Also plays in a league that has media that looks to boost/hype players.
Morse at say Saracens would be hyped so much more.
Next season will be interesting to see how the profile of Morgan and Lake is raised across the English rugby media landscape.
Pollock and Morse have about equal amounts of game time at club level.
Morse 1840 mins for Ospreys
Pollock 2489 mins for Northampton, 517 is in the Premiership Cup so 1972 mins.
A major difference with Pollock is that Borthwick picks him.
A good parallel to McKenzie Martin is Chandler Cunningham-South.
Both about the same age and had decent showings at the 2023 U20 RWC.
CCS has 23 caps and nearly 4000 mins of pro rugby under his belt
Martin has 5 caps and 1100 mins of pro rugby.
Riley Higgins to Edinburgh.
Qualifies for both Scotland and Wales.
edinburghrugby.org/news-and-fea...
If we look at the England team it's usually around 40-50% state school before the age of 16, sometimes higher.
Across the Prem I believe it's around 60-65% state school before the age of 16
Slight difference with Itoje is that he was boarding at St Georges which is ~£6k a term.
Although it is a state school at the same time.
Iirc if you look at current English players in the Prem, prior to age 16 it's something like 60-70% were state educated. Post 16 that drops to 40% as they get scholarships etc.
Itoje went to St George's School in Harpenden before Harrow at age 16 (same school as Farrell).
AWJ was at Llandovery from 16 on a partial scholarship, Rhodri Jones and North also went to Llandovery at 16 for sixth form.
Hallam Amos I think is the only player who was at private school from age 11.
Up the Mountain from Rocky IV syncs really well with the torture scene in The Passion of the Christ
Moana Pasifika to fold at end of Super Rugby season.
archive.ph/2026.04.14-0...
And even with public schools in England if you look at where players were schooled before the age of 16 then iirc it's around 60%+ who were state school boys and then picked up with scholarships.
England pack who started v France. Genge, Heyes, Chessum and Itoje state school at age 16
The comment from Dillon Lewis on how little communication he had with the likes of Gatland, Pivac and their coaching team is shocking.
What on earth was the coaching team doing between test windows?
It upset the crayon eating WRU Zealots who are claiming that there are loads of factual inaccuracies.
They don't list them and given their track record it means that Squidge has hit the spot
Summary from Alex Bywater on Twitter
EGM summary:
124 clubs in attendance
No objections to motions being withdrawn
Clubs were presented to on future direction of travel
Executive maintained commitment to going to three teams
Still no decision made on who goes
New chair in place by summer.
Summary from Alex Bywater on Twitter
EGM summary:
124 clubs in attendance
No objections to motions being withdrawn
Clubs were presented to on future direction of travel
Executive maintained commitment to going to three teams
Still no decision made on who goes
New chair in place by summer.
Well that EGM predictably turned out to be a nothing burger.
Instead it's given the WRU space to claim that it's held a Q&A with the clubs and had a club official say that they support the WRU proposals.
www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/...
Minor point about Leigh Halfpenny.
First capped by Wales in the autumn of 2008 when he was 19.
My first is "how high are the ceilings in that house"
Be disappointed
Rogers confirmed.
"I’m really looking forward to testing myself in a different environment."
archive.ph/f2DRB
Lose the SA teams and that's 36 teams for European Competition (37 if include Black Lions)
Have Champions Cup as a 16 team comp? Top 5 from each league (minus SA) + winner. Then remainder into Challenge?
Having the SA teams in the URC but not Europe would need a rejig.
If it's to be 8 teams from the URC into the Champions Cup then at the moment you have the team finishing 12th into the Champions Cup.
Rogers confirmed.
"I’m really looking forward to testing myself in a different environment."
archive.ph/f2DRB
The Times are on a bit of a roll at the moment with interviewing hookers.
archive.ph/2026.04.09-0...
Tom Rogers to Ospreys.
Scarlets looking at Ioan Jones, Page, Mee and Murray as back 3 for next season?
www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/...
Because some of them are better than homegrown players?
Look at Ryan Smith at the Os, their fans will till you he's been one of their best forwards.
Or Fletcher Anderson at Scarlets
He was first mentioned about 12 months ago by Wales Online as a WQ player along with Riley and Kienan Higgins.
Tahlor Cahill not interested in playing for Wales at the moment.
Not exactly an earth shattering revelation.
www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/...
Sale had the better offer?
archive.ph/IAgqg
