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I did get my ticket to the Premiership final yesterday, will be the 4th time I go there if I remember right. Going to be good time no matter who gets to the final.
Rugby union?
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Hope it's an enjoyable day!
Soldato
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I haven't watched much Premiership Rugby this year, keep forgetting about the highlights. Has Cipriani been a big difference for Gloucester? Their form suggests a very much better team than we have see for quite some years.
As to Folau, he broke his contract he deserves lose his job, I still believe in freedom of expression though and I don't think what he said was in anyway hateful or offensive but I'm not a hyper offended modern person it seems. I would imagine a French club will pick him up for mega bucks.
As to Folau, he broke his contract he deserves lose his job, I still believe in freedom of expression though and I don't think what he said was in anyway hateful or offensive but I'm not a hyper offended modern person it seems. I would imagine a French club will pick him up for mega bucks.
Massive. He's made most of the difference this year. His moments of genius have made the difference between losing/drawing and winning more often than not. His little chip away to Wasps was sublime and he's made some crazy passes out to Ollie Thorley (who is definitely one to watch!).
He was injured for about a month at the start of the year and we had a really bad run of results. I'm glad he's in the side, the players like him as well. Speaking to a few of them they say he's like having a coach on the pitch.
That said we really do need to bolster more as we can't be having a string of bad results just due to one player, but it does show his quality.
When you watch him live, his movement, passing, vision and hand speed are on another level to most players you see. He just sometimes needs to get stuck in a little more as he does have a tendency to shy away from tackles.
Soldato
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I watched him play a lot when he was with the Rebels, a good slip tackler but not one for the "dominating" tackle which is so beloved of the modern coach. Personally I've never minded protecting your fly half if it's what's needed. Done it in amateur Rugby plenty of times, I've moved from inside centre in my time to defend the 10 channel for a set piece. Particularly lineouts.
Soldato
It was Wilkinson who changed what is expected of the modern 10 in the tackle area, his tackling was monstrous and put many out and out 6s to shame. Damn him it's not like he was any good or anything 
As said above, Cipriani has made a huge difference, and Gloucester looked poor over Christmas when he wasn't playing. No surprise they've offered him a new (and higher salary) contract.
Regarding Folau, I also generally believe in free speech, but I also think that people need to consider whether their position means they essentially represent an organisation/team and/or they have become a role model for kids, in which case a more pragmatic approach should be applied and total free speech may not be appropriate. I don't think it's right being told that you deserve to burn in hell for being homosexual, and I certainly wouldn't be happy if my kids were going round saying that to people. Not quite the same, but there are laws against slander and defamation... you can't go round saying whatever you want and calling it free speech.
After all that, it also wouldn't surprise me to see him at a French club.
Fly half that doesn't like to tackle... I'll get my coat now!
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Great match yesterday in the Champions Cup between Saracens and Leinster. Hopefully Saracens will go through to the Premiership Final as well in a few weeks time.
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Got home from Twickenham about half an hour ago. What a great game, very intense, pretty close scores. Exeter played superb but Saracens managed to raise their game up (didn't think they played particularly well today) in the last 20 mins and grab a win. Really good game in total, and great weather too
Soldato
Exeter and Sarries are head and shoulders above the rest of the premiership and they did the final justice, great to see so many England players in a rich vein of form leading into the World Cup.
Yeah, the final was awesome! Naturally in the interviews post-match the Saracens players were talking about confidence in coming back, but I feel that if Wigglesworth's break didn't happen then the result might have been different... I'm always in awe of how a game can be totally changed by one act or decision.
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That Wrigglesworth break was really good, very cleverly read and well taken opportunity. After that try it was like Saracens started to smell blood and really raised their game massively. Itoje's steal in the line up afterwards was massive as well.
Shame their senior players can't do the same when playing for England!
Seems like a decent time to bump this.
Few disappointments in the squad (No Robson, Heinz?????). Bit surprised there's no Hughes, especially as he was constantly picked when just back from injury and not in great form, now at the end of the season he shows some good form, and he's dropped.
As to my personal rugby, been playing touch rugby, lots of fun, especially as I've convinced my missus to join me. Hopefully she'll keep on playing with the womens team after the season starts (probably still only touch though). Pre-season starts next week... lots of fitness type work to start, what fun...... To be fair though, I need it.
Oh, and prem fixtures out. I dislike that Wasps have Irish up first, the promoting team always seem to put on a big show in their first fixture
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Few disappointments in the squad (No Robson, Heinz?????). Bit surprised there's no Hughes, especially as he was constantly picked when just back from injury and not in great form, now at the end of the season he shows some good form, and he's dropped.
As to my personal rugby, been playing touch rugby, lots of fun, especially as I've convinced my missus to join me
. Hopefully she'll keep on playing with the womens team after the season starts (probably still only touch though). Pre-season starts next week... lots of fitness type work to start, what fun...... To be fair though, I need it.Oh, and prem fixtures out. I dislike that Wasps have Irish up first, the promoting team always seem to put on a big show in their first fixture
.
Soldato
As a not so partial Welshman, Eddie Jones does confuse me some times. He is obviously a very good coach but some of his selections choices do make you wonder what he is thinking sometimes.
Our pre season started last week! We are on to session 4 tonight. Nice and hot at the moment with hard ground, preparing us for a season of rain and mud.
Our pre season started last week! We are on to session 4 tonight. Nice and hot at the moment with hard ground, preparing us for a season of rain and mud.
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Soldato
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I'm intending to start training in August, I only played a few games last year but enjoyed them all. But decided from now on I'm sitting out contact in training. I seem to pull more muscles and strain more joints in training than I do playing. Pull hamstring last year couldn't run for 5 weeks, just too much too soon in rucking practice. Played 4 games with no training and got loads of cuts and bruises but muscles came through intact.
Soldato
I hate rucking practice, way too easy to go over on an ankle.
I didn't play too much last year so I feel pretty good for once, saying that though all this hard ground aggravates my knee a bit (missing cartilage) so I have to be a bit sensible.
I didn't play too much last year so I feel pretty good for once, saying that though all this hard ground aggravates my knee a bit (missing cartilage) so I have to be a bit sensible.
I found it all hurt at first, but once I started either playing or training consistently (even just once a week), the body got a lot more used to the bumps and bruises, and the strains etc.
Right now the knees are still sore after touch rugby though, enjoying it too much to stop though.