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London Irish fans expect to be a force next season after spending spree
London Irish fans have got very excited about their team’s chances next season after they announced the signing of All Blacks and Highlanders winger Waisake Naholo.
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The 26-cap behemoth will arrive at Irish after the World Cup and will seriously boost Declan Kidney’s side’s hopes, not only of survival next season but actually being a threat in the Premiership.
Many fans have shared their opinion on Twitter and while they are obviously happy with this signing, it seems clear among the supporters that there is a lot of confidence going into next season with the team that they are building.
The Exiles have already secured the services of Ireland and British and Irish Lions flanker Sean O’Brien, Wallabies centurion Sekope Kepu, the controversial signing of 25-cap former Ireland international Paddy Jackson, as well as other international signings.
It is clear that Irish have learned from their mistakes last season where they failed to recruit heavily enough in the first season back in the Premiership. That resulted in them being immediately relegated back to the Championship.
They have emphatically tried to ensure that history does not repeat itself, and many fans are expecting a promising season to come. This is what they have said:
https://twitter.com/huw_preece/status/1126069031088394240?s=20
Holy jaysus! @LiRFC are brewing a monster of a team for next year. Going up with zero intentions of going back down anytime soon ?? https://t.co/Ii8Qs9TPXD
— Peter Collins (@PeterCollins__) May 8, 2019
What a squad and what a signing..
— joe black (@SBetei) May 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/joshcharlton96/status/1126050990468288513?s=20
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@LiRFC mean business! This makes the last 2 years or so all worth it, the ups and downs. What a signing. Roll on 19/20!
— Desmond Hartley Russell (@DesHartley102) May 8, 2019
Naholo as well! @LiRFC absolutely going for it next season.
— Luke Bradshaw Lee (@LukeBradshaw85) May 8, 2019
Wow!
Gonna be a team to watch this season!— Lorraine B (@SwarbenBrickbet) May 8, 2019
Naholo is currently nursing a a knee injury and may not play again this Super Rugby season, but is a contender to make the World Cup in September. Then again, with the form of some uncapped players such as Sevu Reece, Braydon Ennor and Will Jordan in New Zealand, there is a very real possibility that he may not make Steve Hansen’s squad for the tournament.
Such is the strength in depth of the All Blacks that Naholo may miss out, despite being the Highlanders’ top try scorer in Super Rugby with 41 tries in 58 matches.
However, should Naholo miss out on the World Cup, Irish are set to be the ones who benefit as they will gain an extra two months more service from him.
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READ: The RugbyPass story last February which first revealed Naholo was coming to London Irish
It was February when RugbyPass revealed that Naholo would be playing for London Irish next season https://t.co/iiwxrbfwaR
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 8, 2019
Comments on RugbyPass
Haha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
2 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
5 Go to commentsSlade was exceptional against Gloucester. Not only was he doing the classic Slade stuff of running amazing lines and timing passes to perfection to put his wingers into space, he was kicking goals, flying off the line smashing people and crashing into rucks like a flanker… his hair even looked on point. 😍
1 Go to commentsThat’s really sad, hope everyone involved is ok. At least he had pants on.
2 Go to commentsTo be fair it was nowhere bear the Leinster first team (for which, btw, Leinster copped nothing like the outrage that Jake White did for sending a rotated team to the UK). But it’s fun to watch the Stormers doing their thing. They are attracting big, diverse crowds of young fans, and deservedly so. Great to see.
1 Go to commentsIt might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
5 Go to commentsCan we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
5 Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
7 Go to commentsDanny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
2 Go to commentsJa, why do Bulls get flack for not bringing their best but Leinster never bring their best and it goes “unnoticed”?
4 Go to commentsIt’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
7 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
5 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
12 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
7 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
5 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
7 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
7 Go to comments