I was telling my kids yesterday about the “Golden age” from 1989 when the USSR started to crumble that ended in 2010 when the effects of the financial crisis started to hit. Been all downhill since then with no end in sight as far as I can see.
I was telling my kids yesterday about the “Golden age” from 1989 when the USSR started to crumble that ended in 2010 when the effects of the financial crisis started to hit. Been all downhill since then with no end in sight as far as I can see.
Completely gone over my head, this has.
Why they aren't protesting outside New Scotland Yard?
No emotion = why am I wasting my time and money on this? Emotion = when are the fixtures out so I can plan?
I like that they don't fuck about with 2nd rows either. 3 and 4? We don't need those donkeys. We can all push and jump
From "highly CONFLICTED" to "Highly Respected" in just weeks — and all it took was for him to give away 10% of his company
Just add the need for age verification to VPN providers? Too simple? (I expect so)
Ask yourself *why* the French have a massive TV deal. It's because the product is the best around. And it is getting stronger and better still, because it is club focussed. As for investing in Welsh rugby that's stuck in the URC, you're right. Completely pointless.
Surely no business is going to do that though?
I genuinely do NOT understand the idiocy of having Putin proxies on TV News, like Sergei Markov just now screaming Russian propaganda on Sky News for ten minutes. We are at war with Russia. When before has UK media ever platformed enemy states who attack our allies and poison people in our streets?
The law requires all users to verify their ages before using common social media sites ranging from Facebook to Nextdoor.
Isn’t because they all still pick up a copy of the mail/express/telegraph every day?
They claim to have shared audited accounts with the Scarlets. Would a 3rd party be able to validate those accounts?
Close to £3m, according to some people.
Awesome
Beautiful architecture though, and reasonably priced restaurants, right? Went there in 2018 and thought what a beautiful city with awesome public transport. Although a taxi driver did tell me how glad he was that they got rid of all the black people. Shame some idiot is in charge.
These people live in a fantasy world which never comes to pass, but is nevertheless imminently inevitable. Fascinating
Well that’s the same as closing down really. I suppose it would be ok for a small time club at a small ground, but not for us.
That’s the game currently being played! Just not on the pitch
Being one of the +2 is just accelerating your demise. 4 teams already equals poverty status and aiming for mid table. Assuming the pie is the same size, what is the point of accepting a smaller slice?
Arresting 400+ people for the "terrorist" offence of protesting against mass murder while large segments of the right are openly encouraging riots against immigrants is a tale of a very unhappy country and government.
Cardiff Dragons would satisfy that No merger/ culling will be able to be sold to the "losing" side This is gambling everything on success I think there's a good chance that 2 sides that could go toe to toe w/ decent Irish, English & French opposition could be built into 10-12k attendances.
I think fighting is clearly the order of the day, given the Crys letter was likely approved or even requested by the Scarlets' board I assume the new overlords were in on the conversation I guess Short may think he has the infrastructure and now the money to finally win his battle with Rob D
Plenty of love to go around. The Scarlets will be fine, I reckon.
I think those are all reasonable assumptions. RP doesn't need to be sold off/ turned into houses Buttress et al, having acquired it for £1, can monetise it with the football team & the other things you mention Probably not profitable, but maybe enough to wash its face while they retain the asset.
If WRU go to two as widely predicted, pro rugby in Gwent is doomed. I expect a few games at RP in the short term (possibly St Helens too) and if CAP ever gets redeveloped then the Cardiff Dragons can play at RP for a season or two.
Sorry. Access the larger Cardiff market and eventually dispose of RP, or use in some future development/ redevelopment
No fun on the Sabbath Ed. Wright and Buttress and others in a consortium. (In the event of a reduction). They get the chance to do access the much larger
The Dragons owners are interested in buying Cardiff, allegedly. That problem could soon be resolved
And the account on Gwlad was invited to SF. It’s Moffo
I know!
House of filthy lucre
The one on the right is the sort of “big truck” that UK drivers lust after and wonder if they’ll be able to get into their parking spot
Rugby Australia expect to clear their substantial debt after this summer's Lions tour, while the constituent Unions of the Lions are largely facing significant cost-cutting measures. So who gets what from a Lions tour? gwladrugby.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/b...
They did object
I can’t believe Adam Fleming’s line of questioning to JRM on Newsnight. I have to give rare credit to Moggy for his sensible answers
An update from Lance Bradley on St Helen's, plus THREE announcements 🗣️ 📅 Season Membership on sale on 12th August 👕 Kit launch on 5th September 🏉 Pre-season vs Exeter Chiefs confirmed at the Dunraven Brewery Field 🎬 youtu.be/rkjWsYs-xk0
Serves ‘em right I say
Absolutely. It does open a question about other things reserved for over 18s though
International selection is invitational though and therefore not restraint of trade, no matter how poorly the PNI is handled by the WRU. Others have posted sections of the PRA showing that regions must be informed of the PNI list by 1st August
This has merit actually. One of the arguments for votes at 16, which I agree with, is that 16 year olds can marry and have sex etc.
The problem is that doom can become self-fulfilling. Public perception about the country is increasingly disconnected from how they feel about their own lives. So I look at how government can boost confidence, while acknowledging the real challenges that exist.
