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Season 2- Episode 11- Premiership Round 4 & Champions Cup Preview
31 Plays6 years ago
The latest episode from THOSE American Rugby dudes is up for your listening pleasure. Yes, we are stilling swinging on behalf of & still backing our Boys in Black. In other news, we talk a bit about the Barbarian's selections, happenings of a popular beer company that we happen to admire, some player movements and of course the rugby. We make the rounds on all the weekend's action in the final round before Europe. Did someone say EUROPE!? Yes, we preview Champions Cup, going pool by pool and bring you a little fantasy knowledge as well. Tune in to catch all this and everything in between.
Have a question about your lineup on as the clock ticks down for game week start? Ask us questions via Twitter: Jarrod- jdyke8man & Ben- admrablsnackbar. Send us your thoughts for the show and questions for upcoming shows via e-mail fantasyrugbypodcast@gmail.com. Of course we welcome feedback via those methods or rating/reviewing the pod on Apple Podcast.
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction and Weekly Challenges
00:00:08
Speaker
Hey everybody, how's it going? It is the Fancy Art Beers. My name is Jared Dyke. I'm Ben Glauser. So we've already cracked our beers. Sorry, your premature on that one. Or somebody else's immediate. That's okay. We're both idiots. Yeah. I'm apparently missing a few extra brain cells today. We really do need technical support here. Yeah. Anybody want to sign up for that?
00:00:28
Speaker
um Yeah, we both we had garbage weeks in trm. We did and it was a little too reliant on the saints and the wrong guys Deciding to turn off in the wrong week all together things that happened guys, you know guys are uh, it's where we're hitting the
00:00:47
Speaker
Uh, the last stretch run of some of these guys who may or may not be playing with their, you know, certainly not starting the next couple of weeks.
World Cup Players' Performance Analysis
00:00:54
Speaker
Um, and, and who knows what's going to happen in the future for some of them as, as the World Cup guys come back. So it may, it's a combination of a lot of things guys, just having an off week, like Nair Voro having an off week that happens. Um, Taylor having an off week. Well, there's a lot going on. He's been playing a lot more, like he's played, started four straight matches. Um,
00:01:13
Speaker
without Alex Mitchell. That was a big break for him. Sorry, Alex Mitchell, not literally. But it was a good chance for him with Alex Mitchell going down to grab ahold of that Scrum half jersey for a little while. For a little while. And he'll be there back up for as long as Mitchell's out, as long as Reinach's back. Right.
00:01:31
Speaker
Assuming he's fit and firing ready to go when he when uh, and he he should be he should be pretty rested. Yeah Yeah, he did play a lot. Yeah, that's true. He only played He wasn't even on the bench for the lot for the knockout stages. So yeah, uh, which I mean good on yachis Uh, actually yachis, but but you're unfortunate for him.
Rugby Mag Upgrades and Their Impact
00:01:50
Speaker
Um Yeah, make sure you're checking out your rugby mag upgrades. It didn't help ben or i this week, but that's okay. Uh, it can help you
00:01:56
Speaker
And I promise it's a tool the tool is only as good as the person using it Yeah, and obviously the person using it this week was not a good one They do break it down in the upgrades offensive points and defensive points So if you know somebody's attacking or you know, somebody's gonna need to do a lot of defending that week You can see who's who's better advanced, you know gonna take a better advantage of those. So go ahead and check that out
00:02:20
Speaker
Make sure that you're subscribed to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and you will play. Apparently they changed the topic podcast a long time ago and I didn't know that. Oops, whatever. You know what we're talking about. Yeah, the gateway was really missing what I was talking about on that one.
Excitement for Baba's Team and Player Highlights
00:02:38
Speaker
And then the Baba's team. Yes. This is going to be fun. I'm obviously culminating in the game against Wales, but it's a, it's a good team. It's a really good team. I mean, uh, the, uh, the, when you start with the beast and then you go right from him to Rory best, those are the first two players named. I'm in. Yeah, right. I'm in hard to, hard to argue against that. And I liked the, uh, uh, the South African contingent as you go through.
00:03:08
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Yep. Look on your arm and my pimpy. My pimpy, uh, stain, Mornay stain. Um, yeah, that's going to be excellent to see. Let's give a little shout out to Tyler, our drum, the Canadian. Yeah, fellow North American.
00:03:19
Speaker
Got love to see north americans, uh playing in these matches even if it are canadian We'll still take it. Yeah, we'll still support you. It's okay, buddy Basterow gets it gets one more go in europe before he comes over to the side of the park good for him Um, and then yeah, i'm at my pimpi. I didn't get a chance to talk about him, uh last week after the world cup final but uh great story, you know comes from a tough tough upbringing and just turn himself into a hell of a player
00:03:47
Speaker
Really put himself on my radar and I'm sure it was a lot of people before that when he scored the winner against the Stormers in what was essentially a play-in game in the Super Rugby the last weekend of the Super Rugby season this year and he he played himself a game obviously played himself into a
00:04:03
Speaker
uh, the squad and just he's he took advantage of every opportunity he got and Cominated with him getting a try in the walk-up final. Yeah, you love to see it. Yep. So uh good on good. I magma pimpi. Uh, I love it Gives them a couple of dangerous wingers to think about when yeah when you think about going for it because he's not that old Right and you still have in cosy right there, too. Yes, and then he he had an outstanding the super rugby season then i'm sure put him over the top two right and uh, you get Yeah
00:04:32
Speaker
We've got plenty of wings to to choose from yeah, they got a back three plethora for sure that uh in the south african spring bucks there And then we had um, our friends chris our friend definitely chris wiles American, even though he talks money. It's okay. You still play for the united states. We'll take it. Yeah, um in alley hoggry's
Financial Practices in Rugby: Fair or Foul?
00:04:51
Speaker
Taking the high road and poking fun at themselves a little bit, which I can appreciate. Right. Because I mean, that's the only thing you can do to people who are being hardos and total asses about it is just make fun of everything involved because it's a farcical situation. So just treat it that way. Jared and I living here in New England,
00:05:14
Speaker
Um, there's a local, it's a local football team that, um, gets a similar amount of, of winery and, and hatred from, uh, the rest of the league. And it really comes down to for them is, yeah, do they spend the rules? Yeah. I mean, if you're not cheating, you're not trying. And then all these other, uh, all these other clubs and teams, they're doing the same thing. Um, maybe not to the extent of maybe not the same way, but they're all, they're all bending rules and breaking rules. And, and that's just the way it goes. And if we're just going to.
00:05:44
Speaker
Create a society where all we do is point in and be like, oh you were bad You know burn the wish it's like come on now. Like yeah, you're just happy. It wasn't you think I got caught so It comes down to the best players on the field. Let's let's let's remember that. Yeah to me it also I mean and we'll get to it
00:06:01
Speaker
We'll get to it in a little bit, but to whine about that really is kind of insulting to players like a Ben Earl or Jackson Ray or a Manuva Napola, especially. There's guys who have put in the work over the years, even a fucking Will Skelton.
00:06:18
Speaker
who who came to he came to sour when he came to saris he did this is this the will skeleton you see is not who saris brought to england no this is this is the will skeleton that sarison's made so you have to take that into account too that there's there's a lot of work that they put into the the rugby the rugby aspect of it um
00:06:38
Speaker
And let's not you know, let's not insult those the work that's being done there, right? Yeah for a minor rules and fraction Right. I mean, yeah, you know and it'll be it'll be interesting to see what the Because it's the competence overall compensation that's been pained. It's not the it's not the business stuff and it's not the wages it's because they I believe it's because they helped set them up with housing and And bought and may have bought them a house or something like that in their compensation package that might have pushed them over the edge
00:07:08
Speaker
And to play with it a little bit, let's just take out and say Liam Williams' salary is the thing that puts him over the top. Take him out, because he's a somewhat recent arrival, and has played a part in two of the last three years. So take him out of the equation. I know he's a huge difference maker for Wales, and he scored hat tricks for Saracens.
00:07:35
Speaker
Is their next guy down is their next man up that much worse than Liam Williams? No, and yeah, that's that's really where it what it comes down to and Liam He does he does really good work under the high ball like everybody has their little role that they play that can't can easily be played by someone else who's You know, maybe not it's not gonna be that it's gonna be a drop-off in in talent and production But it's not gonna be significant.
Player Loyalty vs. Financial Decisions
00:07:56
Speaker
No, and again, you look at the club that went into to Gloucester this weekend I mean
00:08:02
Speaker
Yeah, there was there's not a lot of names that jump out at you on that one No, and you then you look across the way and you look at what uh, what gloster brought to the table, right? They went pretty much full noise there you the really the only difference there is what's later Right, and he broke his foot and monster not being there but that's you know Take if we're just taking that kind of yep out of the equation too. That's that they went you know Pretty much everybody you'd expect them to play
00:08:29
Speaker
Yeah. And the only way they could score a try was off of that miracle chip and kicking and grubbing and playing football with it to score. That comes down to Saracen's way and the way that they work their players. I hate seeing it.
