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Season 5- Episode 15- The Reaper Has Visited (Champions Cup Preview & Premiership Round 12)
27 Plays3 years ago
Oh hey, it's yet another fun filled episode of those American rugby dopes. On this ep, we dive right in to the biggest news of the week, of course the sackings in both Cardiff and London, where from here? We also discuss scrums and how we can improve things so they aren't the things slowing it down and dragging it out as often as some feel. As promised, we have a look at the first venture into Champions Cup this weekend as we welcome the clubs from down south into the mix, who wins, who has a decent path and who doesn't. The Prem calls us finally, we recap the action from Round 12 including the thriller down at Ashton gate. All this, so much more and a few laughs to boot. Grab something good to drink and join us won't you!?
Check out the TFRY Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyRugbyYanks
Ask us questions via Twitter: Jarrod- jdyke8man & Ben- admrablsnackbar, and #AskTFRY.
Send us your thoughts for the show and questions for upcoming shows via e-mail fantasyrugbypodcast@gmail.com. Of course we welcome feedback via e-mail, twitter or by rating/reviewing the pod on Apple Podcast.
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Transcript
Opening and Episode Overview
00:00:02
Speaker
It is The Fantasy Europeans. My name is Jared Dyke. I wanted to say it's stupid and let's move on, but then you kept going. I'm Ben Glauser. I don't like any way anybody gambled that. Collusion. Collusion.
00:00:27
Speaker
Hey everybody. Welcome back. It is the fancy rugby yanks. My name is Jared Dyke. I'm Ben. Let's go. We got plenty to cover despite the fact that there was only prem action, but, um, other things, a foot, other things, a little bit all over the place. So let's crack them while we got them. Yeah. We find us on your favorite podcast app, share, download, rate, review.
00:00:56
Speaker
Emphasize that first one, sharing. Sharing is caring. It is after all.
Rugby Coaches and Welsh Rugby Challenges
00:01:04
Speaker
It is after all. As always, even though he's inactive for a little bit, we do recommend that you buy the fancy rugby geek a coffee because he's earned, he's earned the break that he's on right now and he'll earn his paycheck when he gets back. I promise. Certainly. Yeah. He's been there for all of us. We can be there for him. Yeah.
00:01:26
Speaker
He's been there for us all. As, as always, there's no discrimination here on this podcast, nor should there be in life, in life or in sports. And it's, you know, it's a lot of, it's a lot of the saying that we've been talking about. Ben and I were just talking about it.
00:01:43
Speaker
I wish we had more, I wish we had something more specific to get into today, but we don't because it's just, it's a headache right now. And we do have a lot to cover, but you know, we just wanted to make sure that everybody remembers. Don't be a dick, please. Yes, please. Don't be, there's enough dickery out there. Don't add to it. There's enough dickery. Please don't, please don't do it.
00:02:05
Speaker
Grab our Patreon. Of course that's out there as always. Um, boom, bust is up. Finally got there. And thankfully it's not a huge concern for a couple of weeks. So, but next week's column should be very interesting. I will say that I probably won't do it the same format. I can guarantee you that way too many games, way too many games. That is a lot of writing. All right.
00:02:33
Speaker
Okay, so let's go to the news and what we're going to talk about. Obviously, the biggest piece of the week is the departure of two coaches. We'll start on Wales replacing Pevac with Warren Gatlin because that's the more definitive of the things that we know in terms of who's replacing who. And it was, and it's for both coaches, it's just sometimes
00:02:59
Speaker
you wear out earlier than you expected. In some cases, you know. I think Peaback has been hamstrung pretty hard by the reunion in general. I think the 60 capital is kind of silly. I don't know. Bigger was talking about it too. He's like, yeah, we need to get rid of that. It's dumb. Right. It is. And like, you can't
00:03:25
Speaker
Yeah, like kind of all these players that have come back to Wales because you've asked them to come back and then don't get a sniff between that and the whole like. It creates friction when you don't have to get there, you know, you want them supporting and it's yes, it would be if we make you an offer that's comparable to what you can get, then
00:03:52
Speaker
We would like to have you that would be like, you know, there, there might be some, you know, they can probably twist an arm that way. Once, if they got rid of the cap anyway, like, look, that's fine. We don't have the capital, but you're not good enough to make it unless you come play with us or something like that. Right.
00:04:09
Speaker
But we'll pay you what you're worth. That would be one thing, I guess. I don't know. Either way, Pevac, I think, had to go. I think he'd lost everybody's confidence. I think it's a different situation than with Eddie. It's that he didn't bring anything to the table. You can't do worse, and you can't go into a world... That's actually kind of the difference is that
00:04:36
Speaker
You need, you can't go to a World Cup with him as your coach and have any real respect for yourselves. Right. Certainly can't have the same ambitions as you had in Japan when they got to the semi. Right.
00:04:50
Speaker
And that's, that's a, that is a lot to live up to in a lot of ways. It is, but it's not as though the talent is not there. No, I agree. So it's like, okay, with the talent is still there. That's a lot of the same guys and they're not like past their prime guys. Maybe, maybe bigger is kind of in that, that range, but that's more of a, he gets hurt a lot and has to come out. Like, I don't know if he can really count on him for, for a, for a world cup. So it's like,
00:05:20
Speaker
Right. And it's rather than that, like the wings are the same. You know, like a lot of the centers are the same. Like there's not, there's not that much difference. So what, why are they performing so much worse? And you know, I don't know. It's.
00:05:35
Speaker
It might be a little bit of a leaning on some of the old dogs a little too long, you know, or expecting too much. And we talked about like the back row last week, a little bit. You know, they have a lot of young back rowers and they're still wheeling out Tipperick, which is kind of a, you know, eyebrow razor. And they tried the, I don't remember if it was maybe, it might have been both the six nations or the
00:05:59
Speaker
automations doesn't matter. They did try the lock at six, which they don't really have a lock that can play six. So it's like, why? Why'd you do that? Just to do it? Like, no. Right. I understand. Sometimes that's a
00:06:14
Speaker
Well, we got to get better at the lineup. Well, then get better lineup moves. It's not always the answer, but at the same time, if you don't, if that answer doesn't exist in that form of putting another second row on the field, because they can play back row, which none of them could, that's a problem as well. So just kind of one of those other silly ideas that don't always come off. And correct me if I'm wrong, but Tipperick's pretty tall, isn't he?
00:06:40
Speaker
He's not short. Can't they just like throw him up it, you know, like have him. I don't know. These, these teams that don't have like after seeing Ben Hart against Yensa von Rensberg, I don't give me, oh, we only have two lifters. It's such bullshit. These, these excuses, I, they're so fucking poor. But if you don't have the flanker that can jump, what the fuck? Like no flanker that, you know, maybe not an eight man, some eight men are pretty hefty.
00:07:08
Speaker
Yeah, Billy comes to those flankers are still pretty lanky and, and, and, uh, and light. They're so easy to throw up there. Um, yeah. Agreed. So I, yeah, I don't, I don't get that, but right in there and the nine's have been a problem. Um, yes. You know, it's, it's.
00:07:31
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, they're having a hard time. I don't know if they have anybody. John, the name Mike Phillips rings a bell in my head, which is obviously way back when doing P.L. I don't know. I don't think so. Anyway, not the point. Point being is Thomas Williams is like he's serviceable.
00:07:51
Speaker
He has his moments, but he hasn't become that. We saw flashes every so often, but there hasn't been consistency there at all. So it's like, where's the development? That's got to come from somewhere. The players don't just get better on their own. And so if there's not progression of some of the young players, then it can't just be on them when it's across the board.
