England 2022/23

[Vieux Talonneur]

Says it all.

Played 6 seasons for Sarries at flanker around the turn of the millennium. Apparently current Eng 7s head coach - mildly better than league, possibly.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ah, yeah that's pretty underwhelming

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Why are we so incapable of signing top quality assistant coaches with proven track records...?

 

[Saintjay]

Realistically who else is available now before a RWC and what club would let them go? I really can't think of anyone.

 

[Reiser99]

Yeah I was wondering if part of it is not being able to buy out coaches after spending a stupid amount on Borthwick. Or maybe the buyout package included the whole Leicester setup cheaper.

Still ridiculous, but some faint hope that after the world cup a proper coaching team will be in place.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Realistically who else is available now before a RWC and what club would let them go? I really can't think of anyone.

Mitchell has just gone to our women.

Quins would have been prepared to let Evans go, they just didn't want him to job share again.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Realistically who else is available now before a RWC and what club would let them go? I really can't think of anyone.

Blackett attack, Wigglesworth skills makes more sense

Forshaw should've been brought in as defence over Sinfield - would've cost a lot less as well

No issues with the scrum or S&C coaches we've nabbed from Tigers (though interesting that the scrum coach was our second choice after the Saracens one turned down England)

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

How good is Nick Isiekwe? I have seen him several times and he has never stood out. I don't even know what his strengths are.

 

[BrokenWing]

Accounts?


Quite a specific joke.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

How good is Nick Isiekwe? I have seen him several times and he has never stood out. I don't even know what his strengths are.

Very good although still to really prove himself internationally. At this level, lock not 6 in my view.

He missed a load of the season and from what I subsequently saw didn't quite hit the standards he's capable of.

Naturally big and strong guy who brings proper ballast. USP is his aerial work at restarts and at line outs - he seems to be one of the few options who can disrupt opposition ball.

Bit of a Kruis type. Makes his tackles, hits rucks, throws his weight around in close quarter stuff and wouldn't know a highlights reel if it slapped him in the face. Can occasionally look a bit clumsy in open field as most big guys can. Saracens have trusted him for years which is a pretty big endorsement in my book. Probably one of those who won't top the stats count but coaches and team mates just want on their team.

If you believe in locks with contrasting skill sets I think he'd be a great partner to Chessum.

I suspect Martin, who plays in a different way, may now have overtaken him in the pecking order.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

RFU 'distinguished member' banned for racism

The Rugby Football Union bans a 'distinguished member' from Twickenham for making a racist comment at England v Wales in the 2022 Six Nations.

www.bbc.co.uk

No idea what was said to the Volunteer.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No idea what was said to the Volunteer.

I read it in another article, said "they don't let N-words in the royal box"
Tried to excuse it away as "banter"

Absolute ****, good riddance to him


Edit:

RFU bans former council member over racist comment at Six Nations match

The RFU has banned a distinguished former council member from Twickenham for making racist comments during a Six Nations match last year

www.theguardian.com

 

[Reiser99]

Why does it take over a year though to be dealt with?

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Why on earth do people still think that's acceptable to say.

Maybe that speaks of how out of touch and old fashioned some of these councillors are.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I didn't really know much about Tom Harrison until I properly looked him up yesterday.

As a player he was with the likes of Plymouth and Darlington.

As a coach he had brief spells in the community game with Bristol and Bath. Then mostly national league and uni stuff until rocking up at Tigers as academy coach for a while before starting working with the senior team for the 20/21 season.

Obviously he's had an impact but he's had some pretty decent raw materials to work with - Cole, Montoya, Genge, Chessum, Martin etc.

Proudfoot made his reputation with the Boks, but any semi competent coach should have shone with those resources. Where real coaching ability mattered - trying to coax a tune out of the less scrum obsessed / inferior Eng players - he didn't really have an impact.

So I wish Harrison well, but that's another pretty light CV for the international game. Availability may have been an issue, but am I just delusional in thinking that international coaching should be the pinnacle as it is (was / ought to be) for players? Do they just follow the money too?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

To be fair we're months/weeks from the RWC, any top quality international scrum coach is already going to be signed up

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

To be fair we're months/weeks from the RWC, any top quality international scrum coach is already going to be signed up

Agreed. Most of the press stuff says 'for the RWC' although the Tigers announcement says he's leaving which perhaps implies a permanent appointment rather than short term.

Apparently Peel was first choice but opted to stay put at Sarries.

 

[Zakkker]

I didn't really know much about Tom Harrison until I properly looked him up yesterday.

As a player he was with the likes of Plymouth and Darlington.

As a coach he had brief spells in the community game with Bristol and Bath. Then mostly national league and uni stuff until rocking up at Tigers as academy coach for a while before starting working with the senior team for the 20/21 season.

Obviously he's had an impact but he's had some pretty decent raw materials to work with - Cole, Montoya, Genge, Chessum, Martin etc.

Proudfoot made his reputation with the Boks, but any semi competent coach should have shone with those resources. Where real coaching ability mattered - trying to coax a tune out of the less scrum obsessed / inferior Eng players - he didn't really have an impact.

So I wish Harrison well, but that's another pretty light CV for the international game. Availability may have been an issue, but am I just delusional in thinking that international coaching should be the pinnacle as it is (was / ought to be) for players? Do they just follow the money too?

Indeed, Harrison only proved himself as a coach because he had decent raw materials to work with. I don't know how his coaching would have turned out if he hadn't had Cole, Chessum, and others. I wouldn't call him any kind of outstanding coach, but still, he's good, not the worst. But I know less than you know
Hi all.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

England really need to find a better scrum half than Van Portvliet. They wont win anything with him in the team. Isnt there some Newzealander or south african we can poach?

 

[TRF_Olyy]