00:08:54
Speaker
People just shitting on their the way they play on the field and like oh it wasn't because of their defense that they won these things It was the money i'm like, oh shut up their defense shut a lot of good teams down it doesn't by accident it's the way that they play defense and you know make of it what you will with the money, but
00:09:09
Speaker
And then, yeah, you look at some of the other clubs. I mean, you look at the teams that that have been chirping and the teams that haven't been chirping. Yeah, I know this is interesting. Some of the some of the teams that aren't chirping so much are the ones that have bought a lot of their roster as opposed to Saracens, who grew most of their roster and added guys here and there. Yeah, bandits and villains.
00:09:31
Speaker
Right. Like you said, the Liam Williams, he's a, he's a, he's a fill in for, for someone that they couldn't develop the way they wanted to. No, they just don't. Uh, although we'll see what, uh, Roddy Schugin turns into. Um, and then, and then last point about this and we can kick, kick the rock down the road for a while. Um,
00:09:50
Speaker
Like people complaining about Cordillera having the exit or because they couldn't afford him I'm like I don't think you understand what kind of cash The French teams are willing to just throw into the face of a good player and they threw a boatload of cash I don't care what quote-unquote salary cap that you know, the Exeter would have had to break to pay him I'm not sure they would have been willing to spend the money that he got paid and either way they they ended up with Stewart Hogg and
00:10:15
Speaker
Right who's turns out to be a decent player in his own, right? Right. So it's what do you know? Oh, we couldn't keep our one player. Well, you replaced him with someone who's arguably better. So there you go. Shut up. He's he's he's he's towered as probably one of the best fullbacks in the world. Right. So yeah, hard to hard to be mad about it. So I don't know. The argument becomes a little bit moot. Yeah. So just
Mid-season Moves: Joe Marchant's Case
00:10:38
Speaker
just keep moving on kids um other player movement news joe martian signs a extension at quinn's but is moving to the blues at the end of the end of the year on loan which is curious but i guess it expands its horizons a little bit which i'm okay with right but just seems a little curious in the middle of the season to have to make that move for them maybe you might want i mean i guess if you're gonna send them away for a season you might as well get them there for the whole season right but yeah just
00:11:07
Speaker
Uh curious move for I mean, I think it's gonna make him a better player. He's not young but he's not super old. So I don't know It's an interesting move. I guess it makes sense for them Um, if they feel like they want to develop him into a much better player. It's a quinn's move It's not england. It's not an england movie england have nothing to do with this, right? This is a well, that's my question is is he capped? Yes, okay
00:11:29
Speaker
I think by I think one. All right. He's got one. So yeah, he's got he's I might even have three actually. All right. But yeah, so yeah, he's got he's got a single single digit gaps for England. But yeah, he's it'll be it'll be a good move for him. Yeah, I think he's gonna develop into a fantastic player.
00:11:49
Speaker
To me, that's you support your player. If that's what the player wants to do to improve his game, um, then yeah, you do it. And the Quinn's could really use the help too. Like that's one of those, you send a guy away, have him learn something different and then bring it back with him. Like, okay, what'd you learn? Yeah. What can we, what can we take out of that? They have enough. I mean, Marshall is probably their best center, but they do have enough centers that can be serviceable for them for the, from January on. Right. So assuming that he's going to obviously still pick up a few games here and there for them.
00:12:18
Speaker
So it'll be, uh, it'll be interesting to see how that plays out, but, um, good luck to him. Um, I know who I'm picking an FRD super rugby for my midfielder this year.
Chiefs' Strong Backline: A Competitive Edge?
00:12:27
Speaker
Definitely him and Aaron Cruden actually saw a big signing down there. Now, obviously he's a little older and he's a little wiser and he's probably a little bit slower, but.
00:12:35
Speaker
Between him and assuming Damien Mack becomes healthy. Yeah at some point early on for the Chiefs Antoine Leonard Brown in the midfield there. That should be an interesting backline for the Chiefs for sure. A lot of fun. Brad Weber at scrum half. So that would be yummy. I think I might stick with them this year. Yeah, I wouldn't blame you one bit. Should be a very interesting backline going on down there for the Chiefs.
00:13:00
Speaker
My years of kicking around with Super Rugby may have ended. Yeah, that's, I mean, it's a good, good team to land on. A lot of people, it's a good club. I like it.
00:13:07
Speaker
Okay, so enough of that crap.
Key Matches & Player Injuries: Sale vs Wasps
00:13:09
Speaker
Let's go on to the premiership here. Friday night, big, big match for both teams. Yeah, they both kind of need, you know, and sale hadn't really turned into what we thought they were going to turn into this point yet. But they woke up a little bit, at least they did. And I think after just a few minutes of this match, I kind of had towards the end of the first half, I kind of.
00:13:33
Speaker
I had it as sale winning going away, that they were breaking the line too easily, finding gaps. And when you start, and they weren't scoring, it wasn't leading to tries. But it was one of those, you make the defense think now, and you carve them up just a little bit. All those gaps just open up more and more.
00:13:54
Speaker
Yep, big time big time the really the most notable Notable portion of this match was was Beaumont's injury. Oh, yeah You do not see that very often guys just a weird going up. He was jumping and not Landing that trying to go up. He was trying to go up. He was jumping and and
00:14:16
Speaker
Pulled up lame. Yeah, just like stop jumping all the other he's like nope i'm done Yeah, he went the other way he went down. Oof. Yeah, um something about his kneecap. I think was that speculation how Fuck. Mm-hmm. It's just it sounded painful. It looked painful. Yeah, he was down for account Yeah that then it's a shame you saw the his teammates and how they responded and
00:14:37
Speaker
Um, yep, that's yeah, it's that was a shame despair. It's a little bit. It's obviously concerning from his teammates, right? Uh, dad bill looking on world rugby chairman. Um, yeah, it's really painful to watch that one. That was really unfortunate. I was like, oh, that's not good. Right. Um, upside didn't do Priya was a beast.
00:14:56
Speaker
Yes, he was causing trouble for everybody. Absolutely. He was he was causing trouble for all of them Somebody I saw somebody said I was dumb enough to sit down to Priya. Yeah Why would you do that? Why would you sit him like if you're an FRD and you sat down to Priya? What were you doing? Yeah, like you you're telling me you have enough loose forwards in your on your team. That's a new Priya against loss was
00:15:19
Speaker
Extra he was he he was just you know, he was just when addressing I don't believe that for a second. Sorry He you have to work to be that dumb. Yeah So dander prix obviously had a hell of a match. Um, I did think that tom foley is uh continues to be a um, an honorary Frenchman and just letting shit happen at the ruck and
00:15:40
Speaker
Yeah, just take a guess and see if I penalize you basically. That got annoying at some points. I think one of those said rucks turned into the kibberiggy try. But yeah, just I am not looking forward to the days that Saracen's have to deal with him as an official. No, not even a little bit. Keep guessing at that.
00:16:00
Speaker
the red card. Yeah, the last note, the doggo red card. Everything about that was bad. That was so bad. Everything about that was bad. Like what he did, the reaction. The reaction was poor. That's one he'd like to have back.
00:16:16
Speaker
I think so and he I think he tweeted later on like yep My bad. The reaction was totally uncalled for and maybe he didn't realize what he did as far as he because it He's on the screen. Yeah. Oh, he definitely did it and it like he may have it may have been a balanced thing Whatever because he wasn't you know, when you get somebody doing something dirty like we saw a flagrant elbow a couple weeks ago. Yeah I mean, uh, the first thing he did when he went right after he did it. What did he do?
00:16:45
Speaker
And he's like, uh Did I did anyway did we see it exactly? He looks around he looks right at the ref. Like did you see that? No. All right. Awesome Let's go about playing this match. Um, you know a dog who didn't do that He and he not only did he not do that? Well, I mean they blew the whistle but like he didn't peek up like even in before when van you know through the Through the elbow right before he looked over at him. He said yeah. Oh, yeah. He had a good look at it
00:17:09
Speaker
And, uh, you know, Oduguu didn't do it. He didn't put an instinctual reaction. Right. He just, he was still looking down. He wasn't, he didn't, he, I don't think he, he had any, he may have not had any idea that the defender was coming on. He just kind of put his foot out, maybe probably thinking it would stop somebody, but nope. Caught him right in the face. Bruce, lead the shit out of him. Right. Automatic red card.
00:17:29
Speaker
Yeah, you gotta happen to the face, right? Yeah, you're done Um speaking of lee tavita lee was the last person I can remember that did this from the highlanders A couple of seasons ago just kung fu kicked the guy in mid-air like yeah, you're done. Yeah Off, um, so yeah, I mean red card It was game was already in hand for right for the uh for the sharks. So no big deal
00:17:51
Speaker
Sharks take out down the was 20 to 18 and they finally show some teeth. Yeah Yeah, so they finally seem to be showing some they're worth a little bit in the premiere ship and get a win going into you I I'm very excited to see what they do in Europe. Yeah, very interesting Yeah, they won't have I did see they won't have Lou Diager for a little while you cuz right shoulder injury in the World Cup obviously Yeah
00:18:19
Speaker
then A bit of a shock result here as right here bath in Northampton. Yeah, it's a tremendous shock Wow simply Wow, I've started I mean I'm on my way to writing off bath for this season and Not not now. I mean that pull this off. Yeah Saints are a quality team. Yeah, no doubt about that and I
Bath's Tactical Acumen and Freddie Burns' Fearless Play
00:18:47
Speaker
Um, a little rooted is best to make you right. But, um, bath said, no, no, we're going to keep playing on. And they, uh, they did. Well, Freddie burns that tackle on Naira Voro though. Yeah. That was showing, showing no fear, no fear whatsoever. I love Freddie burns. And that, that woke me up. I was like, Oh, wait, bath. Like nobody's done that to Naira Voro this season. Not very many. No, it was a very low number of people.
