Kitson's new book on Exeter Chiefs

[Peej]

Some interesting extracts here relating to Exeter and Sarries for those who haven't seen them:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/ ... y-cheating

Have to say, doesn't suprise me at all about Sarries. Ungracious in victory, cunts in defeat. Good riddance to them for at least a season, maybe even longer if the Championship doesn't restart.

[Oakboy]

Do any Saracens players come out of it with credit? Rugby was always a game where you beat shit out of each other for 80 minutes, then shook hands with honourable intent and bought each other a pint. Now, after this business, with the game (professional or not) the loser, how much has been lost in terms of reputation?

[Peej]

There is clearly quite a lot of bad blood at the players' level, and also between the coaches. Less so at the owner's perhaps.

[Mr Mwenda]

I thought that photo of Goode on the lash in his European cup winning kit for 36 hours after the game spoke of a decent bugger.

[Epaminondas Pules]

I thought that photo of Goode on the lash in his European cup winning kit for 36 hours after the game spoke of a decent bugger.

Definitely.

And to be fair a rugby player giving another player grief on the pitch? Heavens above! What is the game coming too.........

[Mr Mwenda]

This quote intrigued me:

“I’ve been involved in sport since my early 20s. How can someone congratulate themselves or slap each other on the back knowing you’ve fiddled the system to get there?”

One thing that I find interesting (and is perhaps why I'm not surprised or outraged by Sarries, although neither am I sympathetic to them) is that there are different tiers of cheating in rugby. Considering how being a good player at times is cheating but not getting caught at what stage should people not congratulate themselves? Does Back regret his hand of God for instance? Clearly for many of us there's a certain point when a line is crossed. To me, English pro club rugby feels increasingly distant and irrelevant. A bunch of rich men's hobbies that bear only a passing resemblance to an actual rugby club. It's unsurprising then that they cheat.

[16th man]

I made the point during the selection argument over cheating. Where do we draw the line with say props and open sides who blatantly cheat as much as they can? Do they not get to celebrate winning?

How about teams who deliberately set up to defend a couple of feet offside until pinged (like that may actually happen)?

Or say for Exeter, when it seems to be purely coincidental that they end up with a team mate on the ball / floor on their opponents side of quite a lot of attacking rucks?

[Which Tyler]