00:08:20
Speaker
And that's the point. You gotta get somebody who will develop the plays a little bit better. And the only thing that's fucked up about the pivot thing is that it screws over basically the budget. I don't know about the amateur so much, but I think the pro clubs get a little shafted in all this.
00:08:39
Speaker
Yep. Agreed.
Coaching Changes in Rugby and Their Impact
00:08:41
Speaker
That's fucked up. That's the only reason why I don't like it. Because people are really getting fucked up by it. That was the conversation before, you know? Didn't Gats take it like a pretty cheap... He took a huge pay cut. He took less than a million, I think, per year. So I think he's done them a solid though.
00:09:03
Speaker
Right. No, so they won't get totally screwed. No, that's good. And, you know, it sounds like he's going to maybe try and come back long-term. There was some speculation on Twitter that I couldn't confirm while I was on Twitter. I feel like he grew as a coach by having to coach in
00:09:23
Speaker
in New Zealand too. Again, I think. Yeah. He really adapted his game to that. And I think he's going to bring it back. And I think he can work that kind of style with the guys he's got. So yeah, I hope he brings a little bit. Right. Warren ball again. Right. I don't think we need that again. No, no. And then there's. To your favorite. Mr. Jones. You can't go to this world. Like if you.
00:09:54
Speaker
are, you know, you're going to tell me you're going to go into this World Cup.
00:10:01
Speaker
with Johnny May and Jack Noel as your wings. And literally at this point, like you can say you can't fire Eddie, you know, that it's wrong to fire Eddie. You cannot, after this tournament, you cannot go into, there's nobody to blood. You know, Malins has had his time. He should have been playing. Freeman should have played more. Like, yeah, let him make their mistakes. Get them out now. It doesn't fucking matter. That's what I don't get. The whole thing I don't get.
00:10:28
Speaker
And like, but you, you can't be telling me that, you know, it's like a team that is going in a power five conference in college football, going into without a quarterback. And you're saying like, it's, it's, it's almost as, as, and saying like, no, no, no, we're going to, we're really favored to win a national champion. No, no, you're not. You're not winning. You're not winning shit. No, you're not winning with these wings. Every time you play like.
00:10:50
Speaker
You know, we talked about at the time, who did South Africa target? Who did New Zealand target? New Zealand targeted both of them, but then they found that Noel was really easy to pick on, so they just kept picking on him. Totally. It's out there. The idea that Eddie's hiding something, no, he's exposing everything. That's all. Yeah, I definitely don't buy that whole thing. Yeah.
00:11:15
Speaker
Because all things being equal, Eddie's hiding something, so is everyone else. So is everyone else. So that argument is out the window. And if you're hiding something, why wouldn't you hide it within the greater scheme of an attacking system? Why wouldn't you say, you know what? Look, go play some loose rugby. But at these times, I want you to try this within what you're doing just to test it. But then we're going to back away from it. So you throw it in there.
00:11:42
Speaker
kick the ball, you know, do high balls and box kicks and never really attack. You never open up the attack. That doesn't, it's not that that tells anybody anything. Nobody gains from that.
00:11:53
Speaker
Like not even you. No, I'm not. Your player wasted an opportunity. Like who's coming away from that, from those experiences, thinking like, wow, I'm a better rugby player. I got to chase down a bunch of high balls. Like, no, no, no, it doesn't, it doesn't help anything. It doesn't teach you anything. Think about Holly Lawrence a couple of years ago in the six nations, one cap and then got dropped because, you know, deemed ineffective, even though I think he had, he was doing all day was chasing kicks.
00:12:21
Speaker
Right. Yeah. He got one carry and then came off. He got one carry in the first like 50 minutes, came off right after the carry. Right. And it's like, what did you expect him to do? You never, you never presented him the ball. So what do you expect him to do? That's his thing. Why did you even call him out? Yeah. And now what they got to lagi who also looked equally inept and invisible. Yeah, I'm, I'm kind of over him.
00:12:48
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, the thing is, they may get their new spark fired up his ass with the new coach. But yeah, maybe, but I think he's just like, sometimes players just don't have it anymore. Like that. That's the passage of time. It's cruel. Socks agree, but it happens to everybody. And so you can't it's just like, you know, the same, you know, when we started this podcast, so many years ago,
00:13:15
Speaker
Would I be saying the same things about Johnny May and Jack Noel? Actually, I'm pretty sure I was saying the exact opposite of these things. These are the guys that I loved watching. But that was what, five years ago? Six years ago? Yeah. Something like that? Yeah, it was five years ago and a world capital and all that shit. It happens. They're not as good as they were. And they're not at international quality.
00:13:42
Speaker
The thing about rugby that I've noticed anyway, as you go up the food chain, is that there's fewer and fewer hiding places, right? You play D3 and you can probably have four good players and still win a pretty good amount of games and then really be surrounded by 11, thumb up their ass, like no athletics, has some kind of guys, you'd still do all right.
00:14:05
Speaker
Like you go to D2 and it's like, no, no, no, it's kind of flipped. You need, if you can maybe hide four people, but then it gets, you know, and then you weed people out, weed people out, weed people out. That's what that, that's the filter that goes up professionalism. It is. Get to that. And Johnny May getting fucking torched by Freeman this weekend is like, that's all you got. He can't win. He can't, if he can't win, like if you're an international wing, you win for races. You don't get blown away by them.
00:14:36
Speaker
Like, you know, they're they're they're busy. I think we had that conversation like they're busy, but they're not effective when they're busy. Oh, look, look at Jack. No, we're hitting that rock. What the fuck is he doing in there? Nothing. He's like a flea on a fucking elephant. He's not doing anything. No.
00:14:52
Speaker
Yeah, and then like, you know, every time he goes into contact to try to make a tackle, he gets like bowled over. It's like, oh, look, he stuck his neck, you know, stuck his head in there. It's like, yeah, he's a fucking, he was ineffective. He got trampled. He got left in the dust 10 meters behind. That's how he gets hurt all the time. And then he gets hurt.
00:15:09
Speaker
It's like, so he's so great. Look at him being there. Okay. I'd rather have an Ollie Hessel Collins who might, you know, hide behind a mall and misses his defense. But then he burns somebody and makes up for it with a driver's own. Like, that's rugby. You know, you got to take the good advantage. You can't teach speed. Exactly. Exactly.
00:15:29
Speaker
And then also it hurts because what does the defense have to do? If I know that that wing is not going anywhere, if I know there's one wing that's not going anywhere, I'll give them all the space in the world. Great. Let them have their line break. They'll get an extra 10 meters that the other wing wouldn't have made if we had to put a good man out on him. But now that clogs up the middle of the defense and gives you nothing and it helps kick Chase.
00:15:56
Speaker
So like you're really fucking yourself over. You're giving yourself nothing. You're putting like the thing that you want to do, you can't do.
00:16:05
Speaker
No, because you have the wrong person in there. And Eddie's not going to change that. So he's got to go. No. And that's not the only thing. Johnny Hill, what the fuck is he doing in there anymore? Shithouse re-extraordinaire. So it's like, yes, I saw somebody say like, you know, the players love him and they said, yeah, the turkeys don't wouldn't vote for Thanksgiving. It's like, yeah, the bad players aren't going to say, oh, I don't I don't like Eddie either, because no, they love him because nobody else would fucking pick them. No. And, you know, it's.
00:16:35
Speaker
as much as we've heard, it's always it's been very one side to the other with Eddie in terms of, you know, he's brilliant. He's an idiot. He's Yeah. You know, he's an asshole. He's a great guy. Like, it's, and it's always and to say that. Yeah, I mean, there's there has to come a point where it's like, well, and I mean, talk about people that
00:17:01
Speaker
don't wanna work with a certain individual. The list is long for Jones. That's just how it is. It's not been good stuff. He's just worn it out a little bit. And everybody's talking about all the...
