La Rochelle vs Sale

[Peej]

Interesting game this so far. Two huge teams taking lumps out of each other. Quite a few challenges (two including Wiese) that looked cardable to me and weren't even penalties

[Raggs]

Loved that from Tom Curry. Roaring that they've gone off their feet (twice), once it's been blown, he goes to the ref to apologise for yelling about it. Smart to get to the ref before the ref gets to him.

[Peej]

Curry has been excellent so far. Sale also doing well, though La Rochelle have just scored a cracking try

[francoisfou]

Super La Rochelle try early in the second half. A good contest!

[16th man]

Sale just giving up too many penalties and silly errors.

[16th man]

Sale pack getting badly beaten up now

[16th man]

Ref not bothered with the clear neck roll right in front of him

[fivepointer]

Sale fell away quite badly in the 2nd half. The Racing power game takes some containing.

[chris1850]

Sale fell away quite badly in the 2nd half. The Racing power game takes some containing.

So does the LR power game!

[fivepointer]

Sale fell away quite badly in the 2nd half. The Racing power game takes some containing.

So does the LR power game!

Oops. Got my French teams mixed up. Apols.....

[16th man]

Proof that it's one thing giving penalties away to mid table prem teams, another entirely to keep gifting possession and position to one of the top French sides.

[francoisfou]

I was mightily impressed with the way La Rochelle saw off Sale. They currently lie second in the Top14 with 6 games left before the end-of-season playoffs and would be well worth a modest bet to win their first Brennus Shield, which is the name of the trophy for the winners of the Top14.

[Timbo]

Bevan Rodd looked exactly what he is yesterday. A talented youngster who is some way off top international standard. Likelihood of him developing enough in the next 18 months to be a viable option for a World Cup would be slim I’d guess.

[Puja]

Bevan Rodd looked exactly what he is yesterday. A talented youngster who is some way off top international standard. Likelihood of him developing enough in the next 18 months to be a viable option for a World Cup would be slim I’d guess.

Although a prop can develop relatively quickly given the right support. If he's half decent, he'll have learned a lot from yesterday too.

Puja

[Beasties]

Bevan Rodd looked exactly what he is yesterday. A talented youngster who is some way off top international standard. Likelihood of him developing enough in the next 18 months to be a viable option for a World Cup would be slim I’d guess.

Actually I was quite impressed with how he stuck at it after the Sale pack had had its head shoved up its @rse in that first scrum. Atonio with Skelton behind him is quite the test for any LH never mind a young one.

[Peej]

Rodd also made a couple of good interventions in the loose. To be fair, look how much someone like Stuart has come in a short space of time.

[16th man]

Bevan Rodd looked exactly what he is yesterday. A talented youngster who is some way off top international standard. Likelihood of him developing enough in the next 18 months to be a viable option for a World Cup would be slim I’d guess.

If we find ourselves needing him too then we're probably stuffed.

[chris1850]

Bevan Rodd looked exactly what he is yesterday. A talented youngster who is some way off top international standard. Likelihood of him developing enough in the next 18 months to be a viable option for a World Cup would be slim I’d guess.

If we find ourselves needing him too then we're probably stuffed.

Bit unfair. The lad is 20 years old. He only became a Sale first team squad regular this year. He has more than held his own against some very experienced THs this season e.g. Brooks, Afoa, Schonert and others. He is very adept in the loose, especially over the ball. Sure Antonio bettered him in some of the scrums on Saturday, but he was the first this season and Antonio is a handful for most in the scrum. Rodd needs a close season or two in the gym, rather than holding tackle bags for Eddie (where have we heard that before). Give the lad a bit of time - he has plenty of promise and all the best props were 20 once!

[Puja]

Bevan Rodd looked exactly what he is yesterday. A talented youngster who is some way off top international standard. Likelihood of him developing enough in the next 18 months to be a viable option for a World Cup would be slim I’d guess.

If we find ourselves needing him too then we're probably stuffed.

