Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Season 2- Episode 45- Rennie's Young Wallabies (Premiership Round 19+ 20 & Super Rugby AU Semi-Final)
28 Plays5 years ago
It is your favorite, dopy but lovable, American Rugby knuckleheads back for some fun. First off, thank you to everyone out there for getting us to 2000+ downloads. Just a couple of old rugby yanks are very grateful for everyone out there that's supported this show in whatever way you could. On this week's babbling between Ben and Jarrod, we dive into Dave Rennie's first squad selection for Australia, the likes, the dislikes and the head scratchers. We also get into a bit of what else is to come later this fall and beyond in international & European competition. A good look at how the Red's got themselves into the Super Rugby AU Final and what the Rebels did to make it difficult for them. Naturally we wrap all the action from both midweek and weekend matches in the Prem, plus have a look forward to the big weekend in Europe. Crack one open and have a laugh on us, enjoy!
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. Be on the look out for an invite to our cross-format competition for fantasy rugby competition featuring the likes of us and our good friend The Fantasy Rugby geek. If you don't get an invite, we can get you in on the lower tier so you can get promoted for the following season.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Milestone
00:00:08
Speaker
Hey everybody, welcome back. It is the fancy rugby game. My name is Jared Dyke. I'm Ben Glasser. Let's
Rugby News and Controversies
00:00:13
Speaker
get into it. We got a wee bit to talk about here, just a little bit. You know, for a week, as far as our time goes, to have all the news that has dropped this week in terms of
00:00:25
Speaker
different things that we still need to talk about that aren't matches. That was not helpful. No, thanks. A lot going on there. A little bit, a little bit of controversy. I like, I like it. We'll, we'll get into it. But yeah, like what you had to say. Yep. Nope. That's all right. Um, let's pop these things. Let me see. Check us on. You're here with the podcast app. Uh,
00:00:51
Speaker
Apple Play, Apple Podcast, Google Play, Spotify. Do you know we have over 2000 downloads now? Hell yeah.
00:00:58
Speaker
We have over 2100 downloads. I know I was not paying attention to that. I was just, I was an autopilot. I was definitely an autopilot. I was just like, upload, upload, upload. I've definitely been on autopilot when I go to the, to the website. Yeah, that's good stuff. But yeah. Um, so thanks to all you guys that if you've downloaded just one episode, which was probably one of our draft episodes. Um, thank you. Thank you so much for doing that. Just the same. Um,
Fantasy Rugby Strategies
00:01:26
Speaker
Obviously you want if you got the TRM upgrade it came in handy, you know big time big time so Did well for me both both game weeks this week. Actually, I think actually well I ended up with a respectable score this game week not for the game week, but I like I broke 400 which with my squad I thought was a pretty
00:01:50
Speaker
Yeah. I got pretty good. You know, the, you know, the, I had fucking varnish sitting at center cause you got to do around, uh, around that, but yeah, sometimes you gotta just do what you gotta do. There were a couple that I squinted when I put them in there. I'm like, I don't love this, but let's try it. Right. And like, I hell, I had to start my sit of the week.
00:02:10
Speaker
Yeah, you said that. It was one of those I hate being right situation. Damn, it would have to be right. Yeah. Yeah, you know.
Social Issues in Sports
00:02:19
Speaker
And then obviously check out our friend George, the fancy rugby geek. He's going to be handy, especially for those of you that are playing Champions Cup fantasy this weekend. That's always a fun one. Yeah. If you have a player on a team that didn't advance, you might want to go recheck your lineup.
00:02:38
Speaker
Yes, and as always, we support the Black Lives Matter movement as always. It means a lot to a lot of people and it's a cause that, it's not even a cause, it's just being a human. You know, just being a decent human, really. I don't even know if I can call it a cause. It's just being a decent human and so that's why I'm behind it.
00:03:00
Speaker
also mental health like you know that's a big it's a big it's a big month for that for for in a lot of places but yeah just you know don't be aware and you know I'll come out and say this right now I I do therapy every week you know cuz otherwise
00:03:18
Speaker
I will go, I will go batty and do something that's not good. I should, but I don't. Yeah. Well, I mean, I got into it. So, you know, it was, I got into it because I knew it was when I, it was my second season as the head coach at the high school and between the business and that I was like, I need to talk to somebody on a weekly basis. I can just,
00:03:40
Speaker
Expound all this shit too and just be and just you know, it expel it all too and they can help me process it also Yeah, it's you know, there's no shame in it. It's you know, it's all no I'm not gonna go into a room with padded walls and get tied up. I even if I don't do fine
00:03:55
Speaker
there's such a stigma around it too and there shouldn't be because like it's you know some i've seen like athletes say it's just like you know you're spraying your ankle you know that's two weeks recovery but that's there's not just waiting for it to recover there's there's physical therapy involved with it you you treat it you and
00:04:12
Speaker
A mental injury is just as painful, just as hard to deal with. So why do we stigmatize it and say that you're wrong? Do you tell someone who has a broken ankle that they're wrong? No. You say, okay, well, good, get help. Even if you see someone walking in a boot, the first thing you say is, oh, that's a shame. But people have other injuries too. But I do want to bring it back to the BLM,
Recognizing Player Achievements
00:04:38
Speaker
the Black Lives Matter.
00:04:39
Speaker
Post because you know, you could see I gotta say The US there's a reason why we need to keep doing this and if it was on full display last week at the NFL opener when The players of both teams came together at midfield to celebrate peace and unity and the fans booed Yeah, and then they did that Tomahawk chant that they just banded Exeter the fans were doing that like right right off the first play and it's like
00:05:08
Speaker
Okay. Well, I think, I think, I think that just epitomizes everything right there. That's wrong. So, you know, so, so we understand if you're, uh, in another country and don't quite get why, why Jared and I may discuss this like the way we do, uh, but that's why, because it's, it's fucking important. And, and we have a lot of ignorant motherfuckers in the U S and, um, it angers us. And so this, you know, you get, you know,
00:05:37
Speaker
You get to hear it, but we need people to hear it. So that's why we talk about it. Yeah, it's not a political movement. It's a human thing. And rugby is by far the most inclusive sport I've been a part of. So this is where we should be saying yes. I mean, it's not that it's bad that anybody's doing it, but it's not us. It's another sport entirely. Yeah, no, exactly.
00:06:02
Speaker
All right, let's get into other material. Just a quick one. Please forgive ourselves, good. We glossed over your 300th appearance for the Saracens and that is not a small feat. So, the result of the match wasn't good, but God, 300 appearances in these.
00:06:18
Speaker
You know, he's not old by any means. We've seen some old men go through a long time playing rugby. So to do it for the Saracens, the same club is just outrageous. So it is, you know, the old gentleman's clap to Alex for a lot of matches for one club, which is not normal these days either. So that's, that's really, that's really something. So didn't want to miss out on that one.
00:06:47
Speaker
All right, let's go to Australia, but not for the matches. Let's go to Dave Rennie picking his squad for Bledisloe and then what will be the rugby championship later on. He didn't leave anybody off. Literally, I don't think he left anybody. Yeah. I mean, he picked a big squad, obviously. Yeah.
00:07:09
Speaker
You know, especially if he's got to go to, um, it's a 44 man squad. Yeah. Um, especially to go to, to Australia to play the blood slow first. You want to, you want a lot of bodies because you can't fricking pick up the phone and say, yeah, you're coming to do it. No, you're not. Cause you guys sit in quarantine for two weeks. Right. So it's what you got to do. It makes sense. It's just kind of, it's a very large squad. Like you said, 44 men. I'm not sure. I don't love, um, Ned Hanigan.
00:07:40
Speaker
or Swinton, really. They both had, meh, seasons for me. Swinton seemed to make an error at every other play. He'd make it good. He was super Jekyll and Hyde, let's put it that way. Good, bad, good, bad. Not great. So I'll pass on that one. A guy that we talked about a lot, that kind of overshadowed
00:08:01
Speaker
some youngster that started hot, but then he overtook him was James Ram. And he's going to be in the squad looks like. So that's great. Yeah. He, he really came on strong. Like that's, that's totally on, you know, he started living up to potential and that's, that's what you want to see from a kid like that. Yeah. He's going to make mistakes at the beginning, but yeah, he did a real good job of turning around and making some real good plays using his head. Did
00:08:30
Speaker
I love that the whole Reds back row. You mentioned it before the pod, but how McRate needs a little bit of schooling.
00:08:46
Speaker
which is absolutely true, but you know, Michael Hooper is wearing that seven anyway. So he'll have a lot of opportunity to learn directly from one of the best. Absolutely. And maybe the best forward in the game right now. Yeah. And I think, I'm sorry, the best forward outside of Lachlan Bashir. One of the better sevens in the world right now. Michael Hooper always. I think that I think I like the scrum halfless, you know, we knew Nick White was probably gonna get picked.
00:09:11
Speaker
Powell as well. And then Tate McDermott and Gordon, which was great. So, yeah.
International Rugby Concerns
00:09:18
Speaker
I like seeing Tate McDermott there. You knew it was happening, but... Yeah. And Jake Gordon only played a few games this year, but, man, he made an impression real quick. He did. Yeah, the site has... Powell says a rat. He's a Brumby. Good try. It's Wikipedia. He's got the names right.
