Domestic & European Rugby 2015-16

[UK Redsox]

'We are top of the league. We are top of the league'

http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/

Drive on Lyd

[peter w]

Moseley bottom of the Championship. Looks like this is the season. Very Villa-esque.

[UK Redsox]

Zindyferrred bottom of National 1, which is good to see.

However, I still don't think that Gloucester Second XV.......sorry, Hartpury College should be allowed in the league structure.

[paul_e]

Very good east mids derby with some Barnes decisions turning the game. The encouragement to keep Croft in the air at the line out being the worst for me.

[Dante Lavelli]

Very good east mids derby with some Barnes decisions turning the game. The encouragement to keep Croft in the air at the line out being the worst for me.

I saw the 2nd half and the conditions were awful.  It was almost as if having possession of the ball was a liability.

[paul_e]

Very good east mids derby with some Barnes decisions turning the game. The encouragement to keep Croft in the air at the line out being the worst for me.

I saw the 2nd half and the conditions were awful.  It was almost as if having possession of the ball was a liability.

The conditions were awful, that's why I enjoyed the game because both sides did a great job of still trying to play and make a game of it.

I'm just frustrated that yet again Barnes is the ref for an east mids derby and yet again he gave a couple of critical decisions in favour of Leicester.  The disallowed try for Hill was incredibly harsh, Burrell tackled on the ball and his arm slipped up and even then it wasn't dangerous because he never made contact with his head or neck.  I think it's a shame there weren't a few more scrums as Jones was there and Waller would've wanted to put a squeeze on Cole.

Good to see Sarries drop points

[Dante Lavelli]

Tom Collins looks a good player.  Been impressed by him in the last two matches.  Lightening pace and is not afraid to take responsibility.  The execution is sometimes wayward but the fact he is prepared to try something different bodes well for the lad.

[paul_e]

Tom Collins looks a good player.  Been impressed by him in the last two matches.  Lightening pace and is not afraid to take responsibility.  The execution is sometimes wayward but the fact he is prepared to try something different bodes well for the lad.

Yep, looked a top player when he broke through a couple of years ago but then had a few niggles and has only just got back to level, I called him as an England player at the time and I'm sticking to that, not yet but if he stays fit I reckon he'll be right in the mix by the next world cup, only 21 so has a lot of time still.  I also think Teimana Harrison (New Zealander but English father) could well force his way into things, he's looked very good in the last month or 2 and he's the little mongrel style 7 that we've been missing for so long.  I was very impressed by Lachlan McCaffrey as well, he looks like a fantastic back rower, last season he showed flashes but Welsh were so far short of the standard that it was hard to stand out, think he's England qualified as well and I reckon he'd be a great option at 7 as well.

[paul_e]

Corbs has left saints early (he was leaving in the summer to take a year out anyway) so that'll be 18months out.  He's only 27 so he'll be just about 29 at the start of the 17-18 season which is easily young enough to get back to playing at the very top I just hope he uses the break to get his injury problems properly sorted, at his best he's an immense talent and the best loosehead going but he really needs to stay fit.  Letting him leave early makes sense all round though, was out until March/April anyway so by the time he was back fully fit there's maybe 3-4 games he'd have been available for and another injury picked up by rushing to get back wouldn't help anyone.

[Dante Lavelli]

Do you think saints had to pay out the remainder of his contract?  Rugby players are not that well played to walk away from half a yer's salary.  I'd be surprised if courbisero is back to be honest.  It strikes me that he has lost a bit of love for the game.

[paul_e]

Do you think saints had to pay out the remainder of his contract?  Rugby players are not that well played to walk away from half a yer's salary.  I'd be surprised if courbisero is back to be honest.  It strikes me that he has lost a bit of love for the game.

Probably irrelevant to the club, as said he was meant to be out for most of it anyway so will have been paid up by the insurance on him really.  We'll see, he might decide that he's fed up of the game he might decide that he misses it and come back determined to be everything he could be.  From a few people I know who've talked to him over the last few years he's always been very driven so I suspect he'll realise just hat he's missing and come back with the same determination he had a few years back.

[paul_e]

Great weekend for English rugby, 5 teams through, 3 homes quarter finals and a guaranteed English team in the final.  On top of that the performances by saints, wasps and exeter were hugely encouraging and, despite me not being a fan, sarries deserve a huge amount of credit for 28 points, it was the easiest group but to win it so comprehensively is still impressive.

I'd give special mention to Harry Mallinder, 2 european games, 2 tries and 2 man of the match performances, he looks one hell of a talent, big, strong, very quick (easily his best attribute, he's got a great 'extra gear' as well), can pass, can kick, can tackle and runs good support lines  he's got everything you want for a top class 12 so he'll be well worth keeping an eye on over the next year or 2.  I suspect he'll be another to jump from U20 to the seniors, probably within a year or so.

[Ad@m]

Great weekend for English rugby, 5 teams through, 3 homes quarter finals and a guaranteed English team in the final.  On top of that the performances by saints, wasps and exeter were hugely encouraging and, despite me not being a fan, sarries deserve a huge amount of credit for 28 points, it was the easiest group but to win it so comprehensively is still impressive.

I'd give special mention to Harry Mallinder, 2 european games, 2 tries and 2 man of the match performances, he looks one hell of a talent, big, strong, very quick (easily his best attribute, he's got a great 'extra gear' as well), can pass, can kick, can tackle and runs good support lines  he's got everything you want for a top class 12 so he'll be well worth keeping an eye on over the next year or 2.  I suspect he'll be another to jump from U20 to the seniors, probably within a year or so.

I don't know much about peanut-hugging but since Wasps moved to the Ricoh I've been a couple of times, the latest time being Saturday.

Despite not having a scooby what's going on most of the time I find it's genuinely exciting, Wasps do a tremendous job of the "match day experience" and tickets for the two games I've been (both European Cup games, one against the current European Champions) have averaged £18.

Oh and it's quite nice to go to a sporting event and see the team you want to win, actually win!

[paul_e]

Wasps have done a fantastic job of trying to get the community to buy in to the club, I've heard loads of good things and yes the ticket prices are great for most rugby matches.

As far as not knowing what's going on but finding it exciting that's exactly the point for teams to play good rugby rather than traditional Northern Hemisphere rugby, seeing 3-4 players run strong lines to open a gap so someone skins a couple on the outside is inherently exciting, watching the ball get kicked into the sky and then a bunch of big bastards have a scrap over it requires a deeper appreciation of the game.  That's why I like Wasps, Exeter and Bath and don't like teams like Sarries and Tigers.  Saints are normally another side who like to get the ball into the backs but they've been rubbish at that this year.

[cheltenhamlion]

Ahem, Gloucester!

Perfect 6 in the group. Defending our title. Bring on the Dragons.