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Newcastle resigned to being without 3 Pumas for Prem start

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Dave Walder, who has taken over the Newcastle Falcons director of rugby role vacated by Dean Richards, is resigned to being without his Argentina trio of Matias Orlando, Matias Moroni and Mateo Carreras for the start of the season.

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While attention has been focused on the limited use Premiership clubs will get from their England internationals in the league this season with the players likely to appear in just 11 of the 24 rounds due to test match duties and training camps, the requirements of other nations are also impacting the English game.

Centres Orlando and Moroni are in the Pumas team to face New Zealand in Christchurch this weekend while wing Carreras is also in the squad for the Rugby Championship which ends on September 24 and leads into the November test window. Newcastle have to weigh up the benefits of dragging them back to the UK for the short period between international duty as Argentina play England on November 6, Wales November 12 and Scotland November 19.

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It is particularly tough for Walder and Newcastle who have assembled a trio of Pumas they believe can help the club avoid another season of underachievement. Moroni is waiting to make his Newcastle debut having helped Leicester win the Premiership title last season.

Walder has moved up from head coach to replace Richards who is expected to have and advisory role with the club and said: “We can call them back in their weeks off but by the time you bring them back from Argentina to then go back it’s not worth it. We start against Harlequins at home on September 10 and the Argentine players are in the Rugby Championship squad while Quins won’t have their England guys and possibly Andre Esterhuizen who broke his arm. I want to see as many of my players appearing in test rugby as possible but there is a part of me saying that you shoot yourself in the foot.”

Walder’s view of the problem created by having England internationals away for long periods is central contracts which have not been possible in the English game as the players are “ loaned” from the clubs. He added: “You are almost in the argument for centrally contracted players because you get the situation where players are only available for 11 rounds of the Premiership and if you are an owner and you are paying someone top dollar but not getting for more half the season, then it becomes very interesting.

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“Clubs are going to have to decide how many guaranteed England players they can carry in their squad when they are away for so long. It’s a big dilemma. From the outside looking in it must seem madness and off the top of my head I cannot think of an easy answer. Somebody is going to have to take the financial hit.

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“Personally, I can see why coaches would take the attitude that why are we are paying a player 100 per cent of his wages and only seeing him for 50 per cent of the season. “

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chris 893 days ago

Would central contracts be acceptable to the clubs and would they work?

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RedWarrior 4 hours ago
The reason given by Steve Borthwick for latest England setback

So England are allowed to have a tsunami whinge fest about the ref but if an Irish fan points out that some decisions hurt Ireland also they are being petulant.

Honestly some English supporters are all politeness until they lose then the claws and fangs come out.

Ok here we go, not complaints just pointing out where England got away with roul play:

1: M Smiths headbutt on James Lowe that started the fracas with Stewart. If the ref spots that in time then thats a second yellow if not a straight red for Smith. Probably worth another 14 points with England gassed so a 41-10 final scoreline?

2: Itoje's several stamps on Hansens instep in a clear attempt to damage metatarsals. Straight red or if he is lucky, 10 in the bin.

3. Currys block on Baird to create a gap that Smith used to break the line. Penalty and possession for Ireland deep in England 22 with score at 0:0.

4: The correct decision for the Cunningham South dangerous tackle was a yellow. Lowe blew it by confronting him. The ref didn't give South or Lowe a yellow. The ref couldn't give Lowe a yellow anyway as the TMO would have informed him that m Smith alone started the previosu fracas and its not unreasonable for a player to react to being headbutted.


One last thing missing from English analysis

How is coming over to Dublin acting like you own the place, committing filthy cowardly off the ball cheap shots working out for you? I mean you clearly dont care that we think your team are a crowd of a$$holes but...... rugby wise, how is riling the Irish team to focus and get the best out of themselves against such unpleasant opposition working for you on the scoreboard?


Food for thought old boy!!!!

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