THE BIG NEWS in Rugby Union this week is the decision of Tom Foley, the English TMO in the recent World Cup Final, to step away from the international game. This follows the online abuse and the death threats he has received following that game.
Of course it is ridiculous that a man, only doing his job, should have to suffer the abuse Foley has received since that night in Paris. We must all condemn the half-wits who made these threats and caused him such anguish.
That said, I wrote when he was appointed to the World Cup officials panel that Foley simply wasn't good enough. Anyone who wasn't English and had watched him officiating in the Gallagher Premiership could have told World Rugby: “That guy is not good enough for the World Cup, he should not be there.”
But, the warnings were ignored and he got to officiate in France. Then, WR compounded the folly, by letting him be TMO in the final, where he totally fucked-up. OK, the abuse was over the top, but, censure he certainly deserved for his poor performance in the biggest game of all.
ANOTHER ENGLISHMAN to be under the cosh of social media abuse since the World Cup is Owen Farrell, who has also decided to take a break from the international game.
Now, apparently Mr Foley has been getting most of the abuse heaped on him from disgruntled Kiwis. It appears, however, that Owen has been getting pelters from disappointed England fans, struggling with the knowledge, at the top flight in Rugby Union, the Master Race are distinctly second-rate – and blaming it all on the poor captain. I long ago realised, the biggest problem England teams face isn't the opposition – it is matching English expectations.
Farrell is a marvellous player with his club Saracens. There, he plays at ten and he runs things on the field. With the national team, sometimes he is at ten, at other times he is at 12; and it doesn't help either that England, unlike Saracens, doesn't have a consistent style they want to play.
There is also the fact, at Saracens, he has no competition for the ten shirt, with England, he is under pressure from George Ford of Sale Sharks and Marcus Smith of Harlequins for the ten shirt.
Farrell has got the 100 England caps. He is a British and Irish Lion. He is now 32, maybe stepping down from international rugby to enjoy himself at a club where he is loved isn't such a daft move.
After England has a bad campaign in the Guinness Six Nations 2024, just watch the clamour grow for his recall.
SPEAKING OF The Six Nations, it is great to learn that Hollie Davidson has been confirmed as one of the officiating team for the England v Wales match, at Twickenham, on Saturday, 10 February.
Hollie will be Assistant Referee 2 in an otherwise all-Kiwi team of New Zealanders James Doleman (referee), Ben O'Keefe (AR1) and TMO Brendon Pickerill.
The three Kiwis will be on-duty in the opening round, taking charge of the Wales v Scotland match. In this one O'Keefe has the whistle, with Doleman and fellow Kiwi Angus Mabey on the lines, with Pickerill in his usual spot in the TV truck.
The officials for Scotland's other matches in the Six Nations are:
Scotland v France – Saturday 10 February 2024, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (kick-off 2.15pm)
Referee:
Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli
(GRU)
Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Brian
MacNeice (IRFU)
Scotland v England – Saturday 24 February 2024, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (kick-off 4.45pm)
Referee:
Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Chris Busby
(IRFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO:
Marius Jonker (SARU)
Italy v Scotland – Saturday 9 March 2024, Stadio Olimpico, Rome (kick-off 3.15pm)
Referee:
Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson
(RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Leal (RFU)
TMO: Marius
van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Ireland v Scotland – Saturday 16 March 2024, Aviva Stadium, Dublin (kick-off 4.45pm)
Referee:
Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson
(RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO:
Marius Jonker (SARU)
We've maybe dodged a bullet in seeing Dickson restricted to AR duties, but, getting Carley in-charge for the Ireland game is bad news for both teams; after his poor performances at the World Cup, I'd have dropped him from the International list.
ON TUESDAY, the SRU announced the draw for this year's Scottish Cup competition will involve 14 teams from the top two club leagues – Premiership and National Division 1 – with two teams given a first-round bye in order to create a eight-team second-round.
With clubs given the opportunity for voluntary withdrawal from their respective competitions, Borders sides Jed-Forest, Kelso, Selkirk, Gala, and Melrose have withdrawn to give focus to their Border League fixtures. Glasgow-based GHK have also opted to withdraw.
The semi-finals will be played on Saturday 13 April, while the final will be the grand finale to Silver Saturday, 27 April.
Round 1: 9 March 2024
Glasgow
Academicals v Hawick
Currie Chieftains v Ayr
Edinburgh
Academical v Glasgow Hawks
Musselburgh v GHA
Watsonians v
Highland
Biggar v Marr
Byes: Dundee Rugby & Heriot’s Blues
Round 2: 16 March 2024
Edinburgh
Academical or Glasgow Hawks v Heriot’s Blues
Dundee Rugby v
Glasgow Academicals or Hawick
Biggar or Marr v Watsonians v
Highland
Musselburgh or GHA v Currie Chieftains or Ayr
I am, of course, a supporter of more Regional rugby and fewer National leagues, but I have to say – well done Hawick, for staying in to defend their crown – but really, the other Borders clubs, putting their own Border League ahead of the national knock-out cup, really need to have a look at themselves.
Tie of the first round for me, looks like the clash of Premiership high-flyers Currie Chieftains and the unbeaten, runaway National 1 pace-setters Ayr. The single all-Premiership clash, between Edinburgh Academical and Glasgow Hawks also has an attractive look, as does the clash of National 1 rivals Watsonians and Highland.
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CUP returns this season, with 26 of the 30 teams in National 2, 3 and 4 entering.