00:19:12
Speaker
And I'm proud to say it was friend of the pod, Freddy. And, uh, he, uh, yeah, that's, that's a tone setter. You do that. And he knows that he's a veteran. He's been there before you do something like that. That wakes your club up and say, Oh, we're not, there's no reason to be intimidated by them. Yeah, that was great. That was great. I mean,
00:19:30
Speaker
didn't start too hot and reach priestland getting charged down and hutch falling over the line after a little soccer what that happens yep um so uh rocking the gun and getting removed for an hia never coming back i was like yeah that's not great i didn't see what happened yeah i've missed it totally i just saw him walking off i was like where is he going yeah oh you're going for an hia okay didn't see that
00:19:49
Speaker
All right. Next. But then the real thing that came into it, or that did this thing, got this thing over the line for Bath was that scrum set that the Saints had to eat a couple of yellow cards around. Yeah. Franks weren't off because of a different reason for a yellow card. But they get themselves a yellow card to Paul Hill after a bunch of scrum penalties.
00:20:15
Speaker
Sorry. And then they, uh, push it over. Well, more or less push it over and Zach Mercer just kind of runs behind his, his scrum and falls over the trial line. And that was after, uh, bath had a red card, Alan Bruce red card, which was also ugly. Um, better reaction by him. Yeah. He, I think he knew we'd done gun goofed.
00:20:31
Speaker
Yeah, I think he was he was he thought it was a little hard. Uh, he didn't I don't think he agreed with the color but um, I think he knew he might Yeah, he probably should have done that right? Um Yeah, there was no that was completely deliberate. There was no and then yeah The saints just kind of got got the shit kicked out of him. That's crumb. Mm-hmm I loved what I saw there with if you notice what what bath did
00:20:55
Speaker
With that they had that long period that extended period of scrumaging. It was what like five minutes. Oh, yeah, so easily Oh two free kicks two penalties Another penalty. Yeah, so like five or six like two free kicks. Yeah, just kept going out three or four penalties whatever it was They were up to at this point. Yeah, they were they just chewed up and then oh, but at least bath was chewing up the other side of their field This poor poor groundsman at the wreck. I feel so terrible. They home this weekend. I
00:21:20
Speaker
They are crap. Oh, man. Oh, that's gonna be a garbage pitch. I'm sorry. So right after that whole sequence, though, did you notice what Bath did? Other than score the goddamn try.
00:21:31
Speaker
Yeah, they then they brought in their replacement props. Oh, right. Immediately. Oh, they were just going to wear you down. They were smoked. And then, yeah, smoke your your props. And then we're oh, by the way, we're just going to bring in our fresh legs. Full online change with a Bono judge and Walker coming on after after that after that try was scored. So it was it was a gutsy performance from Bath. You got to give it to him against the team that
00:21:55
Speaker
We didn't think was going to be stopped very much. And I don't think anybody did honestly, especially after the brew red car. We were just like, yep, that's that might be the end right there. And you know, you never know what to do. You're dealing with with bath. Like they can easily rock up and pull a performance like this. The problem is there's just no consistency there.
00:22:14
Speaker
Yeah, but they they pull this one out 22 13 maybe though Maybe they'll make the wreck a fortress and that'll be a place that nobody wants to go to and yeah And that'll kind of help him along this whole thing and then game we already had a little bit of a word about at Kings home Gloucester and sir our boys the Saracens and
00:22:34
Speaker
Uh, I mean, oh goodness. Um, I already saw the news. Uh, you don't, if you're squeamish, don't watch the Ralph Adams hail injury or mute your TV or something because he let out a scream that will make your bones
Impactful Injuries and Rugby Community's Response
00:22:50
Speaker
chill. And it just kind of kept going, even when, you know, he was still picking up, you know, while he was laying on the field, like after the whistle blows, everything goes dead. You can hear him moaning and it's like, Oh, that's not good. Yeah. So he is out, he's out for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, poor guy. And, uh,
00:23:03
Speaker
Having himself a worldy of a season so far and taking advantage of his playing opportunity and you gotta feel for the kid It was he was having such a great year to start. Yeah that happened just really nothing to be done He just the pressure is literally the pressure from the scrum got to his leg and it snapped. Yeah, there's nothing else to be done Nope. Oh, so
Saracens' Victory Against Gloucester: Breaking the Streak
00:23:23
Speaker
But on to the rest of the rugby. Gloucester cannot stop Tompkins at all. No, they are going to see him in their freaking sleep. Oh, my days. That dude was just he while he put him up for a hat trick in the semifinal last spring. I think he scored in the fixture at Allianz last fall as well. So he didn't score in the in the one at Kingsland last year. But yeah, that was that was a big that was a big old shocker right there.
00:23:52
Speaker
Yeah, Saracen's haven't won there for a good long while Um, I think it was like it's at least four or five years easily. Yeah, that's right. That was that was a long while I didn't like I I think
00:24:08
Speaker
So the ref was extremely lenient on Saracens. Let's go that direction. Extremely lenient about that 65 minute mark. It was between that and the 73rd minute when Ludlow finally got over. Seven penalties? Something to that effect, yeah. There were a lot of penalties at the Saracens 8. And to be fair, they're talking to the announcers, the commentators are talking about how that's too many to not give a yellow. And I agree with that.
00:24:38
Speaker
Also agree with is that the he never went over to Ray and said that's enough So if he's gonna do that the Saracens played to the ref I don't think he can blame the Saris for doing that and then as soon as they You know as soon as he warned them I I think the ref probably should have given the yellow even after the try Yeah, probably but that was his decision not to I don't think it would have mattered at that point. I
00:25:00
Speaker
Yeah. That game, that game was over at that point. It was, you know, seven minutes left and a nine point match. It's not happening. Maybe they get the bonus, but that's it.
00:25:13
Speaker
Yeah, Saracen's haven't haven't won at King's poem since 2015 Wow, so I took about the same time October It was yeah, it was I mean good performance, but I said by the Saracen's young young pretty young squad and obviously some salty veterans like Wigglesworth are in there well skeleton is somebody somebody obviously don't mess with Maitland and
00:25:33
Speaker
Isn't didn't have himself that good of a day. Not really but but you know, he's there. Um, Matt Gallagher continues to impress he does he continues to impress me I I can't I I don't know if I have anything bad to say about the kid right now You know some of the things you look like you you you watch them and you're like, no dude dude. Oh, never mind. It worked I mean we talked about it now that um
00:25:55
Speaker
Now that they are the world cup guys are going to be back. Uh, where do you know, where do some of the, the saris fit in? And we were thought we were thinking that, um, uh, daily is going to end up at 15 to replace goodie hurt. He doesn't, he will not, I don't know about that. He doesn't like that though. Yeah. He wants to play center. Right. But now, I mean, with Gallagher back there, I'm fine.
00:26:16
Speaker
I'd be okay with rolling him out there at least to see what happens. Yeah, I think I think they have an answer That's not daily if they want to and i'm sure mccall will have a conversation with daily and say Are you okay with playing fullback for us or are you really tied to the center spot because I know he wants to play center That's his favorite position and it's probably he's best in
00:26:35
Speaker
At this point I would I'd free him up to do it i'd say yeah, go for it You know, let let gallagher play back there because he's doing a fan. Like he said doing a fantastic job Yeah, you don't want to kind of mess with a success like that. And then also you kind of want to see where he fits in With their top guys because he's he's earned it. He's earned that shot with him Certainly, you know, we we the the pod loves lasosky He does some amazing things, but I think uh at this point
00:27:01
Speaker
Um Gallagher might have a higher ceiling. Oh, I think so too. Gallagher's where Lozowski well, actually I think Gallagher's ahead of where Lozowski was like three years ago And and Lozowski's kind of plateaued since then Yeah, it's you know laws is playing, you know, he was a tan. He is a senator. It's it's a quite for him. It's another
00:27:21
Speaker
What's his best position his best position is probably some full back to he played he's put all over the place Yeah, I mean he's he he is a club player for sure He is a he's he's a he's definitely a guy you want in your club because yeah if you ask him to do something He's gonna do it and he'll probably do a quality job at it too. So nothing wrong with that. I
00:27:37
Speaker
But I'm looking forward to seeing what, you know, and he got his chance to be at that, at that top spot, uh, laws did. And he kind of, like you said, did okay with it. Um, he's a guy who can fill in Gallagher, Gallagher. There's a shot for him that he's the next, sorry, he's back three.
