With a little time to reflect, here's some thoughts on the first Premiership Semi Final...a hell of a game. Hear from Courtney Lawes on my other channel @FRUKrugby - and keepo your eyes out for the full interview.
If you ask most rugby fans what appeals to them about the game, I'm pretty sure the aggression and violence will be around the top. For me the other factors are that it's a game for all types and sizes, and that different countries/clubs play different styles and this brings variety. A game which is opinion an expansive can be just as exciting as a tight arm wrestle of a game. League is, in my opinion, more of the same with every team. LONG LIVE UNION!!
Irish fan: Owen Farrell is an excellent player, and always impressed me. He is excellent, top to bottom. I just don't get the anger. He is top notch. England's massive loss with him going to France. A stupid situation for English rugby to find itself in. I wish him all the best.
You're absolutely right. Farrell is amazing!! It's easy to dislike talented players and he often gets singled out because he pushes the boundaries. He will be missed massively by Saracens and by England when he finally hangs up his boots. A world class player that I love to watch... Well done to Northampton!! They deserve to be in the final.
Irish guy here still hurt from last week but what a game. Makes me love the game all the more. What an atmosphere. I love'd it - a proper English/European rugby match.
Fantastic game, huge amount of credit for Sarries setting the standard for so many years. Even more credit to Saints to getting up to and past that level. Let's call out Alex Waller, 370 plus appearances in the front row and last game will be the final - what a player.
Think your spot on Tim regards a new Dynasty emerging in the East Midlands. As a Tigers fan disappointed it’s not going to be Leicester tigers we talking about , but as a England patriot it’s great to see so many young England pretenders at saints. Disappointed to see Hendy on the bench as I’m a big fan , but Tommy freeman is some player . Almost seems wasted on the wing as everything he does is a positive during game time. 🏴
Brilliant Tim Excellent dsicussion • So glad you focus on Owen He is SO underrated by the English Now the French will enjoy him in a big way I surely hope his injury will heal soonest And, yes, Courtenay IS commanding respect and he does so both in leading presence, powerful and skillfull play, a great off-park presence and attitude • You should develop his commentating skills (you can see what Big Jim ex Scotland is amassing - CL can easily do the same with the personality he carries handsomely) • Thanks again Tim SUPERB SERVICE TO RUGBY FOOTBALL‼️🥂🌟 •• We hope to see you in South Africa There’s HUGE depth of field here if you make the right network linkups carefully and with the kind of fire you carry on behalf of the Game It will be our pleasure > reciprocating would be only a natural after all the excellent hard work you put into the RWC ‘23 experience and full on BLAST❗️ Thnx again🥂🥂🌟🏉 👊🔥 🪖
Following the first quarter I thought Saracens had turned up and their big game experience was going to be the difference. Credit to Saints who weathered the early storm and got back into the game, they're excellent to watch. Scrum was the difference, surely Sarcens need to be looking at strengthening their prop options before anywhere else next season got to be a South African or 10 worth getting over. I'm a neutral but got the final I wanted so happy 😂
Just play a 12 at 12, and givr Dingwall a run to get up to speed at international. There is then a conundrum of who to play at 13 but that's a nice choice to have.
Side note...very disappointing to see how little these games were promoted in the mainstream media. Pubs around work, Soho, showing URC and Rugby League and next to non showing these fixtures. Friends who like rugby but don't follow it religiously didn't even know these games were happening. Really poor, typical of the prem rugby PR team.
I'll probably be labelled as a Farrell "hater" spewing "hate, hate and more hate" for saying this, but I'd just like to point out that while OF is a great player and an important leader on the field, he is not the best captain, whether it be for England or Sarries. Both of those teams won very little after he became captain. Yes Sarries got demoted and OF sticking with them was admirable, but I think people subconsciously apply parts of Andy Farrell's character to his son and so have a completely twisted opinon of what he is good at and what he's less good at. OF is not his father. He is a better union player than his father, who never really got the hang of union as a player, but he doesn't have his charisma and there in lies the difference. I also think he picked up a lot of bad leadership practices from Eddie Jones. Anyway, what I mean is, I think OF leaving Sarries will be a good thing and I think Sarries will be a lot better than people think next year. Heresy I know, but just one man's opinion.
3 B&I Lions Tours RWC Silver and Bronze England top ever points scorer 3 x nominated World Player of the Year 6 x Premiership Champion 3 x European Champions In terms of his character, I've interviewed him a number of times and he's a lovely bloke, but just listen to what Siya Kolisi, Paul O'Connell, Courtney Lawes, Ellis Genge, Sam Warburton say about him....the list goes on. Simply...he's one of the all time greats.
OF has effectively been driven out, it's a shame, perhaps some people are put off by his on field drive to win..or maybe his Northern background..and accent..just saying
@@F6blue Except there are plenty of people in union with similar accents, so that only works for those who already have a chip on their shoulder over their own northern background imho. As for drive to win, that's fine, but clearly as captain he generally doesn't win the crunch games does he? So maybe he should ask himself if he expresses that drive to win in the best way.
@@EggchasersRugby Of course he's one of the greats as a player, and I acknowledged that. However, for virtually all the achievements you've listed, he was not captain. I'm sure he's a lovely bloke off the pitch too, but the way he behaves on the pitch is often counter-productive imho, especially in crunch games. Being a great player, doesn't make you a great captain, that's all I'm saying and it really shouldn't be controversial tbh.
