Billy's back and all the other talking points from the weekend of European rugby
From Billy, to Chris, to a meltdown at Gloucester, there’s plenty to discuss while we wait for next weekend to roll around.
Billy’s Back…
Billy Vunipola played 72 minutes for Saracens in his first match since November, and has promptly been called up into England’s 30-man squad for the Calcutta Cup match against Scotland at the weekend. He looked fit and healthy and revitalised after his three-and-a-half month lay-off, and probably could have played the full 80 against Newcastle. The question now is whether Eddie Jones will let him loose in the number eight shirt that Nathan Hughes has been keeping warm over the opening rounds of the Six Nations, or if he decides to hold him in reserve for a smash in the closing quarter. Jones is sure to keep his cards close to his chest until the squad announcement, which leaves plenty of time for chin-stroking discussions about the best England line-up to face a Scottish side sure to be in full-on marauding mode.
What’s happening at Gloucester?
Gloucester shipped 15 points in eight dramatic final minutes to lose their Aviva Premiership match against Harlequins 27-30. As capitulations go, it wasn’t just bad, it was awful. The game hadn’t simply been won, it was wrapped up, tied with a pretty bow and waiting for Gloucester at the counter while they finished their leisurely browsing. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in such a dramatic manner prompted head coach Laurie Fisher to apparently hand in his notice via Twitter.
Unbelievable capitulation. Clearly not good enough. My responsibility. Time to make room for someone else.
— Laurie Fisher (@LordLaurie58) March 4, 2017
The club has said little in response to the former Brumbies’ DoR’s comment, other than to acknowledge its existence. But, given that the Cherry and Whites have qualified for the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals, but remain eight points adrift of the top six and automatic qualification for the European Champions Cup with just five games of the regular season remaining, it’s easy to understand Fisher’s frustration.
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France still looking for their perfect 10
Toulon’s François Trinh-Duc has returned to the France squad ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Italy, as Guy Novès search for his perfect 10 continues. Clermont’s Camille Lopez may well hold on to the fly-half berth for the remainder of the Six Nations, but his budding partnership with Baptiste Serin has not always worked. Trinh-Duc, who has 56 caps in a stop-start international career in which he has regularly failed to replicate his club form, has been recalled after playing at centre for Toulon in the weekend’s defeat at Brive following a lengthy injury lay-off. While the 30-year-old is hardly the future of French rugby, it’s hard to see where else Novès can go. Toulouse’s error-prone Jean-Marc Doussain was never the man for the job, Stade’s Jules Plisson has seemingly fallen out of favour, and FTD’s Toulon team-mate Pierre Bernard burns hot and cold faster than a bunsen burner in the hands of a bored chemistry student. Elsewhere, the Top 14 is littered with imports in that role…
It’s getting worse for Racing 92
Last week, we wondered whether things could get any worse for the defending Top 14 champions. They have. To make matters worse, they first had a modicum of good news: the French anti-doping agency decided it would drop an investigation into doping allegations against flanker Yannick Nyanga. But, like the aftermath of a Trump speech to Congress, that hint of a turnaround quickly disappeared as Chris Masoe was sent off five minutes into their must-win match at Grenoble. After that dismal start, the match did not end well for the struggling blue-blood side from the outskirts of Paris. Second-from-bottom Grenoble won 19-10, and the scoreline would have been even less flattering but for an interception try from another France reject Teddy Thomas in the dying seconds.
Mads’ move
Ian Madigan’s Bordeaux nightmare is nearly over. The French dream turned sour pretty quickly for the former Leinster man, who has found himself unable to get a look in even as his side plunged down the table. Rumour had it that he was being courted by a number of clubs, but in the end decided to head to … Bristol. The Aviva Premiership’s basement side, who won promotion last season, lost a crucial relegation dogfight at Worcester at the weekend. They are now seven points adrift at the foot of the table and staring instant relegation in the face. But the club has been working hard to ensure that their stay in the Championship is a short one, recruiting a new coach in Pat Lam, and bringing in the likes of Madigan and Super Rugby’s Steven Luatua. Money must be talking, because another season away from the bright lights of international rugby could damage what’s left of his hopes of an international recall.
Comments on RugbyPass
Results probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to comments