Magners League 2010/11

[WorkingClassRugger]

The inclusion of Two Italian teams into the ML will see the overall standard of Italian Rugby to really begin to rise. Apart from last season the ML is arguably the Premier Competition in Europe ( going off HEC wins and semi-finalists). The Italian national squad has suffered greatly due to the lack of quality competition. They now have it and should look to build even further. In the future they should be pushing for at least a 3rd Franchise alongside the Scots. Many have been querying the role of the Super 10. Simply put. It will still form the premier division of domestic Rugby and will likely act as a direct feeder league for Italy's ML squads. That's actually a very good thing. Both teams should be looking to establish partnerships with the existing S10 teams and work to ligt the standard to provide a strong line of player's capable of being called up if and when needed.

As for Georgia. The next big thing. I seriously doubt their ability to compete in a established Professional League. Considering that their National League is predominately amateur. However, they have just engaged in a Cross-Border competition with both Romania and Ukraine. Its just finished. I'll find out the who and where from later. They should be looking at developing this concept alongside the other two Unions and the IRB to establish a viable Eastern European Championship. Six teams this year (two from each). Should be looking to grow it to at least 12 in the next 5 or so years.

I don't think just tagging developing Nations onto establish Tier One competitions is the key. In fact it could seriously diminish those Championships. However, there should be an effort to help establish and or grow competitive structures along the lines of the Black Sea Cup ( above Championship) and most natably the Russian Professional Rugby League. The Super Iberica de Rugby is another as well as some sort of Belgian/Netherlands League and the Rugby Bundesliga (GER).

 

[unsub god]

Isn't former Red Andrew Scotney on the coaching staff at Treviso ?

 

[chief]

Treviso have defeated Leinster 29-13. Incredible stuff. Is this Italian team the real deal?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Bloody hell, that's a huge result.

 

[en_force_er]

I think they are playing again today.

 

[Thomond78]

Munster beat the Ospreys 22-10, without ever really clicking and with a relatively much weaker team than them. Annihilated them at the breakdown. If we click - and the backs are very much a work in progress - we're going to butcher someone soon.

And, for the second week out of the three so far played in the ML, Leinster are the only Irish team to lose, and the only one outside the top four.

 

[Lee Grant]

29-13 Wow. That was a bloody good victory for the Italian team; not that all the players were Italian.

A majority of the forwards had Italian names but only a couple of backs did. Two of the non-Italians were Aussies and both scored tries. Luke McLean, playing on the wing for a change, scored one about 15 minutes after oranges when he busted through some powder puff tackles.

Then, after Leinster were putting on a siege of the BT line near the end of the game and trying to score a losing bonus point against 14 men, the ball was turned over by Leinster then hacked through twice for ex-Tah Brendan Williams to chase and flop on. Try. MOTM Williams had a top game at fullback and his halves and backrow were good too.

BT had beaten Scarlets in Round 1 but Llanelli are a woeful side. This win had more merit though it was a scrappy affair for both teams with the rain pissing down. BT are a good side and better than the other Italian team Aironi. Leinster won't be the only ML visitors they will beat this season.

Leinster had a few international missing: BOD, Heaslip, Sexton, Horgan and skipper Cullen, that I remember. It is usual for top ML clubs to rest players in a long season, especially against so-called weaker opponents, but the team they selected had no leaders and no composure, and you could see it. No platform either; nor were they helped by atrocious kicking for goal.

Serves them right – and to think that Leinster was ahead 7-0 after 2 minutes.

 

[Lee Grant]

Munster 22 Sprays 10

T78 is right: Munster haven't hit their straps yet but were still too good for the Sprays who didn't have a go though they defended well. Whether they are playing well or not Munster can usually do enough to lift above the other team, and especially at home, but Aussie coach Tony McGahan will be wanting them to change to a higher gear ASAP.

MOTM Doug Howlet had a terrific game for Munster. He's been one of their best overseas recruits ever. Aussie Paul Warwick had good moments too and his best was a long harbour bridge pass off his left hand right into Howlett's bread basket for a try in the corner.

Munster are throwing the ball around a lot this season, especially to the left, knowing that if they kick that opponents are not going to kick it back so much. There were some good moves but most of them were before they got to the tacklers; so they didn't signify much.

I'll pick 12. Slamming Sammy Tuitopou to be a good acquisition this year. He takes the ball to the line; no fancy moves behind the tackle line for Sam. He'll be better value at inside centre than JdV was last year; sometimes the SAffer was on the bench in big games.

T78 was right about the superiority of Munster at the contests on the ground. With the law crackdown many teams in both hemispheres have been frightened to contest the ball. Not so the Red Tide; they figured if they can't get hands into the ruck as much as before they can at least counter-ruck when it's on.

The more all teams realise this, the more the benefits of the law crackdown will become apparent. Who can forget the great example of the Highlanders versus the Tahs in the Super14 this year?

PS - Alan Quinlan got to run out first for the home team because he was playing his 200th game for Munster. Quinny doesn't always play on the right side of madness but he had a cracking game and was like a young pup.

 

[Thomond78]

Big thing for me is that Wiantjie and Mushy Buckley are now starting to eat other scrums. We have a new first choice front row.

