URC Unloaded S3 E17

[Music] hello welcome to this episode of unloaded with Shanks Fez and Barkley you need toate your name somehow Barkley sounds crap doesn’t it I said I need a nickname I don’t know what’s wrong with yours a Shanks is Fez I was bar but that’s abouta you got a few toenails oh yeah toenails that doers Doggers prince prince thrush you got a few you’ve got you’ve got a few anyway pick yeah we go with barks barks sounds a little bit better how are you lad your okay I’m good I’m great great back from week of holiday Shanks thanks for asking I know you’re a big fan I had a lovely time thank you where are you at currently I’m in London back work okay lifestyle of rich and famous a if I come back I always said I wanted to come back as Sir G Edwards but if I if I die I want to come back as John Barkley I totally agree totally agree you know money tree out the back I’ll ask I’ll ask you the same question I’ll ask you the same question sh ask Stevie and then I’ll tell you what Stevie’s answer was I said how many hours of work do you do a week not including rugby you include looking after your kids work though so it doesn’t work just answer the question um I don’t have to work it out what I’m seasonal well there we go 9 to5 M over here Stevie did three hours one week oh why up why up you said that5 got full job yeah 90% of the population you work exactly how’ you do that last get paid work last get paid more that’s what you anyway look you do this all day we could do this all day do all but let’s not because we have managed to bag ourselves a great guest we’ve got James hum outside Center for El which means he must be an absolute Legend a baller how are you yeah mate not bad not bad I’ve been better but I can’t complain no one will listen anyway sorry there a bit of a crap opening question how are you you got you got an ACL hav you at the moment yeah a full ACL rupture miniscus tear and LCL repair as well so full work what’s what’s LCL lateral yeah lateral lateral is it Jack do jackline James H did you do it jackling uh no it was I literally was stepping in the contact my knee just completely buckled um it’s quite it was so innoxious and it was kind of terrifying cuz I’ve been doing that step probably whole career and just completely give out so have to get my mind right before I get back and bit of confidence and stepping again so how long does it take nowadays from getting injured to getting it scanned getting it operated on is it is it quick process um this was completely different anything I’ve done so this that was my sixth surgery I’m 25 so I’ve had a fair share um but this is different than anything I’ve ever had so usually you know Friday night game get injured get scanmed on the Monday and then usually you’re you know under the knife Tuesday maybe maybe I had it Monday night before in London quick turnaround but ACL was scanning Monday and then three and a half weeks waiting for the swell and to go down to get your knee nice and dry so they can go in and do a good job um so very very tedious doing three and a half weeks of rehab for a surgery um and then obviously it’s I’m three weeks a Monday there post surgery I so pretty much had six and a half weeks of not moving a lot which isn’t this isn’t too fun what’s the recovery so I was gonna ask I remember when I played like used to be nine months and six months yeah it VAR like but I think now the research is pretty adamant that it’s around nine um they think there’s a risk of re redoing it if it’s below that but obviously I think see Ley did it in five and a half or six or something recently know just get just get Peter St the toy to get his dad to give him his hamstring to put it back in and come back in three months or something I’ve been looking at your just your social medias James and just like you’ve been pretty good at like sort of almost blogging how you’re going to you know your recovery and and how hard it can be and I think that’s brilliant for you know because people don’t understand it us three obviously do being injured over the years but are you going to continue on with that and and use that as sort of motivation to keep working hard as well yeah it’s do you know what it was it was out of complete boredom like I honestly there was times I didn’t move from the sofa all day and I was like you know what might as well just do something like this but now that I’m able to walk about a bit more and drive and stuff I can I don’t know might might slow down a bit on the posting but we’ll see depends how bored I get pretty much but no I do appreciate that as well thank you is like you know people do like to see behind the scenes and probably people don’t ever get a grasp if I it is and I don’t even think I’ve documented how hard it is mentally so far so you know there’s even more than what I’m putting out there as well just on that just on the mental side of it James like how important is it that you go into training every day and that you’re speaking to the lads and you’re constantly being involved instead of just distancing yourself I know the first couple of weeks is tricky because you are on the sofa you’re just dicing you’re and through the Mund and things but it is important to get back into that team environment to keep picking yourself up and like you probably don’t don’t see it as much but you’re supporting the lads as much as they’re supporting you so it is vital um to keep keep in that Squad environment isn’t it yeah definitely I I mean like the first week was you know tough trying to get over the pain like I I did not did not expect it to be that sore like I’ve had broken ankle I’ve had torn hamstring off the bone and everything that was the sorest week of I’ve ever experienced like it was honestly unbearable I can’t couldn’t even explain it but then when you see the surgery what they’re doing they’re absolutely tearing you apart when you’re unconscious like and ripping your knee apart so but yeah what sorry looking at things they shouldn’t so small um but