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1
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Wins & Losses
« on: March 21, 2022, 12:43:28 PM »
A long depressing thread after the Saints match.
What have we lost since we beat Toulouse, Leicester, Saracens & Exeter whilst still having a number of injuries? We all thought things had turned around then.
What have we lost since we beat Toulouse, Leicester, Saracens & Exeter whilst still having a number of injuries? We all thought things had turned around then.
2
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Fifta & Fekitoa
« on: January 23, 2022, 06:32:54 PM »
Have I missed a formal announcement as to whether these two are staying or leaving?
3
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Jennifer Perl - Wasps fan
« on: January 05, 2022, 06:47:38 PM »
Not sure I have got the surname correct - this lady and partner were interviewed on BBC News at 18.00 on Wednesday 5th. She is disabled and needs major social care support getting up in the morning and getting back into bed. In one scene, she was pictured in a wheelchair with a large Wasps blanket wrapped around her.
I intend to write to the Wasps CEO asking what help the club can provide for her even if it as little as getting to matches with our support.
Some of you make like to do the same thing.
I intend to write to the Wasps CEO asking what help the club can provide for her even if it as little as getting to matches with our support.
Some of you make like to do the same thing.
5
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Exeter
« on: November 11, 2021, 03:25:49 PM »
From BBC Sports:
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has called on Premiership Rugby club Exeter Chiefs to drop their Native American branding.
It is the latest pressure put on the Chiefs to change their branding.
Last month Wasps discouraged Exeter fans from wearing headdresses.
"The will of Indian Country is clear - Native 'themed' mascot imagery and the dehumanising stereotypes it perpetuates must go," said Dante Desiderio, the NCAI's chief executive.
In July 2020, Exeter decided to retain their name, logo and Native American branding around their Sandy Park ground despite a petition signed by more than 3,700 people, although the club did retire their 'Big Chief' mascot.
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has called on Premiership Rugby club Exeter Chiefs to drop their Native American branding.
It is the latest pressure put on the Chiefs to change their branding.
Last month Wasps discouraged Exeter fans from wearing headdresses.
"The will of Indian Country is clear - Native 'themed' mascot imagery and the dehumanising stereotypes it perpetuates must go," said Dante Desiderio, the NCAI's chief executive.
In July 2020, Exeter decided to retain their name, logo and Native American branding around their Sandy Park ground despite a petition signed by more than 3,700 people, although the club did retire their 'Big Chief' mascot.
6
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Obsession with size?
« on: May 13, 2020, 11:30:48 AM »
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2020/may/13/english-youth-rugby-obsession-size-stunts-progress.
Features photo of Umaga and comments by his father.
Features photo of Umaga and comments by his father.
7
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Developing Academy & Young Talent
« on: May 05, 2020, 05:54:28 PM »
Interesting piece from yesterday's Guardian about lessons to learn from developing young talent at clubs and international level:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/03/rfu-failing-to-make-most-of-talented-youngsters-academy-rugby-union
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/03/rfu-failing-to-make-most-of-talented-youngsters-academy-rugby-union
9
Wasps Rugby Discussion / From zero to 240
« on: November 22, 2019, 03:51:31 PM »
Nice piece in BBC Sports Rugby about two lower-league MIdlands matches:
Pinley 0 Spartans 0 - commenting on how rare that result is, especially when the Spartans missed several penalty kicks, one in front of the posts.
Contrasted with:
Bromsgrove 240 South Leicester 0 - apparently they were short 2 players so Bromsgrove scored 36 tries.
Would the whole of Leicester have done better. I make that comment having been at the Cardiff match where Western Samoa beat Wales - and one of the comments, I think from Max Boyce, was "just as well we weren't playing the whole of Samoa."
Pinley 0 Spartans 0 - commenting on how rare that result is, especially when the Spartans missed several penalty kicks, one in front of the posts.
Contrasted with:
Bromsgrove 240 South Leicester 0 - apparently they were short 2 players so Bromsgrove scored 36 tries.
Would the whole of Leicester have done better. I make that comment having been at the Cardiff match where Western Samoa beat Wales - and one of the comments, I think from Max Boyce, was "just as well we weren't playing the whole of Samoa."
10
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Dylan Leyds
« on: June 17, 2019, 09:21:41 PM »
Has his possible signing gone away?
11
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Saracens paying pensions?
« on: June 02, 2019, 01:14:44 PM »
Interesting comment on Friday by Robert Kitson in The Guardian about how Saracens treat their employees:
“...they always go the extra mile - at least one former player is still receiving contributions towards his property costs seven years after his retirement...”
A very long mile! Can this be done outside the salary cap!?
