Northern Hemisphere Rugby
- Thread starter Dctarget
- Start date
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Looks like Lachie Swinton continues to Lachie Swinton:
Jimmy_Crouch
Peter Johnson (47)
With those two in the centres for Leicester hope the wingers have pockets in their shorts to keep their hands warm.
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
they got a red card and a yellow card between them, good times
Jimmy_Crouch
Peter Johnson (47)
I watched it last night and laughed. Such a weird game.
molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
On the flip side, this Alex Newsome try for Clermont was pretty special.Looks like Lachie Swinton continues to Lachie Swinton:
Edit: seems you have to click and watch it on Youtube
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
Things going well in the Premiership
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
Wish they’d stop participating in the arms race that’s contributing to this.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Chatting to some from the UK, there's a sentiment that there's just too much rugby these days, the lure of touring teams has worn off. Even a few of the passionate Welsh fans, when asked about the URC and joining the Premiership, are a bit nonchalant about either option. They seem to have a similar issue that Super Rugby had years ago, with large gaps between home games of up to six weeks over November and 6 Nations and now with RSA, which makes it hard for supporters to build tribalism and support.
Although the general sentiment is Welsh teams would be better off joining the Premiership so the fans could at least travel to the away games. Premiership Clubs like Bath, Bristol and Glouscester are only a short train ride away from Cardiff.
Although the general sentiment is Welsh teams would be better off joining the Premiership so the fans could at least travel to the away games. Premiership Clubs like Bath, Bristol and Glouscester are only a short train ride away from Cardiff.
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Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
UK Premiership:
Reigning champions Saints have gotten off to a less than great start, being pumped by Finn Russell's Bath. Unfortunately a lot of it was down to the undersized engine room for the Saints with Angus Scott Young in lock there. Though Josh Kemeny did show his pace to run down the wing to score (did we cap him again?).
Cheika's Tigers snuck a crucial away win in Exeter when really they were the worst team for majority of the match.
The nice thing about the Premiership, with only 10 teams and 4 final spots, every round has some good match ups. This weekend you have Saracens v Sale, Northampton v Exeter, Leceister v Bath.
France:
Beyond what's already been mentioned, Kane Douglas scored for his new club La Rochelle as they returned to winning ways.
Amazingly the newly promoted Vannes beat Lyon which is huge. Go find a video, the emotions were high. Their star recruit Rayasi was amazing for them.
Deliciously Owen Farrell's Racing 92 got thumped by Bordeaux (even with Bordeaux losing Swinton to a RC).
All French teams have now at least one win and one loss (out of 3) except for Jake McIntyre's Perpignan on 0/3 and Toulouse on 3/3. Though Toulouse have a probable grand final preview this weekend at home playing Bordeaux.
Reigning champions Saints have gotten off to a less than great start, being pumped by Finn Russell's Bath. Unfortunately a lot of it was down to the undersized engine room for the Saints with Angus Scott Young in lock there. Though Josh Kemeny did show his pace to run down the wing to score (did we cap him again?).
Cheika's Tigers snuck a crucial away win in Exeter when really they were the worst team for majority of the match.
The nice thing about the Premiership, with only 10 teams and 4 final spots, every round has some good match ups. This weekend you have Saracens v Sale, Northampton v Exeter, Leceister v Bath.
France:
Beyond what's already been mentioned, Kane Douglas scored for his new club La Rochelle as they returned to winning ways.
Amazingly the newly promoted Vannes beat Lyon which is huge. Go find a video, the emotions were high. Their star recruit Rayasi was amazing for them.
Deliciously Owen Farrell's Racing 92 got thumped by Bordeaux (even with Bordeaux losing Swinton to a RC).
All French teams have now at least one win and one loss (out of 3) except for Jake McIntyre's Perpignan on 0/3 and Toulouse on 3/3. Though Toulouse have a probable grand final preview this weekend at home playing Bordeaux.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Cheika called before the judiciary for conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game and/or Union:
molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
Geez, some of those are rather dire.
I wonder what the match day is like for some of those games. I know locally our live product needs a lot of work even down to the simple ref mic not being broadcast at the field and atmosphere is often a case of requiring a certain critical mass which most of those games would lack.
Steve_Grey
Darby Loudon (17)
Interested to know the Gallagher Premiership and Top 14 Crowd numbers.
But for URC agreed they are disappointing.
molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
Here were the numbers for the 2023/24 seasons for URC & Premiership that someone put together for context. I wonder how much the EPCR games push the averages up compared to their regular season games. A lot more home games and inturn $$ than SuperRugby. Those Welsh teams must be really struggling to pull $.
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Steve_Grey
Darby Loudon (17)
Interesting - Exeter doing well, considering the small ground the have.
molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
Sandy Park? That holds around 15k I think, so ~2/3rds full average isn't bad. Benetton have a pretty small stadium, pretty similar to Ballymore in size.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
And he cops a two week ban (one week suspended).
Leicester Tigers hit out as Cheika is suspended for two weeks over disagreement with doctor
Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is suspended for two weeks over 'disrespecting' a match day doctor in English rugby.
www.abc.net.au
Steve_Grey
Darby Loudon (17)
Yes - quite small and 2/3s full average is impressive - but once again, this is Club Rugby and there is tribalism (that word again) in the support.
They have Pros, Journeymen, U20s Players, and workhorses (who'll never player international) all mixed up in that league playing against each other - why we can't manage the same thing here as opposed to trying to concentrate our talent into four (was five) sides in Super Rugby is beyond me.
They have Pros, Journeymen, U20s Players, and workhorses (who'll never player international) all mixed up in that league playing against each other - why we can't manage the same thing here as opposed to trying to concentrate our talent into four (was five) sides in Super Rugby is beyond me.