Ealing beat Saracens

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mol2
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by mol2 »

Am I alone in thinking that no sides should be playing friendly matches during lockdown?

Professional, competitive matches are one thing but these are meaningless matches that put both teams at risk from covid and could put legitimate premiership games at risk if players are forced to self isolate.

If lower divisions and amateur rugby are supended because of lockdown why are we even considering playing Sarries?
Old Hob
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by Old Hob »

What he said.
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by Noggs »

Agreed.
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by ourla »

loretta
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by loretta »

Sounds like a sales pitch to potential sponsors.
mol2 wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 10:43 am Am I alone in thinking that no sides should be playing friendly matches during lockdown?

Professional, competitive matches are one thing but these are meaningless matches that put both teams at risk from covid and could put legitimate premiership games at risk if players are forced to self isolate.

If lower divisions and amateur rugby are supended because of lockdown why are we even considering playing Sarries?
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JP14
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by JP14 »

mol2 wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 10:43 am Am I alone in thinking that no sides should be playing friendly matches during lockdown?

Professional, competitive matches are one thing but these are meaningless matches that put both teams at risk from covid and could put legitimate premiership games at risk if players are forced to self isolate.

If lower divisions and amateur rugby are supended because of lockdown why are we even considering playing Sarries?
From what I have seen, the Ealing game was professional and competitive (a Cup to prepare sides who can play for the Championship in March), call that game meaningless to a Trailfinders fan or even a Sarries supporter and they would be pretty miffed.

As for this two week break, I think the clubs (begrudgingly) aren't playing any friendlies until the Prem restarts next week anyway, so I'm not sure what you're worried about to be honest.
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westwinds31
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by westwinds31 »

I don't see what the problem is. Both sides are "professional", full time and I believe have the Covid tests every Monday, as do the other Elite clubs (Tigers etc) so, as part of the elite sport group, they can play each other. Nottingham, for example, are part-time so can't at the moment play. That's my understanding. As for the game itself, it doesn't mean a great deal. Well done Ealing for the narrow victory but let's be realistic here, Sarries with a full line-up would not be beaten.
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by Tiglon »

If they went into their season without any warmup matches, you'd all just be outraged that Sarries were risking injury to their players by not giving them proper preparation.
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by GB72 »

I may be reading too much into this but the result could have a further reaching implication at the end of the season. It may only be a friendly but it could very easily be used in any action taken if there are attempts to airlift Saracens back into the Premiership at the expense of Ealing.
With the real possibility of there being no meaningful championship season, you can easily imagine the efforts to get Saracens back in the premiership before further, inevitable discussion of ringfencing. What you have here, however, is a match that shows an argument (right or wrong) that Ealing are the better side of the 2 and if there is any place for a team to be bumped up at the end of the season then it should be them.
Seen legal arguments in sport based on more spurious arguments than that.
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by Tiglon »

I may be way off, but I would guess that Ealing are already in talks to join the Premiership the season after next and will be perfectly happy with that.
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by Dokie »

Tiglon wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:27 pm I may be way off, but I would guess that Ealing are already in talks to join the Premiership the season after next and will be perfectly happy with that.
I’d rather it’s a 12 or 14 team league than an odd number.
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by Old Hob »

A 13 team league means blank weekends but a longer season; moving to a 14 team league a year later would mean no change to the season's length. One thing that may make a difference: it has been suggested that a new criterion be introduced along with the requirement to have proper facilities etc and that is a minimum crowd size. Ealing managed about 800 last season, a third of London Welsh's. This could keep Ealing out for good. On the other hand, it is reckoned that Ealing could buy a share of Premiership plc for £20million giving each existing club a £1.5 million windfall. making their promotion a more attractive proposition.
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by Tigerbeat »

Old Hob wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:43 pm A 13 team league means blank weekends but a longer season; moving to a 14 team league a year later would mean no change to the season's length.
A 13 Team league would mean 24 rounds plus two blank weekends for each team. 14 teams would mean 26 rounds with no blanks.......season would be the same length but 13 teams is better for players welfare.
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Old Hob
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by Old Hob »

Player welfare seems a long way down the list for elite players with. Regular season, then play-offs, European competition, 6 Nations, Summer tour, Autumn Internationals and, every two years, either a World Cup or a Lions tour. Fifty week a year job nowadays
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TigerFeetSteve
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Re: Ealing beat Saracens

Post by TigerFeetSteve »

A 13 team league is unbalanced IMO, imagine if you had your two rest weeks in the AI's and 6N, that's potentially 2 more games where you have International players available than other teams.
Used to run around with an 11, 14 or 15 on my back.
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