Leinster v Saracens Sat 3pm

[Banquo]

With that performance Maro Itoje really did lay down a marker for the Lions Tour. Very much an all action display, absolutely incredible performance. It's surely a question of who partners him at this point.

He does it every game, and has done since, well the last Lions tour. His all round basics are great- his carrying still needs some work in fairness, but that’s picky

True he doesn't often have a bad game. To be the driving force behind a weakened Sarries team beating what should be the best team in Europe. That's pretty special. I'm struggling to think of a better lock in world rugby at the minute.

He's been up there for at least three years.

[Digby]

Tim Swinson obviously.

Since stepping down as Lib Dem leader he really has come back strong, from retirement to a big away win in Dublin is a huge moment.

Quite why nobody in the Leinster camp thought Sarries would bring a power game in the loose and in the scrum I don't know, Leinster looked shocked they weren't being allowed time and space to look pretty.

[Mr Mwenda]

Seeing as they one their final at a canter perhaps they got complacent or at least too used to dominating hugely. 25 wins in a row was crazy.

[paddy no 11]

leinster got found out

Furlong is there best player was out

Healy, toner and sexton are finished

Lowe is a flat track bully and can't defend, fine for smashng into pro14 cannon fodder but not the next level up

Backrow is good but very inexperienced and got caught cold saturday

Saracens will have a much stiffer test v racing

[Digby]

Quite some transition if Sexton goes that quickly from being made Ireland captain to being finished.

[Digby]

Amazing defence from Sarries; beating Leinster on only 35 ish % ball and territory is a hell of an effort.

Rugby as is in the NH rewards the more negative side.

[paddy no 11]

Quite some transition if Sexton goes that quickly from being made Ireland captain to being finished.

I wouldnt agree with that, he's been physically finished a few years, just gets carrried and somehow people still bite in on those loops they run

[paddy no 11]

Isn't Farrel england captain he's hardly popular on here

[Banquo]

Amazing defence from Sarries; beating Leinster on only 35 ish % ball and territory is a hell of an effort.

Rugby as is in the NH rewards the more negative side.

that's certainly a negative way of looking at it....

[Digby]

I think Farrell is probably pretty popular, there's an awful lot to like. It's just there are some issues with him and some on balance would rather see him as the #21 on the bench for England or possibly just missing out on the XXIII. Preferring someone else to Farrell doesn't have to mean any dislike of Farrell.

In any event Farrell hasn't only just been handed the England captaincy, and he isn't about to be told his career is finished just a few months later

[Digby]

Amazing defence from Sarries; beating Leinster on only 35 ish % ball and territory is a hell of an effort.

Rugby as is in the NH rewards the more negative side.

that's certainly a negative way of looking at it....

It's not my preference, but there's more than one way to skin a cat. Not in some ways a bad proverb to illustrate given watching some of our rugby is akin to watching a cat being skinned.

(actually I've never seen a cat being skinned so I'm having to rely on recollections of skinning rabbits with the assumption it'd be somewhat similar)

And I suppose it's not just the NH given South Africa share some of our thinking on applying a pressure defence, apply power, and work off penalties and set piece

[Raggs]

Imagine my surprise when Michael Rhodes get's cited for being an arsehole:

[Mellsblue]

I’m shocked.

[paddy no 11]

How good a player is Rhodes? I've been impressed when I've seen him

Is he a twat?

[Raggs]

How good a player is Rhodes? I've been impressed when I've seen him

Is he a twat?

People who like him would say he's plays on the edge.

Everyone other than his own mother, would say he's dirty.

[paddy no 11]

How good a player is Rhodes? I've been impressed when I've seen him

Is he a twat?

People who like him would say he's plays on the edge.

Everyone other than his own mother, would say he's dirty.

Thanks and ability wise?

[Mikey Brown]

Good player, but not sure good enough to justify being such a liability?

[paddy no 11]

Got it

Sexton is whinge bag but that's a shitty tackle

[Banquo]

He’s got a huge work rate, good in the lineout and puts his body on the line. Perfect for the premierships general aspirations; he’s not that skilful and is pretty unthinking and dirty. Kind of shows a certain sort of mindset that he got motm.

[FKAS]

Quite some transition if Sexton goes that quickly from being made Ireland captain to being finished.

