Transcript
Jarrod Dyke: Hello again, everyone. Welcome back to the Fantasy Rugby Yanks podcast. My name is Jared Dyke.
Grumpy Old Prop: I'm Ben Glauser.
Jarrod Dyke: i hope you have all missed us. We have all missed you. It's been a whole two-ish months or so since we've last talked to you.
Jarrod Dyke: The Free Jacks weren't the Three Jacks last time we did this.
Grumpy Old Prop: No, they weren't. Um, that was something that, that happened since then, which was fun. Uh, we got to be there.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep, Ben and I were both in attendance.
Grumpy Old Prop: Awesome. Um,
Jarrod Dyke: that That was much fun. Sorry sorry if you weren't. in support of that. Honestly, I don't give a shit, it actually, so never mind.
Grumpy Old Prop: right.
Jarrod Dyke: I'm not that sorry.
Grumpy Old Prop: And, um, you know i we I did see that that the FreeJacks have confirmed that they will be back to defend their title in 2026, and we'll find out exactly who from.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah Eventually, we'll get to that.
Jarrod Dyke: Right? We'll get to that eventually here.
Grumpy Old Prop: We'll be talking about that in a little bit. First, though.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. um Yeah. Let's crack them.
Jarrod Dyke: Ah, wonderful sound.
Jarrod Dyke: Do remember that if you care, please share us on your favorite podcast app, download, rate, review. Be back always welcome. And all that good stuff.
Jarrod Dyke: um Of course, as always, make sure that you are check out. If you haven't listened to George and I's episode last week where we did the live draft, please go do so. But in the meantime, make sure that you buy. Our good friend, the fantasy rugby geek, George, a a coffee or beer.
Jarrod Dyke: um Busy man once again this season and did a lot of reviewing of the new game. There's a couple of new games out there for fantasy premiership. So if you're looking to get into it and maybe you don't love Super Brew, Justin, um perhaps look at one of those other ones and see would see if you like some of them.
Jarrod Dyke: One of them is not accessible to anybody that's not in the UK, I believe. So that's probably not going to work for a lot of people.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, we won't be talking about that because we won't know anything about it.
Jarrod Dyke: But...
Grumpy Old Prop: So.
Jarrod Dyke: No, we won't be able to, but um I do want to check out i mean that stupid rugby rag mag.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: I don't like it, but I do want to see what the hell they did with their fantasy game. So I'll check it out, and it'll probably be crap, but worth worth looking. Never know.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Never know.
Jarrod Dyke: But yeah, in the meantime, buy that man a coffee because he deserves it.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Once again, there is no discrimination here on this podcast, nor should there be in sports or in life. Once again, we're spoiled for choice.
Grumpy Old Prop: I'm going to just go with the the major story of, well, today because his his ah um memorial service complete with a guy carrying a cross that had wheels on the back of it and and fireworks.
Grumpy Old Prop: It was the the Charlie Kirk Memorial. um
Jarrod Dyke: That's the most absurd thing ever.
Grumpy Old Prop: This whole thing is like, I don't, okay. So put it this way. Jess and I were were um watching TV late last night and and the running man came on.
Grumpy Old Prop: I don't know if you've ever seen it um out. You, the people out there have ever seen it.
Jarrod Dyke: Absolutely.
Grumpy Old Prop: um It had been a while.
Jarrod Dyke: oh okay. let's say I absolutely have seen that.
Grumpy Old Prop: And it's crazy how the...
Grumpy Old Prop: It just seems like us in so many ways. And Jess is like, how would people just watch this?
Jarrod Dyke: yeah
Grumpy Old Prop: And I'm like, I mean, look at what we watched today. um And really nothing embodies that more than...
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: like Because it's the...
Grumpy Old Prop: the the They're trying to have it two ways. like It's a brutal fucking thing that they do. um They use AI to make up
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: like stories like they um you know the the main character ben richards was in prison because they like um there was food riots and his helicopter shot at them and um you know because apparently in the future they might actually frown on that um i guess maybe the us they would do it but another country is allowed to do it which fucking sucks but anyway they imprisoned him they sent him on this thing where like he gets hunted by people to kill him and and the hunters are like cheered they're like heroes they're like gladiators it's like a whole like reverence around them and that's kind of related to the charlie kirk thing because there's this whole thing about like oh he was a man of god and it's like fuck did you ever listen to him for two seconds like the whole thing was like there's not like he was he used that as a way to push for white supremacy white nationalism and and political violence and
Jarrod Dyke: No, he was not.
Grumpy Old Prop: it's, it's just like the, this weird thing that we're all living through. And it's, it's, um, it's not pleasant. Let's put it that way. So, um,
Jarrod Dyke: No, it's not. You almost got to slap yourself. i mean, that I've done so a thousand times at this point. You wonder why I talk funny. um And just believe that you're in a dream.
Jarrod Dyke: And it's like, what what where are we? like Are we still in the same universe here? Stewie, give me the multiverse and stop screwing around with that shuffle button.
Jarrod Dyke: would you like What the fuck, man?
Grumpy Old Prop: right yeah we are in this it's it's got weird fast so um and it's been weird though it's getting just keeps getting weirder faster so i mean we're at the point now even yeah i'm not even like people are venerating like joe george w bush because it's like man it wasn't that bad under him and it's like no that we that we did that is why we're here like you don't it's it's an a to b it's not like a switch was flipped
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: in the last year for since the election. No, no, no. It's been like this. You're just, you're just finding out now. um
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Like, yeah, it's just, it hasn't affected you.
Jarrod Dyke: No, you're... It was a short... it was It was a step down and then we took a tumble. You know, trust me, it was not something...
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: It was not a big leap. but we just We just went a shorter ride otherwise. That's all.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. um So yeah, that's that.
Jarrod Dyke: i mean, by comparison, he does look better, but at the same time, he still sucked. So...
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I like, it's weird. The society is better without Charlie Kirk. I hate to say it. um but About any part. I don't like to say it about a person.
Grumpy Old Prop: um But when people are heinous, I don't hesitate to say it either. So.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, no, I mean, listen, that's one thing I'm definitely playing on. It was one thing that that my mom taught me when I was when i was really young. Like, some somebody had died, and she had gone to the service, but ah yeah I was probably about somewhere between six and eight, and I'm under her breath, asshole. i was just like, and it just kind of shocked me because I was young, and I was like, oh you know.
Jarrod Dyke: Aren't you supposed be nice to people that have just died? And she's like, listen, I'm going to tell you this my right now. He was a horrible person and he was an asshole. The fact that he's dead does not change either of those things.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: was like, oh, okay. So I learned that lesson very early in life.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. and
Jarrod Dyke: Thank you, Sharon. um So, you know, it's not a new for me to acknowledge that.
Grumpy Old Prop: Because he's not the first person that we we can say that about.
Jarrod Dyke: acknowledge that
Grumpy Old Prop: so
Jarrod Dyke: No.
Grumpy Old Prop: it's um
Jarrod Dyke: Hell no. Hell no. So
Grumpy Old Prop: And it won't be the last. it's just that's the way you know if there was that There was an old meme back in the day about like maybe your life the the real purpose of your life is to serve as a warning to others about how not to be.
Grumpy Old Prop: um Which is kind of funny. But at the same time, yeah, that exists. That's real. There are people like that.
Jarrod Dyke: there's a lot of people we could pin that i
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: Sadly.
Grumpy Old Prop: So... I'm just saying that's where we are here.
Jarrod Dyke: is. It is indeed.
Jarrod Dyke: make sure that you grab our Patreon. we We, will be back in business this year, full swing. And also, also, also, if I can finally get some flipping cooperation from either PWR or Oval Hub, if I got a connection, please reach out.
Grumpy Old Prop: hmm. Mm
Jarrod Dyke: I need help here.
Grumpy Old Prop: hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: um Or whoever, i don't know, maybe Oval Hub is not doing their data, in which case that's, that makes sense why they haven't reached out, reached back out. But like PWR would be nice if you're, if I heard from you, cause we plan on like blowing up your spot pretty hard and,
Jarrod Dyke: letting and really trying to pump this whole thing, especially after of the things we're going talk about in a little bit here, the popularity of the World Cup.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Like, we are trying to help the cause, but you need to help us too. So anybody, anybody, anybody.
Grumpy Old Prop: Would be helpful.
Jarrod Dyke: And in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled on Patreon for that.
Grumpy Old Prop: Help help us help you.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, no kidding. No kidding. Okay. Okay. So for everyone's information, just so that you can prepare for what's what's coming and you can fast forward to your favorite part if you want.
Jarrod Dyke: um We're going to talk about USA Rugby State of the Union. um We're going to obviously talk about the World Cup and then we'll preview the Prem, which starts this week. Okay.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Jarrod Dyke: So even i would say. Let's start with this.
Jarrod Dyke: Barring the what happened last Sunday. every US program has backslid except the women's sevens in the last four to six years.
Grumpy Old Prop: i i would think I would say that the women's 15s has taken steps forward too, but I i see why you would exclude them.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, and i and I wish I didn't, but And it's not it's not the player.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Let me put it this way. Put this first. It's not the player's fault. And I would say that pretty much across the board, it's not the player's fault.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: um The organization itself has not done them any favors. um Really, in a lot of ways, other folks that could help have not helped either.
