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Steve Borthwick -- RFU think they can Walk all over another Championship club.

Is the not allowed to approach before 6 months a PRL thing with clubs.

Therefore RFU are not included in it?

As I'm sure foreign unions can approach players before the 6 months.
 
I think so - and neither Bristol nor the RFU are in the Premiership; not to mention that Borthwick isn't a player; and that the rule is neither enforced nor enforceable.
 
To me, it sounds like the RFU headhunted Borthwick, and in doing so did nothing wrong.
Negotiation then took place between Bristol and the RFU; but that those negotiations broke down, probably due to greed by Bristol (whether financial or for how much time they'd "allow" him with England).
Borthwick then quits as he sees it as his last resort, and relations between himself and Bristol have deteriorated as well.

RFU sign him as he's now a free agent; and announce this signing.
Bristol threaten court action, as a bluff to increase the payment.

Bristol supporters (not necessarily the club) hang their hat onto a couple of misunderstandings (tapping up, we don't acknowledge his resignation); and defend their club, possibly surprised that there isn't more anti-RFU tendencies amongst the club supporting public.
 
I suspect the main issue for Bristol was time; my guess (I think I might have read this somewhere?) is they wanted to put off Borthwick leaving altogether until the end of the season and were willing to turn down absurd piles of cash in the hope of getting that.

The big question now is the exact details of Borthwick's contract, in particular notice time.
 
Certainly one point of view - give you that!

Bit like when asking for directions and being told "well I wouldn't start from here"!!

Trouble is the clubs were allowed to much power back in the day, so the issue becomes more difficult now than ever to deconstruct and re-erect.
But it has to be done if England are going to realise their potential
OR, are you Poms happy with failing to get out of your group and hosts of the RWC?
Think about it... the clubs have to be brought to heel if the national side is to fire on all cylinders.
Look at the models elsewhere and compare the success rates.
 
We get it, you hate England and the Premiership.
Just don't open threads about this if you're just spouting the same old worn out insults and ignorance.
 
Trouble is the clubs were allowed to much power back in the day, so the issue becomes more difficult now than ever to deconstruct and re-erect.
But it has to be done if England are going to realise their potential
OR, are you Poms happy with failing to get out of your group and hosts of the RWC?
Think about it... the clubs have to be brought to heel if the national side is to fire on all cylinders.
Look at the models elsewhere and compare the success rates.

Apart from this World Cup we have continued to do better than Wales and Ireland who both have that model.

You ever actually taken a minute to think before you speak and realise that if the coaches hadn't had a idiotic moment we could have topped the group and would have not been such a disgrace.

I know I shouldn't respond to you as it only feeds the troll but you do know nothing about English rugby.

My last thought of the day is this. Your an idiot, a fool and a troll. I know personal insults don't really achieve much but **** off you massive ****.
 
We get it, you hate England and the Premiership.
Just don't open threads about this if you're just spouting the same old worn out insults and ignorance.

So true and he loves all things Kiwi yet now lives in.............?
 
Apart from this World Cup we have continued to do better than Wales and Ireland who both have that model.

And last World Cup, when Wales reached the semi-finals, and 6Ns since 2003, in which we've won none, while those countries have at least 3 each including a Grand Slam.

I know I shouldn't respond to you as it only feeds the troll but you do know nothing about English rugby.

My last thought of the day is this. Your an idiot, a fool and a troll. I know personal insults don't really achieve much but **** off you massive ****.

None of that.
 
So true and he loves all things Kiwi yet now lives in.............?

Last February I bought a house back in New Zealand Tony, just a few miles from where the British Lions will play their first tour match in New Zealand.
Hope to be back for it by then, depending on how long it takes the NZ High Commission to process the family Visa for my wife and kids.
London's alright but there's not many Poms here... there's a lot more Poms back in Nz though ;-) You lot love it out there.

Apart from this World Cup we have continued to do better than Wales and Ireland who both have that model.

Oh dear, someone hasn't done their homework since the turn of the Millennium...

Young 'un, both Wales and Ireland have a tiny fraction of the comparative player population to work with and a fraction of the money the ERU has to budget with; so how is it YOU are struggling to get parity with teams who are resource impoverished?

YOU think before you speak, young 'un.

England has perpetually underachieved aside from one glowing moment in 2003 when you shocked the world in spite of the structural shortcomings in the game at home.