Ross Byrne started the Pro14 final I think so succession planning is in place. Joey Carberry would be the logical choice for Ireland if he could stay fit for more than five minutes. Problem is replacing someone like Sexton who has been at the top of the game for so long and with Ireland in a little bit of a transition period lacking leadership in the backs.

He’s got a huge work rate, good in the lineout and puts his body on the line. Perfect for the premierships general aspirations; he’s not that skilful and is pretty unthinking and dirty. Kind of shows a certain sort of mindset that he got motm.

Doesn't really score too high on dirty scale but then that could be because he'd normally be compared to his low life teammate Callum Clark. I'd be interested to see the whole of the incident as you can't see what provocation there was before the headbutt. Unusual position to lash out in if there isn't any provocation, either way he'll get a fairly decent ban. I can't remember too many bans previously but I'm sure I've seen him sin binned a few times not that, that is unusual for a Sarries forward.

[Raggs]

Quite some transition if Sexton goes that quickly from being made Ireland captain to being finished.

Ross Byrne started the Pro14 final I think so succession planning is in place. Joey Carberry would be the logical choice for Ireland if he could stay fit for more than five minutes. Problem is replacing someone like Sexton who has been at the top of the game for so long and with Ireland in a little bit of a transition period lacking leadership in the backs.

He’s got a huge work rate, good in the lineout and puts his body on the line. Perfect for the premierships general aspirations; he’s not that skilful and is pretty unthinking and dirty. Kind of shows a certain sort of mindset that he got motm.

Doesn't really score too high on dirty scale but then that could be because he'd normally be compared to his low life teammate Callum Clark. I'd be interested to see the whole of the incident as you can't see what provocation there was before the headbutt. Unusual position to lash out in if there isn't any provocation, either way he'll get a fairly decent ban. I can't remember too many bans previously but I'm sure I've seen him sin binned a few times not that, that is unusual for a Sarries forward.

Clarke broke someones arm, Rhodes was lucky he didn't break someone's neck:



I'd rate Rhodes higher than Clarke.

[Mikey Brown]

Rhodes is quite well known for cheap shots. He’s quite good at not getting caught in fairness, but not sure that makes it any better.

Edit. Raggs with a perfect video example.

He’s the classic example of a big physical player that coaches love because he has no regard for his own safety. But unfortunately doesn’t have any regard for the safety of others either.

[Banquo]

Rhodes is quite well known for cheap shots. He’s quite good at not getting caught in fairness, but not sure that makes it any better.

Edit. Raggs with a perfect video example.

He’s the classic example of a big physical player that coaches love because he has no regard for his own safety. But unfortunately doesn’t have any regard for the safety of others either.

This.

[Banquo]

Quite some transition if Sexton goes that quickly from being made Ireland captain to being finished.

Ross Byrne started the Pro14 final I think so succession planning is in place. Joey Carberry would be the logical choice for Ireland if he could stay fit for more than five minutes. Problem is replacing someone like Sexton who has been at the top of the game for so long and with Ireland in a little bit of a transition period lacking leadership in the backs.

He’s got a huge work rate, good in the lineout and puts his body on the line. Perfect for the premierships general aspirations; he’s not that skilful and is pretty unthinking and dirty. Kind of shows a certain sort of mindset that he got motm.

Doesn't really score too high on dirty scale but then that could be because he'd normally be compared to his low life teammate Callum Clark. I'd be interested to see the whole of the incident as you can't see what provocation there was before the headbutt. Unusual position to lash out in if there isn't any provocation, either way he'll get a fairly decent ban. I can't remember too many bans previously but I'm sure I've seen him sin binned a few times not that, that is unusual for a Sarries forward.

You seem to have a high bar for dirty play tbh. I’m far from squeamish, in fact put the old into old school, but Rhodes seems a pretty dirty player to me.

[Puja]

Clarke broke someones arm, Rhodes was lucky he didn't break someone's neck:



I'd rate Rhodes higher than Clarke.

Jesus f*ck! I had not seen that incident before and it has had something of an effect on my opinion of Rhodes. Piutau is the luckiest man on the planet - if any of his limbs had been trapped or he'd been any less flexible and able to roll with it, that was either career or life ending.

Lemme guess, the citing commission did not give him a ban?

Puja