Aviva Premiership Round Eight

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Aviva Premiership Round Eight


Sale Sharks (8th) vs. Worcester Warriors (12th)

Exeter Chiefs (4th) vs. Saracens (1st)

Harlequins (5th) vs. Gloucester Rugby (10th)

Leicester Tigers (6th) vs. London Irish (11th)

London Wasps (7th) vs. Bath Rugby (3rd)

Northampton Saints (2nd) vs. Newcastle Falcons (9th)


Aviva Premiership action is back this weekend, and here are the fixtures. I'll give my thoughts a bit later when I have more time, but feel free to discuss how you see these games going!

Ozzy3213 wrote:Penalty tries are covered under law 10.2(a)

A penalty try must be awarded if the offence prevents a try that would probably otherwise have been scored. A player who prevents a try being scored through foul play must either be cautioned and temporarily suspended or sent off.

Essentially repeat infringements don't come into it and never had, although refereeing precedent seems to be that it will be given for repeated infringements when it relates to the scrum.  We had it both ways in the Tigers game.  

First one given on a first scrum penalty, second one given after 11 scrums, I think 5 of which we were pinged on and 6 were reset.

By repeat infringements I meant that if team cheat before another can get the ascendancy then a penalty try would never be give until it went to uncontested scrums (due to yellows) and one really cannot be given.

Ozzy3213 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Having seen the first penalty try I can't see how there can be a complaint, it was pretty cynical. Tigers are in complete control the LI backrow has run round and then driven straight through the side of the Tigers scrum causing it to collapse. Not only cynical but also dangerous. Had they not illegally collapsed it then Tigers were over. The Tigers props were touching the try line as it was dragged down, that's five metres they'd already driven the LI pack back.

http://sport.bt.com/video-01363814401986?videoid=2862643990001

I'll let others be the judges of how much truth there is in your assertion that Tigers had driven Irish back 5 metres and the Tigers props were touching the try line for the first penalty try.

er not much … unless they had very long limbs

Sam and Beshocked make the English threads at times though. The arguments between those two and London Tiger were epic.

All in the past now though sadly.

Good to see Quins back up the rankings now after their poor start. Just shows how close the league is this season that we could lose so many already and still be in fourth place and one or two wins away from the very top.

Got to agree with you yappysnap.

I think Quins recovery has been good though when you look at it things were never really that bad - two of your losses were against the top 2.

Top 4 battle looks to be really competitive this season with Bath going strong and Exeter being in the mix.

Bath do have a tough run of matches to come though with 4 of the current top 6 - Exeter and Quins at home then Saints and Tigers away.

yappysnap wrote:Anyone read the interesting news on Dave Rose? He won't be reffing in the prem again any time soon...

Sadly, he won't be missed for his reffing on this season's performances.

Ozzy, I only saw the one replay in the build up to the Wasps vs Bath game and it looked like we were all but over when LI ran round and into the side of the Tigers scrum. On the mobile at the minute so can't see it again (me internet won't hack that). Stanko and Balmain are big boys, they do have long limbs :-p .

Of course I'm bias towards my team, having been born in Leicester, raised on Leicestershire and work with several season ticket holders in an office not five mins from the ground. I do also play weekly so parts of my view are bases upon the decisions I like to see a ref make on math day for and against. 11 resets is ridiculous, if cynical penalties occur in order to stop a try being scored the make the call. Considering some of the decisions we've had from refs can't say I'm fussed.

Bathman, regards Freddie heading to WR I think that is a bit more fan driven than truth driven. I'm sure the board are monitoring his situation and we do seem to like a creative 10 under Cockerill. We do also like reliability under Cockerill so I doubt it's a case of all eggs in one basket. We'll be monitoring several options and Burns is very likely one of them. I'm sure his agent his happy for it to be known as well, will help get a bit more cash out of Glaws.

beshocked wrote:B91212 that's a logical way of looking at it no doubt. Exeter will probably start at favourites at home with practically a full strength side but Sarries are a side that can win at any ground in the AP and have beaten Chiefs 2 out of 3 at Sandy Park. It will be very dependent on how replacements for missing players do.

