Ryan Jones to play for Brizzle this weekend!

First topic message reminder :

Jones could play vs Rotherham in the Championship semi-final 1st leg on Saturday.

I don't think that is fair to be honest and is no different than bringing in a Ringer IMO.
I hope Rotherham query this.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27290343

Where's Chunky and his "Joke League" when you need him

munkian wrote:Hmm, you are up there with Saracens as the top two clubs in the Aviva operating at the highest loss.

I can understand if this article was written by a local Rotherham paper but from a paper that sponsor Bath rugby is just hypocrisy

Operating losses aren't directly linked to salary expenditure, not at all. They include massive payments to sort out the rec, including purchasing land, as well as sorting out training facilities, all of which are tempered by a lack of revenue due to only have 15000 seats to sell and not having Heineken rugby. 

Salary spend might be one of the highest in the league, but to make the assumption based on operational loss is foolish. That's not how a P&L works.

For Bristol to trip at the finishing line now would just be golden. No essential animosity towards the club or its supporters but just to imagine the expressions on Jones and Rennie's faces when they realise they've inadvertently dealt their selection hopes for their respective nations a massive blow by not thinking things through. Both undoubtedly signed with the expectation of playing top-flight club rugby instantly next season.

Plus it would be poetic justice as I agree with everyone above, early recruitment for the sake of pivotal fixtures is just unsporting imo.

Well, it's not just the players carrying the risk if Bristol don't win and get back up to the Premiership. The club would be carrying a large player salary base for being in the Championship. But no risk, no reward, eh? I applaud them all for taking the shot.

I don't have a horse in the race, but I think having Bristol back in the Premiership seems good business to me. Would give the Premiership a presence in a bigger city where hopefully they can re-establish themselves. Could go a bit of a ways to grow the Premiership Rugby brand. Can be nothing but good for Rugby.

I also like Leeds, of course, but they would really need to become a solid Premiership club. Having their recent history of bouncing up than bouncing down again doesn't help their credibility. I don't think having a team in Oxford doesn't do anything for growing Rugby. And Rotherham's Premiership history was not a raging success.

Surely Leeds going up would be better for rugby as the Northern clubs are few and there are several SW clubs already ?

I think having a club in a big city is good for the Premiership. Bristol is good. So is Leeds. No complaint either way. We need Rugby in the north as well.

Its just not cricket as the saying goes.

Jones not named in Bristol squad this weekend.

It does not mean he will not play!

He may play in next leg/final

Narrow loss for Rotherham Titans at the Mem Ground, having led 9-0 at one point. Impressive display given the amount of possession that Brizzle had, but the latter didn't really seem to know what to do with it, and the Titans defence was always right in their faces

Is it aggregate points difference to decide the overall winner? If so then Rotherham have a chance at home

Yep - Titans will be happier after today, no question

If they win a leg each, is it definitely points tally then or would it be try-count that determines it? If the former Rotherham can take encouragement, if the latter Bristol have built a promising lead going into the second leg.

Straight points

At the game today, not a good game from a bristol point of view, I don't know who was captain but not going for goal and then with one man short in the pack kicking goal!! Not the brightest game management. The wind was a big factor but Bristol have to improve a lot or they will blow it.

Bristol's scrum and line out was solid but they came off second best in defence and with a poor ref, I suspect R Jones will play in the away leg and should captain the team. It is a shame M Morgan is not available as he would have ripped Rotherham appart, Robinson's passing was great but his kicking was very poor and he can't make a break.

Rotherham must be favorites they can step it up and make far more ground with organised defence in place and they have a better kicker.

A couple of the Ulster guys who played today against Munster are heading to Rotherham next season. Would be pretty delighted for them if it transpires they'll be playing Premiership rugby! Always been a lot of Ulster players at Rotherham in recent years.