“...they always go the extra mile - at least one former player is still receiving contributions towards his property costs seven years after his retirement...”
A very long mile! Can this be done outside the salary cap!?
12
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Robson in The Guardian too
« on: May 18, 2019, 07:10:22 PM »
Dan Robson was just about to put his boots on when it struck him something was wrong. He had been taken to one side by the England doctor, Phil Riley, who uttered the dreaded words “we need to talk”.
It was the Tuesday before England’s Six Nations finale against Scotland in March and Robson had earlier that day had a scan for what he thought was a niggling calf problem. Deep vein thrombosis was the last thing on his mind as he prepared to run out for training.
There followed a harrowing week for the Wasps and England scrum-half, who has endured the most trying of seasons. Further scans the next day revealed blood clots not only in his calf but above his pelvis and on his lungs. On the Thursday he saw a specialist who was amazed Robson was walking given the number of clots that had developed and later that day he underwent surgery at St Thomas’ hospital in London. It was also his 27th birthday.
Rory Hutchinson justifies Chris Boyd’s faith as he eyes World Cup
Read more
“The radiologist was worried because I had a few clots on my lungs,” says Robson. “The C-word got mentioned and you’re taken aback. I didn’t even think that was an option. He was going through all these options and he asked me, ‘Are you all right, you’re not putting on a brave face are you?’ I was like, ‘No, [my calf is] a bit sore, a bit swollen.’
“He said, ‘OK, because I’ve seen the amount of clotting you have and you shouldn’t really be walking.’ That’s pretty scary. If we didn’t find it when we did it could have got a lot worse.”
Robson is only too aware of the potential consequences had his blood clots not been found when they were. He had been feeling tightness in the calf for a couple of weeks but thought nothing of it and went on to win his second cap, scoring his first try against Italy.
“It felt better when I was training, as I was moving more it felt easier,” he adds. “But the swelling in my calf had got a bit bigger and that was when I thought, ‘This isn’t right’. I was always pretty open about it but you get bumps and bruises throughout the season and as long as you’re fit for that Saturday you get on with it. We’re very grateful, not just me but my whole family, for all the staff that helped that week to find it as quickly as we could.”
Only someone who has been in that situation can fully understand Robson’s mental state as the frustration of missing out on a third cap against Scotland was soon replaced by the disappointment of his season being over, the knowledge his World Cup hopes were in jeopardy and serious concerns over his long-term well-being. “When the doc told me it was DVT the first thing was a minimum of three months on blood thinners,” he says. “That’s pretty tough to take, knowing that is the season done. Then I saw the radiologist and he looked at the scans and saw the amount of clotting and he was saying six months minimum. Already you are getting mixed messages and it is an emotional time. You are trying to prepare for a Test match and then you’re just thinking about your health.”
Robson has not played since but his outlook is positive, his spirits are high and he is adamant he will be ready for England’s World Cup campaign, selection permitting. He is still required to take blood thinners and cannot take part in contact training yet, but he believes he is “as fit as ever”. He sees the specialist every few weeks and is awaiting the green light to return to full training. “It’s just about being a bit more streetwise with everything,” he says. “Just with the contact stuff, with any head knocks, any cuts, it can be pretty bad. It’s about being a little bit more careful, keeping my inner child in.
“Without having something to look at every day and see your improvement it’s quite hard to pinpoint how it’s going. It’s always going to be something I have to be aware of. Flying long distances, I will still have to take some tablets to be extra careful but I feel great, I’ve been as fit as I’ve ever been because I’ve just been running and in the gym.”
Robson would be forgiven for wondering if the world has been conspiring against him. He began the campaign in fine fettle but an ankle injury denied him what looked certain to be an overdue first cap in the autumn. He battled back and into the Six Nations squad but was left on the bench for England’s opening win in Ireland. He finally made his Test debut against France but was again an unused replacement in the defeat by Wales before his try-scoring cameo against Italy. In his absence against Scotland, Ben Spencer was selected and Robson also has Danny Care and Richard Wigglesworth as competition to serve as Ben Youngs’ deputy in Japan.
“It has been an interesting season – the highs have been massively high and the lows have been very low,” he says. “But I’m going to be fit and available for selection. That’s been my goal since I found out the news. Selection is out of my hands but I felt like I added something in the time that I was in there. [Eddie Jones] was just firmly saying just keep doing what you’re doing, you’re here for a reason, you’re good enough, you’ll get your chances, we don’t need to rush it. All I can do is get as fit as possible and be in the right frame of mind. It’s a long time until the start of the World Cup. I’ve just got to be ready.”
