General Rugby Discussion II

Former Former

I got excited seeing those clips but when you actually see how many snaps he played (very few), it looks like they weren't really looking at him as a serious option.

A year in the practice squad, who knows? He might find a niche on special teams or something but still a long shot.

thomond2006

He had no touches in Week 3 of the preseason where the starters normally get snaps, it was always unlikely he would make the 53 after that.

Special teams will be the key for him. This time next year he'll be 29 though so he'll have to excel in next year's preseason. 29 is old for a running back / returner.

Christy42

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I think that really hurt him, TBH. That was a solid Touchdown if he stayed in line and probably symptomatic of what was happening in practice

To be fair the contract style also counts against him.

With the special 11th man spot the Bills have no one else can pick him up this season if he passes waivers. So unless you want him to start keeping him on the practice squad gets the Bills an extra roster spot effectively.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/american-football/49539787


The Bills are also fairly loaded at RB anyway.

razorblunt

The guy Ryan is still with the Falcons though has yet to make the named squad.

The South African at the Packers who had been name driven in the squad for the last season or two was cut midweek.

Burkie1203

S4c showing Wales v England from 2015 atm. 20 to go

ScrubsfanChris

Wade has signed a Practice squad deal with the Bills
Could still play this season depending in injuries, but it's a still a good move either way.

thomond2006

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Wade has signed a Practice squad deal with the Bills
Could still play this season depending in injuries, but it's a still a good move either way.

He can't play this season. His particular practice squad spot makes him ineligible to be brought up to the roster.

https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-begin-to-assemble-practice-squad-christian-wade-holds-11th-exempt-spot

Squidgy Black

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Wade has signed a Practice squad deal with the Bills
Could still play this season depending in injuries, but it's a still a good move either way.

You'd wonder if he'll stick it out much longer if he can't get a roster spot next year. He's making substantially less than he would be if he'd signed in France or even if he stayed with Wasps, probably around half of what he could get on a new contract, and he's 28 as well so doesn't exactly have time on his hands.

RugbyLover123

Interesting to see Brian Mujati (Ex Northampton, Racing) putting a video out on YouTube mentioning how little the RPA did to help him after he retired, that they basically brushed him off despite having no job and getting nothing from his insurance.

irelandrover

This might be a really stupid question. But why does the hooker not call the line out?

Surely the person who throws the ball and the most important function should be calling it. If they throw a bad one and next time don't feel confident throwing to the back they can make that decision easily.

Squidgy Black

irelandrover wrote: »

This might be a really stupid question. But why does the hooker not call the line out?

Surely the person who throws the ball and the most important function should be calling it. If they throw a bad one and next time don't feel confident throwing to the back they can make that decision easily.

The way it works at the professional level is you'll make a set call, prop will communicate this to the thrower, and then you may make a call in motion.

Part of it is because you're relying on someone in the middle of the line to analyse how the other team lines up as they walk in, how are their pods formed and where are the lifters, watching to see if they can see that the other team are going to contest where they've made the call, and also if they need to kill and go with a different call. Hooker won't really have visibility of all this as they'll be blocked by the front lifter.

Then of course you need someone to call the lineout on defence anyways if you're going to contest, which is arguably the trickier of the two as you're not going off a set play and are going off patterns you might have noticed as they walk in or footwork as they go through their routine.

The Lost Sheep

irelandrover wrote: »

This might be a really stupid question. But why does the hooker not call the line out?

Surely the person who throws the ball and the most important function should be calling it. If they throw a bad one and next time don't feel confident throwing to the back they can make that decision easily.

The people in the lineout have greater appreciation of what is best move to use. Where opposition is set up in terms of lifters, jumpers, pods etc.

shootermacg

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

The people in the lineout have greater appreciation of what is best move to use. Where opposition is set up in terms of lifters, jumpers, pods etc.

You aren't allowed to dummy the throw, so once you commence the throw you're committed.

The opposition team are looking to the thrower for tells, stuff like winding up the throw etc. So it's his job to stay poker-faced for as long as possible and then lob in the ball.

The thrower is looking for the caller to give him a sign, which commences a count down in his head to the throw. The reason the thrower doesn't initiate this is because of the movement involved.

The reason why Scannell is such a good line-out thrower is he throws at pace without any real tells to tip thew opposition off.

Fast throws have the advantage of giving the opposition less time to get a man in the air. Not only that but fast throws will overshoot the line-out, meaning you can easily have a forward waiting in advance to cover any miss-timed throws.

andymx11

Don’t want to give Eir my money for the RWC - What ITV region should I tune in on my sky box in ROI? There’s like 100 of them listed!!

The Lost Sheep

andymx11 wrote: »

Don’t want to give Eir my money for the RWC - What ITV region should I tune in on my sky box in ROI? There’s like 100 of them listed!!

you can tune in the main ITV channels - 1,2 and 4

andymx11

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

you can tune in the main ITV channels - 1,2 and 4

Yup but when looking for frequency it lists 100 different regions for itv - which one should I use e.g England, London , wales etc ?