00:27:53
Speaker
You know just coming out of that that turns into something good. Um Maybe uh, y'all an acrimon guilty of a little bit too much tinkering on the on this uh on his side There a little too much moving around to pieces that seem to be working pretty well You know, I know last week didn't go their way but I think they could have probably left a lot of things alone and not
00:28:12
Speaker
Shuffled so much around like calum braley going into nine. I think he could have left him. Let joe simpson play Yeah, i simpson's been playing so well unless unless he's looking forward to this coming weekend because Do they have a tough go this weekend? You kind of maybe maybe the thought I mean it's gonna be it's not gonna be a cake walk with tilu's walking into town, right? Um, so maybe he was looking ahead and saying, you know what? maybe ultimately that's the more valuable game and
00:28:38
Speaker
Let's face it that side that that Gloucester side should be taking care of this Saracen side looking at the you know, go on. Yeah Looking at it, you know on paper at home. That's a you know, you should you should have been able to get away with that
00:28:50
Speaker
No, Ed Slater definitely heard on this spot. Ben Morgan was their captain, but Slater makes a difference in that lineup for sure. I wasn't in love with Chris Harris at center. I think they should have left that center pairing alone. Again, if they're looking to rest 12 trees because of this weekend, so be it.
00:29:10
Speaker
But I think if they want, I'm sure I would I would think I would think that they would circle this game as something that they wanted to play. Yeah. One more thing, and then we'll move on. I know we've spent a lot of time on these guys. Sorry. Can't help it. Jack Singleton makes his debut for the Saracens, going back to the boyhood club of his. That's OK.
00:29:26
Speaker
Hey, listen, he did fine. He got out there, he banged the rust off a little bit. I was happy to see him out there. I think he's going to do just fine. Yeah. So Attaboy. Saracens take care of Glosser 2112. Sand's the 35 point, you know, knock. They're in third. So we'll see what happens. We're just going to go with what's on the table right now. Sorry, there's not a lot to do.
00:29:49
Speaker
They got so much help this weekend, though. So much help. We're still getting to it, but even the next one. Quinn's going down to Worcester. My goodness, what happened here? So is this Quinn's being... I mean, these are two teams that are...
Worcester's Growth and Premiership Dynamics
00:30:03
Speaker
So we talk about how hard it is to win on the road in the premiership. And I think some of that at this point is just the team sorting themselves out.
00:30:15
Speaker
Worcester are developing into quite the side. Quins have been to quite the side. But I think the parody that's injecting itself into this league is really, it showed itself this weekend. And this is just another example of that where Worcester have been on the cusp of being able to take wins like this.
00:30:34
Speaker
But they just haven't been able to do it and I think that translates into oh, it's really hard to win on the road in the premiership whereas no Worcester You know the last couple years have not been built to win on the road in the premiere whatever reason Yeah, and now I mean and they went in the little a little light especially in the backs they kind of Know who guard no we are no problem
00:30:57
Speaker
Right. Who knew? Right. No Mills. Yeah. No Ryan Mills either. So they changed out a lot of their backs and still. No Pinell. Shillock Cockett, fullback. None I went to wing. I mean, or actually he's been playing wing. Humphries has been playing wing. Ed Vito comes into the team. Yeah. So Ollie Lawrence comes off the bench.
00:31:18
Speaker
It was I mean i'll give wister this is it This is a credit to alan solomons and their coaching staff. Um, we talked about nyla net He seems to be playing really well for this club right now You know, it's that he and it's joe t and his yeah, it's joe t and his his spot at hooker They know that it's them singleton's out, right? So they know it's the two of them and you know, they'll push each other to to play better because they're both quality players, so
00:31:44
Speaker
We'll see. I think that is actually going to benefit them. Ted Hill continues to be a monster. I know he's not a monster on the, on the TRM sheet here, but he is still just somebody I'm not running through. That's for sure. Whoever this Dupree's lady is from, from South Africa, holy shit. All she does is produce fucking stones on her ugly face. Yeah. Dupree, Cornell Dupree doing another one. Good God. Right. I mean, yeah, these guys are, although he looked like he was a little bit tired by the time he got pulled. Ah, yeah.
00:32:13
Speaker
I think he deserved to be tired by the time he got pulled. Did he get pulled? I thought he got pulled. Oh, did he? I don't know. I thought he, yeah, I don't think he, no, he played 55. He played 55, okay, yeah. Oh yeah, well, GJ Bambell's on the bench, I'd pull him too. Yeah. I mean, Quinn started hot.
00:32:30
Speaker
Don Brandt with a good line and a good run. James Chisholm was joining on the spot and got himself over the line after a little footy going around today and going on this weekend here. This game did get kind of boring for a while. It was kind of a snoozer.
00:32:51
Speaker
Uh, the between the legs pass though. I was, I was watching this and like, all right, not much has happened. Like it's cool. Like it started out. Yeah, that great. The first, you know, 14 minutes, um, was fantastic. And then it was just all penalty from the rest of the way out.
00:33:07
Speaker
Yep, but it was um, I mean hey you when you have penalty advantage that's when oh, yeah, that's when you try wild shit like that Let it go. Let it go man. Um, so yeah quins take down or go or go down to the wister warriors and it's it's anyways game in the in the premiership now after um wister seemed to be showing quite a bit of fight Uh to get them to make sure that they aren't the ones going down
00:33:31
Speaker
Speaking of the ones going down, uh, Lester? Uh, Bueller? Anybody? What the hell? They got nothing. They are. They, I mean, and I know they're, they're waiting. They obviously definitely have some guys waiting on to come back, but I mean. That's like all they've got.
00:33:50
Speaker
Yeah, that's basically all they can hang their hat on right now. And, you know, they don't have Europe to worry about. So, you know, it's a challenge cup. So they can use that almost as like a training exercise more or less. They need it. And they'll and they'll rest the guys that they feel need rest. And there was some good, there was some good stuff from them early and then they just kind of fell off.
00:34:10
Speaker
And the Irish took over this match after a while. I think it was the... Was it the Vandenbergva try or the Botha try? The big lock that crashed over. Yeah, that was a beautiful try. Lots of movement. I think the commentator said, I think all 15 guys touched it and I think, I don't think he's wrong. I wouldn't doubt it.
00:34:33
Speaker
And it was, I think they went from their own 22 to a try within three or four phases because of the way they moved the ball. Right. JP Doyle called what might have been a forward pass level, basing it on momentum and whatever. JP does weird things like that. Yeah, they all do. That's how it goes. But still, I mean, don't don't chalk that up as the reason that Irish won. They played they played their nuts off on this one. I thought they were.
00:35:02
Speaker
I thought they played some outstanding rugby at time. Ben Loader looks like he's belongs in the premier ship. He was a big name for them in the championship and has come up huge a lot since, uh, since they've come up. So I, I give them full credit. Uh, they deserve everything. Um, they're, they're still getting some guys back. Nick Phipps played in this game, which is something that they've been waiting on. Uh, I know Kepa won't be available for the wild Coleman, same thing.
00:35:27
Speaker
Uh, but yeah there was talking to hollow played in this thing Somebody said something. Uh, the commentary said something about oh, that'll be a titanic battle between aloha fella and the hollow i'm like I am backing the guy that's played for the all blacks. Yeah, aloha fella Talented, but i'm still taking the hollow. Yeah. Thank you. Let's not compare the two. Thank you Just just keep moving good. Try moving on good. Try So yeah, the irish take down lester 36 to 11 and luster
00:35:56
Speaker
Really need to go back to the drawing board in these two weeks that they're out for Europe. Uh, if I were them, I wouldn't even bother with the next two games and just play guys that need playing time. Yeah. You know, don't, don't bother with trying to take the, take the group or anything like that. I know that their fans will be disappointed about that, but if they want to survive, that's what they're going to do.
00:36:14
Speaker
Because again, that goes back to, if you're Lester, you're looking at some of the marks on the table. You're looking at the Saracens and the Gloucester and the Exeter and the Bristol and the Saints.
00:36:29
Speaker
And you're kind of saying, yeah, we're not with them. You have to understand that if you get a win out of either of those squads, just one of those, that's points that you really can't. Thank you for those points. Yeah, you need to cover those. But the teams like the Irish, like the Wasps,
00:36:49
Speaker
Like the even the bath who are that that inconsistent squad? Mm-hmm in the worst and the Warriors Those those are the clubs you have to get up for and and really give your best I'm sure it did not happen this weekend. No, it did not. That's not really not what What Lester needed? Mm-hmm? No, no bueno man. That was a good one speaking of the the other teams that you mentioned
00:37:15
Speaker
Bristol, top of the league, going into Europe. Who the fuck knew?
Bristol's Unexpected Premiership Lead
00:37:20
Speaker
I mean, they knew. They knew, because I know that they believed that they were... Didn't I have them in my top four? You did. I don't know if... Did you pick them top four? You picked them in your... Five or six, yeah. To get to the Champions Cup at least, for sure. And you picked them last week, rightly.
