Aviva Premiership - Round 22

Sat 10th May 15:15 Harlequins   v  Bath Rugby - BT Sport
Sat 10th May 15:15 Leicester Tigers   v  Saracens
Sat 10th May 15:15 London Irish   v  Sale Sharks
Sat 10th May 15:15 Newcastle Falcons   v  Exeter Chiefs
Sat 10th May 15:15 Northampton Saints v  London Wasps - BT Sport
Sat 10th May 15:15 Worcester Warriors   v  Gloucester Rugby

Pos PTS
1 Saracens 85
2 Northampton Saints 73
3 Leicester Tigers 69
4 Bath Rugby 66
5 Harlequins 63
6 Sale Sharks 56
7 London Wasps 49
8 Gloucester Rugby 42
9 Exeter Chiefs 41
10 London Irish 32
11 Newcastle Falcons 22
12 Worcester Warriors 12

Harlequins
15. Mike Brown
14. Tom Williams
13. Tim Molenaar
12. Jordan Turner-Hall
11. Ugo Monye
10. Nick Evans
9. Danny Care

1. Joe Marler
2. Dave Ward
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Charlie Matthews
5. George Robson
6. Maurie Fa'asavalu
7. Chris Robshaw (C)
8. Nick Easter

16. Rob Buchanan 17. Mark Lambert 18. Will Collier 19. Nick Kennedy 20. Tom Guest 21. Karl Dickson 22. Ben Botica 23. Sam Smith

BATH
15. Nick Abendanon
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Ollie Devoto
11. Matt Banahan
10. George Ford
9. Micky Young
1. Paul James
2. Eusebio Guinazu
3. David Wilson
4. Stuart Hooper ( c )
5. Dave Attwood
6. Carl Fearns
7. Guy Mercer
8. Leroy Houston

Replacements
16. Tom Dunn 17. Anthony Perenise 18. Juan Pablo Orlandi 19. Dominic Day 20. Alafoti Fa'osiliva 21. Peter Stringer 22. Gavin Henson 23. Semesa Rokoduguni

If Quins with without BP and we get a LBP, who goes through in 4th?

I believe Bath have the better points difference.

But there is probably a rule that states there must be two London based teams in the Semis!

It doesn't bare thinking about!

It would not be a nice way to end the season finishing in 5th.

Little surprised the Sarries Tigers game isn't on tv?

CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE NEWCASTLE FALCONS:

15 Phil Dollman
14 Fetu’u Vainikolo
13 Ian Whitten
12 Sam Hill
11 Matt Jess
10 Henry Slade
9 Dave Lewis

1 Ben Moon
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie
3 Hoani Tui
4 Dean Mumm (capt)
5 Damian Welch
6 Ben White
7 James Scaysbrook
8 Kai Horstmann

Replacements:

16 Jack Yeandle
17 Carl Rimmer
18 Alex Brown
19 James Phillips
20 Tom Johnson
21 Haydn Thomas
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Tom James

Dave Ewers is injured so Scays steps up, with TJ conveniently back from injury to take his place as backrow cover. Ben Moon is recovered and restored, so Carl Rimmer drops to the bench, and the departing Craig Mitchell misses out altogether. Sladey is preferred to Steeno in the playmaker role

Nothing but pride riding on this one

Believe it then goes to team with most wins before points difference, so Quins would be 4th

This is the reason the Tigers game isn't televised.


Leicester Tigers (v Saracens, Welford Road, Saturday 3.15pm)15 Mathew Tait14 Niall Morris13 Manusamoa Tuilagi12 Toby Flood11 Blaine Scully10 Owen Williams9 David Mele1 Boris Stankovich2 Neil Briggs3 Fraser Balmain4 Louis Deacon (c)5 Geoff Parling6 Steve Mafi7 Pablo Matera8 Thomas WaldromReplacements16 Rob Hawkins17 Marcos Ayerza18 Tiziano Pasquali19 Graham Kitchener20 Tom Croft21 Sam Harrison22 Dan Bowden23 Adam Thompstone

Saracens: 15 Ben Ransom, 14 Michael Tagicakibau, 13 Tim Streather, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 Jack Wilson, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Ben Spencer; 1 Rhys Gill, 2 Jamie George (c), 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 4 Eoin Sheriff, 5 Hayden Smith, 6 Maro Itoje, 7 Justin Melck, 8 Nick Fenton-Wells.Replacements: 16 Scott Spurling, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 James Johnston, 19 Tom Jubb, 20 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Nils Mordt, 23 Nick Tompkins

Bathite wrote:If Quins with without BP and we get a LBP, who goes through in 4th?

Quins, wins comes before PD.

Scrumpy wrote:It doesn't bare thinking about!

It would not be a nice way to end the season finishing in 5th.

It depends upon your point of view

Eastmond not selected again.....I hope its not all black in the melting pot......a Salford City Red shaped caldron......

If Eastmond isn't in the squad come June 7th then Lancaster and our game will have wasted a tremendous opportunity.

Eastmond hasn't been playing? Why not?

Because he doesn't like his lot in the Bath side?

That Bath midfield doesn't work with a Eastmond and Joseph combination. They need to put in a more powerful runner alongside one of them.

