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Hugo Gordon

@hugogordon.bsky.social

1.6K followers 830 following 6.6K posts

Dubliner in London. Sports nerd (and general nerd). Views described as "top bilge" by award-winning journalists

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Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 11m

They'll sell out but those prices mean a large proportion of the crowd will be wealthy blazers rather than die-hard fans, which absolutely was also an issue with some of the Qatar games and will be exacerbated for this tournament

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 1h

The atmosphere at the next World Cup is going to be the worst in the history of the tournament

Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 1h

As a friend who was planning to go to the 2026 WC told me, "this settles it". He won't.

Comparison of prices between the prices of tickets at the 2022 and 2026 Fifa World Cup, showing prices increases of up to 1,000%.

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 2h

That's why I'd personally take Frawley over Harry. I do get frustrated by how we keep playing Crowley off the bench at 15. He can do a job there if necessary but it's not where he's at his best

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 2h

Farrell likes those back-up backrowers to be able to cover multiple positions which I think is why he prefers them to Coombes, particularly when we already have Doris and Conan as battering rams.

I think JOB gets in there with Keenan injured, our FB options are otherwise limited

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 2h

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 2h

I reckon it'll be between him and TOB for that spot

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 2h

And Josh, of course. Knew I'd forgotten someone

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 2h

Fuck, knew I'd forgotten someone.

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 2h

(I think Henshaw probably gets in ahead of Gavin, can see Milne losing out, we MIGHT see Kendellen make it in, maybe Henderson makes it since he's currently fit, Farrell has made recent noises about Harry which makes me think he could get in ahead of Frawley)

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 3h

If it was me:

LH: Porter, Boyle, Milne
HK: Sheehan, Kelleher, Gus
TH: Furlong, Bealham, Clarkson
LK: Joe, Ryan, Beirne, Izzy
Backrow: Baird, Doris, Prendergast, Timoney, Conan
SH: JGP, Casey, Murphy
FH: Sam, Jack, Frawls
C: Aki, Stu, Ringer, Gavin
Back 3: Lowe, TOB, JOB, Stockdale, Hansen, Osborne

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 3h

This is probably the first Ireland squad announcement in a while where I don't feel I could confidently guess 95% of the people who'll be named. Maybe just 90%.

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 3h

Key questions for me: which LH props are included as backup to Porter? Does Frawley or Harry make it in? Does Ben Murphy make the squad? And do we finally see changes to the centres? I'm relatively confident Tommy O'Brien makes it in.

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 3h

This is probably the first Ireland squad announcement in a while where I don't feel I could confidently guess 95% of the people who'll be named. Maybe just 90%.

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 15h

Watching Ireland play football again

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 17h

I'd be kind of inclined to agree tbh, and even Izzy would have a couple more if not for injuries, probably the same with Baloucoune

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 19h

I got a D on one of my A-level English exams

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 21h

Worth saying, Crowley AND Prendergast have already had more caps than Sexton had at this stage of his career!

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 21h

In the meantime we've got two very good young 10s vying for the starting spot, and I can promise you plenty of rugby fans outside of Ireland would be very happy for their teams to be in that position!

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 21h

I'd argue we HAVE developed those players, often very well, and many of them will continue to develop. But you can't magic up a once-in-a-generation player like Sexton just by giving someone an extended run in a 10 jersey. If it was that simple every team would have a Sexton.

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 21h

Genuine question: why does it reflect poorly on the IRFU? It's not inherently a failing of the union for a player to not be a truly world class 10. There aren't many of them around, and most players for all teams won't hit that level!

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 22h

We're in that rare window of a season when Henderson is both (a) uninjured and (b) playing well, I can definitely see him playing

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 22h

Yet more evidence that TikTok thirst traps will be what saves rugby

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 1d

I'm sympathetic that legally there's probably limits on what he can say, but it comes across as so weird.

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 1d

As for Carbery, there's no mystery - he had awful luck with injuries, his form suffered, and he dropped down the depth chart at both Munster and Ireland as a result. Him getting squeezed out was pretty brutal and I'm glad he landed on his feet at Bordeaux but it didn't come out of nowhere.

Hugo Gordon @hugogordon.bsky.social · 1d

I just disagree that Healy should obviously have been capped tbh, as frustrating as I'm sure it was for Munster fans that it led to his departure. He has his moments but his subsequent career has been patchy at best. Is he better than Prendergast, Crowley, or Murphy? I'm not convinced.