00:17:19
Speaker
Oh, it's credentials. Credentials are great. They don't they don't earn you what's coming forward, though. You know, there's no denying credentials get you the job. You put the job you do is that whether you keep, you know, sides, whether you keep it. Right. And I think he's honestly, I just think he's slightly getting into that old man where he doesn't want change. And maybe that goes away after a year or even the game. We'll see what happens. Fucking hell. Please don't pay for him. USA. So much. Or he's
00:17:50
Speaker
it's possible his ego got the bell, because now like, it's kind of the Belichick thing where they kind of started to put themselves above the team. Like, no, what I want is the you know, I want it's like, well, that what do you have versus what do you you know, I get what you want. But
00:18:08
Speaker
Is that what's best for the team? And that's the thing. Coach, you got to step out of it. You have access to the best players in the world. They win just by being them. If you lose a match, it's because you fucking coach them wrong. That's how this works. Almost any other country would drool, except for the top tier teams. Yeah, right now, you're Ireland, you're France, New Zealand. But those are the only teams in the world
00:18:39
Speaker
that would wouldn't be drooling for the talent, the base of talent that you have. Mm hmm. And like so. Oh, he's got 90 percent win rate in the world. OK, well, he's got great teams. I mean, yeah, any other thing, Japan, blah, blah, blah, but like. Yeah, he was only there for four years, though. I remember that. Yeah. Didn't overstay his welcome there. Exactly. So it's like you're supposed to win if the England should be winning 90 percent of the World Cup games at a minimum because they're that good.
00:19:07
Speaker
Cause they're better than 90% of the teams out there. Like that should be how it works. Right. And you, you really want, you just have to look at it. It's all the way back to not even the last six nations, but even six nations beforehand, you had a bad six nations. Then you had the summer where you were, you're, I mean, let's be real. They were probably less than impressive against the U S they were good against Canada. Um,
00:19:36
Speaker
Then you had the fall where, yeah, they played some good rugby, but at the same time, they didn't play great teams. They played Tonga who, well, they were gonna have no shot. So the fall was okay. I think everybody would agree with that. Then you come back to a really bad Six Nations again, and then you have this pass autumn where it's like, well, you're fucked, dude. And because he refused to really,
00:20:03
Speaker
push the envelope on certain things, you know, in certain, you know, selections and evolve the game a little bit. And I get it. You have a certain style. At this point,
00:20:15
Speaker
it's not a question of what the hell was his style because nobody knew. Nobody knew. And that's honestly probably the worst part of it. Because here's the thing, how many people really realistically have confidence that Eddie was holding something back and that they would magically change everything about the way they play going into the World Cup? Because they're probably not going to do it with Six Nations.
00:20:43
Speaker
So what is he holding back? And you have to inspire confidence that there is something. And Eddie never did that. Eddie never really gave anybody, except for the people who wanted it, because they like him. And I don't look, I get it. If you like him. I liked him, too, until he's just been a total last lately. And it kind of, you know, that sours me. And then it kind of that translates into the way they're playing. It's not I don't see any reason to give him excuses.
00:21:15
Speaker
No. And they were the benefit of the doubt because he's he's not that kind of guy. He doesn't give other people the benefit of the doubt. So why should I give him it? Yeah. I mean, you can't you really have a hard time saying that truly if he's a type of player that will pull someone at half or before half if they have one poor performance. Right. Like what he just did. So it's like it's ruthless. It really is. It's like you want to be ruthless. OK, then this is ruthless. You're going to have your end. So yeah. And you're going to get that in return. And yeah, that is a fact.
00:21:44
Speaker
You know, there's only really, if you think about the players that those type of those players that got pulled early in games that of their first tests, the only one that was able to fight back to the spot was a segue. That's one of probably eight. I think I've got the hook like that, give or take. That's a lot really is now. And it's been.
00:22:10
Speaker
Yeah, you're just you're leaning on and I think I said this to you the other day and it seems and maybe my interpretation of this is wrong, but it seems like he's very hellbent on trying to go to the World Cup with almost as many of the same starters as he did in the final in 2019. Now, obviously some are very, very different and that's very obvious, but you have to also compare
00:22:36
Speaker
And I think the closest comparison you can give is the 11 and the 15 All Blacks. There were a lot of changes between the final 23 of the 2011 final and the 2015 final. And that's even if you include the fact that Dan Carter probably would be playing in the 2011 final. And even if you don't, there's still
00:23:00
Speaker
not there's still a lot of changeover. Yes, they kept some core guys. And that is very smart. But I feel like he's got too many of these quote unquote, core guys. And that's a problem. It is, you know, we know, we know the ones that need to go, we know the ones that need to, you know,
00:23:15
Speaker
get bent and go home like Ben Young's. We know he's no good. Honestly, you have to question Owen Farrell. Yeah, I do. Obviously, May, we talked about it, and some of the guys that are coming off the bench aren't that much different. So it's like, eh, well, maybe that wasn't your best. Right. Is Luke Cowan Dickey the best?
00:23:40
Speaker
There was a time, and again, it maybe corresponds to when Exeter was in the time when Exeter was good too, but like, there was a time when he was the best, one of the best hookers in the prem. He's really not that anymore. Like, no. They have the same issue that the All Blacks have. They've blooded very few new hookers. Right. Very few.
00:24:01
Speaker
I'm glad single is going to run this past this past fall until you get hurt, you know, right? So that did him more than good than it did anything else. He's going to be a few months, which sucks. Yeah, it sucks. But like, yeah, you have.
00:24:13
Speaker
You know, they got Tom done one gap and then he was forgotten, you know, right? McGuigan would be another one to throw in there. Blahmeyer, same thing, you know, he's got a few, but they didn't use them. They stuck with Jenks, they stuck with LCD. You know, if you want to stick with one of those, I am totally total in agreement, but you need to cycle in some more guys, other ones.
00:24:33
Speaker
Cause you do really need, does LCD and Jinx, do they need to play especially Jinx? We've seen it. He doesn't need to play international rugby consistently. He can turn it on and off. He knows that it's just the same shit that he does. Like he just plays rugby. Yeah. He's really good at it. Yeah. A couple, every window. Yeah. One to two, every window will do good. He'll be like, all right, I'm good. I feel good again. Let's go. Yeah. And obviously that's the fear of light. There's also the fear for a player like that. Like, you know,
00:25:03
Speaker
Maybe will mire becomes the next big thing and he gets relegated to the bench. Well earn your fucking spot back. Yeah, exactly. That's what i'd say too, you know, right Because he's available. It's like but you can say, you know what? I want to see what this guy's got I want to make sure he's ready that so that when we go to the world cup, you know Again, you know, you're not stuck on two options that are met aren't that yeah, right, right so there's no there's no building anything it's if he undercutting the the future of
00:25:30
Speaker
the program and for what? But, you know, I saw somebody had his stats up as far as the wins and losses and for each of his years and that the corresponding year, like in the World Cup cycle, Eddie was worse. I think each time, maybe the first year, maybe the first year after the last World Cup, I think he was better this time than he was last time. Right. I think they went on a revenge. I think they went on a rampage. Yeah, and they did.
00:25:57
Speaker
And then the next years have been significantly worse than they were in the two years leading up, you know, let the last cycle. So it's like, no, he's regressing. He's clearly regressing. And he's you can't you can't go to the World Cup with him. It's too much. It's it's like so that was a. They had like the only thing I know you're not supposed to fire your coach going into the World Cup cycle or the World Cup year, but
00:26:26
Speaker
The only thing worse than doing that would have been to go to the World Cup with Eddie as your coach. They can't. They can't. There's no confidence in him. For me, it's just they waited too goddamn long to pull this trigger. They did. They really did. It should have been done.
