NH club rugby
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@Daffy-Jaffy sensible decision to keep the players away from the media. They aren't in a position to say anything really. Also it would have and is a bit overshowdow the day
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I don't follow NH club rugby that closely. But Saracens are clearly not liked by other clubs!
Loads of clubs welcoming the punishment. Some more than others.I have now seen 2 articles quoting Harlequins players putting the boot in to Saracens. Chris Robshaw and Danny Care.
Guess there is no love lost there. The word "cheating" seems to be part of the script - all of which has a tinge of irony coming from the "Bloodgate" club - where both Robshaw and Care played at the time of that particular cheating scandal. -
@Billy-Webb said in NH club rugby:
I don't follow NH club rugby that closely. But Saracens are clearly not liked by other clubs!
Loads of clubs welcoming the punishment. Some more than others.I have now seen 2 articles quoting Harlequins players putting the boot in to Saracens. Chris Robshaw and Danny Care.
Guess there is no love lost there. The word "cheating" seems to be part of the script - all of which has a tinge of irony coming from the "Bloodgate" club - where both Robshaw and Care played at the time of that particular cheating scandal.That's quite a considerable difference in scale though.
This cheating means that Saracens have been able to maintain a much stronger squad, pushing up the costs of players at other clubs (as all players are benchmarked), win more trophies which in turn means higher gate revenues, and more and more advantages to the club which others didn't get.
I don't believe in punishing the fans or the players for the actions of the top brass, so I'm not quite of the same drag them through the coals as others. But the top brass should be fired with immediate effect and never allowed to return to rugby administration.
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@MajorRage said in NH club rugby:
@Billy-Webb said in NH club rugby:
I don't follow NH club rugby that closely. But Saracens are clearly not liked by other clubs!
Loads of clubs welcoming the punishment. Some more than others.I have now seen 2 articles quoting Harlequins players putting the boot in to Saracens. Chris Robshaw and Danny Care.
Guess there is no love lost there. The word "cheating" seems to be part of the script - all of which has a tinge of irony coming from the "Bloodgate" club - where both Robshaw and Care played at the time of that particular cheating scandal.That's quite a considerable difference in scale though.
This cheating means that Saracens have been able to maintain a much stronger squad, pushing up the costs of players at other clubs (as all players are benchmarked), win more trophies which in turn means higher gate revenues, and more and more advantages to the club which others didn't get.
I don't believe in punishing the fans or the players for the actions of the top brass, so I'm not quite of the same drag them through the coals as others. But the top brass should be fired with immediate effect and never allowed to return to rugby administration.
My initial inclination is to concur @MajorRage
Although, what Bloodgate had laid bare, was that Harlequins back in 2009 had a well documented plan and practice in place to cheat, by faking blood injuries. It wasn't just that one instance. And they were doing it to, and I use your words here: "win more trophies which in turn means higher gate revenues, and more and more advantages to the club".It may well not have delivered as good a set of results as Saracens flouting of the salary cap, but should we cut them more slack simply because their cheating was less effective?
Can't remember Harlequins being docked any points? Maybe they did. Dean Richards got a 3 year ban, and the player involved got a 1 year ban which was then reduced to 4 months.
So Sarries will have to suck up what's coming their way, although I think your proposed punishment is a touch harsh.
And I bring up Bloodgate only because it feels like a case of pot and kettle here. If I were Robshaw, Care and in fact anyone with anything to do at Harlequins, I'd keep references to cheating very far from my lexicon.
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@Billy-Webb said in NH club rugby:
the player involved got a 1 year ban which was then reduced to 4 months.
Tom Williams. I worked with his Dad. Top bloke and knew his rugby, but it was always a bit awkward talking with him after that.
Also worked with David Millar's (the Scottish doper cyclist) dad, but he was a complete jerk so I mentioned it all of the time.
In both cases the cheating really affected the fathers, very public and very humiliating.
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Luatua was very good for Bristol. MOTM went to Hughes though
Down 17-0 at HT they scored a try in the final play of the match to steal it
Bristol top of the table after four rounds
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Oops
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@Duluth Luatua pulled off a tremendous cover tackle to stop that carthorse Cuthbert scoring in the corner. A pivotal moment.
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Southerm Kings got their first PRO14 win for the season agaibst the Ospreys in Swansea. The Cheetahs struggle after starting at home with a bang. Both teams have new coaches.
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@Catogrande said in NH club rugby:
@Duluth Luatua pulled off a tremendous cover tackle to stop that carthorse Cuthbert scoring in the corner. A pivotal moment.
Yup, the game would have been unwinnable if the Chiefs scored then.
About 2mins into this video. Just a good early decision and hard work
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@Duluth That's excellent considering there was only one ruck from the lineout on the other side of the park. And he was involved in that tackle too.
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Not sure if that game/ref is indicative of current rulings but man there are loads of players just diving over rucks and the refs letting it go.