The Lost Sheep

andymx11 wrote: »

Yup but when looking for frequency it lists 100 different regions for itv - which one should I use e.g England, London , wales etc ?

As i said you can tune in the channels that are just ITV 1/2 and 4 and ITV London etc are pretty much same as the main channel.

Bazzo

They're all more or less the same, they show regional news

andymx11

Thank all.

The Lost Sheep

Nigel Owens to become first ref in pro era to ref a test involving his own country when he refs Wales against BaBas in November
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/49582296

errlloyd

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Nigel Owens to become first ref in pro era to ref a test involving his own country when he refs Wales against BaBas in November
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/49582296

Is that a Test Cap giving match?

Edit: No that I have an issue either way. I often reflect on how unfortunate it was for Ben Marshall (and others) that Ireland v Baabaas was not a test cap for him. And it was shameful when test caps weren't awarded for Ireland v Fiji in Thomond.

razorblunt

Christ imagine the bantz Owens will be having during that game.

Sabre0001

Checked Flashscore for kick-off times for this weekend and spotted that Argentina are playing "Randwick" on Saturday. And according to the blurb, Fiji are the ones losing out as they wanted to play Argentina. Have to feel for Fiji, once again relegated to looking in from the outside.

Sources told the Herald that the Fiji Rugby Union had offered to play the Pumas anywhere on the east coast on the same weekend as the rising nation looked for a tough primer before they faced Australia in the sides' opening World Cup pool game on September 21.

Source: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/pumas-fiji-snub-a-win-for-randwick-in-world-cup-warm-up-20190724-p52aam.html

Seems like a strange fixture for Argentina. Randwick will, according to Flashscore, be allowed to call upon former players who have since moved onto the Australian National Rugby Championship and the national side. But you'd imagine Argentina should still coast this. I would have thought that Argentina would set their sights higher (unlike Namibia struggling against Southern Kings and Canada losing to Leinster). Are they just in player protection mode?

the perfect ten

How about Russia losing 35-22 at home to Jersey, an English Championship side? Russia must be easily the weakest team in the competition. The group draw has worked out very well for us in terms of getting the two toughest matches out of the way first and then having a long time to recover and prepare for the big challenge in the quarter-final.

Bridge93

Russia must be close to the worst team ever to play in the tournament. They've gone backwards from where they were a few years ago. They're only in as half of europe got disqualified over that Belgium Spain game and the fallout from it.

the perfect ten

the perfect ten wrote: »

How about Russia losing 35-22 at home to Jersey, an English Championship side? Russia must be easily the weakest team in the competition. The group draw has worked out very well for us in terms of getting the two toughest matches out of the way first and then having a long time to recover and prepare for the big challenge in the quarter-final.

Assuming victory and all that. Christ, things are so topsy turvy at the moment...

jr86

Is 20 teams too much really? Should it not be 16? The likes of Russia, Namibia, and Uruguay will get absolutely mullered

The Lost Sheep

jr86 wrote: »

Is 20 teams too much really? Should it not be 16? The likes of Russia, Namibia, and Uruguay will get absolutely mullered

Not at all. Rugby can be too much of a closed shop at times. If sport is to grow you cant contract numbers competing in the premier event in the sport.

Bridge93

jr86 wrote: »

Is 20 teams too much really? Should it not be 16? The likes of Russia, Namibia, and Uruguay will get absolutely mullered

These teams dont progress if you close the door on them. Its exactly the argument that is raging in cricket at the minute as their world was reduced to exclude the smaller countries.

The smaller sides arent getting beaten as badly as they were, scores show that. Hopefully the gap can keep closing a bit. These teams for me add to the sense of occasion that is the world cup. One of the highlights in 2015 was the elation and joy the Namibia players got and showed when they scored against New Zealand.

World Cup is a celebration of the sport as a whole, far more than simply a playoff between the worlds best sides

Bridge93

Bridge93 wrote: »

These teams dont progress if you close the door on them. Its exactly the argument that is raging in cricket at the minute as their world was reduced to exclude the smaller countries.

The smaller sides arent getting beaten as badly as they were, scores show that. Hopefully the gap can keep closing a bit. These teams for me add to the sense of occasion that is the world cup. One of the highlights in 2015 was the elation and joy the Namibia players got and showed when they scored against New Zealand.

World Cup is a celebration of the sport as a whole, far more than simply a playoff between the worlds best sides

Was just about to highlight the cricket issue also.
You have a newly minted test nation, Ireland, locked out of the premier short version because of the greed of the top table.


My only concern if the health of the players. Russia barely look to be an AIL side and are stepping onto the field against seasoned top tier professionals.