Planet Rugby Forum

Scrumhead

Sandstorm wrote:Fudge this! It's too hot to be sat in the spare room today driving a bloody laptop!! 31 celsius outside, probably the same in here too.

Same here. I tried working outside with a towel over my computer but it still feels like you could fry an egg on it.

Scrumhead

Whoops - incomplete sentence. I meant to say ‘with Hogg and Dollman he’s got two potentially excellent mentors’ ...

Good luck to him.

Scrumhead

Admittedly a I’ve only seen Hodge play for the U20s, but he looked great and personally I’d like to have seen him stay at Newcastle and work his way up to being first choice. With Hogg and Dollman, he’s got two potentially excellent, but first team rugby feels a lot further away at Exeter.

Scrumhead

I’m pretty sure the organic shop bit was a joke ... I think the comfort zone part is valid though. As sad as I am to see him leave Quins, we weren’t seeing the best of him with any regularity and from an England POV, I think a change of scenery and some different input from coaches and players he do...

Scrumhead

He was definitely linked with a couple of French clubs but I’m not sure if that came to anything?

Scrumhead

Shields! The fact I forgot him maybe tells it’s own story. Although in fairness to him he was looking much better last time I saw him play.

Morris is Ok but nowhere near the quality of Carr or Johnson (albeit he was only a bit part player recently).

Scrumhead

I didn’t see that one coming. I’ve always rated Carr and enjoyed watching him play. On the plus side, maybe it gives Tom Willis a chance to break through? Wasps are yet to announce their squad for next season but so far, Johnson and Carr have left which leaves them light (And inexperienced) in the b...

Scrumhead

Agreed on both points. Hopefully our lineout benefits from it.

Scrumhead

I agree on the culture piece and the post was intended to be more of a devil’s advocate POV. I completely forgot Hamish Watson was there.

Scrumhead

In his defence, I can’t think of a huge amount of Tigers’ academy products that left and went on to achieve better things from the Cockerill era.

Maybe the academy players weren’t quite good enough to promote?

Scrumhead

Personally, I’d be happy with a significantly scaled back European competition until club rugby is more sustainable across the main NH leagues.

It’s pointless talking about the quality of rugby being damaged if the whole professional game as we know it is under threat.

Scrumhead

No love for Gino Ginelli?

Scrumhead

I’m not very talented at all so my game was all about work rate and aggression. The trouble was, I used to run around like an idiot trying to tackle anything that moved and compete in every ruck I could get to. As I got older, I definitely learned to identify where I could be effective or not. To b...

Scrumhead

I’m not very talented at all so my game was all about work rate and aggression. The trouble was, I used to run around like an idiot trying to tackle anything that moved and compete in every ruck I could get to. As I got older, I definitely learned to identify where I could be effective or not. To be...

Scrumhead

I think it’s a bit of both to be honest. We definitely weren’t at the races. Our heads weren’t in the game and losing Sinckler was without doubt an additional blow we didn’t need - both from a playing and a psychological point of view. As much as Sinckler could have offered in attack and defence, I ...

Scrumhead

I’ve been told I look like a lightweight cross between Joe Marler (beard) and Adam Jones (hair) so aside from trimming my beard, I’m OK without a barber.

Scrumhead

I sympathise with the players as I would with anyone taking a pay cut, but unfortunately in this case, I think their whole industry is at stake and 50% of something (if that’s what they’re being asked) is better than 50% or nothing if pro rugby were to collapse. Even prior to COVID-19 it was pretty ...

Scrumhead

I’m surprised not to see a mention for Danny Cipriani.

AFAIK his treating women badly only really amounts to being a serial womaniser. Maybe he treats them well, just several of them at the same time.

Scrumhead

Here’s mine: 1. Tendai Mtawarira (SA) 2. Keith Wood (Ire) 3. Carl Hayman (NZ) 4. Brodie Retallick (NZ) 5. Paul O’Connell (Ire) 6. Jerry Collins (NZ) 7. George Smith (Aus) 8. Sergio Parisse (Ita) 9. George Gregan (Aus) 10. Dan Carter (NZ) 11. Jonah Lomu (NZ) 12. Yannico Jauzion (Fra) 13. Brian O’Dris...

