Rugby Union

[GAD]

4 hours ago, peasy23 said:

Only see the highlights on ITV and he seems to have been playing well, pundits all spoke highly of him last night. They also said it pretty much shows that Irish have flung in the towel in the relegation fight.

Have to agree it is strange how both Cowan and Strauss have just gone completely off the radar for Scotland.

Strauss at least made the squad. I thought there may have been a falling out with Cotter for something he did, but if Hardie can get back in after taking hundreds of coke then I doubt it's that. He's maybe just not considered good enough I suppose. Mcguigan and Harris are both going great guns down south, but looked pretty shit for us.

[honestly united]

Feel a bit sorry for Jon Welsh dropping out, but it is pretty much back to full strength, bar (you could argue) Dickinson, Dell, Strauss, Ashe, Visser & Taylor

[come on shire]

8 hours ago, honestly united said:

I thought Cowan had been in some of the recent squads? Or was that back in summer? He has been up against Barclay, Watson, hardy, Bradbury etc for a start, but I would have thought good enough to at least be in the squad

Very fair point but I think Blair Cowan's international days are past him.  He was getting a game when we were competing with Italy to avoid the wooden spoon.

The other guys you have mentioned have far more quality than the Cowan, Brown, Beattie etc days. 

Interestingly though, he's been getting some game time for Saracens recently.  He's been loaned out to them from London Irish.  I don't know if it's to cover England call ups or maybe he hasn't been getting game time for Irish?

[ajwffc]

Edinburgh have signed Argentina international centre Juan Pablo Socino on a two-year-deal.

[honestly united]

51 minutes ago, come on shire said:

Very fair point but I think Blair Cowan's international days are past him.  He was getting a game when we were competing with Italy to avoid the wooden spoon.

The other guys you have mentioned have far more quality than the Cowan, Brown, Beattie etc days. 

Interestingly though, he's been getting some game time for Saracens recently.  He's been loaned out to them from London Irish.  I don't know if it's to cover England call ups or maybe he hasn't been getting game time for Irish?

Im sure he has played for Irish most weeks, and probably been there player of the season. I think its more a case of Irish are now resigned to going down, Sarries have a few injuries and international call ups so win win for everyone. Irish save some cash, Sarries get cover, and Cowan gets to showcase his talents at the top of the table rather than the bottom, as I am assuming he will be moving on from Irish at the end of the season.

[peasy23]

Somebody better arrange to have Tom English sectioned, he's written another positive Scottish rugby article, and to be fair it's a good one.

Six Nations: Scotland centre Peter Horne leaves setbacks behind to 'cherish every opportunity' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43289114

[Jaggy Snake]

11 hours ago, peasy23 said:

Somebody better arrange to have Tom English sectioned, he's written another positive Scottish rugby article, and to be fair it's a good one.

Six Nations: Scotland centre Peter Horne leaves setbacks behind to 'cherish every opportunity' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43289114

I'm sure he'll revert to type by Saturday for the Ireland game.

[honestly united]

to be fair, a lot of the time Tom English writes what everyone else is feeling. It must be really frustrating  as a journalistic and as a fan) to have your hopes built up every summer tour and autumn international (and he has written some positive columns over the years about how we have turned the corner etc), only to have them utterly crushed come the first 6 Nations game.

 

Edited March 6, 2018 by honestly united

[Jaggy Snake]

I don’t actually have a problem with the vast majority of Tom English’s views until, Scotland play Ireland, or sometimes when Glasgow play an Irish side in the Pro 14, in which case I think he loses all perspective.

[come on shire]

20 hours ago, honestly united said:

Im sure he has played for Irish most weeks, and probably been there player of the season. I think its more a case of Irish are now resigned to going down, Sarries have a few injuries and international call ups so win win for everyone. Irish save some cash, Sarries get cover, and Cowan gets to showcase his talents at the top of the table rather than the bottom, as I am assuming he will be moving on from Irish at the end of the season.

I think moving on would be a sensible decision for him.  I think he'll just be a squad player should he go to Sarries (a bit like Brown I think).  However, it will be a lot better than going for away trips to Yorkshire Carnegie, Bedford Blues, Jersey etc. 

[ddfg]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/little-known-pay-tv-channel-14157733.amp

[honestly united]

Sounds like its more money for Pro14, but less access to games. Doesn't mention Alba which I assume is a separate contract to BBC Wales?

[come on shire]

19 minutes ago, honestly united said:

Sounds like its more money for Pro14, but less access to games. Doesn't mention Alba which I assume is a separate contract to BBC Wales?

Tweet from Hugh Dan Maclennan confirms that Alba's losing it too. We're just not as important as the fans in England or France it seems

Edited March 6, 2018 by come on shire

[topcat(The most tip top)]

formed by Irish businessman Michael O’Rourke, a joint CEO and part owner of Setanta Sports,

Anyone else getting deja vu

[ddfg]

formed by Irish businessman Michael O’Rourke, a joint CEO and part owner of Setanta Sports,

Anyone else getting deja vu

About Setanta going belly up or the Pro14 having its offices in Ireland, being sponsored by an Irish company, playing the final two years in a row in Ireland and now agreeing a tv deal with a company headed up by an Irishman.

[Salvo Montalbano]

Tweet from Hugh Dan Maclennan confirms that Alba's losing it too. We're just not as important as the fans in England or France it seems [emoji20]

As much as I dislike losing BBC Alba's coverage, I don't get your last sentence. The English and French rugby tournaments are both shown on Pay-TV.

[H Wragg]

As much as I dislike losing BBC Alba's coverage, I don't get your last sentence. The English and French rugby tournaments are both shown on Pay-TV.

The English one is at least on ‘mainstream’ PPV in UK terms.

[HoBNob]

On 26/02/2018 at 11:46, Savage Henry said:

I genuinely don't remember MacLeod, Kerr,  or Douglas.

 

On 27/02/2018 at 19:36, ajwffc said:

 

 

On 05/03/2018 at 23:18, peasy23 said:

Somebody better arrange to have Tom English sectioned, he's written another positive Scottish rugby article, and to be fair it's a good one.

Six Nations: Scotland centre Peter Horne leaves setbacks behind to 'cherish every opportunity' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43289114

Some balls on the bloke to describe a ruptured ACL as a little setback. 

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

6 hours ago, honestly united said:

Sounds like its more money for Pro14, but less access to games. Doesn't mention Alba which I assume is a separate contract to BBC Wales?

I'm not sure about the more money thing. They probably got more but really it looks like they fucked themselves in the way it was done.

They sold the Irish rights before the UK rights rather than at the same time which took Sky Sports out of the running.  Once Sky were outbid by Eir Sport they didn't bid for the UK rights although PRO 14 is pretty far down Sky's priority list it took a very large potential buyer completely out of the running.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/full-story-behind-bbc-losing-14376276

https://www.the42.ie/eir-sport-pro14-tv-rights-3793899-Jan2018/

Those articles value the PRO 12/14 TV deal at around £12m + whatever SA bring to the table.

The BBC were paying £4.5m for their UK rights which they claim they substantially increased. So Premier Sport must have bid well in excess of that since there is going to be lost value on not being on free to air tv, even if it was with non-English commentary. 

[Bully Wee Villa]

Seems like an exercise in nose-cutting to spite face. Moving to a channel that has fewer viewers than a Lost Prophets reunion tour can't be good for the promotion of the sport.