RugbyRebels

Just wondering how others are affected by this, Bristol look set to lose a few players, for the first time,to internationals:

Wales - Sheedy, Lloyd
England - Sinckler, Earl, Malins
Fiji - Radradra

We play Wasps, Worcs and Saints during the comp who might all all lose a few:

Wasps - Minozzi, Rowlands, Launchbury, Willis, Robson and Umaga
Worcs - Weir, Lawrence, Hill
Saints - Lawes, Ribbans, Ludlam, Furbank, Biggar and Hutchinson(?)

Wasps seen hardest hit there and think without Willis and Robson we stand a decent chance against them.

I mean, Leicester were screwed from the get-go with COVID banjaxing any pre-season chance that we may have had to get a coherent team together, but we'll be missing 7 players - Murimurivalu, Nadolo, Ford, Youngs, Cole, Mamukashvili, and Genge.

I'm assuming that, even if players don't feature in the matchday XXIII, they won't be able to come back to their clubs due to COVID bubbles?

Puja

The ‘bubble’ bit is the part I’m not sure about. I was originally assuming they can’t be released to their clubs, but I watched Ulster vs. Glasgow last night and a few of the Glasgow players had been released from the Scotland squad to play, so now I’m confused!

Quins are missing Marler, Marchant (England), Lang and Steele (Scotland). Not huge numbers, but 3/4 out of our first choice 23.

We play Exeter at home followed by Saints and Gloucester away.

By my reckoning Exeter will be without Williams, Francis, Hill and Hogg plus Nowell and LCD who are injured.

Saints have already been covered.

Gloucester are getting off pretty lightly in numbers, but a bit like Quins, Heinz, May, LRZ and Polledri are all key players to have lost. Not sure whether Varney will be re-added to the Italy squad now he’s clear of corona?

Puja wrote:I mean, Leicester were screwed from the get-go with COVID banjaxing any pre-season chance that we may have had to get a coherent team together, but we'll be missing 7 players - Murimurivalu, Nadolo, Ford, Youngs, Cole, Mamukashvili, and Genge.

I'm assuming that, even if players don't feature in the matchday XXIII, they won't be able to come back to their clubs due to COVID bubbles?

Puja

Cole?

Bath might be the club who are missing the most players.

Sale handily placed.

Scrumhead wrote:The ‘bubble’ bit is the part I’m not sure about. I was originally assuming they can’t be released to their clubs, but I watched Ulster vs. Glasgow last night and a few of the Glasgow players had been released from the Scotland squad to play, so now I’m confused!

Quins are missing Marler, Marchant (England), Lang and Steele (Scotland). Not huge numbers, but 3/4 out of our first choice 23.

We play Exeter at home followed by Saints and Gloucester away.

By my reckoning Exeter will be without Williams, Francis, Hill and Hogg plus Nowell and LCD who are injured.

Saints have already been covered.

Gloucester are getting off pretty lightly in numbers, but a bit like Quins, Heinz, May, LRZ and Polledri are all key players to have lost. Not sure whether Varney will be re-added to the Italy squad now he’s clear of corona?

Thorley too. Quite an impact losing three wingers.

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

Puja wrote:I mean, Leicester were screwed from the get-go with COVID banjaxing any pre-season chance that we may have had to get a coherent team together, but we'll be missing 7 players - Murimurivalu, Nadolo, Ford, Youngs, Cole, Mamukashvili, and Genge.

I'm assuming that, even if players don't feature in the matchday XXIII, they won't be able to come back to their clubs due to COVID bubbles?

Puja

Cole?

I had completely missed the fact that Cole wasn't in the England squad. I was assuming he was there carrying tackle shields. That's good news for Leicester.

Puja

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

Scrumhead wrote:The ‘bubble’ bit is the part I’m not sure about. I was originally assuming they can’t be released to their clubs, but I watched Ulster vs. Glasgow last night and a few of the Glasgow players had been released from the Scotland squad to play, so now I’m confused!

Quins are missing Marler, Marchant (England), Lang and Steele (Scotland). Not huge numbers, but 3/4 out of our first choice 23.