You ever actually taken a minute to think before you speak and realise that if the coaches hadn't had a idiotic moment we could have topped the group and would have not been such a disgrace.

It was a disgrace wasn't it, and I laughed long and loud along with the rest of the world.
Not at young impetuous chaps like yourself, but at the likes of Rob Andrew who would keep English rugby hoodwinked in the dark while he carries home a fat salary and nothing changes.
If you don't let go of the Apron strings of your club structure you will always struggle to reach your potential.
The potential England has is like a Tsunami that will overtake the rest of the world and become the pre-eminent team in world rugby, possibly forever. Thats how vast the resource elements are for England compared to the rest of the rugby world.
It's astonishing that YOU are content with mediocre results when you should be the number one all the time. At the very least in the northern hemisphere.
Change the club structure like they did in Wales. Yes it's painful, but ultimately England will become the best in the world and the benchmark of world rugby.
Of course if you're not interested in that outcome then keep the club structure the same and keep the 6 Nations format the same and we'll see another RWC semi final full of southern hemisphere sides again.

I know I shouldn't respond to you...

No you don't, because I bet you're about to vent your spleen because you know the rest of the world is right, you need to change your anachronistic club structure if you hope to get the results worthy of true 'English Arrogance'. You're also about to vent your spleen because you couldn't get out of your pool at your own RWC. I get it. I'd be livid if it were my team and we didn't get out of our pool in our own RWC.
However heads have rolled and we finally see a foreign coach in charge of England.
The first thing he does is wipe the slate clean of backroom staff to eradicate the memory of failure, then he installs a known success as his forwards coach and in so doing tramples on the club structure, which must happen. Smash it into the ground and rebuild it into regional supply lines and let the cream rise to the top. (I admire his choice of a Kiwi to be your captain ;-) )
You will still have your regional parochial element to support and you will have a very successful national outfit to engender more rugby development around all of England.
Stop the 'small minded' scenario and get with the bigger picture.
Wales and Ireland haver great support for their 'regional teams.
The Super XV has great support for their regional teams.
It takes a little time and a lot of noses will be put out of joint, for sure, but they will be re-set when the results start pouring in and the success rates rise sharply, and they will, no doubt.
Twickenham will become a fortress and English club teams will not be swatted by French teams bloated with International hired guns.
The talent in England is astounding.
The lack of that talent getting through to the top is galling.
Restructure the failing and ailing club structure, get regional in the development of a conveyer belt of quality talent to the national team.

If this occurs then England WILL be the strongest team in the world year in and year out.

Failure to commit to the new and proven formula will see you continue to spurn your incredible resources and fail to reach true potential.

Simples.

Oh and be grateful the All Blacks won the RWC again.
If it had been the Aussies they would still be rubbing your noses in it and laughing about how the England team has become the Aussie 'B' team with a 'B' team coach etc. as the Aussies are won't to do...

In contrast us Kiwi's are quietly standing back shaking our heads in bewilderment that you still haven't jettisoned the anchor on your success line, the age old club structure, so you can release the cornucopia of resource advantage you hold over all the other countries in the world.
It's truly baffling.


My last thought of the day is this. Your an idiot, a fool and a troll. I know personal insults don't really achieve much but **** off you massive ****.

Well at least you had a thought. Even if it was only one.
Are you related to Rob Andrew?
Prior to that 'thought?' you have spouted nothing but the same old pro-club rhetoric that has seen England go backwards at a rate of knots.
Go and get the maid to press your stripey blazer old fruit and grab another pink gin, eh wot.
Tally Ho...
 
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I bought a house back in New Zealand Tony, just a few miles from where the British Lions will play their first tour match in New Zealand.
Hope to be back for it by then, depending on how long it takes the NZ High Commission to process the family Visa for my wife and kids.
London alright but there's not many Poms here...

Three fosters please barman
 
Three fosters please barman

I don't think you've been to London since the 1980's...
All the bar staff down here are Spanish now, since Spain has 50% unemployment in the under 25 age bracket.
It's a nightmare trying to get a drink.
 
I have never been poured a pint by a Spaniard in London, and I've lived here my whole life.
 
Agreement reached between Bristol and them lot over release of Borthwick. Shame they went about it this way, if they kept quiet about the dispute inseatd of announcing something none of this would have happened.

Learn from this RFU
 
Anyone know if there are any plans to recruit scrum, skills, kicking etc. coaches?
 

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