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Marcelo Bosch going from chasing a European/Premiership double... to level five rugby in England

Marcelo Bosch is leaving Saracens... for Burton (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)

English Midlands Premier outfit Burton have pulled off the coup of the year, signing former Argentina international Marcelo Bosch who is hoping to sign off from Saracens with a European Cup/Gallagher Premiership double.

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The 35-year-old midfielder confirmed in early April that this would be his last season playing for the double-chasing Londoners, but his next move into English grassroots rugby will amaze people who feel he can still do a job in the professional ranks.

Instead of chasing top spot in the Premiership and hunting down European trophies, Bosch’s friendship with Burton director of rugby Mark Tweedle will now see him involved with a Midlands Premier outfit that finished seventh in a 14-team division that was won this year by Scunthorpe.

The Midland Premier is the fifth level of the pyramid structure in England and Bosch, who published a near three-minute video announcing his signing, can’t wait to get started.

“I’m currently a rugby player for Saracens,” he said initially in his message posted just two days before Saturday’s Champions Cup final versus Leinster. “I have been here for the last six years. We have the final of Europe now on Saturday and afterwards hopefully another one in three weeks’ time of the Premiership.

“Before I was in Biarritz, a club in France, for seven years and before that in Argentina where I was playing amateur rugby. It has been almost 13 years since I left Argentina and this journey as professional rugby player is coming to an end, but a new chapter is going to start and I’m very excited about it.

“As you may know, I know Mark and I will be working for him from now onwards. He invited me to be part of Burton Rugby Club from the next season onwards, which I’m very excited about. In our conversations he told me about the club and in a way I can see myself over there due to my experiences in the past.

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“I come from an amateur background in Argentina. I come from a club called Belgrano Athletic. It’s a club that has a background from here in the UK. It’s pretty old, it’s from 1896 and it’s one of the four clubs that founded rugby in Argentina. It’s a club where I first started playing and made friends for my whole life.

“The six years in Saracens I have been experiencing the vision of this cub because when I started playing Saracens wasn’t what it was nowadays, winning trophies and competing every year for trophies. But I can understand how we arrived at this point.

“It was the vision of the club and the values that we have, and in a way with the values you have in your club and the vision of what you want to achieve as a club, I see myself over there and I’m really looking forward to helping you out as a coach perhaps, as an advisor, perhaps as a player as well if I still have the legs.

“First of all, I want to say congratulations on an amazing season last year. I know that it was a tough season for you because it was a new category, but you made the job and you’re still in the same category, so I’m really looking forward to adding some value to you guys in the next season and to meet you all.”

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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