Aviva Premiership Round Six

by **Ozzy3213** Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:59 pm

First topic message reminder :

So round five produced yet more excitement as what is shaping up to be a great season continued at a pace. On Friday night Bath Rugby laid down another marker, ending Saracens unbeaten start to the season at The Rec, and temporarily put themselves back at the top of the table. Saturdays games saw Quins get back on track, nilling a hapless Welsh side who look to be relegated, even this early in the season, Saints edged out Irish in a tight affair were defences were on top, and Gloucester heaped more misery on Tigers with a comfortable win at Kingsholm. Sundays offering saw Sale Sharks get one over on Wasps, to keep the middle of the table tight, and Newcastle ended their 20 game losing streak by beating high flying Exeter Chiefs at Kingston Park.

Predictions wise, it was 5 from 6 for me this week on here, with Tigers letting me down. I was only 4 from 6 elsewhere (the bookies) as I can't bet against my own team!

So here's the table after round 5;-

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	DIFF	TF	TA	TBP	LBP	PTS
1.	Northampton Saints	5	4	0	1	154	72	+82	18	6	3	1	20
2.	Bath Rugby	5	4	0	1	172	88	+84	19	11	2	1	19
3.	Saracens	5	4	0	1	160	100	+60	15	12	2	0	18
4.	Exeter Chiefs	5	3	0	2	157	88	+69	16	9	1	2	15
5.	Gloucester	5	3	0	2	141	131	+10	15	15	1	1	14
6.	Harlequins	5	3	0	2	111	113	-2	12	9	1	0	13
7.	London Irish	5	2	0	3	101	112	-11	7	10	1	3	12
8.	Sale Sharks	5	2	0	3	137	125	+12	18	12	2	1	11
9	Wasps	5	2	0	3	120	119	+1	14	12	1	2	11
10.	Leicester Tigers	5	2	0	3	95	137	-42	8	13	1	1	10
11.	Newcastle Falcons	5	1	0	4	92	150	-58	11	17	0	1	5
12.	London Welsh	5	0	0	5	44	249	-205	6	33	1	0	1

On to this weeks fixtures;-

Friday 10th October 2014 19:45 Leicester Tigers vs. Harlequins

Back at Welford Road after three straight defeats, Tigers will be desperate to win this one, but will need to be a whole lot better than they were against Gloucester to do so. Quins will be buoyed by their nilling of Welsh, but that result will have little bearing on this game in reality. It's not easy to call this one, but I can't see Tigers losing a second one on the bounce at home, so am going for a Tigers win with a Quins losing bonus point in a scrappy game.

Saturday 11th October 2014 14:30 London Welsh vs. Newcastle Falcons

This is seriously must win for Welsh, even at this early stage of the season. Falcons are now up and running after beating the Chiefs, and if they can back that up this weekend with another win there will be clear daylight between themselves and Welsh, and it's tough to see where Welsh will make up the points at this stage. Having said that, Welsh will know that this is it, they have to step up now. They will need to keep in the game against a Falcons side that will come with renewed confidence, and will have to close things out better. I can't see it. For Falcons fans this one will be like London buses, you wait forever for one and then two come along at once.

Saturday 11th October 2014 15:00 Exeter Chiefs vs. London Irish

Two sides off the back of defeats last week and both will be keen to finish this block of Premiership games on a high. Both had plenty of the ball at the weekend but couldn't quite get the job done, and whoever is going to win this one will need to be more clinical. On paper the sides are evenly matched and both have exceeded most peoples pre season expectations of them. I can't quantify why really, but I just fancy us to win this one, will be tight though and I expect the Chiefs to be within 7 at the death.

Saturday 11th October 2014 15:00 Saracens vs. Gloucester

Gloucester have been really up and down this season, but have picked up a couple of good wins on the way. Saracens I don't think have really hit top gear yet, but have had too much for everyone bar an in form Bath last week. Back at Allianz Park, they won't want to lose two on the bounce, and I don't think Gloucester are yet in a place to go there and beat them. I think Saracens will go up a notch in preparation for their European game the following week, and will send Gloucester back west with nothing, whilst notching up a try bonus point themselves.

Saturday 11th October 2014 15:15 Northampton Saints vs. Sale Sharks

Sale had a good win yesterday, but Saints are a whole different prospect to Wasps and this will be a much tougher proposition for them. Saints don't lose many at the Gardens and will want to consolidate their position at the top of the table with another win before the European break. Sale will need their pack to give them a platform and if they do, then in Danny Cipriani they have a 10 who could pull of a win for them. Sadly for them, I see the Saints pack dominating, and if that happens they will win this one comfortably, and with bonus point.

Sunday 12th October 2014 14:00 Wasps vs. Bath Rugby

Bath are flying high right now, and will fancy picking up an away win here. In Ford, Eastmond and Joseph they have the in form 10-12-13 combination in the league, if not the northern hemisphere. Wasps don't quite seem to know what their best back line is just yet, and as shown yesterday, their biggest weapons can also be their biggest weaknesses, as we saw with Christian Wade scoring a great try, but also handing Sale one on a plate. If they make errors defensively like that against Bath they'll get punished. This looks a high scorer to me, possibly 5 points for Bath, and 2 for Wasps.

