Search results

Now Maitland is heading off to London Irish, I suspect he will retire from international rugby.

It was a terrible game not helped by a ref who was pedantic and didn't enforce offside. Thought it would be better than that, modern pros can't just rock up and play, it seems.

Will be interesting to see how Burgess goes this evening for the England Saxons against a strong Wolfhounds midfield of Madigan, D'Arcy and Earls. I think D'Arcy has been selected to deal with his attacking threat but he might find the footwork of Madigan, Earls and the back three of Fitzgerald...

Chavin is a bit fat and slow now although he still has great hands. The Whole tournament is going to continue to be about injuries. Racing, Clermont and Toulon have so much more depth than anyone else they can deal with injuries better than the other sides. If Leinster can get the first choice...

English Private/ public schools will be rammed with Saffer kids now on scholarships.

Bath out scrummed a Glasgow team down to third/ fourth choice across the front row, with a centre playing number eight, wingers playing in the back row etc. They did not win because of their backs where they were completely out played by Glasgow. It will be four home wins in the QFs. As long as...

Pat Lam has been excellent. There were rumours he was going to be pinched, along with Connacht's two best players Marmion and Henshaw, by Leinster. Delighted that in his case they have proved unfounded, hope the same is true for the players.

It is, which is why I have zero sympathy for Williams. I will laugh if Burns usurps him as starting 10 at the cheatahs so he spends the next two years getting English splinters up his arse while the OHs who have stayed loyal to Wales disappear over the career horizon.

Williams knows the rules. PRL, the English club organisation, fine their own members if they release non English players outside of the international window. Owen Williams has, with Cockers assistance made his own bed, let him lie in it. It is a bit rich for the coach of Tuilagi who was nearly...

I should think Bull's regime was a bit more agricultural.

It is freakish. The only other player I can think of with those levels is Bull. I think the reason he stayed fit though was just unbelievable power and probably having bones as hard as granite. I wish they could both pass on what they have to Seanie and the Munster hookers!?!?

Let's hope this fantastic coach can deliver a grand slam and a top of the group finish in the RWC, like Ireland's much derided last coach. I think the Ireland players, across the provinces, have looked very jaded since the AIs and the Christmas camp. Even Heaslip has picked up an injury which is...

I have serious reservations about how Ireland will fare in the six nations after yesterday. Paulie played as badly as I can remember dropping balls left right and centre and contributing to an absolute abortion at one line out near the end of the game. I hope Leinster can beat the Pests in...

Duncan Williams has played very well this year. We have a near first choice pack and a strong bench albeit no scrum half cover which will not be good for the nerves. Saracens are favourites but Munster are not forlorn.

So play the Rugby Championship in Feb/ March and we can do the tours in October/ November.

My understanding is that, under statute, any club has to do as it is told by the governing body. But things could well have changed since they took control of the European game.

Hopefully, Murray is OK, it is rumoured.

I think push could come to shove in France if Les Bleus continue their fairly woeful run of form. The FFR have quite a lot of power over the clubs, many of which are supported by Municipalities so cannot just do as they please.

It would be three weeks difference, realistically. And they would get the players back for a huge block of three months. Plus, the English clubs would probably get slightly more cash from the RFU which is vital to their existence and all they really care about.

While I agree with you, rugby has got to live in the real world and, that real world is one in which the RFU have massive amounts of power. I would add that it would be easier to sell sand to Saudi Arabia than to sell no rugby in the NH in December and January and rugby over the summer instead...