WRW #8@: 2020 IS ALMOST OVERRRR....
Just a few more hours to go..
RUGBY ON TV THIS WEEKEND*
(Covid allowing)
Friday, Premiership - Bristol v Newcastle, 3.00pm BT Sport
Friday, Pro 14 - Scarlets v Dragons, 5.15pm, Premier Sports
Friday, Pro 14 - Cardiff Blues v Ospreys, 19.35pm, Premier Sports
Saturday, Currie Cup - Pumas v Lions, 12.00pm, Sky Sports Mix
Saturday, Currie Cup - Sharks v Griquas, 2.30pm, Sky Sports Mix
Saturday, Pro 14 - Benetton v Zebre, 1.00pm, Premier Sports
Saturday, Pro 14 - Edinburgh v Glasgow, 3.00pm, Premier Sports
Saturday, Premiership - Gloucester v Sale, 4.30pm, BT Sport 1
Saturday, Currie Cup - Cheetahs v Western Province, 5.00pm, Sky Sports Mix
Saturday, Pro 14 - Ulster v Munster, 5.15pm, Premier Sports
Saturday, Pro 14 - Leinster v Connacht, 7.35pm, Premier Sports
Sunday, Premiership - TIGERS v BATH, 1500, BT Sport 1
SO HERE ENDETH 2020
We made it.
A common sentiment in the last few days is that if we’re still here, then that’s a reason enough to celebrate. Hear, hear.
What a time of it. Even yesterday’s news that the Oxford vaccine has been authorised is tempered by the knowledge that virtually the whole of England is now under Tier 3 or Tier 4 restrictions.
Including me.
My distance from Leicestershire means I won’t be at games, either in person or from the BBC Leicester studio anytime soon, so Adam Whitty and I are swapping roles for a few weeks. (No pressure Adam but your debut’s on Sports Extra too.) But then, I am still working and have no symptoms.
So we grit our teeth tonight rather than neck champagne, gird ourselves up once more and leave the bunting unbroken.
2021 is not going to be fun, at least to start with - and as mentioned in WRW #7, a point of vaccine-induced release seems as far away as the summer.
What do we look back on then in 2020 with pride?
Well, for a start, Matt Hampson’s OBE.
Leicestershire, Rutland and much further afield would have raised a glass to that news last night. Not only does the work of the Foundation change lives and remain a beacon of hope in an industry where cynicism often rules, Matt is a powerful voice for good. His story is an example to us all.
Good news to see the sport recognised elsewhere - tribal loyalties aside - with the best club in the land receiving honours for its coach and captain. For those who carp at the media’s love-in with Exeter, it remains one hell of a story to go from the lower leagues to Champions of England and Europe.
On the field for Tigers, there’s no hiding that this has been another difficult year, with coaches disposed of in less than sympathetic fashion and players with arguable cases given short shrift. Positive results have sometimes been hard to come by but when they have arrived, fresh hope has been instilled once more.
If Leicester do turn the corner completely, it will not have been down to their cuddly, lovable nature.
Overall, the Tigers 2020 record is not exactly world-beating, but it is slightly better than some might remember, at least in the win/loss tally:
Pre-lockdown #1: W 4, L 4
August-November: W 3, L 8 (incl Castres)
Current Season: W 3, L 3 (incl Newcastle)
OVERALL - W 10, L 15
When you overlook some of the midweek thrashings played in unique circumstances, as painful as they were at the time, the overall results point to a mid-table team, as it stands right now.
The summit of my hopes extend to no more than 6th to 8th this season. While there is more conspicious organisation, especially in defence, the first game of 2021 against Bath will tell us much about where Leicester are. A good few more tries would encourage a positive assessment.
Longer-term, the fruits of the rich Academy harvest of recent years are starting to be seen. The emergence of genuine Premiership quality from the Academy ranks and elsewhere, gives you optimism for the future. Martin, Henderson, Chessum, Reffell, Henry, Steward, along with Heyes and White is a handy spine going forward.
Here’s a few other stats and facts to throw in, across all competitions:
Jonah Holmes (above) with 8 tries in 15 games was still last season’s top try scorer but didn’t get one in 2020. Jonny May (6 tries in 5 overall) was 2nd for the campaign, but only scored 2 in 2020.
Top try scorer for Tigers in 2020 was Ben White (above) with 4, BUT Nemani Nadolo has 3 tries from his 6 games. Much to look forward to in 2021…
Point of interest - despite Wigglesworth’s arrival, White has been involved in 5 of the six matches so far this season and Youngs will be away again after Northampton.
Iron Men: Wells & Leatigaga played in 20 games out of 23, Cole 17, Reffell 15 (in his first season)
I make it George Ford was available for just 8 games in the calendar year from a possible 23 for Tigers. Ellis Genge 8 and Ben Youngs 9, while Jonny May played in 2. (NB Not their fault)
THE ARGENTINE MASSIVE
The Argentines are coming and in serious numbers.
