Aviva Premiership: something exciting happens

[Schumi]

The Heineken Cup was much better when Sky had it all, it was advertised/hyped really well, familiar and consistent presentation and format PLUS you only had to pay for SKY Sports, throw in the movies for free and jib was a good’un. Now the coverage is just a bit all over the place and it’s just not as good.

The only thing is if this does happen what will Neill do to keep himself busy ?

The Heineken Cup is all on BT now. I have it and Premier Sports, which has the URC, for €15 a month for the next few months which isn't too bad.

[sunshiner1]

Watched the Bristol/Clermont game. Utterly brainless decision by the Bristol winger that cost them the game. But the saddest part of all was seeing the crowds/atmosphere. No fans and the ones there didn't make any noise. If this is the state of English Rugby then France and Ireland will be winning the 6N for a long time to come.

[tigerburnie]

Don't worry about English rugby, we are sorting our house out, not ready to be written off yet, a way to go, poor management off the field responsible and the effect of a global down turn means tough times for all, even the franchises with external support will have to go through the pain too. The plans going forwards with two professional leagues could be the answer and talk of some sort of player contracts with the RFU also in the air, finally the RFU.PRL are waking up.

[sunshiner1]

by tigerburnie

Don't worry about English rugby, we are sorting our house out, not ready to be written off yet, a way to go, poor management off the field responsible and the effect of a global down turn means tough times for all, even the franchises with external support will have to go through the pain too. The plans going forwards with two professional leagues could be the answer and talk of some sort of player contracts with the RFU also in the air, finally the RFU.PRL are waking up.

I hope so because if that is a showcase it was a bad one.

[IanD]

BBC News - Billy Vunipola: Saracens and England number eight out for rest of season
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65252667

Puts World Cup in doubt.

[paddyor]

BBC News - Billy Vunipola: Saracens and England number eight out for rest of season
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65252667

Puts World Cup in doubt.

He was never going to the RWC with borthwich in charge

[IanD]

BBC News - Billy Vunipola: Saracens and England number eight out for rest of season
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65252667

Puts World Cup in doubt.

He was never going to the RWC with borthwich in charge

Maybe maybe not.

But remember Dombrandt has been absolutely muck so management might have softened their stance.

[scentofgunpowder]

Chris Ashton with his 99th, 100th, and 101st Premiership tries in a rout of Exeter. What a player.

[riocard911]

Chris Ashton with his 99th, 100th, and 101st Premiership tries in a rout of Exeter. What a player.

I listened to him on the BBC 5 Live rugby podcast the other day talking to Danny Care and he comes across as a really nice, down to earth kind of fella, far removed from the somewhat arrogant public persona he occasionally displays. Good rugby brain on him too. Thought his suggestion in favour of tackled players coughing up the ball on the ground instead of holding on and giving away a peno was an interesting take on matters breakdown.

[hugonaut]

Chris Ashton with his 99th, 100th, and 101st Premiership tries in a rout of Exeter. What a player.

Outstanding winger. Absolute genius of a try-scorer.

He did himself a huge, huge disservice with his gaudy celebration. It made hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even millions of people, think he was a gloating pr*ck ... which he isn't. But in the moment of maximum publicity, he chose to act that way, so it's totally understandable if that is the idea people have of him. If he had just slid in and taken the congrats, most people would have a hugely different view of him. The notoriety was absolutely not worth it.

He said last year in an interview that he regrets doing his 'Ash Splash' celebration: "There are people who don't like it, and create an opinion of you through that, which looking back at, I wish I hadn't done it."

[Keith]

Chris Ashton with his 99th, 100th, and 101st Premiership tries in a rout of Exeter. What a player.

Outstanding winger. Absolute genius of a try-scorer.

He did himself a huge, huge disservice with his gaudy celebration. It made hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even millions of people, think he was a gloating pr*ck ... which he isn't. But in the moment of maximum publicity, he chose to act that way, so it's totally understandable if that is the idea people have of him. If he had just slid in and taken the congrats, most people would have a hugely different view of him. The notoriety was absolutely not worth it.

He said last year in an interview that he regrets doing his 'Ash Splash' celebration: "There are people who don't like it, and create an opinion of you through that, which looking back at, I wish I hadn't done it."

I thought the Ash splash was brilliant and every time he'd go over for a try I'd be calling for him to do it. Things like that excite crowds and get casual fans engaged. It's great to have characters in sport, whether to love them or hate them.

[blockhead]

Yeah, Rugby fans up here in northwest Europe, in general, are a bit "prudish" when it comes to our rugby. No flash, no flamboyance, no extravagant characters. If they stick their neck out, we chop it off and we never let them forget it.
Ashton should not have to regret the Ashsplash, it should have become his signature move. The more it annoys those on the receiving end the better, fcuk em!

Rugby needs more dazzel.

[Keith]

Yeah, Rugby fans up here in northwest Europe, in general, are a bit "prudish" when it comes to our rugby. No flash, no flamboyance, no extravagant characters. If they stick their neck out, we chop it off and we never let them forget it.
Ashton should not have to regret the Ashsplash, it should have become his signature move. The more it annoys those on the receiving end the better, fcuk em!

Rugby needs more dazzel.

Yep, it goes a long way to explaining why we cannot produce actual sporting superstars... as in sports stars that are known by people that don't follow the sport. I don't think we've had one since Jonah Lomu to be honest.

[hugonaut]

Chris Ashton with his 99th, 100th, and 101st Premiership tries in a rout of Exeter. What a player.

Outstanding winger. Absolute genius of a try-scorer.

He did himself a huge, huge disservice with his gaudy celebration. It made hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even millions of people, think he was a gloating pr*ck ... which he isn't. But in the moment of maximum publicity, he chose to act that way, so it's totally understandable if that is the idea people have of him. If he had just slid in and taken the congrats, most people would have a hugely different view of him. The notoriety was absolutely not worth it.

He said last year in an interview that he regrets doing his 'Ash Splash' celebration: "There are people who don't like it, and create an opinion of you through that, which looking back at, I wish I hadn't done it."

I thought the Ash splash was brilliant and every time he'd go over for a try I'd be calling for him to do it. Things like that excite crowds and get casual fans engaged. It's great to have characters in sport, whether to love them or hate them.

Yeah, I thought it was for the birds. Each to their own.

[tigerburnie]

Great entertainment, pantomime villains and all, if we'd picked that team last week we might have been in Dublin this weekend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol

[Oldschoolsocks]

Great entertainment, pantomime villains and all, if we'd picked that team last week we might have been in Dublin this weekend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol

Did you pick a midfield that could tackle

[tigerburnie]

Great entertainment, pantomime villains and all, if we'd picked that team last week we might have been in Dublin this weekend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol

Did you pick a midfield that could tackle

Yes we did have centres instead of wingers in the middle...........and they had met before lol.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Great entertainment, pantomime villains and all, if we'd picked that team last week we might have been in Dublin this weekend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,lol

Did you pick a midfield that could tackle

Yes we did have centres instead of wingers in the middle...........and they had met before lol.

Onwards and upwards so

[Laighin Break]

Just saw that that Ashton did the Contepomi celebration of applauding his try from the stand after scoring his 100th Prem try.
Gotta respect that

https://twitter.com/ChampionsCup/status ... 8hh_g&s=19

[tigerburnie]

What made it better Contepomi was sat in the ground watching him