General Rugby Discussion 3

clsmooth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121491512#Comment_121491512

I’m sure it’ll be good move for Eddie Jones’ bank balance.

Perfect job for Eddie imo.

sprucemoose

Six Nations doc coming to netflix on the 24th of january

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121491512#Comment_121491512

A pretty retrograde move for Japanese rugby.

Larbre34

Just watching the 'In Memoriam' of the RTÉ Sports Awards, was a reminder what a terrible year it was for losses in Irish rugby, both young and old.

Greig Oliver, Tom Tierney, Syd Millar and Roly Meates to name a few.

Brief_Lives

anyone watching the Toulouse game?

Toulouse have scored 2 outrageous tries.

7-14 13mins

Anatidaephobia

Didn't think this question deserved it's own thread, so I'll stick it in here. Does anyone know if players get paid for match appearances at URC/Champions Cup level? Just at Munster alone in the past few years there's been academy players like Kendellen and Edogbo making dozens of appearances while still on academy contracts. Surely they aren't doing all that for just the ~12k per year?

phog

Academy players get match appearance money, I'm not sure if contracted players get anything additional outside of win bonuses for winning competitions

Squidgy Black

English Men’s players have officially left the RPA as their union

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67878274

I think it’s an awful decision, their existing EPS contracts that the RPA negotiated are the highest paid as far as I’m aware for any international squad. And the rest of the professional rugby players across the country are sticking with the RPA.

Feels a bit like having your cake and eating it too, but not entirely sure the RFU will be willing to bend over and give them all they want, especially without the reputation and power the RPA has.

phog

Some detail on Felix Jones' role with England

https://twitter.com/andNickMullins/status/1742879789357175020?t=CieBPeSyajeJgj00HnbbSA&s=19

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121570014#Comment_121570014

I've a feeling England aren't going to be a pushover this year.

Larbre34

On this, the beginning of the 6 Nations season, the great JPR Williams has sadly died. He was 74.

An orthopaedic surgeon by profession and of the amateur era, he won 55 Wales caps and 8 for the Lions over two Tours. He won the Grand Slam with his nation three times.

RIP

Burkie1203

Mako Vunipola has retired from international rugby

Clegg

Louis Rees-Zammit is leaving rugby to join the NFL. That's a mega blow to Wales. He's their biggest young star.

https://twitter.com/gloucesterrugby/status/1747236459201896479?t=NsWzcxnBQ60nNYiEu93Fiw&s=09

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623290#Comment_121623290

"joining" the NFL is a stretch. It is fairly unlikely to materialise into an actual position in a squad. More likely he kicks around on a practice squad for a year or two and then returns to rugby.

sydthebeat

mad news. welsh rugby really is in the doldrums

OldRio

No doubt Irish Rugbys fault to some.

Or the URC.

Or both for............ whatever.

ionadnapokot

Bonkers

He'll be back fairly rapid

Never trusted him with that hair style

sydthebeat

wales 6 nations squad

WALES SQUAD FOR 2024 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS

Forwards (19)

Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)

Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets – 1 cap)

Gareth Thomas (Ospreys / Gweilch – 26 caps)

Elliot Dee (Dragons / Dreigiau – 46 caps)

Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 38 caps)

Evan Lloyd (Cardiff Rugby – uncapped / heb gap)

Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 2 caps)

Leon Brown (Dragons / Dreigiau – 23 caps)

Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby – uncapped / heb gap)

Adam Beard (Ospreys / Gweilch – 51 caps)

Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg – 12 caps)

Will Rowlands (Racing 92 – 29 caps)

Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 1 cap)

Taine Basham (Dragons / Dreigiau – 16 caps)

James Botham (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 9 caps)

Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)

Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)

Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 13 caps)

Aaron Wainwright (Dragons / Dreigiau – 43 caps)

Backs (15)

Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 74 caps)

Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 18 caps)

Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 53 caps)

Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 8 caps)

Cai Evans (Dragons / Dreigiau – 1 cap)

Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets – 2 caps)

Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)

George North (Ospreys / Gweilch – 118 caps)

Joe Roberts (Scarlets – 1 cap)

Nick Tompkins (Saracens / Saraseniaid – 32 caps)

Owen Watkin (Ospreys / Gweilch – 36 caps)

Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 53 caps)

Rio Dyer (Dragons / Dreigiau – 14 caps)

Tom Rogers (Scarlets – 3 caps)

Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)

sydthebeat

scottish squad

bingobango12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623473#Comment_121623473

Very average squad. Wales almost starting from scratch here. Hard to see past them for the wooden spoon.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623511#Comment_121623511

its the worst welsh squad ive seen in 20 years.

Yeah_Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623290#Comment_121623290

What position would he play? Too tall and skinny for a running back. Wide receiver or a safety maybe? Punter?

Buer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623676#Comment_121623676

Don't think he could play safety. You'd need to be playing for years to understand the role. WR would be most likely, I'd imagine?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623676#Comment_121623676

I'd imagine a kick or punt returner. That's the position a lot of rugby converts have attempted to play, including Christian Wade (RB as well) and Jarryd Hayne were attempting to get to.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623676#Comment_121623676

He'd be highly, highly unlikely to make it as a wide receiver. He's on the small side for a safety but his tackling would be a level up. Maybe cornerback?

It's a good question, there is no obvious fit.

Pudsy33

If he doesn't anything beyond returning punts in preseason I'll eat my hat.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623721#Comment_121623721

Probably right, but even as a "training squad" person he'll be earning a good deal more than Wales would be offering him.

He's young so even if it doesn't work out he will come back in a year or two and get a contract easily enough.

