Slade, semi-finals & send-offs

Pipsyä on suurin jälkeen. Aloita ilmainen kokeilu shopifaippiste komsi vustolla. Kokeilu shopifaippiste on suurin jälkeen. Kokeilu shopifaisi on suurin jälkeen. to a Prem win, man. You got to put a question for a statue, mate. Where would you put it to right at the front of the car park there? Right at the front of the top. I don't know about that, but that would be a nice minute. I stand. Yeah, DC still after a stand. Yeah. You know what I get with Mike Bragg, the woodmine Bragghead bar. Yeah, mate. We was with Mike Bragg last night and the load to the quins was went to the game yesterday and he went to his bar and they've taken his name down. No, you're kidding. I'm not sat well. Genuine is like Chris Rochelle's got his bar, but yeah, Brownie's taken his name. That is absolutely. Major genuine. I swear. I swear to Brownie, the club's in a bit of a weird place, mate, but we're talking about you. Can I tell you one brilliant omen going into Saturday's go? Well, the chiefs have never lost the playoff match. Good start. Yeah, they have all been at home. Yeah. Yeah. But to counter it is really weird. Like a record is going to be broken this year. Chiefs have never lost the playoff match, but a team's never won the premon from third. Really? Interesting. Yeah. I mean, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, it's going to be mega. It's going to be mega spoke to Rob after the game. Mini said, like, at this stage of season, you alluded to it at the start, like, your body's tired. Everyone to get strapping. It's not going to be on the pitch a lot. It's just like, I don't know. I don't joke about fresh. Yeah. That's the spirit. Keep telling yourself that's Lee. My first. But you're playing like your fresh. We've spoken about it for quite a long time in the pod. You'll play some of the best rugby, regardless of England selection and I'll know you in the alignment camp just the other week. You're probably, do you feel like you're playing as well as you have? Yeah. I feel like I'm going well, I feel I feel I'm really good shape. I feel like I was quick and fit and strong as ever. I've ever been. I know I've got a bit of tape on me in there, but I still like to say I feel good. Make sure you look at the look at it. I like it. Exactly. Head take just straight down to business. By the way, it keeps it. It was the other hair cut. It was a bit bigger. I didn't realise at the time. It was a bit big. We've seen a couple of clips. Slady talkers talk us through this week at mate. How'd you go about beating the champions? They're the ones that are in your way now to get to the to the final. Well, obviously they're a big physical pack. Very good when they're in your 22. So obviously stopping them getting there is going to be a big part of it. When we went up there last time, we had a slow start and we had a slow start yesterday. So we went down 26 points for the first 20 minutes last time we went up there. Obviously you can't afford to be doing that, especially in playoff games. So starts going to have to be big. 22 defence going to have to be huge. We should have to do our thing and get our big boys into the game and take a road to. Can I just ask a final question about a couple of individuals? You were my yesterday, of course you were, but Tom Hoop has turned out to be one of my favourite players to watch in the Premier. He is mental good at rugby. We know if you're a back row, you expect to be tough, get your head over the ball, but the footwork he was putting on yesterday, and then Lenickert out to the two Aussie boys, the impact that Dave had this season, right? Tell me about it. Yeah, I didn't see that footwork at the time. I only saw it this morning. How do you think that was incredible? Those two have been such good signings. They both actually had injuries this year. Len was at for a bit longer than Hoops, but they've been the real quality we've needed to add to our team, along with boys like Varnies and both of those lads. They've just been great signings. They've been on and off the pitch. They've been really good. They've embraced the Devonchialife, have they? They've embraced the life mate. They've embraced it. They've been settled into squad so quickly. In the first week they're in and integrated, it was brilliant. Obviously brilliant players and they've added so much. I think it's all a new cast on game leading the charge after the game up there. They're just doing a tour of England, are they? Oh, yes. They're pretty much. They're especially. Love it. Slady, we wish you all the best for this Saturday up against Bav. Congratulations on the season so far. I hope there's a little bit more left in you, eh? Cheers boys. Thanks, Lade. Good luck, Slady. I'd get in that recovery centre at home mate. Yeah. It's just fire it up mate. Cheers, Lade. Thanks, mate. Five lives. Rodby Union Weekly. Thanks to where it was standing yesterday, that's but, ehm. And I am genuinely happy. I am, I'd say that genuinely. I am happy for them. Because of what the tour and the tournament were, we've just mentioned to him. But I have a little bit sad. I am sad for the situation. I know you two probably don't care less one bit, but it's um, 17 years as a coach in the prime is quite a, you can't shake your