Grondona and Mateo Carreras joining Newcastle make them the latest to seek an English port in this particular storm. France and Australia are also in the market. (By the way, Mateo is no relation to Santiago Carreras who has joined Gloucester.)
The implosion in the world economy and especially, the perennially sketchy Argentine economy has led to a stunning release which few would have considered likely before the pandemic. December has seen so many players leave, including Bruni going to Vannes in Pro D2. Consider this.
Below is the original Jaguares squad from the 2019 Super Rugby season. These players were within 80 minutes of winning the damn thing:
From those 43 contracted names, many have now scattered around the world, with the Premiership the biggest recruiters:
Australia - Cubelli, Lezana, Medrano, Miotti, Montoya, Sordoni (6)
Major League Rugby (USA) - Ezcurra, Fortuny, Gonzalez Iglesias, Leguizamon, Tuculet (5)
Premiership - Alemanno, Bonilla, Carreras (Santiago), Chaparro, Creevy, Garcia Botta, Grondona, Landajo, Lavanini, Moroni, Orlando (11)
Pro 14 - Pieretto (1)
Top 14/Pro D2 - Boffelli, Bruni, De La Fuente, Delguy, Kremer, Matera, Moyano, Paulos, Petti (9)
Of the remaining eleven, Mallia & Vivas (most likely Top 14) along with Chocobares (Blues in New Zealand) are linked with overseas moves of their own.
Another (Balduncier) is concentrating on university studies and Mendy is expected to be part of the Sevens team for the Tokyo Olympics, following long-term injury.
Which leaves 6, out of an original 43.
2 (Molina and Zeiss) are contracted with Ceibos - the Argentines’ 2nd professional side and four remain - Bertranou, Cancelliere, Desio Ortega and Diaz. Get em while they’re still hot.
Throw in the fact that more South American players could join football’s Premier League under post-Brexit immigration rules and this may become more of the norm in the UK.
If I were an agent, I would be looking very closely at SLAR - the South American club league for any potential bargains.
WHO GETS THE MOST CASH? NOT TIGHT-HEADS..
Penny for George Chuter’s thoughts.
CHEAP SHOTS
Jack Goodhue reminding us what it’s like to be on a beach holiday.
The sod.
RUNNING FROM DEEP
As we enter 2021, what do CVC want from their investment in rugby? (£)
“A very different impression emerges in conversations with Premiership chief executives, including Gloucester’s Lance Bradley, who revealed that CVC have declined to cash in their full annual dividend to assist clubs. “CVC have been genuine partners,” Bradley told Telegraph Sport. “The finances are quite complicated, but CVC could have taken more money than they have because they want to make sure the clubs are ok. That’s a good position to be in because they want us to get through this first and then thrive afterwards. There is now a lot of long-term planning and coordination.”
…..
“The other way to attract broadcasters is to create more value by changing formats and new competitions. CVC’s long-term ambition is the permanent establishment of an improved Autumn Nations Cup including the southern-hemisphere giants.”
More and more positive cases now, which makes you wonder whether professional sport is heading for some sort of circuit-breaker? The Guardian writes:
Harlequins’ learned of their positive test on Tuesday, three days after their Boxing Day defeat by Bristol and while the Bears have also reported one case, also in the front row, Pat Lam believes additional safety protocols introduced by the club have enabled the match against Newcastle to go ahead on Friday as planned. Bristol will be severely depleted with all front-rowers who featured against Harlequins put into isolation but, with the club adopting a policy of no training until the results of each week’s tests are known, Lam insists he is still able to select a team.
Are other clubs doing the same? It seems inherently common sense..
Also from Gerald Meagher, concussion rates remain at a worrying level:
More than half – 52% – of all match injuries were associated with tackles. Being tackled accounted for 27% of injuries and tackling accounted for 25%. The most common injury in the tackle was concussion, representing 16% of all injuries to the ball carrier and 36% to the tackler.
Spot the clear miss from the sub-editor, but Toby Flood is always worth a read here in the Telegraph (£):
“No kid grew up wanting to kick the ball all the time. You want ball-in-hand, to be evasive and score tries. The debate about style is wholly legitimate. We want to entice the next generation to play. And I’m not sure the game is doing that as well as it might at the moment.”
ONE LAST THOUGHT
We have moments to cheer in the game in 2020 - Argentina’s win over the All Blacks, England winning the Six Nations, Tigers winning in Bayonne are just three on my mind, Sky Sports listed a few others too.
As few & far between as they have been, let’s hold onto them. There are some dark times ahead and I imagine they’ll be longer-lasting than some think.
The light at the end of the tunnel is not a speeding train, it’s a vaccine desperately trying to find us in the dark.
We’ll get there. We just need more time.
Happy New Year.