The four opt-outs are: Peebles, Greenock Wanderers, Perthshire and Ross High. Twenty of the entrants will play, with six clubs given byes to set-up a 16-team second round.
Quarter-finals will be played out on Saturday 6 April followed by semi-finals on Saturday 20 April.
Round 1: 9 March 2024
Howe of
Fife v Hillhead Jordanhill
Gordonians v Strathmore
Dumfries
Saints v Berwick
Garnock v Kirkcaldy
Stewartry v
Falkirk
Stirling County v Hamilton Bulls
Whitecraigs v Preston
Lodge
West of Scotland v Allan Glens
Orkney v Aberdeen Grammar
Rugby
Cartha QP v Murrayfield Wanderers
Byes: Boroughmuir, Dunfermline, Lasswade, Newton Stewart, North Berwick, Stewart’s Melville
Round 2: 16 March 2024
Cartha
Queens Park or Murrayfield Wanderers v Whitecraigs or Preston
Lodge
Boroughmuir v Dumfries Saints or Berwick
Newton Stewart v
Stewarts Melville
Stewartry or Falkirk v Gordonians or
Strathmore
Dunfermline v Stirling County or Hamilton Bulls
West
of Scotland or Allan Glens v North Berwick
Garnock or Kirkcaldy v
Howe of Fife or Hillhead Jordanhill
Lasswade v Orkney or Aberdeen
Grammar Rugby
THE NATIONAL SHIELD will be the first of the knock-out tournaments to start, kicking-off on Saturday, 27 January, when 47 Regional League 1 clubs, every one except Clydebank, will begin their journey towards Silver Saturday.
In a slight change to last season, this year the first three rounds drawn are restricted within the regions, with the draw opening out Nationally from the quarter-finals.
Whilst 17 teams have been granted a bye in round one, 30 teams will be in action on Saturday 27 January.
Round 3 will take place on Saturday 2 March, quarter-finals on Saturday 23 March, semi-finals on Saturday 13 April.
Round 1: 27 January 2024
RAF
Lossiemouth v Kinross
Aberdeen Wanderers v Moray
Grangemouth
Stags v Mackie FP
Hillfoots v Panmure
Corstorphine v
Penicuik
Broughton v Royal High
Leith v Dalkeith
Hawick
Linden v Duns
Oban Lorne v Carrick
Kilmarnock v East
Kilbride
Strathendrick v Lomond & Helensburgh
Paisley v
Dalziel
Ardrossan Academicals v Bishopton
Wigtownshire v
Strathaven
Waysiders Drumpellier v Cumnock
Byes: Aberdeenshire, Caithness, Carnoustie HSFP, Ellon, Dunbar, Forrester, Haddington, Hawick Harlequins, Langholm, Linlithgow, Livingston, Portobello, Annan, Cambuslang, Cumbernauld, Lenzie & Uddingston
Round 2: 17 February 2024
Caithness
v Ellon
RAF Lossiemouth or Kinross v Grangemouth Stags or Mackie
FP
Aberdeen Wanderers or Moray v Aberdeenshire
Carnoustie HSFP
v Hillfoots or Panmure
Livingston v Corstorphine or
Penicuik
Hawick Linden or Duns v Langholm
Linlithgow v
Forrester
Leith or Dalkeith v Broughton or Royal High
Portobello
FP v Dunbar
Hawick Harlequins v Haddington
Waysiders
Drumpellier or Cumnock v Annan
Uddingston v Strathendrick or
Lomond & Helensburgh
Kilmarnock or East Kilbride v
Lenzie
Ardrossan Academicals or Bishopton v
Cumbernauld
Wigtownshire or Strathaven v Oban Lorne or
Carrick
Paisley or Dalziel v Cambuslang.
THE DRAW for the four Regional Bowls was also made. The four winners of these competitions will qualify for the semi-finals of the National Bowl. The Bowl competitions are contested by teams in Regional Leagues 2 and 3, and the draws are:
Caledonia Midlands Regional Bowl
Round 1: 17 February 2024
Waid
Academy FP v Bannockburn
Madras v Blairgowrie
Byes: Aberfeldy, Alloa, Crieff & Strathearn, Dundee Uni Medics, Glenrothes & Rosyth Sharks
Caledonia North Regional Bowl
Round 1: 17 February 2024
Deeside v
North Police Scotland
Banff v Ross Sutherland
Aberdeen Uni
Medics v Kinloss Eagles
Fraserburgh v Skye
Byes: Garioch, Inverness Craig Dunain, Shetland & Turriff
East Regional Bowl
East Semi-finals will take place on Saturday 17 February and the Final will be scheduled for Saturday 2 March.
Round 1: 27 January 2024
Edinburgh
Northern v Inverleith
Edinburgh University Medics v
Earlston
Trinity Accies v Lismore
Bye: Gala YM
East Regional Bowl Semi-finals
Gala YM v
Edinburgh Northern or Inverleith
Edinburgh University Medics or
Earlston v Trinity Accies v Lismore
West Regional Bowl
West Regional Semi-final have been scheduled for Saturday 2 March, and the Final on 9 March.
Round 1: 27 January 2024
Moffat v
Irvine
Lochaber v Shawlands
Bye: Birkmyre, Glasgow University Medics, Isle of Mull, Hyndland, Lanark & Clydesdale
Quarter-finals: 17 February 2024
Birkmyre v
Mid Argyll
Lochaber or Shawlands v Isle of Mull
Glasgow
University Medics v Hyndland
Moffat or Irvine v Lanark &
Clydesdale.
No comments:
Post a Comment