head now. You were giving him all the blood. It's last week with me. He's done on the side of the pitch day. So I'm not shaking it. I think it's the end of the year. You're not shaking your head. You nod a little bit sad. No, no, I just, I don't think Sarah says a good enough to be the top four this year. They haven't been good enough. And I get it all out. I get it all out. Yeah. So I get it, I get the sentiments like he's been an unbelievable coach and he's, you know, we talked last week about the amazing players that he's played. The coaches that he's, that he's guided. But I don't, I don't, I think the top four are the right top four this year. I don't think they've been good enough to make the top four. And watching them last week against Quinn's, they looked leaky. They looked tired. It took a lot out of them, I think getting six in a row to go to extra and win. I think was just a step too far for them. There was time they run a little bit too late. So obviously the legacy is going to leave. There's a lot of England plays. I just, I expect it. I just expected them to do better than what they did yesterday with all the lads that they have and all the experience. Next, there's Blum away. Second half. Yeah. I didn't see that coming. Actually, just touch on the sentiment. I completely get what you're saying. But it's mad like Sarasyn's is team that like Quinn's and Sarasyn's had such a rivalry and every single time I tried to play him. Mate, we've really struggled to beat him. But Sarasyn's with all their internationals and we spoke about it pretty much. They've got the last three England captains, including the current England captain and British line captain. Got hundreds of caps everywhere. DC your spot on. It was a game too far when you've had to go to the world every single week at every single game. It was a must win. The minute Exeter got into gear, it was a non-contest. Sarasyn's had barely anything to come back at them. Not single answer. They made their changes early, Theo Dan, Owen Farrell, Noah Calauri, nothing. Like all the energy was with the likes of Zamban and was with Tom Hooper, was with Henry Slade, Lenny Kittow. It was, yeah, they had no answer for it. I've got this picture of Rob Baxter doing his own social media video in his office at home. Mark McCall scrunches his face up on a piece of paper, just sits back with a cigar, just cuts the end off and starts smoking it to himself. Those two have gone head to head for so long, haven't they? And Rob Baxter will he be slightly proud that he managed to see the C-Smart McCall off with being Sarasyn just today. It's true. I mean Slade just said it then himself. It does play a factor, doesn't it? The history between a club. But I think Rob Baxter said a couple of weeks ago, it was just so fitting that it will come down to a shoot out between us and them and fair play to Exeter. That's why we talked about it last week on the PODLads. They are kind of the dark horses to win this whole thing, I think. I think they've got big games in them, and now got to go to the Champions. I don't know would they have preferred to go to Saints on the bath, I'm not sure, but to win the whole thing, you've got to beat the best and they've got to give them a self a chance. But I do think they've got parts of their game. We talked about Hooper and Zambinan, and you've got Varnies dipping around. They've got a chance. It's not like you looking at going, "Oh, they can't beat Bath." They can beat Bath. There are some frails, he's there. Bath aren't the bath for a couple of years back, I don't think. Anything can happen this weekend. I agree. They can have to do about Manifio Bozo. He broke his jaw last week or fractured in his jaw. He had surgery last week. He's done for the season, but should be fit for England's tour. He should be fit for that first test against. I just don't know. Look at his head. Oh my gosh. He's like the best winger in the league. One or two more and you just keep getting plays like that, don't you? You just cannot keep themselves fit for a couple of months. I hope this is the last one. I mean, get a good run of games in after this. For sure. Bath Leicester, I'll tell you what, on your. Bath, we've got some frailities. They've got some frailities. They've got some superstruites. Thomas the Toi first proctor's girl, Hatrick. It's very crazy. If you want a blueprint of our Bath, want to play rugby, it's what's Lady said. When they get into any of this, I'll punish him. But tell you something, Leicester could have won there. I had a screen of all the matches on, so I kept on the Barf Lester game and Lester. I think Danny, in 2012 we played Lester, didn't we? Like a few weeks before we played him in the final. I'd imagine Jeff parling today is going gutted. He lost, but he's like, right, if we have to meet these Lig En, we know what it takes because Lester could have done a job on Barf, but the reality is Barf of one at home and got themselves a home playoff. Just need to get Finn back in that team, don't know. That's what happened at the end because I was doing the Quidd and the Saints game, so I saw the try and it was right next to the post. I was like, oh, did he miss the kick? And if so, did he miss it on purpose? Dease, okay. So I was watching the game