We play Exeter at home followed by Saints and Gloucester away.

By my reckoning Exeter will be without Williams, Francis, Hill and Hogg plus Nowell and LCD who are injured.

Saints have already been covered.

Gloucester are getting off pretty lightly in numbers, but a bit like Quins, Heinz, May, LRZ and Polledri are all key players to have lost. Not sure whether Varney will be re-added to the Italy squad now he’s clear of corona?

Thorley too. Quite an impact losing three wingers.

True. Forgot about Thorley.

Sale are probably the least affected. I’m probably missing a couple, but I think they’ve only lost Tom Curry to England and Ben Curry and Tuilagi to injury?

Puja wrote:

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

Puja wrote:I mean, Leicester were screwed from the get-go with COVID banjaxing any pre-season chance that we may have had to get a coherent team together, but we'll be missing 7 players - Murimurivalu, Nadolo, Ford, Youngs, Cole, Mamukashvili, and Genge.

I'm assuming that, even if players don't feature in the matchday XXIII, they won't be able to come back to their clubs due to COVID bubbles?

Puja

Cole?

I had completely missed the fact that Cole wasn't in the England squad. I was assuming he was there carrying tackle shields. That's good news for Leicester.

Puja

Taufua and Lavanini out until the new year and we're unlikely to see Moroni until January as well.

Likely to be something like;

Gigena, Youngs, Cole
Wells, Green
Liebenburg, Weise, Reffell/Wallace
Wigglesworth/White, Bonilla
Scott, Porter
Steward, Henry, Potter

Is Bonilla joining up with the Tigers’ squad straight away? Also what’s happening with Montoya?

Scrumhead wrote:

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

Scrumhead wrote:The ‘bubble’ bit is the part I’m not sure about. I was originally assuming they can’t be released to their clubs, but I watched Ulster vs. Glasgow last night and a few of the Glasgow players had been released from the Scotland squad to play, so now I’m confused!

Quins are missing Marler, Marchant (England), Lang and Steele (Scotland). Not huge numbers, but 3/4 out of our first choice 23.

We play Exeter at home followed by Saints and Gloucester away.

By my reckoning Exeter will be without Williams, Francis, Hill and Hogg plus Nowell and LCD who are injured.

Saints have already been covered.

Gloucester are getting off pretty lightly in numbers, but a bit like Quins, Heinz, May, LRZ and Polledri are all key players to have lost. Not sure whether Varney will be re-added to the Italy squad now he’s clear of corona?

Thorley too. Quite an impact losing three wingers.

True. Forgot about Thorley.

Sale are probably the least affected. I’m probably missing a couple, but I think they’ve only lost Tom Curry to England and Ben Curry and Tuilagi to injury?

Yep, especially with SA pulling out of this years Rugby Championship

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

Scrumhead wrote:

Epaminondas Pules wrote:
Thorley too. Quite an impact losing three wingers.

True. Forgot about Thorley.

Sale are probably the least affected. I’m probably missing a couple, but I think they’ve only lost Tom Curry to England and Ben Curry and Tuilagi to injury?

Yep, especially with SA pulling out of this years Rugby Championship

Given how little international rugby South Africa are likely to be playing over the next year or so, do we reckon it's likely that they'll name Sale as their next most senior representative team?

Puja

FKAS wrote:

Puja wrote:

Epaminondas Pules wrote:

Cole?

I had completely missed the fact that Cole wasn't in the England squad. I was assuming he was there carrying tackle shields. That's good news for Leicester.

Puja

Taufua and Lavanini out until the new year and we're unlikely to see Moroni until January as well.

Likely to be something like;

Gigena, Youngs, Cole
Wells, Green
Liebenburg, Weise, Reffell/Wallace
Wigglesworth/White, Bonilla
Scott, Porter
Steward, Henry, Potter

Would Van Wyk not be on the wing with Steward at 15? And Taute at centre?

Puja

Cyle Brink’s been forgotten since joining Tigers injured but I fancy him to do very well for Tigers at 6 or 8.

