Cipriani dropped
Discussion
Surely they must start with S-D, Balshaw's a liability.
EDIT: Story here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/728130...
EDIT: Story here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/728130...
Edited by evenflow on Thursday 6th March 12:53
Good on Ashton for dropping the idiot. I'd kick him out for the last 2 games. Obviously believes his own hype and has developed an ego. 2 nights before you start your first game for Eng and yor in a central London nightclub???
Guy must be thick as pig s
t. Wish he'd taken Balshaw out with him
Guy must be thick as pig s
t. Wish he'd taken Balshaw out with himTheGreatSoprendo said:
hornetrider said:
Just seen it on SSN myself - oh dear oh dear. Balsh back in and S-D on the bench?
Balshaw back and Charlie Hodgson to the bench, apparently. Does Ashton really think Hodgson is the 2nd best available full back in England? The mind boggles...Not 100% on the facts but the general concensus appears to be that DC was a little .... naive. He was pictured leaving a club and does not appear to have any alcohol. He claims to have been dropping some tickets off at friends who were in there. Word from the Wasps camp is that his mum was waiting outside to drive him home etc. Seriously!
ps - She drives a cab...
Ashton was undoubtedly looking for a reason to drop him for his favoured love child?
ps - She drives a cab...
Ashton was undoubtedly looking for a reason to drop him for his favoured love child?
Slaav said:
He claims to have been dropping some tickets off at friends who were in there. Word from the Wasps camp is that his mum was waiting outside to drive him home etc. Seriously!
Why id he have to drop the tickets off at Midnight at a nightclub in Mayfair? Doesn't stack up at all. If it were me, 2 days before my England debut, im wouldn't give a toss about getting tickets to mates and be doing everything possible to prepare for the game. Which means i'd be in bed asleep, resting as im guessing Balshaw wasI think it's bks!! was he drunk no, was acting like a tosser no. He was out late on his day off, was it the night before the game no was it two nights before the game no. Ashton has dropped one big time DC will have a blinder for Wasps at the weekend. While Balshaw will get peppered and his ability under the high ball will be Ashtons nightmare.
ks!! was he drunk no, was acting like a tosser no. He was out late on his day off, was it the night before the game no was it two nights before the game no. Ashton has dropped one big time DC will have a blinder for Wasps at the weekend. While Balshaw will get peppered and his ability under the high ball will be Ashtons nightmare.If he's been dropped for reasons reported then good on Ashton!
Also, reading the Telegraph article a couple of days ago there is a possibility that Lewsey is not in the squad because of a behaviour issue. Guess that won't come out whether or not its true or false.
Having said that would rather Balshaw wasn't in the team. It was intersting listening to Stewart Barnes talking about Balshaw. As he said he is picked on the basis of his Gloucester performances - which are good. But, they play a much looser game than England, which lets face it is pretty one dimensional, so he doesn't really fit into the system of play.
Also, reading the Telegraph article a couple of days ago there is a possibility that Lewsey is not in the squad because of a behaviour issue. Guess that won't come out whether or not its true or false.
Having said that would rather Balshaw wasn't in the team. It was intersting listening to Stewart Barnes talking about Balshaw. As he said he is picked on the basis of his Gloucester performances - which are good. But, they play a much looser game than England, which lets face it is pretty one dimensional, so he doesn't really fit into the system of play.
stimmers said:
Good on Ashton for dropping the idiot. I'd kick him out for the last 2 games. Obviously believes his own hype and has developed an ego. 2 nights before you start your first game for Eng and yor in a central London nightclub???
Guy must be thick as pig st. Wish he'd taken Balshaw out with him
3 nights before he starts a game you mean. Just heard an interview with Shaun Edwards who knows him better than most and more importantly doesn't suffer fools, aswell as Matt Dawson on the BBC, who are totally bemused by Ashton's actions.Guy must be thick as pig s
t. Wish he'd taken Balshaw out with himHe actually set a 60m PB the next morning, so it clearly affected his performance...
Was he drunk? No. As Edwards said, would he have received the same treatment if he was spotted coming out of a theatre or restaurant...
Edited by Jamesf288 on Thursday 6th March 23:30
Jamesf288 said:
3 nights before he starts a game you mean. Just heard an interview with Shaun Edwards who knows him better than most and more importantly doesn't suffer fools, aswell as Matt Dawson on the BBC, who are totally bemused by Ashton's actions.
I guess it depends on what regs the squad was working too. If they were told not to be out and he was, he gets dropped, simple as! My view is that if he was just dropping off tickets then tell the coach what he was going to do and get permission, or drop them off at some other time. Edited by Jamesf288 on Thursday 6th March 23:30
Don't think its going to be that much of a loss, I am probably in a minority of one in thinking he's a decent player but not the mega star in waiting that some quarters are saying. I think England will win with or without him. Either way its a good learning experience!
Jamesf288 said:
stimmers said:
Good on Ashton for dropping the idiot. I'd kick him out for the last 2 games. Obviously believes his own hype and has developed an ego. 2 nights before you start your first game for Eng and yor in a central London nightclub???
Guy must be thick as pig st. Wish he'd taken Balshaw out with him
3 nights before he starts a game you mean. Just heard an interview with Shaun Edwards who knows him better than most and more importantly doesn't suffer fools, aswell as Matt Dawson on the BBC, who are totally bemused by Ashton's actions.Guy must be thick as pig s
t. Wish he'd taken Balshaw out with himHe actually set a 60m PB the next morning, so it clearly affected his performance...
Was he drunk? No. As Edwards said, would he have received the same treatment if he was spotted coming out of a theatre or restaurant...
Edited by Jamesf288 on Thursday 6th March 23:30
If you have played rugby, you will know that if the coach gives you a set of instructions and you break those instructions, your in big trouble. I don't see whats so hard for people to understand, this is the way rugby works, at any level and Cipriani knows this. Its a lesson learnt and he won't do it again. Move on.
Greenwood sums it up perfectly '2 nights before the biggest game of your life and your first England cap you do not go to a nightclub anywhere - FACT. The guys have a manager called Viv who can sort out tickets for mates. Clive Woodward would never have stood for it and im sure Warren Gatland wouldn't stand for players leaving nightclubs after midnight few days before a big game'
Let's check his options:
1. Post the tickets.
2. Use a courier to take the tickets.
3. Get the friend to come to me, after all it's to their advantage.
4. Leave them at the ticket office at Murrayfield.
5. Let Viv, the Englan man who handles all this, especially tickets for mates sort it out.
6. Go to a nightclub at midnight to hand them over where the media always hang out anyway.
Hmmm!! It's a poser isn't it Rodders?
fk me, I actually agree with stimmers 
I do think that England (or rather, Ashton) are cutting their noses off to spite their face somewhat but if they bent the rules for Cipriani then they'd have to bend them for everyone else. Rules are rules, and the lad I think was most naive.
He certainly won't be doing it again.
k me, I actually agree with stimmers I do think that England (or rather, Ashton) are cutting their noses off to spite their face somewhat but if they bent the rules for Cipriani then they'd have to bend them for everyone else. Rules are rules, and the lad I think was most naive.
He certainly won't be doing it again.
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