Jarrod Dyke: So it's been tough sledding for the players. And they've donet they've all done a good job to just try and rock up as best they can. i mean were I mean, let's talk about the program that's probably the most relevant because of what's happening over in England right now. It's the 15s women. And Fuka Fuka was only in charge a year and a half?
Jarrod Dyke: A little less than two years.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, not.
Jarrod Dyke: Let's let's say that.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, not certainly not the full cycle.
Jarrod Dyke: little less than two years. be
Grumpy Old Prop: Nowhere near.
Jarrod Dyke: Because the U.S. had their head up their ass like, oh, we're going to try out different coaches. Huh? Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: And you're going to use the test matches that you have to try out different coaches.
Grumpy Old Prop: It doesn't work that way.
Jarrod Dyke: That's when they should be trying out shit to figure out what the fuck they want to do with this team come, you know, 25.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: And they wasted, i don't know, a year and a half on that shit. Easily. Easily. You know, between the WXV cycle and the and the Pacific Four. Like, what the actual fuck are we doing?
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Like, and it's not necessarily a knock on Fuka Fuka, although he still made some bad decisions. But, um.
Grumpy Old Prop: I mean, ah yeah, but I thought he made some good decisions. I think he required certain juice before he was allowed to make certain decisions. Let's put it that way. um And I think that basically...
Jarrod Dyke: still wish he had Paul Hawkins
Grumpy Old Prop: But who for who? like That's the problem.
Jarrod Dyke: Gabby
Grumpy Old Prop: she She might be our best. Yeah, Gabby it was all right. um Yeah, but... Either way, I think there's ah there's value to getting Hawkins like, okay, here's where your game is. Here's where it needs to be. like
Grumpy Old Prop: I don't know that it hurt the team as much as it'll help them in the long run. And it's also that that same thing that had them starting out of Kelter when Kelter is is unfortunately part of the problem in that Kelter's that old school of give me the ball. I'm going to run and do my thing because that's what I do.
Grumpy Old Prop: Because these players, you know, pre-professional were the best on their clubs domestically. And just that would be it because she could run through most of the people that she played against. So that was just what she would learn. That was what was drilled into her.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Grumpy Old Prop: But she never broke away from that. And you can see that's where the game changed when in the U.S. Their World Cup. changed when they took her out and you know it was because Australia would have literally murdered her on the pitch and I nobody would have blamed them but like obviously we didn't want that so left her out and the game they played so much better than they'd played in a long fucking time and it was because they could actually get the ball to with
Jarrod Dyke: No.
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: Because there wasn't Alec Kelter there just fucking it up by by running you know back in towards the forwards or straight, you know just running straight and not you know helping her teammates or not setting them up, not putting them in good position.
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: And like you take her out, you put a wing in there, and and they they crushed it. So,
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, Heinrich did great. I thought she was brilliant in there.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah. And there's just, there's a lot of good stuff there. I think there isn in such a good position now, just because they've broken, they they really have, I hope, pushed past this.
Grumpy Old Prop: um We want each of you to be the best. and the and that and And so you do the thing. And it's like, that's not how, you know, Artie Sevilla passes. Like, you might be the best player in the world, but that doesn't mean gets just give me the ball.
Grumpy Old Prop: It's sometimes it is, but that's, you know, in the spots. So, and us doesn't, has never had that. Never. As far as I'm concerned. Um, it's always been like, Oh, you're the best player.
Jarrod Dyke: Right.
Grumpy Old Prop: You need to dominate the game yourself. And rather than you're going to go work with your teammates and solve the problems yourselves, not just power through them. And that's why the men's program sucks.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. yeah well Yeah. Tell me about it. Freaking listen to Oof. Gross.
Grumpy Old Prop: That's backsliding.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Grumpy Old Prop: I'm going to talk backsliding. That's fucking backsliding.
Jarrod Dyke: That's a backslide. Everything you said, I'm i'm into. The only thing about Hawkins is this is crunch time.
Jarrod Dyke: If this is Pacific Four, if it's WXV, totally agree.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: But it's the World Cup. we're gonna we only get We only get one of these every four years.
Grumpy Old Prop: No, agree.
Jarrod Dyke: And that's the only reason that I'm not into that. Otherwise, yep, I totally did. Take your lumps and let her figure it out. Um, but again, and and, and, and maybe that's not, and maybe it's not totally on her.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Well, I think that's my problem is.
Jarrod Dyke: And and so I won't, I won't dog her too hard because, and again, again, it's the system that's failing her and it's our, you know, our inability to get the fuck out of our own way.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: And we again, we talked, you know, we just talked about it, you know, Fuka Fuka has only been there for 22 months, give or take.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: Um, that That in itself didn't allow him to understand what he needed out of Hawkins and or to see what he needed from Hawkins because he only had ah probably two or three test series to see what he needed needed to.
Grumpy Old Prop: And I just.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right. couple games yeah
Jarrod Dyke: so that that And that's not necessarily him. That is USA Rugby having their head firmly planted right up their ass. That's not news to anybody that's been following rugby here in the United States for longer than 10 minutes.
Jarrod Dyke: so i won't So I won't talk her too much.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah i mean it's not it's not ah hawkins fault that she's the best 10 we've got in the country it's it's just just like that's the best we've got that's that's it's just a uh yeah it's just
Jarrod Dyke: No, that is definitely not her fault.
Grumpy Old Prop: she's not ready yet to be on that stage and she maybe she is next maybe and she isn't in 29 i hope she is in 29 and if she's not then i hope we got someone else who is because the the the playmaking in the yeah the intent is uh is there
Jarrod Dyke: No.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. I think that's the i that's the final so final straw for that. Yeah. I think we will have to go through qualification again, which sucks, but that's what it is.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah
Jarrod Dyke: we'll get that We'll get there, though. I can feel it. um And then, so then we have, so I don't know i don't know where where I am when it comes to the men's sevens. It's just athletes that are trying to be rugby players, but it's not rugby players that are athletic. There's a difference.
Jarrod Dyke: So that's, i've seen I've seen a couple of highlights of the sevens.
Grumpy Old Prop: No, but I like, I do, I do like the new, yeah, I do like the new head coach, um obviously, but yeah, um
Jarrod Dyke: test. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: I hope he fixes that.
Grumpy Old Prop: but I don't know, yeah, because that was what, like, he scored a lot of tries himself, and he was like, a he was a forward, he was like a, you know, usually a prop in sevens, and at least toward, maybe towards the end, but like,
Jarrod Dyke: really do. Mm
Jarrod Dyke: hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: he was a guy who came from, you know, another, again, a football background too. Like he, he's coming from a different, so he would know how to be a great player coming from a different background could help with that in the men's game too. And it was an excellent teammate too. So it wasn't just like that. Oh, I'm the guy. So I'm going to score the try. It was usually he fed someone for them too, or he just was there to support after they've made a break. So I'm hoping that's a positive sign.
Jarrod Dyke: Fingers crossed. um Women's Sevens, I don't think we need to really didn't say much other than they're the bronsman being but bronze medalists, and that's that's really good enough right now.
Grumpy Old Prop: no Bronze medal.
Jarrod Dyke: It's it's amazing, and we don't need more than that. um
Grumpy Old Prop: Yep. Well,
Jarrod Dyke: So let's kick into the men's game for just a little bit, and then we'll get and then we'll move the hell on.
Grumpy Old Prop: at least the men have a ah a pro league to fall back on to help them grow.
Jarrod Dyke: So much...
Grumpy Old Prop: Okay.
Jarrod Dyke: Oh, man.
Grumpy Old Prop: oh
Jarrod Dyke: that's going That's going to hell. Like... This team won, so shame on you, Samoa. I don't know how.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: I have i hope for... Here's the thing. I'm looking at the team, and i have hope for guys like McVay, Storty, Podivan's not very old right now. Obviously, Geiger, we're we're we're fully behind.
Jarrod Dyke: um Bisag... Hilson Beck's pretty young. he yeah Despite the choke job he did in here. um Sorry, buddy. um We love to hop on a question.
Jarrod Dyke: i like Corey Daniel and Patty Ryan, but theyre they they almost got them involved too late. um So, meh. um Hello? Great. ah He's a great hybrid 5'6 guy. I love it.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Jarrod Dyke: Jason Dam's just a guy.
Jarrod Dyke: Redling Heiss, I'm unimpressed so far by him, despite the fact that he plays over in France. like um Capelli can't throw a line to save his life.
Grumpy Old Prop: It hasn't been a couple of years, I'm not mistaken.
Jarrod Dyke: So they need to they've been getting they have been getting Shiloh Kline more involved, which I believe is the better move. Iscoro, yes, and then they need to find a tight head. i don't know if Pono Davis is that answer or any of the other guys that that that we have.
Jarrod Dyke: currently, unless they wanted to actually put Caleb Geiger in his proper position.
Grumpy Old Prop: I'm always willing to get back out there, coach.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Jarrod Dyke: Bullshit, you'll step off the bench and you'll friggin' crack your back and you'll be dead.
