Summer Tournament Round One

First topic message reminder :

---

Pool One


London Irish v Harlequins
(at Eden Park)
London Irish
Manager – stnick88

01. Jean Baptiste Poux	09. Julien Dupuy
02. Tom Lindsay	10. Nick Evans
03. Martin Castrogiovanni
04. Dean Mumm	11. Sailosi Tagicakibau
05. Nick Kennedy	12. Luke McAllister
06. Matt Garvey	13. Mathieu Bastereaud
07. Steffon Armitage	14. Bjorn Basson
08. Netani Talei	15. Delon Armitage

16. Darren Fearn 17. James Buckland 18. WP Nel 19. Stuart Hooper 20. Hendrie Fourie 21. Ruan Pienaar 22. Sireli Naqalevuki 23. Shane Geraghty

Harlequins
Manager – Steven_Sharks

01. Joe Marler	09. Karl Dickson
02. Schalk Brits	10. Quade Cooper (k)
03. Ben Franks
04. Bakkies Botha	11. Tom Biggs
05. Hugh Pyle	12. Jan Serfontein
06. Michael Hooper	13. Florian Fritz
07. Sam Warburton (c)	14. George Lowe
08. Dave Denton	15. Andre Taylor

16. Rob Hawkins 17. Wyatt Crockett 18. Kieron Brookes 19. Jerome Thion 20. Carl Fearns 21. Jano Vermaak 22. Freddie Burns 23. Luke Morahan

Tactics

tbc

---

Newcastle Falcons v Gloucester
(at Westpac Stadium)
Newcastle Falcons
Manager – Sgt Pooly

01. Soane Tonga'uiha	09. Ben Youngs
02. Lee Mears	10. Aaron Cruden
03. Paul Doran-Jones
04. Yoann Maestri	11. Alex Cuthbert
05. Paul O’Connell(c)	12. Sonny Bill Williams
06. Chris Robshaw	13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
07. Heinrich Brussow	14. Tommy Bowe
08. Toby Faletau	15. Alex Goode

16.Rory Best 17. Owen Franks 18. Fabien Barcella 19. Brad Thorn 20. Kieran Read 21. Jimmy Cowan 22. James O’Connor 23. Jaque Fourie

Tactics

- High tempo, offloading game - Looking to keep ball alive
- Steady scrum & look to attack opposition lineout
- 4 top draw lineout options and POC to take apart oppostion throw
- Cruden to play flat and bring SBW into the line and attack the opposition 10/12 axis
- AAC to play off SBW's shoulder with hard, straight lines
- Look to get Cuthbert/Bowe into game and target oppostion wings defence
- Brussow/Robshaw to target breakdown and Youngs to look to attack off turnover ball
- Impact bench to see out game

Gloucester
Manager – ‘Mat

01. Nick Wood (c)	09. Genia
02. Gray	10. Johan Goosen (k)
03. Nicola Mas
04. Etzbeth	11. Sharples
05. Richie gray	12. Matt Scott
06. Steven Ferris	13. Richard Kahui
07. Qera	14. Johnny May
08. Jamie Heaslip	15. Iain Balshaw

16. Coonie ousthuizen 7. James Johnstone18. Adriaan Strauss 19. Tom Palmer 20. Fasivalu 21. Connor Murray 22. Dan Carter 23. Zac Guildford

Tactics

Target lineout with heaslip etzbeth gray and ferris
Huge ball carriers exploding past gain line

Quick ball whipped out to attack with pace
Big runners in cruden channel to target his defence with back 3 running off
Shoulders for offloads
Back 3 to up tempo and take quick throw ins and counter any kicks not pinpoint
Target cuthberts positioning and lack of kicking with intelligent kicks in behind
Impact bench keep up ball carrying theme and tempo with coonie jj fasivalu palmer etc
Carter and Guildford to sure up game and keep attacking With width and invention.

---

Saracens v Leicester Tigers
(at Forsyth Barr Stadium)
Saracens
Manager – Ozzy3213

01. Alex Corbisiero	09. Morgan Parra
02. John Smit (c)	10. Francois Trinh-Duc
03. Adam Jones
04. George Skivington	11. Luke Fitzgerald
05. Steve Borthwick	12. Jonathan Davies
06. Thierry Dusautoir	13. Henry Trinder
07. Ross Rennie	14. Andrew Trimble
08. Duane Vermeulen	15. Tom Homer (k)

16. George Chuter 17. Matt Mullan 18. Brok Harris 19. Graham Kitchener 20. Tom Johnson 21. Dewaldt Duvenage 22. Owen Farrell 23. Jaco Taute

Tactics

• Big ball carriers to carry hard close to rucks drawing defenders in.
  