00:26:48
Speaker
you know, eons ago, it should have been done frickin last after the Six Nations this year should have been the time to do it at the absolute latest because you had two more windows than you do now to get whatever international coach who we're going to go with in and, you know, get him into his getting him comfy and get him going. Now you've got six nations and one and that is it. Right. Yeah. That you're asking a lot.
00:27:18
Speaker
You really are.
00:27:19
Speaker
You know, maybe it works at the same time. But it's a free hit, though. That's the best part. Like you also gain the what is it like? You know how in wrestling when the guy's getting his and like, you know, the guy's getting his ass kicked and then he like appeals to the crowd. The crowd like makes him stronger and he's like, all right, now we're in a fucking rec shop. Like I know it's yes, I know it's fake, but the whole that's like the same thing. It's like the getting that recharge, you know, that there are the invincibility when a guy gets tagged into a tag team match.
00:27:48
Speaker
It just goes nuts. There is a momentum shift to it. And I think that's a good thing. And it may be the fact that it's late. It's almost, because now there's no pressure. It's like, all right, fucking, let's just go play rugby. Just go play rugby. And you know what? They could win that way. So it's like, they could win it. They're just like, hey, we're going to take some talented people and go play a rugby match and see how it works out.
00:28:18
Speaker
No other than genius master plan. It's, I mean, it can't be a master plan. It's going to be very simplified. I think that's an understatement.
00:28:26
Speaker
So we'll see, we'll see what the, you know. Yeah. And you can do worse than saying, okay, Marcus Smith, you operate that Harlequin's attack at such a fucking high level. Let's just use that. And like, as far as the back line plays and shit like that, and just go, just run this team. Because that's what you know. It's like taking your young quarterback and being like, go, just do what you can do best. And, you know, you call the plays, just run.
00:28:54
Speaker
Because they're not that stupid. You might make an mistake here or there, but they'll learn. Yeah, better than whatever we're not doing. Whatever's not happening now. Yeah, in fact. Okay, so we went down.
00:29:15
Speaker
There's a certain alley that we're going to go down here and it could be
Rugby Laws and Game Management
00:29:18
Speaker
dark. So just everybody, you know, skip over if you don't like going down dark alleys. The, the laws about scrums and scrum penalties and, you know, whether there should be full arm penalties or there should be free kicks and all this stuff and the air and it's down, it boils down to the same thing that everybody bitches about. Oh, this is taking too long. And
00:29:44
Speaker
to me, there's always the balance of like, I appreciate somebody like Wayne Barnes, who will kick everybody in the ass and say, let's go, let's go, right? Get set. And listen, I know when I'm taking my sweet ass time, when I'm setting up for a program as a prop. And when I'm like, all right, I'm ready to roll. Let's, let's, let's do the worst thing a prop can hear from a ref is hurry it up or I'm penalizing you. Yeah.
00:30:10
Speaker
Or, you know, or whatever, you know, whichever, however mad they are. Yeah, whatever it is. Then it's like, oh, shit, now I got to go. Now I got to really I don't have the chance to set up the way I want to. Like, you know why I would waste a scrum to work the clock? You know why I would or, you know, whether it's the end of the time or, you know, or on a yellow. It's because the referee lets me.
00:30:33
Speaker
Right. And there's no, right now, yes. Should they do something to be like, okay, look, you know, blow the whistle, like, and then the, we'll, we'll start the whistle when the ball is in, not, not almost on the engage, but when the ball is put in, I'm fine with that. Cause it, the, also the buildup of the scrum builds the tension. It's fuck it is great. There, there, there is nothing like it there. It's like you're, you know, especially when it's late in the match and it really matters.
00:31:02
Speaker
And I think going on that point of wasting a scrum too, when the clock is near red, if your only threat is a free kick, as opposed to a penalty, you are way more inclined to go ahead and waste maybe two scrums, maybe three. So you don't want to talk about eating into the clock.
00:31:45
Speaker
if I know there could be a reward on the other side. And I agree with your point about don't just fucking leave it at the base of the scrum. Get the referees to start yelling at players to use it. You know, if it's back at the number eight's feet, it needs to be unused almost automatically. And that'll get them to stop trying to milk those stupid penalties. I hate when my team does it too. Right. I do not like when Saracens do it. I mean, I enjoy the penalty, but I don't like I think they just did it with this pet or when they did it to the Exeter. Yeah, Exeter.
00:31:48
Speaker
Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me. Don't let me.
00:32:15
Speaker
Um.
00:32:16
Speaker
Fuck, yeah, but like, that's whatever. Yeah, they shouldn't, but they do it because it's allowed. And if you take that away from them, and the other thing about the free kick is, so, okay, here's my thing. If you were awarded a free kick against the head, right? I feel like if the possession changes, then you can call for a scrum, okay, because it's now your opportunity. But if you get a free kick and it's your put in,
00:32:46
Speaker
It's a free kick. Like, no, you don't get a scrum option. It's a free kick. Go. Put it back in place. Here's the thing. You're the attacking team. You already have a play set. You already have something you want to do. Go fucking do it. You scrum is already set. Like everything, all the conditions that make a scrum a scrum, like the scrummy advantage for the attacking team are there. Right. So that if that will get the teams to just use it and yeah, like get, you know, get it to the eight men. If you have to tap, pass it out to the tech, like, and they run with their thing, whatever they're going to do, do it. Because again,
00:33:14
Speaker
The defense still has to be 10 meters away. They're coming from about the same depth. Tap and go and do your thing. And if it gets teams doing that, then I'm extremely all for it because I think it would in the long run. Because the teams don't want to just sit there and then, okay, well, now we have to do a high ball. Fuck that. Nobody wants to do that. Nobody really wants to do that.
00:33:37
Speaker
So eventually, okay, we know if anything happens right here, it's going to be a free kick to us. This is what we should do because this is, you know, the coaches will start putting that in. And that's what I think would be the best thing. When you change, if it changes possession, then they get at the scrump choice. Otherwise, fucking play it. If it's a free kick. Yeah, just go. Yeah, there are ways to do it without necessarily taking away the full arm penalty, because at the same time, the reason that they awarded us full arm penalty is because
00:34:07
Speaker
certain actions in a scrum are dangerous. Right. And need to be penalized. And exactly what they are. And oh, I mean, this wouldn't change the penalties. It was just that, you know, any little referee doesn't like what you're doing. Like, it's not a penalty, you know, if it's if it's like the separate case, like, you know, the early bind or the early engage like that early shove, like don't do a full arm or don't do a full arm, do a short arm and they can use it. That's that's the get.
00:34:36
Speaker
Right. Yeah. And it's just, you want to, you want to discourage buying, trying to buy stuff. You want to try and discourage trying to waste this crime. You want to discourage all these things, you know, it's, and there is a safety element, but at the same time, like,
00:34:52
Speaker
Like these players know what they're doing and they are very fully aware of how much time wasting they're working right now. And that goes to my question, do the referees know what they're doing? Because I don't think the referees know. As I said many eons ago, show me a referee that knows what the fuck they're doing in the scrum. Right. Because that's the other thing is, don't they? I mean, there should be some understanding of like,
00:35:16
Speaker
here's, you know, they know the tactics. If we know the tactics, they should know the tactics too. Yes. They're like, you should go into it knowing that this team is going to try to waste time. If you don't want them to waste time, tell them I won't tolerate it. I will free kick again. I'll, you know, revert whatever I have to do to shut you down from wasting my time. He's within his rights to do that. That's how you solve it. Like, that's, that's it right there. Stop fucking around.