Grumpy Old Prop: No, no.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah,
Grumpy Old Prop: Pretty much, yeah. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: but yeah I'm just, you know, those guys, you know, the back three that we had, that the that qualifying game, I'm extremely unimpressed with, comma slash, would love to just punch one of them.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Grumpy Old Prop: a specific one not just like any of them a specific one
Jarrod Dyke: Bone... yeah there's a specific one but i mean he was wearing 14 um boney i don't get him he's just a shithouser he can go bye-bye um
Grumpy Old Prop: and he's at like 30 he's not going to get better this is it
Jarrod Dyke: no no he's already he's already as good as he's gonna be um take your leave nicali as well so um yeah and there's there's plenty of guys that played in this in the series that you know i would have wanted or would have certainly left back home um But, i mean and I mean, Jesus, let's just rewind to the Canada game.
Jarrod Dyke: Like, they were horrible that game. Like, and that and that's and that's real. I mean, I've been down on U.S. s men for a long freaking time. That is what really got me down. Like, we're fucked. Like, we're so fucked. We're fucked three ways from Sunday. We're fucked.
Jarrod Dyke: Like, I was, you know.
Grumpy Old Prop: They just can't play rugby. Like, it's not even... it's ah
Grumpy Old Prop: Like, it's it sucks because I've...
Jarrod Dyke: Nope.
Grumpy Old Prop: like we've We've played on teams that have played better rugby than that. Like, been able to play...
Jarrod Dyke: Which is terrifying.
Grumpy Old Prop: Like, yeah, that's the scary part. is They play so fucking slow. They're, like, not... Like, they take these, like, athletes, but they're not really... you know, some of them are rugby players, but Fuck if they can play with each other.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Like when everything's so slow, clunky, and poorly executed. And it's like, well, you know, you can get away with one of them maybe. but But all three is just...
Grumpy Old Prop: What are we doing here?
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. Yeah, I'm looking at the Canada team. Tevito Lopetti can go. he he is very selfish when he plays.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: He's a great athlete, but he's extremely selfish when he plays. I don't know why the fuck we're bothering with J.P. Smith. He can go. also, I'm so unimpressed by him, like super, super unimpressed by him. I don't know what the fuck people see with that.
Jarrod Dyke: um Kofi was the one guy that i was that was that's new that I'm really excited about. He's got he's got a contract over at Leicester right now, so that's pretty awesome. Ali Khan has potential. He's pretty young still.
Jarrod Dyke: i'm I'm hopeful. He's been playing with the fucking Carolina team, sadly. So that doesn't bode well for him.
Grumpy Old Prop: that's not helpful we saw two guys go from the free jacks to that team we saw two guys go from the free jacks to that team and they just
Jarrod Dyke: No, that's not. they need to, but like, if that's really the only place you're going to stick to these guys. Yeah. Right. Yeah, they're still bad.
Grumpy Old Prop: like what the fuck
Jarrod Dyke: Wilson and Fricker.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Like you're fucking um
Jarrod Dyke: So I, yeah, I don't know. I'm okay. We qualified and there there was a point um you and i were talking, I was telling you earlier, i was listening to American rugby happy hour replay and Fitzy brought up a good point.
Jarrod Dyke: Like we have runway now all the way until 31 because we host, I mean, granted, assuming we don't lose the hosting rights because of the way things are going.
Grumpy Old Prop: them.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: Um, That's not, that's not USA, right that's actually not USA Rugby's fault though. and Sources, I'd love to put it on them. It's not. um So we, but we do have runway from now until 31 to, you know, if they want talk about this long-term project that they've been talking about how they want to get to a knockout for the first time ever, then yeah, like you're going to have to use every test series, every tournament from here until we start
Jarrod Dyke: kickoff here in the states in 31 for that and that might mean that that may damn well mean an ugly 2027 i wouldn't be shocked honestly so and i and i don't want it to be by the way i don't want it to be by the way so i hope it's not i hope they they see that as a as a place to as i like a a plateau right here we're at 27 let's
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: I don't know. i Yeah, I've... Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Let's see where we're at and try and play play the best we can with where we're at, but also take steps forward towards 31.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: And hopefully that works. And we'll see what happens after that. So that's the yep that's the upside of the of the men's game right now.
Jarrod Dyke: MLR, not so much.
Grumpy Old Prop: but There's seven teams left. Something like that. It's ridiculous.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, and I don't know. And I keep, you know, in my but in my brain, I keep trying to fool myself that um that they're adding a team, but i don't think that's actually happening.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Who the fuck knows?
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Not good. Not well run. like But Houston had a great stadium. but Well... Okay, how'd that work out for them?
Jarrod Dyke: so It sounds like they had internal issues.
Grumpy Old Prop: Not good. You can't, like, you know...
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, they'll still, they'll they'll the club itself will still make money if people rent the stadium. So it doesn't, it's not I don't think it's going to dissolve like the other ones did completely at least.
Grumpy Old Prop: Okay. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Because they own it, they 100% own it.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: So that's the upside for them.
Jarrod Dyke: And get rid of this college draft nonsense. I don't know how much money it costs them to put on that broadcast, but anything above zero is too much.
Jarrod Dyke: Anything above zero is too much for that.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, that's fair
Jarrod Dyke: And it needs to go into, needs to go into this, academy these academies, like let' let's face it you know, and i think I have a little bit more experience it with it than you do, but the MLR academies right now are a joke.
Grumpy Old Prop: fair. Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: You know, they're not, they're not offering, a ton for any of these young players. And I can say that having coached a couple of kids that worked with them, they are, and I'll just give you a situation right now that kind of screams at me.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: And as much as we love the free Jacks, this Academy is bupkis right now. Um, we, you, you probably know the player, the player that I'm going to talk about here, but I spoke with him before, um,
Jarrod Dyke: before kickoff of a game and the Academy had played that earlier that day. And I said, how you know how to go. And he's like, Oh, only came off the bench for a few minutes because they brought guys from the full on dependence down to the Academy because they wanted to win.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah that's shit that's not what the that's not the intent
Jarrod Dyke: Nope. Nope.
Grumpy Old Prop: that's not that's not how you
Jarrod Dyke: yeah
Jarrod Dyke: I think it's I think I said this said this before i think it was Dennis Bergkamp who was a formal we're talking football here proper football um who had a
Grumpy Old Prop: There is no proper football.
Jarrod Dyke: no there the one that the rest of the world plays that's not lives
Grumpy Old Prop: Well, rugby football.
Grumpy Old Prop: That's still not proper. Anyway, no, go
Jarrod Dyke: but more foot than More foot than hand, that's for sure. um um But I believe he it was him that had the philosophy with the academies that he's coached.
Jarrod Dyke: Like anybody, any team that's under the age of 20, like any U20 team or anything like that, if the goal isn't to develop the players and to improve them and the goal is to win, you're messing up.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: something and and that's not a direct rope but I'm pretty sure that it's his philosophy like know it should focus on development and play and you know making sure that they understand skill development and so and just understanding how to play the sport properly and how to do it you know without without breaking yourself too much um so on so forth so I'm and
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, just get it give them a chance to play.
Jarrod Dyke: yeah And really it's the way you and I coach in a lot of ways where we focus performance and then whatever results happen, happen.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: if if the guy If the boys perform and they play the way that we want them to and they use that we teach them the skills that we believe they need in order to perform as well as they can, the result will take care of itself.
Jarrod Dyke: And if it doesn't if you're on the wrong side of it you're on the wrong side of it.
Grumpy Old Prop: Exactly. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: So what?
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: So...
Jarrod Dyke: Stop fucking up, MLR, please.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, seriously.
Jarrod Dyke: right. um Let's kick on. Something more uplifting and and fun. Shall we?
Jarrod Dyke: um So let's let's rewind it a little bit. Not too far back. A couple weeks. And, of course, we're talking about World 25. talk about...
Jarrod Dyke: let's talk about South African women qualifying for their first ever knockout.
Grumpy Old Prop: And think they earned it. And they put up a good fight in it.
Jarrod Dyke: are Yep. Yep.
Grumpy Old Prop: Um... And they're like, I remember when they but you there wasn't even that long ago that that they were kind of like, they were obviously they weren' they weren't getting the ah ah kind of um funding um that they needed any any sort, anywhere near the resources, but um
Jarrod Dyke: Really?
Grumpy Old Prop: they're getting it and they you can see the immediate impact it's had.
Jarrod Dyke: Oh, yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Even just getting a little bit of what they need. um And I think at this point now, You know, it' it's it's kind of, ah it might be, you know they played New Zealand in a quarterfinal. You'd think that maybe, um you know, the the South Africa Union is going to be like, you know what?
Grumpy Old Prop: We need to win that game. um Because, you know it was proven later that, yes, that can be, that they can be beat. um
Jarrod Dyke: oh yeah
Grumpy Old Prop: and And South Africa had had a little bit of a way to do it. um You know, I don't think the 7-1 was the appropriate way to do it.
Jarrod Dyke: Absolutely not.
Grumpy Old Prop: But, you know, you got what you got. So I don't, i yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: no yeah, I definitely agree on that one. um i It's funny. You think about where they were in 21, which was played in 22.
Jarrod Dyke: um And just they they got shit kicked every game.
Grumpy Old Prop: They did.
Jarrod Dyke: Every game they got absolutely housed.
Grumpy Old Prop: They did.
Jarrod Dyke: And, you know, they barely put up points. And it was... And now there there they're doing ah doing this. And you got an even... You got to believe that the impact that they had on New Zealand carried into the semifinal this past weekend. Like, I don't think... I think most people that said... I mean, look at Georgia Miller didn't play.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: Like, that was huge. Like, i think I think most people would agree she's been their best player at this tournament.