Scrumhead

May would improve pretty much any team, but I’m not really sure he’s what Gloucester need? As others have already said, they’re not short of back three talent. It’s up front where they’re lacking. The problems they have are more around the set piece and in particular the lineout which is disappointi...

Scrumhead

tc27 wrote:Car salesman will be a on a shit basic so will not want to stop working even if HMG pays them.

Yep. I’ve had 3 voicemails from my local car dealers in the last week.

Scrumhead

Do we think the Italy games will actually get played? Is there room in the calendar? Space got found in 2001 for the F&M games, and I doubt any Union will want to see games (and revenue) lost. Even if it means flogging players a bit and disrupting clubs. Won't it depend on the player release clause...

Scrumhead

Raggs wrote:after building well for a few games, Charlie Matthews played an absolute stormer.

That’s sentence I never thought I’d see ...

Scrumhead

Mills is a bit injury prone, but not a permacrock. He’s a very good player and a good replacement for Gopperth.

Scrumhead

IIRC the loan was supposed to be Jan-June.

Scrumhead

As I heard it the move was encouraged by Eddie Jones. Had he not gone he might have made the 6 Nations squad, but I think he may have been told to head down there and be ready to be first choice for the Japan tour. As others have said it’s been sh*t for Quins in the short term, but it was key to him...

Scrumhead

In other news, I wonder what happens if Italy vs. Ireland is postponed?

Given the Pro14 cancellations, it’s looking very sketchy.

Scrumhead

The hit on Curry is a cheap shot plain and simple. I take the point that Ryan could be useful if we want Ireland to beat France but I’ll be annoyed if he gets away with it.

Scrumhead

Redpath is the second youngster Sale've lost/released not even midway through a long term deal recently following the announcement that Sam Moore's off to Cardiff. The with immediate effect is different, though. They had a spell of signing youngsters on 5 year contracts. It’s great if it works, but...

Scrumhead

Hassell-Collins has surprised everyone. I thought he’d be exposed in the Premiership but he’s really taken the step-up in his stride and has done brilliantly.

Scrumhead

I’m with Keith. Bristol seem to be spending a lot. Obviously a couple of them will be Marquee players, but next season they’ll have Luatua, Piutau, Radradra and Sinckler all on £500k+ (including a couple reportedly on double that) and Earl and Malins won’t be cheap. The likes of Attwood, Afoa and Mo...

Scrumhead

TheFrog wrote:I hope Italy goes on to build from this game. In attack, they have shown some beautiful link play and the forwards took the game to France. I know France were sloppy, but there is hope to take from this game for the Italians.

Good luck guys for the next games.

I totally agree. It was good to see.

Scrumhead

Joost wrote:Beauty!

Italy’s handling, offloading and support lines have superb at times today

Agreed. Effective and enjoyable to watch. Good to see.

Scrumhead

He did much better, carried as well. Maybe more Read than Dallaglio? He’s a superb flanker, world class. Read has ball skills and lineout ability that Curry will never have. I don’t agree with him at 8 but with no influence I’m glad he’s on the pitch. He’d never get the open field play to show any ...

Scrumhead

Joking aside, Wilson could have timed his return from injury perfectly.

I think we’d all be much happier with him at 8 and Eddie can easily use his injury as an excuse to say he hadn’t picked him in the initial squad.

Scrumhead

I’d go for Stern Vern if he were available. IMO, he had Scotland playing the best/most attractive rugby they have in a long time and made them a lot more consistent too. After showing what he can do at test level with more limited resources, I’d like to see what he could do with England. As much as ...

Scrumhead

It’s a pretty callow team they’re putting out. I’m absolutely not dismissing them as a serious threat, but it’s pretty rare that you can throw a team together with that many young players and beat a more experienced (and arguably superior) team. Particularly when the coach is new too.

Scrumhead

Indeed. That would be a huge WTAF selection.

Scrumhead

Yep. I’ll be interested to see who we go for as a replacement. Vincent Koch would be a good choice if he fancies staying in London.

Scrumhead

Chris Jones (BBC) on Twitter has Furbank and Dingwall in the squad If true good on Dingwall, but I imagine that's just for Eddie to take a look - I reckon it's a year or two early for him still Yep, Also getting him involved to show him a little love in the face of any advances from Scotland. He's ...

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