Planet Rugby Forum

DeDoc

I think they expect a half-dozen pros per team or something? You can do the maths fairly readily. Probably of the order of 160-180 contracted pros in the country. You'll have some imports, exiles etc, but you'll also have some players who make a pro career abroad. If you take a single U20s squad yo...

DeDoc

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 7:42 pm
CM11 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 7:17 pm Leinster v Sharks and Glasgow v Munster locked in.

Ulster v Bulls and Stormers v Connacht if Connacht win. Otherwise it's the other way round.
Connacht will need a 5 pointer.

They don't. First tie break is games won. They'll be ahead if they beat the Weegies, as both teams will be on 53

DeDoc

Mr. Very Popular wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:07 pm
Socco wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:05 pm Anyone know if you matches will be available of tg4 tonight? I tried recording a match last week on eir tv and it didn't work.
https://www.wheresthematch.com/live-rugby-union-on-tv/

Munster & Leinster games on TG4

Connacht game is live too on TG4

DeDoc

A student I know is developing a website to allow friends compete against other in predicting match outcomes in rugby, as part of a college project. He is at a very early stage, but would like to get some feedback before the NH season draws to a close. As such he has prepared a short questionaire an...

DeDoc

I doubt he thinks that way at the moment. As I said he has a contract for next season, he will see how it plays out, Leo has managed to get players game time, its upto Harry to take advantage of what time he does get. right now if Ross goes down in training, Harry is starting vs toulouse. The most ...

DeDoc

I doubt he thinks that way at the moment. As I said he has a contract for next season, he will see how it plays out, Leo has managed to get players game time, its upto Harry to take advantage of what time he does get. right now if Ross goes down in training, Harry is starting vs toulouse. The most ...

DeDoc

irishrugbyua wrote: ↑Tue Apr 18, 2023 12:08 pm Tom Clarkson extended with Leinster.

That's a good piece of business IMO. Not every TH can be a Furlong/Porter style freak, and I've been impressed with him recently. Scrum against Lions was very good in the main

DeDoc

Jesus Christ I just watched that Ireland - England u18 game. It’s worse than the 59-7 score line suggested. England were absolutely awesome in the literal sense of the word. Unbelievably physical with excellent basic and advanced skills. No weaknesses outside of the line out. Their 7 Pollock was a ...

DeDoc

Interesting last series of games now: Leinster: Have first place locked up and have a European semi-final to prepare for. Will be keen to protect their unbeaten record. Away to Lions (11th) and Bulls (7th) Stormers: Will want a second place to get max home advantage in the play-offs as they seek to...

DeDoc

Fella who didn't like clothes shopping so did it rarely, but bought several of what he liked when he did.
One time he bought 4 pairs of jeans at once, and since then has been known as Spider

DeDoc

La Rochelle didn't have to leave France in the knockouts last season. Exeter didn't leave England in 2020, neither did Sarries in 2019. Why was it grand then but not now? Not remotely comparable to playing all of your games in the same postcode. Next. The final is decided way in advance. If Edinbur...

DeDoc

PhDs are massively under funded, given the cost of living. When I started mine in the pits of the recession in 2010 I got 16k per year. Now it's only 18.5k. I don't understand how students manage without help. I know a few now who have part time weekend jobs as well as their Monday to Friday in col...

DeDoc

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2023/04/12/this-is-disgustingly-unacceptable-revenue-tells-phd-researcher-on-18500-he-may-face-tax-bill/ Slightly confusing article. If this is a job, as he states, and he's not considered a student for tax purposes then surely Trinity have to pay him mi...

DeDoc

Watching the weekend's Exeter match back, and it's remarkable that Christ and Daf are almost unrecognisable from their 6N performances. Playing against a massive Saffer pack, which dominated the UFC last season, they were both incredibly physical and hugely influential. Why haven't we seen this kin...

DeDoc

Watching the weekend's Exeter match back, and it's remarkable that Christ and Daf are almost unrecognisable from their 6N performances. Playing against a massive Saffer pack, which dominated the UFC last season, they were both incredibly physical and hugely influential. Why haven't we seen this kin...

DeDoc

Connacht will finish on more wins if the games go as expected, no? Which means Munster need at least two bonus points, by my count, as I reckon Connacht are good for 5 points, finishing on 49 points. Tbf, Munster have enough attack in them to score 4 tries in each of the games. That's probably thei...

DeDoc

Connacht will finish on more wins if the games go as expected, no? Which means Munster need at least two bonus points, by my count, as I reckon Connacht are good for 5 points, finishing on 49 points. Tbf, Munster have enough attack in them to score 4 tries in each of the games. That's probably thei...

DeDoc

Lots of interesting drama in terms of who makes the play-offs etc. Notionally Benetton, Cardiff, Lions and Ospreys are all in contention, with mathematical possibilities for the Scarlets also. If we assume Bulls and Lions both beat Zebre (who have nothing to play for) with a BP, that would put Bulls...

DeDoc

Interesting last series of games now: Leinster: Have first place locked up and have a European semi-final to prepare for. Will be keen to protect their unbeaten record. Away to Lions (11th) and Bulls (7th) Stormers: Will want a second place to get max home advantage in the play-offs as they seek to ...

DeDoc

Edinburgh crowds have been growing steadily. Glasgow are limited by capacity so are threading water. Edinburgh will also be constricted by limits. As I said, knock yourself out if you can find Super attendance records for 2019. There is no doubt that there is renewed interest in the competition, wh...