Grumpy Old Prop: That was huge.
Jarrod Dyke: And... That was just like a huge blow for them it's like oh man, and you could see, there was a little bit of punch lacking from the rest of the black ferns.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: There was less, certainly less space for the other loose forwards. um It just, they, they struggled to get the ball to a place to attack.
Grumpy Old Prop: And, you know, that,
Grumpy Old Prop: I mean, and you know, obviously not to discount the word Canada, they, they crushed it.
Jarrod Dyke: Oh my God, no way.
Grumpy Old Prop: They, they were amazing.
Jarrod Dyke: Of course not.
Grumpy Old Prop: Cause so like, that's why I like, I don't even think play Georgia Miller. I don't think that, I don't think the the, obviously the score will change, but I don't think the outcome changes based on how Canada played.
Jarrod Dyke: I'm inclined to agree. Yeah, I did think I thought Olsen Baker stepped forward pretty hard for them in that game. And I thought Sae stepped forward pretty hard when she came on in that game.
Jarrod Dyke: And, you know, kind of kind of just put it in Bunting's face. Like, hey, you should have started me, dickhead. What the hell?
Grumpy Old Prop: I think,
Jarrod Dyke: um
Grumpy Old Prop: um but
Jarrod Dyke: But yeah, oh my God, the Canadian women.
Grumpy Old Prop: ah the
Jarrod Dyke: Goddamn.
Grumpy Old Prop: For people out there who are not familiar, because because she's been injured a little bit. um But if you weren't familiar with Sophie DeGooty's game,
Grumpy Old Prop: that that that's it.
Jarrod Dyke: Get familiar.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right there. You haven't seen Sophie in a while. Because she's, like I said, been injured.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, she did her knee.
Grumpy Old Prop: and And still getting back to full health.
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: This is... this is what she's capable of. And, um, that was ah just a beautiful game for a forward. um especially cause she, you know, she is still an eight. She's an eight in the, in, in professional club. And yet she slides into, to lock and crushes it there too.
Grumpy Old Prop: Um, certainly has the, the size and strength to do it as well as do the other things.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep.
Grumpy Old Prop: So, um, you know, that she doesn't loosen and the kicking duties, which is hilarious.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Um,
Jarrod Dyke: I mean, the the intercept at the at the end there, I was like, i like yeah and here's the thing.
Grumpy Old Prop: your
Jarrod Dyke: If that was not if that was not minute 70-odd, she's gone.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah right right
Jarrod Dyke: She's out of gas at that point. Like, no way. Also, the person that caught her was Portia Woodman Woodcliffe. Like, I'm not sure anybody else catches her, so.
Grumpy Old Prop: probably not no because that was ah that was a full on like you will not score this try this is a i you know I might not be able to win the game but i'll i but I can fuck your day up so I'm going to
Jarrod Dyke: yeah definitely yeah um and then um a moment for Braxton Sorenson McGee 18 years old and I think she's currently the leading tri-scorer at the World Cup
Grumpy Old Prop: Casual.
Jarrod Dyke: wow wow unbelievable unbelievable
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: Absolutely unbelievable. That is so incredible. And, whew. i Yeah. i
Jarrod Dyke: It's so uplifting to watch these women play in this tournament.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: And whether you're talking about the old heads like Pacan, who is likely playing her last game this coming Saturday, or or or or Braxton McGee.
Jarrod Dyke: Or Sorensen McGee. Like... Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah well even right there in the in the new zealand like back three you just mentioned her pusher woodman woodcliffe like she came out of retirement for this so you've really literally got the the lion in winter um and then the uh the 18 year old like they're they're right there on the same team even um
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: it's
Jarrod Dyke: yeah
Grumpy Old Prop: It's and you've seen that, you know, then there's um shoot. Who was it for for Australia? um They had their own baby. um
Jarrod Dyke: Oh, I know what you're talking The halls.
Grumpy Old Prop: Who played out of her mind? Yeah, yes, Paul's.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: Yep.
Grumpy Old Prop: Like it does. That's the fun part of of a World Cup and and and tournament play in in general. But obviously there's pinnacle of tournament play is this like.
Grumpy Old Prop: If you're there, make an impact, right? doesn't matter what age you are, how much experience you are, just, Hey, do your job, kick it, kick its ass.
Jarrod Dyke: but Absolutely. Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: And people will see it because you're at, you're on the biggest stage there is. So, you know, good on all these, these youngsters for, uh, laying that marker down and and also raising the game. Like, isn't it just that, you know, Swanson McGee was good. She was fantastic. Like, and it wasn't just a ah fluke that she's a top scorer. It's that she's an amazing fucking player.
Jarrod Dyke: who
Grumpy Old Prop: So like for, for any age, for any level of experience, like the shit she, she did was, was ridiculous. So that's just going to be, you know That's what I love about things like this.
Grumpy Old Prop: You see new players and you bid farewell to the older ones.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep. I mean, talk about you know, new players instead of the old ones, you know, many, uh, many people knew about her beforehand because she'd been playing pretty well for her club and black friends very well, but poor Elaine, like she's replacing a total legend for the black ferns and in Coxage.
Jarrod Dyke: Like ah that can't be underestimated.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, a little bit.
Jarrod Dyke: That can't be understated. Like that is wow. And she's done, she's done brilliantly at this tournament as well. And, uh, see there was only ever going to be one, but man, you wish there could be more than one team out this one.
Jarrod Dyke: Cause there's just so many wonderful stories. There's so many wonderful players and, but Hey,
Grumpy Old Prop: That would have been a fantastic final. that That should have been the final.
Jarrod Dyke: yeah, if if it could have been, well, we'll see this weekend.
Grumpy Old Prop: ah
Jarrod Dyke: It's it's still plenty of potential on the, on, on the cards here.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, this is going to be a pretty good one too.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. Um, let's talk about their opponents that are coming. They're going coming into this thing. And, you know,
Jarrod Dyke: It was, you we all we all wrote them off, and for good reason, France against England, because England have owned this clash for quite a while now.
Grumpy Old Prop: It's
Jarrod Dyke: And then, to top it off, like, France were missing two players because of suspension. And then, you know, there's there's this whole thing where, yeah, right.
Grumpy Old Prop: shocking that France would be missing players for suspension. and
Jarrod Dyke: And there's this whole thing where England are playing in their backyard. So...
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: it was all the The deck was always stacked against them. And they didn't didn't lie down. And you had to know that was coming. You had to know that was coming first off.
Jarrod Dyke: But in the end... you know... Ellie Killdown is just inevitable.
Grumpy Old Prop: that, and, you know, France are playing three three centers, and that, to me, bit them a couple times, where you had Menager out in the wing,
Jarrod Dyke: Right? Right?
Grumpy Old Prop: not not the pace.
Jarrod Dyke: yeah to for for me Yeah, for me, for me, Manage has not had a great tournament, and I know she's a wonderful player, but but to your point, she's been stuck out of position far too many times than she should have been.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm. not the pace
Jarrod Dyke: So I put that onto the French coaching staff.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Because she shouldn't be there. That's not her value. Her value is not speed. And um but maybe as a center as a center, yes.
Jarrod Dyke: Good ball handling, good tackling, and good steps.
Grumpy Old Prop: You get you get her breaking you know you bring like a nice inside line or whatnot from a center position, like breaking the line. Yeah, she can win that and and you know ah step the the fullback.
Grumpy Old Prop: That's great. But when your your beat ask is run in a straight line as fast as you can down this touchline,
Grumpy Old Prop: she can do it, but then she gets tackled pretty quickly by a wing who's got, you know, another step, or another gear that she doesn't have.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, I mean, especially link she's playing in this game between Breach and Dao and Kill Dunn.
Grumpy Old Prop: Whoever it is, doesn't matter. Yeah. and Yeah, you're getting tracked down, like, if you don't have that speed. And, yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Nope.
Grumpy Old Prop: And, yeah, if they had, in ah like, an actual wing there, that score that that score line would be wildly different because there were at least three times that, that a proper wing would have scored a try that manager just got either she got forced back inside or, um or got tracked down.
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, the... um
Jarrod Dyke: it's It pains me to say this.
Jarrod Dyke: Bordelon Sansu did not have a good game.
Grumpy Old Prop: She did not. That I will agree with.
Jarrod Dyke: and
Grumpy Old Prop: She was also...
Jarrod Dyke: And she was doing the thing. ahead.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. She was being a little fafta-clerky at that the the last couple matches. um i haven't been liking her her style there.
Jarrod Dyke: She has been, yep.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, and she was doing the thing we talk about all the time where if you pick the ball out of that ruck and you take more than more than a step, and even a step's not a good idea against England, you're setting your team up for bad news.
Jarrod Dyke: You know, I mean, that was the, for me, us the U.S., going back to the U.S., the U.S.'s attack changed when they had Barjul in there and props to her for playing with a fucking ostomy bag.
Jarrod Dyke: If you haven't seen this that story, then you're welcome.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Please go check it out. um Love her. But things got better when they put her in there and got Ortiz out of there because Ortiz has improved by a long shot. well like Let's lay that right down because when she first started for the U.S. and I was very much not a fan and neither were you.
Jarrod Dyke: So, but...
Grumpy Old Prop: and don't know what you're talking about.
