Official United Rugby Championship thread

[Sards]

Apparently the Bulls broke Kittsy and Frans and Frans is out injured

[OomStruisbaai]

Leeus: 15. Quan Horn, 14. Rabz Maxwane, 13. Henco van Wyk, 12. Marius Louw (c), 11. Edwill van der Merwe, 10. Jordan Hendrikse, 9. Sanele Nohamba, 8. Emmanuel Tshituka, 7. Ruan Venter, 6. Jarod Cairns, 5. Pieter Jansen van Vuren (c), 4. Willem Alberts, 3. Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2. PJ Botha, 1. JP Smith.
Replacements: 16. Jaco Visagie, 17. Morgan Naude, 18. Ruan Smith, 19. Ruben Schoeman, 20. Sibusiso Sangweni, 21. Morne van den Berg, 22. Gianni Lombard, 23. Manuel Rass.

What's the deal with Lions Oom, are they similar to our Connacht in terms of funding and player base?

Looking at the class of 2018 obviously there was a lot more quality in there. Did the loss of Super Rugby have a bearing or was it just the 2019 RWC win & players on better money elsewhere?

Sharks and Bulls poaching their best. Money.

[Chilli]

Stormers by 50
$harks by 30

[OomStruisbaai]

[OomStruisbaai]

Stormers by 50
$harks by 30

Look about right. Stormers giving the Lions respect select their A team.

[GrahamWa]

Did you notice that the thing that made the English league the best and most competitive is no longer the case.

Exeter Chiefs director of Rugby Rob Baxter believes the Premiership is much more "competitive" without the threat of relegation.

Relegation to the Championship will not return until 2024-25 at the earliest as the top flight bids to rebalance after the demise of Worcester and Wasps.

And in the last round of games, the top three Saracens, Sale and Harlequins all lost to sides at the bottom.

"Now you're never in a scenario where a team aren't coming after you," he said.

"Some teams in the relegation zone would [previously] rest players when they came up against a side they didn't think they would beat, because the next game was against a relegation rival.

"That doesn't happen any more because there's no need to."

The Premiership was left with 11 clubs for the remainder of this season following the financial collapse of Worcester and Wasps, which saw both Midlands-based clubs suspended and then relegated from the top division.

And Baxter believes without the threat of further relegation from the Premiership, struggling teams have been given a boost of confidence on the pitch.

"Competitive results are going to happen more and more often," he said.

"A perfect example is when we've been to Newcastle when they've been in the bottom two.

"It's very hard to play with the ambition and desire that they play with now because there's so much hanging on the result."

While leaders Saracens, second-placed Sale and Harlequins in third lost to London Irish, Newcastle and Bristol respectively, over Christmas, Baxter's sixth-placed Chiefs narrowly avoided coming unstuck against Bath on Christmas Eve, eventually grinding out a 20-15 win.

That result left Bath bottom of the table, but with every side in the league having won at least three of their 10 games this season.

"We've won some pretty tight games against teams that have been in the bottom two because the game means so much that as it gets to that pressure 10 minutes at the end, they start to make more mistakes than you do," added Baxter.

"That's actually changed a bit and what you're seeing is that teams at the bottom of the league can get on with it.

"They're not looking over their shoulder [anymore], they're looking upwards all the time."

Exeter are back in action against top-of-the-table Saracens on New Year's Eve.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64108799

[OomStruisbaai]

Did you notice that the thing that made the English league the best and most competitive is no longer the case.

Exeter Chiefs director of Rugby Rob Baxter believes the Premiership is much more "competitive" without the threat of relegation.

Relegation to the Championship will not return until 2024-25 at the earliest as the top flight bids to rebalance after the demise of Worcester and Wasps.

And in the last round of games, the top three Saracens, Sale and Harlequins all lost to sides at the bottom.

"Now you're never in a scenario where a team aren't coming after you," he said.

"Some teams in the relegation zone would [previously] rest players when they came up against a side they didn't think they would beat, because the next game was against a relegation rival.

"That doesn't happen any more because there's no need to."

