Podcast: Episode 46 & 47 – Zodiac Killers & Rugby Finance

16 Responses

1. On the subject of Russell’s international form: in the 2017 AIs he played with Price inside him and we beat Samoa and Australia, and claimed a moral victory over the ABs. In the AB match, in particular, they were both superb and controlled the match brilliantly. I think that the Wales game has distorted the perception of how well those two can play together. If Price is back on form, I’m not nervous about him and Russell starting together.

2. I haven’t listened to the podcast yet but watched House of Rugby for the first time yesterday.

   I think haskell gets a bad rep – I assumed he was a Mega-Bantz idiot, and whilst that isn’t entirely inaccurate I think he comes across as a pretty likeable guy, who doesn’t take himself too seriously.

   Also, he was responsible for one of the highlights of the 6N when he ran into the post in Cardiff and failed to score a try.

3. On the issue of Super 6 2nd teams being parachuted into the National League, where is the equity of teams of professional players, with all the advantages that come from that status, competing against teams of amateur players, under the new SRU criteria.

   1. Although I’m not 100% sold on the Super6, I have attended meetings between a Super6 club and their neughbouring clubs.

      ATM the agreement is that a club’s Super6 squad and it’s ‘Club XV’ would be separate, Super6 players wouldn’t be allowed to play in the amateur leagues therefore the ‘Club XV’ won’t be made up by the remaining Super6 players.

      How this will work still has t0 be seen, with each Super6 squad being made up of 35 players it’ll be interesting to see what the remaining 12 or so players do when they have a game. It was suggested that the Super6 squads could have a draft system similar to the current Pro draft where they are drafted to Prem teams who they can play for when they don’t have a game, this would need agreement from the SRU. I reckon the pros will be drafted to Super6 teams.

      Now on the matter of whether Super6 franchises ‘Club XV’will gain a boost from improved player recruitment due to players trying to break into the Super6 squad remains to be seen, the club I spoke to said this wouldn’t be the case but we’d just have to take them at their word that players in their ‘Club XV’ wouldn’t have an advantage in breaking into their Super6 squad.

      1. Thanks Scott.
         The suggestion of Glasgow & Edinburgh squad players being drafted to Super6 teams is a lot better than currently.
         The reported stance of the National League teams highlight their concerns on a lack of clarity from the SRU as to the Club XV teams, with those clubs successful in the Super6 lottery retaining an advantageous position in the National League structure.
         Inevitably Club XV teams, with the allure of a semi-pro parent team, will have a built in advantage in terms of coaching, technical support and facilities.
         Interested to hear how neighbouring clubs are responding.

      2. It’s a bit of a double edged sword for the Super6 teams, on one hand they will have the prestige of the Super6 franchise and improvements in their coaching and facilities. BUT the club I spoke to was adamant that the new franchise would tie up all of their finances, they claim that they wouldn’t be able to fork out the wage bill which they do currently, all of their ‘Club XV’ players would need to be completely unpaid (Not sure how believable that is).

         There’s also the question of whether current players in their squads would want to step up to be a Super6 player, given the wages are to be capped at about £15000, with the majority likely to be on around £5000. For some Prem players that might actually be a wage cut. All would atleast have to have a side job, and with the new contracts all being above board they’d have to pay out to the tax man aswell.

4. I would imagine Super6 salaries will be topped up through additional part-time ‘jobs’ with businesses of wealthy club supporters and sponsors, as used to happen in the days of shamateurism. Agree that £15K may not be attractive for older players with financial commitments. For a young player seeking a pathway to a professional career as a rugby player, a Super6 contract will be attractive. My concern will be that there are a very limited number of Pro14 opportunities with the 2 Scottish clubs and young players will be discarded, as happens in soccer, when the reality that they are not going to make it as a professional hits.

   I presume that there will be some form of Scottish qualification for players awarded Super6 contracts to avoid squads being clogged up with non-qualified mercenaries.

5. Hi chaps. I’ve just updated the post with our latest podcast which is a chat with a guy who knows a lot about rugby finance and has a website dedicated to it. I had a chat with him about the costs of running a club which might be of interest.

   Some interesting points raised around Super 6. We’ll try and have a one off special podcast about it at some point (probably after the Autumn) and get some guests on to talk about it and have a wee debate.

   1. Thanks Cammy. Would welcome a wider discussion on Super 6 and its impact, not just on Pro 14 teams, national age group teams and the National leagues.

6. As I write this message. I am sat beside Jeremy Guscott in Pret. It’s a strangely muted feeling: not being a Scottish player or connected to the set up (so not that relevant to the blog), nothing nice to say to him (so saying nothing), and not really caring about his view on the weekend games. I can confirm he is eating a salad and has not yet fallen over with the try line begging.

   1. Has he got cucumber in the salad, though?

      1. I heard a story from a friend who bumped into Guscott in a hotel after a 6N game and asked him to take a photo. The joke being that they wanted him to take a photo of them without him in it. Apparently pee’d him off no end. You could give that a go!

      2. Wish I’d thought of the photo gag. A mate who is a Bath regular and England fan was non plussed: ‘I must have stood beside him 10 times this year, but never said a word. Good to know others feel the same.’ Cannot confirm or deny cucumber.

7. Strauss – was always inconsistent with Glasgow as well.

   Chris Harris : We will never forget him in years to come. Townsend snubbed Visser who had by far the best strike rate in Scottish Rugby. Seymour has tried , Huw Jones might better it. We dropped a Tesla for a three wheel Reliant Robin. I doubt GT will ever admit what a mistake that was, but Harris is being paid to be in the squad.

   1. Visser wasn’t dropped for Harris. Visser is an out and out winger whilst Harris is a centre! The two are not comparable in terms of selection.

      If anything Visser didn’t make the squad because of the addition of McGuigan. We can have a debate whether that was justified but Townsend would point out that McGuigan was the leading Premiership try scorer at the time.

      I hope we can put the Strauss argument to bed once we get a look at Blade Thompson. Also Matt Fagerson will be some player once he bulks up, he was incredible against Sarries.

8. Loving the “Only rugby podcast that cares about…..” slot. Always thought that was a damn cheek. Keep it up ?