Rugby Union Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Disappointed but onwards and upwards. I do think Lancaster should be looking at Cipriani instead of Hodgson.

[Dave Summers]

Disappointed but onwards and upwards. I do think Lancaster should be looking at Cipriani instead of Hodgson.

No bigger fan of Cipriani than me, but he shouldn't be anywhere near the squad at the moment.   Flood (who should be starting at 10 for me) with Burns as back up number 10.   Farrell can go as the inside centre, but even then I would be picking Tuilagi there and someone like Joseph or Lowe at outside.

[UK Redsox]

Smegging hell, I've only just noticed this lookalikey

Stuart Lancaster






Chris Barrie

[cheltenhamlion]

What's the word on the street about a new gaffer for Gloucester then? Have been too busy to keep in touch with it all of late.

[Dave Summers]

What's the word on the street about a new gaffer for Gloucester then? Have been too busy to keep in touch with it all of late.

Sean Holley I have read somewhere, ex of Ospreys.   Glaws had a really poor end to the season and need someone in to shake it up.

[lovejoy]

Or John Brain (ex of Wuss)

[Dave Summers]

Forwards (23): Mouritz Botha (Saracens), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints), Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints), Carl Fearns (Bath Rugby), Joe Gray (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Otago Highlanders), Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Ben Morgan (Scarlets), Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Chris Robshaw (capt, Harlequins), George Robson (Harlequins), Matt Stevens (Saracens), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Backs (19): Anthony Allen (Leicester Tigers), Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins) Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Alex Goode (Saracens), Charlie Hodgson (Saracens), Jonathan Joseph (London Irish), George Lowe (Harlequins), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), David Strettle (Saracens), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins), Christian Wade (London Wasps), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

Very large squad that for the tour to South Africa, but at first glance appears quite exciting.   Very disappointed that Jonny May hasn't made the cut, I would be taking him ahead of both Strettle and Monye.   Mind I'd take David Duckham at 60 odd above Strettle.

The one aspect that has stood out though and I guess will get some attention on here, is that there isn't one Gloucester player in the party?.   I know Ben Morgan is joining next year, but that doesn't count yet.   That's a sad indictment of what has happened there in the last few weeks.  I know Sharples is out, but I thought May, Sinbad, Burns may have had a look in?.

Team for 1st test, presuming everyone fit and available :

Corbs
Hartley
Cole

Botha
Parling

Haskell
Robshaw
Morgan

Youngs
Flood

Barritt
Tuilagi

Wade
Ashton

Foden

[PaulWinch again]

Happy to see that Wade has been included in the squad, I think he's going to be a top player.

[paul_e]

Happy to see that Wade has been included in the squad, I think he's going to be a top player.

Wade, Kitchener, Launchbury and Joseph are all really exciting choices, Feel sorry for May and Burns but I think Glaws poor form has ruled them out.

Joseph is my dark horse for the tour, I think he's got the ability to force his way in and make himself a key part of the side, he's been awesome for a pretty weak Irish side all season.

[lovejoy]

Bloody Leicester in the final again.

[paul_e]

Bloody Leicester in the final again.

Glad they beat sarries though, there's something deeply unlike-able about that club at the minute.

[lovejoy]

Bloody Leicester in the final again.

You could say that about either Leicester or Saracens.

Glad they beat sarries though, there's something deeply unlike-able about that club at the minute.

[paul_e]

Bloody Leicester in the final again.

You could say that about either Leicester or Saracens.

Glad they beat sarries though, there's something deeply unlike-able about that club at the minute.

I agree totally, it disappoints me to see them both being so successful and hence an england squad full of their players.  They're both solid professional sides but neither does anything to suggest a golden dawn for english rugby.  I just think so long as sides like that exist in the English leagues we'll always struggle to move on as a nation.

[cheltenhamlion]

A shortlist of four it appears.

[UK Redsox]

A great article in the Telegraph today highlighting the hypocrisy of Premier Rugby and the RFU regarding their denial of promotion to London Welsh and Cornish Pirates.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/9286952/How-dare-Premiership-Rugby-criticise-London-Welsh-and-deny-them-right-to-play-in-top-flight.-It-is-gross-hypocrisy.html