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Danny Care slams 'joker' who compiled fixtures for new Premiership season

By Josh Raisey
(Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care has tweeted his displeasure at next season’s newly released Gallagher Premiership fixture list. In a season that is due to start on November 20, just four weeks after this season’s final, it is due to end June 26.

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These are of course unique times, and next season would have had an entirely different complexion without the turmoil that has come with Covid-19, but there are a number of things that people have taken issue with. 

The main concern Care may well have is the congested Christmas period, which sees Harlequins play on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. 

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As soon as the fixtures were released in midweek, the former England No9 noticed his side’s fairly intense festive period and referred to the “joker” that compiled the new fixture list. He later deleted the tweet following a flurry of online criticism.  

Quins are due to face Bristol Bears at The Stoop on Boxing Day and then travel to Sixways to take on Worcester Warriors six days later on New Year’s Day. Traditionally, Harlequins would play their Big Game at Twickenham over this period, but with no spectators this year, that is not going ahead.

There have been a few other concerns since the release of the schedule. These range from the short pre-season to the overlapping with the Lions tour, but time is a scarce commodity next season and the calendar needs to accommodate the European competitions as well. 

Indeed, the Premiership Rugby Cup will be shoehorned in as a midweek competition due to the lack of available weekends. 

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Further, because of the extensive international calendar over the coming months, clubs will be without their leading England players for eleven of the opening 14 rounds of the new season. 

For now, though, Premiership players still have this season to focus on, with the last round of regular season fixtures this weekend. Harlequins are due a Leicester having lost to Wasps last Monday in what was Chris Robshaw’s last home match for the club.

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Trevor 1 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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