in with the Exeter fans, and so we had all the screens there and they kept asking me for updates. It was like, "Lest have just scored." And their game was ahead. I was like, "Well, Lando Bailey can kick this to draw the game." So it's like, "Chiefs, use lot. You're off to Saints." And Bailey misses, it was 15 in, maybe 20 in from the right side, about 20 metres out. That's a 90% plus kick, like you have to kick it. And Bailey's a proper kicker, right? So he misses that and I was like, "Oh, right, actually guys, you're off to bath." But because I didn't, the highlights, because the highlights cut out so that you don't see the conversion, but the try it. And I was like, well, you must have got that kick, because it's like the simplest kick ever. But then, was there a ramification on? If he'd have got that, then a draw would they have finished third rather than fourth? Yes. At that point, everything changed. But then everything changed again when Stephen Varnie scored a fourth try. Oh, so it wouldn't have mattered. Had he kicked it, he would have needed Stephen Varnie not to score that fourth try for it to have remained the same. But you wouldn't have known at that point, because their game was ahead. I just wonder whether the message went on and went, we quite like that. We quite like when we're finishing it, they just don't bother. If that is the case, I would prefer him just to stun the opposite direction and just smash it over the stun. Try a feroan post. But I do think lest would prefer to go to Northampton, then back to Bath. Yeah, I'd even just pull up purely on the Gistik for the way your week is. It's hard for them to go, they've got to go home and then go stay back at Bath and do all that. When if you're going to pick the two, you pick the closest rival. I'll probably go for Northampton too, just based on the Gistik's. And for at E. Smidland's Derby on Friday night, lester, last time they played Northampton, battered them. I know it was at Lester, but still that's fresh in their minds. So they know the game plan how to get stuck into Northampton, how to stifle them. And I'm sure Jeff will be revving the boys up. They won't need revving up even anymore. But Friday night, I'm actually, I'm doing that game. I cannot wait for that. I think it's going to be amazing. I was getting emails at I reckon three seconds after that game finished. Emails and messages like, you know, for ticket sales. It's midland Derby bang emails gone, someone's social media just waiting, waiting, waiting, go send, try and get all that because it's going to be electric. That's going to be so good. Like Friday night at the garden, I think them and Quinn's do Friday nights the best in the league. It's so good. And the fact is that E. Smidland's Derby and it's a playoff and it's like all on the line again is going to be magical. Northampton had the grace to be able to rest load up players. There was the game at the stube. How fitting Tom Lorde last touch heard like to score and win the match. But for Saints, if they were watching lester yesterday, what do you reckon they'd have taken away from it? Where do you think they'll be concerned? Saints approach a lot of the time is on themselves, isn't it? And how they think that they can beat teams with what they what they do or what they put on their opposition. So, and how they can attack and find different ways. So I think they might would put get more a few weeks ago, what happened and how not to make that happen again. They are opportunities that they didn't convert normally. They would. Wealthard Roll was bouncing. So they've got to flip that on the head. Haven't they used the cinch stadium to every advantage that they can and put the pressure on lester really make having a home crowd like all you've worked for all year to be at home. You have to make use of it, don't you? Yeah, lester dismantled Saints is set piece. Didn't they few weeks back and they properly stifled them. Saints, if they get their first two or three phases up and running, they're really, really hard to stop. So you have to try and stop them at source. So I'd imagine Jeff and Chesie and George Martin will be devising plans at the set piece to try and stop them or even just force them back. I'm not sure if Trevor will be back. He might be close, you know. Even force them to the front of the line out. Little things like that. So the ball has to be in the air a long time from nine to 10. So they've got to just try and take away Saints' strength, which is the speed and their slickness. Still yesterday against twins, they've changed so many players, but still the slickness that they've got from line out delivery to ball in nine sounds, a ball in 10 sounds, a van der Mesh smashing it through. It's lester, we've got to find a way to stop that or to hinder them getting their game going and they've got proof of it. They did it three or four weeks ago. So they know in their mind, in their memories, they felt what it feels like. And for Saints, they've got to find a way to mess rest or back that set piece momentum and manage to use it as their super strength to get their starting players going. Get Tommy Freeman's hands on the ball as many times as possible. Get some touches for him. Get a Pollock, get in the crowd going. I mean, that's going to be fun. A Rev-Man. You don't want him to play in. Just want him to rev-man up and into the crowd. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, it's going to be a wiki, it's going to be a wiki game. But again, like we talked about with Slady, I don't think lester will fear it, which is brilliant. Lester just got no Freddy, haven't they? And no, hopefully James O'Connor was fine after yesterday. I know Billy Suley's very, very close, but he's been out for a few weeks. If there's a chance Billy Suley can play, what I love about these two playoff matches is I genuinely believe every, all four teams in you have to, whether you like 100% believe it or not, but I reckon there's a genuine belief that every team can win. Lester don't fear Saints. Saints have backed themselves at home, bar for the champions. They've backed themselves at home and chiefs are like, right, why not us? The role different style of teams as well, aren't they? The old approach to the game slightly differently. So what they say in boxing, though, isn't it? Stiles make fights. I think it's been, this has been the hardest prems of core for a long time. I still sit here now and I'm like, you can make a case for all four. Like, there isn't one standout. The two teams that are at home, you think, well, they have got the advantage and Saints have probably got the biggest advantage because they have the luxury of resting four or five key players. But I still, when I speak to Slady and I hear about Exeter, I'm like, yeah, I think Exeter could go to Bath and then I think they could be Lester or Saints in a final, but also the superstars at Bath have got you like, well, Bath have to be in the final. They have to win it and then they probably will win the final. So I don't know, it's one of those. I don't think there's a favourite, which is brilliant. The week off of rest has just got to favour the top two teams, isn't it? It's massive. When you get to 60 minutes this weekend and you've had a weekend off, or Finns had about a month off, just really, really shining Fin, Russell up, that will have an impact you would have thought at the weekend. It's going to be brilliant. It's going to be absolutely brilliant. Friday and Saturday, the two players, Lester against Nolfampton and Bath up against Chiefs. Well, that's the top four done. Should we do an end of term report card for the teams outside of a Sarasons Finishing fifth? Where would you grade them? That's their second year in a row now, not making up playoffs. What would you grade them this season? Well, if we look back even like five months, they're in a bit of a hole, aren't they? Really? And it's was partly maybe the reason why Mark McCall decided to make the decision he did because he was, they were losing games which they would never have previously lost. They were losing them quite badly. So I think for them to manage, to turn it, rowing, and turn into some motivation. I find a reason to get to the end of season with purpose. They've nearly turned it into something, but overall, that was pretty similar to last year. I think they've not been able to reach to levels in what they hoped. They've still got quality players. I just don't think they've been able to perform as much as they've been able to. They should be in the playoffs really, with what they've got and their squad. They should be in playoffs. Yeah, I just think they are where they are at the minute. They're not. They've had the peak of their powers. It is an end of an era now. They need a reset. They need to work out who's taking this club forward. Is it Brendan Vetter for the long term or is he a stopgap for someone else? I think they hoped Andy Farrell was maybe going to join him. but he's just signed on for four more years with our play. Andy Farrell. Yeah. Yeah. Does that change things? I'm not sure. But, you know, they've got some unbelievable players. You just, you mentioned early the British Lions, the England captains. Unfortunately, it takes more than that. It takes a full squad. And I look, you know, when you watch Saracens this year, I just don't think they are at the levels of the other, the four teams that are ahead of them. They've been too inconsistent. They've timed their run too late, but they gave themselves too much work to do. So it turns out a report card. Are we going ABCDE? How do you want it? Well, I was never near an A. No, no, I wasn't. I was normally down the other side. But I think that you've got to give them a C. They're a C minus. They don't do report cards like that anymore. No, it's like one, two, three, four. Yeah. Yeah. And F at levels. We can go out of ten if you like, if it's easier. All right. It's got to be a solid five issue, isn't it? Yeah, it's a five out of ten season for Saracens. Five's harsh. I think there are six. Okay. One digit to a six. Yeah. I think it's a bit too hard because you're judging them by their own standards, which I think is it 14 out of the last 17 seasons? They've been in the playoffs, but the two years that they couldn't be in it anyway. So it's only one year in the last three years. They've still got an international 15 that you could put out. Mate, they've got a near one into. Did you see their bench yesterday? It's quite easy. It's not. They've