Rugby Union 23/24 Discussion

Bringing Prendergast is the right call and I'm happy to see Izuchukwu in as well.

Really pissed off that none of McCann, Hodnett or Coombes were picked. Not sure what we stand to gain from bringing Healy, Herring, O'Mahony or Murray either.
 
diarm said:
Bringing Prendergast is the right call and I'm happy to see Izuchukwu in as well.

Really pissed off that none of McCann, Hodnett or Coombes were picked. Not sure what we stand to gain from bringing Healy, Herring, O'Mahony or Murray either.
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Coombes is never getting a shot, I think he'll most likely head off to France at the end of his contract to make some money before he retires more than likely to La Rochelle.

Hodnett should be in the squad the man never has a bad game, he's a solid 7 or 8 out of 10 every game, McCann is a fecking beast of a man has to get a call up soon, then again I've said the same thing about Coombes for years.

I'd of taken Wilson from Ulster as well to give him the experience of being on tour as he's the future in our scrum.
 
diarm said:
Bringing Prendergast is the right call and I'm happy to see Izuchukwu in as well.

Really pissed off that none of McCann, Hodnett or Coombes were picked. Not sure what we stand to gain from bringing Healy, Herring, O'Mahony or Murray either.
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Murray is going?? Yikes.
I saw that Blade was going and was delighted at that. I didnt see that Murray was.
 
unchanged_lineup said:
Murray is going?? Yikes.
I saw that Blade was going and was delighted at that. I didnt see that Murray was.
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Id love to see the thought process for some of the decision making.

There were a couple of years where Loughman was playing like muck, but kept getting picked. Now he’s put in 6-8 months of really good form and he gets dropped.

Then Blade was the second best scrumhalf for a couple of years and couldn’t get a look in. His form has dipped this season and suddenly he’s picked.

Coombes didn’t make the World Cup squad because his work rate wasn’t high enough and his handling wasn’t as good as other options. This year he finishes right at the top of the leagues tackle and carry charts, and has shown huge improvements in his skills and handling, but that work he’s put in behind the scenes hasn’t been rewarded.

McCann has been the form backrower in the country this year. He’s the perfect blend of athleticism and workrate, with a good measure of needed dog about him as well. Instead were bringing OMahony as captain, as if that isn’t just kicking the leadership void can a little further down the road.
 
Matt Williams will be happy - the Boks have gone with a 5-3 split for Rassie Erasmus's first game back as their official head coach after pulling the strings as Director of Rugby at last year's World Cup.

South Africa: Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Faf de Klerk, Evan Roos, Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche. Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Ben-Jason Dixon, Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian de Allende.

Wales : Cameron Winnett, Liam Williams, Owen Watkin, Mason Grady, Rio Dyer, Sam Costelow, Ellis Bevan, Aaron Wainwright, James Botham, Taine Plumtree, Ben Carter, Matthew Screech, Henry Thomas, Dewi Lake (captain), Gareth Thomas. Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias, Kieron Assiratti, James Ratti, Mackenzie Martin, Gareth Davies, Jacob Beetham.
 
T00lsh3d said:
You and me both mate. Can’t believe it’s overlapping with Blues & Chiefs though - bad planning.

Who’s going to win that one?
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I see the Blues winning. Vern Cotter has instilled a hard edge that was missing in the Leon MacDonald years. There's less of the fancy stuff, more grunt and they're playing better for longer this season. The Blues best is the best in the comp despite the Hurricanes finishing on top. It's a massive game for Damian McKenzie who'll want to show Scott Robertson he can be a dominant force at flyhalf in a final like this.
 
Xaviesta said:
I see the Blues winning. Vern Cotter has instilled a hard edge that was missing in the Leon MacDonald years. There's less of the fancy stuff, more grunt and they're playing better for longer this season. The Blues best is the best in the comp despite the Hurricanes finishing on top. It's a massive game for Damian McKenzie who'll want to show Scott Robertson he can be a dominant force at flyhalf in a final like this.
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I’ve got my grandson so no doubt will be up in time for both matches.

Somewhat unbelievably you can only watch Japan England on rugbypass over here….it is at least free though
 
Xaviesta said:
England 52 Japan 17. Suck eggs, Eddie.
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always nice to see EJ get hammered. Didn’t get to watch it but with that scoreline I’m not fussed.
Hope the chiefs can get back in this one. They have such a beautiful kit that I bought one a couple of years back
 
T00lsh3d said:
always nice to see EJ get hammered. Didn’t get to watch it but with that scoreline I’m not fussed.
Hope the chiefs can get back in this one. They have such a beautiful kit that I bought one a couple of years back
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That try to Caleb Clarke has sealed it for the Blues. Chiefs down a man until the hour mark and traillinh 27-3.
 
Xaviesta said:
That try to Caleb Clarke has sealed it for the Blues. Chiefs down a man until the hour mark and traillinh 27-3.
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Yeah this is one of the most one-sided finals I’ve ever seen. Not in terms of scoreline but in territory and possession.

Feel a bit for D-Mac here, only times he’s had the ball are clearance kicks 5 metres from his own line
 
I imagine this thread will be popping later with the URC final? All our native Scots and Boks ;) :lol: :lol:
 
Bit of hope for the Welsh here….Ive bunged £20 on the springboks at -22. Guaranteed to be a close game now
 
Given the fierce rivalry between South Africa and New Zealand on the rugby field, it'll look weird seeing ex All Black flyhalf Tony Brown in Springboks gear as their attack coach.
 
Rio Dyer in the bin for a professional foul in front of the sticks. You can't take a scrum from a free kick anymore but you can from a penalty and the Boks will fancy a try here.
 
Wales are rugby league team - they're down to 13. They were going to score anyway but the ref gave a penalty try and sin binned Wainwright for a side entry when the Bok maul made its way to the tryline.
 
Interesting ‘nerfing’ of the springboks here with the lack of scrum penalties
 
Dumb from Kwagga Smith slapping the ball out of the hands of the #9 when the ruck had been won by Wales.
 
Xaviesta said:
Fassi has been good under the high ball.
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He does need to keep his foot down though when catching the high ball. Clear yellow, no head contact so it'll probably stay as a yellow. A 3rd yellow card inside half an hour in this game.
 
Wales have try! Dewi Lake benefitted from the Boks unable to clean up after Etzebeth tapped the ball onto his team's side from a Welsh lineout.
 
Nobody wins two scum penalties in a row off Ox Nche, who made his opponent stand up under pressure.
 
DDA went for a 50-22, missed it by a coat of varnish. Genius if he got the 50-22 but a counter was on and missed out on because De Allende kicked it.
 
Sacha Feinburng Mngomezulu's first points in test rugby come from a 52m penalty goal that cleared the dead ball line. Handre Pollard who?
 
Breaking news: The Boks scored a try from a maul. Mbonambi was the man who crashed over.
 
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