The Rugby Thread

[Cormack74]

Incidentally, no CC chat lads?

English teams generally fared badly although some played weakened teams for various reasons. Mind you Bath didn't have that excuse

Sadly because of the very short format some have already said that having lost a game they're now giving up on the competition this year which is understandable but a bit crap for the viewing public.

Still it's a good thing for player welfare etc etc

[Cormack74]

Oh and I thought Sam H-C was streets ahead of Maunder (again) Buzzo even though he only played about the last 20 mins of the game v Glasgow.

Baxter is a hugely astute bloke so I don't get why he can't see that SHC's core skills are infinitely better.

I suspect the fact that by all accounts Maunder's Dad was a bit of a Chiefs legend might have something to do with it. He might even have played with Baxter during his career.

[Buzzo]

Sore one for Glasgow at the weekend. Absolutely batters by Exeter with old boys Gray and Hogg scoring try’s.

I see Adam Hastings is off to Gloucester and talk of a big bid for Duhan VDM to leave Edinburgh. The issue Scottish teams have is that when they improve as Glasgow did winning the pro-14 a few years ago and Edinburgh did in challenging then the better players will inevitably leave.

Glasgow have lost Russell, Gray, Hogg and Hastings all in the space of a couple of years.

[Buzzo]

Oh and I thought Sam H-C was streets ahead of Maunder (again) Buzzo even though he only played about the last 20 mins of the game v Glasgow.

Baxter is a hugely astute bloke so I don't get why he can't see that SHC's core skills are infinitely better.

I suspect the fact that by all accounts Maunder's Dad was a bit of a Chiefs legend might have something to do with it. He might even have played with Baxter during his career.

Sam H-C got some international minutes in the end. He seems vastly under rated where ever he goes. I never see him putting a foot, or a boot wrong.

[Cormack74]

Could already be the end of Chiefs reign as European champions:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55336916

Holders Exeter's Heineken Champions Cup match at Toulouse on Sunday has been cancelled because of a Covid-19 outbreak at the Chiefs.

Glasgow's home fixture against Lyon on Saturday has also been called off - because the Warriors played Exeter last weekend.

European bosses will now meet to decide the outcomes of the cancelled games.

It is envisaged that the matches cannot be rearranged because of fixture congestion.

A European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) statement said: "EPCR has been informed that a number of Exeter Chiefs players and staff have tested positive for Covid-19.

"In accordance with public health guidelines, the club will not be able to send a matchday squad to fulfil its Heineken Champions Cup round 2 fixture against Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon on Sunday (20 December).

"The Pool B match is therefore cancelled."

Twenty Glasgow players are self-isolating after facing Exeter, and a Warriors statement said this, along with "an extensive injury list", meant it was "not safe" to play Saturday's game against Lyon.

The Glasgow statement added: "Glasgow Warriors will now turn its attention to mitigating any further risks to its squad to protect the upcoming 1872 Cup fixtures against Edinburgh in the Guinness Pro14."

When Fiji's recent Autumn Nations Cup fixtures were cancelled because of a coronavirus outbreak among the team, their opponents were awarded a 28-0 victory.

The Champions Cup is using a new, shortened format this year with each side only playing two others home and away in the group stages.

After that, the top four sides in each of two 12-team pools will advance to the quarter-finals, making bonus points and points difference even more important in the pool stage.

The EPCR statement continued: "As per its Covid-19 protocol, EPCR will convene match result resolution committees to determine the results of the cancelled matches and the decisions of the committees will be communicated as soon as practicable."

[Cormack74]

Sam H-C got some international minutes in the end. He seems vastly under rated where ever he goes. I never see him putting a foot, or a boot wrong.

No he doesn't seem to. I know Price was playing for a team on the backfoot but technically I didn't see him at SH-C's level either.

[Irishnev]

Some win for Munster yesterday - only the second side to beat Clermot away and they did it after being 19 points down

[Cormack74]

Yeah I was pretty stunned when I saw that - terrific win.

And a good one for Edinburgh too; Sale had rested a few but they're a strong physical team and had a comfortable HT lead.

[Buzzo]

Good win for Edinburgh for sure as we’ve been in horrible form.

[Buzzo]

Both European tournaments have been suspended.

[ame]https://twitter.com/championscup/status/1348684445180686340[/ame]

[Zapater]

Talk of the Lions tour being moved, cancelled or postponed too. Can't see it realistically being hosted in SA, there'll be no chance of crowds. Moving it to the UK also seems a bit of a strange one because the situation is the same or worse. I think they should do it in NZ, there are enough local British/Ireland and SA expats. And this obviously has nothing to do with the fact I just emigrated here last week .

[Cormack74]

How did that happen - or rather why?

The emigration I mean not the Lions

[Zapater]

How did that happen - or rather why?

The emigration I mean not the Lions

In a nutshell, was let go in July because of this COVID debacle. Had an okay(ish) package (not sure actually, you'd know more than me - I should have consulted you about it haha) plus 2 years worth of leave paid out, I was supposed to go to Europe on holiday in September, how naïve I was when i booked that trip.

Economy decimated, no job opportunities in SA. Coupled with insanely harsh/illogical lockdown rules (no booze, 9pm curfews, arresting people for not wearing masks while murderers run rampant etc) made continuing to live in SA near impossible. I swore that I would never live in a first world English speaking country again but had to go before my situation got dire. I've never been a poor man in Africa and I definitely don't want to know what that feels like. It's notoriously difficult to get into NZ now, but I found out I still have permanent residency which evidently didn't expire from when I used to live here. I could have also gone back to the UK or Australia but NZ seemed the only option because there is no COVID here. I'm still in my quarantine hotel, which the government pay for and I've already had 2 job interviews. It's a stark contrast.

Think I'll go mad here though, waking up at 3am to watch Liverpool play and the ****ty people. I don't see South Africa getting better in the next few years, so I'm probably going to try to settle in Germany once this blows over.

[Cormack74]

In a nutshell, was let go in July because of this COVID debacle. Had an okay(ish) package (not sure actually, you'd know more than me - I should have consulted you about it haha) plus 2 years worth of leave paid out, I was supposed to go to Europe on holiday in September, how naïve I was when i booked that trip.

Economy decimated, no job opportunities in SA. Coupled with insanely harsh/illogical lockdown rules (no booze, 9pm curfews, arresting people for not wearing masks while murderers run rampant etc) made continuing to live in SA near impossible. I swore that I would never live in a first world English speaking country again but had to go before my situation got dire. I've never been a poor man in Africa and I definitely don't want to know what that feels like. It's notoriously difficult to get into NZ now, but I found out I still have permanent residency which evidently didn't expire from when I used to live here. I could have also gone back to the UK or Australia but NZ seemed the only option because there is no COVID here. I'm still in my quarantine hotel, which the government pay for and I've already had 2 job interviews. It's a stark contrast.

Think I'll go mad here though, waking up at 3am to watch Liverpool play and the ****ty people. I don't see South Africa getting better in the next few years, so I'm probably going to try to settle in Germany once this blows over.

Ah this bit makes sense of it. I didn't realize you lived there before because as you say, I know it's a tough place to get in to.

Good luck mate.

[Zapater]

Thanks bud. I've been rotating between Joburg, Sydney, London and Auckland for over 20 years - not sure why I do it to myself. Hence me thinking that I have a unique insight in comparing Southern Hem rugby/cricket stadiums.