underperformed, aren't they? Yes, so it's. So then I don't think of fives that harsh then when you look at the quality that they've got. And they know how. And then I think maybe a five out of ten is probably where they're at. Isn't it? Okay, fair. Fair. Bristol then. They finished six. So Bristol, it made a bit more sense to me yet that all the injuries they've had. We go back here. We were with it. Pat was already saying seasons done because they had so big injuries. But what shot me a little bit was the salary cat reading and how they are actually mid-table spenders, which made me sit up and go, "Okay, I probably thought that they were spending a bit more than what they actually are. They're not." So to perform and get what they've got out of this season with all the injuries, and the amount they're spending in comparison to other teams, I've done that a little well. I struggle with Bristol because you lean into them because as a club, I think they represent themselves really well with us online. I think they're brilliant with the media, open door policy. They're training grounds, the facilities that they've got, they're amazing. They play a lovely brand of rugby when they're at it. They're so good to watch. Calvetti Ravovo. It's one of my favourite players in the Premier. Some of the tries, they score all of that. Then you park all of that, the aesthetics of it. You look at what they deliver and it's sick. I don't know. I also think. Do you have an excel in them with what he's. We've just said about Sarasand and what they are spending and what they've got on their armoury. Pat's exceeding with what he's got. Yeah, they don't have as many caps as Sarasand. They don't have as many internationals as Sarasand. But I think they've got. They were really unfortunate with the injuries that they got. Aja McGinty, basically gone for this season. It betoi's been in and out. They have had key players consistently there, but I guess are they underperforming or overperforming? And I still think they're underperforming for what they've got. And I think they're a brilliant case with Red Bulls in mind that you can. Recruit loads of players, right? Spend decent budget and that doesn't guarantee your success. Because Bristol have never won the Prem. And you think for some of this spend, for some of the superstars they've had, had they've not won the Prem, said that would be my caution to Red Bulls who by the way are bringing in some wicker players next year and will continue to for a number of years. That doesn't guarantee you're going to win the Prem because the Prem is so odd and what's six different winners and six years is testament to that. Yeah, I still go back with Bristol and I actually feel a bit bad about it. I still think the year that Quinn's won it and basically took that semi-final away from them has really hurt them deep. Because I think that was the year that they had to have some success. They had to have a trophy. They were the best team all year until that semi-final. And then almost since then you can almost see that it's not weighing on them but you can almost feel that it potentially is still that they feel like they should have had some success and then they haven't and everyone goes, well, what are they then? And we're having these questions again. Like, I think the injuries that they had, they were, was it Randall, McGinty, Ibertoye in the first week, all long-term injuries. McGinty's not been there all year. If your first choice 10 isn't there all year, you ain't going to have a chance really. But then they have had standout performances that like I think we were all at the Quinn's big game where they demolished Quinn's and we were like, wow, that is a proper performance. But then on the other hand, they then played Quinn's a card if they were awful. So you're like, again, the key word I think and why the teams are at the top is consistency. They just haven't been consistent, haven't found any form of consistency this year. And I think spend any where near what Quinn's is spent and Gloucester and the still, or Gloucester might not, Gloucester might be right. Well, I didn't realise that actually. That was news to me. I didn't read that salary cap stuff. No, it made me appreciate it a bit more. When you compare like Quinn's spend the cap. Yeah, we're going to go all to them, yeah. That's what if you can put that because I thought pretty similar to Bristol, but I saw that and I was like, actually, he's doing really well. We've got what he's got, not spending and no players. Okay, so what's the grade? C plus for me. Okay. Oh no, we're doing numbers, aren't we sorry? 