Ozzy's predicted table after round 6;-

Northampton Saints 25, Bath Rugby 24, Saracens 23, Exeter Chiefs 16, London Irish 16, Gloucester 14, Harlequins 14, Leicester Tigers 14, Wasps 13, Sale Sharks 11, Newcastle Falcons 10, London Welsh 1.

by kingelderfield Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:05 pm

TJ wrote:
kingelderfield wrote:Its shame the wasps halfs have decided to kick the leather off......Andy Goode...em such a shame about Jackson

At least the kicks have been good.

No they havn't, the kicking from hand has generally been poor in execution and is obviously the pre-game plan - which negates playing what is infront of you.

Trust your skills and play through the hands when its on and execute the options.

by Knackeredknees Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:06 pm

Score update? and whats happening. not got the BT app on my iPad

by kingelderfield Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:10 pm

12/0 to wasps ( 4 pens )

Bath attempting to play through the backs - Wasps scrambling D

Wasps ontop at scrum awarded 4 scrum pens maybe 5

Wasps should have scored atleast 1 try

Bath 8 picked up Wasps 9 on the edge of a ruck and judo throw him onto his head/shoulder - yellow card

by yappysnap Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:13 pm

Mullan is having a cracker in the scrums

by Knackeredknees Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:17 pm

saw the first 30 min in the pub while having lunch, baths scrum looked to be set to reverse, makes me wish we had really put our biggest pack out last week.

on a personal note i want wasps to win so my bath supporting mate will shut his smug face after last week as his brother rips into him

by TJ Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:17 pm

oops - another yellow for Bath.

by TJ Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:20 pm

This bath scrum might be interesting

by Steffan Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:20 pm

Bath are poor today

by TJ Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:22 pm

Oops - do bath like yellow?

by Bathite Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:23 pm

We aren't that poor to be fair. Wasps are brilliant. Made stupid errors but we are properly under the kosh. Wasps should relocate every week, awesome performance. It is identical to what we did to Sarries last week, but we are on the receiving end

by Knackeredknees Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:26 pm

how many do bath have on the pitch? 13?

by kingelderfield Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:29 pm

This ref is just so unsympathic

by kingelderfield Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:30 pm

were down to 12, now up to 14 - higher or lower!

by Knackeredknees Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:31 pm

kingelderfield wrote:This ref is just so unsympathic

didn't think that was his job

by yappysnap Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:32 pm

And Wilsons day gets worse

by kingelderfield Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:38 pm

Knackeredknees wrote:
kingelderfield wrote:This ref is just so unsympathic

didn't think that was his job

I'll put another way, he's a pedantic back side.

by Knackeredknees Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:39 pm

kingelderfield wrote:
Knackeredknees wrote:
kingelderfield wrote:This ref is just so unsympathic

didn't think that was his job

I'll put another way, he's a pedantic back side.

you mean he is doing his job by correctly applying the laws?

by kingelderfield Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:44 pm

We all know you can interpret the game and whistle accordingly. His interpretation dosn't equate to mine.

Its a hard enough game as it is.

by **George Carlin** Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:47 pm

As a Glasgow fan, I'm watching this Bath performance very, very carefully. Very Happy

by Bathite Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:51 pm

We've been ok with 15 players Shocked

by kingelderfield Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:52 pm

Bath opening up with some adventure, great ambition.

by TJ Sun Oct 12, 2014 4:00 pm

Cracking game. those bath backs look very dangerous. Wasps forwards controlled enough of the game combined with a real lack of discipline by bath to give wasps the win

by kingelderfield Sun Oct 12, 2014 4:03 pm

kingelderfield wrote:High Wycombe Wasps for Sunday

Wasps: Masi; Wade, Daly, Leiua, Tagicakibau; Goode, Simpson; Mullan, Festuccia, Cittadini; Launchbury, Davies; Johnson, Haskell (capt), Hughes.

Replacements: Lindsay, Yapp, Cooper-Woolley, Gaskell, Jones, Davies, Millar, Bell.

Would have liked to seen Varndell (injured?) and the bigger front row of Linsay and Cooper-Woolley start instead of from the bench.

I'm predicting a 'Wasps' win;

1 because they were poor last week against Sale and need to make recompence

2 because, excepting my preferred front row and Varndell selection, they have brought out the big guns

3, because they're at home (are you kidding?) no seriously Adams Park is their home, for now, and the Rec it is not.

4, because the biggest decision in the clubs history has just been announced and the players will be raw from the effects of this reality and genuinely excited at the ambition the club is attempting to realise.

once a wasp.....

Not entirely as I expected but I think points 1 and 4 were the difference

by GLove39 Sun Oct 12, 2014 4:03 pm

Wow, what a game for the neutral!!!
Amazingly good fun.

On another note that was Wasps biggest crowd of the season, over 7,000. Once they move up north there'll be 25,000 extra seats...

by **Rugby Fan** Sun Oct 12, 2014 4:12 pm

Joe Simpson had a good game again at scrum half. His pack was on the front foot but he still had a lot of loose tap backs from rucks and line-outs to clean up.

by **LondonTiger** Sun Oct 12, 2014 4:25 pm

kingelderfield wrote:We all know you can interpret the game and whistle accordingly. His interpretation dosn't equate to mine.

