European Club Rugby

@Pot-Hale said in NH club rugby:

@Crucial said in NH club rugby:

Connaught currently having major problems (especially in the backs) with nearly two dozen of their available players out through injury or enforced rest.
Lam tried to bring his son into the squad from the academy side but the IRFU refused permission on the basis he was a foreigner.
I wonder if the decision was tainted by Lam's decision to leave?

Connacht, not Connaught.
The story on this seems to change day to day. The provinces are meant to be developing Irish qualified players from now on. Nucifora has been laying down the law on this to Connacht, Ulster and Leinster. But he's made an exception for Munster to allow them extend Taute's short term injury cover contract for Sailii until end of the season even though Sailii is now back playing. Media is now focusing on this contradiction and stirring things up with other three provinces.

Apologies, typing on phone and not looking at autocorrect.

Nuci has a track record of upsetting apple carts. He's on his third country of doing it now.

@Crucial said in NH club rugby:

Nuci has a track record of upsetting apple carts. He's on his third country of doing it now.

I'm ok with his grand plan if it keeps resulting in development of new Irish players being capped as occurred in the last 12 months.

Lam said a few weeks ago that he'd relinquished control of recruitment of new players into the squad given his departure in a few months. That is now being managed by other coaching staff with Nucifora's continuing oversight. His son, Mitch, is playing with Connacht Eagles currently. But he may leave for U.K. with his family so the hard decision may be that those committed long-term to the club continue to be used or get a step up.

Have we done Cockrill getting shitcanned at Leicester after him & Mauger couldn't decide who was setting out the gameplan?

Mauger in interim control, but with every man & his dog trying to shove Martin Johnson in there

@gollum

That's the first time I've even heard Johnson's name mentioned in relation to it and even then, the author was just reeling off ex Leicester players with coaching experience. Who's every man and his dog in this case?

In other news, Manu Tuilagi gone for the season with knee ligament damage picked up at the weekend. Unrelated to his previous injuries.

@Pot-Hale said in NH club rugby:

@Crucial said in NH club rugby:

Nuci has a track record of upsetting apple carts. He's on his third country of doing it now.

I'm ok with his grand plan if it keeps resulting in development of new Irish players being capped as occurred in the last 12 months.

Lam said a few weeks ago that he'd relinquished control of recruitment of new players into the squad given his departure in a few months. That is now being managed by other coaching staff with Nucifora's continuing oversight. His son, Mitch, is playing with Connacht Eagles currently. But he may leave for U.K. with his family so the hard decision may be that those committed long-term to the club continue to be used or get a step up.

That is all understandable, however rules are made to be bent when need be and the current injury situation probably warrants a little bending of the rules, especially when other teams have had concessions.

I suspect that it is a case of no favours going Lam's way after he decide to leave. Nuci possibly takes it as a personal slight. Also don't forget that Nuci was pushed/left his job at the Blues in favour of Lam so there is a fair bit of untold history in this soap opera.

@Margin_Walker

Times this morning was raving it up re Johnno & Matt Dawson tossed his name out on BBC radio.

@gollum

Ah, cheers. Hadn't seen that. Can't see it at all, as the guy hasn't had a job in rugby for more than 5 years now.

@Margin_Walker

It could be viable if they just need a hands off motivational director & let Mauger decide the tactics & coach

The issue with Cockerill v Mauger is both were hands on tracksuit managers telling the players what they wanted every day. And they each wanted different things. And Cockerill was VERY vocal & "my way of the highway" with players - hence them all leaving.

But yeah, if they want an actual hands on coach, a guy who has done nothing in rugby for 5 years does not exactly look like what they need.

Speaking of Leicester...
Manu Tuilagi out of 6 Naions and B&I Lions tour - gone for 6 to 9 months with a cruciate knee ligament strain picked up in the New Years day defeat to Saracens....

@Crucial said in NH club rugby:

@Pot-Hale said in NH club rugby:

@Crucial said in NH club rugby:

Nuci has a track record of upsetting apple carts. He's on his third country of doing it now.

I'm ok with his grand plan if it keeps resulting in development of new Irish players being capped as occurred in the last 12 months.

Lam said a few weeks ago that he'd relinquished control of recruitment of new players into the squad given his departure in a few months. That is now being managed by other coaching staff with Nucifora's continuing oversight. His son, Mitch, is playing with Connacht Eagles currently. But he may leave for U.K. with his family so the hard decision may be that those committed long-term to the club continue to be used or get a step up.

That is all understandable, however rules are made to be bent when need be and the current injury situation probably warrants a little bending of the rules, especially when other teams have had concessions.

I suspect that it is a case of no favours going Lam's way after he decide to leave. Nuci possibly takes it as a personal slight. Also don't forget that Nuci was pushed/left his job at the Blues in favour of Lam so there is a fair bit of untold history in this soap opera.

True that. I don't think Ulster or Leinster figure they've had any favours given so far. Pienaar's required departure at season end and van der Merwe going from Ulster. Nuci's refusal on a foreign Leinster 10 resulting in Carberry's promotion was a good move. Nacewa and Kirchener's contracts are also up at season end but early noises about Dagg being a replacement don't seem realistic.

@Margin_Walker said in NH club rugby:

In other news, Manu Tuilagi gone for the season with knee ligament damage picked up at the weekend. Unrelated to his previous injuries.

He just can't get a break.

The Tusi Pisi red-card:

looks like he jumped, realised he had no show and readied for the contact.

Is this one where the guys landing was a factor in the colour of the card? If he had flipped a bit more, landed on his feet, run away and scored would they still have carded Pisi?

[Brit Journo Mode] Clear red card, made no attempt at all to do anything to avoid the collision, things like this must be taken out of the game. No doubt if the player was dressed in Black though, would have gotten away with a warning [/Brit Journo Mode]

Honestly, the fact that is a red, and the fact that most people agree that it should be a red, leaves me in fear for the game.

@MajorRage Why shouldn't it be a red?

Because punching is a red card. Kicking is a red card. Trying on purpose to inflict physical injury on your opponent is a red card.

Not jumping as high as another bloke to catch a ball should not be a sending off offense.

To counter - why should it be a red card?

@Bones
Pisi was clearly going for the ball.

He was on a running line that saw him arrive under the ball.

As MR notes the other guy jumped higher and not jumping as high shouldn't be a red card offence.

Furthermore Pisi braced for the impact of a guy leading with his legs.

They need to change the laws, like make jumping illegal or something, because at the moment you've got two guys legitimately going for the ball with a random chance of a game changing red being dished out.

Either that or accept there are risks with jumping for the ball and stop carding players.

@Tim The fact he was also suspended shows World Rugby has lost the plot.