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'They haven't always been the easiest to deal with': Gatland fears Premiership threat could cost English-based players Lions places
Lions coach Warren Gatland has described dealing with the English Premiership clubs about player release as being akin to the European Union negotiating with the UK Government over Brexit. The 2021 Lions tour will kick-off in South Africa on July 3 against the Stormers in Cape Town.
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However, Gatland has organised a week’s training preparation in Wales and a matchweek versus Japan in Edinburgh that all Premiership club players will be unavailable for even if their teams are not involved in the June 26 league final at Twickenham.
Under World Rugby regulation nine, the Premiership clubs are within their rights to withhold its players. This not only would include the likes of say England international Kyle Sinckler at Bristol. They would also be able to prevent players such as Wales out-half Dan Biggar and Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg joining up respectively from Northampton and Exeter.
It’s a tricky situation with the Premiership and Gatland has warned it could ultimately decide a 50/50 call against an English-based player who can’t hook up with the Lions for the two weeks prior to their departure for South Africa. He is hoping common sense can help an agreement to be reached regarding player availability.
Speaking over a Zoom call from New Zealand after the Lions launched their 2021 Canterbury tour jersey, Gatland said: “They [Premiership Rugby] haven’t always been the easiest to deal with. They have their own ways of doing things.
Another peach design from Canterbury ?https://t.co/nDu0T0WAoD
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“Look, at the moment nothing is set in stone. They have come out and made a statement so it’s a little bit like Brexit, it’s a bit of a game where hopefully we can end up with a deal that is satisfactory for all. That is kind of what I am hoping.
“At the moment I don’t think it’s worth firing shots at each other and hopefully we can come to some agreement. Hopefully, the players association and the players might voice their opinion about what they think about that.
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“That is a pretty powerful voice to be heard from the players and about their opportunities going on the Lions tour and having the best chance and the best preparation to go and tour. It’s a little bit frustrating at the moment but I’m just very hopeful that we can come together and make those players that aren’t available who are not playing in the final to have the best chance and the best preparation to put themselves in the shop window to go to South Africa and give themselves the best chance of playing potentially in the Test matches.
“Some negotiations that will go on between now and then. We just have to look at it. Potentially if England have a great Six Nations you could argue that a third to half of the squad could potentially be missing, not just for that Japan game but we’re planning a camp in Wales the week before. That would be disruptive.
“Given how limited the time is in preparation, we will be taking the best team we possibly can, the best players, but the hard reality of the situation is that I just hope it doesn’t impact on any players or any selections because you end up with a 50/50 call on a player and a player that is able to be there for the week’s camp in Wales and the week’s preparation for the Japan game might get the nod against someone who is unfortunately not available until only one week before the first match in South Africa.
“It’s a challenge at the moment and I just hope some common sense will prevail and some negotiations. I fully understand with the Premiership final players not being available because they are tied up with that, but I would love to see players being released for the Lions.
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“We get full support from club coaches because they way I look at it is a player goes away on a Lions tour and it’s successful, the amount of interest it creates just outside the general rugby following from other supporters and other people from other sports, you potentially can come back as a superstar.
“Then you can promote that when you start the following season, come along and see your Lions players at your local club and generate more interest. I just hope we can come to some agreement where we do have access to the players.”
– Warren Gatland was speaking on behalf of Canterbury at the launch of the British and Irish Lions Pro jersey, available at Canterbury.com
EPISODE 4 of RUGBYPASS OFFLOAD #RPOffload
Citing commissioners??
Team socials ?
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Comments on RugbyPass
Bell 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.
13 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
13 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to comments