00:35:41
Speaker
the laws are there and force them and then maybe change a little bit about what, you know, and that's usually what it, and for a lot of things, that's what it comes down to. A lot of these, you know, nuances that we're talking about, so on and so forth. It is often down to the laws are there, referee them correctly and enforce them and stop letting teens fuck around and you will have a better product. Right. That's all more rugby to do that. So they did that with the high tackle. They started actually enforcing the laws. Yes.
00:36:08
Speaker
And then enforcing bans and like, yeah, like maybe making the consequences harsh, which is excellent, but they started enforcing the laws as written like. It's a wonderful thing. You know, it's right. It's a wild idea. Yeah, the referees really need to know better and just not, you know, they're good about it when it's like a mall, when it's all these other situations. But for some reason in the scrum, they don't get like, oh, that
00:36:34
Speaker
That prop was actually quite comfortable and stood up or, Oh, he just, he, yes, he split, slid out from under him. Amazingly, right before I said set, I had no idea that was going to happen. You know, we fucking, you know, I was stable. It's a dry day. It's 70 and sunny out like, right? I didn't slip because I, because it's wet. I slipped because I felt like slipping. Right. Because I felt like collapsing down on my knee or whatever it was. Right.
00:37:04
Speaker
All right.
Champions Cup and Team Analysis
00:37:08
Speaker
Let's roll into a quick Champions Cup preview and then we'll get into the prem action and we'll say goodbye for this one. Let's start with. Let's start with a few teams that we need to obviously familiarize ourself with again, and that would be the likes of the Sharks and the Bulls and the Stormers. I have no clue what's going on there. Yeah, I have no fucking clue.
00:37:35
Speaker
I mean, I'm gonna have to learn. Honestly, the first thing I just want to say, and so we can get this out of the way, we have to stop calling it a European competition if we're going to include them. I don't care if we include them. What I'm telling you is this is no longer a European competition because last time I checked,
00:37:52
Speaker
But no, Europe did not include South Africa. Right. I think Marlar had a point there. Yeah. That's what I was saying. Thank you, Joe. You spent that whole interview trying to be an asshole, which I appreciate. But he was actually most of the time he had a point. He crossed the line a little bit. But yeah, no, that was it. You did have a point. Oh, it's Europe. Where are we going again?
00:38:19
Speaker
Oh, yeah, that's not far like that. Yeah, he's got a point. It's bullshit. It's a yeah, it's a lot to do for travel. No doubt. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And these guys, they're away from their families as like a lot as it is, which.
00:38:35
Speaker
You know, everybody is, but it's different, you know, they, they even more so. Yeah, very much so here. And that's, that goes for both teams on both ends too. Yeah. You know, right. Yeah. I'm looking at the, the schedules and I'm like, holy shit. Like the South Africa teams are going to have to fly up, fly back, fly up, fly back. And it's like all of them, I think have to, yeah, they all have to get to travel twice. That's a lot. And they don't, I don't.
00:39:04
Speaker
I don't know that they really have, I don't think that's good for them. No, I think they're going to be pretty annoyed with that whole thing. Yeah. No doubt. But we had, so defending champions in the RC is one of the South African teams. I'm just struggling to remember which one it is. Cause I know the final was between two of them. Hold on. So I don't put my foot completely in my mouth. Um,
00:39:39
Speaker
Do, do, do, do. And. OK, so that's interesting. It's the official listing of where the URC is located, Scotland. That's funny. I don't know about that one. I don't know about that one. But OK, have fun with that one. Yeah, what was it? Do, do, do.
00:40:08
Speaker
Who's hiding? The lenses are on top right now. That doesn't shock anybody. Right. Oh, you're looking for the table?
00:40:14
Speaker
No, for last year. Last year. There we go. Last year. I got it. I got it. Stormers. There we go. I knew it was one of them. I had the Bulls in my head for a reason. They were runner up. Yeah. I remember it being an all South Africa final. Yeah. So Stormers and Bulls. And they're both in this comp, obviously. I think those are probably the two likeliest teams to do damage because from what I understand, Kelsey Sharks have a hard time attacking. Yes. And that's just from the numbers I'm seeing and from the stuff I read on the
00:40:44
Speaker
on the twitter sphere so maybe more more expected of the bulls and the stormers than of the of the sharks maybe i'm wrong um very very well could be wrong on that one possibly but i mean yeah that point differential doesn't look good for the especially because so the sharks are giving up a lot of points per game too they haven't played many matches but they haven't scored much and they haven't they've given up a lot they're giving up almost 30 per match
00:41:11
Speaker
Yikes. That's going to be bad. That's a lot. Yeah. That is a lot. No, it doesn't. And, you know, Stormers have the likes of Lebok and Hershey and she's as their, as their nine 10, which is exciting in that. Yeah. Um, Dylan says also there. So that's got a lot of potential in terms of that one sonatas in that team. So I, I like what I see there. Um, Ella potterly was actually employed there as well.
00:41:40
Speaker
Yeah, so very interesting. On the Bulls, though, we, thankfully, thankfully, we got some good news on spoon and the cozy like sheesh. Oh, yeah, it was all scare there. Crazy. Yeah, that's I mean, Washington, it's just the unbelievable story.
00:41:59
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, I'm glad he's okay. That, but yes, we were all kind of holding our breath. Yeah. Um, didn't expect good news because of the length of time, but right. Yeah. As you point, as it was pointed out, it's a long fucking time, but yeah. Yeah. Bulls. I like it a lot.
00:42:15
Speaker
car Lee aren't currently aren't says in there. Um, Kyle Brink is down there. You know, that's, there's some good stuff there, man. Joe Houston, Cornell Hendricks. Yeah. Uh, I think best items on a boy down there. I don't know if he's healthy, but that's true. Still good. Right. It's the same. Uh, Oh, Kyle Brinks there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Found him. Found him.
00:42:40
Speaker
Wow, I haven't seen the name I haven't heard from. Right. Hopefully, hopefully because he's healthy enough that he'll eventually make an appearance in here as well. Right. Lionel Mapo, that's another one. I know there's one more name that I was kind of excited to see again. Yeah. So currently, if I had mentioned currently, but I did. OK, I was like, I just make it sure because we got it. No, I would not skip over that guy right away. OK, be a crime in itself.
00:43:07
Speaker
It'll be, so yeah, if I'm going to put money on my South Africa team, making damage, mine, mine's going to the balls right now. But otherwise. I think, and let me look at it. I can, cause I have, no, the bulls have a decent and they have a decent route. They're going to, it's going to be interesting for them. Cause they're going to play Leon who, um,
00:43:29
Speaker
Hold on, I have it here. They're doing OK, but they're also giving up like they've given up 300 points in 12 matches. OK, so they're giving up a significant amount. They're only scored two nine. So they're like kind of, yeah, they're six in the top 14. Right. And then they play Exeter.
00:43:52
Speaker
which they should crush Exeter. Are they, are they in Devin this first time or the first time is in Devin. Sandy butt crack. Okay. Interesting. So we'll see. But that's, that's sweet too. Um, yeah. See if that goes, I suppose. Right. But otherwise we've got,
00:44:16
Speaker
We got some people that are, are really trying to get back to it or get into it or whatever. You know, we know. Rossing are probably going to have themselves a crack. Lancer came up one short last year. Quinn's will have themselves another crack series are back. So they're going to obviously get it and give it to the old Joe, um, to lose. Once again, we're obviously going to be a team to not be fucked around and be fucking around Munster. Same thing. Uh, right. And then there's, there's other teams that could come out of nowhere as well. And to lose play Munster.
