German Rugby

[Car]

So Toby Flood wants to play for Germany now: http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_...-kobus-potgieter-welcome-toby-flood-open-arms

I wonder how much help he still could be at that age, especially at 7s. Although I'm sure our players could learn a lot from him.

 

[Brigantine]

Given the reference to this being all about Brexit, I wonder if potential publicity and marketing for German rugby is a big part of the motivation.

Is it really that unusual to have players continuing to 32? Also I didn't see much to suggest he would be involved in 7s other than using a few qualifying games as a ticket (loophole?) to eligibility.

Fair play, whatever they can arrange within the rules. It's a great thing that rugby is becoming more global.

(Not that I know who Toby Flood is or anything)

 

[Car]

It all seems to be a bit unclear to me, but the attention it received in the international media sure can't help.

IIRC, he'd be 34 by the time he's eligible.

A younger Toby Flood certainly would help us a lot, but at the age he'll have then, I can only see him as part of the coaching staff etc.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Will he change his name to Rudolph Hess?

I'll get my coat...

 

[amz]

I'll say it again, it's kind of ridiculous to play 60 times for one national team than be able to play for another one by this loophole while you are not allowed to play for a national team after 3 years in the local competition, without being capped previously.

Shows how populist and hypocritical in fact is the measure to raise the period to 5 years and how the Home Nations aren't hurt because they can get all the time players from SH based on ancestry so project players still a possibility.

As for his eventual contribution to German squad, even at 34 yo he'll be a good player to have, even if he starts on bench as his experience and skills is unlikely to be matched by other German player in next 2-3 years.

 

[Car]

France 2 had a report about German rugby the other day:


I'm not sure if rugby actually was banned by the Nazis, though. Still, it's good to see it covered even in such programmes.

 

[Brigantine]

[Cross post from November Internationals - Tier 2 & 3]

Germany team vs USA: (** = Heidelberg RK; * = Other teams in 1. Bundesliga SW)

1. Julius Nostad* (17 caps - ex Fed 1)
2. Dasch Barber** (8 caps since Nov 2016 (vs Brazil) - from RSA)
3. Samy Füchsel** (32 caps - ex Pro D2 / Albi)
4. Michael Poppmeier** (23 caps - from RSA)
5. Eric Marks (12 caps - Top 14 / La Rochelle)
6. Sebastian Ferreira** (8 caps - ex Currie Cup / EP Kings - from RSA)
7. Jaco Otto** (16 caps)
8. Ayron Schramm** (New last week - ex Currie Cup / Sharks - from RSA)
9. Sean Armstrong** (33 caps - from Aus)
10. Christopher Hilsenbeck (13 caps - Pro D2 / Vannes)
11. Marcel Coetzee** (10 caps - ex Pro12 / Ulster / Super Rugby / Sharks - from RSA)
12. Raynor Parkinson** (28 caps - from RSA)
13. Wynston Cameron-Dow* (New last week - for HRK in Continental Shield - ex Western Force academy - from RSA)
14. Mathieu Dacau (2 caps since May 2017 (vs Kenya) - Fed 1 / Tarbes - from France)
15. Hagen Schulte** (New - ex Pro12 / Glasgow Warriors - from NZ)

16. Jörn Schröde**(14 caps)
17. Mika Tyumenev (18 caps - Fed 1 / Strasbourg)
18. Anthony Dickinson* (4 caps since Nov 2016 (vs Brazil))
19. Adam Preocanin (New - English National League 1 - ex. RFU Championship / Ealing Trailfinders / London Scottish - from England)
20. Marcel Henn* (1 cap in May 2017 (vs Kenya) - ex Varsity Cup / NWU Pukke - from RSA)
21. Pierre Mathurin** (7 caps)
22. Steffen Liebig** (24 caps)
23. Jamie Murphy (6 caps since Feb 2017 (vs Romania) - Welsh Premier Division - ex Pro12 / Ospreys - also played for Wales in Rugby League - from Wales)

They've been making a bit of a deal about some new German-qualified South Africans etc. being added to the squad. I count 6 developed players added this year from abroad. (bolded). They're also importing non-star players, to build depth.