Jarrod Dyke: its she still has that tendency to pick to pick and and taxi unnecessarily, and that puts pressure on your attack.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: And Barjol is very good about getting in there, getting the ball dug out, and then just spinning it right from ground.
Grumpy Old Prop: right
Jarrod Dyke: And that makes life so much easier on your attackers.
Grumpy Old Prop: right
Jarrod Dyke: um
Grumpy Old Prop: Ortiz also has that that Tebow wind up too because she's she's small and her hands like she's really got to get like lot more power behind it so it just takes a while too so when she does a step and then the pass but that's gotten better she's she's actually been a ah good like no wind up passer recently so that that's helped too
Jarrod Dyke: And again... oh yeah. Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: But at the same time, she's still not the best scrum half on our team.
Jarrod Dyke: Right. And then
Jarrod Dyke: no, Cass was the best one they had without a doubt.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: And, and she scored, which was awesome.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Good for her. Um, so anyway, um, yeah. And then just, you know, England's England made life so hard on this.
Grumpy Old Prop: We didn't mention Erica Jarrell-Sercy either, who was awesome.
Jarrod Dyke: No, we didn't. And we should, and that's a, that is a crime.
Grumpy Old Prop: But anyway.
Jarrod Dyke: I agree. She had a amazing tournament for the U S and,
Grumpy Old Prop: Oh.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: if If I was doing a best of the rest 15 that didn't make the knockouts, she's definitely the first name on the team sheet. like
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: Without a doubt.
Grumpy Old Prop: But yeah, I know that she doesn't relate to Caroline Boudon-Sensou's exactly, but there you go.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Grumpy Old Prop: We just needed to mention her.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: You had to mention her.
Grumpy Old Prop: But yeah, France really, France really bid it in this game though. um Unlike previous, oh wait, not not unlike previous games.
Jarrod Dyke: They did.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: yeah
Grumpy Old Prop: I honestly wonder if if Ireland would have won this game or at least put up a better fight.
Jarrod Dyke: I think they would have, especially with way for healthy again, like she would have been that driving force that, you know, that very tough nut to crack type of thing where she would never.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. She's never back down.
Grumpy Old Prop: And Costigan and Parsons on the wing too would have been.
Jarrod Dyke: Way more helpful. and and And flood ended up being healthy, didn't she?
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: even though thought she was gunned.
Grumpy Old Prop: I think so.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, so, yeah, that's ah that's ah that's a marginally, if not easily, better back three.
Jarrod Dyke: but Anyway, um so, we have a big final that is sold out at headquarters.
Grumpy Old Prop: this is great to see I love to see that too like the just the crowds um oh we I don't want to leave out the the Ireland comfy fleece um that apparently has been rocking the world um
Jarrod Dyke: you
Grumpy Old Prop: Because like it's um it's unavailable. Like people, there was a whole, because it sold out so quickly. And then they were like, Pete Canterbury, please make more of these. And they did. And then it sold out like in a day.
Grumpy Old Prop: And then people are like, ah can you please make more of these? And they're like, ah not right now, but give us six to eight weeks. Because it's, you know, it's like, oh, you're right over there.
Jarrod Dyke: Sorry. sorry um Yeah, just fucking around over here.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: ah um Yeah, that's like one of those awkward moments like, well, about that. Just give us a minute.
Grumpy Old Prop: But I saw, yeah, I saw a TikTok today about about that. And it was all like, this kind of goes to show how we can make rugby a you know, maybe the men can't make it a profitable sport, but look at what we just did.
Grumpy Old Prop: Like this, you know, you get merchandising tie-ins and we can sell the crap out of it because we are good on social media. We're not just douchebags and people, so because that's where it was a TikTok of,
Jarrod Dyke: There's too many fucking old heads.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, tick it was a TikTok of two of the island players and people saw that the the comfy fleece were like, I want that.
Jarrod Dyke: I want that. Exactly.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, no shit, right? That's what we did for the for the Vermont flannel. Kidding, kidding, kidding.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. yeah
Jarrod Dyke: i think We did not do that. It was almost gone when we got it, let's be honest. Excuse me.
Grumpy Old Prop: That's true.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, definitely.
Grumpy Old Prop: We stepped in just at the right time.
Jarrod Dyke: So... yeah definitely um um so
Jarrod Dyke: Are anyone going to win this?
Jarrod Dyke: I'm cheering for Canada. Let me let me just establish that. i'm cheering for Canada.
Grumpy Old Prop: Absolutely. out I don't... I don't... So here's here's what I'm thinking. here's Here's where I could see this goes.
Grumpy Old Prop: If you walk walk through it with me. um
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: England were fully expecting to play New Zealand in this game. They have been spending the last four years preparing to play New Zealand in this game.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: They're playing Canada in this game.
Grumpy Old Prop: That is very different game to play Canada. um
Jarrod Dyke: here
Grumpy Old Prop: That's the advantage that Canada have.
Jarrod Dyke: yeah
Grumpy Old Prop: But the advantage that England have is that they are like the best team in the world.
Grumpy Old Prop: So ah yeah, at that point, I think the best team wins, but
Jarrod Dyke: I think I, ah I, I agree there is, and I,
Grumpy Old Prop: But I'm saying there's a chance. There is definitely, definitely a chance. A good, like, it's like for me, maybe 55-45. But, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: but i yeah
Jarrod Dyke: there's, and there's things that are on both sides that are to their advantage.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah
Jarrod Dyke: You have this wonderful story with Canada that, you know, they're, they've been crowdfunded. They've been there. They got, but they got here simply because people wanted them to be here basically is what it comes down to. Sorry. I'm cracking the one.
Jarrod Dyke: Um,
Jarrod Dyke: They've gotten... They've got such a great story behind them. And, you know, they are the Cinderella, the Darling, the the Black... but the You know, the Dark Horse, whatever you want to call it.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Jarrod Dyke: And there's probably a short list of teams in the world as of this week or this past week that would look at England and say, bring it the fuck on.
Jarrod Dyke: They're at the top of it.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: Not just because they're number two, but because... They've been waiting for this. They're like, we want another chance at these, at these gals. We want another chance to make this happen for us. You know, and they want a chance to prove it.
Jarrod Dyke: And the athletes they have on their team can match. I will say that they can match like their, their back rowers are absolutely brilliant.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: That center pairing has been awesome. This tournament, the nine, 10 have been great. Although the 10 is probably the, in my opinion, the 10 is actually the weak spot in this backline, unfortunately. And that's, that's not a great place for it to be.
Jarrod Dyke: Um, one through three. Yep. Those gals can hang with any of them because they play in the PWR. Like, you know, there's a lot to like, and Olivia apps is a total wild card and ah X factor that could really change things depending on what's needed.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yes. yes
Jarrod Dyke: And that's after you to deal with Peltier. Good luck with that. um
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, and then you but you then you have a team on the other side that has that just out-resources everyone right now, like 100%. And it's not to say these girls ain't good. These girls are amazing.
Jarrod Dyke: I i just flaunt over every one of them, like, oh, Sarah Byrne, Abby Ward, you know, Marley Packer, and although she has not played, but Cynthia Cabea, you know,
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah right
Jarrod Dyke: Tatiana heard Meg Jones. Oh my goodness. Like obviously kill done.
Grumpy Old Prop: oh Meg Jones is yeah yeah Jess Breach, Abby Dow
Jarrod Dyke: Who's the best player in the world right now. Like, you know, you, you love, you, you just moe love Mo love Mo love motor pieces. Like, you know what? She was a Saracen, honestly, but you know, ah so, and I just, wow, just wow.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: You know, Zoe autograph, the captain is just and immense human right now and love her to pieces as well. Uh, ah i was I was singing her praises.
Grumpy Old Prop: Love cocaine. Cocaine!
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. Yes, there's that one too. I was singing Aldergriffe's praises back when she got named ka captain for like a couple years ago or whatever it was.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: So, yeah. And then you have a you have a very, and by the way, Canada, if you're in lockdown Roulet, what the fuck are you doing? Go do that right now. Like right now.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yep.
Jarrod Dyke: Like stop whatever you're doing and go do that right now. I don't care if you're taking a shit. Like go now. Move. You idiots. um
Grumpy Old Prop: Just throw a diaper on get it done.
Jarrod Dyke: ah and then But then of course England have Yeah. ah Put one of them adult diapers
Grumpy Old Prop: just
Jarrod Dyke: Get you to pens and go.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. so
Jarrod Dyke: um You know, and we talked about we were talking about the U.S. rugby in general earlier. um but what ah Man, what would have happened if John Mitchell was had stuck around the Eagles?
Grumpy Old Prop: I don't know.
Jarrod Dyke: i i think i think more good than bad.
Grumpy Old Prop: and Probably, probably a lot more.
Jarrod Dyke: and and i And I liked Gary Gold. He lost the room, and that's why we lost that's why we didn't qualify for the last tournament. But um I still think John Mitchell is the better coach of those two guys.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yes, I agree.
Jarrod Dyke: so you know and now they're And now he's here coaching yeah what most would agree is the best team in the world and ah in a home final. Yes, the deck is stacked against Canada, but you know what? They don't give a shit.
Jarrod Dyke: They really don't. They really and truly don't.
Grumpy Old Prop: No, they shouldn't. I mean, they like, you take down New Zealand, that there's nothing you can't do.
Grumpy Old Prop: And, like, that was a proper takedown, too.
