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Post by LegendaryApe on Aug 1, 2022 13:14:40 GMT
Their bromance has certainly overtaken our hearts.
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Post by Danno on Aug 1, 2022 13:34:34 GMT
Da fuq? I was saving myself for you, ape
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 1, 2022 14:01:42 GMT
Hang on a second - I thought I was the "other guy" in a love triangle with Danno and Aunt Alison?
Not that I mind in the slightest if Ape gets involved, but we'd have to call it a love square from that point forward.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 2, 2022 11:13:58 GMT
I promise I won't keep derailing the thread with more woe-is-Wasps content, but... ...and you knew there was a "but" coming... ...there's an interesting story in The Times today, closely linked to this very issue: archive.ph/o4W0PRumour has it that Sisu - the hedge fund that owns Coventry City - is potentially interested in selling said football club, in no small part due to the situation in which Wasps find themselves. The idea seems to be that Wasps' financial woes may present a chance for a potential buyer to purchase Coventry City *and* the lease for the Ricoh Arena, which would presumably be a far more attractive prospect than buying CCFC alone. In short, the sharks may have sensed blood in the water. |
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 10, 2022 15:34:09 GMT
This probably belongs in the scone thread, but I'm buggered if I'm going to kick that hornets' nest: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62483992(And yes, I know I could've said wasps' nest, thereby bringing the conversation back to that topic, but I'm too hot and depressed.) |
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Post by Ulythium on Aug 27, 2022 10:44:42 GMT
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Aug 28, 2022 9:28:58 GMT
It's making me hopeful for the autumn and that's probably a mistake.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 2, 2022 11:15:55 GMT
With the 2022-23 Gallagher Premiership season due to kick off one week today, the state of top-flight English club rugby is... interesting, to say the least!
Wasps *still* haven't repaid the bondholders, nor have they provided a meaningful update in that regard since late July; indeed, this past Wednesday was the latest of their self-imposed deadlines to fall by the wayside, as the consent solicitation process was meant to begin in August, and... well... didn't. Since then, radio silence has prevailed.
Fortunately for Derek Richardson and company, the situation at Wasps has been well and truly eclipsed by that of another West Midlands club - apparently, the owners of Worcester Warriors looked at how badly Wasps had been screwing the financial pooch, and responded with, "Hold my beer."
At the time of writing, Worcester players and staff still haven't received their wages for August; moreover, a good number of them are reported to have submitted the rugby equivalent of resignation letters, ahead of their first scheduled game against London Irish a week tomorrow.
TL;DR - professional rugby in England is a financial basket case, and has been since long before COVID (which, admittedly, make things a hundred times worse). Things can't continue as they are, and it seems like a question of when, not if, the first domino will fall.
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Post by GigaChad Sigma. on Sept 15, 2022 12:03:15 GMT
NZ Aussie just played a (weird) Thursday night Test.
Anyway a wild game, scores neck to neck on several occasions. It looked like NZ had lost with a couple of minutes to go but the Referee made some wild calls/cards and there's some literal last minute drama.
Check out the highlights if you're a rugby fan.
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Post by Dougs on Sept 15, 2022 12:21:52 GMT
Oooh, am intrigued now.
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Post by Danno on Sept 15, 2022 12:38:38 GMT
WTAF at that last pen. I have never, ever seen that enforced
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 15, 2022 13:29:28 GMT
Totally unrelated to the Test, but definitely related to rugby:
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 15, 2022 13:40:08 GMT
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 15, 2022 13:59:37 GMT
This could very well have been a red card for Australia, though, so I guess it sort of evens out:
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Post by bichii on Sept 15, 2022 14:52:40 GMT
Was very annoying and stupid of the number 10 after his team mates did such incredible work to get to that position.
Was one hell of a game though and I think next year's world cup could be incredible as there are maybe 8 very competitive teams who could all beat each other on the right day.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 15, 2022 17:28:10 GMT
RIP Eddie Butler - sad news.
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Post by Danno on Sept 15, 2022 17:46:34 GMT
Yeah, I found his commentary pretty unbearable but still respected him
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 15, 2022 17:49:42 GMT
Same here, actually!
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Post by elstoof on Sept 15, 2022 18:01:21 GMT
fucking hell, Eddie Butler. What a great shame
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Post by Danno on Sept 16, 2022 12:31:53 GMT
Worcester have scraped through with their safety certificate, so they're playing this weekend. Still no update on the sale
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 16, 2022 13:37:35 GMT
"Scraped through" is right - they'll be able to fulfil Sunday's fixture against Chiefs, but in terms of the Club's long-term status, this has just kicked the proverbial can a bit further down the road.
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Post by Trowel 🏴 on Sept 18, 2022 21:23:54 GMT
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 21, 2022 21:55:32 GMT
The Wasps debacle continues apace, as they announce their intention to appoint an administrator in a bid to stop HMRC from filing a winding-up petition, thereby buying themselves two weeks' worth of time to find £50m down the back of the couch.
Meanwhile, Worcester have two new deadlines from the powers that be - one to get this weekend's game on (tomorrow at midday), and the other to continue in the Premiership beyond said match (17:00 on Monday).
Additionally, Jim Hamilton reckons that another two top-flight English clubs are in a similar boat.
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Sept 25, 2022 1:31:37 GMT
Yeah English rugby seems to be in an insane financial black hole, though also Welsh and I think Australian.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 26, 2022 17:40:37 GMT
Worcester are suspended from the leagues and placed into administration.
Shitty news for all concerned.
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Post by Danno on Sept 27, 2022 1:54:43 GMT
Hard to imagine being a fan atm.
Interesting points made on The Ruck (podcast) this week.
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Post by Danno on Sept 27, 2022 1:55:43 GMT
Hard to imagine being a fan atm. Interesting points made on The Ruck (podcast) this week. It's 3am I cannot elaborate on either of those statements. But I should. |
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 30, 2022 22:23:12 GMT
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Post by Danno on Sept 30, 2022 22:28:51 GMT
It's a surprise that this wasn't a prepack in the end. That will be down to the Directors fucking around and failing to either accept advice, or scuppering the deal for some reason imo.
Turns out that HMRC have pressed for the winding up hearing on Weds to go ahead, while Wuss have more or less confirmed that players (whose contracts are held by a separate, not in admin company) were not paid/will not be paid for September, allowing them to trigger break clauses in 14 days.
Can't see any outcome other than relegation, but god knows how they'd even field a 23 in the Championship (even next year) at this point.
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Post by Ulythium on Sept 30, 2022 23:36:32 GMT
As I understand it, the directors were desperate to avoid administration at all costs - they claimed to have the best interests of the business at heart, but rampant internet speculation says that they wanted to avoid a forensic examination of their recent dealings.
In addition, while the company that holds the players' contracts isn't in administration yet, it could well be in said position by Wednesday; if that comes to pass, the players and other staff will be out of work right away, rather than in 14 days' time.
Like Danno, I can't see any option except for expulsion from the Premiership. Didn't Richmond end up in a similar position years ago, and slowly worked their way from the lower leagues to the Championship? Perhaps Wuss will be able to build back better, to use Joe Biden's terminology.
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