Rugby Union (was 2014-15, now an ongoing thread)

[UK Redsox]

The last of England's 2003 World Cup winners announces his retirement.

http://www.gloucestercitizen.co.uk/Mike-Tindall-announces-retirement-professional/story-21461734-detail/story.html

Let's hope that he's able to find alternative employment soon and doesn't have to move in with his wife's family.

[paul_e]

I'm surprised they didn't keep him on the coaching team but I guess the new director wanted a bit of a clean sweep.

I can't see him staying out of coaching for long.

[lovejoy]

Thanks for everything Tinds, a truly great player who was able to cross the divide.

[peter w]

Great? Cross the divide? Eh?

[paul_e]

Great? Cross the divide? Eh?

Great - debateable but he was part of the best backline England have ever had so probably fair.
Cross the Divide - Played for Bath and Gloucester and is well thought of by the fans of each.

[peter w]

Tindall is far from great.

As for the great divide, fair enough.

[Dr Butler]

always thought Greenwood was the better player of the two.......that Zara's noice though

[UK Redsox]

always thought Greenwood was the better player of the two.......that Zara's noice though

Yep, apparently Mike married some horse-rider.

[peter w]

Different player to Greenwood but I still only thought of him as the rugby version of a hod carrier. Ran threw brick walls but nowhere near good enough to warrant 'great'.

[paul_e]

Different player to Greenwood but I still only thought of him as the rugby version of a hod carrier. Ran threw brick walls but nowhere near good enough to warrant 'great'.

He was the one that allowed Greenwood to be  the genius.  I'm not Tindall's greatest fan and I think he belonged to style of rugby which is outdated but he was very good at what he did, good crash runner, strong tackler and most importantly exceptional in the tight, often working as a 4th back row.  He was let down by his lack of flair and his slightly suspect passing but, as said, he was a important part of the best backline we've ever had (although it will be bettered soon).  Like the rest of the 2003 squad he deserves to be considered a great of English rugby.

[lovejoy]

Great, by the fact he's won the world cup. I agree not the flashest back but he never let the side down, performed his role reliably. In fact I can't recollect him missing a tackle. The flair players need the "hod carriers" to enable them to perform.

[peter w]

I wonder how many of todays nearly team would get into the 2003 team? Not many admittedly but I think Tindall would be one of the players easily replaced.

[paul_e]

tough call, you're largely comparing guys early in their career to guys who retired soon after the world cup.  There's not much in it for a lot of the positions though, for example Wood is coming very close the level Hill was at.  The 'weak' links in there were Tindall and Thompson really but both were strong enough in the basics that the lack of brilliance wasn't a problem.

[paul_e]

Very happy with the european draw for Saints, group 5 with Racing Metro, Ospreys and Treviso, that's about as easy a group as you could wish for.

Glaws in the Amlin replacement have drawn Brive, Zebre and Oyonnax which is also a very kind draw.

[paul_e]

Not going to create a new topic about it but I think it's worth sharing a congratulations to the ladies winning the world cup, after 3 runners up medals in a row.  Very impressive performances in the semi and the final, and a fair few of them are only mid-twenties so we'll have largely that team for the next world cup as well.  Lets hope the men can make it a pair next year.