I know that materiality plays a part but those players often take up space behind the ruck making it harder for defences to get set in close. -
Highlights from that LI v Leicester game. Naholo had a pretty decent first game. Several other Kiwis (or NZ raised anyway) also featuring for LI in Hepetema, Matu'u, TJ Ioane, Rona and Blair Cowan. Taufua made his debut for Leicester. Failed a HIA just before HT and was only really notable for getting warned by the ref on a few occasions, including a reversed pen for the 2nd, for screaming at him.
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Sarries can't help themselves -
Saracens set to sign South African forward.
The Stormers could be set to lose another player as promising young lock Cobus Wiese is reportedly in talks over a long-term move to Saracens.
Wiese is in advanced negotiations with the defending Premiership and European champions and has been offered a five-year deal.
That would have him qualifying to play for England at the end of his contract.
The 22-year-old is one of the Stormers’ most promising players and was seen as someone who could fill the void left by Eben Etzebeth’s departure to Toulon.The rumoured deal comes in the midst of Saracens facing heavy sanctions for breaking the Premiership salary cap. Saracens are set to appeal the suspended 35-point deduction and £5-million fine imposed on the club.
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@Daffy-Jaffy Dislike. On so many levels.
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He's going to work as a drainlayer/plumber whilst at the club as his salary is so low......
Related headline "Saracens appoint PR firm to stop questions on salary-cap breach" looks like they are concentrating on the important parts of this problem. The real problem is the salary cap has holes, everyone knows it does, and the clubs agree not to use those holes as it is detremental to all - rugby player salaries are already inflated. There is not the sheer amount of cash floating around that there is in soccer. So even if Saracen's didn't break the rules, they have exploited holes that hurt the entire comp. They agreed that it would hurt the comp when they signed up to it, the salary cap is self imposed. That's why the other clubs are so pissed.
There should also be player'd ivolved and a collective agreement like NZR, then this wouldn't happen.
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Eddie Jones has been announced as the new Director of Rugby - as a consultant - of Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.
https://www.suntory.co.jp/culture-sports/sungoliath/news/2019c/20191114RP.html
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@Stargazer said in NH club rugby:
Eddie Jones has been announced as the new Director of Rugby - as a consultant - of Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.
https://www.suntory.co.jp/culture-sports/sungoliath/news/2019c/20191114RP.html
fuck he must be rich!
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Good article on why Premier Rugby, same Top 14, are short term focused idiots
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@Daffy-Jaffy I wonder where he'll go next. You'd think he's still good for another pro-contract.
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Daffy Jaffyreplied to Stargazer on 26 Nov 2019, 12:56 last edited by Daffy Jaffy 26 Nov 2019, 12:57
@Stargazer I see he will be 34 in December so maybe he is heading home. He could probably go another season or two of NPC if he chooses to.
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@Daffy-Jaffy Yeah, that's what I was thinking. If Brad Weber is still in the ABs in 2020, I'd love to have Mathewson back with the Magpies as a back-up for Fakatava (who should start). His experience will be valuable in the squad, esp if we lose some of our other older players.
Maybe Sunwolves, too.
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@Stargazer He laced up his boots for the Magpies way back in 2013 or thereabouts before shunning us for the Western Force. By all means get him involved in the coaching/technical side of things as from memory can't recall him setting the world on fire in the black and white hooped jersey all those years ago so it might be better in investing in future prospects when it comes to members of the playing squad.
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Pat Lam has a Semi!
Semi Radradra signs for Bristol Bears
Semi: "I’m looking forward to be playing under Pat Lam at #BristolBears. They are one of the most exciting teams in Europe right now and the way that they are doing things is making everybody take notice."Radradra and Piatau in the same backline should be worth a look!
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in NH club rugby:
Pat Lam has a Semi!
Semi Radradra signs for Bristol Bears
Semi: "I’m looking forward to be playing under Pat Lam at #BristolBears. They are one of the most exciting teams in Europe right now and the way that they are doing things is making everybody take notice."Radradra and Piatau in the same backline should be worth a look!
which is Fijian for "Bristol are paying an absolute fuck ton of money. bula"
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There was talk that he was going back to the NRL so money talks.
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Jayden Hayward getting dominated in the scrum
https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/comments/e4ntld/jayden_hayward_getting_dominated_in_the_scrum/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x -
My son has been doing that to me for years. Next year should be his first year actually pushing in scrums (Under 12).
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Tawera Kerr-Barlow has re-signed with La Rochelle for two more seasons (-2022).
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taniwharugbyreplied to Daffy Jaffy on 7 Dec 2019, 06:20 last edited by taniwharugby 7 Dec 2019, 06:22
@Daffy-Jaffy loved the comment:
Important to start them scrumming young or they’ll become backs.
TR Jnr and I do that as a scrumming exercise (he is a prop/hooker) to get his core stability and technique, although I dont let him win!
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Charlie Faumuina has re-signed with Toulouse (-2022).
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Dan Evans red carded in the first minute
Similar to Nabura’s red for the Highlanders last year
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@Duluth I don't see a problem with the red card. That's a kick to the face - he extends it on the way down at the arriving player.
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Unlucky but clumsy.
Red card by the guidelines.
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