Always a Wasp

After their recent tankings by Northampton and Bordeaux-Begles, I'm pretty certain it's well under way already.

But then only a few weeks ago the destroyed Quins. I expect them to be in the mix for play offs, sadly.
However, undoubtedly they will find it harder to compete at the top level when cheating is more difficult.

Tom Cruse retired

Exeter did even less, which is Wonky?s point.

Really?
They took an academy player, who had never played in a prem game & within a season he was an England international.....
If they had done nothing he would still be a squad player, which, if Wasps hadn't gone under, I suspect he still would be. IMO of course.

The Dutch banned these pitches years ago.

Not quite, its due to take effect from 2030 onwards
https://ministryofsport.com/the-netherlands-to-phase-out-artificial-turf-over-health-and-environmental-concerns/

& even then they can't say for definite they are dangerous, just that they might not be safe:
"Tempering the findings to a certain extent, cancer specialist Bob Lowenberg pointed out, ?There is absolutely no evidence that artificial grass pitches are bad for you, but we can?t definitively say they are safe. I think there is every reason to be concerned about artificial grass pitches.?

I may be in the minority but I have been watching Prem games & the quality is high & the rugby exciting. No its not the same when you don't have a team that you support involved, but its still worth watching IMO.
Sadly if Wasps hadn't gone under I think they would have continued to bump along at the bottom end of the table.

Personally I wonder how many of those ex-wasps players who are shining in their new clubs would have been blocked from getting game time by players who are now only squad players at their new clubs? Especially the younger ones. We will never know

My thoughts:

Immediate law changes
? Referees to call ?use it? and start their five-second countdown at rucks earlier, to avoid ?caterpillar rucks? - the current 5 seconds is rarely enforced, why not try enforcing that first?
? Hookers must maintain a full ?brake foot? by putting one foot forward at scrums to aid their stability - thought that was already in place?
? A crackdown on water-carriers entering the field - agreed

Possible law changes (to be voted on by World Rugby council in May)
? Closing the ?Dupont Law? loophole, by tweaking the offside rule from kicks, to reduce kick-tennis battles - agreed
? Remove the option of a second scrum when a free kick is given at a scrum - dont understand the point? If a pack is dominant, they shoul;d be allowed to be dominant
? Outlawing the dangerous ?crocodile-roll? at rucks - agreed, thought this had already been banned?

Possible trials
? A shot-clock for scrums and lineouts - very good idea
? Ability to mark the ball inside the 22m from a restart whats the point here? Surely you want a team to be having to deal with the ball rather than stop the game & kick the ball? Am I missing something?
? The ball must be played after the maul has been stopped once, not twice - dont agree, just because some people see the maul as boring doesnt mean it should be de powered
? Further protection of scrum halves at the base of rucks and scrums - how much more protection do they need?
? Play on if a lineout is not straight, but the throw is uncontested - Can kind of see that one working

Areas for further analysis
? Possible global trial of a 20-minute red card - actually agree with this one, given the farcical red cards we've seen that have ruined games
? A big safety review of the breakdown, and possible removal of the ?jackal? - yes, clean up the breakdown, but the jackal is very important & the jackler needs to be protected, not outlawed
? A review of the role of the TMO - agree
? A review of how and when replacements are used - agree
? Possible introduction of a lower tackle-height for the elite game - generally agree, but not if it means more ridiculous red cards. we alreday see very few actual high tackles, most that get picked up are due to bad positioning or "rugby incidents" so not sure how lowering the tackle height is going to help. That said, contrary to predictions the lower tackle height at grass roots level has not ruined the amateur game


Generally I am not a fan of messing around with stuff that doesnt need messing around with, but some of the issues being addressed do actually need work
Forgot to add, I wouldn't call any of that "Radical" but thats where we are with journalism these days

How successful Wade will be at Kingsholm will depend on how Skivs wants to play the game.
Last season at Racing with Finn Russell at 10 he played in 9 games & scored 7 tries
This season in a team playing more conservative rugby he has also played in 9 games but only scored 2 tries.

Maybe with Atkinson at 10 next season Gloucester can get him the ball in some space?

What happened to humour!

Well I found Scotland's performance on Saturday very humorous 
Cheered me up no end!