00:09:38
Speaker
Yeah. Will Harrison was probably the best back, not named Jack Maddox in, in the war ties. So I'm okay with that. Yeah. And he, I thought, you know, he's young, he's 21 and they need somebody up, you know, he's a little SEO is, is good, but I think will SEO is better than him when he's fit. Well, SEO hasn't been fit for a while. So it's right. Hard to say otherwise he's kind of slender and he might not, I don't know that he's,
00:10:06
Speaker
Oh God, I think I hit from some of the big guys that we're going to see in the rugby championship is going to devastate this kid. So I'm not sure. I mean, you know, it's a joke. He's probably going to be okay, but he's probably going to be all right. He's going to be a dodgy little boy. Nervous laughter, nervous laughter. He'll be all right. I think. But yeah, overall, I like it.
00:10:33
Speaker
You know, we talked about with when they were at the World Cup, the fullback position, and now they have three proper fullbacks, in our opinion at least. Banks, Caleb Petty, assuming he comes through his fitness, and Maddox. And I thought Maddox had a, like I said, I thought outside of him, well, Harris was the best. So yeah, Maddox definitely had himself a great super rugby AU playing fullback.
00:11:00
Speaker
Which everybody was raving about it's probably his best position He just didn't get there because Biel who was the incumbent was there was hog in the 15 Jersey Yeah, so I don't get but okay. Yeah, you know, but hey now he's got his shot. So right good on him. There's only
00:11:20
Speaker
I mean, we, I mean, it's, it's well noted that there's a lot of inexperience in this. There's only two teams. There's two guys that will surpass, um, 100 or have 100 Rob Simmons and Hooper. Yeah. Caps for them. Although slipper if he gets on a few, yeah, if he gets on a few, a few more times, he'll get over a hundred as well. Um, but yeah, so a little bit of experience, tons of youth, tons of youth. Like, yeah, there's, there's a couple fifties in there. Uh, CO has 63.
00:11:51
Speaker
I'll tell 25 is the most cap prop. So yeah, that's crazy. Yeah, I'm sorry. He's no he's 26. I think I said 25 but still down and I'm looking forward to a lot of these props playing at that level to annual Essie.
00:12:09
Speaker
Well, actually, yeah, L.L. Toa is the second most cap prop side slipper we already mentioned. Oh, oh, shit. That's right. I just assumed we were past props at that point. Yeah, no, he is actually. Yeah. So, but yeah, so yeah, they have it's kind of it's kind of lopsided. They have three guys that have, you know, a good chunk of the caps at the front row overall. And then everybody else is just like it adds up to not much. So.
00:12:36
Speaker
That's how it goes, man. Um,
Tournament Changes and Dynamics
00:12:38
Speaker
so we'll see how it goes. This will be an interesting squad. I think he's done the right thing by picking some, some newbies, obviously. Um, he's got to figure it out. And especially with that young, young you twenties team for Australia, um, that did so well, uh, to not pick some of these guys is would be silly. Right. At least to give him the experience to the ones who, I mean, just like we talked about with when we, in the, the all blacks named their squad,
00:13:04
Speaker
You know, bringing guys along is, then you have to see them first. Right. And all these guys showed up like they, yeah, they, they did well in international scene, you know, on the under twenties, but they all came to club rugby and like all these guys just tore it up. So why not bring them along? Like, you know, that they have the, you know, the.
00:13:22
Speaker
They had the experience, essentially, at that kind of level, what the pressure is going to be like on them. They kind of understand that. Maybe not the publicity, but certainly on the field, what the expectations are going to be.
00:13:36
Speaker
So if they show up and play, then fuck yeah. Pull them at that, put them at that level too. And these guys are gonna, they are the future of the Wallabies. Why not get them as much experience when they're young now? So if they're ready for it, even if they don't play, like even if some of these guys like Swinton, like you mentioned, even if he,
00:13:55
Speaker
doesn't see a minute of action. Just being around that environment is, is great for his future. He's only 23. Yep. That is a fact. I'll give you that one for sure. He still has a shot at two world cups at least, you know, before he's 30. Yeah. Crazy. Yeah. So they'll be all right.
00:14:14
Speaker
No, I don't disagree. Um, speaking of the All Blacks, um, a couple of names that are a little, although recent, uh, a recent thing that I just saw might change this, um, a couple are a little standoffish about going to, um, Australia after the blood flow because they don't want to be away from the young families. Uh, a few names that were out there were, uh, Bowdoin Barrett, Molongo, TJ Parnar, and Savarice.
00:14:39
Speaker
But they're also now saying that maybe one, I think you're gonna get your wish because it looks like Foster's gonna have to pick a bigger squad to go to play the rugby championship. So you might get your wish on that one. I think he's gonna pick another 10 or so guys, plus,
00:14:56
Speaker
Anybody that sits out, he's not going to be after a place. You could see Christie get his shot there in that case, which would be cool for him. But yeah, so they're talking about that and they're going to have to be a quartering team for two weeks.
00:15:14
Speaker
on either end, which is rough. So I get it. And nobody wants to be away from a young family. Um, you know, TJ just had a kid. I know. So wait, would they have to be, when they go to Australia, they need to be quarantined for two weeks. Wow. Even though New Zealand is like probably just as good as them. Yes. But they're just, they're trying to keep, you know, trying to, yeah, I understand. They don't want to be, you don't want to buy things. You don't want to be Florida. Trust me. Yeah. Um,
00:15:44
Speaker
And then, but there's that. And then, um, yeah, like I said, the expanded squad. Um, and then they've also now talked about, you know, it's going to be, uh, you know, matches basically every four days. So you're going to need guys to, that can, you can chop and change for, cause they want to end the competition early enough so that, um, anybody going back home, whether it's to Argentina, South Africa, or New Zealand, isn't in quarantine during the holiday. Okay.
00:16:11
Speaker
So they're trying to, they're trying to keep that in mind as well. Don't blame them. I think it's much appreciated. So we'll see if that changes one or two players tuned out. That was recently decided in the last probably day or so. Um, so we'll see if that changes anything, but I hope, I hope it does. Hope it does. Cause obviously we want to see now as many of these, these big names as possible to light up that field.
00:16:35
Speaker
Um, and then we got, so well, obviously Europe Europe's coming up this week. Um, last week we talked about, uh, the, or two weeks ago, whatever it was, uh, next, uh, a format change for next season's Hyatt and cup, uh, champions cup only because of, um, the restrictions and, you know, the season length. And we're just trying to.
00:16:53
Speaker
cut down to certain, they cut it down by a match, I think, but still, that's one match that you don't have to play and plan for a weekend, which domestic competitions, I'm sure, will appreciate trying to shove everything else in. So it'll be 24 teams, two pools of 12, and the top four from each will make quarterfinals or top four.
00:17:24
Speaker
Yeah. Nope. That's a lie. Cause it's semi-final. It'll be quarter-final. So you need, you need, yeah. 18. So yeah. Top four for each. I'm an idiot. Why, why was that so hard for my brain? Four teams for top four from each pool. A pool we'll play. We'll go on.
00:17:40
Speaker
And then the bottom eight will actually drop to the challenge cup to form a round of 16 for the knockout competition there. So we'll see how that goes. No domestic teams will play each other. So Exeter won't be playing, I think, who they played Gloucester this past year or a year before, whatever it was. That won't happen.
00:18:02
Speaker
Um, so, you know, no French teams will play each other and no pro team teams will play each other because they're only playing four, four pool matches and then they're, and then they'll move on from there. Okay. That'll be, that'll be interesting to see how that plays out. I think it's, I think it's a fine change. You know, the top eight from each competition will now be thrown into this now, splitting it evenly between all three. So, you know, never thought the eighth ranked team in England would matter, but now it does. So, you know, France, same thing.
00:18:32
Speaker
Wow. Yeah. I think if either Bristol, I think if Lester wins Challenge Cup, it negates the eighth seed though and they'll get in. Right. That's something for them to play for. Are they really going to do it? I don't think though. I think if Bristol gets, if they meet Bristol, I don't think they're getting past them. No.
00:18:54
Speaker
And we know Pat Lamb is eyeing. He wants it. Somewhere major for this club. Right. Yeah. Any like any kind of trophy right now is they really need to use to build on it. So and it would guarantee them a spot. So.
00:19:09
Speaker
So, um, and then, uh, autumn nations, uh, Georgia is actually going to be the eighth team, not Japan, which is unfortunate, but I'm happy to see it in there. You know, that's still, that's still a good thing. You know, Georgia has been clamoring like, Hey, put us in, put us in, put us in. Well, here we go. Um, so we'll see how that goes. Um, they've been clamoring for it. So they get to be part of the 18 competitions. And they get England,
00:19:37
Speaker
Ireland and Wales. They get the three, well, at least they avoid France. Yeah, they could have beaten France, honestly, I think. Because a lot of their players play in the French league, so. Yeah, I don't, Italy like snot them whenever they play, though.
00:19:57
Speaker
They've beaten them at least I think the last two times they played they beat them I don't know if there's been anything beyond that but they have played them twice that I know of I mean it'll be interesting to see what Georgia do because you're right they have a lot of decent players that are in both the Well, I mean there's some on the prem too. Mm-hmm But yeah, it's certainly in the in the top 14. Mm-hmm. There's a ton in there
00:20:20
Speaker
Yeah, it'll be interesting. I just kind of feel bad. They got a real shit draw there. Yep, real shit. Yes, they did that that I kind of I kind of wish Fiji was in that draw instead actually If you're gonna do it this way, like let's let's let's put you know, although it's nice that France have a little bit of competition unless Scotland
00:20:45
Speaker
Oh, that's right. They did. Yeah, but that was France being France. Oh, that was super France being France. They got their prop red carded in like the second minute. Yeah. And then, um, what's his face? Intimate came off as well. So that didn't help at all. Right. That was just, that was a very French game. Yeah. That was like, that was the typical performance you'd expect, um, a French team to lose with. Honestly, that's how they lose. Like when they lose and they're playing this well, that's how they end up losing is something like that.