Jarrod Dyke: and
Grumpy Old Prop: That was a proper, like, wasn't it, like, 27-7 at some point?
Jarrod Dyke: They blitz the shit of them.
Grumpy Old Prop: Like, it was, like, get the fuck out of here.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep. It's pretty awesome. Yeah. So they, they have a shot. Don't write them off. I don't know what the line is, but I take i take Canada's line. Honestly, I think they'll, I think they'll hang.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, take take the points. Absolutely.
Jarrod Dyke: think they'll hang. Okay. Um, let's do wee prem preview. We'll do pick them and we'll get the hell out of here. Um,
Jarrod Dyke: Okay, so let's go let's go right into it. Big year. Bath, Defending Champions, we'll start right off with them. um We're looking at transfers in, transfers out.
Jarrod Dyke: Mostly upgrades, which is wild to think about.
Grumpy Old Prop: It's not fair.
Jarrod Dyke: and Right?
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: Right.
Grumpy Old Prop: It's not... Yeah, it's not right. um But the same time, like... I watch i don't understand why Chris Harris is on this team.
Jarrod Dyke: He's going to be fighting for playing time.
Grumpy Old Prop: Like, struggling, yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: And from what I understand, Gloucester wanted to move to those young centers a little bit, you And Seb Atkinson was basically the reason that Chris Harris isn't isn't there.
Grumpy Old Prop: Which, yeah, that makes sense. It makes sense as to... Right. It makes sense as to why he's not on Gloucester. It doesn't make sense as to why he went to Bath. i mean, Leslie's just like, you know what? I'm i'm ready to to be a contributor and and move move on like that, which, he you know, hey.
Grumpy Old Prop: ah
Jarrod Dyke: He's not young.
Grumpy Old Prop: No. Yeah. Yes, I know.
Jarrod Dyke: so
Grumpy Old Prop: you um but Same thing for like Santi Herrera. Like, oh that's a good that's a good get. But like, you're going to play a lot less.
Jarrod Dyke: I think, oh, they're paying him a lot of money though. So unfortunately you to follow where the money goes. So while he's away right now,
Grumpy Old Prop: Wild. Why? But then why are they but are they playing him a lot of money? Like, they have so many...
Jarrod Dyke: I don't know.
Grumpy Old Prop: They they have, you know... ah Unless you're planning on switching out with Finn, like, flipping um in and out. Yeah. Don't quite get that.
Jarrod Dyke: Well, they have the young ten that they want to develop too, so I wouldn't count on that too much.
Grumpy Old Prop: um Right. um and then But then you signed Aaron Dell. And it's like...
Jarrod Dyke: Mm-hmm.
Grumpy Old Prop: He's good. so
Jarrod Dyke: you want Because he wants to come back into the England fold, so.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right. But it's like, well, then he's going to play 15 or or maybe maybe he'll play wing. But it's like you still now you're stacked there, too. So um ah once again, um you know, the only one that makes sense to me is Dan Frost when when you lose him, Niall Annette, because now Frosty is not only a potential like sub for for Tom Dunn.
Grumpy Old Prop: He can start and play some good minutes and give Dunn a break. So, I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if if Frost ends up by the end of the season is the regular starter.
Jarrod Dyke: I
Jarrod Dyke: agree.
Grumpy Old Prop: um Because they do need to move on from Dunn as much as I like Tom Dunn.
Jarrod Dyke: He's been solid. There's no question about it. been a great servant to the club. but um But yeah, they you need to get start looking younger, even if it's only 28 years old and not, you know, 22 years old still.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: All right. um Top four for Bath, probably. Yeah. Top two.
Grumpy Old Prop: Probably. I mean, unless they pull a um ah and ah Saints and and poop it the next year after winning.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, they might. Never know.
Grumpy Old Prop: Because this is now this was their second straight finals too, so we'll see.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Grumpy Old Prop: I'd say i'd say top like looking at four, maybe five for them.
Jarrod Dyke: We'll see.
Jarrod Dyke: yeah i would Yeah, I'd say top four is easy. um
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: To Bristol, and the big signing of Luka Irenasvili.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Kidding. Kidding, of course. of course, that's not we're fucking talking about. Really, he's ah he's definitely fourth but in on the end, at least the list we're looking at.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: Pepper Jordan, then obviously Reese Lightening coming in to spoil the party for everyone down there.
Grumpy Old Prop: that like that's huge especially losing mail-ins i don't know that um now lago is going to be a huge miss um
Jarrod Dyke: That's going to be, wow.
Jarrod Dyke: no
Grumpy Old Prop: so like yeah and and i think tom jordan you know might end up with like who knows how they're going to reorganize that but or how they're going to organize that back line at all because i know jordan's been playing 12 so like is he going to play 12 what's good like because they have already have um
Jarrod Dyke: Ben on.
Grumpy Old Prop: Well, yeah, but he'll play 13 as he's been. um But Jennings has been there at 12, so maybe this is just a step up from from Jennings. um
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, TBD.
Grumpy Old Prop: Don't quite know. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Well, I would say you're going to see Tom Jordan at 12 and relieving AJ at 10 at times and
Grumpy Old Prop: Right, right.
Jarrod Dyke: that'll that'll be the likeliest thing that happens the most because he's ah pretty good distributor. He can play fullback if needed.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: So there's, they have some good options with Tom Jordan in this team.
Grumpy Old Prop: True.
Jarrod Dyke: Um, and really, and really they they need, they've been so ah desperately in need of a quality backup for AJ, especially since she deal up, not the sheet.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: He wasn't, I'd rate Jordan above sheety, by the way, let's just make sure we understand that.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. i would agree.
Jarrod Dyke: Um, But even Chidi wasn't terrible, and since he's left, they've really been just dying for a quality backup with him. So it'll be interesting to see how that ah that rolls out.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: um Hard to say they don't make top four.
Grumpy Old Prop: I agree.
Grumpy Old Prop: But then, you know, they're always, they're that team that everybody looks to and says, oh, that's going to be hard to beat them. I mean, at least I do. um And then they find a way to lose. So I'm hopeful, but they they need to be top.
Jarrod Dyke: Uh...
Grumpy Old Prop: They do need to be top four this year because they they showed such progress last year and they've got good guys coming in. So back it up.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Let's check.
Jarrod Dyke: Man, down to Devin.
Jarrod Dyke: Really? I'm... don't have a lot bad to say about their ins.
Grumpy Old Prop: I don't either. and scares me.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. They still got the wrong guy sitting in the head coach's chair, so that's going to be their biggest problem.
Grumpy Old Prop: Certainly.
Jarrod Dyke: Cause unless he evolves with modern day rugby and also can face the fact that Henry Slead is not a good idea at 10 and they're going need someone to actually distribute the ball. That's not Harvey Skinner. That's to their biggest bugaboo for, for a little while.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: It is.
Jarrod Dyke: Um, they had the They had the young, I don't remember the kid's name, but they had a young kid that played for them a little bit in the Prem Cup last year. I think he played a little bit this year. And they have hope there.
Grumpy Old Prop: who Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: But I don't know how much. So,
Grumpy Old Prop: know
Jarrod Dyke: but so I mean, the additions of the likes of Dweba, Heaven, Zambonin, Hooper, Varney, Icky. Although, I don't think ah Icky's a little overrated, in my opinion.
Grumpy Old Prop: i don't know what they're going to do with Icky.
Jarrod Dyke: Yes.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, and also, are they going to put him 12?
Jarrod Dyke: Yes.
Grumpy Old Prop: I assume they have to.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, I mean, i think Tamati Tua recruited him, but also Tamati Tua may have just recruited somebody to take his job. Because Ikitao is better than him.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: While I don't rate him as highly as others do, Ikitao is better than him. So, I think he's recruited somebody to take his job.
Jarrod Dyke: Whoopsie-daisy.
Grumpy Old Prop: Oops.
Grumpy Old Prop: um But they'll be outside the top four.
Jarrod Dyke: So...
Grumpy Old Prop: They'll they'll be down likely bottom of the table because, again, that 10 position is problematic no matter what else happens there.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. Yeah, they're going to need to find a way to not have that get exploited every time. So, TBD. ah Gloucester, another another one with some fun moves in the offseason.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: I like that Ben Loder signing, bringing him back to England is is is big.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, it'll be... I mean, that again, another team where the 10 position might be a problem. Ross Byrne.
Jarrod Dyke: yeah Barton and Atkinson could do it, but they're goingnna because they're paying Burn so much money, they kind of have to give him as many starts as they can, which is annoying as hell.
Grumpy Old Prop: Which is wild. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: nipo la lala we'll We'll add to that scrum unquestionably, and and and a little bit in the loose too.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yup. Which they've needed since Balmain left.
Jarrod Dyke: so but be refresh sure
Grumpy Old Prop: was That was problematic for them.
Jarrod Dyke: Ben Redshaw.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: That's a name. Don't forget it, guys.
Grumpy Old Prop: It is.
Jarrod Dyke: like this This is going to be this is gonna be a guy that you're going want pay attention to.
Grumpy Old Prop: it is. Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: If you haven't yet, I suggest you do so. This is going to be interesting. So, yeah, keep your eyes peeled on that. And I know they don't have, yeah, obviously they they lost some guys in the back three, but that means there's going to be some guys that step forward.