like yeah after got after our first week um but yeah after I got in after that um you know Lads are delighted to see you again and then I’ve been in pretty I’m just trying to go in every day to be honest because sitting around the house just isn’t me at all um so I like to split it up somehow and even just going and getting coffees different places just to kill time so I don’t have to sit in the same spot and all but yeah the lads have been have been nothing but good to me and you know I appreciate their support James just on the uh feels like a new ster we we were at the lster game a few weeks ago um obviously new coach um you’ll have a different angle on that you’re obviously missing out on obviously the training and obviously the matches at the moment but can you give us a bit of insight into just the ch change in I guess the environment and the sort of background culture that’s going on at the moment yeah um so Richie came in uh first game of South Africa was his first proper game um so I think I maybe had like seven weeks maybe six weeks or seven weeks training under him um he’s obviously so intricate with the detail which we needed cuz I feel like we went through the motions and training and we didn’t train the standard that wasn’t was going to make you better in anyway shap or form and then when we get to our performances and they’re subpar then you’re like why is it subpar and then you got to revert back to your training I remember the first session in Cape Town after the loss against sharks he was just like [ __ ] we’re speeding this up this is [ __ ] like there was one one line out I think we went it was two and a half minutes we went from a stop and play to the next line out so that was that first session was death he was just throwing a ball and being like nine out five four 3 two and like oh my God this is going to be it but we’ve started you know going up that way um and it’s unfortunate I haven’t been a part of the past few weeks where they’ve really started to you know it’s really started to click for them um and you can see everyone is confident in their role so I’m really hoping that goes through the end a good end of the season here and then you know we’ll pick up speed again and preseason in the next James you strike me as someone I I we watch also obviously not as much as maybe CV but you always strike me as a quite niggly player quite enjoy the the uh that side of the game confrontation side of the game just talk me through the celebra yeah celebrating I love it I love it yeah I love it it’s good to see that uh just talk us through obviously the next couple weeks um the plans also in the playoffs um any involvement you’ve had in and around that side of the game trying to get the boy give the boys I guess Intel detail uh and I guess how much you gonna miss these playoffs games yeah I think the with rugby like the celebration I just is so hated on cuz I feel like it’s real it’s like an older culture within rugby so like someone celebrates and they’re like I hate that guy he’s just he looks I’m like I’m just like ah gotta get the boys going like but um no I haven’t really been in meetings too much cuz like sitting on my leg bent for too long and stuff get real sore so only I went in this week uh the meetings and just you know the team announcement stuff um like the there’s not much I can do as um as someone who’s injured when you have that level of experience in the team um like will is like I genuinely if I was fit no if I came back no I don’t think I get into the team will has been unbelievable like so so solid that 13 that 13 shirt he’s defending like a maniac he’s he he’s out the back of those PS playing like a 10 so hats off to him for going into that and just fitting in seamlessly um but when you have Lads like Billy him Stu you know hen’s been around the squad a bit giving advice and then you have young Lads that piping up as well so you know I’m not I’m not needed so I just I’ve just sat back and let that let that flow they’re obviously going the right direction so look at this game this weekend um Irish Derby it’s going to be huge you obviously beat lenser recently at the kingspan what do you think the team has to do away in Dublin well I think L will be out for blood obviously after the the Champions Cup um they’ll be going all in so I think away from home at the vi we’re you know we’ll good we’ll have good traveling support as always but it’s a it’s a negly place to go with the atmosphere I think we’ve just got to just got to be brutal I think in every aspect of the game and because usually you know I’ve played against lster before when you go down there and you get really really shocked about how hard they’re carrying how hard they’re hitting in defense I think if we that and just let our game take us there you know we get we could get a win easy James I just want to mention somebody that’s come into everybody’s eyes a bit like you only a few years ago and he’s in the back row cormack is a chuk um he played a number of times roster more so in in in the second row I’ve seen him a couple of times playing for ball in the hch playing Club rugby and everybody’s talking about this guy as being you know a serious athlete and only over the last five or six weeks we’ve really seen the true cormack is auk Wu just a few words from from a teammate to sort of back up his performances and how good he’s been over the last couple of weeks serious athlete doesn’t even cut it like that man is a freak freak athlete like freaking the gym yeah H well just like yeah freaking the gym left seriously heavy lowers heavy uppers and he’s doing four or five walk bikes a week every off day he’s in the gym but an hour and a half two hours just like banging out some core like no injuries a b no surgeries yet John’s got free w bike has got free w bike 100% he had an ACL I think in 20 that’s right yeah I think since then though he’s just built this like bulletproof body around it he’s like so fed so fast so strong so I was really really