Clegg

Just noticed that Jac Morgan isn't in the Wales squad either. He was injured a while ago but I thought he might have made it back in time for the Six Nations.

He's their best forward by a fair margin and without him the entire squad of forwards looks average.

Yeah_Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623721#Comment_121623721

Cornerback! I was trying to remember the name of the other defensive back and was drawing a blank. Yeah is tackling would be far superior to nearly any other defensive back in the league.

Punt returned is the most likely option. Certainly to start with. I say good luck to him, hope it goes well.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623875#Comment_121623875

Not really, about 200k$. I assume he could get more in Wales. The upside is much higher if he makes an actual squad in the NFL, that is a minimum 800k$. It's just not that likely.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623989#Comment_121623989

Yeah punt returner and general special teamer is his most likely route I would guess. Not exactly glamorous but it pays the bills

Billy_the_Kid

A big surprise. A real hammer blow for Welsh rugby, he was a bright spark. I cant see him getting anywhere near an NFL roster.

ionadnapokot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623721#Comment_121623721

I think Cornerback is supposed to be one of the trickiest position to play on defense followed by FS/SS. Need nous. He would be lost.

He wants the glory. Offense. Someone mentioned punt return.

He hasnt a hope

Pete_Cavan

Have to assume he'll earn much less over the next few years than had he stayed in rugby between club/country/potential Lions/endorsemens. I'd also assume that if/when he returns, it'll be won't be at the upper end of the wage scale given he'll have spent the time entirely focusing on another sport. Good luck to him but the chances of it working out well for him are very low.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121625622#Comment_121625622

If he makes a roster he will obliterate what he would have earned in Europe. But he probably won't.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121625869#Comment_121625869

Yeah, if he makes a roster he will earn a lot more than if he stayed put, but if he doesn't make one then he will very likely be worse off in say 4 years than if he stuck with rugby. While I'm sure he'll get a contract in rugby if NFL doesn't work out, it'll be at less than if he stayed and went on the next Lions tour. He'll get a contract but will have to prove that he deserves a top end rugby salary in the next contract.

If he doesn't make a roster, he could be a couple of hundred grand worse off in 4 years time. It's a big gamble.

phog

Some fantastic handling here (1980)

https://twitter.com/ApsmRugby/status/1747339275417326033?t=oypnADYfIR4xceG7dYlVug&s=19

pickarooney

Some cracking play there. The difference in the game from the early 70s is startling.

pixelburp

That footage is bizarre to watch. It looks like Rugby, I know it is IS rugby, but it's just so chaotic, the men so small in stature.

I wonder is there a major international sport whose rules and structure has changed as much in the modern era as Rugby Union? Soccer has barely changed since 1980 - the back-pass rule maybe the only significant change that looks weird now - and really only stamina and conditioning is the major difference IMO? While other high-contact sports like Ice Hockey or American Football I think have only changed WRT the sophistication of protective equipment ... but what sport has seen so much change with its rules?

Buer

Great to see actual footage of Sexton's debut.

sydthebeat

england 6n squad:

England’s 36-player training squad.

FORWARDS:

Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 18 caps)

Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 107 caps)

Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 41 caps)

Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, uncapped)

Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 5 caps)

Theo Dan (Saracens, 7 caps)

Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 15 caps)

Ben Earl (Saracens, 25 caps)

Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 58 caps)

Jamie George (Saracens, 85 caps) – captain

Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)

Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 11 caps)

Maro Itoje (Saracens, 76 caps)

Joe Marler (Harlequins, 88 caps)

Beno Obano (Bath Rugby, 3 caps)

Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)

Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)

Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 33 caps)

Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 30 caps)

 

BACKS:

Oscar Beard (Harlequins, uncapped)

Danny Care (Harlequins, 96 caps)

Elliot Daly (Saracens, 64 caps)

Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, uncapped)

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)

George Ford (Sale Sharks, 91 caps)

Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)

George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)

Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 21 caps)

Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 11 caps)

Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks, uncapped)

Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 57 caps)

Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, uncapped)

Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 30 caps)

Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby, 4 caps)

Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 31 caps)

Buer

Alldritt named as French captain. Was unexpected.

A good few changes in the French squad.

No Flament, Hastoy, Willemse, Macalou, Dupont, Vincent or Villiere from the RWC squad. Some injured, a few just dropped and some involved with the 7s team.

pickarooney

Alldritt was the most logical choice. An ever-present, fluent English speaker and one of their best players.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121628185#Comment_121628185

George is an interesting choice for Captain - He's been starting from the bench for Saracens in recent times behind Theo Dan who is also in the squad..

sydthebeat

Ethan roots has taken a long route to test rugby.

White he's undoubtedly talented, you'd wonder if his inclusion is another indication of how shite Welsh rugby is right now. He must have snubbed wales a few times in order to fight for an England spot

Yeah_Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121629376#Comment_121629376

Was he eligible for Wales when he was at the Ospreys? I believe he qualifies for England through one of his parents.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121629781#Comment_121629781

You know, I kinda assumed he was when he moved to ospreys, but after looking it up I can't find anything to suggest he has a Welsh connection.

But hey anyway, Welsh rugby is shite:)

phog

Can he make a silk purse from a sow's ear

https://twitter.com/jaredwright17/status/1747892696256065972?t=cXMXVaRi6VzHyP1SsRIKtw&s=19

sydthebeat

Well, if anyone can, he can.

But he's starting with a complete clusterfcuk

pixelburp

This one of those scenarios where success or failure, Schmidt's reputation will endure? Cos Australia is in such a mess nobody(?) will criticise him for not turning it around - yet if he does his stock will only improve?