6 Nations

[JohnnyDee]

Wher ya originate from ?

Co Antrim, though have been in Home Counties for several centuries now. How about you?

 

[fundy]

Shame that Morgan got injured as think he certainly offers a lot more than brawn at the back

Who would you look for at 7 ? Armitage ? Croft ?

Think need Wood back quickly

Armitage without doubt, but we prefer to have the moral high ground than pick the best side lol

 

[fundy]

He'd be a far more effective player as a 6

he is a 6 playing at 7 basically, back row composition is all wrong for me, not dynamic in any way

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Armitage without doubt, but we prefer to have the moral high ground than pick the best side lol

Isn't there an issue with the French clubs releasing players etc ?

Or is it just RFU rules with the players overseas not available ?

Need Corbs back in as well, Lawes is back fit

 

[Val]

he is a 6 playing at 7 basically, back row composition is all wrong for me, not dynamic in any way

I actually like him as a player, he doesn't hide. There could be an argument that most 7's are effectively a 6 (let's call it 6 and half) in the modern game now

 

[bladeplayer]

Co Antrim, though have been in Home Counties for several centuries now. How about you?

Doon Souf in d Republic mate , kildare to be exact

 

[fundy]

Isn't there an issue with the French clubs releasing players etc ?

Or is it just RFU rules with the players overseas not available ?

Need Corbs back in as well, Lawes is back fit

Purely down to RFU rules as far as Armitage is concerned, his club have offered to release him fully for England whenever they require (partly as they were worried he was going to join Bath so as to be able to play in the World Cup), the worry from the RFU is that they allow one French based played then plenty more head there (see Wales recent troubles!). The alternative is to increase the salary cap in the English game to allow the clubs to compete on a level financial footing to the French and Irish clubs

 

[bladeplayer]

Armitage without doubt, but we prefer to have the moral high ground than pick the best side lol

In this professional age its a disgrace mate , Armitage for sure

 

[fundy]

I actually like him as a player, he doesn't hide. There could be an argument that most 7's are effectively a 6 (let's call it 6 and half) in the modern game now

They are in the northern hemisphere to a degree, youll see a few proper southern hemisphere 7s later in the year though

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Purely down to RFU rules as far as Armitage is concerned, his club have offered to release him fully for England whenever they require (partly as they were worried he was going to join Bath so as to be able to play in the World Cup), the worry from the RFU is that they allow one French based played then plenty more head there (see Wales recent troubles!). The alternative is to increase the salary cap in the English game to allow the clubs to compete on a level financial footing to the French and Irish clubs

Expect as Toulon and the Irish continue to dominate the European Cup they will look to change something

Players going to France or Ireland might actually improve their skills

 

[fundy]

Expect as Toulon and the Irish continue to dominate the European Cup they will look to change something

Players going to France or Ireland might actually improve their skills

For sure, change of environments, learn some news skills, play in differently structured sides, plenty the players could benefit (Armitage a pretty good example of it!)

 

[Val]

Isn't there an issue with the French clubs releasing players etc ?

Or is it just RFU rules with the players overseas not available ?

Need Corbs back in as well, Lawes is back fit

No issue with the French clubs all be it Toulon don't like releasing players but they all get released like halfpenny, castrogiovanni etc

RFU only want home based players which is a shame because many players on the fringes of the first 15 could play in Scotland, Wales and to a lesser extent Ireland where every player in the squad with the exception of Sexton play in the pro12 and even Sexton is going to Leinster next season. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing the likes of Freddie Burns or Dave Atwood etc playing in the Pro 12.

 

[Val]

Expect as Toulon and the Irish continue to dominate the European Cup they will look to change something

Players going to France or Ireland might actually improve their skills

DoNt expect an Irish side this year, Leinster have made it through but they haven't been suing well and their match with Bath will be a toughie. Ulster and Munster are both out

 

[Old Skier]

Not a chance of Scotland stopping Ireland on this weekends performances.

Confused .com

 

[Val]

They are in the northern hemisphere to a degree, youll see a few proper southern hemisphere 7s later in the year though

Fair point

 

[Val]

Confused .com

In what way?

 

[GB72]

At the moment Armitage is the poster boy for the RFU policy, as long as he is not picked then other players take the RFU at their word. This has, to a large extent stemmed the flow of players going to france with those that do being at the end of their international careers. Half the over 30 southern hemisphere players will be heading for france after the world cup to boost the retirement fund. This cannot be good for the french national team long term.

 

[JohnnyDee]

Doon Souf in d Republic mate , kildare to be exact

The Mammy was from Donegal but have not golfed in Ireland much as have lived mostly over here. Did learn on a nice little 9-hole par three near Belfast that's now sadly long gone. Some great golf down your way though and then of course on down to Killarney etc.

 

[fundy]

At the moment Armitage is the poster boy for the RFU policy, as long as he is not picked then other players take the RFU at their word. This has, to a large extent stemmed the flow of players going to france with those that do being at the end of their international careers. Half the over 30 southern hemisphere players will be heading for france after the world cup to boost the retirement fund. This cannot be good for the french national team long term.

Be a few coming here with the rule changes being made too. Each club gonna be allowed one or two "star" players outside the salary cap last I heard of the "salary cap" rules, not sure what finally got agreed.

Also seems to have gone very quiet on the couple of clubs reportedly (lol) in breach of the cap this year

 

[Old Skier]

In what way?

Scotland arn't playing Ireland, Wales are.