00:21:16
Speaker
Okay. Um, let's go to more
Match Recaps and Analysis
00:21:20
Speaker
fun. Um, let's go to Australia for the super rugby semi-final. Um, wasn't a bad match, but this was a game of attrition. Yeah. So many injuries from the start guys were, were falling apart. Yeah. Oh, big time. Yeah. So it was, they, they, they, it was definitely a battle. These, these teams were, were scrapping for, they knew what they were fighting for and, uh,
00:21:46
Speaker
They it was a battle of who wanted it more I mean, I don't think that's what they decided it but that's what they were you know, they were testing each other They were asking do you how bad do you want this and both teams responded by saying a lot? Yeah, they were they were both and both were You know, this was an entertaining game. This is not a friggin game to just go to sleep on by any now ever We had we had
00:22:12
Speaker
I have to say this is probably, to his credit, and this is a guy we don't love at all, or at least not much. Cora Betty played a lot better than I expected him to be. He was looking for work a hundred percent of the time. He was. So I commend him for that. That was the best performance I've seen out of him since the World Cup, for sure. Yeah. And we also, we saw Halo at Petty struggling.
00:22:38
Speaker
Obviously, um, but was was hodge hurt because I swear there were a couple times where he got the ball and and Early in the season you'd see it and they're like, oh he's gone like that's a try that this is a reese hodge highlight, uh, cool, um But this time he got it in the same kind of position like he he had it behind the line and was still getting caught from behind and and tackled kind of easily I was
00:23:04
Speaker
You know, I'm guessing that there's something there because because I thought he could have had a bigger impact. As we're talking about with Cora Betty and not that he didn't have it, he had a big impact, but it just didn't seem Hodge like.
00:23:17
Speaker
No, it was not his usual standard that we that we've come to expect. Yeah. I mean, both, both back lines got hit in certain spots pretty hard. You know, the, that 13 channel got hit pretty good for, um, for the reds with the tie and I always said to you about having to come off pretty early. And then, you know, the other side of it, uh, you had, uh,
00:23:39
Speaker
Caleb Petty, who just like gave up on a play. I was like, Ooh, that's, he's done. Once he, once he went down, I was like, you're done. You are so done. And then we saw Tamua Wentz and that meant he was done. So I was like, Oh man, these, you know, it's too bad. You know, it speaks probably more to the, um, the need that the rebels have in those types of positions.
00:24:01
Speaker
Um, whether it be at center and Hodge moving around and whatever, but, um, not necessarily bagging on the reds by any units. So ever they played so well, James Connor O'Connor has played himself another brilliant match with that. Um, that's all I love to try was excellent. Big fellow scooting down the side. Uh, loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Um, but this is, this is probably the right result, honestly.
00:24:28
Speaker
Yeah, the Reds were the better team throughout. It seemed kind of evident from the start that the Reds were showing up and kind of had the upper hand early.
00:24:42
Speaker
Yeah. So it kind of, it kind of just went that way, but essentially it like, it kind of started again, the teams were scrapping as hard as they could, but it's just their match the whole way through. Yeah. And then, you know, talking to steal that at the end and said, what, said, let's go to the final. Let's go, let's go to Brisbane. I know they had a shot. Now you don't. We're good.
00:25:05
Speaker
Yeah. Um, yeah, good. And it got scrappy too. I thought it was a little unnecessary scrappy at points. Um, but yeah, but that's what, I mean, that's the emotion of the situation. I'm just getting kind of, you know, you've worked out, I mean, these guys really worked hard for this and, uh, it's, it's frustrating when you get this far into it and
00:25:27
Speaker
you know, one match from the final and you lose kind of, and you're still working your hardest. And it's not, it's just, if things aren't going right for the rebels, it wasn't that, um, there, it wasn't lack of effort or, or, you know, or one, it was, it just things, passes weren't going to hand. I thought, um, Oh shit. Who was it? Uh, Lomani had a kind of a shit day. His service was pretty poor. Didn't, didn't put him in a great situation. A lot of the times, um,
00:25:58
Speaker
Yeah. There was what the knock on in his own, cause he threw just a, like a worm burner back to who was trying to, uh, he was trying to just kick it away and you don't get to kick it away. Cause he, he dropped it. Like, yeah, that's the kind of thing you can, he kind of, you know, barfed on himself. Yeah. Just a bit. It's unfortunate. And then, but that builds on everyone else. And,
00:26:21
Speaker
Yeah. And it overflows guys, you know, little handbags. Yup. I can. I can. I can. Um, I'm, I'm really excited to see Harry Wilson in adult Jersey. I will say that, uh, Boyo has played his best off this whole, this whole season and just that is one tough cookie. I'm not, I'm not ready to put myself in front of us for sure. No. And he, he has been very much
00:26:47
Speaker
like aggressive too. Like, you know, he ran, I think was it like a Hooper, like a, I think one of the first minute of their first match or whatever. He's like, I'm going to like, I'm getting the ball and I'm running at you. Let's do like, this is where we're going to be all day. Let's do this. Let's see if I can, let's see if I can make you remember who I am. Right. Exactly. And so yeah, he, he's a, he's a little ornery.
00:27:09
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Yeah, and he did all right. He did all right by himself. So I'll give him give the man loads of credit So we'll see we'll see the I mean commend the rebels. This was a top season for them They couldn't go back home. They had to stay out of Melbourne the whole frickin time And they got themselves to a playoff. So it's super valiant effort by
00:27:32
Speaker
Dave vessels and his boys. Cause man, uh, lesser people would have folded and just said, not we, we ain't happening. And you know, they, they, they sucked it up and they did it for the good of the competition. So, uh, good on them and get on vessels for getting them where they got. Um, there are guys getting recognition by getting picked for the wallaby. So I thought played very well, uh, for this club overall. So, um, I think a lot of the stuff that, um, is talked about positive in the positive light for this team is, is very well deserved. So.
00:28:02
Speaker
All right. This is going to be, this is going to be fun. To the premiere shift. Lots of games. Thank God we don't have to do this again for basically ever. Although note, when we, when we pod next week, we will have start sits for bath and Gloucester cause they're playing next Tuesday. Okay. But that's a, that's a TRM only thing. So.
00:28:23
Speaker
No big deal there. Okay. Oh fuck. What are they doing for the finals? We're playing each other. Oh yeah, that it'll be week 20. It'll be the final week. Okay. Okay. Got it. Awesome. Play thick. Yeah. We'll talk about that in a little bit. Um, all right. Um, this is a quick match that we don't need to get too deep into Bristol and saints. Start that off. Uh, all I know is all I know is Chris Boyd's in trouble. Like he, he needs to figure this out.
00:28:52
Speaker
That's kind of scary to say that he is, but he is. This is problematic now. It's no longer... Alarm bells are seriously ringing. Extremely loud alarm bells at that. You look at the other side of that field and that's what the expectation is, that level of play.
00:29:14
Speaker
not this and I realize you're kind of splitting your squad a little bit but that's not that's so are they right like I mean though this was this was kind of a pretty pretty a side for for Bristol but yeah but the the guys playing for Bristol in this in this particular game you know
00:29:33
Speaker
It's shocker of the day. Ben Earl's really good. So really good. Yeah. And he showed it and, you know, Sheedy showed it and a lot of these guys play the other skin. So, um, loads of credit to Bristol for the squad they have and the effort that they put into this season and, uh, they're playing for it. Um, so it's, um, it's, it's in, it really, it's in Chris Boyd's court to figure this out. Um, but unfortunately Bristol in the, in another match, um,
00:30:02
Speaker
at the Rico was not pretty, but they did give it the old college try. I will say that. He did. In particular, one guy. Yeah. Max Malins. Damn. He's kind of exceptional. Exceptional.
00:30:25
Speaker
And you know, it's funny because I was thinking that somebody else too, who was good in that game for Bristol was, I thought Dan Thomas played a hell of a match. Yes he did. He's definitely shown why he's been the club's player of the year for a while. Yeah. A couple of times at least. But completely overshadowed by mail-ins. Yeah. What are you going to do, man? He didn't. He played out of his ass, man. It's just, that's how it goes. Yeah. But this was, this was WASD day for sure. This is the Willis brothers.
00:30:55
Speaker
Good Lord. Demolition company. I know, right? I mean, and there was some ridiculous stat that was talked about with Jack Willis. And I don't remember if it was this game or the one after the other game, but like he's got like more turnovers than some clubs. I'm just like, Jesus, it's a restart. I'm like, Jesus.
00:31:15
Speaker
That's so crazy. This kid is just a machine. I don't get it. But I mean, he's like, he got player of the month. I saw that. I was like, duh. That's not a tough pick. Not at all. He's been on fire. Yeah. And you know what? We really do have to talk about his brother, Tom. Yeah. He's not getting overshadowed by Big Brother that much, really. No.