The Premiership was left with 11 clubs for the remainder of this season following the financial collapse of Worcester and Wasps, which saw both Midlands-based clubs suspended and then relegated from the top division.

And Baxter believes without the threat of further relegation from the Premiership, struggling teams have been given a boost of confidence on the pitch.

"Competitive results are going to happen more and more often," he said.

"A perfect example is when we've been to Newcastle when they've been in the bottom two.

"It's very hard to play with the ambition and desire that they play with now because there's so much hanging on the result."

While leaders Saracens, second-placed Sale and Harlequins in third lost to London Irish, Newcastle and Bristol respectively, over Christmas, Baxter's sixth-placed Chiefs narrowly avoided coming unstuck against Bath on Christmas Eve, eventually grinding out a 20-15 win.

That result left Bath bottom of the table, but with every side in the league having won at least three of their 10 games this season.

"We've won some pretty tight games against teams that have been in the bottom two because the game means so much that as it gets to that pressure 10 minutes at the end, they start to make more mistakes than you do," added Baxter.

"That's actually changed a bit and what you're seeing is that teams at the bottom of the league can get on with it.

"They're not looking over their shoulder [anymore], they're looking upwards all the time."

Exeter are back in action against top-of-the-table Saracens on New Year's Eve.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64108799

Isn't you on the wrong thread?

[OomStruisbaai]

Big Scottish derby tonight

Teams:

Edinburgh: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 James Lang, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Villiame Mata, 7 Luke Crosbie, 6 Jamie Ritchie (co-captain), 5 Grant Gilchrist (co-captain), 4 Sam Skinner, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Tom Cruse, 1 Boan Venter.
Replacements: 16 Paddy Harrison, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Angus Williams, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Connor Boyle, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22 Charlie Savala, 23 Cammy Hutchinson.

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Ollie Smith, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Sione Tuipulotu, 12 Stafford McDowall, 11 Kyle Steyn (captain), 10 Tom Jordan, 9 Ali Price, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Sione Vailanu, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Richie Gray, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Lucio Sordoni, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Jamie Bhatti.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Jean-Pierre du Preez, 20 Lewis Bean, 21 Cameron Neild, 22 George Horne, 23 Domingo Miotti.

Date: Friday, December 30
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off 19.35 (19.35 GMT)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Ian Kenny (Scotland)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

[GrahamWa]

Spoiler

Show

Did you notice that the thing that made the English league the best and most competitive is no longer the case.

Exeter Chiefs director of Rugby Rob Baxter believes the Premiership is much more "competitive" without the threat of relegation.

Relegation to the Championship will not return until 2024-25 at the earliest as the top flight bids to rebalance after the demise of Worcester and Wasps.

And in the last round of games, the top three Saracens, Sale and Harlequins all lost to sides at the bottom.

"Now you're never in a scenario where a team aren't coming after you," he said.

"Some teams in the relegation zone would [previously] rest players when they came up against a side they didn't think they would beat, because the next game was against a relegation rival.

"That doesn't happen any more because there's no need to."

The Premiership was left with 11 clubs for the remainder of this season following the financial collapse of Worcester and Wasps, which saw both Midlands-based clubs suspended and then relegated from the top division.

And Baxter believes without the threat of further relegation from the Premiership, struggling teams have been given a boost of confidence on the pitch.

"Competitive results are going to happen more and more often," he said.

"A perfect example is when we've been to Newcastle when they've been in the bottom two.

"It's very hard to play with the ambition and desire that they play with now because there's so much hanging on the result."

While leaders Saracens, second-placed Sale and Harlequins in third lost to London Irish, Newcastle and Bristol respectively, over Christmas, Baxter's sixth-placed Chiefs narrowly avoided coming unstuck against Bath on Christmas Eve, eventually grinding out a 20-15 win.

That result left Bath bottom of the table, but with every side in the league having won at least three of their 10 games this season.

"We've won some pretty tight games against teams that have been in the bottom two because the game means so much that as it gets to that pressure 10 minutes at the end, they start to make more mistakes than you do," added Baxter.

"That's actually changed a bit and what you're seeing is that teams at the bottom of the league can get on with it.