10, yeah. I'd give Bristol a six then. Yeah, I'd give him six. Okay. Finished and sick, get a sick. Should we do Sal and Gloucester together? I mean, the seventh and eighth, but both there. Quite different though. They are quite different. I think Sal like ripped those season off a long time ago with a lot of lads leaving, the South African boys that have been there for the past five, six years. All going at the same time. There's just a lot of lads moving on. But I just feel like they, the season stopped on a long time ago and they've been all already looking towards next season with the amount of lads that are leaving that club. It was a big old group of players and the players that they've signed for next year, which is basically pretty much a new 15. Yeah, I just think they've let the season drift off far too much more early when they thought they couldn't compete even around Christmas time. Yeah, I agree with Ashuse. I think it's been a transitional year for a few teams this year and Sal just haven't been able to get going at all. Haven't been able to found the levels that they've had in the previous few years. No curries all year as well. Loads of injuries, curries out. George Ford's been great again. He's out of another good season, but he struggled, I think, with the lack of consistency around him. And yeah, I think Ashuse right. I think quite early on, New End, they went right. Rebuild. They've signed some big names for next year for Courtney Laws and March and there's off ski like players, you know, with a point to prove new ventures, new new chances. So all they had to do almost at the end, it was getting the Champions Cup. Just secure Champions Cup rugby for next season, park the Prem and then rebuild, which they've managed to do. So in a way, it's obviously not been a successful season for Sal and their fans, but I think all their fans will be saying, well, it was a rebuild for next year. So it's happened at some point, it's happened now, look forward to next year. Four. Yeah, they've been so consistent in the Prem previously. They were third and second this year, they're finishing seventh. This is, I think you can forgive this season if they do something different next year. Do you know what I mean? If those players come in bed in really quick and show the level of consistency that we've become quite accustomed to then, but yeah, this is way, way under par. So what we've given it out of ten lads? Three or four? Can't be hiding that. Yeah, four. Yeah, four. Four. Four is generous, I think. I think it's a four because they've got Champions Cup somehow. Do you know who hasn't got Champions? Oh, sorry, no, sorry. No, no. Gloucester. Yeah, I can see the comparison to what you said, why you wanted to do them together because they are similar. They've got a lot of side lads coming in. I mean, the two Welsh balls coming in. Wow. Full new coaching set up coming in that are going to look to get going soon as. I don't know, my mate's going in there. So he's moving himself down there and getting in, getting going in July. But yeah, there's not so much on the player side. It's more the coaching, isn't it, changing things, running, looking to change their environment and get the younger lads coming through the next season? Well, when you spend a fortune on international ten and that does not land. like you live. They were behind the eight before the season started. Yeah. They're genuine. Is he still there next year, but. Yeah, I think they've said to Ross like you can. It's okay for you to go and find employment elsewhere. He's not been involved. Try to act and sense been cracking. That's all about the situation, isn't it? We're club saying to go, you might not be getting an offer that you want, but probably getting an offer that he wants, but once a club have said to you, you can go, you know, you're like, "Oh my God, what should you do that?" Yeah, of course. Not just you can go, we're not picking you in the 23. You've done. But I'm excited for them next year, but this has been way under par, way under par. I think they're four, five. I honestly just the signing on Ross Burnell alone and that not working out. Wow, but they brought in Rob Burgers in, which is great Chris Boyd being there. I'm excited for them next year, but this year poor, that there are four, five. Yeah, agreed. The change, the reshuffling coaches structure, I think again, traditional year, losing Thomas Williams, but have gained Jack Morgan-Dowell Lake that will bolster their pack. So, yeah, four, I said three, moving. Dost of three. Quinn's. Quinn's. That blew my mind a little bit yesterday. I know that there was a lot, there was bits of celebrate Nick Evans leaving, some of a lad's leaving, but it's just so Quinn's into that to celebrate like they've just walked into the playoffs. They finished nine. If Newcastle weren't here, they'll bottom a league and can we include Newcastle really because of what they've been through this year. Bottom of the pile. Big spenders, massive club, literally at the bottom. Welfall season, I think they've got so much to fix and so on. They've made some strides to doing that and new coaching set up, so they're that bed's in, still got a recruit. I mean, they've let go of like 37 players. No, it's like 20 something, but I don't think they finished their recruitment. You've got a lot of bodies leaving and haven't announced many coming back in and you need some top quality because you cannot afford to have another season like that. They've the first year in how long they're not in the Champions Cup. There it's a three. It's a three. These? Yeah, it's been it's been really tough. It's been really tough watching it. I think, unfortunately, this has probably been coming. I think for a few years, recruitment retention has not been good enough. Consistency again, that keyword, not good enough. And other teams have just get developing and developing and getting better and