00:31:37
Speaker
He's ready to take it on himself, too. He's not shying away from anything. Suddenly wasps out of nowhere, seemingly, have just
00:31:50
Speaker
I mean, even Brad Shields, who's been kind of middle, he's been average. Let's, let's, let's be blunt. He's been, he's been average. Yeah. He's been below his expectation. Pretty average. Um, but since the restart, suddenly he's, he's been on fire too. I mean, you know, yes, he's not showing up fantasy wise, but that's not the point. Um, on the field he's been, he's been magnificent. So it's like,
00:32:15
Speaker
It used to be kind of a Tom young and all right, kind of sorted out. But now all of a sudden they've got four guys who are just.
00:32:23
Speaker
at least four are just firing. Well, I think we'd be, I think we'd be remiss. Um, you know, there's a lot to talk about in that game, but really it's, it's a gloss over because you know, wasp were dominant. So they had the bonus point inside the what first 20 minutes less than that before the first water break. Okay. Yeah. So, um, but we'd be, we'd be a little bit, um, we wouldn't do them justice if we didn't mention in the other game from the loss, Alfie, Barbary,
00:32:48
Speaker
Wow. Kid played out of his ass. Oh my God. Three tries to try assist. I mean, that's a plethora. Like, you know, when they talked about him playing, playing hooker and not, and not wanting to put the pressure on him. And so they put him in the back row, maybe keep him there. I don't know.
00:33:08
Speaker
inaugural can play hook hooker in back row too. So it's, it sounds like switch off. Fuck it. Yeah. They have some good stuff going back there. They do. Oh, good on them. Yeah. That kid was amazing in that game. My goodness. I mean, to be fair.
00:33:23
Speaker
It was against Lester. It was and it was not a good Lester team by any means. But he took advantage, you know, there are so many players that we saw that we've seen in this restart and against Lester teams that have not taken advantage of it and do it and he did it. Yeah. You have to give him that. Oh, I do. I do. I do. Just give him Lester some shit. Yeah. Well, yeah, Lester. But no, that's totally, totally good do for him. You know, they're all professionals at this level. And
00:33:51
Speaker
shit. That could be any of them too. You know, it could be any of these Lester kids who were who were playing could be stepping up and they're not. Well, they have all of them. No, we'll talk about in a second. Yeah, so and they were talking about Barbary and in the way that you know,
00:34:09
Speaker
in the talent level of Amaro Atoje in terms of they had him training and they were trying to not let the leash off too early because they were like, all right, let's make sure he's got his feet under him, da, da, da. And eventually it comes to the point where in training, not only one, is it very obvious you can't keep him just training anymore, but two players are like, Gaffer, we got to put this guy on the fucking pitch. Otherwise I'm going to quit. Like,
00:34:33
Speaker
So in that aspect, he has apparently just been tearing it up in training. He got a little bit of a taste the other week. And now we know that...
00:34:42
Speaker
There is yet another background at Wasp that we probably need to be a little scared of. Oh, good. Good. Fucking good. Yeah. I mean, we know our love-hate, mostly hate relationship with Dye Young, but this Wasp team has played so much better for Lee Blackett, and it's just come out of its shell. Really has. Since Dye Young was not doing it, and there's a reason he got sacked.
00:35:06
Speaker
Yeah. There's a reason he's not there anymore. Right. So Lee Black has figured out what it was that was going on, you know, and we all, I think we can all say that, um, 10, 12, 13 combination that they have, that they've put in place of Umag or Gabbard and Fakito has done this team pretty well. So.
00:35:26
Speaker
Um good on lee blackett and and and the guys at wass. Yeah, so but speaking of love hate I gotta say I kind of have one with feccatella He's an animal because oh, yeah, he's dirty as fuck. But you know what if you hit him dirty, too, he's like, hey, that's that was good So it's like, okay, you know what guy could take it so he knows exactly so so I got to give him credit for that but it's still a little bit of uh, When I see him do it i'm like, dude, don't do that But then when I see something done to him and he's just smiling about it i'm like
00:35:56
Speaker
He deserves that and he's good with it. So okay, fine. So on the other side of the ball for the second loss game, Lester, two guys that I definitely want to talk about that are youngsters for them in the back line, at least, are Henry
Emerging Players and Team Challenges
00:36:12
Speaker
and Stuart. They both played extremely well. Zach Henry came over, I believe he was playing per di di before this in France. So he's,
00:36:21
Speaker
He's earning himself a contract to play a lot longer in a premiership. Maybe, maybe Lester won't keep him, but he's definitely earning a place somewhere because he's looking really good. He's obviously shown that he's got a little versatility playing both tennis and fullback. I think fullback's a little bit better of his position, but he hasn't done too bad in the last two games for Lester. So loads of credit to him, especially stepping up against a team.
00:36:47
Speaker
Yeah, he played really pretty well against wass, although that was a, you know, a lost cause at the end. But, you know, he stepped up and really made it happen. I think in some ways against the saints, which is their, their bitterest rivals for the tiger. So, uh, loads of credit to this kid and him just kind of letting himself out of his skin and just playing his game. Yeah. Like let him loose a little. Like you said, um,
00:37:14
Speaker
you know, about Barbary. Like you got to keep him on a chain a little bit when he's, when they're young, cause you don't want to give him, you don't want to put too much on them and you don't want them to do something stupid that, that hurts their development in the long run. And I feel like, you know, Lester have been smart with, uh, uh, but they've, they've been,
00:37:43
Speaker
Passable I had what they've their strategy with Zach Henry and and it's showing now like that You get you have to understand the little things before you can do the big things and and now he's He's starting to be he looks like a fly half I mean that was that was the match where he looked the most like a fly half so far Although I will note that On this pod. I don't think it was last week. It might have been the week before When I was talking about Northampton that they
00:38:10
Speaker
have been lit up by pretty much every 10 they've played so far, since the restart. We talked about their woes, but...
00:38:19
Speaker
you know, still Henry did it. Like it's not that, to say, yeah, you still have to do it. Right. Like, yo, you expect it? No, fuck it. That's, that's tough. You know, he's playing against Dan fucking bigger. Like, and he came off looking better than, than bigger, which, which not many tens can say. No, it's really, it's tough to say that. So really it's, you know, and it's down to in this, that, that, that Derby match in particular, it was down to their,
00:38:45
Speaker
You know, Lester had ill-discipline issues, shocker of the day. But Saints, you know, they can't do anything with up to guys. What are you doing? Like Chris Boyd needs to go and have a hard thing. He's got some time for this week. And I think we can all assume that this week's probably going to be a wash for the Saints. But he's got to figure out what to do to get this team back into it because
00:39:11
Speaker
You know, this was a team that we thought, okay, minus COVID's run act, no big deal. They had the talent, they were going to do fine. You know, and we talked about split squads and he split his squad and it's obviously not done well, whereas like Lee Blackett has done very well.
00:39:25
Speaker
splitting his squad up and found ways to make it happen. Um, so I think that's, it's really, I love Boyd, but I think it's down to him. So they had, they had a two man advantage and the only try they scored was the penalty try when they had the single man of it. Like there was the yellow card. And then right after that, there was the penalty try column and, and Wells went. Um, but the whole time you are up two men and you, you, you can't score a point.
00:39:54
Speaker
Yeah, you have to unbelievable. There's gaps. That's, that's, that's just, that's unacceptable. And it's from, it's from this team again, fucking Dan bigger. Um, like I, you know, they have other players, not just him, but like, he's got to be the one that solved some of these questions and he's not doing it. I feel like he's getting, you know, I talked, we talked about, you know, you're missing Cobus Reinach, but you know, Reinach feasted on, on,
00:40:24
Speaker
you know, getting the line breaks and he'd run that, that support line. Um, it's not as though their nines are given bad service. It's not as though they're making bad decisions. They're just not the right things happening with the ball. Yep. Uh, I mean, speaking of things, right. Things happening with the ball, take care of the Nara bro. You fucking ball hog. You ask you,
00:40:45
Speaker
Give the offload to the guy so we can score. You're not scoring except that and just give him the damn ball so he can score. You dick. Oh, this is why you're drawing a paperweight right now, dude. Decisions like that. That is a move that he could do that he's done when he's informed. That's what he does. He did exactly everything he was supposed to do except offload.
00:41:09
Speaker
It was like, I was like, where's the off? You asshole. Come on, man, white line fever. Again, that's the buildup of where the Saints are, the blue balls that they have right now are so bad that everybody wants to be the one that that's the hero because somebody needs to be.
00:41:31
Speaker
And yeah, all you have to do is right. Exactly. Like you don't, you know, yeah. And we saw that in other matches too. Like it wasn't Harry's match. Um, but I can't remember. There was, there's another one where there was a, um, just give it to the really fast guy running next to you and then he's over. Yeah.
00:41:51
Speaker
Right. I think it was Sari's exit. We'll get to it later. Yeah, we'll get to that in a second. Speaking of Exeter, Exeter and Gloucester, a bit of a shit show, but Gloucester hung tough for a little bit. I think we're seeing more of these change teams hanging tough for a little bit, so they're getting used to it, which is good. But yeah, I mean, that was a full noise, Exeter team, and they were mean. That's all I know. Yeah. They were not playing around. No, they were not.