excited when I saw him get put in that six shirt and as you said uh he’s delivered he’s been absolutely unbelievable so you know he’s the type of player that will move forward in that position and getting confidence but he could be the difference for us in big games in the future you know so we think we think ster are G to do it this weekend do we Y and AA yeah I think I think lenser might be there for the taking I think they’re looking a little bit shaky at the moment it depends what team they pick mind as well and whether they go for sort of the European team or whether they go for the URC team but we’ll leave you go James um we really hope you recover well we’re big fans of you and we want to see you back on that pitch as soon as possible hope the reab goes well awesome nice one appreciate that thanks thank you thank you jumer is it jumer do you think jumer yeah I want to call him jumer yeah I think bit like a bit like Barkley he’s got half a dozen nicknames I think what about J barks J barks jks hey you guys J doers J JB you should you just need to reinvent yourself as a JB that’s I’m always JB you are a JB but not everyone knows you as a JB today go JB what’s your middle what’s your middle name John Hugo Charlie Arthur Charlie JCB no it’s not Arthur Adam Adam Adam not exciting pretty mundane a lot effort that didn’t they jab jab there we go jab oh done anyway shank you mentioned there just about this weekend and I know we’ll we’ll touch on it probably a little bit more but I was I was wanting this just throw it in there like you know the allra been brilliant but an area of weakness is their scrum like again last weekend against monster like that was what one monster of the game was a few scrum penalty so I’m confident that they can matx them at the minute with a skill set if it’s a good day weatherwise um I’m really excited to see see but just that set Pace especially if they pick their tag for long hoarder she so we’ll see what you me like oh man I totally agree I totally agree I’m not convinced no me neither no we’ve changed they probably come out with the storm we’ll start then with the weekend’s games lener we just we just been given them a bit of stick really and they beat Conor 337 so it’s of feels a little bit weird but Stevie talk us through yeah I don’t know how good lent were or how poor conut were in way oh con were con were really really poor it took them 40 minutes to get going the scrum got decimated like Finley beum he second choice um tight head prop for Ireland and he got absolutely pumped um by what many people think is a second string ler side Jack cor I don’t know what Jack cardi was doing there he new man no idea there he went for the interet as well for the O’Brien try don’t they like defensively centers yeah brender gas was was half decent and he’s very casual like he’s re like it almost feels like he’s too casual on the ball he just sort of floats around he’s always like running around at 50 60% where he never really hammers onto the ball but I just think that’s the player he is and he had a really good 50 60 Minutes conut made a raft of changes as I said boys got the hook at halftime or just slightly after that Buckley come on at loose head was much much better uh for conut uh I think it was orang or was it come on as well so like they were a lot better Jack cardi was was poor a little bit as well um didn’t have his best there couldn’t control the game and yeah Lancer took them a while to get their Bon bonus Point try mind you you know when you’re talking about penigar there just looks like sort of ambling a little bit unless you’re like um I don’t know like a Costello or a Marcus Smith who who quite short Compact and accelerate M onto it I’d say some of the best flys we’ve seen like a sexon or a Farrell no no no I don’t know when you watch them they’re not really run at full Pelt they’re just they’re facilitating when there’s a hole there they’re gone but they’re just they’re just running at 75% you know just tipping it on so what what what I mean about Prendergast is that I didn’t feel like he was on the on the line all the time so when he was being pedestrian he was always just in behind the pods you know just taking a pass and giv it and like maybe a we outside Arc and giv it but he had loads of space and time on the ball like where Saxton always took the ball to the line and when he got to the line it looked like he could in Jack Pace himself or put somebody else in um so that’s what I sort of mean about being more pedestrian and like he had he had a good game like so I’m just nitpicking to be honest do you think he is their 10 next year because I think we saw bur couple you don’t you think it’s gonna be burn still I think he’s GNA go to coner johnley or do you not think I saw fley play last year as 10 and I was so impressed but then I just I just mean I wasn’t I just it’s again it’s hard you nit I just think we watched him a couple times last few weeks in that game against ster and then in the game the championsship final I just not convinced he gets the team moving in the same way but it’s an unfair comparison like you say it’s like when you comparing to seon but it feels like with the players they’ve got maybe Jordi Barrett might play there a bit next year in maybe not in knockout games but who knows yeah who knows but it’s it’s it’s a tricky one because you speak to any ler fans and they’re like Harry bur and rossburn aren’t going to take us to the next level and like they’ve been given so many opportunities over the last couple of years and like there was a lot of hype around Harry burn and yes he picked up injuries along the way but he hasn’t really delivered like where Fry one big moment you know in the in the Champions Cup Final and he delivered like delivered a couple of really good moments um so yeah but then again the following week he’s played out of position so I don’t know yeah well we could talk about this for a while again like h I known ons on con that was Barkley’s tip as a sort of