00:44:47
Speaker
So that's like this is good. That's like to lose. Have a tough draw. Monster and sale. That's tough defense. I mean, if they can crack those two, then right. I'd put them in. I'd put them in the semifinal right away almost. Yeah, that's just that that fucks. So many of them, though. So that's going to be interesting there. I think that opens the door for like a model who, you know, have a pretty incredibly easier draw to bottom of the table.
00:45:17
Speaker
Montpelier playing London Irish and ospreys. Yeah, it's almost team. Yeah, I will say with with the inclusion of the South Africa teams it gets rid of.
00:45:32
Speaker
probably some of the teams that didn't need to be here, like all, like most of the Welsh regions that end up making this. Sorry. Well, Wales fans. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Not sorry. Um, same with bolt, like both Scotland teams don't need to be here necessarily. They do need to earn it. So send your best. So if they're the, if they've earned it, then the both of them have, then great. Send them, you know, but I think we have, I think we have Edinburgh and that's, that's enough. Honestly, it is. It is.
00:46:02
Speaker
Um, what do you shot in the dark prediction? What's the final and who wins? Shot in the dark. I think it's going to be saris and Montpellier. That's a fricking, that's a shout. And I think, uh, I think saris take it not to be a Homer. There'll be Homer.
00:46:29
Speaker
They'll be they'll be really, really back with an axe to grind. There's no doubt about that. Mm hmm. That's the other thing is. And so I feel like. Leinster. Leinster has a rough draw, a rough straw. They have to go like Lester and Leinster and Rossing are going to go. Fucking like. Head to head charging bulls like. Yeah, that's going to be fucking battles.
00:46:59
Speaker
And that kind of, that's the main competition. I feel like cause Quinn and Quinn's play Ross, like everybody else in that, in that pool has a much tougher draw. Comparatively Saracen's, I might have the easiest draw in, in, in the competition. And that means they, they, they're going to be home. So that helps. Yeah. Those home quarters and round to 16 games are huge, although it's home and away at 16, but it is right.
00:47:29
Speaker
But then that's that's still going to be against like I don't know who's I can't imagine that would be against hopefully it's not the Bulls. Yeah, hopefully not. But yeah. Yeah, I mean, it'll be whoever comes in eight, you know, seven, six, seven, eight across the across the way likely. Right. So yeah, I think we're looking at a
00:47:55
Speaker
not a great team, like we're looking at a Bordeaux or maybe, you know, maybe Celsi. Maybe. Maybe. Okay. And then Montpellier just, or again, actually Montpellier has very easy draw as well. So I think that's why they're going to... And for them, it's a matter of do they take the competition seriously? Like we saw them kind of not, and then they rocked up for the Quinn's round of 16 game.
00:48:24
Speaker
Right. And then so maybe it's like, oh, wait, we can do well in this. Let's actually. So maybe that sparks something. Hopefully it does. Because it's there for those. Yeah. Yeah. I see. I see Cass is the same type of team to just be like, yeah, we don't want to be here. Oh, yeah. And they're not they don't they have a shitty draw because it's Exeter and Edinburgh. And so they're not great teams. But unfun, just it's just not it's like they just want to
00:48:51
Speaker
They're just like, Oh, they'll start playing get extra and be like, Oh, fuck this. We're good. Can we opt out here? Can we just run? We're going to just batter you. Oh, fuck. We'll see how they employ themselves going into this one. They were the one French team that did not make the knockout last year. Yeah.
Premiership Matches and Team Performances
00:49:19
Speaker
Let's have a jaunt to the prem and let's go to the rec. So mediocre matches this weekend. Oh, wait, the opposite of that. This one wasn't so bad in terms of, in terms of quality, maybe a little low, but in terms of competitiveness and excitement up there, no doubt. And it was.
00:49:43
Speaker
Not quite the same result that Beth got the week before, you know, the previous match, but damn, did they try to get there? They really did. Like they, I mean, they show so much heart and that like, that's, that's hard. Cause you know, this is a Quinn's could be that they could be holding the trophy when this season's over. And it's not that long ago that teams like Quinn's and Sari's were literally putting up 70 points on bath. Yeah.
00:50:13
Speaker
Like truth. They are so much better. So much good stuff there. Um, yeah. And they, they, they pushed Quinn's. It was a, you know, some, again, um, unexpected squeaky bomb time, but a bit enjoyable, especially with the yellow cards at the end. Like it was really close. Yeah. George had and Kenny and both being off at the same time. Yeah.
00:50:41
Speaker
And at the end there, it's a question of should Bath have taken the scum? Because you had two forwards off, one of them was your front row. So you're going to get, you're going to bring somebody else on to replace him. Exactly. And that, right. There's so many reasons to do that. And I'm kind of disappointed that they did. Well, wait, yeah, like,
00:51:11
Speaker
Yeah. I can't remember which way they went. Ben's conflicted. I am. Fuck it. I don't have the notes on that one, on how it worked out at the end. All I remember was that it just didn't, like, they kind of pissed it away. They did. That I agree with. And then I feel like I ended, I remember being, but I do also remember being more annoyed by Bailey missing the two PKs, because that right there is, then
00:51:38
Speaker
you don't even need to try that. Right. Yeah, so that's really to me that was and then the Darcy Ray blocking in the mall twice, like, big, yeah, big calls, those bath just kept wistering themselves where they would get close and then just fucking up and it was stupid like missing penalty kicks that were bang on and a line out mall just just
00:52:04
Speaker
Herbst is not like he's good that he was excellent. Again, this, this match. He's not like a Superman. Just line them up and, you know, get just, you know, do work in the mall. Yeah. Like if you need to, you know, if you need to keep blocking them out, then that's showing me that you're not really mall worthy and you're a prop. So yeah, maybe you shouldn't be wrong. Right. Who knew? But.
00:52:29
Speaker
Quinn's do get it over the line. We did hear that Quinn's are going to have to write Tommaso Allen for at least the rest of the calendar year here because Marcus is going to be on the sideline for a bit.
00:52:43
Speaker
I, I'm concerned for bath in the fact that Pierce Francis is back and seemingly he's going to go right back to 10. And though he's not bad, he isn't the 10 by trade. And that poses some problems for me. And I know we had a good start to the year and then you get hurt, but it's still like, he's going to be limited because he's not, he is not that 10 by trade, you know? No, I like, why, why wouldn't you just put red path there?
00:53:13
Speaker
who is also not a 10 by trade, but has played 10. Right. And he's younger and it developed like, you're better off. He's actually shown really, really well, we're just right. Yeah, or right. And then and keep giving more boys some time to, you know, let Peter Francis be, you know, a leader in the midfield, right to come on, as opposed, because I will say this,
00:53:36
Speaker
somebody like Francis can be very valuable to Bailey, and I've said something similar to this before, as a 12, because the 12 has slightly better vision, because they're back a little bit, they can talk to their 10 a little bit more and say, this is on, let's do this. And if the 10 doesn't see it as a youngster, he has to learn how to trust his 12 and say, okay, I believe you, we're gonna execute this. And you sit down with the young lad and you watch the tape and say, here's what I saw.
00:54:06
Speaker
Can you understand that next time, you know, stuff like that. So for me, I think that's where the value comes for Pierce Francis and this team. Exactly. And it's yes, having somebody out there. Giving you not so much instruction, but like when they see something, you just trust them, you go with it. And then you said, but then you you can also after, you know, it happens a couple of times, you can look and be like, OK, what you can start seeing in that way.
