Thala Msutu
thalamsutu.bsky.social
Thala Msutu
@thalamsutu.bsky.social
RugbyBits podcast 🏉
Reposted by Thala Msutu
My team for tonight:

Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie; Lewis-Skelly; Norgaard, Odegaard, Eze; Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres.

30 minutes off the bench for Havertz and Calafiori, maybe get a Hale Ender (Salmon?) on as well. Thanks very much.
January 28, 2026 at 11:18 AM
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"My winter skills are very low," -- The Raptors are figuring out how to navigate Toronto's record January snow fall on the fly: www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/...
'Be cool': Raptors navigating success, wild winter weather in return to Toronto
Gloves, toques, snow tires and snow scrapers. As the Raptors gear up for the dregs of the NBA calendar, they're also suiting up for some wild winter weather. Michael Grange talks to the team as they ...
www.sportsnet.ca
January 27, 2026 at 11:32 PM
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Benny the Bull needs to change back to No. 1 😡
➡️ youtube.com/shorts/MNoynvfBbTs
January 28, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Hugo Keenan has become the most injury prone person after the 2023 RWC. Genuinely the best 15 in the world back then can barely play for a few weeks in a row now and when he plays he’s not hitting the high notes of the early 2020s
Just in case there was any hope Keenan might make the opener, apparently his thumb is injured and he's almost certainly out now

Biggest test of our depth in a long long time. Not a bad thing. I'd written off this year. Id rather lose while testing the depth than with the same 23
January 28, 2026 at 2:14 PM
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"You were only WWE champion for a year because HHH didn't want to work Tuesdays"
January 28, 2026 at 1:33 PM
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Don’t know, but have just read that there is a URC disciplinary hearing into it all
January 28, 2026 at 1:30 PM
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Hearing from La Rochelle it was pretty serious

The word "lucky" was used by a source at the club

#Top14
France and La Rochelle tight-head Uni Atonio is forced to retire after a heart attack

He’s stable but remains in intensive care

Force à lui!
January 28, 2026 at 1:48 PM
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It must be bad considering how the IRFU went in to bat for Sexton after he abused Jaco Peyper in his suit and trainer combo.
January 28, 2026 at 1:03 PM
To tie the two news items together, Uini Atonio and Bundee Aki overlapped playing for Counties Manakau in 2011. I think Atonio wasn’t good enough to play for the senior first team though, he moved to France later that year.
Busy day rugby wise..aki gone jude in and sad ending for Atonio..great player great career hopefully long life #FravIre #6n #sixnations
January 28, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Goodness what did Bundee Aki say??
January 28, 2026 at 1:00 PM
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“If we overlook the fact that you’re the GOAT, then you’re actually a kind of try-hard loser, amiright?”
January 28, 2026 at 11:44 AM
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And if we go to 1 6 teams format for Cup, let's use it to revamp Challenge with an access to T2 championships :
Premiership : 4
Top14 : 4
URC : 4
Best 4 not already qualified for Cup for those 3 championships.
REC SuperCup : 4
2 finalists + best of each conference outside the 2 qualified.
January 28, 2026 at 10:53 AM
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My humble suggestion :
Premiership : 3
2 finalists + best of the regular season outside those 2
Top14 : 5
2 finalists + best 3 of the regular season outside those 2
URC : 6
2 finalists + best of each conference outside those 2
Currents champions : 2
Current Cup winner + Challenge winner
January 28, 2026 at 10:49 AM
Absolutely wild question by the reporter
Novak Djokovic says he is not chasing Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, he is creating his own history

“I find if a little bit disrespectful that you kind of miss out on what happened in between where the times when I started ‘chasing’ as you say Rafa and Roger…” 👀

(via Australian Open Press)
January 28, 2026 at 11:26 AM
Definitely not the most important thing about the unfortunate Uini Atonio news.

But on a rugby side, France have a big problem because they’ve struggled to develop a 3 that can compete with the likes of Wilco Louw, Thomas du Toit, etc

Who of Tatafu, Montagne, Aldegheri, Slimani (??) will stand up?
January 28, 2026 at 8:40 AM
“If the glove don’t fit, acquit!”
What's he hiding under the glove?
January 28, 2026 at 8:36 AM
❤️‍🩹 devastating. Hope he makes a full recovery.

A singular player with one of the more unique stories to make it to the French national team.
Atonio has had a serious heart attack and his playing days are over.

A massive shock.
January 28, 2026 at 8:34 AM
It’s the freshest he will ever be in a slam.

By far his best chance to beat Sincaraz in a while.
Novak Djokovic, who won zero sets in the fourth round and zero sets in the quarterfinals, is through to the Australian Open semifinals.

If this tournament doesn't feel like destiny for him at this point, what possibly could?
January 28, 2026 at 7:03 AM
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Musetti’s team really went through it here… Coach went back home after losing his mother. Then physio landed in hospital. Lorenzo’s injury being obviously the least concerning of the three but it’s the accumulation here.
January 28, 2026 at 6:53 AM
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Djokovic after Musetti was forced to retire from the QF match at Australian Open

"I don't know what to say except for I feel sorry for him. He was the far better player, I was on my way home tonight..."
January 28, 2026 at 6:55 AM
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Imagine being down 4-0 and seeing these 5 players subbing in 😅
January 28, 2026 at 4:30 AM
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Nets vs Suns going crazy rn lol
January 28, 2026 at 4:30 AM
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My billionaire queen please win your tennis match to ease my Bills pain 💚
January 28, 2026 at 2:31 AM
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"I just know Doc," Paul George says when asked why he seems to have some of his best games against the Bucks. "I know how he's gonna cover me."
January 28, 2026 at 4:17 AM
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I know everyone hates her family but I do really enjoy Jessie Pegula
January 28, 2026 at 4:17 AM