salmson wrote: Interesting article in the Times

www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/new-conna...ted-budget-1.1501527

Reading between the lines: Lam is using the academy coaches with the first team to make up for the small size of the coaching staff; the budget contribution from the IRFU has been cut (in fairness if you look at the ins and outs for the other provinces this has clearly been the case across the board); and we won't be getting a defence coach.

This last is worrying. Lam's coaching career has varied between very and spectacularly successful wherever he's been, with one notable exception: his last season as Blues coach, when budget cuts left him without a dedicated defensive coach and they plummeted to bottom of the table (the Blues bean-counters relented with a third of the season remaining and they won 4 of the last 5 and climbed three places).

As you'll have gathered from other posts about Wasps game, the defending was appalling. The standard of tackling was appalling at times, and one of the other posters described the line speed as glacial, which was unfair only in that glaciers around the world have been known to accelerate lately.

73 points against us in two matches aren't very reassuring... Defense was a major improvement of the last 2 years, it would be damaging to step back.. Abrasive players like Heenan, Clarke and So'Oialo will be needed to compensate the lack of defense coach..

Edinburgh sign lh south arfican prop wicas blaauw.

Interesting article in the Times

www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/new-conna...ted-budget-1.1501527

Reading between the lines: Lam is using the academy coaches with the first team to make up for the small size of the coaching staff; the budget contribution from the IRFU has been cut (in fairness if you look at the ins and outs for the other provinces this has clearly been the case across the board); and we won't be getting a defence coach.

This last is worrying. Lam's coaching career has varied between very and spectacularly successful wherever he's been, with one notable exception: his last season as Blues coach, when budget cuts left him without a dedicated defensive coach and they plummeted to bottom of the table (the Blues bean-counters relented with a third of the season remaining and they won 4 of the last 5 and climbed three places).

As you'll have gathered from other posts about Wasps game, the defending was appalling. The standard of tackling was appalling at times, and one of the other posters described the line speed as glacial, which was unfair only in that glaciers around the world have been known to accelerate lately.

Lh AFAIK.

Is Yapp LH or TH?

Welsh prop John yapp leaving Edinburgh for London Irish.

Fijian 2nd row and 7s star Leone nakarawa signs 2 yr deal with Glasgow warriors

Fijian back kameli ratavou (20 caps) joins zebre from sarries.

As a side note the English fourums are confident that a deal has been agreed on the format and qualification for the hec going forward. The big stumbling block to a deal is the BT deal the prl have signed. They will not reveal any details of deal other than say its better than sky deal and won't budge on it . It may lead to the demise of the tournament.

For what its worth they are stating that its a 20 team format with top 6 from each league + winners of Hamlin and hec. There are also rumours of a compromise deal to include Italian/ Scots team should they fail to qualify on merit. They aren't as confident on details of this but it appears that the Scots/Italian teams will get hec / amlin winners spot if not qualified providing that actual winning teams are already qualified through league position.
Strange that very little about this here. Chat re TV deal problem alright on munster fans.

I can't see TV deal problem being solved though as sky and BT are at each others throats already.

To be fair Glasgow were a top4 pro12 team when Strauss and Maitland signed. Leonard is a very good niq to have on board. There will probably be more to come.

Salmon, I wouldn't be so sure. They are centrally funded team that the fir will want to succeed. It won't happen overnight but they have built a new stand and pavilion/ centre of excellence and are practically giving away season tickets to help build support. Of course they need results to do that but IMO they will give Treviso a run for their money in the not too dist future.

The prop christolini is a staffer but IQ. The 2nd row biagi is a scot but also IQ. Treviso have James ambrosini whos a 22yr old Aussie 10 who's also IQ. Zebre took the other 22 yr old 10 on Treviso books for this season, tommaso iannone.

Knew some of those lads but was unaware of Iannone. While there smart enough to sign IQ players I still think if they offered a good financial paypacket and dangled the lure of senior international rugby someone would bite. Glasgow signed the likes of Josh Straus when the Warriors were hardly tearing up trees so there is precedent.

ummm, wrote:

phatguerilla wrote: why would someone like Heenan sign with Zebre? What could they offer any player other than qualifying for Italy?

Guaranteed Heineken Cup would be one positive. More than we can offer.

After this season, they'll never appear in the HEC again (assuming there still is a HEC, and unless Treviso win the thing), whereas we'll at least have an occasional chance, so phatguerilla's point still stands.

phatguerilla wrote: why would someone like Heenan sign with Zebre? What could they offer any player other than qualifying for Italy?

Guaranteed Heineken Cup would be one positive. More than we can offer.

connachtexile wrote: The one thing that surprises me about Zebre is that they haven't signed at least a few guys who could become Italain qualified. If I was Zebre I'd sign some up and coming Kiwi Out-half or centre and in 3 years he'd be raking in the senior caps. It would also increase the player pool for them. Strikes me as odd.

The prop christolini is a staffer but IQ. The 2nd row biagi is a scot but also IQ. Treviso have James ambrosini whos a 22yr old Aussie 10 who's also IQ. Zebre took the other 22 yr old 10 on Treviso books for this season, tommaso iannone.

They are controlled and financed by the fir directly so money isn't the problem. I guess southern hemisphere Italian qualified centres and 10s don't grow on trees. They have invested a lot in the ground AFAIK and they will probably win 5-6 games this season mainly at home.
Being fir financed they won't ever have a large niq contingent IMO.

connachtexile wrote: The one thing that surprises me about Zebre is that they haven't signed at least a few guys who could become Italain qualified. If I was Zebre I'd sign some up and coming Kiwi Out-half or centre and in 3 years he'd be raking in the senior caps. It would also increase the player pool for them. Strikes me as odd.

I see what you're saying but would they have the budget? After losing every game last season they are hardly a great prospect to any foreign player, there would need to be a decent pay packet as compensation. I know you mentioned centre/outhalf as they are italy's problem areas but why would someone like Heenan sign with Zebre? What could they offer any player other than qualifying for Italy?