Weekend talking points: Lions' speculation, Rassie rumours, and the return of European rugby
There’s still plenty of time to wonder who will make the plane for this summer’s big New Zealand tour before Warren Gatland spoils all our fun… And then there’s the never-ending Rassie stories.
The Lions are coming – but who are they?
Now the Six Nations is over, thoughts can legitimately turn to the Lions tour of New Zealand in June. The next big date to mark in your rugby diary is April 19, when Warren Gatland unveils his squad. One late name to throw into any Lions debate is the much-maligned Chris Robshaw, once a Lions captain-in-waiting, who blew his chances when England blew their 2013 Grand Slam in Cardiff on his captaincy watch.
At the weekend, Robshaw returned from 12 weeks – and an entire Six Nations – out with a shoulder injury to attract Gats’ attention with a fine 80-minute performance as Harlequins destroyed Newcastle. Another may be Leicester’s Ellis Genge, who has rather disappeared from England’s prop radar, but who owned not one but two of his Northampton opposite numbers.
Meanwhile, on the day Owen Farrell outplayed George Ford, Saracens boss Mark McCall said that Chris Ashton and Sean Maitland should be in the mix. So, until April 19, enjoy the theorising over a pint or two. Or three. Then there’s just the question of how many matches the Lions could actually win in their 10-match, month-long tour.
Europe’s back
No sooner has Europe’s biggest international tournament taken its final curtain call, then Europe’s biggest club competitions return for their quarter-final acts, with the remaining teams facing very different problems.
Following their tragic performance against Stade Francais at the weekend, Toulon have six days for a dramatic turnaround otherwise they will be annihilated at Clermont; Toulouse, who head to Munster, are in the same boat as Toulon after a miserable Top 14 day trip to Bordeaux; Leinster looked sluggish in victory over Cardiff Blues – hardly ideal preparation for Wasps’ visit next weekend – while Saracens’ eight-try demolition of Bath is the perfect run-in for their last-eight tie against Glasgow.
In the second-tier Challenge Cup, Ospreys, who lost to Treviso at the weekend, face a post-strike Stade Francais; after their hammering at Saracens on Sunday, Bath will be pleased they did enough to secure a home tie against poor travellers Brive; Edinburgh won’t be looking forward to the arrival of runaway Top 14 leaders La Rochelle, while the ambitions of Blues opponents Gloucester to return to Europe’s top table rest on winning this competition.
You pay your money and – until kick-off at least – you argue your choices.
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League changes actually mean Bristol’s future is bright
In rugby, as in most sports, a mathematical chance is about as good as no chance – the last refuge of a desperate, reality-denying fan. While the sums give the Aviva Premiership’s basement club a shot at survival, the fixture list says otherwise. The next three of their final four matches are against the league’s top three, Wasps, Exeter and Saracens, before a last-day farewell against Newcastle at Ashton Gate. But don’t mourn them. This relegation future has been an increasing probability for some time, but astute deals – from new coach Pat Lam to Ian Madigan and Steve Luatua, and the determined support of wealthy owner Stephen Lansdown – and the end of the ridiculous play-off system for promotion from the Championship, mean that barring something approaching the end of days an immediate return is more than likely, as is the fact they’ll do rather better next time.
Rassie rumours
Those stories about Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus’s return to South Africa just won’t go away. The latest, from South Africa’s Rapport newspaper, suggests he could even return to his old job as DoR of the national side – the job he left in April 2016 following a reported falling out with then-SARU president Oregan Hoskins, and shortly after the appointment of Allister Coetzee as Bok coach, in time for the three-match series against France in June.
FFR v LNR
When politics and sports mix the result is often volatile, as the explosive relationship between the French rugby union and the organisation that runs the domestic professional game proves. It looks and sounds a lot like a playground spat between two gangs of spoiled kids, but this particular playground spat could have big repercussions.
Ignore the spark, the proposed merger of Racing 92 and Stade Francais. That was merely the excuse the two sides needed for a bit of a barney. It’s no secret that the LNR has effectively run French rugby for the past decade – to the benefit of the clubs, and the detriment of the national side. But the FFR’s new president Bernard Laporte and his enforcer Serge Simon are determined to change that, and are busy sharpening the union’s teeth.
Calling out the league on its handling of the merger farce and its aftermath (the LNR reacted like a shocked cat after its indulgent owner smacked it on the nose for scratching the furniture) is just a minor skirmish in a longer battle for central contracts and national side supremacy.
Lineout tactics
One just for the forwards. Order your round. Watch this from the weekend’s French ProD2 match between Narbonne and Vannes:
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Discuss.
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
11 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
11 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
3 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
11 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
11 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
3 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
3 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
11 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
11 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
11 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
11 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
11 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
11 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to comments