00:37:36
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, they believe, they believe it. They believe that they are capable of doing this. And after beating Exeter at Sandy Park, I don't see why they shouldn't because that is a feather in your cap, right? A pretty full noise Exeter at that. Yeah, just about. I realized Noel came on a little late. He didn't start. Nope. That Exeter team looks much different with Henry Slade in there.
00:38:00
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. And he's yeah. Yeah. And you know, you can call what you want. Luke Cowan, Dickie and Yandel are very interchangeable almost for this, for this team's sake. So, you know, Yandel's a club captain. So it's hard to, it's hard to unseat him. Yeah.
00:38:16
Speaker
But yeah other than that I don't see a whole lot Sam scared is the only other name I can think of off the top my head that they don't have in this in this team If I'm missing somebody, please tell me Yeah, so that was just one person that we're missing but I could be I might just be off my ass
00:38:32
Speaker
Yeah, that's right. Don Armin came off the bench. Yeah. Yeah. This is pretty much everybody right here. Ben Moon wasn't in this team. That's about the only other one I can think of. But I mean, they started hot. The Chiefs did. They did. Two tries, boom, boom, opening up the game. Good stuff.
Exeter vs Bristol: Momentum Shifts
00:38:50
Speaker
Nick White got over the line with that sneaky scrum half cry. Just saw, hey, there's nobody in this specific line. I'm just going to run in this angle and run past everyone.
00:38:59
Speaker
Uh, yeah, nice to see him back in the in the premiership again. Yes, very much. So it's too bad. He's going to be leaving us, but um, I do. I do enjoy him. Uh, Sam Simmons gets over the line like he's been doing in his whole life, which he kind of does. So that was, yeah, they were, they were playing some good stuff for a long, for a long time. And then they just kind of let.
00:39:18
Speaker
Bristol back into this thing. They did. And I don't understand. They had possession and territory, but they couldn't do anything with it. And I can't quite put my finger on what it was, but man, that was... To me, the game kind of shifted around that Nick White yellow card.
00:39:36
Speaker
Yeah, that's oh, well, that's true because they were they were they were 17 six at that point. Yeah, that's true. Actually, I hadn't thought of that. Yeah. And, you know, the was it O'Connor scores? Yeah. What was it? A couple of minutes later? Mm hmm. And then then that set it up for that last mall at 80 minutes. Right. You know, the clock being red. What a mall. What a mall.
00:40:03
Speaker
I was like, they're going to drive this thing over from way out, aren't they? Yes, they are. That's ballsy. I love it. Yeah, that was huge. Nathan Hughes obviously played his ass off. I'm sure he's enjoying life there. Yeah. They're playing a style that I think he's really loving right now. That honeymoon is going to last a good long while, I think. He's playing his ass off. Right player, right team. Yep.
00:40:26
Speaker
How they afford him, but I'm not. Yeah, especially the Pia Tao on frickin million pounds a year. I'm just asking questions out there. But yeah, they look really good. I thought Morahan had one in the first half and he frickin pulled off of it like he was he hit a line hard and had and if he just kept running straight and pinned his ears back, I don't think anybody's going to tackle him.
00:40:49
Speaker
He had the gap and he decided to cut left and maybe look for a pass and I was like, nope, that was not the right decision. I thought he had that for sure. So Luke Morahan, back yourself more, big boy. You had that. You have the speed and you have the size. Those are the growing pains for some of these clubs. Yes.
00:41:05
Speaker
They overcame it. Dan Thomas gets, gets the eventual winner, which good at him. He's probably one. He's, he's been one of those guys that's been with this team since they've gone up and down a couple times. So, and he's like always in the conversation of Bristol player of the year.
00:41:20
Speaker
So good on him. I'm glad to see him there doesn't have George George North to get in his way anymore George Smith. Sorry Ron George George Smith to get in his way anymore in terms of starts and always They have heenan, but oh, I'm sorry. He's a flanger. He's a flanger. I thought he was a lock
00:41:39
Speaker
No, uh, yeah, they have they know but yeah, they have heenan obviously he was gonna play eight from now for a long time. Yep Um, but yeah, so that that's good on him and uh good on good on bristol for getting top of the league within In the first four weeks going into europe. So, uh, I can I commend them greatly um on a fancy note This might this is a bad time for it
00:42:01
Speaker
but might've been the return of the Harry Thacker that we've been waiting for because he had what 28 27 27 27. Okay. So that might be the thing we've been waiting on.
00:42:12
Speaker
This is a big confidence builder because when the ecosystem shifts around and you bring in a big fish, that changes who gets the ball, how they get the ball. I think a lot of the touches that Thacker would have been getting last year are going to Hughes this year.
00:42:32
Speaker
You do that. Yeah, you might you might not be wrong and the same goes for for vooey So you got to take that hit a little bit But I think thacker is really fitting fitting in and where he can attack as a support runner too Um, so his game is growing. Yep. He'll I think this might be the return to him So if you have harry thacker start start feeling good about starting him more often. Yeah, don't don't shy away from factor Yeah, no, I didn't drop him. I just know I couldn't start him. Oh, I started him this week Oh, okay. Good for you. You had more balls than I did Okay
00:43:08
Speaker
And this is gonna be it's so tough I was you know looking at all the clubs And and it's so difficult to see where anybody really is Because of the World Cup so this is just a fast little most of the guys especially the ones that that played late Which is gonna be a lot of these players. Yeah They're not back with their club yet And so it'll be interesting to see what happens With with a lot of these guys that are that are just coming back to their clubs just in time for the the Champions Cup Yeah, it's gonna be
00:43:26
Speaker
Let's go to Europe.
00:43:37
Speaker
Makes it hard or very difficult because you can't really tell you can't pick based on form Exactly. No because you're like, uh, well reform with country doesn't always equal form of the club. So that's also true makes it tough All right Yeah, let's go to Europe we'll do we'll do a quick run through of each pool and see what we think In terms of who's coming out of it. Yep, and then uh, you know, maybe we talk about a little bit knockout and all that stuff
00:44:04
Speaker
Um, who won? What's up? I'm prepared for all of that. Fantastic. Um, who won Benetton makes their return to champions cup in the top tier of Europe since the, basically since the Italians were told you need to really earn getting into the higher end of Europe.
00:44:21
Speaker
before we give you another spot. And luckily they gave them a nice, you know, toe dipping pool to get it. Oh, wait. Wait. Well, maybe not. They gave one with their old friends, Leinster, obviously three time champions, four time champions. Sorry. Excuse me. Four time champions of Europe. Leinster with a good number of players that will be ready to rock and roll, having rested either not playing much since the core final year of a World Cup.
00:44:50
Speaker
And obviously, RFU control who plays when as well, so that helps them.
00:44:57
Speaker
And Leon played not well last time they were in this thing. No, so they have a little bit of a, yeah. And right now they're first in the top 14. Right. So right away you've got two of the best clubs in their home countries in the competition. For sure. And right in your pool if you're Benetton. And then your respite is the Saints.
00:45:23
Speaker
Uh, who are on, I mean, apart from this weekend are on fire and they're going to get, you know, the likes of the likes of big and laws. Yeah. So not great news for Ben. Sorry. I mean, this is a club that plays pretty much the same club, the same team weekend and week out.
00:45:40
Speaker
So there is the a little bit of the continuity to start the the year at least. Yep The problem obviously the problem being depth But like I mean mostly the talent team was picked from Benetton Yeah, if I remember right with the exception of a couple of players that play outside of Italy and then a couple of players from zebra But yeah, there was a lot of players from this club Our old friends the Rexbeck spec is on its end McKinley So looking forward to that one I I'm gonna
00:46:09
Speaker
So out of this, again, we're going to bring back to the fantasy aspect of this. Oh, yes. There we go. Those of you playing the official game on the Champions Cup website. Right. For the players on these, out of Leinster, you're looking at Ty for a long and Kean Healy. Yes, they're props. They'll still get your points.
00:46:28
Speaker
Um, Jack Conan, uh, Luke McGrath and James Lowe. Do not sleep on James Lowe. He tore this competition up. Yeah, absolutely. Um, Leon, uh, I don't know if he's going to remain the 10, uh, but Jonathan Wozniewski has been putting up some points. Um, Toby Arnold, uh, Naka Taisi, I'm sorry, Naka Taisi, I can't say his fucking name. And Raigald, our players you want to be looking at for your, for your squad, um, for the Saints.
00:46:57
Speaker
Look at Reinach, Bigger, Nair Voro, Hutchinson. Basically, you want to consider their backs. Yeah, consider their backs with the exception of maybe Courtney Haas.
00:47:05
Speaker
And yeah, and for Benetton, I wouldn't recommend any of their players. Because you can get a similar quality player pretty much anywhere. At the same, and probably a similar price. Right. And you never know which of the Benetton players are going to go off. Because it could be one. It could be another, depending on the matchup. And it's probably just not worth having that and having to. It's a headache. It's a penalty for dropping a player or what have you. That's what it comes down to, just into being a headache.
00:47:33
Speaker
I'm gonna say that it's Leinster and Northampton that get out of this group. I think I think Leinster win the group still because that's what they do. And then Northampton end up being one of the top three winners up. I have the same. I have Leinster, Saint-Sléon, and Benin. That's my order.