dark horses and and I I totally agreed with them at the start of the season they were very very good but they have they have fallen away badly I think there really start well man they did I I’m telling you I think there might be a couple of changes there over the summer because something’s just not right they’ve got a good squad they got a good squad now they got good support but yeah it’s not happening G to Conor maybe play week who knows heard it here first um John I know we gave you a bit of stick at the start but we owe you an apology well I owe you an apology for benon Edinburgh um Edinburgh not coming away with any points which allow the ospr to sneak in there bit shocked I think this is might have been edra’s worst performance of the season I think you you can you can take away one word from that sentence it was comfortably the worst um this is going to sound brutal wasn’t that surprised by it I think I just think you look at like the emotion they’re a team that when they’re emotional like like any team you get emotional and it was I think we did the game um against monster the couple weeks before that and they lost but they played you could see the physicality emotion nothing was there the weekend Alli price tried tried his best um but yeah they were lethargic they were eror stwn they’re just all over the shot and yeah I don’t know like you’re saying there’s questions to be asked that Conor as similar Edinburgh I think with the squad they’ve got the amount they’ve spent um they’ve got a good squad on paper if you look at it uh and they what they finish ninth or 10th in the end it’s just not it’s not going to be acceptable obviously missed out on Champions Cup rugby next year so a lot of problems to fix at edinb I I don’t really know where where to start but I think the main thing is their attack they can’t they can’t create Tri I think there was a stat on if you look at the table they had like only two wins less going into last round but they’ve only had one bonus Point win they just not they can’t put teams away they can’t dominate teams so they’re quite Workman like um they got a good pack of forwards but they can’t create enough tries from nothing well I thought we I think we all thought Benetton would win because it is such a tough place and obviously only the in the USC the they’ve only lost to Glasgow there but I thought maybe they might come away with something because I think they only needed a point really to get them through to top eight but they just you’re right they just buckled they folded is ISL pretty decent player isn’t he in the back row um you know the two centers work really well together there’s a lot of combinations there from Benetton which um is obviously from the national team which is which benefits them um they do have to go to the Bulls next week which is going to be so tough but um I thank you John they got pump there as well did they no they they picked up a they came they scored four tries yeah yeah no they scored four tries that’s right yeah they’ll have a pretty strong Squad I don’t think they picked up any significant injuries there against Edinburgh but yeah in my opinion I think edinburgh’s soft I think they are like they conceived 30 odd points at home the monster can seeed 31 points the beniton like yes their attack is faltering but like some of the tries are it’s just too soft like danan vura biggest strongest guy on the pitch like and he’s just getting fended off and making wrong decisions at times and like anytime he touches the ball he runs through people and creates opportunities but he’s he looks a bit of a liability in defense and he did again in in the previous couple of games he played so yeah just maybe it’s a a mentality thing we’ seen it with stock deal didn’t we for a couple of Seasons he sort of lost a bit of confidence and and himself but it seems to have bounced back really well so maybe danan and a couple of the other guys will do the same do you know what I think I think it’s a I know there it feels like there’s quite a lot to fix I think they get Darcy graen back I think he makes a huge difference and beell makes a big difference but I think if you could put and this is stupid you know hypothe if you had if they had someone like a Bundi I think their attack changes I was gonna say they need a big Center like a to get look at glas with or you know look at look what um you lens can switch anyone in and out you know any the top teams at 12 have got Mega player power distribution I just don’t think Ed have that no no um so disappoint then because at one stage they were taking along quite nicely without really you know they just they quite a lot of wins on the board without showing too much really so they’re out um but again thank you uh stormers liines this is another fixture the ospr needed to go their way lions got a Bonus point from it but I Lions have really been a team for me in the second part of the Season which have transformed themselves really yeah um I agree we knew the stormers were going to be good we knew that when they’re on they’re pretty decent they got a pretty decent pack they started well there was a red card in the game um it was a pretty Savage tackle from Angelo Davids um so he gets red carded Marius low then pushes him he gets yellow carded as well but they do come strong in the end the stormers and leok I think second part of the Season again has has been pretty good in the way he’s controlled his team so he also kicks a goal right at the end really important goal which even though they’re leading by three takes it to 2924 which sort of gets him out of reach but I thought I thought maybe at the start of this season I’ve sort of my opinions change of the stormers quite regularly one say you think I look and think yeah you can win this league easy and then other times I think oh you’re a bit too up and down but yeah when they’re on they’re one of the best teams in this league there’s no doubt about that Ruth scores another amazing tries at six play D