00:54:33
Speaker
you know what he's looking at and then you can ask him what the keys are. And that's when you run that on its own, on your own. Like that's how it works. And you got to see it's not, yeah. Like the film helps, but having the person out there, like you're in the moment with them and then on the film too. That's like you said, huge. Yep. Can we bang? Then let's go to Brentford on Saturday.
00:55:00
Speaker
Irish and Newcastle, and as we expected, Newcastle just aren't quite ready to travel and get some of these wins. No. Had some bright spots, but certainly in the first half, but really just like, you know, I'm in that second half. Well, the first 10 minutes of the second half were perfect. Right. Pepper goes over, they had the penalty, like, boom. And then they just let the Irish get 10 back in the next 10.
00:55:26
Speaker
Yeah. And then you lose your city in their sleep. Yeah. Yeah. A little bit. And how'd you like that? Yeah. They're they're they're rad way to cut at us. Oh, that was sexy. Oh, that was pretty. Right. They're starting to work together. That's not. That's terrible. That's terrifying. That's very terrifying for clubs. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's going to be.
00:55:55
Speaker
I think it's going to be very scary for teams as the two of them develop together. Like Newcastle found a diamond in the rough with Matteo Carreras and they need to move heaven and earth to make sure he does go anywhere. Right. So that means they got to start making him happy. So we'll get on to the exiles in a second. For Newcastle,
00:56:23
Speaker
I think we can all agree that Tien Schumann is not a very good 10. I think so. But the, he is bad enough that he can't unseat Brett Connan. And that should be worrying for Newcastle because Connan's not your future. No. I mean, you let, you let your future walk. Maybe you'll come back now to the loss or belly up, but, um,
00:56:48
Speaker
It's a problem in many facets here. So I would be concerned. That is the one spot I'd be very concerned. I think they have a lot of talent. Otherwise, all over the place, including not even though they've been flicking playing Mickey Young, somebody please hit him hard.
00:57:06
Speaker
But other than that, they have lots. So I think that's really like the last spot to address for them is that tension. They need a true difference maker and Collins, not it. And you can do that if you have a lot of difference makers around the park, which I don't think they do yet.
00:57:23
Speaker
you don't necessarily need that. But to have one at 10 is such an X factor. And it just gives you that possibility of we can pull this out of grass from anywhere. They just don't have it right now. Without the, without, you know, withstanding of, you know, Mateo, Mighty Mouse, Mateo, and
00:57:42
Speaker
and Radwin, they don't have a lot of just like game breakers and, you know, game changers. So that's why they need a guy like Pepper. Pepper has been, you know, I remember somebody talking about him a couple of weeks ago. I don't know. Somebody was mentioning him. You know, shit, though, it's all I know. But yeah, he's he looks like they're a real a real player. They need somebody like that because like firms is not I mean, I know he went out early this match, but
00:58:13
Speaker
No, he's he is. He is. He's the old plotter, as we like to talk. Right. Another guy who, yeah, five years ago, we would have been like, hey, Carla, look at him being awesome out there. It's like he's not he's no longer here. He's no longer there. He's certainly not every fucking where he's kind of right there. Agreed. And Callum Chick is actually like the thing that that
00:58:38
Speaker
Pepper is doing is opening up for Callum Chick a little bit. Now, check the past couple of weeks has found space. And so it's like, OK, you're putting like the pieces are clicking into place. They're there. Yeah, you need a 10 and you need the. The maddies, the the Puma maddies to be around in the centers, otherwise you got fucking nothing.
00:59:03
Speaker
But yeah, so there's, there's, there's a lot to go, but it's there. And that's, I think that's a positive, but you're right. They need to, you need to fly half. Yeah. Speaking of fly-offs, I don't care. He had an okay game, but like, they start handing it on the other side of the coin here too. Yeah. That's not, that was, and this was not the battle of the Titans at fly half. No, by any stretch. By no means whatsoever. Um, but it was good. I mean, good work all around for a lot of guys from, from London Irish. They were.
00:59:34
Speaker
They were going through the gears in a lot of ways for all money here. Who gave dipshit the offload?
00:59:44
Speaker
Is that Rodgers in the Q-Tune? I don't remember. I can't remember. I think it was. That's what he scored off of. But anyway, yeah. I mean, there were a couple there were a couple of moments in this and some paid off. Some didn't wear. Exile's got a little selfish near the goal line. Stokes obviously got over, but. Yeah, yes. Loader way out wide. If he doesn't give everybody a case. Right. Bad news there. And then Will Joseph going for the line and crawling to the line and
01:00:12
Speaker
doing a dumb penalty when he had, what was it? Three on one? Yes. Oh yeah. You owe everybody a shot. Right. That's horrible. Yeah. That was poor. Really, really poor. So. But that's the thing. They're like, when you play on it, they're incredibly talented, but they've got huge egos about it. All of them. Right. And like,
01:00:43
Speaker
That's kind of, that's problematic. That, that will bite them in the ass, but they just, you know, they didn't really have much of a competition. This, this, you know, Newcastle are not a team that can just come in and out talent them. So they were fine. Yeah. Worked out. Right. Irish are still bottom, right? Yeah. They're tied to the bottom. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. So yeah. Bears, Bears, Newcastle, Irish all have 17. Newcastle have three wins.
01:01:11
Speaker
I don't know how it works that the Irish have the both Bristol, uh, Bristol and Irish have two wins, but Bristol has a tie, but they're still tied at 17. But I guess one and Irish are ahead of them. Oh, cause of point differential. That makes sense to some degree or something. But about that, I don't know. We're going there next or they have the last one. Nevermind. We're going to go. We're going to gloss her first. Right. We'll get to that in a second. We'll get there in a second. Yeah. Over.
01:01:42
Speaker
over to Kings home and there's no match report available on the prem website. Thank you very much. You guys are doing a fucking great job. Be better than that. God damn it. Um, but beside that there, we were talking, we've talked about it before how their defense coach still has their job. And he's the name of skates me. We talked about the other week, but this is pretty bad at this point. I don't think there's any way way around it.
01:02:13
Speaker
This north ampton's defense coach needs to go like and I know phil douse I'm gonna give phil douse on the bed for the doubt because he just got the job So at this point if if you want to sack someone in the back room and say him makes more sense, right, you know Because this is bad. This is really bad. It's not good. You know, they're they're just they're
01:02:38
Speaker
They're all over the place. It's not, it's not, it's not what they've been saying. It's defense. And if they ever, ever could remember and figure out a way to defend a nosebleed at the minimum, they'd have more points in the fucking standings because they can score. We know they can score. Yeah. And coming into this game, this cluster team was not in good nick by any means whatsoever. So yes, they've been struggling, especially with, um,
01:03:05
Speaker
the guys, you know, the internationals away and all. There we go. Lost or lost or lost to Quinn's lost to Newcastle lost to sale. Right? They've been they've been struggling to to regain themselves this and they needed a match like this. They need to like a little bit of a practice girl to get themselves back in it and be like, oh, no, this is how we do. Okay. You're what they call a practice girl.
01:03:30
Speaker
Yeah. North Avenue and your Meg. Good job. It's just, yeah, it's not good. It's not good. Right. And they, you know, they had letting up tries to, you know, Chris Harris, who's not much of an attacking center, as we've talked about. No, but he made, they made him look like one. So good. Right.
01:03:59
Speaker
I mean, Carreras made everyone look silly, but it's fine. But yeah, like pressure, pressure ball means buying weight or finding a way over the line. Like, come on. Right. It's it's not good. No. And Singleton scored and he was in the in the like the very loose, too. It's not like that was in a mall. It was a mall try. That's if I remember correctly. No, that was a mall try. Was it? I don't think so. I don't know. Point being. Point being. That word. Right. It was really poor and.
