franciscoisaac.bsky.social
he/him
Freelancer writer for @fairplaypt @rugby_europe @rubberchicken @rugbyworld @rugbypass @svns
Youtube Channel: http://shorturl.at/ejn67
Spotify: https://shorturl.at/kotLS
Substack: https://rugbygloval.substack.com/
579 posts
1,802 followers
222 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
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One for the #ProD2 purists (and the Magician of the Mountains Fan Club…) @franciscoisaac.bsky.social @samlstandsup.bsky.social @illtuddafydd.bsky.social @huwgriffinrugby.bsky.social
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Conan, Conan, Conan o homem rã
Conan, Conan,
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No! Doing the comms for the game tomorrow!
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That's what I wrote "Kessel's Auestadion"
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I'll be on comms for Portugal vs Spain with Justin Middleton and if you would like for me to answer any questions before the game or highlight something special, please let me know!
Come on, join the Rugby Europe party and be part of something special!
www.rugbyeurope.eu/rugby-europe...
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As always, we had our Star and Scrums show, this time around with Tom Mitchell as our in-command analyst!
Tom made some predictions and selected his favourite moments of the weekend!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK45...
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Amsterdam and Waterloo will host two nerve-racking games. Anything can happen, especially with 🇩🇪 in play
So, if you have a free weekend, why not drive or travel to Belgium, get some pommes frites, and watch one of the oldest rivalries in sports?
They are tied with 9 wins each
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With the semifinals phase starting, jeopardy again comes through the MREC door. Finishing in 4th might land your team in a very dire Men's World Cup pool come 2027...
At the same time, the repechage race will be enticing, especially because 🇩🇪 and 🇨🇭have nothing to lose
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At the same time, the Men's REC has been broadcasted on national TV in Spain, Romania, Georgia, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands.
For those who think downgrading the competition will help it, please stop for a second, let your brain inhale oxygen and give another think
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All in all, another 18k Rugby Europe fans supported their teams, even if the Auestadion and Botosani were far from 50% (big football stadiums, and where rugby isn't a traditional sport)
There's a keen interest for the game in these nations, and things are (slowly) progressing
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Let's kick off by looking to Round 3's crowds
- The National Rugby Center in Amsterdam welcomed 2500 fans (50%)
- Kessel's Auestadion had 6000 fans (1st time in there)
- Madrid's Central also had 6000 supporters in the stands
- Botosani's Stadionul Municipal had 3000
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You've made my day :)
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Obrigado :)
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Je sais! But I wanted only to highlight the Pro D2 drop goals. Class
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There's no obstacle to stopping him. Believe in the power of the Doomslayer.
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He has the skills to be one. The thing is... does he have what it needs to become a Galthié type of 12?
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Barré can play as a fullback;
Dupont can jump to 10/13 if there's a need;
Bielle Biarrey can also go to 15
Ramos 10/15
The main question is if Moefana gets injured. But I like that Galthié is trying new stuff.
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It is a known problem and in JWB case it is clear something is off. Still, we have to wait to known the full truth
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Martins finishes the pool stage with:
- 8 lineout steals
- 3 tries
- 1 try assist
- 57 tackles (100%)
- 2 POTM accolades
- 90 metres run (2nd forward with most metres run)
He will easily have a place in my team of the tournament - Niniashvili and Tabutsadze are already in it
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Martins's influence in 🇵🇹set-piece, counter-attack and attack has been pivotal for their rise, as well as his jackling
A small example was this turnover in the dying moments of the game
He picked the right moment to pounce and steal the egg
Excellence of the highest degree
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He is one of the rapidest players in the Lobos setup and his try against 🇷🇴 proves that
Look how quickly he followed Storti and Simão Bento
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Another example of the same kind of play
Bento gets the ball and kicks it down, with Martins forcing Simionescu to 'kick' it out
It would lead to a lineout and a maul drive, with 🇵🇹 almost scoring a very early try
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Now, I would like to shift your attention to another area... kick-chasing
Martins shifts to the wing when Portugal has the ball under their control due to his speed, agility and ability to tackle on the spot
Here is an example of why it works and why it can be lethal
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Just for funsies, here's another lineout steal
This has become one of 🇵🇹 best counter moves in the last 4 years, with Martins in the centre of all
Also, props for US Dax Diogo Hasse Ferreira and FC Grenoble José Madeira. Both are always on the right time to lift Martins up
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Here's another one...
It's simply outstanding how easily he takes the lead and cuts in front of the opposite jumper
This is a highly valued skill, as it can put a cork in allowing the other team to invade your in-goal area
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We start the thread with a lineout steal, one of five from the past Saturday's game
Martins, with his jumping pod, was a thorn into 🇷🇴 plans of setting up a driving maul by simply taking the ball from the Stejarii's control
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Will start working on it tomorrow! Great shout that one!
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In July? You might have caught an exception because Lisbon can get impossible hot between June - September. It has happened that at nights it drops massively but it normally is a furness
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Behemoth! Had another stellar game for SAXV!