man at eight so they’ve got options everywhere but for me it’s their it’s their back three which I think uh amazing yeah totally agree we totally agree stormers I think can give anybody a game and can’t wait to get over to Glasgow on Saturday oh that’s G to be massive oh it’s GNA be a massive game massive game fast pitch think weather against you to be okay nothing crazy so uh and and I think was it double said on here like he actually doesn’t mind having to go away from home in a in a quarterfinal just to see what his boys are made of just to you know see the how how much they have to dig in and it could be a good thing for them to go away from home so yeah it’s if they if they win if they win they’re going to be probably you you thinking monster then the following week so a little mini tour which yeah not too bad together yeah travel doesn’t affect them too much obviously apart from getting to Glasgow um now the Cardiff Ospreys the Welsh Derby everything off go off go happen all that the best Derby I’ve ever seen in my life all all of the results was ospry needed to score four tries get a bonus Point win and they’re through and C have made it hard work for him but the difference really I think was the osprey’s pack as we’ve said as we’ve seen most the season really Nikki Smith scored a couple of tries James ratty was good um Justin tipi was good um Morgan Morris probably a little bit quiet didn’t probably see to much of him but the front row and the set piece was was decent from the ospre kelen jaars had a very good game he’s been selected in the Welsh Squad Dan Edwards was pretty good at 10 as well but ciff didn’t go away at all and the ospr took the lead um the 12 no they took the lead in the second half but it was it was 12 or just before um just after halftime and that’s when they sort of turned the screw there was a yellow card to Cardiff Ospreys go over but I tell you one player boys that really stood out and he’s been good all season was Ben Thomas at number 12 for Cardiff like nearly had a faultless game um there’s only one instance where he knocked the ball on and caused a five me scrum but apart from that he was really good a really good option I think for Wales moving forward and Cardiff because you can play turny can play 12 but it’s just we need a lot of positive news in W rby because not much is going on and it’s it is brilliant that they’ve qualified in the playoffs and it’s a lot easier I think going to mons then it would be to go to Petoria for the Bulls yeah yeah Fair place the yeah they did well they did well um and the toughest thing was actually getting that bonus Point Victory to make them qualify um monster ster next Stevie 2924 um really close game this e yeah quality game um olster were were absolutely fantastic like get off the europan off start RG snyman should have been red carded I’m not sure if youve seen the tackle it was over sort of the dead ball area I’m not sure it was I personally think it was a yellow card even though he’s 6’10 or whatever still should have got down lower he probably didn’t even have to tackle him to be honest because he would have just been grounded in the in goal but AER fought back and they were brilliant Rob Haring get over for a try um cormack isach chuku was unbelievable the whole game making line breaks um smashing people anytime he got the ball he seemed to make a few yards um but you know with a 177 lead at halftime monster had to come out fighting and their motto is that they stand up and fight and that’s exactly what they did again they made a few changes Peter matney RG snyman got the hook pretty early on in this game um both of them didn’t play well at all um looked like they were again very casual not much on the line will it be a different story next week when it’s a knockout game uh we’ll wait and see but yeah um the guys come off the bench for them made the difference their scrum made the difference they got a couple of big penalties there and ultimately that’s what probably cost olster the game Craig Casey was good at nine as well uh Jack Karley probably didn’t have his best game but when it mattered he delivered um Shan O’Brien in the center was brilliant no nanaville or fresh um tag burn as well so no all in all they’ll be delighted to get that that Victory and I think Ben can crack is that nine or 10 wins on the bouns with eight or nine bonus Point victories so games what about um what about Simon Zebo he’s been injured for a bit come in he’s look sharp yeah he look sharp yeah looked really sharp he missed the edenburg game I think he played obviously three or four games on the bounds previous to that um and everybody thought he was actually going to sign on for another year or maybe look for another club um just because he had a pretty dire first six months of this season like just with injuries and then all of a sudden he comes boom onto the scene you know again the good Weller and a man of his pace and Par and the tackle he loves it and he’s enjoying his rugby but no he’s he’s retiring at the end of the season so how good would it be for him to sign off his monster career wining the URC um back to back and uh you know playing a big part in that so yeah he he is he is lethal and he is still very quick I know everybody slags and has an old dig like that he’s put on a few kgs from maybe his his uh his best ever you know days in an RS Jersey but that guy can still shift like he can still shift uh he makes really good reads and defense so um and of course he’s a he’s a brilliant kicking game as well so yeah he’s he’s an inter part the monster success over the last seven or eight games 44 out of 45 possible points in the last nine games which is a little bit different uh last year because last year they had to do it the hard way this year it’s slightly different because they seeded one so can they do it can they do backto back differently basically yeah but just on that game just on that game Shanks monster did very well in the last 15 20 minutes to take the game