both Sale & Saracens. Who is Melk?

edit: Also IIRC it was years before Joubert was eligible, long after that 2011/12 period. Dunno about PdP.

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:58 am

sockwithaticket wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:53 am As far as I'm aware, most of them weren't qualified when they came over. 3 year residency poaches always feel dirty.

They may feel 'dirty' but players like Tuilagi, Barritt, the Vunipolas etc have been some of the finest players for England in the last decade. I've never seen a braver player in an England shirt than Brad Barritt either, regardless of where they were born.

Point is, the Sale team offers none of these potential benefits to England rugby by employing capped players.

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:00 am

JM2K6 wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:50 am

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:34 am

Nils Mordt declared and played for England 7s.

Melk, Du Plessis and Jouber all declared for England but didn't get picked. Jono Ross declared later.

Think only about 3 or 4 capped in the squad with no chance of ever playing for England.

(Copied my reply to the England rugby thread)

My apologies, I forgot Mordt was a Saffer, though he wouldn't really be anyone's idea of an import. Still, you count him, so I shall: Saracens 12 to Sale's 11, then.

So Mordt played 7s, and Barritt and Botha played for England in XVs, the sport we're talking about. Jono Ross counts for both Sale & Saracens. Who is Melk?

edit: Also IIRC it was years before Joubert was eligible, long after that 2011/12 period. Dunno about PdP.

Counting in your head. Careful now.

JM2K6 wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:03 am

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:00 am

JM2K6 wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:50 am

(Copied my reply to the England rugby thread)

My apologies, I forgot Mordt was a Saffer, though he wouldn't really be anyone's idea of an import. Still, you count him, so I shall: Saracens 12 to Sale's 11, then.

So Mordt played 7s, and Barritt and Botha played for England in XVs, the sport we're talking about. Jono Ross counts for both Sale & Saracens. Who is Melk?

edit: Also IIRC it was years before Joubert was eligible, long after that 2011/12 period. Dunno about PdP.

Counting in your head. Careful now.

Shall we revisit your "three times as many Saffers" claim or do you just want to pretend that you is never said that?

ASMO wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:03 am A Team announced

ASMO wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:03 am A Team announced

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:05 am

JM2K6 wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:03 am

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:00 am



Counting in your head. Careful now.

Shall we revisit your "three times as many Saffers" claim or do you just want to pretend that you is never said that?

3 capped Saracens South Africans is 3x less than 9 capped Sale South Africans.

The current Sale squad has about 3x as many South Africans as the 2012 era Saracens squad did. And worse, the Sale ones are already capped so no chance of them playing for England like many did at Saracens.

Brazil wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:09 am

ASMO wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:03 am A Team announced

What did Genge get the Victoria Cross for?

ASMO wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:03 am A Team announced