Puja wrote:

FKAS wrote:

Puja wrote:
I had completely missed the fact that Cole wasn't in the England squad. I was assuming he was there carrying tackle shields. That's good news for Leicester.

Puja

Taufua and Lavanini out until the new year and we're unlikely to see Moroni until January as well.

Likely to be something like;

Gigena, Youngs, Cole
Wells, Green
Liebenburg, Weise, Reffell/Wallace
Wigglesworth/White, Bonilla
Scott, Porter
Steward, Henry, Potter

Would Van Wyk not be on the wing with Steward at 15? And Taute at centre?

Puja

Good point I'd forgotten about van Wyk. Yeah him onto the wing and Steward to 15. I was thinking we were short of height on the left wing with no Nadolo and Steward could have provided that but Potter/Van Wyk/Steward should be a decent back three until the internationals return. I thought Porter had maybe edged out Taute a little before the end of the season. I was envisaging Taute being on the bench.

Bonilla Vs Henry will be an interesting contest if there's not a spot for either at 15.

Scrumhead, I'm looking forward to Brink making his debut. Might take a while for him to get back up to speed after so long a lay off. If he can come in and make his presence felt we might be able to use Liebenburg in the row and make up for some of Lavanini's lost carrying there.

Scrumhead wrote:Is Bonilla joining up with the Tigers’ squad straight away? Also what’s happening with Montoya?

Bonilla had already travelled to England before being selected in the Pumas squad. Various isolation requirements made it difficult for him to fulfill the call up so I think he's now dropped out.

No news yet on Montoya. He's playing in Australia next year which fits with the rumour he's supposed to be joining next summer when Tom Youngs contract is up. I'm sure he'll enjoy some time in Perth, beautiful part of the world. Won't prepare him for winter in Leicestershire thought.

How did the IRB work out the player release window?

Nadolo has retired from Test rugby hasn't he?

Scrumhead wrote:The ‘bubble’ bit is the part I’m not sure about. I was originally assuming they can’t be released to their clubs, but I watched Ulster vs. Glasgow last night and a few of the Glasgow players had been released from the Scotland squad to play, so now I’m confused!

Quins are missing Marler, Marchant (England), Lang and Steele (Scotland). Not huge numbers, but 3/4 out of our first choice 23.

We play Exeter at home followed by Saints and Gloucester away.

By my reckoning Exeter will be without Williams, Francis, Hill and Hogg plus Nowell and LCD who are injured.

Saints have already been covered.

Gloucester are getting off pretty lightly in numbers, but a bit like Quins, Heinz, May, LRZ and Polledri are all key players to have lost. Not sure whether Varney will be re-added to the Italy squad now he’s clear of corona?

Exeter are also without Gray (I forgot him) and Hidalgo-Clyne who’s been recalled by Scotland.

I’m still expecting them to beat Quins up but they’re missing about 8 from their first choice 23 which is quite significant.

Skinner too?

Exe will be shorthanded in a few areas.

Baxter spoke about blooding players last season with a view to them being better prepared for this one.

Peej wrote:Nadolo has retired from Test rugby hasn't he?

He has unretired now and is in Fiji's ANC squad. Weird how that's happened the instant that he's not playing in France anymore, isn't it? Almost as if he'd had pressure put upon him by his French club not to play for his country.

Puja

Digby wrote:How did the IRB work out the player release window?

Badly.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:How did the IRB work out the player release window?

Badly.

Puja

Well yes, it's the IRB, but did they just say the window has moved and expanded and that's just how it is?

fivepointer wrote:Skinner too?

Exe will be shorthanded in a few areas.

Baxter spoke about blooding players last season with a view to them being better prepared for this one.

Perhaps, but with the exception of Hepburn/Moon, Simmonds and Ewers, their pack is pretty ravaged.

Backs less so with only really Hogg missing.

Digby wrote:

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:How did the IRB work out the player release window?

Badly.

Puja

Well yes, it's the IRB, but did they just say the window has moved and expanded and that's just how it is?

I haven't been able to find anything conclusive, but the French clubs are only allowing their players to be selected for three games, which suggests everything's being negotiated on an ad-hoc basis and the English have a better relationship with their clubs.

Puja