away for from olster but I was really really impressed with olster the injury Stuart mcclusky dropped out pre-match Ethan maroy dropped out prematch as soon as they the game kicked off 10 or 15 minutes in they lost both second rows Harry Sheridan and Marty Ray had to go into the second row and they’re both back rows really so five back rowers on the pitch but almost that sort of Suits their St rby that they’re now trying to play um keeping plenty a width on it so a lot of young guys in that team that back against the wall and they really stood up well which is only a huge positive to take forward into this weekend great ven Stein says he’s got a feeling that ster is beating ler this weekend pretty bad grammar tell you I was interested in what James Hume said about speed of training stuff you know the intensity gone up um I got coached by Dan and that just surprised me said that Dan McFarland that is because that’s that that was the way he he trained and coached like it was chaos it was high tempo kind of surprised to hear that every everything had become lethargic and stale but you can see by the way they’re playing like we said in at laner game it’s like ev’s faster everything’s quicker there’s more ambition there’s more I guess enthusiasm on the ball I think they’re great to watch now because there I think there was a time watching them you’re like this is even if they win it wasn’t going to be entertaining yeah yeah it’s funny remember earlier on in the season JB that D McFarland come out in a postmatch interview and said that the you know why why are you losing so many games oh our training isn’t up isn’t good enough so like he he was blaming the lads like and everybody was like oh oh oh you know you don’t want to be G down that you know that way but obviously it’s been a it’s been something all season if Dan’s identified it early on in the season um as not being good enough the standard the tempo the quality and then all of a sudden Richie goes in and identifies exactly the same thing but maybe because because he’s a new face and he’s a new voice that people and the players are responding to him and sometimes you know lad you know a different coach new voice comes in like it it can can’t make a big difference instead of the mundan voice that you’ve been listening to for maybe the last five seasons got a comfort zone don’t you um we’ll move on now to sharks versus the Bulls um no surprise really even though the sharks have hit form they found Europe they obviously won the challenge cup they’ve hit a bit of form uh they score an early intercept with masuku just ends up picking the ball up dotting over the line call it a fumble probably call it a fumble I don’t think we’ve got any clips for those that listening live for this but I tell you one person um who ends up scoring for the Bulls to put them back level was David creel I’m really impressed with him at center team of the year I bet he is um I can’t say can’t say I can’t wait to take your team apart though because you I know how busy you’ve been today and you’ve put you would have put zero thought into it you just would got Superstars is what you would have done no no you would have picked like your Lions team you gone on reputation okay um grobler who’s had a very good season as well imagine having grobler and AA vaner mura yeah should put one awesome um how good how good was the bull scrum yeah like against Co Ambi and oxen CH and they destroyed them like really good yeah you do get the feeling the sharks are like that’s we w we won the European chall that’s it Lads The Season’s done we’re going to be good next year and I think they will be yeah but they were pretty good in the the opening half an hour like they were very very good they were really at it like the energy levels were through the roof but I think one too many beers probably caugh after the weekend before with them like it would yeah they would had a good night in London they be in the walk about the church that’s what all the sou Africans and Australians are we’ll move on to Glasgow Zeb 3826 John they made a bit they made hard work of it they uh they toiled um all all the stuff up here all the Press is just saying Glasgow peaked at the wrong time um you look at the Lions result a couple weeks ago uh which I don’t think coming and they just kind of laboring a little bit at the moment their attack’s not going um although I would say I think they knew they’re gonna be zebra you know they knew they’re gonna win it it’s a bit lethargic but yeah I don’t know I just think looking looking ahead they’re just not quite setting the world on fire yet I don’t know I just think I got a feeling that going into quarterfinal against stormers I think I think they may struggle um with the power and Pace that the uh the stormers have in the back three because at the moment they’re just not not quite there yeah um and they’re pretty much a full strength so defensively a little bit shaky truler snuck through a couple of times yeah yeah I don’t know I don’t know the defense have been good all year they got one of the best defense in the league but I mean it’s all IR relevant really isn’t it now that they weren’t going to get that home semi which is what they wanted they they were going home home final home semi potentially thinking are we even going to get home quarter but they yeah look moner did the hard way last year I just think they they’ve dropped off a little bit so I’ll be surprised but pleasantly surprised if they can turn things around well it’s going to be an amazing game glasgo stormers as we can can’t wait for that I be probably watch out in Portugal Scarlets 32 dragons 15 and dragons dragons were were pretty poor you can see disappointment in D Flan’s um face after the game but Scarlet looked pretty good Tommy L looked good they were really physical which is something that I think they’ve lacked really all season PL um Plum Tree was really good Costello um defensively put it about I know he was a small blow but he was