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The one Premiership Covid-19 protocol that Northampton boss Chris Boyd still can't fully get his head around
Northampton boss Chris Boyd is chuffed with the way the Saints have embraced the regulations surrounding Gallagher Premiership Covid-19 protocols but one stipulation continues to flummox the New Zealander – the necessity of having two buses to ferry his players to an away match.
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The Saints were supposed to be on the road again next weekend, the schedule taking them to London Irish on Sunday before the game was cancelled on Wednesday due to Covid concerns in the Irish camp that carried over from last weekend’s cancellation against Bath. Northampton had some issues themselves: they were minus one unnamed player who tested positive for Covid-19 this week and two of his close contacts.
Before the cancellation, Boyd stated he was satisfied with how Northampton had dealt with the challenge of playing rugby in a pandemic, but how they travel to these away matches was something he was struggling to still fully get his head around all these months on from the Premiership’s first return to action last August following the lockdown.
“Everything we do is dictated to by government guidelines,” he explained. “All our requirements here haven’t changed. It’s a bit of a military operation. You have got red stickers and green stickers where you are allowed to walk and arrows where you are allowed to go this way and not that way.
“Our operations manager here is tough on sticking to stuff. Guys are constantly wearing masks, there are sanitising stations all over the place. One of the things you miss as a team is just the social cohesion, the chairs in the lounge and stuff like that, they have all been removed.
Just 6?? wins in 2??4?? calendar year outings for the Saints#GallagherPrem #HeinekenChampionsCuphttps://t.co/hiPwiqH4gb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 29, 2020
“Nothing is going to change because we have been over-cautious anyway. We have had to shift out of our meeting room because we couldn’t socially distance… we are now in an area under a stand and the width of the guys trying to listen to the meeting might be 30 or 40 metres because they are two metres apart.
“It is very difficult but we haven’t taken our eye off the ball in that. All the guidelines that are laid down have been adhered to. If the government lays down different guidelines we will adhere to those.
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“Certainly all the away games we have gone to, we have travelled in two coaches. That one gets me slightly. We are in a bubble and we have all been tested, yet we have got to travel in two coaches – but you hop on an aeroplane to go to a European fixture… it’s a little bit different but we will do what we need to do.”
The latest annual @EsportifIntel comparison of rugby player salaries by position in England, France and PRO14 is out #GallagherPrem #GuinnessPRO14 #Top14
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 29, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Yet, according to Jake White and other twonks who think better, Jenkins shouldn’t be picked by the boks. Daft.
5 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA 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?
13 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.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 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.
25 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
5 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 comments