01:04:30
Speaker
Yeah. It just, it never got, though. The one positive was again, watching Freeman just torch Johnny May. Yeah. Tommy Freeman's pretty good. He's pretty damn good. Nice to see James Ram. Like that's a thing. Saints can score and they can, they can do some good shit in the attack. They just have zero defense. Yeah. Right. Yeah.
01:04:56
Speaker
No good, man. No to the freaking good. That's only good for what we're going to talk about in the fantasy corner a little bit later. Right. That's about it. Cause they're making really easy opponent for fantasy rugby. Yes, they do. You just find the opposing team and start everybody. They'll do okay. You'll have success more often than not. Let's go to the gate.
01:05:22
Speaker
Ashton gate and it's 26, 26. And I just, I'm a penny for A.J. McGinty's like thoughts, like the guy, the guy can't catch a break this year. No, I have a lot of, I have a lot of feel for him. He needs a hug. Yes, he does. Yes, he does. I don't know how else to, to describe what he needs. Cause it's just like they're there, dude. Like we,
01:05:52
Speaker
We've all been there. Um, maybe needs a little bit of, uh, uh, I dunno sports psychology to go to it. Cause it's like, he's just been dealt just shit hands all around. And, um, it's, it's, you know, it's, it's, he's in quicksand. Yeah. He's got to keep going, which sucks.
01:06:15
Speaker
It's although it helps to have a semi rad radra back. Yes, it does. Yes, it does. Didn't waste any time. It kind of hurt. Didn't waste any time. That's for goddamn sure. No. Right. Didn't waste any time. And then, you know, before 30 minutes had a yellow card. So yeah. Oops. Lucky boy. Lucky, lucky boy. Probably in that case, it was.
01:06:43
Speaker
Can you have a draw and still feel like you won? Because I think Bristol does, despite the fact that they missed the win because they actually got three points and Lester only got two. Right. Because Lester didn't get two tries. It's a massive step forward. So I think it's something that, yes, no, they should, they absolutely should be happy with the result.
01:07:09
Speaker
They're getting the guys kind of like, you know, semi it gets over again. Like, and this isn't a bad, they're not playing against a bad team. No, this was a pretty good team. This is the returning champions. So yeah, they're, they're not what they were last year yet, but at the same time, they're finally getting their guys in, in decent shape. It's not, yeah, they would prefer to have Pollard for this, but yeah, but Kelly's back. Jasper's back. Yeah.
01:07:37
Speaker
You know, Montage is back. Yeah. Right. This this is the squad for the most part. Mm hmm. So there. But yeah. Yeah. Like, yeah, Porter's in there, Dan. They like Dan Kelly, obviously. I don't know who else would be it. I don't know who else would be at wing at the moment so much. So we're to actually Watson and Potter. Those are your options right now. Yeah. So those are your options.
01:08:05
Speaker
Like this, this is their, like kind of some, some close to their full noise team and, um, to tie them at home the way that Bristol, this is a, it's a, it's a big step forward because Bristol has also been kind of pooping out and not only did they not poop out, but they clogged back into it.
01:08:22
Speaker
Right. Which I don't want to talk about. Pooping out and calling back into it. Right. Sounds like back to back. Sounds ugly. Sounds ugly in many ways. Yeah. And for Lester, you know, they, I don't know if it's so much a credit to Bristol's defense in the second half, as opposed to it is just like their inability to find an attack that, you know, gains ground, but only three points in the second half. Not awesome.
01:08:52
Speaker
No, by any stretch of the imagination. They scored two tries in the two of their tries came in the yellow card period. Maybe all three did month, maybe, uh, or maybe like, right. Montoya was right after Roger. I just came back on or something. It might've been before. I don't, not, not exactly sure, but either way, you know, it was a, it was a mall try if I'm not mistaken. Right.
01:09:16
Speaker
Yeah, pretty sure. So it was right around, you know, it's involving the yellow card period. So, like, aside from that yellow card period, you had three penalty kicks and that was it. Yeah. So, yeah, like, that says a lot to me about what Bristol were doing. And I think that I felt like that was it. That was really the only time that period was when, it was the only time when Lester really
01:09:44
Speaker
were in the game, in the game, if that makes sense. Other than that, it was just Bristol putting pressure on them. So yeah, I wonder what's going on with, well, maybe this is what happens when your coach has one eye somewhere else. Maybe, who knows? Who knows, who knows? Yeah, we don't know what conversations have not been had between Borthwick and potential new hire for him.
01:10:13
Speaker
So other than, but just the same Bristol got to humming a little bit here, there, and everywhere. You know, Pietal, Ibitoya are both over, you know, in good fashion at that. So much to like, but at the same time, yeah, they just got to find that final bit and remember how to get it done in those final moments. Right. If you're a Paris fan. They're not a hundred percent out of it yet.
01:10:43
Speaker
Yeah, they need to score now. Eight points now, and they'll probably take this next couple of weeks somewhat easy with the challenge cup coming underway here. And then we'll see what happens when we get back to the festive fixture, which will be the month here. Yeah, I mean, they're at the bottom, but at the same time,
01:11:10
Speaker
That none of the, I will say none of the teams that are at the bottom quite feel like bottom teams. No, that makes sense. No. So that doesn't, that is a positive in terms of the league. Right. And a positive for them. Right. I agree. I mean, this is.
01:11:28
Speaker
It's kind of quality from one to 11 at the moment. The Irish are a good team that are just playing really shitty rugby. The Falcons are a team that are playing above their talent level. The Bears are a team that are playing well below their talent level. Exeter are a team that are right about where they should be. Bath are turning it around. They're learning how to win.
01:11:52
Speaker
And that bath or it's like all of them, except for Irish, I feel good about. And the only reason I don't feel good about Irish is their fly half is a douche bag. And I think he's also hurting the team. Right. Like Beth. Oh, Ted, Ted Hill is going to be. So good for them for so long. It's a part of the stands. Oh, they have so much right there.
01:12:21
Speaker
And the, the, the young backline that we were talking about, like there's so much positive going on in this, in this competition right now. And you're right. From, from top to bottom. Cause Irish are fucking talented. Like they are. They truly are. There's no carrier with a douchebag play. Right.
01:12:40
Speaker
Yeah. The only team I, the only team like, yeah, aside from them, like Falcons, I'm kind of like, eh, but I got to respect what they're doing with it. Cause they're playing, they're playing a lot with a little, but yeah. Yes. I, and I want them to do better. So it's more of a, like, you know, all right, I'm seeing what you're doing now. Now keep doing it.
Fantasy Rugby and League Analysis
01:13:02
Speaker
That's where I am with them. Yeah. Okay.
01:13:08
Speaker
Well, that is the end for us here on the rugby talking, but for the pretend rugby talking, that's coming up soon. We're fantastic. We're going to go, we're going to head over to fancy corner and chat, all things champion actually, including, um, this coming weeks, uh, chip champions, cop F R D comp and all the stuff that happened last week, so on and so forth.
01:13:35
Speaker
If you're kind of over there, we see you there. If not, you got a big weekend or we're going to be sit, watching, sitting in front of the TV. I hope you got, I think you hope you got everything well stocked purchase to make sure that I am, I have everything I need to watch these rugby matches. Yep. So if you're off to, if you're off to that, you're not going to join us there. Enjoy.
01:13:57
Speaker
We appreciate everybody for hanging out listening to us battle for a little bit fancy rugby podcast at gmail.com if you have questions concerns all that good stuff until then Later