00:47:54
Speaker
Pool two, okay, here's the ultimate question. This one's gonna be fascinating. This'll be fun, this'll be fun. Here's the ultimate question that needs to be answered, and it's can Exeter figure out Europe? Because they haven't yet. And my question, which is similar, is have sale figured out Europe. They've been here for a while, so we'll see. Right, but the roster moves that they made, I feel like really positioned them well. To play in this competition. To play in this competition. Yes, absolutely, I agree.
00:48:24
Speaker
I also want to say about going back to Exeter. I've noticed it two weeks ago against Worcester, which worked out well for them. And then this past week, they really are playing a much more open game. They're not doing there. We're going to kick, you know, we're going to try to work on penalty, then kick to the corner and then just beat the shit out of you till we can score. I think they figured out that you can't do that in Europe. Right. And I think they've been, you know, this is something I know. They've at least been trying it. Right. And this is last year with was it wasps? We're doing that.
00:48:51
Speaker
In Europe. Well, they should have been doing it in Europe and they weren't. Right. Oh, I can't remember. And they were going into their shell. Yeah. But leading into Europe, they were really opening it up. Right. They looked great. And then they're just like, we're going to go back and turtle up. Right. And that's what you have to worry about with Exeter is that once the pressure gets put on them, do they revert back to that smash, smash, smash? Yeah. For the sake, I hope not. Do their bum holes tighten up a little bit? Right.
00:49:20
Speaker
Lower shell get back in they were in a couple years ago and just missed out on getting a getting a playoff spot Um, they're struggling this year though. Yeah, they are they are and they're not really getting anybody back No, it's not as though they're all drits back. That's about the right. It's not as though they're they're You know, they're hurting with guys out at the world cup. They're just hurting Yeah, so I mean obviously did well to get here but probably going to be the end of the line um
00:49:46
Speaker
So apart from hog being gone from Glasgow, I have to say that they've got pretty much virtually the same team back from the team that got to the knockout stage last time. Yeah. So I'm at least going to pick them to get out of this group. I don't have them coming out of the group. No, I think I think I'll back them to get out of the group. I don't know if they're going to be able to win it. But I think they're going to somehow get out of this group as they did last year, whether it's by one of those runner up spots or they win it. I don't know which one.
00:50:15
Speaker
And just remembering how Glasgow played last year, Sarri's just owned them in all three competitions. All three matches, yeah. I think Exeter are going to be able to beat them that way, the way that Saracens did, especially that power game that they have.
00:50:32
Speaker
And I think sale are going to beat them. Yeah, it could be. Yeah, that's true. They could go down to two power games that are very strong right now. Right. So, so my, and, um, my, my prediction for this is sale, win the group exit or come in second, Glasgow third and lower shell fourth. Do you think there's going to be good enough to get out to not get out as the one of the runner ups?
00:50:51
Speaker
Did I have them? I had them out. OK. I had them getting out. Yeah. OK. OK. So they'll get one of those run up spots, which would be a pretty exciting thing for people down in Devon, because I don't think they've ever gotten to a knockout stage game in Europe. I have it happening, because I think there's a lot of, you know, there's a lot of these pools of death that are going to hurt some squads. So I may have been a little overzealous with some of these as far as, you know, some of these clubs getting out, but somebody's got to move on. And I think so. That's why I have eggs that are still squeaking out.
00:51:21
Speaker
What about what about guys that you would pick for your for your team here for Exeter Sam Simmons? We've been playing lights out. I think they're back. They're back row are going to be Simmons, Kovacic and Vermulan. And I would have all of those. I would pick any of them, obviously, depending on your your format and whatnot. But those are three guys to have on your squad.
00:51:41
Speaker
Uh, I talked about Henry Slade and the impact he had. Uh, there he's going to have a good competition. I think Jack noel and Stuart hog, maybe the big guys, you know, yeah, meters made her a huge, especially in the UPCR format. So, so Slade and Noel are, I think are going to be two guys. You're going to want on your squad hog too, because he'll, I think he'll be good at, at kick return. Yeah, I agree.
00:52:01
Speaker
So yeah, as we said, Glasgow, uh, they lost hog. So this will be, it's kind of cool that they're going to see him. Yeah. It's like, uh, hi, hi. Um, uh, Adam Hastings, Hugh Jones, Tommy Seymour, Johnny gray, Ryan Wilson. Those are the guys you're going to want to look, look for. Yeah. Um, gray. Good God. Yeah. I just like that guy. I just like him.
00:52:24
Speaker
Yeah, um lower shell I said I don't bother Um, there's like I said, they're struggling. Maybe i'll do it. That's it. I'm not sure I would yeah, uh for sale, um Did somebody look at his james phillips with with beaumont and loot out? That's true. Phillips is going to be I think their their main attacking lock
00:52:43
Speaker
Faf, Robert Dupree, Dupree. It's hard to know which flankers to recommend, because you don't know what time each are going to get. Well, if Dan's playing eighth, then I'd definitely rock him. Yes. If he continues in the form he just did this past weekend, roll with that. If they go down in the curries, you're going to do worse. Yeah. Oh, god. That's terrible. Yeah, I mean, here's the fun thing. I mean, the curries are clones. They're basically clones of each other.
00:53:08
Speaker
So, I mean, obviously the twins, but also they also play exactly the same way. So, you know, to have one on the bench and one starting is usually more handy than to start them both, unless you're really looking for that exact thing on all of the pitch. Or unless you're sailing, you're like, you know what, we can pull either of them out and put on somebody of equal. Yeah, that's true. So get that maximum performance. We'll see how that goes. Yeah, so we talked about who gets out of that. Pool three.
00:53:37
Speaker
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Claremont O'Varn are still waiting on a European trophy. We'll see if they get out of the group. I mean, it's good to see him back in this competition, a club that belonged in this competition. It was weird to see him in the challenge cup last year. Bath, who have been here, done that. Quinns, who are back for the first time in a couple years. And then Ulster, again, been there, done that. They're always a part of this. They put a pretty good performance in last year. Losing to Leinster.
00:54:04
Speaker
But still put on a good show. I thought Ian Henderson played his ass off for Ulster as he has been for Ireland too, obviously. Every time Claremont's in the Champions Cup, they do well. So I'm at least going to back them to get out of this group. I don't have them getting out. Oh, we didn't get all the way through, did we? Nope.
00:54:28
Speaker
And the the quins are are struggling a little bit. Um, but again, they're so they're bottom of the table in the prem, but they're also playing some of the best teams in the prem. So you look at the table and put some good good teams and who they've played. You're not you wouldn't be surprised as to to um where the quins are right now. So I don't think that really tells you what you're gonna um You're what you're gonna get from them. Um bath again, we talked about their inconsistency, but that still means that they could
00:54:56
Speaker
They could step up. They could pop up and they should have beat to lose in that opening match, you know, if not for the unfortunate incident at the end. You know, they should have won that game. Right. Who knows where that puts them going forward. So, yeah, it's they have the possibility, they have the ability to do it. Right. They do.
00:55:13
Speaker
Um, so I have I have ulster winning the competition and nobody else coming out of this group Okay, I do have bath finishing second clairmont third quinn's fourth Right. Um, but yeah ulster are the for me the only teams that move on. Yeah, um from a fantasy perspective Uh for for clairmont, um yado from figies. It's a good good ad. Um, iterate uh, laid law kami lopes new beds him with the gigantic the foot
00:55:43
Speaker
I was gonna say balls, but yeah, also that's because balls are gigantic balls are connected to that gigantic foot somewhere in there, um, Pinot. Uh, yeah. I mean, but now I love now. And I Williams and the rocker. Yeah. Guys, you're gonna, um, want to be, be looking into big guys for Ulster. Um, no Rory best cause he retired. Oh, we'll just have Jack McGrath come over. Yeah. I mean, McGrath's, uh, yeah, the proper, but.
00:56:08
Speaker
I don't know. No, but front row just the same. Yeah, you know still sell about the good Yeah, good ball carrying front row just the same Ian Henderson Jordy Jordy Murphy Will Addison and Jacob Stockdale are the guys Stockdale Stockdale also torched this competition pretty pretty good last I had them
00:56:28
Speaker
Yeah, McCloskey is actually a decent one too. He was he played pretty well for them last year I don't know. I don't know if his numbers necessarily translated to fantasy, but I do remember his name a lot popping up when Ulster did good things so That's another name to keep in mind for that one from the Quinn's We talked about March on earlier He's somebody you might want to have but look into because I'm not sure he's probably not gonna last the whole competition. Yeah, right Dom Brant is someone you're gonna want from the from the forwards. Absolutely and then in between Mike Brown if those are gonna be their finishers
00:56:57
Speaker
Absolutely. Yeah, he's they both played fairly well at this point Or at least ubitoya has mike brown's mike brown and bath are gonna have uh, there I think also they're gonna be bringing back two guys, especially in that that back that back row Um that are gonna be be a huge to have back with with underhill and low. Um, still have mercer So those three guys you're gonna want to to be looking at yep, uh kakimasinga and watson
00:57:29
Speaker
He's still coming these freshers are Daisy I think you played one match, right? So yeah, that's that's why I think that's why I have Beth finishing second But also why I don't have them moving on moving on fair enough because I think that's gonna be a bunch of The ulster is gonna beat everybody I think in that
00:57:44
Speaker
And everybody else is going to beat up each other exactly fair enough um pool four this is going to be Sucky for a lot of teams um Obviously rossing rossing are you know a team that's constantly at the forefront of european ruby Saracen's defending champions. Um mccall has said that he's
00:58:06
Speaker
pulling back the reins a little bit on Europe and concentrating on the premier ship. I don't buy it until I see it. Yeah, we'll see. I think Nigel Ray will stare him in the face and be like, no, you fucking aren't. Right. Not anymore. And the players probably would too. Maybe that was the plan a couple of weeks ago. Yeah, I don't think so anymore. Yeah, because this appeal won't be heard until or will be finished until New Year at minimum. So you might as well put some eggs in some in this basket and see what you can do.
