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'They had seven internationals playing with 165 caps': The Rugby Pod revels in Saracens' opening day Championship ambush

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The Rugby Pod co-host Andy Goode has revelled in last weekend’s Championship opening round defeat for Saracens, the former out-half claiming the 25-17 win for Cornish Pirates at Mennaye Field was a sharp reminder to Gallagher Premiership clubs that it would be terribly wrong if they ring-fenced the top-flight long term.    

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There will be no relegation to the Championship from this season’s 2020/21 Premiership as the authorities have decided to instead run a 13-team league next term. 

But the retired Goode, who numbers Saracens among his list of many clubs, is adamant the opportunity for outfits such as Pirates to aspire to get to the Premiership must not be killed off in the long-run by having a closed shop following this season’s promotion of one team.  

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Saracens named a starting XV that showed seven changes from the side which played in their last Premiership match 22 weeks earlier, a home draw with Bath on October 4. But even with the likes of Scotland wing Sean Maitland and World Cup-winning Springboks prop Vincent Koch involved, they still couldn’t get off to a winning start in the second tier. 

“I had to have a couple of Cornish pasties to celebrate an amazing victory,” enthused Goode on The Rugby Pod at the expense of co-host Jim Hamilton, who finished his career with the London club when winning a second successive Heineken Champions Cup in 2017.  

“People will say Saracens had all their internationals missing. No, they didn’t. They had seven internationals playing with 165 caps. Now, let’s not talk about Saracens, let’s make this all about Cornish Pirates. We have talked on here time and time again about ring-fencing. It ain’t going to be a walk in the park, Saracens, down in the Champo. You have seen they have lost to Ealing already in pre-season but here are the real games, the league has started. 

“Tip the slipper to the Cornish Pirates. They are after a new stadium, they have got permission I believe. They want entry to the Premiership at some point. It’s an amazing result. Whether you’re a Saracens fan or not – and obviously Saracens fans are going to hate the fact that they lost down there – it’s amazing for the game that a Championship team can still compete with the big boys. 

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“Yes, there were a lot of players missing, don’t get me wrong, and there might be a big gulf over a season, but there is still potential for these teams to still want to play in the Premiership and that is why in the long-term we have to keep the door open in the Premiership to promotion and relegation.”

       

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'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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