Yeah it’s hard to see how international and club rugby can co-exist in small nations using the same players
I learned a bit about this from @drtomjones.bsky.social a while ago. Is it just that football soaks up all the cash? Or does test rugby soak up all the cash? You can see why CVC thought rugby was undervalued, but TV deals have got worse since their investment
I loved that interview. Wasn’t it more like “Are you asking me to question my teammates?” , which I thought was fantastic
Have a good one Mart
This seems to be a constant attitude from the front pages and I agree that in some ways it can be self-fulfilling. I can’t remember such a constant diet of doom prior to the 24 elections though.
If we win a game in the Autumn at all, fans will be delighted. 😀
This is the reason we’ve been governed mostly by Tories for my 54 years There seems more appetite from left of centre voters to attack Lab for being insufficiently socialist/pacifist than to attack Tories/Reform I count my own Mum in this. Lifelong Labour, now wants them to fail for same reasons.
To pitch your idea please submit this Google form. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Blair Murray wouldn’t have been stripped there
Tom Rogers never butchers a two man overlap
Baby voice: Things can be good without being perfect. You must learn to grasp this fact. If you are unable to do so, you will have a very thankless life, politically and personally.
He’s not
Roll on Graduation Day
Healey: "No government wishes to withhold information from the public, parliamentarians or the press in this manner." Having sat in these courts for two years and watched governments handle this up close, you could have fooled me.
What can you do with this? I'm reminded of the post-Brexit years where many didn't care if their jobs/ industries/ livelihood were at risk as long as we took back control/ kept foreigners out/ Thwarted the WEF etc.
Here we go then. October is D Day www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/...
Because Brexit worked so well for Wales Same grifters, different name First they shit on manufacturing in Wales with Brexit and next they'll tell you they're going to sort out immigration when what they'll really do is gut public services and privatise whatever they can. Yet some thickos..
Loose change
I think I read that
God’s country
100% Serious. Obviously Jac will be happy to have a home stadium again, but I'm concerned about the others. #RugbyFamily
Yep. Those Osprey players will have to work hard to get into the Scarlets squad next season
The main positive from today was how good all of the Scarlets players were. Murray, Rogers, Plumtree all excellent, Macleod easily seren y gem. It would be great to see the players from other teams pulling their weight - a definite work on for the autumn. Anyway, today is about the positives. 😎🏴
The Autumn tests are going to be a horror show for Wales, aren’t they? 🫣
The Telegraph today carries a news story about someone paying £7.4 million for a handbag (Hello, Lady Bracknell!). And an opinion piece describing a wealth tax as a ‘moral abomination’. What a time to be alive.
Just got back from the 🏏 and catching up with the latest public shaming of the WRU. Apparently the WRU CEO is in Japan. So I assume she’s met the players to discuss their concerns- as any self-respecting CEO would.
🚨Don’t believe the myth: Britain’s services exports have been hit hard by Brexit Important @chrisgiles.ft.com piece writing up LSE paper. on.ft.com/3GyOyK5
And my Axe 🪓
The Irish are surely more to blame for the current predicament than anyone? That’s self evident to anyone looking at this objectively
Yet they continue to have a big influence on the agenda and our politicians
Always impressed how the papers know what millions of people privately believe.
bsky.app/profile/dann...
Dan does say it should be done though, in some form
I mean it’s Okay to prefer the URC to the possibility of an AW, but to paint the opposite as some form of neocolonial subservience is just weird. Especially when the URC was conceived with absolutely no mechanism for the Welsh clubs to have a voice.
That’s a weird take. I have seen nothing like that
This feels different.
I for one, welcome our new/old English overlords: www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/...
Good luck persuading the populists that we give up our central bank and join the €. Most of them think Ireland should rejoin the UK and the £
My question is, does anyone actually want the job? Is that why they didn't have a permanent coach in for this tour, or as most people would assume the WRU are completely incompetent and don't have a clue what they're doing?
The only way we’re getting Welsh representation sadly 😥
Wrong country pal
Spot on!
Both those things are true. Depending on how much integrity the recipient of cash is. Goes for government contractors as much as benefits claimants.
While Westminster is agonising about welfare cuts, I know people getting PIP for morning sickness, or knee ops- years after giving birth/ recovering. Ppl get £000s benefits where their kids have ADHD/ASD, which are both real, but where the costs of treatment lie with the state, not the household
The right are strongly opposed to big government when it means giving people healthcare but not when it means terrorising them.
I desperately wanted to like those first two for my daughter’s sake but it must be my age. Seemed to be a lot of shouting about pussy and dick. Doechii looks amazing, at least.
Common People!!
I'm actually loving Sky's Lions coverage. It's so retro!
Why is this part so, @danneidle.bsky.social ?
Tomorrow is #danielhannanday - join me in celebrating the great British virtues of Absurd deference to public schoolboys Being completely wrong but blaming eveyone else Rewarding failure by elevating people to the Lords with a £75k pa expense allowance. Pl repost www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
I see rugby pass tv seems to have crashed
Lovely night last night.
Yeah, and there's a lot of talk about it at the office, from people who rarely mention regional rugby to be fair.
I think the general decline of rugby in the mainstream consciousness doesn't help. Domestic leagues get v little TV coverage, even highlights these days. Europe has been trashed. Clubs going bust. So it doesn't feel so much like the top of a pyramid of excellence, more like a cherry on a turd.
“Argentina A”
The line out will need sorting in time for next weekend
I suppose I can get that away trip to Chicago in