Good week, bad week: England's seven-try MVP
England, Wales, and the USA have seen their stock rise this week – France and UK-based broadcaster ITV have taken a hit…
GOOD WEEK
England
Not just the England senior men’s side – though their 18th consecutive Test win is worthy of another mention – but every other England Six Nations outfit as well. While the senior men’s side beat an injury-ravaged Scotland, the women nilled their counterparts from north of the border and the under-20 side picked up a bonus-point win against their Scots opposition. With one round remaining, the senior men and the under-20s have their titles wrapped up, while all three remain in line for a Grand Slam. Now, just the combined Ireland sides on a Saint Patrick’s weekend in Ireland stand in their way…
Kay Wilson
England’s Wilson scored a record-breaking seven of England’s 12 tries at the Stoop as the Red Roses demolished Scotland 64-0. Her hat-trick came in just 26 minutes; seven minutes later, she became the first player to score four tries in the first half of a women’s Six Nations match. Her fifth came shortly after the restart, and her sixth, the tournament record, followed on the hour. It was fitting, too, that she rounded off the scoring, while Amy Cokayne notched a hat-trick, and Danielle Waterman scored her 25th tournament try in her 25th tournament match. The result, combined with Ireland’s inability to pick up a bonus point against Wales in Cardiff, saw England move a point clear at the head of the table with one match to go.
Jonathan Joseph
Over the road from the Stoop, England’s senior men’s side were almost as clinical as their female counterparts – and centre Jonathan Joseph was the scalpel that cut through the Scottish defence time after time after time, as he ran in a hat-trick in an impressive man-of-the-match performance that lasted all of 57 minutes. Joseph tries are like buses – nothing for ages and then several all at once, and he leapfrogged his way to the top of the tries-by-centres list in the process. We’ve spoken about riches at Warren Gatland’s disposal in the locks and back row. Seems he’s not short of options at 13, either…
George North
The Wales’ winger admitted that the very public arse-handing he received from the coaches in the week leading up to the match against Ireland was the motivating force behind his two-try performance at the Principality Stadium. The out-wide resurrection man was a very different, hard-running animal from the ineffectual flapper who took to the pitch against Scotland at Murrayfield the week previously. But, even in success, there is room for improvement. His late, late charge for a hat-trick was so blinkered, he missed a chance to gift the Welsh a try-scoring bonus.
Perry Baker
The seven-a-side game does not get much of a look-in here, and Americans arguably are honoured with even less. But, while the 15-player game struggles to get a toehold in the US, the shortened version has really kicked in, and with players as downright speedy as Perry Baker and Carlin Isles, it’s easy to see why. The former scored his 100th career try during the Vancouver 7s, and it really was a little bit special. A worthy touchdown for the century.
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BAD WEEK
Coaches at French clubs
Last week, Steve Meehan abruptly left Toulon, becoming the third coach to leave the three-time European champions this season. This week, Raphael Ibanez announced he will vacate the big chair at Bordeaux at the end of the season after facing criticism for punditing on the Six Nations while his club crashed and burned in the Top 14. They had failed to win since November 19, plunging from second to ninth in the table. When, at the weekend, they finally did win a match, Rafa was not there. He was at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for the Six Nations match between Italy and France. That match at Bordeaux’s Stade Chaban Delmas claimed a second coaching victim as losing side Grenoble and Bernard Jackman – who was actually there – have parted ways. Reports in France suggest that the club told Jackman that he would be surplus to requirements at the end of the campaign, but he decided he did not want to stay that long.
Players at French clubs
Specifically players two French Top 14 clubs – Racing 92 and Stade Francais – after the two clubs from the Parisian neck of the woods (Racing’s base is officially not quite in the capital but is part of the Haute-de-Seine department just outside. Literally, across-a-road outside), announced this week they have decided to merge. Maximum playing-staff levels, the salary cap, an increasingly strict limit on overseas players and a self-expressed desire to promote French talent means that a number of players will find themselves out of a job. According to L’Equipe, the two clubs currently have a combined 62 players on their books whose contracts are due to last at least one more season. The maths alone reveals many will be on the hunt for new employers sooner rather than later. Not even Racing’s marquee player Dan Carter, who was booed as he left the Stade Yves du Manoir pitch in the defeat to La Rochelle at the weekend, is safe – though buying him out of the final year his contract would cost an awful lot.
The Aviva Premiership
Sponsor Aviva’s long-running contract with the English Premiership is set to finish at the end of the season – and the competition’s organisers have yet to finalise a new deal, leaving clubs fearing that they could face a £650,000 shortfall next season. The League is said to be looking for an improved £35million deal over four years – but the problem, according to an article in The Rugby Paper, is that sponsorship opportunities are being severely squeezed as the Six Nations and European rugby competitions are also looking for new deals, while Premier League soccer clubs can now enlist ‘sleeve sponsors’ – a move that could hit rugby club revenues.
ITV
British broadcaster ITV, which now shares coverage of the Six Nations with the BBC and did a pretty decent job as host broadcaster of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, really did introduce Scotland’s injured captain Greig Laidlaw like this:
@ITVRugby Truly pathetic captioning. Greig Laidlaw was a guest. Show some respect. pic.twitter.com/GwC8r4oVNo
— Chiaroscuro (@EricNorthcote) March 11, 2017
No, ITV. Just. No.
SANZAAR
The Southern Hemisphere powerhouse unions held a meeting about the future of Super Rugby in London at the weekend, after which everyone expected some news on the future shape of the competition. Instead, the news was that they needed to have more meetings about the meeting before the next meeting after which maybe, in a couple of months, they might be ready to announce the two or three teams that have been given the chop… but no promises. Maybe Racing 92 and Stade Francais had the right idea.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments