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England player chose the wrong moment to tell the Twittersphere all about his footwear – but another international picked the right time to put in a storming performance on his return from injury.
GOOD WEEK
La Rochelle
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Suddenly, everyone loves Top 14 side La Rochelle – and why not? At the weekend, they made sure of a place in the end-of-season playoffs and a Champions Cup spot next season. Along with Pau, the team they beat, La Rochelle are threatening to bust open the monopoly of the Top 14’s all-important top six places, while big-spending behemoths like Racing 92 and Toulouse continue to struggle. What makes this season all the more remarkable is the fact that their win at Grenoble way back in the second week of the season was their first victory on the road in 518 days. It clearly started something. They have since won six more times away from their Stade Marcel Deflandre fortress – and haven’t lost in the league since November 19.
Jersey
Speaking of surprise packages, the English Championship side on an island just off the French coast did what no other team in the competition has managed to do this season: beat runaway leaders London Irish. The result probably won’t affect the race for promotion to the Aviva Premiership – London Irish are 17 points clear at the top of the table, and have already beaten likely playoff opponent Yorkshire Carnegie three times (twice in the league and once in the British and Irish Cup) – but, for now, Championship bragging rights belong to the Channel Islanders.
British and Irish Lions fans
Up to 20,000 rugby fans are expected to head to New Zealand for the scratch team’s 10-match tour. With accommodation scarce and prices for what’s left sky-high, one generous All Blacks‘ fan decided to do something. So, he started the ‘Adopt a Lions fan’ Facebook page to encourage other New Zealand rugby fans to offer spare rooms, sofas, floor space accommodation – for free.
Chris Robshaw
After 12 weeks out with a shoulder injury, you could be forgiven for thinking Chris Robshaw would want a nice, warm seat on the bench and a relatively gentle 20-minute return to match rugby. But that’s not the Robshaw way. He played the full 80 minutes of Harlequins win over Newcastle. If we didn’t know all about Robshaw’s engine, we do now – and it may well be he has the Lions on his mind. He certainly left those journalists watching the game from the confines of the press box wondering if he could get the nod from Warren Gatland.
Leigh Halfpenny
Got to love a slice of speculation. Bath are reportedly putting together a big-money deal to tempt the Wales and Toulon fullback to the Rec for the 2018 season. The 28-year-old had been in talks to return to Wales on a dual contract with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and his former region, Cardiff Blues. That, apparently, fell through, with the WRU said to be unwilling to extend a two-year deal to cover the 2019 World Cup, prompting Halfpenny to sign a year’s extension with the Top 14 side.
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BAD WEEK
Australian rugby
A report suggesting that rugby in Australia was less popular than ballroom dancing caused uproar, and prompted a swift response from the powers that be at the ARU. But, it’s not the first piece of bad rugby news from Oz in the past few days. Western Force issued a strongly worded statement about its future amid speculation it could be axed from next season’s Super Rugby competition, following suggestions the tournament could be reduced from 18 sides to 15. The ARU, too, said that no decision had been made about the future of the Perth-based franchise. But that speculation just isn’t going away.
Ospreys
Every side has a bad day at the office – just ask Bath about their away day at Saracens last weekend. Few, however, would have predicted Welsh outfit Ospreys, third in the Pro 12, to come unstuck at 11th-placed Treviso. But that’s what happened. Worse, they returned home with not even a losing bonus point, which leaves them four points behind Munster in the race for a top-two spot and home advantage in the play-offs. Treviso has now won three, and will probably finish higher than the league’s other Italian side, Zebre, to qualify for next season’s Champions Cup.
Fabien Gengenbacher
The Grenoble fullback had already announced he would retire at the end of the season after spending the past 11 years with the Isere side – but instead his career came to an early end midway through the opening half of the Top 14 strugglers’ must-win match at Stade des Alpes against Castres at the weekend.
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Anyone who has any doubt about what a club can mean to a player should watch this:
???? Merci Fabien ! #FCG pic.twitter.com/8KgUSS67rP
— FC Grenoble Rugby (@FCGrugby) March 28, 2017
Gengenbacher’s pain will have been eased as he watched Grenoble win, courtesy of David Mele’s third drop goal two minutes from time. And, to prove what a player can mean to a club, this happened next:
— FC Grenoble Rugby (@FCGrugby) March 26, 2017
Jonathan Joseph
The England winger returned to domestic duties at Premiership side Bath this week. The match against Saracens did not go well, but his ill-judged post-match tweet made everything much worse.
Performance not where it needed to be today. But its air max day! ? #kissmyairs @nike nikelondon https://t.co/kqRzfYNhKK
— Jonathan Joseph (@Jonathanjoseph0) March 26, 2017
Way to win over the fans, JJ. Some of their replies were … scathing.
@Jonathanjoseph0 @Nike Cut the sponsor butt-licking and get on with the rugby JJ! #bathfamily #nosilverlining @bathrugby
— Miles Offside (@miles_offside) March 26, 2017
@Jonathanjoseph0 @Nike No tries for us since 2015, team completely going off the boil, just been beaten 53-10 but hey, shoes! Sums up the clubs current state.
— Alex Beard (@BeardsBanter) March 26, 2017
@Jonathanjoseph0 @Nike disappointing tweet, that.
— Tom Stranks (@tomstranks5) March 26, 2017
Comments on RugbyPass
pure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
1 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
25 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
25 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
25 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to comments