Lizard wrote:That's more like it. Now how does this go....
...oh yes:
Did you know that only one Pacific Island-born All Black ever had no schooling in NZ? (Alama Ieremia). And be my guest if you want to call Ben Franks an Aussie to his face.
Even Nathan Hughes went to school here and let's not forget that Martin Johnson learned how to be hard when fighting for a spot in the NZ U20s.
England, on the other hand, is constantly stuffed to the gunwales with thieved project players who are about as English as a kiwi fruit pavlova at a hangi, like Waldrom, Paul, Hape and Vainikolo. And that's without even getting started on your South African contingent.
Mind you, I can nearly understand your reliance on imported mercenaries when you consider how badly England performed at their own World Cup with only 3 of them.
At least get your facts right. There were 4 imported mercenaries:
Vunipola x2
Barritt
Redacted
Last edited by Mellsblue on Wed Mar 30, 2016 10:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
I think the Irish and Scots still have the Tier 3 dispensation - the same one that lets Samoa field a team that is more than half Kiwi. When they've hit Tier 2, by beating NZ at least once, then they will join Wales in being permitted only NZ players with "native" names like Gareth, Shane and, erm, Brett...
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Dominating the SHMB
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Lizard wrote:That's more like it. Now how does this go....
...oh yes:
Did you know that only one Pacific Island-born All Black ever had no schooling in NZ? (Alama Ieremia). And be my guest if you want to call Ben Franks an Aussie to his face.
Mellsblue wrote:
Both of our nation's are amateurs compared to the 'Irish' and 'Scottish' project players and the French club academies in the South Sea islands.
I can't imagine we'll continue to stand off having full blown academies scattered all across the world, and by all across the world I mean PNG, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji...
It's already started. Wasps have their academy in London.
Wuss remain very unimpressed with the move. I wonder what the negotiations will bring, will Wasps be handing over some territory and monies, will this all drag out the new EPS?
Digby wrote:
I can't imagine we'll continue to stand off having full blown academies scattered all across the world, and by all across the world I mean PNG, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji...
It's already started. Wasps have their academy in London.
Wuss remain very unimpressed with the move. I wonder what the negotiations will bring, will Wasps be handing over some territory and monies, will this all drag out the new EPS?
If Irish do go down, there'll be a lot of barren space inbetween Bath and London. I mean, it can't really stay with Wasps, but that'll be a big and unused catchment area.
Mellsblue wrote:
It's already started. Wasps have their academy in London.
Wuss remain very unimpressed with the move. I wonder what the negotiations will bring, will Wasps be handing over some territory and monies, will this all drag out the new EPS?
If Irish do go down, there'll be a lot of barren space inbetween Bath and London. I mean, it can't really stay with Wasps, but that'll be a big and unused catchment area.
Puja
Which is actually good for Wasps as it shows there needs to be some flex in these things.
Still I suspect when the new lines are drawn Wasps will have to give a little ground (literally) and/or money, owing the links other clubs will have paid to develop with local clubs/schools.
Edit - Though Brizzle run an academy down a tier, and I've heard nothing from Irish that they'd look to scrap their academy
Mellsblue wrote:
It's already started. Wasps have their academy in London.
Wuss remain very unimpressed with the move. I wonder what the negotiations will bring, will Wasps be handing over some territory and monies, will this all drag out the new EPS?
If Irish do go down, there'll be a lot of barren space inbetween Bath and London. I mean, it can't really stay with Wasps, but that'll be a big and unused catchment area.
Puja
Irish will stay have their RFU funded academy. Sorry, Bath will still have their RFU funded feeder academy.
richardhillpureclass wrote:It's funny because I played a few seasons in the Federal 3 league in France a number years ago, and it's amazing how much better the facilities are at grassroots level to here. Nice pitches, decent clubhouses, nice changing facilities and even working flood lit lights!
I played a game in Newton Abbot maybe 2 seasons ago now. This is a team in the Nat 3 league, and their facilities are still in the dark age, for a team that isn't far off from being a professional team!
Newton Abbott pay players so it could be argued they are Semi Pro at least but the facilities there are still years behind the times. They are on the verge of going down to SW1 next season though.
Digby wrote:I can't see any way even the RFU demean themselves by going for Wonga Stadium, and no word yet on whether Gypsy Vintage/Clothing/Roots would be interested.
o2 might go for it if they has the end result as Twickenham o2, they're not going to want two o2
Digby wrote:I can't see any way even the RFU demean themselves by going for Wonga Stadium, and no word yet on whether Gypsy Vintage/Clothing/Roots would be interested.
o2 might go for it if they has the end result as Twickenham o2, they're not going to want two o2
The Reggae Reggae sauce, Bloke...?.
Levi Roots? He's not much of a gypsy, but I like the idea of giving all visiting coaches a scotch bonnet pepper to eat fresh on their arrival at HQ. Sadly there don't seem to be any such peppers in Levi's products which instead taste like a slightly odd and watery version of HP Brown Sauce.
richardhillpureclass wrote:It's funny because I played a few seasons in the Federal 3 league in France a number years ago, and it's amazing how much better the facilities are at grassroots level to here. Nice pitches, decent clubhouses, nice changing facilities and even working flood lit lights!
I played a game in Newton Abbot maybe 2 seasons ago now. This is a team in the Nat 3 league, and their facilities are still in the dark age, for a team that isn't far off from being a professional team!
Newton Abbott pay players so it could be argued they are Semi Pro at least but the facilities there are still years behind the times. They are on the verge of going down to SW1 next season though.
Yeah shame about that really... Looks like Exmouth are going up to Nat 2. I find it strange how Ivybridge are still not paying players in that league.
richardhillpureclass wrote:It's funny because I played a few seasons in the Federal 3 league in France a number years ago, and it's amazing how much better the facilities are at grassroots level to here. Nice pitches, decent clubhouses, nice changing facilities and even working flood lit lights!
I played a game in Newton Abbot maybe 2 seasons ago now. This is a team in the Nat 3 league, and their facilities are still in the dark age, for a team that isn't far off from being a professional team!
Newton Abbott pay players so it could be argued they are Semi Pro at least but the facilities there are still years behind the times. They are on the verge of going down to SW1 next season though.
Yeah shame about that really... Looks like Exmouth are going up to Nat 2. I find it strange how Ivybridge are still not paying players in that league.
By all accounts they are but have some weird thing about admitting it if the rumours are true. Im curious now as to who you played for against Newton. Apparently it costs £13K a season just to cover costs of match officials in Nat 2 before anything else. Nearly bankrupted Exmouth the last time they were in Nat 2.
Newton Abbott pay players so it could be argued they are Semi Pro at least but the facilities there are still years behind the times. They are on the verge of going down to SW1 next season though.
Yeah shame about that really... Looks like Exmouth are going up to Nat 2. I find it strange how Ivybridge are still not paying players in that league.
By all accounts they are but have some weird thing about admitting it if the rumours are true. Im curious now as to who you played for against Newton. Apparently it costs £13K a season just to cover costs of match officials in Nat 2 before anything else. Nearly bankrupted Exmouth the last time they were in Nat 2.
Played against their 2s for Plymstock AO (Devon and Cornwall league).