Jarrod Dyke: And I bet you the farm, it's him and Hathaway that we see a lot of coming up here.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: So see how that goes. And Thomas Williams is still there, so he and he's quality, so that'll help <unk>ll help drive that team a little bit.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: um Quinns. I'm not...
Grumpy Old Prop: Blaster, by the way, we didn't we didn't get the Blaster potential top four, but likely outside looking in.
Jarrod Dyke: Potential. Oh, I agree. I agree. They're going to need a little bit help probably, but yeah, the potential's there for sure.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, sorry. Jumped all all over myself. um Quinns. I'm not terribly impressed with what's going what's going in there. The biggest one I can say is Petty.
Grumpy Old Prop: Which i't
Grumpy Old Prop: i don't like it, but okay. I mean, don't dislike it. I just...
Jarrod Dyke: it gives them It gives them a guy that's going to be pretty dynamic in the second row.
Grumpy Old Prop: I guess, yeah, that's true. And and losing Herbst and Lamb is is huge.
Jarrod Dyke: And they...
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: Dead weight.
Grumpy Old Prop: So yeah, i guess, and Hammond. So they they yeah, they need... Okay, that makes sense then. I'm back on board with it.
Jarrod Dyke: yeah Yeah, so that in in the end, that's that's a solid signing for them, but really that's it.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: I don don't care about Treadwell. Townsend's a shithouse, so why the fuck you signed him? um George Turner's a solid option to back up Jack Walker, but that that's all I got for you.
Grumpy Old Prop: Harry Williams? Yeah, he's not not bad.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: you know Harry Williams is another shithouse, so why the fuck you signed him?
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, so there's meh. all over the place in, in Queens. And they, they're really going need to lean on those guys that were coming through last year to perform this year. And if they do, then yes, they'll be in the fight.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: If not, then yeah, they're going to be mid table to bottom half.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right. and I don't understand losing both and Yanwu and Will Joseph. You lose a 22 and a 24 year old center.
Grumpy Old Prop: Oh, you really could have used on Yanwu.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. Not helpful.
Grumpy Old Prop: I get Will Joseph, I guess if, you know, you got beard and Northmore and all that, but damn. I, yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, Will Joseph had had a knack of being broken, so.
Grumpy Old Prop: And I,
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah, it's true too. Um, Either way, quin i'm not seeing them I'm not seeing them in the top four.
Jarrod Dyke: Unfortunately.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, no, neither am I.
Grumpy Old Prop: unless Unless things start clicking.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, really going have to click. Really going to have to.
Jarrod Dyke: To the Tigers, last year's runners-up. um Lots of good coming in, really. Really.
Grumpy Old Prop: i I think they yeah they did themselves really well here. um
Grumpy Old Prop: Pollard leaving. I'm not...
Grumpy Old Prop: There's still times when they look at Pollard and i'm like, how are you the 10 for the two-time world champion? it's it's It's more sneaky. It doesn't have an in like zero flash whatsoever to his game.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Grumpy Old Prop: But good game manager ah that I just don't know that that his game works on the club level. I just think it works really well at that international level. um
Grumpy Old Prop: But then what are they... So they lost him, but still the replacements aren't certainly not up to it. ah Like, Jim's kind of great, but how much are you going to get out of him? Like, he even said, it you know, while he was with the Crusaders, he's like, yeah, I love it.
Grumpy Old Prop: My role is to come in every, you know, i play like 20 minutes a a week. This is great. Like, that's perfect for me.
Jarrod Dyke: but he's shown he he's shown the ability at the international level still so it's not like he doesn't have it it's not like he doesn't have it so he's he still got it should it be required
Grumpy Old Prop: Okay. so
Grumpy Old Prop: Scary. That's scary. um Bailey, you know, throughou as ah so as a potential long-term guy is great, though, too. So,
Jarrod Dyke: hmm
Grumpy Old Prop: um And then up front, even, like, but let's, you know, Kofi,
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, that'll be that i'll be good for them.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: Yo.
Grumpy Old Prop: And Hafar, I love Hafar.
Jarrod Dyke: Far and Blomire.
Grumpy Old Prop: um Emblemire, geez.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: So, front row's all set.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: ah
Grumpy Old Prop: Front row pretty set. I got some players there.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. They'll be okay. Yeah, i mean yeah they lost Mantojo. Big loss for leadership-wise and just and a guy that can get the job done when called upon.
Grumpy Old Prop: you Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: But Blomire... Best player in in ah in a bad team.
Grumpy Old Prop: be all right yeah
Jarrod Dyke: We've already seen how well that went down at Leicester with Radwin. So I think it'll be, i think they'll be just fine.
Jarrod Dyke: To the Red Bulls.
Jarrod Dyke: I remember to to say that.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah weird i don't like it but whatever yeah
Jarrod Dyke: ah how
Jarrod Dyke: I mean, as soon as this organization bought it, that was, that was always going to happen. Cause I do it with everybody they buy. Everything they buy, they're like, yeah, now the Red Bulls. like, oh, okay. you Listen, you can't say no the money right now. They needed it so badly.
Grumpy Old Prop: They did. They absolutely did. And they went out and they spent it. You know, like, yep, that's good to see.
Jarrod Dyke: They have brought their old friend McGuigan back. Faeva is a decent quality guy.
Grumpy Old Prop: ah
Jarrod Dyke: for We know Freddie Clark.
Grumpy Old Prop: is. Yep.
Jarrod Dyke: Amanaki Mafi is not young, but also will bring some freaking... go forward ball with, you know, up there.
Grumpy Old Prop: but then But then you got Fergus Lee Warner and Tom Christie right there. That's like, that's a good, those are good gets too.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep. What the chamber will be solid for them as a, as a 10. And then they have someone that can score her out wide now. i mean, as if they didn't before, but they definitely do now because Wade is chasing, Wade's chasing that, that record and he wants it.
Grumpy Old Prop: With Wade, yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: So see how it goes.
Grumpy Old Prop: It's just, I guess what what annoys me, and and yeah, they this is why they needed that influx of cash, probably needed it about two years ago, is that like you know maybe if you're able to keep Pepper, and if you're able to keep Radwan, and you're able to keep Boogoo Big Wicken the first time, or um are or or even Blumeyer, as we were just talking about,
Jarrod Dyke: Yep.
Grumpy Old Prop: You wouldn't be having to go out and make these signings now. um
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: these are These are ultimately a lot of
Grumpy Old Prop: um like band-aids going on and not that they're bad band-aids, perfectly capable bandages. It's just now you got to use that also to build up those, those you know, where all those people left that you were developing.
Jarrod Dyke: yeah
Jarrod Dyke: Let's go down to the other Midland team. um Saints.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Grumpy Old Prop: I think they went it went backwards.
Jarrod Dyke: I'm not sure and I see the needle move enough. Yeah, that's what I was thinking, sadly.
Grumpy Old Prop: No.
Grumpy Old Prop: Fisketti's a good get, but like well callen I don't see where Kalamchick fits on this team at all.
Jarrod Dyke: right
Grumpy Old Prop: he's not he's he's a He's not even a discount Augustus.
Jarrod Dyke: Maybe at six.
Grumpy Old Prop: He's a shit Augustus. and but don't think you really need that because you've got some good players as it is. Yeah. um
Grumpy Old Prop: But yeah, like the you we'll have to start making the impact that that Augustus made.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep, no question. So we'll see.
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah, I'm not sure. I'm not sold on them. But at the same time, they theyre already they already have a lot.
Jarrod Dyke: No.
Grumpy Old Prop: They just played like crap last year. So they could they could easily be top four again.
Jarrod Dyke: i mean they got I mean, they did get to the European final.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right. Exactly. Exactly.
Jarrod Dyke: Don't forget that.
Jarrod Dyke: um
Jarrod Dyke: Up to AJ Bell. Sale.
Jarrod Dyke: Vermeulen and Lowe. That's all you got.
Grumpy Old Prop: I mean, there was addition by subtraction because they...
Jarrod Dyke: I mean, the out the out's more helpful than the in.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right. um
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, Johnny Hill leaving alone is great.
Jarrod Dyke: Shit housing hell, it's the same player except one year older.
Grumpy Old Prop: Jean-Luc Dupri, I think, was was kind of done. and they're not you're not It's like, oh, great, we don't have to invest a big money in in in this Jean-Luc Dupri. Oh, wait, why don't we just go out and spend it on Jacques Vermeulen?
Grumpy Old Prop: What the fuck? Who's who what's what are you doing? What are you doing?
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah, i I don't think they're going to be top four this year. I think that they like they they started strong last year and. and You know, help themselves early on, but they really like pooped it down the stretch. So I don't know.
Grumpy Old Prop: I think people think they've been caught on to and surpassed so.
Jarrod Dyke: and then series
Jarrod Dyke: mean not a lot out the only one that i'm concerned with is balmain because he was a great he was a solid scumager but he also was hurt a lot last year so you know and they and they've gone back in for the props they've gone in and signed some guys they got
Grumpy Old Prop: He was. He was hurt a lot. Yeah,
Jarrod Dyke: you know We took Street away from Devin. We can keep him from being a shithouser now.
Grumpy Old Prop: that'd be good.
Jarrod Dyke: We've got some guys that maybe not aren't known in the English game, but are well-known otherwise. so that's yeah I have a lot of
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: have a lot of hope for the Pajian kid here you know coming out of Coventry.