• Attack the breakdown with numbers if turnover looks on.
  
• Fast paced offloading game
  
• Target the scrum as a weapon with jones locking it down and Corbisiero attacking to get us going forward.
  
• Homer to take all points on offer.
  

Leicester Tigers
Manager – LukeLovesLuka

01. Gethin Jenkins	09. Dimitri Yachvili
02. Sebastien Bruno	10. Jonny Wilkinson (k)
03. Dan Cole
04. Pascal Pape	11. Rene Ranger
05. James Horwilll (c)	12. Billy Twelvetrees
06. Tom Croft	13. Brian O'Driscoll
07. Sean O'Brien	14. Vincent Clerc
08. Thomas Waldrom	15. Isa Nacewa

16. Andrew Sheridan 17. Tom Youngs 18. Brian Mujati 19. Simon Shaw 20. Francois Louw 21. Micky Young 22. Casey Laulala 23. Rob Miller

Tactics

- We will play a structured game built around tactical HB's moving us into the right areas, the strength of our set piece and getting our backline into space.

- Use kicks from HB's to use our strong lineout - with Croft, Pape and Horwill as our main jumpers rotating the target. We will relentlessly target the opposition's throws.

- Massive line-breakers right throughout the side that will look to tire down Sarries defence. 
The likes of Waldrom, O'Brien and Horwill used off the shoulder crashing through the defence. 

- In general attacking play, we will play off 9 with Yachvili our general pulling the strings.

- Look to play attacking rugby in the backs, getting the likes of BOD, Ranger and Nacewa on the ball when we can. Croft to look to get into space and join our backs to cause trouble out wide.

- Wilkinson to kick all penalties.

---

---

Pool Two


London Welsh v Northampton Saints
(at Waikato Stadium)
London Welsh

Sturgess
Whitehead
Mitchell
Schofield
Hudson
McLaughlin
Dowsen
Narraway

Williams
Butch
Visser
Downey
Cave
Robinson
Ben Smith

Lewis Roberts , Elliot , Tui , flip , Welch , Thomas , Catterick , Smith

Saints

01. Sona Taumalolo	09. Mike Phillips
02. Dylan Hartley (c)	10. George Ford
03. Carl Hayman
04. Bradley Davies	11. Christian Wade
05. Courtney Lawes	12. Jean de Villiers
06. Liam Messam	13. Manu Tuilagi
07. Sam Cane	14. Chris Ashton
08. Sergio Parisse	15. Leigh Halfpenny (K)

16. Motu Matu'u 17. Thomas Domingo 18. Sekope Kepu 19. Joe Launchbury 20. Liam Gill 21. Joe Simpson 22. Juan Martin Hernandez 23. Julian Savea

---

Bath Rugby v Worcester Warriors
(at North Harbour Stadium)
Bath Rugby
Manager – inthefastlane

01. Charlie Faumuania	09. Aaron Smith
02. Chris Brooker	10. Charlie Hodgson
03. Davit Kubrashvilli
04. Jarrad Hoeata	11. Cory Jane
05. Tom Donnelly	12. Maxime Mermoz
06. Brad Shields	13Aurelien Rougerie
07. David Pocock	14. George North
08. JMF Lobbe	15. Stuart Hogg

16. Cian Healy 17. Kevin Mealamu 18. Euan Murray 19. Rob Simmons 20. James Haskell 21. Fourie Du Preez 22. Gareth Anscombe 23. Isiah Toeava

Worcester (RC Squad)

• Paul James
  
• Richardt Strauss
  
• BJ Botha
  
• Luke Charteris
  
• Ollie Kohn
  
• Ryan Jones ©
  
• Justin Tipuric
  
• Ben Morgan
  
• Dwayne Peel
  
• Kyle Godwin (k)
  
• James Short
  
• Seilala Mapusua
  
• Matt Hopper
  
• Julien Malzieu
  
• Olly Morgan
  

• Koree Britton, 17. Nathan Catt, 18. Chris Budgen, 19. Tom Savage, 20. Mamuka Gorgodze, 21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22. Sam Vesty, Fergus McFadden
  

Tactics

*Forwards to look to gain the edge at the scrum,

*Charteris, Jones and Tipuric to pick off the lineout,

*Breakdown dominance from Jones and Tipuric with Morgan bashing it up,

*Quick ball for Peel when needed and Godwin to put us into the corners when needed but aim for running rugby,

*Maps to hit hard with runners off him and to let Hopper go,

*Wings to go looking for work with pace and power and Morgan to play the high ball game,

*Use subs as and when bringing on experience and youngsters gunning to impress,

*Hard defence looking to slow the ball down with our breakdown experts.