It was the Tuesday before England’s Six Nations finale against Scotland in March and Robson had earlier that day had a scan for what he thought was a niggling calf problem. Deep vein thrombosis was the last thing on his mind as he prepared to run out for training.
There followed a harrowing week for the Wasps and England scrum-half, who has endured the most trying of seasons. Further scans the next day revealed blood clots not only in his calf but above his pelvis and on his lungs. On the Thursday he saw a specialist who was amazed Robson was walking given the number of clots that had developed and later that day he underwent surgery at St Thomas’ hospital in London. It was also his 27th birthday.
Rory Hutchinson justifies Chris Boyd’s faith as he eyes World Cup
Read more
“The radiologist was worried because I had a few clots on my lungs,” says Robson. “The C-word got mentioned and you’re taken aback. I didn’t even think that was an option. He was going through all these options and he asked me, ‘Are you all right, you’re not putting on a brave face are you?’ I was like, ‘No, [my calf is] a bit sore, a bit swollen.’
“He said, ‘OK, because I’ve seen the amount of clotting you have and you shouldn’t really be walking.’ That’s pretty scary. If we didn’t find it when we did it could have got a lot worse.”
Robson is only too aware of the potential consequences had his blood clots not been found when they were. He had been feeling tightness in the calf for a couple of weeks but thought nothing of it and went on to win his second cap, scoring his first try against Italy.
“It felt better when I was training, as I was moving more it felt easier,” he adds. “But the swelling in my calf had got a bit bigger and that was when I thought, ‘This isn’t right’. I was always pretty open about it but you get bumps and bruises throughout the season and as long as you’re fit for that Saturday you get on with it. We’re very grateful, not just me but my whole family, for all the staff that helped that week to find it as quickly as we could.”
Only someone who has been in that situation can fully understand Robson’s mental state as the frustration of missing out on a third cap against Scotland was soon replaced by the disappointment of his season being over, the knowledge his World Cup hopes were in jeopardy and serious concerns over his long-term well-being. “When the doc told me it was DVT the first thing was a minimum of three months on blood thinners,” he says. “That’s pretty tough to take, knowing that is the season done. Then I saw the radiologist and he looked at the scans and saw the amount of clotting and he was saying six months minimum. Already you are getting mixed messages and it is an emotional time. You are trying to prepare for a Test match and then you’re just thinking about your health.”
Robson has not played since but his outlook is positive, his spirits are high and he is adamant he will be ready for England’s World Cup campaign, selection permitting. He is still required to take blood thinners and cannot take part in contact training yet, but he believes he is “as fit as ever”. He sees the specialist every few weeks and is awaiting the green light to return to full training. “It’s just about being a bit more streetwise with everything,” he says. “Just with the contact stuff, with any head knocks, any cuts, it can be pretty bad. It’s about being a little bit more careful, keeping my inner child in.
“Without having something to look at every day and see your improvement it’s quite hard to pinpoint how it’s going. It’s always going to be something I have to be aware of. Flying long distances, I will still have to take some tablets to be extra careful but I feel great, I’ve been as fit as I’ve ever been because I’ve just been running and in the gym.”
Robson would be forgiven for wondering if the world has been conspiring against him. He began the campaign in fine fettle but an ankle injury denied him what looked certain to be an overdue first cap in the autumn. He battled back and into the Six Nations squad but was left on the bench for England’s opening win in Ireland. He finally made his Test debut against France but was again an unused replacement in the defeat by Wales before his try-scoring cameo against Italy. In his absence against Scotland, Ben Spencer was selected and Robson also has Danny Care and Richard Wigglesworth as competition to serve as Ben Youngs’ deputy in Japan.
“It has been an interesting season – the highs have been massively high and the lows have been very low,” he says. “But I’m going to be fit and available for selection. That’s been my goal since I found out the news. Selection is out of my hands but I felt like I added something in the time that I was in there. [Eddie Jones] was just firmly saying just keep doing what you’re doing, you’re here for a reason, you’re good enough, you’ll get your chances, we don’t need to rush it. All I can do is get as fit as possible and be in the right frame of mind. It’s a long time until the start of the World Cup. I’ve just got to be ready.”
13
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Wales v France
« on: February 01, 2019, 10:07:21 PM »
I think that's what they call a game of two halves. Wales at odds with themselves in the first half and then France lost it in the second half. Ferocious talking by most of the Welsh pack and rather less mistakes in the second half. The performances of Tuperic and Navadi show why TY has such competition for a place in the Welsh team. Not sure that George North deserved to be Man of the Match. Perhaps he won the award for being in the right place on two significant occasions.
Wales v England will be an interesting game in a couple of weeks.
Wales v England will be an interesting game in a couple of weeks.
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