'I just don't feel we are in a position to moan or whinge about not going out for a coffee'
Jonny May has no qualms about adjusting to life in a Covid world with England. Eddie Jones’ set-up had far fewer restrictions when the winger was last involved back in March before the conclusion to the Six Nations was delayed.
England will now get the opportunity to see out that tournament at the end of October before participating in the new Autumn Nations Cup.
First, though, a preliminary squad of 27 has assembled at their new Lensbury base and protecting the integrity of the bubble now in operation around the squad is of utmost importance to ensure England don’t suffer a Sale-like situation where 27 positive tests put an end to their Gallagher Premiership title challenge.
“Everybody in every industry has had to adapt and make sacrifices, hit the line in terms of the standards that are expected of everybody, but going from a block where rugby was taken away or people’s jobs were taken away and you’re not sure you are going to get the chance to do what you want to do again, you just get on with it.
“It just seems like the new normal. If we have to wear a mask, we do it, if we have to wipe down our dumbbells, we crack on with it. All the forms and temperature checks and tests and things, that’s just the way it is and you do it at the snap of a finger because you want to do your job and you want to play rugby. It’s what it is but everyone just wants to crack on with it.
Another man down… https://t.co/34SKqVoCOM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 6, 2020
“I just don’t feel we are in a position to moan or whinge about not going out for a coffee or not being able to do whatever we want to do. Across the world, people are having to adapt and crack on. We have got the opportunity to do what we love and play rugby and do our jobs.
“We’re healthy and we are getting paid, we can still live our lives – we are very, very lucky to be doing what we are doing and we are aware of that. Although there are sacrifices and lines hit in terms of standards, we’re probably not going to be able to go home for four weeks in the 8 Nations… but you do it at the drop of a hat because we are getting to do what we love and we are very lucky.
“There is greater responsibility more so than ever to make sure that we do everything we possibly can not to cause any issues… listen if something bad was to happen and of course it could that would be a real shame but we will make sure we do everything we possibly can to make sure we don’t have any slip-ups.”
Addressing the Sale situation which has dominated the English rugby headlines since the outbreak emerged last Friday, Gloucester winger May added: “That highlights the fact that it is very contagious. Personally, I’m not worried about getting seriously ill. I’d be more worried about passing it on to somebody who could get seriously ill.
“You certainly want to try and stop it from getting into your team’s bubble because it’s probably going to spread quite quickly if it does. Probably lessons to be learned. It probably needs to be a bit tighter, but do you know what, it could be anything, it can get in any way, you could just be unlucky. You’d feel for Sale, their game not going ahead. That’s just a bit disappointing for them.”
Refusing to twist the knife https://t.co/TjQVj9IuqC
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 7, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
We 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 getitng 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.
7 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.
55 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.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
57 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
57 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
57 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
57 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
57 Go to comments