The areas that Exeter will inevitably look to get the upperhand are the scrum and the centres battle.

Fair play beshocked, I owe you an .

Only saw the Saints Falcons and the first half of the Sale Wuss games and neither were classics by a long shot (in fact I had the chance to watch the second half of the Sale game later on and didn't bother as the first half was so error-strewn). Thought Saints maybe underestimated the Falcons at first, going wide too quickly without taking it through the middle and comitting more defenders first. Fair play to Newcastle though, their defense seemed pretty solid and both Saints tries were hardly textbook or classic.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Yep.  No arguments about the 2nd penalty try really.  We were under cosh and had repeatedly infringed in the scrum to stop Tigers from driving us back.  

First one is an absolutely ludicrous decision.

No mention that it was an absolutely ludicrous decision to allow around 10 odd scrums with Irish trying to wheel every one?  

Second half of the Sale game was much better than the first

Just to let you know Quins are now leading against Saints in the A league semi. Two Sam Smith tries brought us up from behind and it's now 14-16.

Add to that this game sees the return of PDJ, Kennedy and OLH. Watch out premiership!!!!

34-0 to Bath united against Sale at the moment, see you in the final maybe yappy!

Sadly not Bathman, final score was 39-30 to Saints!

Apparantly a good game though and it seems like all our returnees came through unscathed, which is all we really required from the game (he say's bitterly). Good luck to you boys in the final, never know you may get some silverware this year after all!!  

B91212 wrote:

beshocked wrote:B91212 that's a logical way of looking at it no doubt. Exeter will probably start at favourites at home with practically a full strength side but Sarries are a side that can win at any ground in the AP and have beaten Chiefs 2 out of 3 at Sandy Park. It will be very dependent on how replacements for missing players do.

The areas that Exeter will inevitably look to get the upperhand are the scrum and the centres battle.

Fair play beshocked, I owe you an .

Only saw the Saints Falcons and the first half of the Sale Wuss games and neither were classics by a long shot (in fact I had the chance to watch the second half of the Sale game later on and didn't bother as the first half was so error-strewn). Thought Saints maybe underestimated the Falcons at first, going wide too quickly without taking it through the middle and comitting more defenders first. Fair play to Newcastle though, their defense seemed pretty solid and both Saints tries were hardly textbook or classic.

Thanks B91212 but Sarries were a bit fortunate. As I said before Exeter perhaps should have got benefit of the doubt in their 2nd disallowed try. On the other hand shouldn't haven't been chasing a draw at the end - too many errors and opportunities blown from Exeter.

Oh and Exeter didn't get the upperhand at scrum time, should have done better vs our 10 and 12 too.

Agree about the Sale-Worcester game - I saw the whole 2nd half. Not a classic but Sale got the job done. Worcester look disappointing. Can't see any way back for them unfortunately.

In regards to Saints-Newcastle will obviously you'll be pleased that they got the 4 points but surely opportunity for a try bonus was there?

yappysnap wrote:Sadly not Bathman, final score was 39-30 to Saints!

Apparantly a good game though and it seems like all our returnees came through unscathed, which is all we really required from the game (he say's bitterly). Good luck to you boys in the final, never know you may get some silverware this year after all!!  

I think someone may have to find the key for the trophy cabinet first, its been a while since its been used!

Seems that there was some curious refereeing in the Saints - Falcons game? I havent seen the game yet, anyone confirm or deny it? Dont think it would have change the result by all accounts but still.

Saints could have been in for two tries in the first few minutes.  They screwed it up with help from some great last second defense from Falcons.  Saints gained over 500 metres and dominated possession.  I frankly thought Saints should have won by much more.

Was that the one Small did? I thought he was pretty good.

What club rugby is happening this weekend? Is it Prem or HC?? And where's the thread for it????????????????????????

AP, yappy, we are away to Barf

We are playing Falcons away. Should be interesting