Gallagher Premiership 2022-2023 Season

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119893003#Comment_119893003

Everyone knew Ashley was getting the stadium for cheap. Sometimes that just happens in administration sales.

I don't think Ashley plans to turn around and flip the stadium although he does have the option.

A fair value sale would have seen a year long selling process and a value close to 50 million.

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/FoyChris/status/1595463992071233539?t=cD4IUPRaDbn6rNcDPL6mTQ&s=19

....

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119912283#Comment_119912283

Not fully shocked - Russell never struck me as a guy who would be Stuart Lancaster's idea of a right-hand-man.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119912351#Comment_119912351

Not sure he suits JVG’s one out runner style though.

Definitely not a Lancaster style player.

JVG looks determined to make shite of yet another club. Biggest spoofer in rugby.

Dubinusa

I wonder if vanGrann will try to grab some Munster lads? There could be some who could do well over in Bath.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119913050#Comment_119913050

Tbf, Bath were a shambles before he got there. They lost 18 of 24 last year in the league and finished bottom, came second from bottom in their 11-team pool in Europe and got absolutely hammered out of the Challenge Cup by Edinburgh.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119913066#Comment_119913066

Who do you think would be available?

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119913221#Comment_119913221

No clue! But he did bring Clote over. Maybe John Ryan?

Burkie1203

Cowan Dickie off to Montpellier next season

Burkie1203

Finn Russell to Bath, £1m a season. Mad

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009833#Comment_120009833

Van Grann likes to spend big.

stephen_n

Finn Russell, definitely the sort of player you could build a team around.

You’d have to assume his salary will be excluded from the cap.

Dave_The_Sheep

He'll be on the marquee signing list alright, so not included in the cap.

Personally think that money is nuts.

Genuinely hope this doesn't work out for Bath.

Sangre

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills when people talk about Finn Russell. How could anyone pay £1m a year for him (in pure rugby terms). I might have every other 6N outhalf ahead of him - bar Italy I suppose.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120018880#Comment_120018880

Paolo garbisi says hello!

Russell is a complete luxury player at test level, who cannot grab a game by the scruff and direct it in favour of his team.

He's a lock picker that's as liable to throw a worldly defence opening pass as he is to throw a stupid interception

Dubinusa

I wonder more and more about VanGrann. That's a boatload of money for a lad that's so unfocused. Of course, other signings may bump Bath. They need an enema at this stage.

Neil3030

Bath seemingly recover from needing to impose paycuts across the board two years ago. Then in a year when two other clubs go into administration, they spend £1m on Finn Russell. Causality is a tricky concept to prove, but these kind of decisions, in such wider contexts, are often "heavily correlated" with pretty terrible outcomes.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019393#Comment_120019393

Dan Biggar was also released from his contract with the Saints. It's mind boggling that it's come to this.

Sangre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019393#Comment_120019393

A lot of the premiership pay cuts are being made to fit inside the ever decreasing salary cap - which Finn will be outside. So even if a club has the money they need to make pay cuts and let players go. Bath's owner is certainly not short of cash.

I would be very surprised if the Finn Russell signing was JVG driven - doesn't seem like his type of player. This Bruce Craig's fingerprints all over it.

stephen_n

Finn Russell appears to be a fan favorite with Racing. Craig is probably hoping the Bath fans will be as forgiving of his many flaws. In return for moments of sheer brilliance and see it as a positive.

OldRio

I see Joe 'the character' 'bit of a lad' Marler has been at it again. Bad mouthing a players mother who was in hospital allegedly.

He really is a d**k

Clegg

A reminder that Marler fondled the penis of Alun Wyn Jones and it was laughed off. He was banned for 10 weeks, but there were a plethora of current players rowing in behind him to defend his reputation. The man is a scumbag.

He's a man who promotes mental wellbeing for himself, but is fine with damaging that of others.

Former Former Former

He didn't miss a single game over the AWJ incident. He got two games for calling Samson Lee a "gypsy boy", then two more for kicking an opponent in the head in his first game back.

Hopefully he actually gets a meaningful sanction this time.

PMC83

Yeah not a fan at all. Seems all he has to do is give a quirky post match interview and all his previous offenses are forgotten. Always thought he was a bellend.

Burkie1203

Marler banned for 6 weeks, 4 of them suspended. Given his previous thats an awful lenient ban.

Yeah_Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120048019#Comment_120048019

Dont agree with that. From what I've read/heard, it was basically a "your moma" joke. Sledging is part of the game and I don't want to see it removed. As long as it isn't racist or homophobic.

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120048169#Comment_120048169

Marler pushes the mental health agenda on his SM and tells people to be careful what they say as they don't know what's going on in people's lives. Heenan mother is currently hospitalised.

Using opponent's families as a means of a wind up Is crass and has no part in the game.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120048169#Comment_120048169

Agreed.

Sledging happens. I'd appreciate some clarity as to what the actual offense is.

Was it the joke. Was it making it multiple times through the game after a Bristol player pulled him aside and said Lay off Jake's Mom she is in hospital (not confirmed but rumoured). Is it that sledging is now like the Italian incest law. Its legal but it becomes illegal if it provokes a scandal.

I think its hypocritical that he goes on social media talking about mental health, the importance of respect and shutting up as you don't know whats going on in someone else's life and sledges someone by talking about their hospitalised mother but its not massively atypical sledging.

I'd love if Marler's mental health charities came out and said this man doesn't represent us. His behavior doesn't fit what the behavior of ambassador for our charity should be or the message that he sends out on our behalf. That's what the sanction should be rather than anything on a rugby field.

Is this a judgement that will see sledging punished going forward or is a one off for reasons I don't understand.

Yeah_Right

Its definitely hypocritical of Marler to sledge people and be a mental health advocate. But being a hypocrite isn't worthy of a suspension.

If Marler knew Heenan's mother was in hospital when he made the comment, then he's a wanker and should apologise but still not worthy of suspension. As @CIARAN_BOYLE said, the charities he works with should call him out and even stop working with him. That would be more appropriate for sledging rather than suspension.