Nice emphasis on the âyoungâ also.
I donât even see what the fuss was about?
Oh I get it, because neither CJ or Guinness are actually Irish.
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Scottish Rugby has delivered what are believed to be the heaviest bans in the history of the game there when it handed out 347 weeks of suspensions to 14 players, a coach and an official at a Fife club over a sickening initiation ceremony which is understood to have left one player with internal injuries.
The bans - involved the second tier side Howe of Fife RFC - are among the toughest ever imposed anywhere in the sport, and come as the authorities throughout the UK have voiced concern so-called initiation ceremonies are leading to a massive drop-off in participation in rugby.
Charges of sexual assault were initially brought over the Howe of Fife incident, which occurred on board the team bus in September last year, when the Cupar clubâs first team were hammered 71-20 at Jed-Forest.
The SRU has refused to comment on reports that the incident involved a bottle being inserted into the victimâs anus.
Two officials each received bans of 54 weeks âfrom any involvement in rugby coaching, officiating or administrationâ for âfailing to exercise reasonable and proper control over the players under their supervisionâ.
Garry Horne, the clubâs former head coach and father of Scotland international Peter, was banned for a year, as was former president Murdo Fraser.
Both men resigned in June after Scottish Rugby announced that it had launched a formal investigation into allegations of misconduct.
The longest bans were handed down to two Howe players, who each received a ban of 84 weeks. Twenty-year-old Angus Guthrie and 22-year-old Robert Douglas are effectively barred from rugby for two seasons, while teammate Stephen Martin received an eight-week ban and eleven further Howe first-team players received six-week bans.
It is understood that the lesser bans are not for actively taking part in the incident, but for failing to stop it.
Following the incident, two Cupar players were subsequently arrested and charged with sexual assault.
Although criminal proceedings were brought, the case was settled through an âalternative to prosecution (direct measure)â - believed to involve a fine being paid - which ensured it never reached court.
Given that the majority of the Howe of Fife first team have been suspended, Scottish Rugby have staggered the suspensions.
However, every office bearer, trustee, director and player at the club who is over the age of 18 will be required to attend a series of workshops to improve the clubâs culture.
âThe behaviour of those involved in this incident, including several individuals in positions of authority at the club, was completely unacceptable,â said Scottish Rugbyâs chief executive Mark Dodson.
âScottish Rugby has been proactive to ensure a full, independent disciplinary process was conducted and that measures are put in place to deliver a change of culture at the club. âThe actions of those involved have absolutely no place in our sport. Significant sanctions have been applied in this matter and Scottish Rugby will not hesitate to take action against any club, official or player behaving in a similarly unacceptable manner.â
In most regards, Howe, who are currently in National League Division 2 after being relegated last season, have been an exemplary community club.
As well as turning out several internationals, ranging from 1960s Scotland and Lions prop Dave Rollo to current Scotland internationals and Glasgow Warriors players Peter Horne and Chris Fusaro, Howe of Fifeâs feeder school, Bell Baxter, remains the only state school ever to have won the Scottish Schools Cup.
The club has also raised ÂŁ1.5m to build a new clubhouse, has a thriving junior section and has pioneered player safety protocols around concussion.
However, the incident is reminiscent of another ugly episode in Scottish rugby, which occurred in 2001 when Kelso second-row forward Steven Rowley ended up in hospital after being stripped and assaulted with a pool cue at his own stag party, held at the clubâs Poynder Park clubhouse. After Rowley was left with internal injuries that required hospitalisation, the club captain resigned and was suspended for the remainder of the season by the club, while four further players received four-week bans.
Fifteen years later, the idea that a similar incident would be dealt with by the club rather than by the police and the gameâs governing body is unconscionable. Instead, it has led to proceedings and to draconian bans by Scottish Rugby.
The rugby lads like it up âem
Scotland is a weird country.
WTF is wrong with the rugby crowd???
All Blacks star Ben Smith has revealed that a concussion suffered in February this year was so bad that he forgot his wife was pregnant.
The devastating attacking threat endured a truncated season due to concussion issues, and after a particularly big collision during a Super Rugby warm-up game at the beginning of the year, Smithâs memory was impacted.
Speaking to New Zealand Womenâs Weekly, Smith revealed that after the concussion, he didnât remember that his wife Katie was 37 weeks pregnant with their second child.
âIâd had quite a bad knock,â Smith said.
âI couldnât believe it [that she was pregnant]. It was like hearing it again for the first time!â
Smithâs wife had to quickly remind him of the impending arrival.
âHe goes, âWhat are we going to do with two?â,â she said.
âI said, âMate, we havenât got long to figure it out!ââ
Smith, a World Cup-winner with the All Blacks in 2015, was forced out of the first Lions test in June with another concussion, and was unable to play any further part after entering the return to play protocol.
He is currently on a sabbatical from international duty for the remainder of 2017.
Samoa canât fulfill their upcoming fixtures as they are broke
Lolz
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Who are they due to play in the upcoming challenge matches?
the english and scotch
Apparently Tonga are playing the Barbarians in Thomond park Friday night. Couple of hundred tickets sold and doing well at that I heard 
#Rugbycountry
I had not heard that so looked it up.
âŹ40 for a stand ticket. You do get to see female barbarians which could be interesting.
http://www.ticketmaster.ie/barbarians-v-tonga-730pm-barbarians-limerick-city-11-10-2017/event/18005301F20C7A35?bba=1
Barbarians v Tonga (7.30pm) & Barbarians Women v Munster Women(4.45pm)
Thomond Park Stadium, Limerick City,
Fri 10 Nov 2017, 16:45
Please Note:All prices listed exclude fees and charges.
Barbarians v Tonga - 7.30pm
Barbarians Women v Munster Women - 4.45pm.
âŹ40 Youâd want to have suffered a fair few concussions for that to seem like a good idea
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Itâll be gold for the SA RWC bid. Theyâll be able to show Brett Gosper footage of swathes of empty seats in a small stadium in Ireland. Real fuck up there from the irfu
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I was an invited guest at Ireland v BaBas in May 2016.
The company was good, grub was decent and the beer was free.
The game was shite.
Is it a test match?
A major test for the marketeers anyway
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