Brave at the weekend he went off with an hi came back on still made some big hits um Eddie James looked good as did Johnny Williams both super physical carrying the ball Eddie James could be a really good one for the future so a good end for Dwayne pill to the end of the season um probably want to forget about the rest of the season because Scarlet’s dragons and zebra I think Scarlets are over 300 points U points difference negative Scarlets are late 290 maybe or 280 and zebra up are pretty high as well so issues there defensively but yo question question on the dragons yeah is is Dave Flanigan it just feels like he’s just too nice a g for like the head man yeah I know what I know what you’re saying um I think that’s just his personality anyway he’s always been a super nice guy I think that’s probably why one of the reasons why filo tier tier is coming now as defensive coach maybe to to be that ying and yang because yeah I mean he is he’s a legend of a bloke he’s tough as Nails you know you set the standards really high and I think it’s I think that out of any other signings they’ve signed Harry Wilson they sign Shane Lewis Hughes um Chris haris is obviously there already but I think that’s that and the new Chief exact Reese blumberg has probably been the signings of the season so far so I mean look they won three games theyve got to improve next year winning four would be an improvement so yeah hope they can do it um right so rugby done big tick in the Box for that well done boys um John don’t worry we’ll get you off soon uh will we’ve got the team of the regular season now we’ve all done one of these today last minute thanks very much ben Egan for putting this on us um we’ve all got our own team let’s see which team is going to come up first this is my team um hammer it go for it do what you want with it RG snyman seriously man yeah he’s in mine I think he’s been good he’s in yours as well why was played a lot score tries um it’s Jeremy lman Johnny Matthews Tom bther that’s my front row rgie snyman Ru uh you how’ you pronounce it nor i’ got Max Max Dean at six um I’ve got low at seven and Gavin kums at eight papier at nine Crowley 10 C arens 11 staford mcdal Antoine frish in the centers Calvin Nash and Ryo Smith I think Calvin Nash has been amazing All Season as as Twan fish Stafford McDow I think CT arer as well um not loads of tens I don’t think have put their hand up there’s been I been a little bit probably I think um um I gone blank now number 10 for Jack crowy Jack Crowley he’s he’s my number 10 um but Leach has pretty good yeah um so that’s my team um any any anything stand out for you there the Rd snon like Rd snon made it made his first start for monster at thomman Park two weeks ago yeah but he still played a lot more this season they so I no no no how many games he played then I’m gonna say he’s played eight games eight games yeah good eight though yeah good eight five Off the Bench has he here listen he’s a quality operator he’s one of the best second RS in the world but I just wouldn’t have him with my team okay fine fine right let’s put your team up then grer oh yeah James raty I just put Xander fagerson in to piss off John Barkley no I like Rhino Smith Cav Nash brex irot Cooney Dave mcan’s been awesome like forer like unbel able van staden ridiculous Frankie horn scoring trash for fun John Cooney best kicking record in the competition Manny leok pull Robert out of a hat curtly AR best Winger in there Nao brecks H You could argue that I think you had antoon fresh as well didn’t you and Nash and Smith so yeah there’s a bit of agree bit of agreement there I just went I think in the pack it’s really difficult to have guys are are going play a lot of URC time consistently and Ross Maloney and and rty are two of the guys that are always a constant in in both their respective Sid so that’s why they get the ND in the second rows but yeah that’s M can’t argue can’t argue too much with that um I sort of I tended to pick really from Mostly from top four I think as a winning team yeah so Barkley’s team let’s have a look at this um Dan and how often do they play you ask this is what this is why I struggled a little bit Lads because I didn’t want to pick people that hadn’t played a huge amount read it out please John let’s read it out please come on okay well can I finish my sentence or just interrupt yeah go for it I some of the people I picked because I think they’re just that good when they play even though they haven’t played a huge amount of game time so danan and furong probably fall I would had grar was my other one I think Nikki Smith been superb so mine’s Nicki Smith Dan and tyag Furlong RG snyman for the same proba reasons as you Shanks I think I probably struggle with second rows I just I think when he’s when he’s on he’s I think he’s the best second R in the league um by a bit of a distance H Ty bur I think plays a lot for monster and always always plays well um like Frank horn at eight um I think Jack Dempsey’s played consistently well all year I like him um and Jamie Richie I think had a he’s top top of the turnovers for the URC which is what I always looked for in an open side I think he’s in a team like you said or or you said Fez um their defense has been crashed and if you’re still make managing to make significant impact you’re doing quite a lot right so half packs I had Casey and Crowley again I would have put Gibson part maybe in there papier um I think Wes hon in an attack that’s been very average every time I’ve seen him I think he’s been superb um son T PLU tomasu menello Rhino Smith is a 15 yeah yeah I know I just wanted them in there yeah tag Furon started two games in USC say that’s enough that’s enough hold on I just quantity Quant he’s more he’s making up quantity not quality he yeah there we are rant rants of the week I got a rant having a got a I’m making a team of the week from Ben Eagan last minute.com I know like you need to think about it like Stevie doesn’t have a job so you know he’s got all day as