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Author Topic: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18  (Read 25596 times)

Offline UK Redsox

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Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« on: August 30, 2017, 08:31:04 PM »
For anyone with access to BT Sport, their rugby show tonight had an interesting segment with Wayne Barnes explaining the changes to the laws for the upcoming season.

Main changes......

Scrum Halves must put the ball in straight (ish) and the hooker must hook

No more kicking the ball forward in a ruck

Italy's non-committing to rucks and then loitering around the edges tactic has been banned
« Last Edit: August 31, 2017, 08:17:28 AM by UK Redsox »

Offline Mister E

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2017, 07:00:42 AM »
Thanks for this, UKR. Useful.

Offline j66acd

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2017, 07:28:31 AM »
The scrum halves are never going to put the balk in straight!!

I also liked the rules/laws about keeping the ball in play rather than playing for line outs.

Saracens for the double but I'm hoping Wasps can go one step further this season.

Online paul_e

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2017, 10:50:09 AM »
Lots of interesting squad changes this season.  Most of them are largely like-for-like (Leicester have sign May but lost Pietersen and have swapped Burns for Ford for example).

Irish look a much stronger squad than Bristol and Newcastle have bought really well so the bottom of the table might be more interesting this year, I worry for Worcester because they don't seem to have improved their quality massively despite a very busy summer.

Wasps will miss Beale, he gave them a spark of brilliance and Frank Halai is a good player out the door as well but they have added Marcus Watson who I like (and his 7s time has made him a much more complete winger than many).

Sarries are, for me, weaker than they were last season because they lost some good players to retirement and Ashton, for all his problems, was a key player for them for a few years.  Liam Williams is a good signing though and they have added some depth around the squad.

Exeter didn't do much and didn't need to do much but again they've lost a few that they'll be upset about.

Final one, I think Piers Francis could well be the most important signing of the summer.  The work at Saints doesn't look that huge but when you add the 3-4 players they picked up during last season there's been a big change to the squad in the last year.  Losing Picamoles will be a huge blow but their backs look much better now so if they can start making use of them now they have a proper playmaker at 10 then it could be a good season for them.

Online curiousorange

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2017, 12:02:31 PM »
Worcester will drop. They've searched all year for a decent fly half and are sitting on what they have, but their injury record is appalling. They have to rely on Te'o to get them anywhere near firing and their pre-season has been ropey too. Gary Gold will have a job on getting them to safety.

Offline j66acd

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2017, 05:08:58 PM »
Teo is too good for Worcester and he will be missing for a big part of the season with England. So if they relying on him then they are in for a long season.

Offline Gareth

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2017, 06:15:32 PM »
What I will say in defence of Worcester is that there was a huge improvement when Gold and the fitness coaches came in in the new year so we'll see if summer has improved it further.  Agree about 10 though, no depth

Offline cheltenhamlion

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2017, 07:08:39 PM »
The Gloucester squad has been getting weaker by the week. They won't go at all well this year. And the ticket prices are fucking horrific as well.

Online paul_e

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2017, 08:42:17 PM »
The Gloucester squad has been getting weaker by the week. They won't go at all well this year. And the ticket prices are fucking horrific as well.

They're doing fine tonight, chiefs have had more ball but the glaws defence has handled them pretty well and they have taken points when they've got to the 22.

Newcastle are on top against Worcester as expected.

Online paul_e

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2017, 09:51:54 PM »
Brilliant win for Glaws at home to the chiefs, was a great game and both teams looked like they'd given everything towards the end.

Online curiousorange

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2017, 09:56:07 PM »
Worcester got mullered in the end. Just Wasps at home next.

Offline Jon Crofts

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2017, 08:48:57 AM »
Brilliant win for Glaws at home to the chiefs, was a great game and both teams looked like they'd given everything towards the end.

Lots of Chiefs complaining about the officials and that the ball was input prior to the Gloucester winning try?

Shades of last seasons 27 - 27 draw at Sandy Park.

Offline UK Redsox

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2017, 11:57:20 AM »
What has the nickname 'Chiefs' got to do with Exeter?

Online paul_e

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #13 on: September 02, 2017, 12:54:03 PM »
What has the nickname 'Chiefs' got to do with Exeter?

They were renamed in 99 to be the Exeter Chiefs, apparently it's a nod back to the 30s when most of the players in the 2 big teams down there were filled by an army base and they split into the officers joining the one and the rank and file joining the other side so they locally got called the chiefs and the braves.

Online paul_e

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Re: Domestic & European Rugby 2017-18
« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2017, 02:38:52 PM »
This is a shocking start to the season from saints, it's almost like they've never seen sarries play.

 


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