The bath midfield has been working fine, and eastmond is one if our most rated players, personally I think he's under internal suspension, he hasn't played since the tip tackle against wasps where he swore at the ref on the way off, no news just guess, devoto is certainly not the heavyweight option!

I wish Lowe were fit

Devoto is bigger than both Eastmond and Joseph. I'd have said it was a weakness in the Bath play that Ford has to use a winger to straighten the line as opposed to a centre. Limits the options in games where the opposition defence is applying pressure. Wouldn't be surprised if they did trial Burgess at 12 for that reason.

I could see Eastmond outside Burrell come June 7th. Come to that on rugby nouse alone i'd have Eastmond over May with Yarde on the right.

Eastmond is an exceptional talent and should be exploited as such and where ever possible.

He couldn't do any worse then May could he??

Like that Quins team, those centre's are really holding us together in the backs. As CJ say's it'll be good to hopefully one day have Lowe back playing for us as well.

Really nervous about this game, the weathers crap which'll suit Bath and their pack is going to really test ours. Not good.

Yappy, without Webber, Garvey and Louw Bath's pack isn't as dominant as it was. Its no coincidence that Bath haven't been as effective since the latter 2 have been out; they have been the 6 & 7 of the season for me. You arguably have your first choice pack starting, so I don't see you being overhauled.

It should be a cracking game. Its a shame I'll miss it for what will probably be a dire game!

HongKongCherry wrote:Yappy, without Webber, Garvey and Louw Bath's pack isn't as dominant as it was. Its no coincidence that Bath haven't been as effective since the latter 2 have been out; they have been the 6 & 7 of the season for me. You arguably have your first choice pack starting, so I don't see you being overhauled.

It should be a cracking game. Its a shame I'll miss it for what will probably be a dire game!

First choice pack? Hmm... I don't think at the start of the season anyone would have picked Ward and Sinckler to be first choice by the end of the season. In truth, I think Ward, Buchanan and Gray will rotate next season, as will Sinckler and Collier (and possibly PDJ, if Kingston can work his magic over the summer). The flip side is that at thestart of the season Mo would have been first choice at 6, but now Wallace is firmly established as the preferred blindside flank partner to Robshaw. I would prefer to have him available, but Mo will give his all for this game, as will Guesty.

Very relieved not to have Louw to face. What's interesting is having two near-full strength backlines with quite contrasting styles. Quins - especially with Molenaar at 13 - look quite physical compared to Bath.

On way into Leicester now. Come on the miracle day with Tigers grabbing second!

Or failing that just a comfortable win with some nice scores from Tigers.

Just seen the Wasps team and there's no way they'll be at Saints. Oh well. Come on Tigers!

Dai Young has decided to rest a host of players ahead of the play off games with SF.

Sarries vs tigers isn't on TV. WHAT THE CHRIST.

Quins vs Bath and Saints vs Wasps are more influential games.

Quins to prevail I believe.

Latest scores....

Harlequins 0 - 0 Bath Rugby
Leicester Tigers 3 - 8 Saracens
London Irish 7 - 7 Sale Sharks
Newcastle Falcons 6 - 5 Exeter Chiefs
Northampton Saints 0 - 5 London Wasps
Worcester Warriors 0 - 0 Gloucester Rugby

Ford just chose to kick at Brown rather than run and pass when he had a clean break   

As it stands...

Saracens 89
Saints 73
Tigers 70
Bath 68
Quins 65

Wasps leading Saints 13-0

And of course it's Brown

Wasps now 13-0 up at Saints!!!

If Tigers pull their fingers out a home semi final could still be on.

Nev makes a hard kick. He usually kicks excellently or mediocrely, so good sign

I know it's not strictly on topic, but Rotherham are 9-0 up at Bristol in the Championship play off semi final first leg!

Go Rotherham!

Varndell try now. Saints really on the wane.

If we get 5 points and Tigers none, very unlikely and I'm not even sure we'll win, can we steal 3rd?

Well done Ford

Tigers are 6 points ahead so no.

Try for Saints. 7-13 now.

Ah, drat

Second try for Saints, 2 in 4 minutes for them.

Latest scores...

Aviva Premiership
Harlequins 7 - 7 Bath Rugby
Leicester Tigers 3 - 8 Saracens
London Irish 7 - 14 Sale Sharks
Newcastle Falcons 6 - 8 Exeter Chiefs
Northampton Saints 12 - 13 London Wasps
Worcester Warriors 3 - 17 Gloucester Rugby

As you were in the top 4!

HammerofThunor wrote:Varndell try now. Saints really on the wane.

I'm like a prophet   

Saints have scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17-13 lead against Wasps

Rugby Fan wrote:Saints have scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17-13 lead against Wasps

Rock and Roll.
Hoochie-Coo
Lordy Mama..........    

By the way, Ford is starting to remind me of the young Cipriani, the good and the bad.

The lead again. 10-7. Ford worries me, he's the way for Bath to win this game, but if he gets injured that's awful for England

To be fair, heart in mouth though it may be, this is probably our best start in ages!

If Quins win and Bath get a BP who goes through?