---

Sale Sharks v London Wasps
(at Rugby League Park)

London Wasps
Manager – ‘Arry

01. Benn Robinson (c)	09. Nick Phipps
02. Tatafu Polota-Nau	10. Dan Bowden (k)
03. Carlos Nieto
04. Mouritz Botha	11. Topsy Ojo
05. Dan Tuohy	12. Jamie Roberts
06. Dave Dennis	13. George Pisi
07. Jonathan Poff	14. Matt Banahan
08. Nick Easter	15. Mike Brown

16. Sean Cronin 17. James Slipper 18. CJ Van Der Linde 19. Samu Manoa 20. Rocky Elsom 21. Luke Burgess 22. Steven Myler 23. Joe Ansboro

Tactics

High intensity carrying game in the forwards, looking to win the collisions and offload.

Bowden to play flat and bring in strike runners. Roberts on the crash ball, with Pisi looking to make outside breaks.

Looking to keep the ball alive and run with the ball at most oppurtunities.

Dominate the set piece. Mix things up at the lineout with Dennis providing tail ball to build from.

Sale Sharks
Manager – SJE

01. Marcos Ayerza	09. Danny Care
02. David Paice	10. Johnny Sexton
03. Davit Zirakishvilli
04. Dave Attwood	11. Keith Earls
05. Andries Bekker	12. Francois Steyn
06. Adam Thomson	13. Robbie Freuen
07. Peter O'Mahony	14. David Strettle
08. Louis Picamoles	15. Nick Abendanon

16. Jerome Schuster 17. Darren Dawdiuk 18. Luc Ducalcon 19. Brodie Retalick 20. Victor Vito 21. Ben Spencer 22. James Hook 23. Craig Gilroy

Tactics

• Strong carrying game with big carriers running off the 9/10/12 axis providing forward momentum
  
• Plenty of offloading to keep the ball alive and break thdefensive line
  
• Back 3 to look to get involved as much as possible and create overlaps and mis-matches
  
• Look to hit the set piece hard particularly the lineout with no leader on show for Wasps

---

Try and do others later lads

Hope they aren't looking to bad, trying to give constructive criticism (pos & neg), rather say it now than people getting annoyed through season.

Irish 24-20 quins

Irish + good lineout scrum options
Half back parings
Well balanced backline
- 2nd row lightweight
Garvey no 6
Pack lacks guile

Quins + pack full of carriers
Great mobility
Decent lineout
Hooper and warbs would work as both carry well
Great breakdown
Bakkies makes side much tougher

- Franks average either side and would struggle
Backline has square pegs In round holes not balanced on anyway

Folks, i am extending the deadline for predos to midnight, as I've just got up and am on nights.

Is there money for predos Pete?

Sarries 21-23 Leicester

Sarries + great front row
Wonderful breakdown
Good halfbacks
- lack of ball carriers
Lack of grunt
Lack of form in wings and centre


Leicester
+ great ball carrying options
Centre partnership
Lineout options

- Bruno a poor player these days and ruins the lineout
Yach and wilko means the tempo slows so their quick ball generated by the rampant ball carriers is not used properly

Saints 25-12 welsh

Saints
+ great balance in pack and backs
+ great breakdowns
+ great mobility
+ finishing prowess out wide

- lack of guile in midfield
- back 3 defence in wet conditions may struggle a bit. Very susceptible to cross kick
- lack of lineout


Welsh
+good lock pairing
Great defence in backs

- lack of ball carriers
Weak front row
Unbalanced back row

Bath 22-18 Worcester

Bath
+ good balance in the pack
+ smith and hodgson good pairing
+ good backline balance

- faimaniu better 3
- lack of form in lots of positions

Worcester
+ front row and backrow
+ good game breakers in backs

- Godwin at 10
Second rows bit short on class

Wasps 18-22 sale

Wasps
+ good backrow balance and front row
+ solid backs defence

- lack of goal kicker
- lack lineout leader


Sale

+ good blend of carriers
+ good lineout
Half backs

- backrow balance 2 6.5s on flanks
Steyn and freaun as a combo would not work for me.
Wings lack form
-

dammit_chris wrote:Is there money for predos Pete?

Yes. £1.5 million for with explanations. £0.25 million for scores with no explanation.

