Rugby - New Year, New Coaches, New Laws

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Originally posted by Havak
*Thats a reference to their soccer landlords having let the pitch freeze last weekend Finbar*

Where is Wasps' home ground? And Sarries'? And, for that matter, Irish's? Aren't they all London-based?

what must be the least English of the English Premiership sides.

With a foreign coach to boot. With another one to follow.

Though neither wear pink ties.

[Havak]

And pink ties are important.

Wycombe, Watford and Reading. Bucks, Herts and Berks unless Andydog can correct me there? Home Counties basically, if not quite London per se.

[Andydog]

That is correct. The Wasp's home ground is indeed in High Wycombe, near Reading. London Irish have Madejski Stadium, which is actually in Reading. Sarries play in Watford, which is a 20 minute drive up the M1 from where I live in NW London, so by far the quickest of the London clubs to get to.

The only downside of Sarries home ground, compared with the other London based clubs, is that it’s slightly closer to Leicester.

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Thanks all. I must check out my map. I'm befuddled and bemused by the various home counties.

Mr Gatland seems to be the opposite of Mr Ashton. He likes to give the entire squad a run. Hopefully he's taking Italy too lightly.

[Havak]

It's far enough away from Leicester that we don't feel polluted by it thank you.

That said I'm not too sensitive on the topic of Leicester either as it happens - I'm no fan of the city itself. It goes without saying that it's a far nicer place to spend time than the cesspit that is our capital however - kudos to you for coping with it.

I've long thought watching Sarries is a perfect test of loyalty for a supporter. For a decade they have have a hugely expensive, and certainly talented, squad but they have never strung a sequence of performances together. It's ten years since they won any honours (the domestic knockout cup - and that was almost their only club honour). Even the Aussie currently at the helm is struggling to make them consistent contenders. Maybe the next Aussie in line will finally manage it?

So they have Haughton, Hill, Chesney, Vyvian and Skirving. Any other Englishmen on the books at all I wonder?

I'm still amazed Chris Jack went there - you do wonder if his agent researched them properly before he signed?

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I've seen them a few times recently. That Vyvian can play a bit.

[Havak]

One of English rugbys nearly men. He was with Newcastle before Sarries if memory serves. Certainly talented - but used to have serious red mist problems.

Tigers old boy Paul Gustard is now with Sarries - so Andydog will get a little taste of Champions rugby at Vicarage Road. I hope he enjoys it as it's hard to see Sarries ever actually taking the title there.

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I was watching Top Gear the other night and they tested a nifty little Leicester-produced sports car, the Noble. Very impressive little machine. I assume you have one in the garage?

Last night I saw a report about Berwick-Upon-Tweed and the ongoing tussle to turn it from English to Scottish. They interviewed a couple of locals who had different opinions. Rugby didn't rear its head as a reason for change, presumably because both national teams are as crap as each other at the moment.

[Havak]

The noble is too cheap for me I'm afraid.

A town that might choose to be Scottish? Well at least they are being given a choice this time instead of finding the latest bunch of rampaging kilt wearers storming through the place heading south (to put a Stuart on the throne).

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Those rampaging kilt-wearers would do a damn sight better job than Frank Hadden's current crop of pretend rugby players.

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Agggghhhhhhhh! Lievremont has recalled Poitrenaud!

[LDiCesare]

Hopefully Poitrenaud will remain on the bench. Or play center, where he can't be much worse than Marty. (Poitrenaud had been playing center and Heymans full back at Toulouse since the start of the season because of Jauzion's injury).

Lièvremont also called back Papé, who's a srong lock, and called Milo Chluski, who's expected tp be a strong lock too.
But the front row remains the same, so I still expect the scrum to suffer. I'm not sure whether a stronger(?) second row will be enough to make for the weaknesses seen in the previous matches.

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Hopefully Poitrenaud will get lost on his way to the stadium. He makes Italy's Bortolussi look like Chris Latham. Bortolussi is now injured. Italy will miss his goal kicking but not much else.

[Andydog]

Originally posted by Havak

So they have Haughton, Hill, Chesney, Vyvian and Skirving. Any other Englishmen on the books at all I wonder?

In fact, Saracens have 17 foreign players - and this made me laugh - that is exactly the same number of foreigners that the Tigers have (if you don't include Hamilton).

This time it's you that has your facts wrong. he he he

[Havak]

Well I did intend it to be taken as a joke, and I certainly think you are including some of their Scots as 'non-foreigners' too, but I'll concede to your amusement there.

I didn't really mean to suggest that the likes of Scarborough or Yates were not English for example, and I certainly knew Gustard was.

But whereas Tigers have six irishmen (and this time you are counting them as foreigners) on the books Sarries are more loaded with Islanders, Kiwis and Boks perhaps?

The important figure I recommend you check is how many of the Englishmen in the squad have won representative honours - full international level only please. That is where the true comparison with Tigers squad comes. And Sarries don't come close.