Rugby union?

[Unseul]

Huge performance from England there. A lot of fun to watch.

Perhaps not a huge surprise that having more effective carriers makes the game easier though. Itoje is now out, but in principle, swap Launch for Kruis, and that gives yet another gainline carrier.

Let's hope England keep it going.

 

[Unseul]

Gustard did seem to be blitz, blitz and if the blitz isn't working, blitz faster.

I think however, having Farrell at 10 helps, at 12, he follows Guzzies idea of blitz hard and fast, and doesn't really worry about what's actually going on, leaving the other players in a bit of trouble, especially as he misses a fair few.

 

[Unseul]

Launch for Itoje reduces our lineout, but improves our already formidable carrying.

 

[Unseul]

Certainly hasn't, will likely have helped his scrummaging too, which is useful.

 

[Unseul]

Missed most the 6n games due to playing myself. Got beaten in the scrum, and with a bad back it was a series of painful lessons. Still, learnt a few good lessons and should be better for it. Still going for an undefeated season though! This was a top of the table clash too.

 

[Unseul]

Moon starting over Genge is probably the only choice I'm not happy with. The rest is generally arguable, but looks fine to me. If we continue to play to the same intensity, I'm confident of a win. But if the Welsh chop us down before we get going, it could get messy.

 

[Unseul]

Genge and Sink seem to keep their heads pretty well in my mind. They wind up others something rotten, but don't tend to be too problematic themselves. Even Sink against France was because he'd just received a smack in the face from the Frenchman.

 

[Unseul]

Quality of kick was far worse than in previous games, but we persisted with it, even with decent front foot ball.

We also replaced a primary carrier and dominant defensive force, with a bang average international, and decided that he's good to go for 75 minutes, even though we've got a near (though green) like for like replacement on the bench.

Genge, Robson and Ford should have been on the pitch at 65 minutes or earlier, Genge absolutely the moment Sink went off, since that meant we were another carrier down, bringing on LCD then would have been a solid option too.

 

[Unseul]

So we won the league (2nds team, which is me), had the last game, after we'd already secured it, on Saturday. Had (still have) a cold, sore back, achy rib (right hand side), but thought it's the last game of the season, so why not.

Easily ahead in the game, 70th minute, I make a decent carry and get landed on by the biggest guy on our team, hear some noises, and now suspect I've picked up a few cracked ribs (other side). Joyful way to finish the season .

Had great fun playing again though, and enjoying the front row, so will definitely be back at it next season .

 

[Unseul]

Great from Wasps. Hughes went well against Wuss as well, thankfully wants to go out on a high by the looks of it. 2 weeks Wasps have gone from relegation potential, to top 4 potential. Insane league this season. Shields definitely showed up very well.

 

[Unseul]

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 .

 

[Unseul]

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.

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.

 

[Unseul]

I'm hoping to keep going until I'm about 46/47. 35 now, and last season was my first season back since schoolboy.

Know what you mean to a degree with training vs games, since training with the 1sts is a bit more intense than playing with the 2nds at times.

 

[Unseul]

I've played against a 62 year old. He played the full 80 minutes both games (2nd game they had subs too), and whilst he didn't have any pace, he was tough. Best prop I've played against in my brief front row career was 50, and had clearly come from the 1sts, 2nds to the thirds.

 

[Unseul]

Looks like we still have multiple styles of play, and are pretty useful at some of them.

Season has started again for me too, first pre-season last saturday and bloody hell my neck aches, some tough scrums and played the whole 80 since the usual 1sts tighthead couldn't play. We got beaten (team is a league above our firsts, and have only just got demoted into it), but I got myself a couple of tries which was fun. This Saturday is against our local rivals for the firsts, and a friendly against a touring team for the seconds. Not sure which team I'll be playing in yet.

 

[Unseul]

It's out first league game this week. Pre season was a bit mixed for us, some poor results, some good ones. Biggest challenge for us was getting our players available due to holidays etc. The friendly two weeks ago we had 28 players unavailable?

Did you still manage to put a team together? If so, you're probably doing better than us for the most part . Don't think we could have played with 28 unavailable.

2s is tough, most don't train, so it's not easy to get a grasp on how many there actually are. I know as the season goes on, I may stop training just to give myself a chance to recover. Looks like a really busy schedule, especially as it looks like I may be involved with the 1s at times as well this season.

 

[Unseul]

Just smashed our local rivals in a cup knock out game. They had us in the scrum but it was all they had. Little bit of schadenfraud to see our main tighthead (though that might be me now) also going back in the second half.

 

[Unseul]

Hopefully the match times will mean it's possible to watch them before going to play, though we often start travelling pretty early.

 

[Unseul]

What size was that? I'm about 5'9" and i guess 95kg. Quite stocky with a belly too. Probably the smallest tighthead I've seen but I'm getting to grips with it.

 

[Unseul]

This was 5 years ago easily but I was 5'10" 110kg(ish), I'm about 130kg now but I want to lose the bulk. I've always been a heavy lad but I've just lost control lol. I hope to get to about 100kg and then go from there. My saving grace is I have never lost my leg strength. Yeah I've never seen a 14 stone prop

Wide thighs and big quads for me. I can get low too. Problem I have is facing good small looseheads, they can get under me and give me grief. In addition, I'm finding my locks/flankers often fail to get low enough to shove me (but it takes me a number of scrums to feel this, since I'm still learning). Feel strong enough to hold fairly well, especially if my lock can get in place. Still learning though. Feels "good" to see the senior tighthead at the club (not a huge guy, but probably 110kg+) go backwards against the same opposition though.