00:42:21
Speaker
Sam Simmons being Sam Simmons, but I will say he popped up in both games for Gloucester, but especially in this one, Jordy Reed, playing very well, doing himself justice by getting out there. And he doesn't miss much as far as his tackles go, which is what you need as a back rower. So first and foremost, you gotta have that. Yeah, especially from the seven, yeah.
00:42:48
Speaker
I'd like to see him like, and again, you need him to be doing that. So he's doing his job. I'd like to see him more dynamic when he's, when he's got ball in hand. But if, you know, if all you're doing and yeah, again, he's a reserve, he's still coming up. So how old is he? I'm clicking on it now. He's 28. So he should have, he should have a little bit more, but yeah, I'd like to see him get a little bit more than, you know, 17 meters.
00:43:16
Speaker
Um, there's a seven. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You want, you want to hang in this league. You got a little, do a little more ball man as a back rower. Um, the tackle machine. No, no. Um, very clear that 10 is not Billy 12 frees now, natural position in this in that, in that game. Um, but that's, you know, that's what happens when you have a change team and you're like, eh, what do I do? And just kind of get.
00:43:38
Speaker
You know, I think we're not coming sorry. I'm George giving thing. I kind of caught between a couple things there this week in particular Because if you look at their other match that happened just yesterday Well, you're gonna skip over the the big old man putting two over which one? Yeah, that's true banana hands put one put one of them was easy The other one the other one was deserved. The one of them was really easy. But yeah, I
00:44:04
Speaker
Yeah. Bernina hammock did really well. Um, I don't know how much more, more of him we're going to see in this cluster team. Unfortunately, I love it. Listen, I do love band. And I've liked him since he was, you know, I thought bath, let him go kind of early. I was like, he's got a couple of years left and he's on year three now. So this is probably the time that you would have let him go. Um,
00:44:25
Speaker
but you know, he's still, he's still a solid guy. And obviously he knows what the trial line is. And as an outside back, you need that. And he, he knew where it was. So, uh, good on the, good on the old guy. Yeah, he's getting older at least. It's still putting him over on, on, on top teams. So yeah, no, he still knows how to do that. That's for sure. So well, it's great to him. Um, the gloss routine, like I said, hung tough, but this was not, this was not going to be a team they were going to overcome, not with the full noise exit or team.
00:44:53
Speaker
But yeah, let's go to the one yesterday with fans, which was nice to see. Speaking to full noise. Oh, or essentially full noise. Yeah. Kind of sort of. They were in better voice than the stoop was, was Quince at it. Yeah. They were pretty quiet from my opinion. Oh no, I meant the full noise for the, for the, for the Quince too. It was just about. Right. Just about. Just running into full noise teams. You're kind of still in your little split. Yeah.
00:45:19
Speaker
Yeah. Sips didn't have his best game. No, it was, you know, it was really, um, this is, I think this has become George Skivington's learning curve as a head coach, substitutions and when to make him. And he brought Lloyd Evans on and I thought he brought Lloyd Evans on for the wrong person.
00:45:39
Speaker
I was just like, nope, that's not who you need to bring him on for. You need to bring him on for, for Cipriani because Cipriani is having a stinker. He was having a, he was having a bad day and it's not, you know, he was, he was doing the right, he was making the right decisions. Uh, and it, and it just wasn't executing right now. Um, certainly not on that kick that went right to fucking, I don't remember who it was. Um, Murley, I think. Yeah. Oh yeah. I think it was.
00:46:07
Speaker
Like straight up the field line drive right into his chest. Well, okay. See ya. Thanks. Not at all. And that was just the story of the game for gloss or two. Like Glenn's feasted on gloss to errors. You know, we had, um, Marchant didn't quite get over, but there was that, um, Luis obviously going for the big giraffe, giraffe like run and he needed a little bit of extra gas after that too. He called for the inhaler. Yeah.
00:46:36
Speaker
He's like, I don't run this far ever. Right. You see his interview after the match. No, I didn't. He was there asking. He's like, yeah, uh, I was pretty chuffed at halftime. Cause they were like, you look pretty tired, huh? He's like, I was guest at halftime. Yeah. We noticed.
00:46:51
Speaker
Yeah, he did. I mean, and he was, you know, he did, he did the things you expect him to do. And then obviously that was on top of it. I think they yelled at him for not passing it to the wing or whoever was next to him. It was care. Yeah. He was like, no, no, no, back yourself, dude. Go, go, go. You're fine. The way that, the way that ground was nice and slippery, you kidding me? Even if that guy tackled him, he would have slid in. I know, but they were, they were, they were just teasing him cause he was out of, out of breath. Like that's not what you do. That's what he does. Give it to him. That is true. That is true.
00:47:17
Speaker
Give it to the little guy. He'll finish it. Yeah. No, I will. Okay. That's your decision. That's your bad decision, but your decision. He paid for it later, but not well-earned man of the match for Stefan Lovis. You know, he was spoiling the line out too. That was the other problem. He was a terror. That's what he does. He used to problem all day.
00:47:38
Speaker
That's the grunt work that he does that goes unnoticed, but obviously he got a nice little bit of notice because he went over. Can we also talk about the referee fuckery at the end there? I don't expect it to be a win, so don't get me wrong. It didn't change the game.
00:47:59
Speaker
How much better would it have been if, so first off, if the referring now to the, uh, to the Ed Slater, no try, the try that was overturned. Yeah. Um, cause first off, the defender was punching it forward. And so that means the ball was going backwards.
00:48:17
Speaker
correct for Slater. It was, it was not a knot. That's not a knock forward. No, that wasn't that, that should have been a try. And he falls on it. So try, just, just give him the fucking try. Cause then not only that, but then it's, I mean, okay, first of all, cause cause you disallow the try, which was also kind of shit in and of itself, but man, now it's a, it would bid a 22 to 28 match with a minute left.
00:48:43
Speaker
Let's go for some fun, man. Let's see that. I want to see that match. I don't want to see a 1528. Oh, they almost scored at the end, but they didn't. Nobody wants to see that. Get your fucking head out of your ass, referees. I texted you, like, world rugby has to come in and really correct this. This is a problem now. Yeah, figure out the strip rules and stuff like that.
00:49:07
Speaker
Right. Sometimes people are like, Oh, he ripped it, but he, you know, he ripped it out and it was forward. Okay. Well he ripped it out. Then it went forward, but it usually rolls off of skin. So technically that's a knock like, but you, but you, that's okay. But like a punch out, like there's got to be something where if it's like the defense knocks it loose, it's not, unless it's like a, you know, you go to recover it and you tip it forward or something. That's their knock on. Um,
00:49:33
Speaker
But we got to or just say they're all knock on it. Like there's got to be some sort of clear definition so that everybody's playing. But referees don't know what the fuck to do. Like they just shit themselves. That's all it was. It was the ball came out. That's got to be a knock. And we don't know. And I want to see Gloucester. I wanted to see Gloucester with the ability to redeem themselves at the end there. See what happens, right? And they could have. And I don't like that the referee didn't let them give them that opportunity.
00:50:01
Speaker
Best player for Gloucester was? Pledgeri. Yeah. Gave you five guesses. The first four. Don't get, you still get it right. Yeah. Fucking Pledgeri. He's, he's, he's unstoppable. He's ridiculous. Let's move on from that. Um, Quinson Irish. I mean, it's shock of the day. Quinn's Quinn's one, but, um, yeah, Irish just, you know, it was a, it was a, there was a, all I know is that when I go to start like entering data into our sheet and I'm,
00:50:31
Speaker
I see London Irish. I'm like, I'm probably going to add at least three new names, aren't I? And I did, um, you know, and we, and there's the, the bright spots that we talked about, like, you know, the new players that are coming through for all these clubs, Phil Cook, I was saying, he gets a, gets his shot, um, at playing a little bit more. Um, yes, the same, the same family. Um, yeah, of course. Um, but yeah, it's the, the Irish are just dealing with,
00:50:59
Speaker
you know, for, for, if they hadn't done such great work at the beginning of the season before lockdown, you know, they would be in Lester's position, right? And, you know, really, you know, the de facto last place team, because, you know, obviously the, the, the Saracens have been given, you know, their penalty and so on and so forth. So you,
00:51:19
Speaker
You don't really count that per se. So yeah, nobody wants to be that team. And they're really close to being that team right now because they just haven't figured it out since lockdown, since we resumed. So it's a problem for Declan Kennedy that he needs to really sort out really quickly here. Just creepy has done a lot for this club, but he can only do so much.
00:51:42
Speaker
I mean, you look at it, they're still the, well, the work, yeah, the leaders is in the worst in point differential. They're negative 221. I mean, that's not, that's not a good situation. No, it's not. It's, it's, yeah, it's 76 tries. They lit up by far the most in the,
00:52:05
Speaker
Well, Lester aren't too far away. They're at 67, but 76, Dan, that's a lot of tries. Almost 10 more, yeah. That's less than great for the guys wearing green here, both of them, but especially Irish at this point. Yeah, it's just, there's, I like some of the pieces that I see on this team. Larcon didn't play any of the game this week, I don't think. So that was kind of a let down. We talked about- I think he got hurt. I think he left his last match.
