The Rugby Thread

[Newbridge Wolf]

Guscott was always a bit of a poster boy though wan't he, he played when it was an Amateur sport still added to that I always seem to remember him being injured for long spells. His era was everyone in the bath and a few beers after the game

The comment on Johnny Wilkinson is odd, I don't often watch the side show of analysis but JW was a committed professional who understood everything about his game. He might not see the forward play, and he might sound like a bitter sod these days but I wouldn't question his knowledge of his position and the game.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2016/03/21/six-nations-2016-team-of-the-tournament/

Mick Cleary went the other way had 7 English, 4 Welsh, 3 Scots and 1 Frenchmen, so on that basis I think Guscott is a better judge...

especially as he picked Owen Farrell at fly-half (where he rarely played during the game) and in a cunning attempt to deflect his bias managed to pick Laidlaw as his scrum half (FFS)

The ones they both picked Hogg, North, Watson, Giraudo, Nel, Kruis, Billy V were the standouts in their positions

I would think you would make a case for 2 or 3 alternatives in the other positions. FWIW I think the 5 Irish Guscott named would have been in the "mix" for those positions (but outside of them none of the rest of the Irish team could be considered)

 

[Donegal Wolf]

Guscott was always a bit of a poster boy though wan't he, he played when it was an Amateur sport still added to that I always seem to remember him being injured for long spells. His era was everyone in the bath and a few beers after the game

The comment on Johnny Wilkinson is odd, I don't often watch the side show of analysis but JW was a committed professional who understood everything about his game. He might not see the forward play, and he might sound like a bitter sod these days but I wouldn't question his knowledge of his position and the game.

Guscott started out working on a building site and then when he got in the England side he got a very handy job with British Gas or soemthing like that so was probably a professional in all but name in the late 80's and he did play for England well into the professional era, but it has changed a lot since he retired he is out of touch in the same way Hansen was as a football pundit in the last few years.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Guscott started out working on a building site and then when he got in the England side he got a very handy job with British Gas or soemthing like that so was probably a professional in all but name in the late 80's and he did play for England well into the professional era, but it has changed a lot since he retired he is out of touch in the same way Hansen was as a football pundit in the last few years.

Yes that was common place enough, unless they were lawyers which the England team seemed to be filled with at one time. My point was the sport was amateur in the approach, and there wasn't the money behind the tactical analysis and fitness approach etc. Just look at the size difference in the players now

He grew up and played a different game to what is played now, I was watching an old lions tour the other week, from '88 I think, the one where we beat the Aussies after loosing the first test. It was a very different game to the one played now.

 

[Paul]

Full of lawyers ? I remember one (Moore) ! 2 or 3 policemen, a teacher, the odd pilot an orthapedic surgeon

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

I've been told a million times that I'm prone to exaggerate....

 

[Johnny75]

It would have been nice if you had quoted the whole sentence and not just selected a few words of it thus changing the syntax.

However, the result of Guscott's wayward forecasts means I no longer have faith in anything he forecasts nor his opinions as I feel he doesn't do his homework before publishing.

We agree on this Dinowolf and there was no misinterpretation intended.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I know that Phil De Glanville got a sinecure with an insurance company when he was with Bath and England.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

England prop Joe Marler will face an independent World Rugby misconduct hearing for calling Wales forward Samson Lee "Gypsy boy".

 

[Dinowolf]

England prop Joe Marler will face an independent World Rugby misconduct hearing for calling Wales forward Samson Lee "Gypsy boy".

Looks like they are determined to make an example of him. I suppose he only has himself to blame.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

World rugby were not happy with the leniency showed by the six nations disciplinary board, so I was not surprised to hear they were taking it further.

 

[Lord Knows]

Conor O'Shea named Italy head coach from June once he leaves Harlequins..

 

[Dinowolf]

England's No.7 of the near future?

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/rug...erts-is-england-s-next-big-hope-a3210011.html

 

[Donegal Wolf]

England's No.7 of the near future?

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/rug...erts-is-england-s-next-big-hope-a3210011.html

Saw him in a couple of Osprey games and he looks quite a prospect

 

[Dinowolf]

It will be interesting to see how Eddie Jones will involve him in the next few weeks.

 

[Dinowolf]

The Telegraph reports that the Rugby Players’ Association has criticised World Rugby’s decision to call Joe Marler to a disciplinary hearing over his “gypsy boy” comment to Wales prop Samson Lee.

Marler is due to appear before an independent judicial committee in London on April 5, charged with misconduct, after World Rugby felt compelled to act when the Harlequins prop was not cited by Six Nations organisers for his comments during England’s victory over Wales on March 12.

Wales had raised the matter with World Rugby after voicing concerns that Marler had escaped punishment for a comment they considered to be racist.

However, Damian Hopley, the RPA’s chief executive, said World Rugby’s intervention “defies belief” and claimed that Marler was being “hung out to dry” in an “excruciating media witch hunt”. Harlequins indicated on Sunday that their player would plead guilty at the hearing but Hopley said he had been unfairly treated.

“As people throughout the game know, Joe is no racist,” Hopley said. “He made a comment when provoked and is now being hung out to dry in this excruciating media witch hunt, whilst World Rugby have intervened against the RFU and the Six Nations.

“To put Joe in this position after he apologised to the opposition player, admitted his error of judgement and also received a severe rebuke from the RFU and the tournament smacks of double jeopardy.

“The thought of World Rugby calling for yet another hearing and therefore prolonging this episode defies belief. The apology was accepted, Joe held his hand up and it is now time to draw a line and move on.”

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Well it is. Toward the traveller community.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Didn't the player abused dismiss it too?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He accepted the apology and moved on.

At the end of the day, Marler should have been punished.

 

[Dinowolf]

This is what a Wales fan posted on another forum:-

"Marler is clearly something of an idiot. Anybody who spouts that sort of stuff, whether in an office or on a rugby field, is quite probably a bit thick and possibly an unpleasant piece of work really. Transpose the incident to your workplace, then take a view.

It's also taking some focus/credit away from The England team who deservedly won the title and effectively the Slam by beating us......... it's also allowing one of our own more unpleasant characteristics to be displayed to the world, namely our rather bitter sense of grievance."

I couldn't have put it better......