London Irish 26 Harlequins 24
London Irish +'s
Good control at halfbacks
Lots of attacking threat out wide
Strong scrum
London Irish -'s
Lineout could go wonky with Lindsay throwing
Garvey not a 6 for me

Harlequins +'s
Excellent carrying from the pack
Attacking threat from backs good
Harlequins -'s
Front row could get munched in the scrum
Backs could be got at defensively

Bath 27-23 Worcester

Bath
+ solid front row & engine room
+ good jumpers
+ balance of Backrow
+ Plenty of attack and wing threat

- Nothing really, possibly lack of top draw player in front 5

Worcester
+ solid front row
+ good engine room, Kohn not big name but good player
+ good Backrow

- Goodwin
- nothing again major, good blend & solid if not spectacular

Wasps 24-27 Sale

Wasps
+ strong scrummaging unit backed with grizzly engine room
+ good balance in Backrow and plenty of carrying
+ could do a lot of damage with strong midfield
+ balance of back 3

- lineout could stutter with 2 heavy units
- bowen not best place kicker
- back 3 lacks a little class but solid

Sale
+ V strong front 5 and set piece
+ Nice Backrow, Picles strong off good set piece
+ quality halfbacks
+ immense centre combo

- wings lack a little fizz, Bendy strong tho
- not much else

London Irish 23 - 20 Harlequins
Newcastle 25 - 23 Gloucester
Saracens 21 - 22 Leicester Tigers
London Welsh 23 - 27 Northampton Saints
Bath Rugby 28 - 25 Worcester Warriors

London Welsh 12 - 25 Northampton Saints

Struggle a bit here as Saints stronger in most departments. Welsh do hold their own in the front row, and decent in centres but Saints have class in every positions. Bit of creatvitiy problems in Saints mifield though, and think Ford is ready, but not sure Phillips gives him quick enough ball. Welsh to make some inroads with stroing carriers, but Saints too strong today.



Bath Rugby 25 - 24 Worcester Warriors

Decent front row battle here, see both TH's to be on top, but Strauss swings ot for me for Worcester. Hoeata not playing badly, but issues of form for me for Bath whereas Worcester decent form in back 5. Pocock a plus for Bath and too strong for Tipuric right now. One apiece in the HB's, but Godwin outclassed by Hodgson. Prefer Bath's French duo in the centres, and just to Bath in the back 3. Worcester take the3 pack for me, but Bath better backs. Gonna edge to Bath just.



Sale Sharks 27 - 23 London Wasps

Edge to Wasps up front for me with a powerful unit. Give the edge to Sale in the 2nd row, and the same in the back row. Wasps lack a real world class back 5 player, but have very strong options. Sale's HB to really take control for me, and the centre battle a real match up, edge to Sale on form. Wasps struggling for form in back 3 beyond Brown, and Sale lack a world class option here for me. Think Sale a bit stronger in key positions here.

Irish 24-25 Quins
Newcastle 27-25 Gloucester
Sarries 22-24 Tigers
Welsh 15-24 Saints
Sale 26-23 Wasps

Falcons v Glos
- tough to call upfront, not huge fan of either hooker. mas and tonga cancel each other out and wood and pdj is close. close battle in backrow and locks also. think glos have more carrying options in forwards. glos backline is exciting, but falcons has more class and experience and will take them this game.
35-31

sarries v tigers
- front fives are close but prefer the tigers lock duo which gives them an edge. two great backrows. rennie will be good at breakdown, tigers have a lot of power and carrying ability. solid sarries hb's, as is tigers. give tigers a slight edge in the backs, think nacewa at fb offers a lot more than homer but davies will be a threat for sarries. real close one.
21-23

welsh v saints
- powerful welsh side but saints have that extra class. pace in the backs to do damage.
20-27

bath v warriors
- superb bath backline. like warriors backrow has everything. bath backline wins it for them.
28-24

sale v wasps
- 30-24

sorry out of time!

Results:

London Irish 28-24 Harlequins
Newcastle Falcons 31-25 Gloucester Rugby
Sarecens 23-28 Leicester Tigers
London Welsh 17-29 Northampton Saints
Bath Rugby 29-23 Worcester Warriors
Sale Sharks 28-23 London Wasps

Full bonus to Prop, Luke, Steve, SJE, Chris, Pooly, Matt, Pete & Nick
Score bonus to Driver, Arry & ITFL

(Scores calculated with the new .5 bonus mark per winning predictions)

SJE, top man, thanks for doing the scores bud, my feet aren't touching the ground this week between being CID cover for the whole county on nights, but only getting about 3 hours kip each day as the kids have so much stuff on I am running round like a nutter. Beyond knackered, I am absolutelyfeiced.com

No worries Pete mate give us a shout if you need anything done as that sounds like a nightmare to me!