00:52:34
Speaker
Ouchy, so I like some of their props that they have with you know, Kapu and Hoskins and I like Del although he's not really He's not fancy worthy. That's for sure. No, which is weird because he was really fantasy worthy in the Six Nations. I remember that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember that So yeah, I don't have an answer on that one, but it's just it's just
00:53:00
Speaker
This is definitely a team full of question marks going into next year. And are they going to be able to survive the drop because
00:53:08
Speaker
your castle is going to come in with some vigor and you know, it's going to be between them and a couple of other teams. So, um, we'll see. There's a lot, there's a lot of problems. My money's on the saints for next. Wait for it. Wait for it. Oh man. Um, but yeah, I mean, speaking of Irish, I mean, they, they played a much better half to start off their match against Worcester.
00:53:31
Speaker
But then Worcester, as we thought they would, turned it on and they have some really high quality players on this team. Like, how good is Ollie Lawrence? Like, get this kid an England shirt. This kid looks really good.
00:53:44
Speaker
two tries off the bench, you know, and he really, you know, he did a lot in the first game that they played on this week as well. But yeah, this kid, this kid needs a look for sure because, and not that England have a center's problem by any means whatsoever. They pro they've, they've got a plethora of them, but he would kind of fill the, the to a laggy like mold. So it's kind of, do you need two guys to do that bowling ball kind of thing? Um, of course all this would be easier if they just had one fucking 10. That's true.
00:54:15
Speaker
like all this would be a lot easier that way but but nah no we can't do that um
00:54:24
Speaker
But yeah, it's, you know, Worcester obviously are very good. We, we know this, uh, who guard showed his class, you know, this is first time we've really seen him, uh, be buzzing about as he was, you know, he's, he's always had great service and he, and it's rare that who guard doesn't have a good day when it comes to passing the ball, but he was looking for work elsewhere. And that's what, that's what made this game a little bit better for him. You know, we got, got over the line twice, he had the dart and then he had the, the inside line that he ran off Florence. I mean,
00:54:51
Speaker
guess whose name I'm mentioning again, Lawrence. And we know the back row of Wooster is actually very quality between the likes, they got five good players in that back row really between Divasik Hill, Lewis, Dupree and Van Dalza. So I would back any one of those guys really if I had to, so.
00:55:16
Speaker
Um, that's definitely a strength of theirs. Um, and then we talked about, um, the nylon net and Beck cutting are actually not a bad one, two combination either. So, um, they're not necessarily missing singleton. Although I think sickle singleton was definitely missing the game time. So unfortunately for him, um, but yeah, they're just, they're, they're a much better quality team than they, they present when you, they have that second tier out there, which we know what it looks like obviously.
00:55:44
Speaker
All right. When they play certain teams, um, you know, like, uh, you know, like bath, bath, ripped it, but it took Beth just a little bit of time to figure out what they were
Spotlight on Individual Performances
00:55:59
Speaker
doing. And then they figured it was, they just ripped them apart. Like, Oh, right. This, well, you know, one person literally ripped them apart. Um, and that would be Josh Mattivacy. Yeah. Um, I feel bad for, was it Butler?
00:56:14
Speaker
Yeah, that's exactly who it was. That's not your normal 10 coming through. Look out. He's large. He is a large human to be playing 10 and he does fine doing it too.
00:56:29
Speaker
he did it was it's so funny to see a man that large do the things he's doing it like playing 10 um because it just looks i mean it he's just massive so like all the things you know when he kicks it's just a lot of meat that he's swinging there and looks kind of like torques his body all around so it's kind of funny to watch but like bumps it and he's got accuracy so who cares yeah yeah definitely
00:56:53
Speaker
Um, I mean, and then they just, the, this team obviously figured out that they were playing against second tier team and ripped it apart. Um, was it Stuke that scored two and did the beer celebration, man, after my own heart, second row, doing a beer, beer celebration.
00:57:11
Speaker
Attaboy, that's how you get me on your good side. And we talked about teams that have figured out how to do the split squat thing. I think Bath have got that down fairly well at this point. Maybe a little bit of luck with opposition selection for Stuart Hooper, but he's capitalized on the teams that he knows he needs to beat. I think they've lost one match since the restart and that's it.
00:57:39
Speaker
And that was to sale, right?
00:57:42
Speaker
No, because that's who they just beat. That was who they just beat. And what a performance that was from a great team. And not to say sale played like shit either because there were guys playing very well for the sale sharks, including our very own AJ McGinty. Yes, he showed up very well. Yeah, he's, AJ has outshone Rob Dapria since the restart. And I think that's very obvious at this point. I think if you're picking a semifinal team today for the sharks,
00:58:10
Speaker
It's AJ McGinty at 10. I think, if I'm not mistaken, I think that Ron Janssen Rensberg has scored both times that McGinty's been his 10. Yeah, Rensberg needs to be banging on Steve Diamond's door every day, being like, AJ, you're not getting with me. Let's go. He's a guy that we always kind of talk about as fucking useless. And suddenly he's scoring tries. So maybe that's the key right there. Maybe AJ knows the key.
00:58:38
Speaker
Yeah. And maybe it was just this guy, I thought he said, I could have sworn he scored a try like a week or two ago, but it's not showing up on his. Yeah. But either way, he's, I'd say he's probably at least done very well. Yeah, that's true. So, and I think both centers enjoy playing a little bit more off agent than they do the pre at this point. The pre is just a little bit of meh. And AJ's found another, another way to, to make this team attack go. So, but yeah, I mean, Beth,
00:59:07
Speaker
He's being talked about a lot right now for Beth, and rightfully so. Ben Spencer, this kid, and you and I both know all about him because of Saracens, but if he's not on the team that plays Italy and then goes into the automations and the barbarians, I don't know what's going on. I really don't, because this kid is just playing. He's showing so much.
00:59:35
Speaker
And I like what they, I like what they, they, you know, and especially look at the results. So they talked about it on one of these matches. I don't think it was, it was these two this week, but, um, previously they were saying, look, when, when Spencer, the reason Spencer went to Beth and they made it permanent was because.
00:59:54
Speaker
It was like they want to, he's not going to be, he's not going to be developing the leadership skills at Saracens. Like he's going to be listening to Owen Farrell and fuck he looks around and you know, he got Jamie George and the Vuna polis and, and, um, speak over right there.
01:00:12
Speaker
They're just going to talk and be like, this is what we were doing. He's like, okay, he can just follow along. He doesn't have to direct them. But you can see it at Beth, he is showing them what it means to be a professional rugby player at a championship level. They had a lot of guys who could show them how to be professional rugby players, but not at a winning level. And he's the one who's coming in.
01:00:37
Speaker
That the new guy coming into the locker room with you know rings falling off his hands Okay, what did you have to do to get to that because that's what I want and he's providing that and and they're very much responding even when he's not playing you can see their attitude is is a is it more of a much more of a winning like instead of doing what you want to do to Look good and make a play and you're doing what you need to do to win, which is this is very different Yeah
01:01:05
Speaker
Agreed, agreed. Yeah, they've only lost once since the restart. They lost once. That's it. Okay. That's what it was. McConaughey, man. Yeah. Cory McConaughey. Guy knows where it's at. And he's showing up under the waist, too. And it's not necessarily something that's going to show up on your score sheet, but he just hustles. He hustles everywhere. And he gets people on the ground when, you know, it looks like all conclusive, it's going to be a try. And he knows how to get people on the ground.
01:01:34
Speaker
So, yeah, there's just so many ways he's showing up right now for this squad. And they needed, you know, truth be told, they needed one of these wings to take into another gear because Watson wasn't really clicking. Rockin' the Gooney hasn't necessarily been clicking. They needed one of them to turn into a gear and get tries over the friggin' line.
01:01:54
Speaker
because that's their job, you know, and he's done it. So, worlds of credit to the kid. That's just another, that's just another world of another level of play right there for him. On the other side, you know, it's for sale. It's just, there's so much good, but there's also so much that you don't want to watch of this team.
01:02:18
Speaker
You know, yeah. Well, they, they, again, we've, we've, we've talked about it. They're, they're a fantasy defensive nightmare, not except for this game. Um, yeah, this will be the one that tips them somewhere else. But, but they do that by just not letting teams play rugby. And the thing is, it's just one of those, you have to be ahead though. The sale have to be ahead for their game to work. If they have to chase the scoreboard and they have to go score points,
01:02:47
Speaker
that that's not what they do. That's not their game. Their game is to kind of just to, to put the other team asleep. The shit out of you. Yeah. Right. And then, Oh, all of a sudden, you know, they were hypnotized. We get a try. Um, when you can't do that, when you have to rely on, on you scoring points to, you know, and, and doing work to score points, it's a lot tougher. Um, and especially when that's not what you trained to do. Right.
01:03:12
Speaker
No, it's not, it's not there. It's not their thing. You know, and this is the, to that point, I think it speaks. I think that that makes AJ a guy that has to be there 10 because it was kicking ability towards the, towards the post. Um, the Priya when he's on is fine. Um, but he does have his spurts where he goes to sleep with the boot and can't hit a kick. I mean,
01:03:38
Speaker
I think it was the first game of this particular season where he shanked a kick right out in front to lose the game to lost her, if I'm not mistaken. And that's, you know.
01:03:48
Speaker
That's something you can't do in this style. So you gotta, you gotta be able to land the kicks when they're there. Um, you know, the fast puts all puts it on a, puts it on a, on a dime when he, when he kicks from, from, from the, from the base. So it's just, yeah, it's obviously very, it's obviously the strategy that's been working for them and they're going to milk it until it doesn't work anymore. Um, you know, this is what their third loss or something like that of the year. Not many. So it's, um,
01:04:16
Speaker
I also want to highlight the, so we talked about Northampton not being able to score with two men up. But look at, what was it, early in this match, first half. Oh, right. John O. Ross. Yeah, we're talking about guys we're not really pleased with. John O. Ross is not a friend of the pod. Let's put it that way. Oh, he's not.
