Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:23 am  

I thought yesterday was weird. Approx 3k Bradford fans and almost no Toulouse supporters apart from players families watched a team of at least 8 non-French players outclass a team of predominantly local players (with a few Lancashire). Toulouse are a good side who will get promoted heralded by articles like this: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... r-audience It is Orwellian. At odds with any reality. Catalans played at Salford to 1800. TV deals are falling. Crowds dwindling. Did a small group of French ex-pats, perhaps in University departments across the region go the game yesterday? Was there 20/30 young urbane types clapping the Toulouse tries? NO. There is simply no evidence - a whiff of kool aid. That a 'nouvea' (see what I did there) wealthy architect of the modern game now owns the Bulls and is ultimately responsible for the quality of our squad just felt surreal. And unpalatable. Before we even talk about how that happened.

I thought yesterday was weird. Approx 3k Bradford fans and almost no Toulouse supporters apart from players families watched a team of at least 8 non-French players outclass a team of predominantly local players (with a few Lancashire). Toulouse are a good side who will get promoted heralded by articles like this: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... r-audience It is Orwellian. At odds with any reality. Catalans played at Salford to 1800. TV deals are falling. Crowds dwindling. Did a small group of French ex-pats, perhaps in University departments across the region go the game yesterday? Was there 20/30 young urbane types clapping the Toulouse tries? NO. There is simply no evidence - a whiff of kool aid. That a 'nouvea' (see what I did there) wealthy architect of the modern game now owns the Bulls and is ultimately responsible for the quality of our squad just felt surreal. And unpalatable. Before we even talk about how that happened.

Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:57 am  

Mission accomplished then:

* Played game (which didn't have to play because we didn't have enough players)
* Ensure we play away from home
* Get absolutely mullered
* Lose key players to injury

Great success.

Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:38 am  

Fr13daY wrote:

Mission accomplished then:

* Played game (which didn't have to play because we didn't have enough players)
* Ensure we play away from home
* Get absolutely mullered
* Lose key players to injury

Great success.

How have we ensure we play away from home? We are 4th atm that’s the home tie?

[Bullseye]

Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:38 am  

M@islebugs wrote:

That a 'nouvea' (see what I did there) wealthy architect of the modern game now owns the Bulls and is ultimately responsible for the quality of our squad just felt surreal. And unpalatable. Before we even talk about how that happened.

I try not to think about it too often.

[Bullseye]

Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:40 am  

When the squad was announced the result was kind of inevitable. Well done to the team for never giving up. Bad to lose Pickersgill, typical that this happens but it could happen in any game and despite the gripes about us playing at all I think we should fulfil fixtures if at all possible. Just because other clubs are allegedly gaming the system doesn't mean we should.

Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:42 am  

Pyrah123 wrote:

How have we ensure we play away from home? We are 4th atm that’s the home tie?

Ah, sorry yeah. I was on about the home game on Sunday at our home in Dewsbury.

Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:50 am  

I don't care that we got soundly beaten by the top team in the division.

The idea of a rugby club is to play rugby whether we are going to win or lose. It doesn't matter that we had the chance to duck out of the match on technical grounds. How long would those young players that filled in stay with the club if they knew we would avoid playing a match rather than put them in the team?

Frankly, I am really enjoying this season. Winning more than we lose and with a good number of home-grown players. I'm glad we didn't get the last-minute place in Super-Dooper League.

Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:59 am  

That was pretty poor and losing Pickersgill is a bad one but how good are Toulouse?

Great support play.

Re: Toulouse (H) : Mon Sep 06, 2021 10:33 am  

Hats off to Toulouse they are a very good team but also hats off to the young lads yesterday they were really impressive and never gave up, just a shame about the injuries.