00:58:30
Speaker
And to me, this pool ultimately, I think is going to come down to Saracens and Monster. Ospreys are getting humped.
00:58:39
Speaker
Well, so here's the problem with the Welsh provincial teams. They're not fielding any of their Welsh international players. Right. So because they've basically they've been told don't feel them until basically in the year. Wow. That sucks. That does suck. So I mean, like Dan Baker's going to play for Northampton and William Williams gets healthy. He'll be he'll play for the Saracens. But good luck with everything else.
00:59:04
Speaker
And Rossing has been kind of, they're so hot and cold. Right. They could be dangerous when they hit full power, but they're ninth right now on the top 14. Without Nakarawa, too. Right. And nobody knows the situation of that. Apparently, he just still hasn't been in contact with the club. Right.
00:59:22
Speaker
Let the man be yeah So as far as players from each of these squads For Saracen's Maru Itoji He'll be racking up points. I think he's gonna be coming out with a little bit of fire. Yep, knowing him Both of the Napolas not Manu. Sorry, you're not gonna be playing in this competition. Yeah, nothing two not three, right?
00:59:44
Speaker
Uh, I think Ben Earl might, might have a little bit of a coming out or be looking for a coming out party. I think he's going to get some blank time. He should at least. Right. I would see it being, um, uh, Billy, uh, Ben at seven and Ray at six. Yeah. That seems to be your best. That's probably the best way to go. Or, you know, you might see Maro bump to six. You might see that. And with skeleton and cruise in the second round.
01:00:08
Speaker
And in that case, still, I would have Earl for the speed because you'd want to, you'd want to compliment that. No, just power. No joke. Yeah. Raise it. Raise the hell off the bench. Spencer and Faz, daily you don't know how he's going to fit in, but I'd still, I'd still have, have an eye on him and Tompkins because he has shown that he's capable for this competition. I mean, until Brit, until Brad bear comes back, he should be the inside. Right. So there you go.
01:00:32
Speaker
For Munster, um, the names pop out at you. CJ standard, Connor Murray, Joey Carbury, Keith Earls, Andrew Conway. Those are guys you're going to want to be looking at, uh, for Rossing. You don't have Nakarawa, as we'd mentioned, but, uh, Kamishat, uh, Mashino, Finn Russell. He's always fun to watch. Um, and then the frigging pace on the outside with Teddy Thomas and Simon Zebo.
01:00:56
Speaker
Yeah, and then um, i'd consider classing there. Yeah, he's a he's a beast He's a beast usually he put up some numbers last year if i remember, right? So yeah, there's no there's no reason to say he won't do it otherwise, right? Um, and for the ospreys yeah garroth antscomb and i'm not sure i'd suggest george north he's not
01:01:14
Speaker
He's not the same. No. No. So I mean, I mean, and again, I don't know what they're looking at in terms of being played. I don't some because I've heard that they just aren't being played right now at all. Well, we'll see what happens. Yeah, that's going to be kind of a crapshoot in that one.
01:01:34
Speaker
See, you want to say that there's going to be a top runner up out of this group, but because they're all going to kick the shit out of each other, it's going to be hard to say that, actually. I don't think that's going to be the case, to be honest. I think Saracens and Munster are going to are going to separate themselves.
01:01:49
Speaker
I Rossin could could pop in there. I'm not i'm not i think ospreys are kind of uh Yeah, they're they're all participants. They're they're they're uh, they're holding up the rest of the table here. Yeah Um, but I I think that saris and monster both move on. Okay, I have saris winning in monster are the final Maybe that's what happens. They're like the eighth. They're like the eighth team Yeah, okay that that would make that would make sense to me then in that case. Yeah, tough tough pool When we get through this i'll give you my my my eight in order
01:02:16
Speaker
There you go. Tough pool. And then pool five. Conak returns. Gloucester back again as they were last year. Montpellier didn't do anything overwhelmingly last time. And then Toulouse, the mighty Toulouse, well, the mighty Toulouse finally returned. I mean, they played their asses off last year and barely lost out. Played a heck of a semifinal. Right. So we'll see. I'm looking forward to this first match.
01:02:42
Speaker
Uh coming up this weekend between yeah, that's gonna tell a lot that's gonna be that could be a fucking corker. Yep Um, yeah to lose their again eighth in the top 14 Um, but they still have a lot of guys who are still coming back. So that's I don't take anything from that. Yeah
01:03:00
Speaker
Gloucester fifth and premiership still finding their rhythm dealing with a couple injuries Connect I don't think that they're gonna Make much of a splash good team. Yeah, probably aren't gonna do much this year in this competition
01:03:13
Speaker
And Montpellier are right in the middle. They're seven in the top 14. Yeah, they don't do enough for me. Yeah. They have some good players, but they're styled. I mean, their style is just, ugh, for some games, at least. To lose is the only team that's moving on from this. OK. Gloucester, Montpelier. That makes sense. Finish the second, but not enough points to win. Yeah, that makes sense to me.
01:03:36
Speaker
Fantasy players for to lose Richie gray. Yeah is someone you're going to want. Uh, yep. The DuPont and some of that combination. Um, and then, uh, Cheslyn Colby, who, if, if, if he's still the same as, as last year in the, uh, the, the EPRC or whatever it is competition, uh, was, was listed as a scrum half. Oh, that's true. Uh, so we'll plug there as, as him being scrum have eligible.
01:04:07
Speaker
Uh, it was good last year. Yeah for Gloucester joe simpson. We we talked about him a little bit. Um, you're gonna you're gonna want to probably won't be an expensive scrum half either No stubby quality right and he's gonna be playing. Yep, um, morgan paledry, uh, thorley atkinson and cipriani if he gets it together. Uh, marshall and woodward have worked well as a combination Uh, we'll see if it carries over. Yeah, we'll see if it carries over uh for khanakt, uh jack cardi and bundy aki That's that's really all i'm seeing
01:04:33
Speaker
Yeah, that's probably that's probably about it It could be could be uh, shout out to darrag leader. Yeah, uh, brother of a friend of ours Brother of a friend of the pod. Yeah, uh, and Montpellier, uh, and Paul Willems in the forwards. Yeah, Willems is a tackling machine. He's a giant Uh, hanjay pollard françois stein, uh, and the tiford broke his cheek. Oh, it's right
01:04:59
Speaker
Yeah, that's one. So we'll see we'll see about that maybe latter stages of it. Yeah, and then a Fijian's nadolo and nagusa are Guys you might you might want to be I like nagusa. Yeah, I thought he was low on utilize
Quarterfinal Matchups Preview
01:05:13
Speaker
at Newcastle. So I'm glad you got a move elsewhere
01:05:16
Speaker
Okay, um, so you said so much to lose to lose winning. Yeah, that to lose winning uh glosser in second Uh, but not moving on then and then cannot yep So what are your what? What are your semi quarterfinal matchups my eight moving on? Um from from one through eight are lenster to lose sarrison's sail holster Exeter saints monster Okay, so that sets it up. Uh, the quarterfinals of lenster versus monster To lose versus sates
01:05:44
Speaker
Uh, that'd be interesting. Saracen's Exeter. Oh god, that's like the one matchup I wouldn't want. And then and then Sail Ulster. Uh, yeah, that'd be I'd be that'd be very interested to see how that one went down. Very interested. And then I have uh, I have a Lenster versus Sail to lose versus Saris. Lenster versus Saris. And I do have Saris winning. Yeah, I mean it's... Repeat of the Alasha's final and win.
01:06:10
Speaker
and i'm basing that on uh again this past weekend sari's had a pretty big fuck you win which kind of tells you the mindset that that that they're in as a club well their back was against the wall and they and they all banded together and rocked up and that's what they do right and i think that that this is gonna this this sarah the salary cap issue is gonna bring them together as a club and that's not you know if you wanted to give sari's motivation uh first off i don't know why but second off you're gonna get it saris
01:06:36
Speaker
They definitely found
Rugby Watching Strategies for the Weekend
01:06:37
Speaker
it. Okay, so we got to do we had to pick them But we also need to figure out who's watching what because as we both know There's a shit ton of rugby this weekend and for us to both consume the whole thing You know each of us watch all the matches as opposed to splitting it up. It's probably not likely So one of us is gonna watch too many One of us is gonna watch one extra because let's be real. We're both watching this heiress's matches on Sunday I think it's the last match on Sunday. Well, there's ten matches. So yeah, so nice enough to
01:07:07
Speaker
Make it even, at least. But yeah, again, one of us is going to watch an extra match. True. Yep. So I'll let you call it. Tales never fails. Tales never fails. Hold on. Oh, you can't even fucking flip a coin. Too much beer. All right, it's Ed's. So the options are I either pick first, but I have to pick an extra game, or I pick second. Ladies first.