better and fortunately, Harlequin's haven't. So yeah, again, another reset, absolute reset has been needed. They're changing into quite a lot from the sounds of things. Re-shoffling coaches, new structures, a lot of players leaving. I'm not sure how what that's going to bring, whether that's going to be successful or not, bringing in Robby Deans. I hope that he's going to come in and really buy into it, but when you hear he's not going to be here that many times a year, then is that really what quins need right now? I'm not sure. Proof of being the put in. They haven't asked me for my opinion. So you've just given it. Who cares? Who cares what I say? But yeah, that club doesn't deserve to be in the Champions Cup, sorry, for next season. But that club should not be not in the Champions Cup. Far too many resources, academy reach, global sort of brand of Harlequin's needs to be playing top level Robby. And it's and it's not. So yeah, they've got a lot to fix. Did any of you look at that yesterday and think, glad you, you know, I think they've, I mean, look, I think that none of the players and the staff are really high on the way from the fact it's been an awful year. And I think they just, I think yesterday they just wanted to send off Nick Evans with a win and Stefan Navisse and players that have given a lot there. Tom Lorde, you know, a player that probably doesn't already get the chords, but a really good club player, good bloke. They found a little bit to try and send that off, but you clutch, you know, at the end of the season to try and ask lads to run through Brickwalls, like what for? And they have to find something they got a win. They could part this year. It's been an awful year. One or two did. It's probably, it's a two, it's a two for me, mate. Yeah, and they, and mate, watching Jamie Benton again, I was like, he's good, but he's off just made to it. I think it's been a terrible week for Harley Quinn's also the announcement, losing Ellie Kildon, just astonishing, like simply astonishing. I know there's been some reports and written on it and DC's time. It was awful. And Hugo, you're a shocker mate, but you never got, you never left? I was never late. Never late. Never mistrained it. But you know what? I've spoken to Ellie about this, yeah, that conversations about standards of this and that, she's one of the world's best players. She's the most marketable rugby player in this country. Like get over it. I think it's bonkers, like absolutely bonkers. I do know a lot of the details can't say all of it, but I think it's actually criminal that a club at Harley Quinn's are losing one of the most marketable players on the planet. Just, oh my gosh. Yeah. Anyway, whatever. That's been their season. Newcastle quickly do them just the two into season, but we always knew it's going to be a transitional year whilst they try and bed their roots in. They said as a club, they want to try and win the Gallagher Prem in the next three year. So it's quite our to John, on this season. Yeah, I mean, it's hard to really rate them, isn't it, because they are where they are. There were two games, but they've been battered a lot this year, it's a rebuild year. So again, a two, it's a two out of ten for Newcastle. Yeah, I'm glad we're over that period for Newcastle. No, but it's been hard at points this season. I've been what we want as a competitive league, and then we've had Newcastle at the bottom of it. I feel like yeah, it's been a long year for them waiting and waiting to get things going and putting things in place. We'll all know next year for Newcastle. We'll all know next year. Okay, that's it for the Gallagher Prem. You are see semi-finals locked and loaded. We know what they were. Glasgow, 21, 5 up and end up losing by a point, 22, 21 to the balls. Pointless in the second half. These, you reckon you saw that coming? Yeah, I just, I've watched Glasgow a bit this year, probably more than the normal really. I've said it before, you just, I think at the top, top level, you're nine and ten or so crew, you're so crucial. And if they're not quite up to the stand, you know, you're playing against Andre Pollard, like the ultimate clutch player that knows how to win games. And I just think sometimes I think that like, you know, down like I said, good, good player, but is he of the level to win trophies for that team? I'm not so sure. I think it's it's sort of harsh up them to say that because he's got so many internationals around him, but I think I don't remember the last team to win something big with that international class fly-off. Doesn't happen. Doesn't happen. I don't know, don't mean that to sound really harsh, but I just, that is the fact. So it's a fact. If you look at any, any finals, 99.9% of the teams will have an international fly-off, but still lose from that at home. Yeah. You look at the Gallagher Prem, the two home semi-finalists have got Fin to Muth and Fin Russell British Lions, Leicester and Chiefs have got obviously skin and Billy Seal. They're the ones of the outside chances. You have to have it. So Glasgow be wondering how on earth they didn't close that one out. I watched a bit of Lensder as well. Yesterday I watched the second half of Lensder's stormers. That was a proper tight game. And then Ruyn