Aviva Premiership: something exciting happens

[blockhead]

Tigers have announced new signings:

James Cronin, Jimmy Gopperth (39 at start of next season), Phil Cokanasiga (from LI) Olly Cracknell (LI)

I'm not sure who's leaving other than Genge.

Ford is off too, with Handre Pollard coming in to replace him.

Thanks. Watson signed too.

Wow! Thats is a whole heap of ordinary signings, with quality players like Ford and Genge going.

[blockhead]

Actual common sense coming out of the Premiership.

'I've listened to and read some of the speculation,' he said. 'I've heard this before. Back in the day, it was because English players were playing too often, but then English clubs started winning.
'Then it was because Irish players didn't play enough. I think it's dangerous to jump to conclusions. I think we probably need to see what happens next year and the year after.'

Mark McCall after Saracens were beaten by Toulon and leaving the Prem with no teams in either final.

[Schumi]

The English aren't alone in overreacting to one bad year. It's only 6 years since everyone was panicking that Pro14 teams would never be competitive again when no one made the quarter finals.

We won it two years later and Munster and us made the semis the next three years. I'll give it a few years before declaring English rugby to be dead.

[ronk]

The English aren't alone in overreacting to one bad year. It's only 6 years since everyone was panicking that Pro14 teams would never be competitive again when no one made the quarter finals.

We won it two years later and Munster and us made the semis the next three years. I'll give it a few years before declaring English rugby to be dead.

Toulon and Saracens won 6 Heineken Cups between them.

And it still took both the emergence of a new generation of stars like Furlong, Ryan, Ringrose, Larmour and Leavy along with heavy recruitment that brought back Sexton and Isa, projects like Lowe and JGP and experienced leadership in Fardy, and Henshaw. Plus we still had Kearney, Healy, Toner, SOB etc.

[Morf]

Actual common sense coming out of the Premiership.

'I've listened to and read some of the speculation,' he said. 'I've heard this before. Back in the day, it was because English players were playing too often, but then English clubs started winning.
'Then it was because Irish players didn't play enough. I think it's dangerous to jump to conclusions. I think we probably need to see what happens next year and the year after.'

Mark McCall after Saracens were beaten by Toulon and leaving the Prem with no teams in either final.

They still need cash though. Most of the premiership clubs aren't terribly viable so it will keep coming up that European Rugby could be re-jigged to provide them with more money.
It's less to do with their success or any other leagues success than the pounds and euros they strive to get more of.

[blockhead]

'Savage' Lyon pitch blasted as 'more than half' of Wasps' semi-final team suffer burns
Many players suffered flesh injuries after playing on the Stade de Gerland in 30C heat
More than half of the Wasps squad that participated in their European Challenge Cup semi-final defeat suffered burns while playing on Lyon's artificial pitch.

Three days on from the Gallagher Premiership club bowing out with a 20-18 defeat on Saturday to the Top 14 outfit on a burning hot midday encounter in France, Lee Blackett's players are still feeling the after-effects of playing on the Stade de Gerland's synthetic surface.

"We've had players not training this week as a result of it," said head coach Blackett. "[It was] Tough mentally and tough physically there. I've never seen it before. I've seen grazes, but if I just lined them up, you'd be like just 'wow', it's more than half. It's impacted training, it won't affect selection. It's been a couple of days afterward, there have been a lot of guys struggling."

England scrum-half Dan Robson shared his burns on social media and fellow starter in the match, second-row Elliott Stooke, showed his war wounds during Tuesday's media conference at the club's Henley-in-Arden training ground base.

"I'm ******* livid'," said Stooke, who held his knee up to the camera for those attending via video conference call. "I can't even move my leg at the moment because of this burn on my knee. Every time I bend it, it cracks. My eyes are watering every time I sit on the toilet!

"It's sore, they're painful, I don't agree with them. That's one of the worst rubber crumbs I've ever played on, Lyon away. It didn't help that it was 30 degrees and it was baking. I am not a fan.

"Jimmy's [Gopperth] got a nasty one on his arm, Dobby [Robson], has half his leg is missing. I've got half my knee missing. I think it was just that particular rubber crumb on that day in 30-degree heat. It was savage, it really was."

The wounds have impacted preparations for Friday night's penultimate game of Wasps' Gallagher Premiership season against Sale Sharks at the Coventry Building Society Arena - where they are on an eight-game winning run in front of their own fans.
Blackett's side need a win to rise into the division's top eight and gain qualification for next year's Heineken Champions Cup, with a tricky final away game in store against Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on June 4.