01:07:37
Speaker
Oh, I'm picking first. I want to see... No, I want to see Gloucester to lose. Although we're both going to end up watching that, so fuck that. I'm not going to... You don't want to pick that one. I'm not going to pick that. You don't want that to be your one to pick, at least. Right, because that's fucking stupid.
01:07:56
Speaker
I'm going to go with I had not considered this at the beginning. Fuck. Give me a glass. No, no, I'm sorry. I want to see Exeter. Exeter La Rochelle. OK. I'll go with that. That should be an interesting one.
01:08:11
Speaker
All right. Yeah, I do. I want to I want to see how one star perform with their guys see if it see if it makes a difference see who they play who they don't play. Be very curious to see who they rock roll out for this first game. This might be one game that they can kind of take it easy with too. So yeah, we'll see. Your turn.
01:08:35
Speaker
I'm going to go with, uh, the, the, the Scottish team versus the South African team. Oh, wait, the sharks. Well, there is a sharks down there. There is. Yeah. So I'm going to close. Yeah. Glasgow sale. Glasgow sale. Yeah. Um, uh, give me, give me comic and I'll tell you, I'm trying to diversify myself here a little bit and see some match. Some teams I don't normally watch.
01:09:04
Speaker
All right. So I have the day off on Monday. So you're going to be watching a lot of games. So I'm going to be watching a lot of these anyway. And because you've you've
Predictions and Anticipation for Weekend Matches
01:09:12
Speaker
this is now the we're on the third round of this. Yeah. And you still haven't picked the team that I thought you were going to pick. So I'm just going to fucking yank them right out from under your nose, which is what saints. Of course you are. Yeah, that was my next thought. But I yeah, I was I gave you two fucking chance. Yeah. All right. I will officially make the Gloucester to lose game mind. You know, we're both going to watch it.
01:09:36
Speaker
And you know I want to see what osprey's bring to the table, so I'll go osprey's monster. That's a good show. Yeah Fuck you twins. Give me bath All right, and I got harlequin's clairmont yep All right, so yeah Well, I'll be watching two games on Sunday. That's all that means all right now. Let's go to the outright pick them here Gloucester to lose on Friday night Sorry lost my
01:10:04
Speaker
I lost my place. Yeah. I think Gloucester can win at home. You know what? Yeah, I'm taking Gloucester at home. Okay. Well, I've seen this movie before not quite in Gloucester, just a little, little further, a little further away from in England and Bath. And to lose figured it out, you know, it took a small error from it for it to happen. I'm gonna take the I'm gonna take the Frenchman.
01:10:31
Speaker
to to lose Yeah, I think this is I think this is the glosser's big One big win. I think they're gonna slip up the rest of the way the rest of the way. Okay, fair enough bath and ulster This is at the wreck And this is gonna be ugly because of the because the pits just got chewed up right the pits just got chewed up. I I don't really
01:10:53
Speaker
Hold on. Let me go back to the pool because I want to make sure i'm So I had ulster winning the pool. This is weird. So I have the The two teams that are I have winning the pool are away at the team that I have finishing second and I want to pick the home team um Because I also don't Yeah, I like bath. I mean I like ulster but not that much but I think they're gonna have enough to bring to Fuck i'm gonna go with bath at home bath at home
01:11:21
Speaker
good and tight. And again, I will go I'm gonna go with I'm gonna go with Ulster because this is going to be another game. I know Ulster I've got some serious forwards that can take care of business, right? They've got that Irish pack that can just so that's that's what I'm gonna back in this case, Glasgow and sale.
01:11:43
Speaker
Um, this is at, um, this is, this is in Glasgow. Right. And as we talked about, I think sale have the ability to just run around Glasgow. Um,
01:11:55
Speaker
unless Glasgow take a step forward. This year, I didn't really see them having too much firepower last year. I think sale added enough to overcome that.
01:12:14
Speaker
Yeah. I haven't taken, I don't think I've taken the home team yet. So this is where I'm doing it. Let's go. We are. We have taken the opposite team. This will be interesting. See how her pick them shakes out this time. I think we're both going to take the same team this time though. Oh yeah. Lancer Lancer. No, no brainer. I don't care if it's at the RDS or if it's at the Aviva it's Lancer.
01:12:36
Speaker
I think we're probably going to be taking the same squad here too. Yeah, I don't trust a lot of Rochelle. I see it from them. Yep. And I know I know Exeter can bring something to the table at the very least. I have to say, I watched them in the challenge cup last year. I didn't think they did enough to get into the final that they did, but they just barely escaped with their lives. So yeah, I'm going to say a better team is going to actually take them down this time.
01:13:01
Speaker
um Claremont and quinn's uh Give me the perennial french french team. That's They at least do well. I don't know. They don't they've never won it, but at least they do well, right? And I have the quinn's finishing last which means that they're not going to win which means they're probably not going to win this game win this game at least certainly not away from home, right? uh ospreys and munster, uh Do you need the munsterman? Yep
01:13:27
Speaker
And then we have the Sunday games. Conak Mopelie. Oh, this is a tough one, actually, because it's in, it's in Galway. So we'll see. That is not, see, I will say this. It's not the most amazing stadium out there, but it's a hell of a trip. It is. It's a hell of a trip. That's a rough trip. Give me the Conak one. But I do have Conak finishing last. So I guess you're taking Mopelie. I'm taking Mopelie. OK.
01:14:00
Speaker
Um Yeah, saints go marching in on this one Pick me Northampton and Leon. Give me the Saints at Franklin's Gardens. Yeah. Yep Saints. Yep Doing that and then Park de Paris Host the big host a big one Rossing and Saracens. I don't have much experience playing champions cup in France, do they?
01:14:27
Speaker
Once or twice. Uh, okay. Uh, I'll take your word. Uh, yeah, I'll, I'll, I will pick the series. Uh, you got to back them. Yeah. I think this is a definitely, I think this is going to be a very entertaining game. I think that the Saracens go nearly full noise and rousing do as well. Um, this should be a pretty entertaining game with a lot of good players in it.
01:14:52
Speaker
But yeah, I feel like saris that those players have a little bit more even if even though there's that disconnect between the the world cup squad and the Guys who stayed behind. Yeah, there's enough continuity there between the two different groups They just need to put it together a little bit. Yeah, just you know, intertwine it here and there was some there's some links there still they'll be fine So they'll be okay. Yeah,
Fantasy Rugby & End-of-Show Gratitude
01:15:13
Speaker
so that the first weekend in Europe is upon us um
01:15:18
Speaker
I will probably do some some start sets for myself for those of you that are playing frd Uh, I randomly joined one. Yeah, because I didn't need to do another stat sheet or anything, right? I did randomly join another one. There's a lot for frd. There's a lot um, there's a lot of bodies that you can pick from because
01:15:40
Speaker
You know, you got 20 teams even in a 10 team league. Yeah, you know and I was drafting yesterday and you know Like there's a couple of bets and players that I was that definitely weren't on people's radar and I was like, yep Take him, you know that and then you know, Bundy Aki was definitely not on anybody's radar. So, you know, that's um
01:15:57
Speaker
That's it. That's there's some there's some stuff there to maybe pull pull out of the fire for some of these teams that didn't make Champions Cup last year and didn't don't play, you know, they didn't have the stats for F.R.D. So right. It's plenty of guys that are going to be out there as sleepers. And yeah, yeah. So I will I'll look up some stats and stuff like that this week and I'll publish a start set menu before when the laps are announced later on this week.
01:16:24
Speaker
But until then, everybody enjoy your European opening weekend. It's going to be a fun one. I don't know. I've been pretty excited since basically since the end of the World Cup, which is only a week ago, but you know, I knew it was going to be a fun time because we're jumping from World Cup final to this.
01:16:44
Speaker
Pretty fast just a little bit just a week in between yeah, so I I saw that ahead of time and I was I was like, yes All right, so not too much of a rake from some good from really good stuff Not that premise bad, but this is obviously just another level So, uh, everybody enjoyed that make sure you get your your rugby mag upgrades check those out. Trust me They will help I promise you got a little bit of time to stew over that after you after the first four weeks Oh, i'm not doing so. Well, that'll help promise um, and make sure that you
01:17:12
Speaker
Hit us up on Twitter any questions Fancy rugby podcast at gmail.com if you want to send us an email and drop the pod Like like review rate, whatever it is Spotify Google Play Apple podcast. Thanks so much for listening to us guys 1,000 downloads Yeah, why thank you so much guys for all that. That is awesome. You guys are the best Until next time guys later