RugbyRebels

jngf wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 8:44 pm

Puja wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 12:28 pm

francoisfou wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 11:01 am Toulouse have persuaded Jack Willis and Blair Kinghorn to sign contract extensions, until 2029 and 2028 respectively.

Boo! Such a shame. Can't blame him though - he's having a wonderful time and is celebrated like a god, so it's unsurprising that he doesn't consider potential England selection worth leaving that, even before you consider the money aspect.

Fair play to him; wish him every success.

Puja

Totally understandable and sensible decision for player to make but England have lost yet another top class openside in exchange for keeping premiership on life support - RFU should have offered Jack Willis a central contract - Better long term prospect than some forwards who’ve received them imo (not that I begrudge those players from taking them to get degree of financial security when RFU offered them)

Puja wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 10:09 pm

jngf wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 8:44 pm

Puja wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 12:28 pm

Boo! Such a shame. Can't blame him though - he's having a wonderful time and is celebrated like a god, so it's unsurprising that he doesn't consider potential England selection worth leaving that, even before you consider the money aspect.

Fair play to him; wish him every success.

Puja

Totally understandable and sensible decision for player to make but England have lost yet another top class openside in exchange for keeping premiership on life support - RFU should have offered Jack Willis a central contract - Better long term prospect than some forwards who’ve received them imo (not that I begrudge those players from taking them to get degree of financial security when RFU offered them)

Better to lose Jack Willis than to lose the next generation of Jack Willises.

Puja

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 8:26 am I think it’s as simple as the fact that after years of terrible injuries and being made redundant he’s playing for arguably the best team in the world and his family love living in south west France. In many ways, Toulouse is probably the highest quality rugby you could find in the NH other than the Ireland and France setups and he obvs isn’t going to picked by either of those. Why on earth would you move back to a league that has numerous clubs, and therefore all clubs, on a financial knife edge and a dysfunctional national setup.

p/d wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 10:29 am

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 8:26 am I think it’s as simple as the fact that after years of terrible injuries and being made redundant he’s playing for arguably the best team in the world and his family love living in south west France. In many ways, Toulouse is probably the highest quality rugby you could find in the NH other than the Ireland and France setups and he obvs isn’t going to picked by either of those. Why on earth would you move back to a league that has numerous clubs, and therefore all clubs, on a financial knife edge and a dysfunctional national setup.

This, 100% this.

Plus we shouldn’t get hung up over one or two individual’s

Oakboy wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 11:38 am

p/d wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 10:29 am

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 8:26 am I think it’s as simple as the fact that after years of terrible injuries and being made redundant he’s playing for arguably the best team in the world and his family love living in south west France. In many ways, Toulouse is probably the highest quality rugby you could find in the NH other than the Ireland and France setups and he obvs isn’t going to picked by either of those. Why on earth would you move back to a league that has numerous clubs, and therefore all clubs, on a financial knife edge and a dysfunctional national setup.

This, 100% this.

Plus we shouldn’t get hung up over one or two individual’s

Can't help but agree, on the one hand. Then, thinking of Mel's valid comment about Toulouse being the best in the NH, if Willis is their first choice 7, by definition, whoever else we pick must be a worse player. That is sick when you look at our 6N and AI results.

IMO, Jack W is miles ahead of the alternatives now. If I trusted Stuck Brain to get Pollock in early I would not be so pissed off. Sticking to Curry x 2, Underhill, Earl and Dombrandt excites me not one little bit (especially when I look at the France and Ireland back rows). It's nothing to do with age or experience. It's all about potential ceilings - individuals, units and the team as a whole.

FKAS wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 11:45 am

Oakboy wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 11:38 am

p/d wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 10:29 am

This, 100% this.

Plus we shouldn’t get hung up over one or two individual’s

Can't help but agree, on the one hand. Then, thinking of Mel's valid comment about Toulouse being the best in the NH, if Willis is their first choice 7, by definition, whoever else we pick must be a worse player. That is sick when you look at our 6N and AI results.

IMO, Jack W is miles ahead of the alternatives now. If I trusted Stuck Brain to get Pollock in early I would not be so pissed off. Sticking to Curry x 2, Underhill, Earl and Dombrandt excites me not one little bit (especially when I look at the France and Ireland back rows). It's nothing to do with age or experience. It's all about potential ceilings - individuals, units and the team as a whole.

The best teams aren't made up of the best individual players though, it's about balance and the overall selection. Willis works brilliantly in that team because he's got a big work rate and does the thinks tight the breakdown on both sides of the ball that makes it easier for the more dynamic players to do their thing.

