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'Ridiculous or a suitably bizarre ending to the most bizarre season': The reaction to Bristol potentially winning the Premiership
After Wasps announced that four more members of their playing department (three players, one staff) have tested positive for Covid-19 this week, the reaction has not been all that surprising. This puts the chances of Wasps making the Gallagher Premiership final against newly crowned Champions Cup champions Exeter Chiefs this Saturday in jeopardy, with Bristol Bears on standby to replace them.
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A statement released by Wasps said: “After consultation with the medical leads at Premiership Rugby, the RFU and Public Health England, the club will continue not to train at this stage.
“A decision on whether the club will play in Saturday’s Premiership Rugby final will be made following the results of a further set of testing to be undertaken on Tuesday. Exeter Chiefs and Bristol Bears have been made aware of the situation prior to the public release of this information.”
There is widespread dissatisfaction with the plans in place, but any option taken is not favourable in a season that is already unique enough.
One common criticism is that a team that lost the semi-final should not have the chance to potentially win the league. Moreover, Bristol were comprehensively beaten by Wasps in their play-off clash.
"The environment couldn’t be better set-up to avoid spread. Let’s hope it works out. Please God, we’ll get lucky"
– @IanCostello1 tells @heagneyl why virus outbreak is just another little challenge in the incredible @WaspsRugby @premrugby campaign ????https://t.co/wbPUbKQRiV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2020
Another problem relates to Sale Sharks, who were initially given a postponement before forfeiting their final game of the season due to coronavirus, therefore depriving them of a chance of making the knockout stages. This is of course a different stage in the competition, but that should not make a difference in many people’s eyes.
If Wasps are unable to make the final, regardless of whether Bristol go to Twickenham or not, one thing that has been raised is that this takes the shine off what has been a remarkable season at the Ricoh Arena.
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The Coventry side were floundering near the foot of the table when Dai Young departed from the club in February. Under new head coach Lee Blackett, Wasps mounted a miraculous climb up the table, finishing the season in second.
There is certainly no guarantee that they would conquer a seemingly indomitable Chiefs side at Twickenham on Saturday, but to be robbed of the chance of capping one of the league’s most remarkable turnarounds is a devastating twist. Then again, that may be a befitting ending to the most turbulent season ever.
Imagine Bristol pitching up this Saturday and winning the Prem. Would either be ridiculous, or a suitably bizarre ending to the most bizarre season. I say if Wasps can’t play, give it to Exeter and let Jonny Hill keep drinking.
— David Flatman (@davidflatman) October 19, 2020
Absolutely gutting that it seems @WaspsRugby are going to be forced out of the premiership final. Having gone from 10th position in the league to the final, to then be denied the chance to win it would be truly devastating!! Hope it is resolved positively. https://t.co/QfX8xdkSiX
— ??? COYG ??? (@92_OJM) October 19, 2020
https://twitter.com/shrekwasp/status/1318188724052742145?s=20
Brutal news after what this team has accomplished in the later half of the season to get here.
— Trent Ledbetter (@tledbetter15) October 19, 2020
https://twitter.com/joshuaplummeruk/status/1316461112834117633?s=20
It is what it is. Bigger issues in the world at the moment. To look back at the start of the season and be told Wasps wod make the final but wouldn’t be able to play, I would have taken that.
We are loving in the right direction and doing the right thing if we don’t play.
ADVERTISEMENT— ???K (@jackthrelk) October 19, 2020
I'm all for Bristol replacing Wasps if they can't field a team.
It's a weird solution.
But these are weird times.
If the 2nd best team can't play, then the third should.
Simple.
— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) October 19, 2020
If Wasps forfeit just give it to Chiefs @premrugby, anything else is a farce.
— Ian Price (@goatteeboy) October 19, 2020
https://twitter.com/JAshrafiTari91/status/1318239457712263168
https://twitter.com/zprcampbell/status/1318457869650493441
I agree. It is not an attractive decision, but if Wasps are sadly unable to perform, then I imagine that the commercial pressures will require the next best team, BB, to play the final.
— murj (@john_murph) October 20, 2020
hope wasps make it obviously. but i dont agree here. Our tournament is not the top of the league its the winner of the final. if the final doesn't happen imo its not that chiefs are the winners its that there isnt a winner. i would say the integrity is worse if we have no final.
— Charles McGillivray (@saintsman13) October 20, 2020
https://twitter.com/JimOToole/status/1318453795492429824
Agreed. Exeter v Wasps or no final is the best course of action. I suspect that BT Sport want a final.
— Glenn FX (@GlennTullett) October 20, 2020
https://twitter.com/Captqaukers/status/1318437540878274560
Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments