Aviva Premiership - Round 2 Preview

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Friday 13th September 2013

Harlequins v Northampton 19:45

Round 2 starts with a real humdinger of a match as last years losing finallists travel to the previous year's champions. BT have chosen to make this game free-to-air via Freeview, BT TV, Sky and Virgin and plenty will turn in to watch what will hopefully be a great clash. Last week both sides won, but by all accounts Saints put on the better display. Their first half demolition of Exeter must have been impressive to watch. Quins on the other hand were a little disappointing - but the won. The likes of Corbisiero, Hartley and North for Saints, Robshaw, Care and Brown for Quins will garner much of the media attention. however it is the smaller contests that will fascinate me. PDJ after his unhappy time at Franklins Gardens will be eager to play and make his mark. Will we see both Dickson's on the field at the same time?
Last season Saints struggled against the other top 4 teams - there only win coming in the play-off when they stormed all over Sarries. Do they really believe they can win this game? If Fotuali'i (or Dickson) can guide Myler through this, Saints shoudl have too much for Quins even away from home. However if Quins can start well the we will see just how fragile the Northampton confidence is.

Harlequins Team:
TBC

Saints Team:
15 Ben FODEN, 14 Ken PISI, 13 James WILSON, 12 Luther BURRELL, 11 George NORTH, 10 Stephen MYLER, 9 Kahn FOTUALI’I
1 Alex CORBISIERO, 2 Dylan HARTLEY (capt), 3 Tom MERCEY, 4 Courtney LAWES, 5 Christian DAY, 6 Tom WOOD, 7 Calum CLARK, 8 Samu MANOA

Replacements
16 Mike HAYWOOD, 17 Alex WALLER, 18 Gareth DENMAN, 19 Sam DICKINSON, 20 Phil DOWSON, 21 Lee DICKSON, 22 George PISI, 23 Jamie ELLIOTT



Sale v Newcastle 20:00

Contrasting fortunes last week for two of the team favoured to be amongst the few fighting of relegation. Sale travelled to Gloucester and in front of a stunned Kingsholm completely outplayed a fancied Gloucester team. Falcons however hosted Bath on a wet and windy night, picked a side for an armwrestle and proceeded to be crushed by the Bath juggernaut of a pack. Those were the conditions that Falcons would have hoped to make the most of, but they looked underpowered and, sad to say, devoid of any attacking intent. This week it is their turn to travel on a Friday night. The Falcons pack have to raise their game, and someone has to control things at 9 or 10. Mike Blair was poor last week but he can play much better. Phil Godman however just is not good enough.
So long as Sale do not make changes at 10, I would expect them to win by a decent margin. The key for Falcons is to be competitive - and to score.




Saturday 14th September 2013

Exeter v London Wasps 15:00

Rob Baxter will have been really disappointed by last weeks display - especially in the first half when he stated that his side "looked like they were just going through the motions". We can expect training this week to be tough. Wasps struggled at scrum time against Quins and with injuries to key players in the backs, rarely worked the ball to their wingers with anything like the panache we saw last season. Joe Simpson is not the first scrum half, nor will he be the last, to struggle at the base of a scrum that is being shoved or wheeled almost at will. He really needs to find form, and fast though if he is to help Wasps start to win a few matches.
Whichever side loses this game will be anchored at the foot of the table. I suspect that will be Wasps.



Worcester v London Irish 15:00

Another match up between two teams who both lost last weekend. There is no real consolation in defeat, but Worcester perhaps will have taken more confidence from their match. They looked solid and direct (if a little lacking in inspiration) and will as usual be a hard side to beat. However a lack of any real attacking game and flaky goalkicking from Mieres always allows opposition to be in with a shout.
London Irish showed they can score tries - yet at the same time they looked seriously underpowered and at times fragile against Saracens. Dean Ryan and his Worcester team will have targeted this early fixture. They need a win and defeat to potential relegation rivals would put a huge dent in their season. For this reason I feel that a physical Worcester side will be too strong for a game and talented London Irish.



Bath v Leicester 15:15

The second of this weekends televised fixtures pits two clubs celebrating a centenary of inter club fixtures. It has been a while since the two were rivals at the top of the table, but Bath do look as if finally they are getting their recruitment right. In horrid conditions we saw little of thei backs at Kingston Park, but we did see just how strong the Bath pack will be. Again you feel that this is a battle that will be won up front, and having done a real number on Mulipola at the end of the season, David Wilson will be looking for more of the same.
Leicester will hope to welcome back England trio YoungsB, flood and Manu - which would strengthen the backs immeasurably and the absence of Francois Louw will help the Tigers cause. however I find it hard to look past a home win.



Sunday 15th September 2013

Saracens v Gloucester 14:00

The weekend's final fixture will again be live on BT Sport. Saracens, boasting ever impressive strength in depth, will be seeking another TBP win to finish the weekend firmly at the head of the table. A Gloucester side, coming off the back of a disappointing and disjointed effot, have the talent to move the ball at real pace and threaten the famed Saracens defence. Sarries however will resort to their power game and look to crush the visitors. Potentially an interesting match up between the main contenders for the England 12 shirt, both Barritt and Twelvetrees will be looking for improved performances




Good luck everyone, but not so much to Bath (sorry)

should of been a pen to NH for quins holding on.

Wasn't on the floor

Saints new away jersey makes them look like bags of urine running about the pitch.

Does anyone remember green, gold, black?

just win, baby.

doctor_grey wrote:Saints new away jersey makes them look like bags of urine running about the pitch.  

Does anyone remember green, gold, black?

just win, baby.

Al Davies is a saint?

what a pair of muppets.

Clarke and Marler winding each other up. Careful, Joe...

Do we honestly have to look at every set of handbags? It was nowt for goodness sake.

what the hell is going on in marlers head

Well dealt with ref. Marler, stop being a douche

Breadvan wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Saints new away jersey makes them look like bags of urine running about the pitch.  

Does anyone remember green, gold, black?

just win, baby.

Al Davies is a saint?

Funny. He was a bit of a urine bag, no?

ChequeredJersey wrote:Well dealt with ref. Marler, stop being a douche

it was well dealt with, but i think will be having a 10 minute rest if he doesnt cut it out.

Mylar kicking very well

Beautiful stuff

Can anyone tell me what are those rectangular shaped things under the players jerseys just between the shoulder blades? On the Saint's jerseys the top of it is under the rch of the 'monarch' emblem. Quins have it too. Saw it last week as well.

Are those the GPS units?

Need that, Quins have had a lot of possession.

Anyone's game

doctor_grey wrote:Can anyone tell me what are those rectangular shaped things under the players jerseys just between the shoulder blades?  On the Saint's jerseys the top of it is under the rch of the 'monarch' emblem.  Quins have it too.  Saw it last week as well.  

Are those the GPS units?

they are indeed!

They monitor all the players and so can tell if they need subbing based on performance.

I love Mike Brown

Bit of an error by Nick who had been doing well before then

For a big lad George North is tackling like a fairy. Obviously doesn't like the conditions.

Mike Brown is having a cracking game for Quins and if they had a 10 at the races they'd have the tactical kicking game to win this.

I think this has been a really good match so far all things considered

ChequeredJersey wrote:I love Mike Brown

I still think he is crazy and would not let him loose around women and children.

Oh god, I wouldn't let him actually interact with people! Moore summed it up well when he called him a forward in a full back's body

ChequeredJersey wrote:Oh god, I wouldn't let him actually interact with people! Moore summed it up well when he called him a forward in a full back's body

lol, that sums him up perfectly!

donkey dorian!

the ref is very quick to call for penalties, i'd like him to slow it down about. can't be easy in this weather.

Hasn't got his kicking boots on tonight.

Can't leave points on the field in this type of match.

bit of a puddle in that corner lol

Probably fair

surely quins had a player on the wrong side?

Would have to watch again

Brown has been magnificent so far

Brown needs his meds. The happy, happy ones.

Was that a yellow?

ChequeredJersey wrote:Was that a yellow?

which bit? the in the side?

ChequeredJersey wrote:Was that a yellow?

Touch a touch judge - should be.

Despite the weather Hartley is throwing in quite well. I would have thought the line outs would have been pretty dodgy.

doctor_grey wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:Was that a yellow?

Touch a touch judge - should be.

Despite the weather Hartley is throwing in quite well.  I would have thought the line outs would have been pretty dodgy.

ah didnt see that, did he push him?

Nev not at the races

nathan wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:Was that a yellow?

Touch a touch judge - should be.

Despite the weather Hartley is throwing in quite well.  I would have thought the line outs would have been pretty dodgy.

ah didnt see that, did he push him?

No. Seemed to touch him. Did seem to argue for a little bit, too. Just went back and looked at it again. Brown seemed to argue with everyone on that play. Better to let it go.........

Jeez, has someone drugged the Quins' kickers drinking water?

Tense turnover. We've left 15 points on the pitch...

Saints are a slick passing bunch, eh?
Wonder it they could ever do it again???

ChequeredJersey wrote:Tense turnover. We've left 15 points on the pitch...

agree. you should certainly be ahead.

That's a try

yeah. lucky though.

Gutted. Think we can take this back though

come on saints! (sorry quins fans, superbru)

Who's Burrell been training with? He's suddenly developed a great passing game from nowhere.

Clearly, this ain't over.
The weather still has a trick or two.
so does the referees kisser.........