DeDoc

1 Place for each of the seven countries
1 Place for the league of the winner of the Challenge Cup
1 Place for the league of each of the semi-finalists of the HEC
4 Places for each of the three leagues

Then 6 pools of 4, playing 6 games each. Winners plus two best runners-up etc

DeDoc

You reckon only "uber-nerds" had heard of Mike Ala'alatoa? The Samoan international who played nearly 100 games for the Crusaders, and won 4 Super Rugby titles? European rugby fans, yes. I'm sure NZ and Samoan fans knew him, but I don't expect most of them know a huge amount about Leinster. I'm pre...

DeDoc

Meh. The All Blacks share their players around 5 teams. Leinster pretty much are the Ireland team, plus a few high-end non-Irish. Of course they are better than the vast majority of club sides . By high-end non-Irish I assume you mean: Jason Jenkins, Charlie Ngatai, Mike Aala'alatoa, Jamison Gibson...

DeDoc

Jesus

That Leicester team. They're just going to hoof it in the air the whole time aren't they?

I hope we use lots of blind-side moves against Freddie Steward. He is slow enough when he has to defend at FB, I'd be picking on him mercilessly on the wing.

DeDoc

In the case of Leinster, it's having access to the best Rugby schools in Ireland with the best talent, most money, good coaching staff and good culture. There is more to it than that. The Blues enjoy all those benefits, just in the NZ context, but haven't had the success that Leinster have. Aucklan...

DeDoc

I’ll just say….. The answer is ‘culture’, but this is a word that I believe needs to be properly defined. I agree that it's a cultural thing. But I also think that 'culture' is an over-used and poorly defined concept often used by Rugby fans to explain away success or failings. Because no-one reall...

DeDoc

Let's just scrap this 25 cap rule shite. If we can't afford these players then that's no their problem as they got a short career in the game. It's actually mad, when you think about it. We're hamstringing the regions by cutting their budgets to the extent they can't retain promising, young talent....

DeDoc

I’ll just say….. The answer is ‘culture’, but this is a word that I believe needs to be properly defined. I agree that it's a cultural thing. But I also think that 'culture' is an over-used and poorly defined concept often used by Rugby fans to explain away success or failings. Because no-one reall...

DeDoc

Bundee has had plenty of incidents on nights out but he still wouldn't crack the top 5 dickheads to play for Connacht recently. Cathal Forde is a better player now too and I'd have to agree that Bundee doesn't really fit into the Connacht style anymore. If he's let go at the end of the World Cup he...

DeDoc

That has never once been true at a world cup. No team has won it, or even made a semi final with the same 15 players going wire to wire. Sides like South Africa, New Zealand, England and previously Australia have done well because they had huge depth behind that 15. It's taken us a long time to dev...

DeDoc

What short term gain are you referring to ? Well the clubs got a bigger slice of the pie but in the process worsened the competition all while over-extending themselves in many cases. None of the English clubs owners have made any 'gains' from Rugby, short or long term. And 'asset strippers' from t...

DeDoc

Getting row could be any of the rows for Munster! Front row is what I meant. :thumbup: Would have been my first guess! As I was saying the other day, front row is a real problem for Irish rugby in general. Leinster looked OK a few years ago with enough LHs that Porter moved to TH but we're back to ...

DeDoc

There's always a tendency to mark everybody down when it's a poor team performance but I genuinely thought was an 8 or a 9. One dropped ball aside not much more he could have done. Crowley, I assume? I get where you're coming from and with no.10 it is always challenging to separate the off-field se...

DeDoc

hermie wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 1:26 pm No highlights up for Connacht. Who played well/poorly?

A few players showed up well in the first half, but most faded. Heffernan, Blade, Prendergast spring to mind. Hansen and Aki were underwhelming

DeDoc

I don't get the bigging up (or at least the degree of it) of the Sharks and Stormers. They're both good sides in the mood, particularly the latter. But the Sharks have served up some serious dross this season - e.g. getting tonked at home by Cardiff Home advantage is signficant in rugby, especially...

DeDoc

He's not wrong tbf. I support anyone Munster are playing against in every match they play but I was cringing watching that yesterday and hoping they would score a few at the end. It was embarrassing to watch and looking at the players coming through in Munster for the last 10 years this would appea...

DeDoc

I don't get the bigging up (or at least the degree of it) of the Sharks and Stormers. They're both good sides in the mood, particularly the latter. But the Sharks have served up some serious dross this season - e.g. getting tonked at home by Cardiff Home advantage is signficant in rugby, especially ...

DeDoc

Consecutive sentencing is extremely rare and not considered lawful outside of those circumstances. Genuine question - why would it be unlawful It leads to anomalous sentencing. If two lads attack a third lad, and they have a fight with no lawful excuse, why should the third lad face twice as severe...

DeDoc

Imagine if Cian Healy had dropped to AIL for a bit. Learn how to scrummage against some old lads instead of opposing Martin Castrogiovanni in HEC finals at 21. He would have had some career then! :| I seem to remember Healy having a tough time of it in the scrums when he was young. He had the odd s...

DeDoc

The draw being made when it was is a joke. But the rest is a fair compromise, IMO, between the various competing objectives. There are 5 teams in every group, so each team is going to have to have a free slot at some point. The minimum gap between games is 6 days, so no team has to play really tight...

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