It's also worth pointing out that Leamy is on incredible form at the moment, but had to pull out at the last minute with a bruised rib. We're still missing Flannery, POC, Wallace, Leamy, Mafi (albeit he's back playing) and Earls from the usual suspects. We've more to come, and the new kids like Holland and especially Donncha Ryan are stepping up big-time.

Alas, Felix Jones knackered his knee, and is now out until Christmas. Poor sod can't catch a break.

Quinnie's next start places him level with Axel Foley as Munster's most capped player ever. Given that Axel is now coaching the defence and a good bit of the forwards (and it's apparent that the old beserk fury and bitterness at the breakdown is coming back), one suspects he might be waiting as long as Axel can manage it to get number 202...

 

[Lee Grant]

Bad news about Jones; it didn't look good. How did Dowling pull up? That didn't look too good either.



Still on Irish teams: I saw Ulster beat the 2nd Italian team Aironi last week with Adam D'Arcy playing fullback. The Manly 15 did not set the world on fire, but he can play a lot better than that against such a team. This week he wasn't in the 22 when Ulster beat a pants Edinburgh team 29-21. Ulster are not putting teams away but are 3 out of 3

Adam could find himself back in the team through goal kicking because the Ulster flyhalf missed a few. On the other hand Ruan Pineaar should be ready to play in a week or two and he should fix that problem.

One of the highlights of the game was a try to The Flying Dutchman Tim Vizzer, a big fast, John Grant type of winger. Vizzer is 193 cms and 109 kgs, and Grant 195 cms and 102 kgs but size and speed are not the only things they have in common: Grant has scored the most tries in the Shute Shield to date and Vizzer was the no.1 try score in the Magner's League last season.

There won't be too many uncontested scrums this season.

It's interesting that the Magners League is allowing 8 reserves in 2009-10. One of them must be a specialist THP and another a LHP. The French have had something similar for a while in the Top14. I think it's a great idea and hope that it comes through in Super and international rugby.

It's the same in the Aviva Premiership.

 

[Thomond78]

Dowling had a hip problem, don't know how bad. Jones, who looks all class if raw, did his cruciate - although the one bright spot is that they're saying it was cruciate damage rather than a rupture.

I note, btw, that POC's re-appearance has been moved forward from January to late November. Which is great news.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0921/1224279367988.html

 

[Thin Thighs]

....

It's interesting that the Magners League is allowing 8 reserves in 2009-10. One of them must be a specialist THP and another a LHP. The French have had something similar for a while in the Top14. I think it's a great idea and hope that it comes through in Super and international rugby.

It's the same in the Aviva Premiership.

Be interesting to see how this goes. I think it can only be good for the game, and give the coaches and selectors more flexibility.:thumb

Just hope if it happens out here, Dingo actually uses them.

I wonder do the bench players get match payments if they do not take the field?

Perhaps Dingo is trying to save money!

 

[Larno]

Adam could find himself back in the team through goal kicking because the Ulster flyhalf missed a few. On the other hand Ruan Pineaar should be ready to play in a week or two and he should fix that problem.

The outhalf in question is Niall O'Connor (No relation to JOC (James O'Connor). If only!). Don't know why he is preferred to Humphreys really, Defensively just as bad and without the flair. A poor goalkicker too, desptie having that "kicker's mask" (Look at M. Steyn's or ROG's face to get an idea of what I mean. Same expression.). He is a conservative player and therefore may be a less 'risky' choice than Humphreys but if you're going to play conservative then being able to kick those points nearly everytime should be a pretty bloody basic requirement.

 

[Thomond78]

Larno, no-one, no-one on the face of creation, is as bad on defence as iHump. He makes his big brother, Wavy Davy, look like the 2001-era Wilkinson; and Wavy Davy makes ROG look like Nonu in the tackling stakes.

That's not to say NOC isn't gash, mind. Because he is.

 

[Larno]

Larno, no-one, no-one on the face of creation, is as bad on defence as iHump. He makes his big brother, Wavy Davy, look like the 2001-era Wilkinson; and Wavy Davy makes ROG look like Nonu in the tackling stakes.

That's not to say NOC isn't gash, mind. Because he is.

As much as the heart wants to disagree, the head knows you're right. The ecstasy with the agony and all that other bollocks that comes with being a present-day Ulster supporter.

Couldn't agree more about NOC. We could do with that bloke Steenson back. Won't happen though, received wisdom is he's pretty happy up in the Exe.

 

[Lindommer]

I wonder do the bench players get match payments if they do not take the field? Perhaps Dingo is trying to save money!

They receive a full match payment even if they get splinters.

 

[Lee Grant]

Scotland flyhalf Phil Godman will be out of rugby for 6 months, poor bugger after he tore an ACL in a non-contact situation at training.

He's not the best international no.10 since sliced bread and lost his Scotland spot to Dan "Compass" Parks when the Aussie had a return to form last season, but he will be a huge loss for Edinburgh.

 

[Thomond78]

If Leinster don't win that Battle of the Desperate against an outhalf-less Edinburgh, then they will legitimately have reason to panic.

Which would be just heart-breaking, of course.

 

[Lee Grant]

Your concern for the welfare of the Blue Slime is noted. It will be given the attention its sincerity deserves.

 

[Lance Free]

There's a third Aussie playing for Treviso in addition to MacLean and Williams. It's their five eighth Kris Burton who had a cracking game against Leinster. He originates from Brisbane Norths.