Bit unfair. The lad is 20 years old. He only became a Sale first team squad regular this year. He has more than held his own against some very experienced THs this season e.g. Brooks, Afoa, Schonert and others. He is very adept in the loose, especially over the ball. Sure Antonio bettered him in some of the scrums on Saturday, but he was the first this season and Antonio is a handful for most in the scrum. Rodd needs a close season or two in the gym, rather than holding tackle bags for Eddie (where have we heard that before). Give the lad a bit of time - he has plenty of promise and all the best props were 20 once!

Good points. Frankly, we don't want him getting too much rugby at 20 anyway or we'll have another Henry Thomas on our hands.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Bit unfair. The lad is 20 years old. He only became a Sale first team squad regular this year. He has more than held his own against some very experienced THs this season e.g. Brooks, Afoa, Schonert and others. He is very adept in the loose, especially over the ball. Sure Antonio bettered him in some of the scrums on Saturday, but he was the first this season and Antonio is a handful for most in the scrum. Rodd needs a close season or two in the gym, rather than holding tackle bags for Eddie (where have we heard that before). Give the lad a bit of time - he has plenty of promise and all the best props were 20 once!

Good points. Frankly, we don't want him getting too much rugby at 20 anyway or we'll have another Henry Thomas on our hands.

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

There's nothing like getting beasted for a young props development.

[16th man]

Bevan Rodd looked exactly what he is yesterday. A talented youngster who is some way off top international standard. Likelihood of him developing enough in the next 18 months to be a viable option for a World Cup would be slim I’d guess.

If we find ourselves needing him too then we're probably stuffed.

Bit unfair. The lad is 20 years old. He only became a Sale first team squad regular this year. He has more than held his own against some very experienced THs this season e.g. Brooks, Afoa, Schonert and others. He is very adept in the loose, especially over the ball. Sure Antonio bettered him in some of the scrums on Saturday, but he was the first this season and Antonio is a handful for most in the scrum. Rodd needs a close season or two in the gym, rather than holding tackle bags for Eddie (where have we heard that before). Give the lad a bit of time - he has plenty of promise and all the best props were 20 once!

That he's 20 and needs development time is kind of the point I'm making. All the above is absolutely true, so any suggestion that people, should be thinking about him in any context for the next world Cup, is very premature.

[16th man]

There's nothing like getting beasted for a young props development.

If common sense is being applied, it's in moderation, and they don't end up with wrecked knees, shoulders or necks by the time they're 25

[FKAS]

If we find ourselves needing him too then we're probably stuffed.

Bit unfair. The lad is 20 years old. He only became a Sale first team squad regular this year. He has more than held his own against some very experienced THs this season e.g. Brooks, Afoa, Schonert and others. He is very adept in the loose, especially over the ball. Sure Antonio bettered him in some of the scrums on Saturday, but he was the first this season and Antonio is a handful for most in the scrum. Rodd needs a close season or two in the gym, rather than holding tackle bags for Eddie (where have we heard that before). Give the lad a bit of time - he has plenty of promise and all the best props were 20 once!

That he's 20 and needs development time is kind of the point I'm making. All the above is absolutely true, so any suggestion that people, should be thinking about him in any context for the next world Cup, is very premature.

I don't think anyone is suggesting he'll be ready for the next world cup. I think a lot of people think he's a talented prospect who deserves a chance to join what could be a Saxons (home tour) this summer. On form I'd say he's the 5th/6th best England loosehead and if we aren't going to select Genge/Mako/Marler this summer then he stands a chance of going. George Martin has talked up the learning experience of being in the England camp. A young player like Rodd getting to work with Proudfoot is a good development opportunity. He is also eligible for other nations and has come through the England under 20s. Get him capped up and on the development pathway to the first team.

A little bit of early succession planning doesn't hurt. Marler and Mako will be on their way to international retirement after the next world cup. No point getting to the 6N after that world cup and going well we've got Genge with caps and no one else with more than the odd one. This summer tour is a great chance to get Obano, West and Rodd into the system and start shaping them to apply some competition to the incumbents. Even if Rodd is more post world cup.

[Which Tyler]

There's nothing like getting beasted for a young props development.

If common sense is being applied, it's in moderation, and they don't end up with wrecked knees, shoulders or necks by the time they're 25

Always worth bringing this up again, from... probably over a decade ago originally:
http://www.rugbyrebels.co/board/viewtop ... p=129#p129