"I've never seen grazes like this," said Blackett. "[I don't know] Whether the heat had something to do with it? We had guys not finishing training sessions because they're limping around, Stookey being one. I've never seen so many players with issues."

The Wasps boss was keen to point out his issue was not with artificial pitches as a whole, but the particular one his players suffered injuries on at the weekend.

Was it Scarlets with the same compaints a few years back when they played up in Scotscoun I think? How did the home team get on?
These are real problems, maybe it was the heat/pitch combo. Either way it should be investigated.

[the spoofer]

Massive massive choke by Jackson as Worcester beat LI

[Xanthippe]

Massive massive choke by Jackson as Worcester beat LI

Kicked 7 in a row then missed 4 in a row

[riocard911]

I don't think those plastic pitches are good idea healthwise for the players. It's not just the skin burns, the surface doesn't give enough, which means that the cumulative pounding is bad for the players' joints. I imagine it's worse the heavier the player is. RO'G hates them too.

[the spoofer]

I don't think those plastic pitches are good idea healthwise for the players. It's not just the skin burns, the surface doesn't give enough, which means that the cumulative pounding is bad for the players' joints. I imagine it's worse the heavier the player is. RO'G hates them too.

We installed a 3G pitch this year. It is a fabulous surface and skin burn is not an issue. Players (home and away) love it, there is great give(bigger shock pad) and the carpet is fantastic. The older and cheaper installations are an issue.

[riocard911]

I don't think those plastic pitches are good idea healthwise for the players. It's not just the skin burns, the surface doesn't give enough, which means that the cumulative pounding is bad for the players' joints. I imagine it's worse the heavier the player is. RO'G hates them too.

We installed a 3G pitch this year. It is a fabulous surface and skin burn is not an issue. Players (home and away) love it, there is great give(bigger shock pad) and the carpet is fantastic. The older and cheaper installations are an issue.

Good to hear it!

[Morf]

I don't think those plastic pitches are good idea healthwise for the players. It's not just the skin burns, the surface doesn't give enough, which means that the cumulative pounding is bad for the players' joints. I imagine it's worse the heavier the player is. RO'G hates them too.

My own lingering nerve issues off my neck is from Terenure 3G pitch

[Peg Leg]

Listened to eggchasers for the first time, complete tripe. They said the reason that the prem is the most competitive league in the world is because all of the teams spend the same amount after which when discussing permutations for the finals they dismissed half of the 8 in contention as mere speed bumps for the other half. Pure shite podcast

[blockhead]

London Irish@londonirish
68 | REP | @SeanOBrien1987 departs the field for the last time as Chandler Cunningham-South joins in his place.
The crowd are on their feet here, a phenomenal career Seanie. Thanks for everything.

One of the greats bows out.

[Flash Gordon]

London Irish@londonirish
68 | REP | @SeanOBrien1987 departs the field for the last time as Chandler Cunningham-South joins in his place.
The crowd are on their feet here, a phenomenal career Seanie. Thanks for everything.

One of the greats bows out.

Hopefully he will get a farewell with the Barbarians. Definitely one of the greats for Leinster, Ireland and the Lions.

[IanD]

BBC News - Johann Van Graan: Incoming coach to take complete responsibility for rugby matters

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/61584386

I really don't know what to make of this.

"Stuart Hooper, director of rugby since 2019, becomes general manager.

Hooper will report to Van Graan "in delivering the club's long-term plans which include the further enhancement of its player pathway and academy"."

[ronk]

BBC News - Johann Van Graan: Incoming coach to take complete responsibility for rugby matters

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/61584386

I really don't know what to make of this.

"Stuart Hooper, director of rugby since 2019, becomes general manager.

Hooper will report to Van Graan "in delivering the club's long-term plans which include the further enhancement of its player pathway and academy"."

I think it means complete responsibility in the Boris Johnson sense.

[Oldschool]

BBC News - Johann Van Graan: Incoming coach to take complete responsibility for rugby matters

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/61584386

I really don't know what to make of this.

"Stuart Hooper, director of rugby since 2019, becomes general manager.

Hooper will report to Van Graan "in delivering the club's long-term plans which include the further enhancement of its player pathway and academy"."

I think it means complete responsibility in the Boris Johnson sense.

The parties should be fun.

[riocard911]

Based on the YouTube semis highlights alone, I reckon Saracens will have too much for Leicester in the Prem final.

[ronk]

Owen Farrell wants rugby to be safe, but...

Well I want rugby to be safe, and I hope he gets banned enough that he finally plays right. Utterly repellent.

https://www.the42.ie/owen-farrell-3-5789127-Jun2022/