"They're not looking over their shoulder [anymore], they're looking upwards all the time."

Exeter are back in action against top-of-the-table Saracens on New Year's Eve.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64108799

Isn't you on the wrong thread?
[/quote]

No, Sky and then BT used to throw shade at the Pro XX for not having relegation making their games more exciting, this was picked up by all the english correspondants in the newspapers by the like of the old walrus in the Times.

[OomStruisbaai]

Embra looking good after a bad start

[OomStruisbaai]

Summer weather at Embra

[OomStruisbaai]

Stormers in for a tough battle next week against Glasgow

[FalseBayFC]

Stormers in for a tough battle next week against Glasgow

Franco Smith a future Bok coach I think.

[OomStruisbaai]

Stormers in for a tough battle next week against Glasgow

Franco Smith a future Bok coach I think.

He struggled with Italy but do a great job with Glasgow.

I like his traditional Cheetah running gameplan.

[OomStruisbaai]

Crowd look weak

[Sards]

What a scrum. These Bulls pushed the Stormers around

[Sards]

Geez Marius. Look the other side too dude

[Sards]

Its just penalties..ffs

[OomStruisbaai]

Moodie scored like a knife through butter

[Chilli]

Stormers in for a tough battle next week against Glasgow

Franco Smith a future Bok coach I think.

[Chilli]

Ok.

[Sards]

Moodie scored like a knife through butter

Great try. Gave it back thanks

[Sards]

I can't believe these Bulls forwards owned the Stormers

[OomStruisbaai]

Marius helping the Sharks with all his yellow cards.

[FalseBayFC]

Curwin Bosch for Boks! Its inevitable.

[FalseBayFC]

Marius helping the Sharks with all his yellow cards.

Bulls are being forced to cheat because the Sharks are grinding them in the scrums.

[Chilli]

Curwin Bosch for Boks! Its inevitable.

That's it.
You are NOT getting a Christmas card in 2023.

[Sards]

Marius helping the Sharks with all his yellow cards.

When he gave the 1 penalty it was like........" another penalty.....sigh...."

[Sards]

Power rugby

[OomStruisbaai]

Bulls nr 9 have a nightmare. Put Zakkie on

[Chilli]

Power rugby

Reminds me of the Stomps under AC.
Scrum for penalties, kick the points or go for the lineout, maul for a penalty or try.


Not rocket science, been done before.

[Sards]

Power rugby

Reminds me of the Stomps under AC.
Scrum for penalties, kick the points or go for the lineout, maul for a penalty or try.


Not rocket science, been done before.

You need the cattle for it. All teams are now on notice

[Chilli]

Power rugby

Reminds me of the Stomps under AC.
Scrum for penalties, kick the points or go for the lineout, maul for a penalty or try.


Not rocket science, been done before.

You need the cattle for it. All teams are now on notice

Let's see how they go against the Stormers.

[Chilli]

All the Vaalie $harks supporters filling up the stadium.

[Chilli]

Comprehensive poesklap in the end.

Great win by the $harks.


What will Jake's excuse be this week? Who will he cite?

[OomStruisbaai]

Power rugby

Reminds me of the Stomps under AC.
Scrum for penalties, kick the points or go for the lineout, maul for a penalty or try.


Not rocket science, been done before.

Etsebeth , Kolisi, Bongi, Gerbrand Grobler, the heart of the Sharks played under AC.

[Chilli]

Power rugby

Reminds me of the Stomps under AC.
Scrum for penalties, kick the points or go for the lineout, maul for a penalty or try.


Not rocket science, been done before.

Etsebeth , Kolisi, Bongi, Gerbrand Grobler, the heart of the Sharks played under AC.

They are probably coaching the team.

[Sards]

Power rugby

Reminds me of the Stomps under AC.
Scrum for penalties, kick the points or go for the lineout, maul for a penalty or try.


Not rocket science, been done before.

Etsebeth , Kolisi, Bongi, Gerbrand Grobler, the heart of the Sharks played under AC.

And never looked better than tonight

[Sards]

Lions can move back into top 8

[Chilli]

Lions can move back into top 8

Not playing like this they can't.