Apparently America has a very strong selection, so not pulling any punches.

(It looks like zero players selected from North or East Germany. Fair enough, the clubs there just aren't on the same level)

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Has Parkinson played at 12 before for the national side? Seems even Tier2 are joining the revolution of putting a second fly half at 12.

 

[Brigantine]

Well it looks like he was a 14 on his debut.

EDIT: And he was a 12 vs Kenya last May. And vs Russia in March. It looks like Hilsenbeck is the first choice 10 and was rested last week... but before that he was at 10 vs Spain/Belgium/Georgia/Romania and Hilsenbeck not in the XV.

 

[Groundhog]

Is this being streamed anywhere lads?

 

[Car]

It's shown on Sport1 in Germany (they also have a free stream, but that's geoblocked) and by therugbychannel.tv in the US.

 

[Groundhog]

I'll tune in so, as I'll probably living in Germany before long. Aufgehts Deutschland.

 

[Car]

You're any good at playing rugby, @Groundhog ?

 

[Groundhog]

You're any good at playing rugby, @Groundhog ?

Haha had the wonderful honour of playing against and with a lot of Austrian internationals last year, but I imagine German rugby is a different kettle of fish. Most I've ever enjoyed my rugby though.

 

[die_mole]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-un...pansion-stuck-crossroads-players-threaten-go/

well this is interesting

 

[Brigantine]

well this is interesting

Chile won't be too happy about that!

 

[amz]

Happened to Romania as well in 2000s, when French based players refused to come and back than that meant a full squad. Hence England put 134 points on whatever they could gather in few days.

Hopefully Germans will come back to their senses soon, would be a pity to stop their development for such pitiful rivalries.

 

[Car]

Based on what I read, it's the federation that doesn't really want to professionalise the game here, but preferred the old old days (as if there was a reason to be nostalgic for them here). I really hope they can sort out this mess, but if I read stuff like this, I really doubt it:
President and coach of RK Heusenstamm, Markus Walger:

Einige 15er-Nationalspieler streiken derzeit, wollen am Samstag in Offenbach nur auflaufen, wenn der Verband für professionellere Strukturen sorgt. Wäre so etwas zu Ihrer Zeit als Nationalspieler denkbar gewesen?

In keinster Weise. Wir haben für die Ehre gespielt - ganz egal, gegen wen oder in was für Trikots. Aber wir waren damals reine Amateure, die kein Geld bekommen haben. Wir waren froh, als wir die Trikots behalten oder tauschen durften. Nebenbei haben wir 40 Stunden pro Woche gearbeitet und uns für die Länderspiele teilweise Urlaub genommen.

My translation: Some 15s national players currently are on strike, only want to take to the field in Offenbach on Saturday if the federation provides more professional structures. Would something like that have been thinkable during your time as national player.

Not at all. We played for honour - no matter against who and in what kind of shirts. But we were pure amateurs at the time who didn't get any money. We were happy when we got to keep or exchange the shirts. On top of it, we worked for 40 hours a week and sometimes took off time of work for the national games.

Source: https://www.op-online.de/sport/lokalsport/ex-rugby-nationalspieler-markus-walger-kritik-wir-haben-ehre-gespielt-9384919.html#idAnchComments

The players announced they won't play and Wild Rugby Academy announced they won't be released any longer. A lot of the guys playing on Saturday are 7s players in addition to some players who already were a part of the extended squad in the past:
http://www.totalrugby.de/content/view/9204/37/

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

So domestic German rugby joins Spain and Canada as being one of the most chaotic environments for Tier 2 rugby development (albeit in Spain it seems more the clubs than the union that may be the issue). You'd like to think World Rugby could exert some influence on unions in some countries, but they appear to be laws unto themselves. It may kill advances in the sport in such countries while seemingly more enlightened unions, like Georgia and Romania make real progress.

 

[Brigantine]

Is it just co-incidence that this is only happening *after* the guy bought Stade Français?

Has he already jumped ship and this all just for PR? Or did he just need SF because it gives him more leverage in this current stand-off?