Ackerman, he gets a 20 minute red card, shoulder charge and Dan Sheen. That was the right result. But then minutes after which is quite a lot of debate. Stormers get a Navier Leicard. Salman Moorrat, he gets the yellow card. It's one of these annoying ones. He makes attackers on the wrong side. And Jamison Gibson Park goes to pass the ball and Moorrat Scott is feeding the air. And Holly Davidson was Refin. Says he knows exactly what he's doing by putting his feet in a kind of unnatural way to try and block the pass of Jamison Gibson Park. I completely disagree. It doesn't even, he can't even see where the ball is. I think Jamison Gibson Park is throwing the ball against his feet. He gets a yellow. Stormers are down to 13 men. Nine minutes left on the clock with it was, it was too much for them having six forwards against a Lensder. So Lens that are back in the finals and Lensder against Bulls to be played out a couple of weeks time. Moorrat. Croak Park. Croak Park. No, don't, don't. Just don't, just don't. So it would have been played at Murrayfield if Glasgow had have held on against the balls because they were the top seed but instead because they lost. Weird isn't it? You've got to keep two stadiums on standby. Probably yeah. Yeah. And now Lenscher have gone sweet. We'll play a croat part then. Amazing. The Lenscher are winning that aren't they? They weren't that brilliant yesterday. No. They weren't. They were efficient. They were good. It was tense. It was tight but then maybe a slot hangover for the back of what I know, Champions Cup a few weeks. But that was a few weeks ago. On the Champions Cup you see Bordeaux haven't made it into the top eight at the top 14. Lost it out to Clairebonne. Little drop goal. Harry Plummer, won it? Mate, the French he's made. This is to go. I was like, you're that is so French, isn't it? So French. Best team in Europe but can't be in the top eight. Yeah. I saw Ben Tummaffunner was on his bike and driving home for five days straight, then played and got injured. Yes. He would have thought he'd get injured. Yeah. That's a special way. Not the best prep that was it. Did any coach you think? We're probably sure go get Beno that pub. He's been it's no Wednesday and we've got a game. Should we go and get him out the pub? No, no, leave him. He'll be fine. He'll be fine. Oh, okay. He needs an operation. Okay, who wins you? I see. Let's do a balls. On the side of the balls. Balls. Why not? I'll go lead stuff. And big fans. Well, played his agent. Fabulous bit of work, that, isn't it? He's earned his money there, isn't he? Yeah. Just dangled him out there to a few clubs and other countries. His agent's gone, it's like fast. If you heard, Mark, we're cool to leave in the end of season, right? Get the news out. I'm off to Saris. Right? Okay. Tell everyone I'm off to Saris. David Amphru is like, you are. I think the next day he was at the Saris and he's going to the box. It's so, it's so well played. So well played. I think he was. Bravo. It's amazing. Five years. And I bet he does the next lines as well. Yeah, it's incredible. What would he leave? Really? Why would he leave? He's done such a good job. He's going to know, try and get the next crop through. They love him. He loves, living the, why would he leave? I know this issue. So it lends to her, whatever, with them not getting the finals done, but for fans, it's perfect. Just changes a bit though, because that l have ramifications at the RFU. I'm sure they're looking at him. I'd not convinced. Fas would go back, leave Ireland to go back to England. Yeah. Boys, just quit prediction to finish. Subway final is this weekend. What do you go for? I would love to see it away when, just because, right? I'm going the opposite to two-on-winds. Sorry, sorry. Northampton, Bath in the final. That's the most likely final, of course. Who's most likely to get away when? Again, I don't know why I've asked this question, because it's the same thing. Anyone, anyone, anyone. Any of them could be anyone. So, who's your brother? But I'm going to go to our weds. I think. I am. Give us a reason to go not home wins. Oh, well, to go not home wins is Exeter absolutely could beat Bath unless it can absolutely beat Northampton. So, anyone has got absolute belief. Yeah, I can't argue with their points against them, but I just think, I think Saints have the luxury to rest their big players with huge goals and freebred and for a bank at all, and all them. And then I'll just think, Bath at home is too tough, it's too tough and has to go and beat them. So, yeah, I'm going to home wins. Two home wins, there we go. Jens, enjoy this weekend. We'll be talking about it. No, down next week. You've got Prem Rugby Award as well or Wednesday night. So, all the big gangs going to be handing out this week. We'll find out our finalists. So, yeah, enjoy it. Have a good week, lad. Cheers boys. Thanks, that's. Thanks for downloading Rugby Union Weekly. For more info. Head to the BBC Sounds app. Five likes for it. So, here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket units. So, Robbie W. And it lives on BBC Sounds. Smash straight back down the ground, this girl. A ball by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. 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