01:04:39
Speaker
And he, he was stupid and got, got yellowed and kind of deserved it. I kind of almost, I thought almost deserved a penalty try cause that mall was going in. Um, that was not going to be stopped. Yeah. And, and yeah, he kind of fucked it up, but whatever, whatever. Um,
01:04:57
Speaker
You know, it's a, it's a seven seven match at that point. And boom, you have priestlin now on the, the, the points. And then a few minutes later, Ben Spencer goes over and now it's, you have it, you have a 10 point lead, you know, 10 points in 10 minutes. Fuck yeah. That's what you need to do against a team like.
01:05:15
Speaker
Uh team like sale you have to be you have to get points And and put tries over when you want to be a single man. Absolutely That's but that's the difference and that's the thing, you know difference between a winning attitude and a losing attitude If you're doing your right things, um You know you you got a man up and you you stumble on the water you take advantage yep
01:05:36
Speaker
against, especially against a great team. And if you, if you're the saints right now, you're not doing that against a bad team. And that's no, no. So yeah, loads of credit to, um, bath. They have some, you know, they're not other club, another club that has some good, um, second, uh, back rowers and a good load of second rows that are, that are in their system. So, um, they, this team looks like it's prepared to go forward quite well.
01:06:00
Speaker
Um, you know, like some miles, miles read Bayless played really well, despite having the, the, the tape shop pulled over his face. Um, you know, that was ugly. Um, and then, you know, Spencer, obviously being, you know, speaking of Spencer, let's, um, let's go to the sale and Sarah since, um, not a, not a pretty match by any means whatsoever. Second couple of second teams. Um, but, uh, you know, for me,
01:06:27
Speaker
I liked what I saw mostly of that second, second tier, um, Saracen's team. Uh, they gave up those points early and then they, they really tried to put the brakes on and, um, didn't give up a whole lot until the very end. Um, so, uh, you know, they, it was what, 21, I think it was 21 seven going into the half. They don't give up three more. So they won the second half. That's not bad. Um, so, you know, loads of credit to them, you know, you had,
01:06:52
Speaker
It likes Wilson Croft. They're leading the way. Roddy Shagan, welcome back kid. We missed you. You played himself a pretty good game. Mine is looking like a keeper. What's that? Mine is looking like a keeper. Let's keep that kid around for as long as possible, please. And thank you.
01:07:11
Speaker
Yeah, this kid's good. We talked about offloading to the guy that's gonna score the ball. Giving it to Roddy is not a bad idea, but you saw it from who's Hunter Hill that picked it up and I think he tried to give it to who's on the outside there, Morris maybe. I don't remember. But yeah, either way or maybe whoever was, had the right decisions, said decisions at the very least.
01:07:39
Speaker
But yeah, it's just this was not the prettiest game from sale as we know.
01:07:46
Speaker
but it got the job done and they did in their typical style where they got ahead and they just let, they just killed you. They just absolutely took the life out of you. You know, I mean, Rosa went for a little scoot to begin with, but yeah, he got himself over it, which was, you know, I'm using in, in, in its own way, but you got to love a prop try. So yeah. Well, then the scoot that he got, that got them there more or less silly Russian.
01:08:09
Speaker
Um, uh, that's true. Yeah, you got this. That's right. He didn't smoke. He did score, but not that one. Did you hear, um, who was it? Was it, was it Carly in the, in the other game, in the other cell game where he's like, I speak Afrikaans cause say, cause, uh, FAF and Venom River, we're trying to talk, say something and it probably was something that might've been a little about him. Yeah. Or maybe that's what it was. He's like, yeah, I speak Afrikaans and they were just like,
01:08:39
Speaker
Jokes on you idiots. Way to go. Do your homework next time. Yeah. I thought that was hilarious. I was like, listen, this is the only time I'm going to laugh at you, Matt Carley. So be, just soak it up. Cause I don't like him as a referee, but that was pretty funny. Just the same. Um, but yeah, and you know, Saracens, you know, didn't do well in this game, but man, the youngsters did pretty well in the next game against, you know, a young, also a young Exeter team there. They had an eye towards this weekend as well.
01:09:06
Speaker
Of course, but yeah, that was I liked what I saw from a lot of the the the youngsters in this team Piffletti got the man the match. I have no idea why because I Think ugo was drunk Possibly did you maybe sneak away and have a couple beers like come on man? I'll tell you Sean rafelle was just hmm he was excellent like he's somebody who
01:09:36
Speaker
A lot of times when I see him playing, I'm like, I see, I see his plate. I'm like, I see what you're trying to do, but you're not, he's not good enough to get it done there. I thought he did a lot better job of just playing with it. Like I fucking cliche, I know, but, but within himself, just like, here's what I can do. So here's what I'm going to do. Like when you understand yourself and what your, your limits are, um, that helps you be a better teammate. And I thought that's what he, uh,
01:10:01
Speaker
I thought that's what he showed. Definitely, like just doing a lot of good work, solid work, getting, you know, doing what he needed to do and then letting the play going around him too. So, yeah, no doubt. I thought, you know, I know Callen Clark was guy of sport in the armband for the Saracens, but my name in a poll led this team so well, and I'm so impressed with him.
01:10:27
Speaker
you know, setting up tries, you know, yeah, he didn't, he missed a couple of kicks and a couple were pretty tough. But man, just, I thought he just did a great job of steering the ship and running the show. There's a lot to like about him, you know, obviously, the blood, the bloodline is quite good. You know, that that the one to Obatoyenbo was just
01:10:49
Speaker
Oh, man, you couldn't do it. You couldn't do it a whole lot better than that. Good fish from Obotoyenbo, but man, that was just a great kick to recognize it. Ed Obotoyenbo on defense, he won a huge penalty on, I don't remember who had the line break.
01:11:06
Speaker
Yeah. Like just don't remember who it was. Yeah. For that, that strapping he's got makes me nervous. Um, yeah, always does. But to see him, uh, to see him, you know, be the one to, to win that Jackal penalty. Um, hell, good, good job. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's great job. On the other side, I will say, um,
01:11:31
Speaker
You know, this was a, that was a very young, extra scrum, but that was a really disappointing job from their scrum. I'm sure their scrum coach, you know, this is, this is not a, this is not a, there aren't many players in there that are going to play this weekend. They're going to get a good ballicking from that scrum coach because
01:11:48
Speaker
That was bad. That does not happen. No, never. That's a, that's a never, ever, ever thing that you ever see. Like it doesn't matter who they're playing either. So that was that, like I said, they're going to get a good talking from their coach. I promise you that.
01:12:02
Speaker
Yeah. And speaking of shitty refereeing, the long ass look at that, like, that's a try. Yeah. Just give it. Yeah. Why are we? Yeah. The pushover. Stop. That's a try. Just a new referee. That's it. Dead issue. Yeah.
01:12:22
Speaker
Yeah, that was not good. But yeah, I mean, that's what happens when it's a new referee. And I have to say, for all the hype that's come with him, Josh Hodge hasn't done a lot for me.
01:12:36
Speaker
I mean, God, Cordero made a bigger impact in this game in one game and Hodges had like three or four games to get himself loose. So, you know, I don't know what's going on. I don't know if he's been, you know, filled with, you know, lots of thoughts that he, that didn't do him any good or what, but he needs to, I think he just needs to loosen up honestly. Cause it doesn't, it looks like he's just kind of very conservative. And from what I've heard, he's got loads of talent.
01:13:00
Speaker
Uh-huh. So, um, let the shaft was off kid. Yeah, and that's a problem because really this was the Saracens defense. This is not the wolf pack defense You know you're seeing them disconnected you're seeing them like Flat out, you know, you watch what the attacks doing and you're like, okay, here's their options and you see what the defense is They're all bunched in like they're all kind of attacking outside in and it's like well All they need to do is make two passes out wide and they have the overload correct and
01:13:30
Speaker
This is clearly not the, again, not their usual Wolfpack defense. No, just given the personnel, they're not used to running that kind of thing and what their responsibilities are. So this is the match where Hodge, if he's going to be getting loose in a situation, this is it. He should have been drooling this whole match and been just taking his chances, you know, more towards the middle of the field where the defense was weakening up. But,
01:13:57
Speaker
Yeah. He just wasn't really, he wasn't getting loose at all. Nope. Nope. Um, I don't know if that was a great, that was, that was a good combination between the two centers for Dom Morris' try as well. Yeah, certainly, certainly. Good communication between the two of them.
Upcoming Matches and Predictions
01:14:15
Speaker
Yeah. With Sesino, um, with on the crash and then popping up, popping up. Very good. Yeah. Very good stuff. Um, all right. So let's go to, um,
01:14:25
Speaker
Let's do a little combination of Champions Cup talk and pick them. I wanna skip over the first game because it's gonna be something we get into a little bit deeply. The all French clash, Claremont and Rossing. Not a lot of change in terms of the teams, they'll be probably putting out there this weekend.
01:14:47
Speaker
you know, Ross and would have had currently Beal. He got red card in his most recent match. So he's dumbass. He's missing this one, missing this one, but overall, um, this should be an, this, this has the potential to be a dud or a absolutely brilliant match. That's basically what I'm saying. What I see. I don't see anywhere between, you know, between these, the way that these two teams play.