soon as someone asks him to do something that’s it yeah kids the last one to send my uh send my team in yeah my round is uh just so pissed off about how many holidays John Barkley goes goes on every year it’s really annoying steevie Stevie you Ron holiday a few weeks ago relax shank story this weekend we’re all loud holidays so it’s nice to go away more holidays Lads you deserve it you all deserve it okay um don’t no lovely time now obviously the SE the regular season has ended we did predictions at the start of the Season as to who would finish in the top eight um this is right at the start so if we can have a look who I’ve got lster Glasgow monster Bulls oler stormers sharks conut so um five sharks weren’t great Conor six eight not bad yeah yeah Dark Horses Scarlet Sun Chie better wi glasg go it’s a lovely picture great T me let’s just focus on that who we who we got who’s next um Ste cheesy smile this is good look at the hair um you got sharp and con in there as well five five Scarlet six move as well Scarlets what do I say they’re two 262 points difference so um John your turn ler stor sharks I think we all thought sharks would do a lot better then we did monster Glasgow Edinburgh Bulls six as well boys yeah dark hores Benetton you got that stormers Winners yeah Underachievers olster maybe a couple weeks ago I think that would have been fair but I think they look like yeah yeah I agree um so none of us really too far off but it is quite obvious that we know who the top five top six teams are going to be in this league because they’re just lifted with stars and power um final thoughts now look through to the weekend’s games it starts on Friday monster versus the ospre the ospr have got a chance there’s no doubt about that they’ve done I think they’ve beaten monster four times before away from home um but they have played them quite a lot of times so there will be players there that have done it I think there is question marks for Me Stevie still over just a bit of ill discipline from Monster there’s a you know your RG snans your peter omanis I think I basically think if MTZ can keep 50 men on the field they’ll probably win but if they don’t if the emotion gets quite High because it’s going to be amazing atmosphere in tomman park I think if if they get it wrong then the ospr are r with a chance but it’s going to be tough for him yeah I think monank I just too organized for for ospre their attack is really improved as well massively over the last couple of years um Bulls versus Benetton I think we all know who we think is going to win that Bulls I think it might be close I think bulls will pull away though yeah do you know what it’s really tough though like the travel Bennett and the got now to go over there um it makes a massive difference in The Knockout um stages is if afan teams have got I know it works both ways but many hours is to travel do you reckon from a from from Trav to 10 hours still be it still be good I mean I was in Italy last week it was only two hours away stev so holiday well done ler ster lster I think if mclusky isn’t fit if both second rows are DP full Ian Henderson’s still out like everything is stacked against them there’s chat that the AV Eva is only going to be half opened uh the lower tier is only going to be opened so I’m not too sure I don’t know like I know it’s a quarterfinal but it doesn’t feel like it’s a quarterfinal for some reason um me I can’t call this until I see what teams are going to be picked if Leo Collins sticks his URC team I’m going to go for oler win if if he flips it over and starts playing tag furong Porter Shen James Ryan um got got they’re out of Europe I think they’ve got to I think they’ve got they got to win they got win I don’t know I think they’ve got to play their best team I think so you know because they need some silverware because everyone talks about lster being yeah the best team with the school system with the players they’ve got so I think they’ve got to go full hog and it’s unfair a lot of the players that played regularly in the USC well there’s one guy that played really well and was brought off brought off after 50 minutes I think against Conor was Jack Onan like he was brilliant really good and I’ve said this over the last couple of months Ken Doris has seemed to have lost a bit of form since he’s took over the captain’s armband it’s like it’s almost like it’s almost like it’s something else like even in the Champions Cup final he didn’t he was he was okay but he’s used to having stand performances man of mass performances every single week and being talked about before get into every game nobody’s really talking about him at the minute and maybe it’s the added pressure and the decision making of know cloudon his the way he goes about his business on the pitch of just that added pressure so maybe James Ryan starts and he takes over the captaincy and killan dor goes out and does his own thing but Jack Conan was brilliant brilliant and anytime he comes off the bench over the last couple of months he’s been really good so there might be a bit of a mixup there coner with that um Glasgow stormers I’m going stormers John I’m g go Glasgow but I think it’s gonna be close very close I’m gonna I’m gonna go Glasgow it’s going to be a belter atmosphere like it’s G to be class I think out of all the games that’s that’s the the one I’m looking forward to the most I think because you got two teams that just want to throw the ball around you GNA watch it on the golf course yeah yeah I’ve got a few things to watch on them over there I’ve got uh on the Thursday I’ve got um jalter versus Wales football and a friendly um I’ve got Friday I’ve got the ospre um at monster which can watch and then all the games on Saturday so yeah I’ll be watching them on my noia 3210 right that is it that’s it Lads John you go find the best pint of Guinness in London um Stevie enjoy your burgers and we shall see you next week don’t forget every game is live on Premier Sports see you soon see you later