That may or may not be what England need in their backrow. It wasn't at the world cup where England wanted to use a kick/chase game and the more pacey and dynamic Underhill and Curry were preferred.

Toulouse have arguably the best backline in the club rugby. How many of those players are the best in the world in those positions? Dupont and ... the rest are all cracking players but none you necessarily through out all other options to have.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 12:59 pm Is Farrell just not fit? Feel like he hasn’t been seen in a few weeks.

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 6:50 pm Paul Gustard, coach of Stade Français, must be feeling even more nervous as his team were thrashed 19-46 at home to Bordeaux/Bègles and are now 13th and threatened with relegation.

FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 8:31 pm

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 6:50 pm Paul Gustard, coach of Stade Français, must be feeling even more nervous as his team were thrashed 19-46 at home to Bordeaux/Bègles and are now 13th and threatened with relegation.

What's happened to Zach Henry at Stade? He seemed to be having a blinding season last year but is the forgotten man this term. Out of favour or injured?

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 8:56 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 8:31 pm

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 6:50 pm Paul Gustard, coach of Stade Français, must be feeling even more nervous as his team were thrashed 19-46 at home to Bordeaux/Bègles and are now 13th and threatened with relegation.

What's happened to Zach Henry at Stade? He seemed to be having a blinding season last year but is the forgotten man this term. Out of favour or injured?

Out of favour, I think.

FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 9:19 pm

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 8:56 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 8:31 pm

What's happened to Zach Henry at Stade? He seemed to be having a blinding season last year but is the forgotten man this term. Out of favour or injured?

Out of favour, I think.

Shame Bristol have signed Jordan for next season as Henry would have been awesome for them with his playing style.

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sun Jan 05, 2025 9:45 am

FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 9:19 pm

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 8:56 pm

Out of favour, I think.

Shame Bristol have signed Jordan for next season as Henry would have been awesome for them with his playing style.

If Handré Pollard leaves Leicester at the end of the season, Henry could be his replacement and vie for the shirt with Shillcock.

Puja wrote: ↑Sun Jan 05, 2025 3:02 pm

francoisfou wrote: ↑Sun Jan 05, 2025 9:45 am

FKAS wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 9:19 pm

Shame Bristol have signed Jordan for next season as Henry would have been awesome for them with his playing style.

If Handré Pollard leaves Leicester at the end of the season, Henry could be his replacement and vie for the shirt with Shillcock.

Yeaaaah, I'm not sure Henry would be thrilled to return to Leicester, especially with the risk that Cheika may not take up an extension next year.

Puja

francoisfou wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2025 5:55 pm Round 16 of ProdD gets under way this evening:

Of note is that George North should make his long-awaited début this side of the channel for Provence away to Agen.
Agen - 10 Billy Searle, 20 Jack Maunder
Provence - 6 Teimana Harrison, 21 Jimmy Gopperth, 22 George North

Biarritz - 14 Zack Kibirige
Angoulême - 11 Jonny May

Béziers - 3 Christian Judge
Nice

Oyonnax - 5 Ewan Johnson
Aurillac

Dax
Brive - Not a Brit but Matias Moroni makes his début for Brive

Grenoble - 10 Sam Davies, 5 Pierce Philips
Montauban - 5 Lewis Bean (ex Bedford and Saints)

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2025 7:05 pm

francoisfou wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2025 5:55 pm Round 16 of ProdD gets under way this evening:

Of note is that George North should make his long-awaited début this side of the channel for Provence away to Agen.
Agen - 10 Billy Searle, 20 Jack Maunder
Provence - 6 Teimana Harrison, 21 Jimmy Gopperth, 22 George North

Biarritz - 14 Zack Kibirige
Angoulême - 11 Jonny May

Béziers - 3 Christian Judge
Nice

Oyonnax - 5 Ewan Johnson
Aurillac

Dax
Brive - Not a Brit but Matias Moroni makes his début for Brive

Grenoble - 10 Sam Davies, 5 Pierce Philips
Montauban - 5 Lewis Bean (ex Bedford and Saints)

Have you seen a John madigan playing pro D2?

francoisfou wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:49 pm Jack Willis plays 8 for Toulouse tomorrow afternoon at King's Park Durban and Blair Kinghorn on the wing.

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2025 2:27 pm

francoisfou wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:49 pm Jack Willis plays 8 for Toulouse tomorrow afternoon at King's Park Durban and Blair Kinghorn on the wing.

Looking forward to watching this game.