01:15:12
Speaker
So yeah, and I haven't, I haven't seen either of them. I haven't watched any of the, uh, the top 14, but just knowing what I know about the clubs and right. You know, you have Alvaro at the Rocca and, and, and Baca tower. So it'll be very interesting. Although did Rocca move that make that up? I don't know, but it doesn't matter. That's how much attention I paid to the top 14 as well. So either way, um, it should be an interesting clash going on. Um,
01:15:38
Speaker
here. So Claremont versus Rassing. Claremont's hosting. Who do you got? I'm going to go with Rossing. Yeah. I think Rossing are only, you know, they kind of got, yeah. Yeah. I mean, they got thrown into a really tough pool with Saracens and Monster and that kind of hurt them as far as the final seeding. Um,
01:16:05
Speaker
So I'm gonna go, yeah, I'm gonna go with Rossling. Try on. Yeah, and this'll be interesting. Toulouse and Ulster. Ulster haven't really lost a whole lot. So this is pretty much the same team that you're gonna see. John Cooney's gonna have to take over this game. And from what I understand Ulster did not play well this past weekend in the Pro 14 final. Yeah, that's what I heard too. You know, maybe that's the one bug that's in their system.
01:16:33
Speaker
and it's out, but this to lose teams is just too much in my opinion. This is like,
01:16:41
Speaker
the thought of DuPont and Tommac playing on the same field together, like more often than not, which is what's usually happening. And you know, even if you put Bessie in there every once in a while and you know, and you have to move, what's the other guy's name? We can use here or not him. God, why? I can't think it was Zach or something. Anyway, point being, that's just a lot there. Kano with the back rows, just like,
01:17:11
Speaker
Yeah, that dude is just such a house to deal with. Zach Holmes is who you're consistent with. Zach Holmes, thank you. Good job. Why was that so hard? Oh, that was a tough one.
01:17:21
Speaker
And Colby. Let's not forget Colby. Yeah, duh. I mean, the little spring-bought magician that's out there. I know what he put two over this past week, too. Oh, geez. Yeah, so if he's informed, forget it. He's informed. Let's clear that one. All right. Well, in that case, I am taking the French team. I'm gonna go with Toluse on that one. And then this is, you know, if this had been played on the date that it was originally set, this would be a heck of a clash, but
01:17:51
Speaker
knowing what we know about these two teams in recent form in the prom, Exeter and Northampton, this is going to be, this is going to be a shit show. Complete. I mean, you know, and we, and we all know the, that me, Boyd has not put out his best, in my opinion, his best team includes, um,
01:18:12
Speaker
Pierce Francis and Hutch both in the middle. And he hasn't done that yet. No, he hasn't. You know, and they talked about it on, you know, if Dan Bigger is going to catch a lot of these high balls, then they need a second distributor for our banks, not a second distributor. He's shown that quite well. But Pierce Francis is. So if he's going to do that, then maybe they have that outlet and we'll see what happens. I just don't think that's enough.
01:18:34
Speaker
you know, so no, it's not that there's too much to overcome. And I think their heads are, are fucked to be perfectly honest. If this was, so we'll put it this way. I think the saints, if anything else are fucked because they're playing another prem team, which makes it another prem match. They're going to Sandy park. They know going to Sandy park. That's nothing new to them.
01:18:54
Speaker
It would be so much easier if they were going to like to lose because then you could be like, all right, all this premise shit we can put, we can literally put it away. It's gone. It's something else. It's someone new, someone you haven't seen in a while. It's like the, when you're done preseason, you finally get to hit someone new. It just changes. It changes your, your approach. Um,
01:19:17
Speaker
But for the Saints, they don't get that, so they're fucked. Yep, yeah, I think this is gonna be an exit or walk and exit or get to a semifinal. Let's go back to the first match of the weekend. In Dublin, Leinster against Saracens, Noah and Farrell, we know that. His suspension is gonna be definitely long enough to cover both of these coming weekends for Europe, which sucks, but c'est la vise as it is.
01:19:42
Speaker
I think I have enough confidence myself that the Saracens won't lose this match because of Manavunapola. But I don't think they're gonna win it because they don't have their own Pharaoh. And that's not saying that he's head and shoulders so much better that Lenser would get screwed. But there's a lot that the Saracens team doesn't have that they had in the final last year. And that's really what it comes down to.
01:20:11
Speaker
but they could still get it. I mean, they have such talent. I mean, it's not that hard to just give the ball to the Elliott daily and let him run like the beautiful. Run that outside. And then you have, you know, you have goody and you have the supporting cast you need. All you need to do is be the distributor. And I think he can do that. I think he can do that too. Can I give you another factor that you have not talked about yet? I don't think you were going to. Which one was that?
01:20:40
Speaker
Pascal goes down. Oh, I know. That's right. I saw the friggin ref. I was like, no, a fucking French ref. God damn it. This is how you ruin a game. But but but but but but but we know French referees help the underdog sometimes. True. That is true. They'll they'll they'll make it. They'll make they'll make a match. They will make this up. They'll find a way to make this match. They're good for TV ratings, that's for sure.
01:21:07
Speaker
They'll make this a match. All you need to do is come up with the points at the end. It's going to be a tight match.
01:21:18
Speaker
a one scorer, I think. Oh, still the defense is going to, it's going to be a good match. Yeah. Lancer haven't played this, haven't, haven't, haven't played this type of defense since their restart either. So that'll be a kind of a wake up call to them. Um, and the other thing that I think factors in a little bit for the guys that have to take the place of people that
01:21:39
Speaker
played in the final last year is a lot of these guys are gonna take these place went to Munster and managed to nick a point off a Really tough Munster team in shit weather That was a terrible weather match and they had a shot at either tying it or winning it at the end and oh only so so close from from doing it the likes of Lewington and Hunter Hill and man who gonna pull I believe all played in that match and
01:22:03
Speaker
and we're likely to see all three of them start or come into this game at some point. So that'll be very interesting.
01:22:13
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's going to, it's a well-drilled Saracen's team, Lenster or Lenster. They're definitely the favorites, but you know, this will be, this will be everything that's built to just the same, even without Ferrell. Right. So, and then we have, it's a good weekend. There's not as many. So wait, who are you picking? Oh, I'm taking Lenster. I'm not stupid.
01:22:35
Speaker
I'm taking the guys in blue that are home. So yeah, I'll follow you on that one. They don't have to get on a plane at the very least. Yeah. Yeah. Minimum. So, um, that's unfortunate. And you know, travel's rough right now too. That's the other thing. You know, if you're not traveling in country, it's a pain in the ass.
01:22:51
Speaker
True. So there's that. And then another big weekend, like I said, Super ABAU final, Brumby's and Reds. Can the Reds repeat what they did at Suncorp a couple of weeks ago? Or are we gonna, it's gonna be a good match because both matches weren't bad by any means. I think Reds caught the Brumby's kind of napping a little bit at Suncorp a couple of weeks ago because they didn't, like Brumby's had nothing
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
01:23:16
Speaker
to play for.
01:23:16
Speaker
They were just like, yeah, we're out here fucking around, who cares? And that was a really good match at the end, right down to that final kick. That was at President at GIO Stadium. So can James O'Connor get his storybook ending to the season? I think he can. I think that- I'm rooting for him, that's what I know, so. Yeah.
01:23:45
Speaker
I'm really rooting for the Reds here. They have such the young talent and it's been playing so well. I want to see them get a reward for what they've done beyond just the appearance in this match, which isn't a reward.
01:24:04
Speaker
It's not overlooked the fact that it's pretty damn awesome to play at this kind of level and for a trophy. I think they deserve it, so I wanna see them take it. Yeah, I am gonna pick the reds. I'll go with this one, because I don't have that much of a hard end to it, let's be real. But you know, it's still good. Cool, so we got that.
01:24:33
Speaker
All right. We almost, we almost had a you against me final and then me against George final. I thought that was fun. Yeah. George couldn't pick up the slack on the second half of his final this week.
01:24:47
Speaker
Dammit, George. Um, that would have been fun. But yeah, somebody out there, we got a couple, we got a couple of weeks to sort this out. Get a bet. Come up with a bet for Ben and I, because let's, um, let's put something down on this one. Get your brain cooking for, uh, for Ben and I, cause we got to make this one fun because you know, Ben and I play each other in too many fucking fancy sports and other ways. Anyway. So let's, let's make this one a fun one since it's a fancy rugby final here.
01:25:13
Speaker
Um, and then, um, so with the FRD finals going down, um, then I got to send out a couple of invites to our champions cup, um, league next year, um, to our champions league, league next year, because, um, um, there's already a champions cup of fantasy. So we can't, that doesn't make sense. And yeah, it doesn't, I don't want to confuse too many people out there, but maybe we'll come up with something way better than that. But anyway, we'll call it that for now, just so it's not too confusing. Um,
01:25:40
Speaker
So we'll send those out and we got a few more weeks to ride out that TRM. Grab your upgrades while you can. I will put out something for start set this weekend for those of you that are still competing in JB's Cup FRD. Other than that, I think this is gonna be a fun weekend. It's gonna be a good one. So until then, thanks a lot for coming by and hanging out with us. But we'll catch you guys next week after this big weekend. Have a good one. Later.