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: We'll see how it It's a step-up championship to Prem, so hopefully the guys around him are
Grumpy Old Prop: I
Jarrod Dyke: showing him the way and teaching him like, all right, there's going to be a point in time where you're going to get your ass kicked. Just live with it, right?
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah i yeah i guess the only thing I don't i don't understand is you saw you last year you you went out and you got this guy from from New Zealand, Fergus Burke, who has a pretty good um future ahead of him.
Grumpy Old Prop: So why are you signing this 33-year-old from Rossing? what's What's that all about?
Jarrod Dyke: he's going to be 12.
Grumpy Old Prop: I guess.
Jarrod Dyke: That's why.
Grumpy Old Prop: Probably. Yeah. No, no. Obviously, um this is this is a you know is a good signing again for Saracens.
Jarrod Dyke: with
Grumpy Old Prop: It was like, think he went through it a bit down in Rossing. And um he looked every bit of of his old self on the, I mean, not old old self, but like at least the playable old self on on the Lions tour.
Jarrod Dyke: but but
Grumpy Old Prop: So I'm excited. Yeah, I put him at 12 and um we you know he can do it because he's done that at an international level and you know add a second second distributor and someone who can just help guide ah still a young developing fly half in Ferguson and a couple of them.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. Well, a couple, a couple of fairly young developing guys with him and Johnson.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Right. And Johnson. Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: So, and you know, on the wrestling thing, like the owners, prick, like you I don't do this anyway around it. Like he's, he's had many a bad experiences with players that are of note, you know
Grumpy Old Prop: Mm-hmm.
Jarrod Dyke: he was dogging Sia Khaleesi. was like, really? Like, yeah you're going to dog Sia Khaleesi? Like, here's the thing, Chief. There's a lot of players that come out of there not happy and ready to leave after one year. There's a common denominator here. It's you.
Jarrod Dyke: So, take the hint, shut your mouth, and let people play, okay?
Grumpy Old Prop: yeah yeah yeah
Jarrod Dyke: But that's not that's not something that French rugby owners do at all. We know Toulouse, Toulon, same, same.
Grumpy Old Prop: who
Jarrod Dyke: Like, they've all they're all very very opinionated bunch and You know, very much opinions like assholes. They all stink.
Grumpy Old Prop: Except for ours. That's why you listen to us.
Jarrod Dyke: So.
Grumpy Old Prop: and Thank you for that.
Jarrod Dyke: I'm not sure everyone would agree with that.
Grumpy Old Prop: or Or maybe you just have very weird tastes.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. I think i would go with that one more.
Grumpy Old Prop: Shame on you.
Jarrod Dyke: Oh, man.
Grumpy Old Prop: Not you, you. I mean, not you, Jared.
Jarrod Dyke: Well...
Grumpy Old Prop: did You. You. You. the you
Jarrod Dyke: All you people out there.
Grumpy Old Prop: you
Jarrod Dyke: but You're a naughty child. That's concentrated evil coming out the back of you.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yes, exactly.
Jarrod Dyke: God, we're fucked up.
Grumpy Old Prop: This is what you take pleasure in.
Jarrod Dyke: ah god
Grumpy Old Prop: Anyway. Yeah. We're back.
Grumpy Old Prop: You miss us?
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. Yeah. So, and if anybody hasn't got the hint yet, we're recording this very early in the week because schedules have changed and actually this works out okay for us in a lot, in a lot of ways.
Grumpy Old Prop: It doesn't. Yeah, it's not too poor.
Jarrod Dyke: So what's that?
Grumpy Old Prop: It's not too poor. so it's and It's a nice way to. um we're yeah We're recording on a Sunday. um But it's it's not too bad. and it'll be ah It'll be interesting. We'll see how the fantasy corner goes.
Grumpy Old Prop: um Obviously, we'll start that next week once we have a little bit of fantasy under our belt.
Jarrod Dyke: Next week. Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: um
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. So don't go, don't go looking for it this week. I promise you it's not there.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Oh, also to wrap up that to wrap up that segment.
Jarrod Dyke: can already guarantee you.
Grumpy Old Prop: um Saracens. Saracens. Yeah. Okay. Let's start it over. Saracens. the definitely, obviously, always have a shot at the top four.
Grumpy Old Prop: Always a threat to win.
Jarrod Dyke: huh.
Grumpy Old Prop: um Could be a very good season.
Jarrod Dyke: Could be, yeah, it could be what it was last year. It could be top four.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: lot of in between and then there's a lot of between between those two things so okay um we have so we have a we have pick and we have a thursday game this week so this the friday sheet's gonna be a little weird because it's gonna be on thursday so we won't be able to get all out there george and i were all talking about what a fucking headache this will be if they keep it this way
Grumpy Old Prop: Yes, there are.
Grumpy Old Prop: Because, yeah, there's no so there's no sun there's no Saturday game. So you have Thursday, Friday, Sunday. Fuck you guys.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, because they they obviously wanted to give the final the space it deserves.
Grumpy Old Prop: Well, yeah. So maybe have next week be your opening. Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm i'm bringing thought into this. Anyway.
Jarrod Dyke: ah That would require the problem to actually use their brains.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah. Just give them the weekend.
Jarrod Dyke: you understand what you're talking about here?
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: right. All right, so let's go to
Jarrod Dyke: Sale. Sale in Gloucester, opening night.
Grumpy Old Prop: I'm going to go with Gloucester.
Jarrod Dyke: Same.
Grumpy Old Prop: and just don't believe in sale yet.
Jarrod Dyke: And then we got two Friday games. We'll start with Newcastle and Ceres.
Grumpy Old Prop: Saris. I think they're going to be a little bit bitter about their last trip up there.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: I believe as well. i think the I think it's going to...
Grumpy Old Prop: Although it was a different team they played. Yes.
Jarrod Dyke: It is. I think Kingston Park is going be rocking. So it'll be a fun atmosphere, and I think it's going to be very tense.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yes.
Jarrod Dyke: I think it'll be good. I think it'll be good entertainment.
Jarrod Dyke: Quinn's Bath.
Grumpy Old Prop: Well, okay, so there is still um Lion's Rest going on, correct? So...
Jarrod Dyke: I think so, but I don't know how much.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right. um
Grumpy Old Prop: I think that either way that gets tilted to Bath because if if Marcus can can't play... I don't know. i don't know what They'll probably figure out a way for play. But either way, um I'm not sold on Quinns yet.
Jarrod Dyke: same all right um northampton exit
Grumpy Old Prop: so
Grumpy Old Prop: Saints.
Jarrod Dyke: error bristol tigers this will be interesting
Grumpy Old Prop: I got Bristol because I feel like they're returning much more of a core of their team. lester are going to take some It's going to take a little little bit to figure it out.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, and i'm I'm also pretty sure O'Connor's not going to be able to play in this game because I think he's in Australia playing Bloodsville Cup.
Grumpy Old Prop: likely yeah
Jarrod Dyke: So that'll that will hurt.
Jarrod Dyke: Maybe they figure it out, and Reese Zammett did play this past weekend and played well.
Grumpy Old Prop: he scored yeah in and a sweet little try ah
Jarrod Dyke: So, yep. Also got a card.
Grumpy Old Prop: nice I still drafted him today that was fun
Jarrod Dyke: You know, things happen.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah, I mean, duh.
Grumpy Old Prop: I thought you were going to snag it.
Jarrod Dyke: Okay.
Grumpy Old Prop: Actually, there was another one. I thought, oh, I thought you were going to stin take Gonzo before I could get my hands on him. So I was pretty happy about that.
Jarrod Dyke: Who was that?
Grumpy Old Prop: Gonzo?
Jarrod Dyke: Oh, no.
Grumpy Old Prop: Gonzales from Saris.
Jarrod Dyke: I was trying to, I was thinking about, because he's away with Argentina. was like, he'll be in.
Grumpy Old Prop: Oh, there's that.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Yeah. i had I had some thoughts on him. I was like, yep. If I talk took him, I was going to have to take at least one more loose forward, because there's no way he's going to start every game.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: ah because there's such a rotation going on in that back row.
Jarrod Dyke: Okay, cool. We're off and running here, friends. um So, yeah, keep your eyes out peeled out for the appeal be appealed for the sheet. That'll be out. We'll do our best on Thursday with that game.
Jarrod Dyke: the The upside is if you're playing draft, then you can chop and change the games that haven't been kicked kicked off.
Grumpy Old Prop: Right.
Jarrod Dyke: Bad news if you're on Super Brew or the likes You're going to have to just take some gambles and just deal with it.
Grumpy Old Prop: Yep.
Jarrod Dyke: And that sucks.
Grumpy Old Prop: Take a swing. See what happens.
Jarrod Dyke: Yep. and So maybe the Prem will pull their collective heads out of their ass and make sure that everyone's named by Thursday before the kickoff, which would be extremely helpful.
Grumpy Old Prop: I don't think they care about fantasy that much.
Jarrod Dyke: But they sadly, i don't think they do either.
Grumpy Old Prop: So yeah.
Jarrod Dyke: Short-sidedness and all. Okay. But anyway, we do appreciate you all for listening to us and hanging out with us. We'll be back next week, and the Fantasy Corner will will return next week. We will catch you guys later. Thanks thanks again Have a good one, everyone.
Grumpy Old Prop: Later.
Jarrod Dyke: Cheers.