Its a hard enough game as it is.

Ref seemed fine to me.

by TJ Sun Oct 12, 2014 4:27 pm

LondonTiger wrote:
kingelderfield wrote:We all know you can interpret the game and whistle accordingly. His interpretation dosn't equate to mine.

Its a hard enough game as it is.

Ref seemed fine to me.

Me too. Didn't see any major clangers and all the yellows were right

by Bathite Sun Oct 12, 2014 4:56 pm

Yeah I had no issues with ref. seemed good to me

by Hound of Harrow Sun Oct 12, 2014 5:22 pm

My gawd, I'm relieved we saw that one out! Wasps were not accurate enough when we had Bath under pressure near their line. Otherwise we'd have been miles more ahead.

Our defence was good during Bath's early dominance, and it had to be. But I thought that Bradley Davies added a lot of oomph to our scrum and our game kicked on from there. And our back row combo is arguably the best with ball in hand in the AP. Bath's indiscipline cost them the game, and Goode punished them from the tee (kicking out of hand was poor though).

Mindful of their comeback v Saints I feared we might see the same once they got back to 15, and so it proved.

An emotionally draining game at Adams Park for a number of reasons.

Phew!!
Smile

by yappysnap Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:30 pm

Well done Wasps! Almost like the team of old, a brilliant display.

What's happened to Joe Carlisle?

by SirBurger Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:36 pm

He's at Treviso.

by yappysnap Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:52 pm

Ah fair enough! Didn't realise he'd moved, he looked sharp when he played for Worcester.

by Hound of Harrow Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:20 pm

Carlisle was ok for us, but I reckon he was fed up playing 2nd fiddle to Goode.

Ruiriadh Jackson looked certain to claim the 10 jersey at Wasps given some fine displays, but injury has robbed him of that chance.

Rob Miller is now understudying Goode, but I would like to see Alex Lozowski given a chance soon - likely to be in the LV= though. He was impressive for Leeds last season and has a good hoof on him. Plus his dad, Ken, used to play for the club.
Smile

by Bathman_in_London Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:34 am

If there was a week you didn't want to be playing Wasps, this was it! That backrow is very good, certainly outplayed ours and the props had clearly done their research before hand. Well played them, worthy winners.

Annoying that we were so ill disciplined, there is no chance of winning any game with 12 men on the field! Still on the plus side in both the games we have lost we have come back strongly and ended up with the LBP, which can only be helpful towards the business end of the season. I would have taken 4th at this stage before the season started certainly.

by **LondonTiger** Mon Oct 13, 2014 10:15 am

Hound of Harrow wrote:Carlisle was ok for us, but I reckon he was fed up playing 2nd fiddle to Goode.

Ruiriadh Jackson looked certain to claim the 10 jersey at Wasps given some fine displays, but injury has robbed him of that chance.

Rob Miller is now understudying Goode, but I would like to see Alex Lozowski given a chance soon - likely to be in the LV= though. He was impressive for Leeds last season and has a good hoof on him. Plus his dad, Ken, used to play for the club.

I can remember Rob Lozowski - a big bruiser of a centre, but not Ken.

by Hound of Harrow Mon Oct 13, 2014 11:06 am

LT - you're right, his dad was Rob. I think I typed 'Ken' because I'm meeting a pal of that name tonight and I had just typed a reminder into my phone.

I can be forgetful after a Wasps win and an evening on a few celebratory
Ale

by TightHEAD Mon Oct 13, 2014 12:44 pm

Bathite wrote:Yeah I had no issues with ref. seemed good to me

He missed Wades trip on Henson.

by bathmad Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:06 pm

Congrats to Wasps, and particularly Mullan (who I thought should have been Man of the Match) - he did a number on Wilson in the scrum, and it was penalties and subsequent discipline that killed Bath.
After the disallowed try in the first few minutes, Bath struggled to keep the tempo up.

by Sgt_Pooly Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:14 pm

I wonder if Wasps (rather sudden) strength at the scrum has anything to do with Brad Davies? He's got a rep as a big scrummager and I'm pretty sure he locked down behind Mullen.

by yappysnap Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:18 pm

I think Haskell mentioned afterwards that Davies was a massive help pushing, he is a big unit that's for sure, a very good signing.

by bathmad Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:21 pm

yappysnap wrote:I think Haskell mentioned afterwards that Davies was a massive help pushing, he is a big unit that's for sure, a very good signing.

But still looked very small compared to Martin Bayfield in the warm-up interview!!

by Sgt_Pooly Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:23 pm

I've certainly not seen Wasps scrum (Mullen especially) go as well as they did on Sunday.

by lostinwales Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:24 pm

bathmad wrote:
yappysnap wrote:I think Haskell mentioned afterwards that Davies was a massive help pushing, he is a big unit that's for sure, a very good signing.

But still looked very small compared to Martin Bayfield in the warm-up interview!!

Bayfield is 6'10. Right at the upper reaches of what seems possible so far.

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