Summer Tournament Round Seven - Pools C & D

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Pool C


Bulls vs. Chiefs
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

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Waratahs vs. Northampton Saints
Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Waratahs
Manager – Michael Cheika

01. Benn Robinson	09. Nick Phipps
02. Tatafu Polota-Nau	10. Bernard Foley
03. Sekope Kepu
04. Will Skelton	11. Rob Horne
05. Dave Dennis	12. Kurtley Beale
06. Jacques Potgieter	13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
07. Michael Hooper	14. Taqele Naiyaravoro
08. Wycliff Palu	15. Israel Folau

Subs:
16 Silatolu Latu 17 Jeremy Tilse 18 Paddy Ryan 19 Sam Lousi 20 Mitch Chapman 21 Stephen Hoiles 22 Brendan McKibbin 23 Matt Carraro

Northampton Saints
Manager Dammit Chris

01. Thomas Domingo	09. Sam Hildago-Cline
02. Dylan Hartley	10. Lima Soapoga
03. Ramiro Herrera
04. Joe Launcbury	11. Nick Cummins
05. Courtney Lawes	12. Weslie Fofana
06. Facundo Isa	13. Tyler Morgan
07. Yannick Nyanga	14. Julian Savea
08. Sergio Parisse	15. Leigh Halfpenny(k)

Replacements:
16. Dave Ward 17. Mako Vunipola 18. Logi Mulipola 19. Samu Manoa 20. Sam Burgess 21. Cobus Reinarch 22. Matt Giteau 23. Elliot Daly

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Bath Rugby vs. Wasps
The Rec, Bath

Bath Rugby
Manager – CJB

01. Steven Kitchoff	09. Richard Wigglesworth
02. Richard Hibbard	10. Christian Lealifano
03. Samson Lee
04. Charlie Matthews	11. Liam Williams
05. Sam Whitelock	12. Kurtley Beale
06. Siya Kolisi	13. Damian De Allende
07. Justin Tipuric	14. Hallan Amos
08. Josh Beaumont	15. Alex Goode

16. Mikey Haywood 17. Richard Barrington 18. Scott Wilson 19. James Gaskell 20. Liam Messam 21. Maxime Machenaud 22. Nicholas Sanchez 23. George North

Wasps
Manager – CJ

01. Ben Arous	09. Rhodri Williams
02. Richardt Strauss	10.  Finn Russell
03. Sekope Kepu
04. Luke Charteris	11. Rob Horne
05. George Skivington	12. Kyle Godwin
06. Chris Robshaw	13. George Loala
07. John Barclay	14. Craig Gilroy
08. Victor Vito	15. Chris Pennell

:-
16. David Kilcoyne, 17. Corey Flynn, 18. James Johnston,  19.  Grant Gilchrist, 20. Carl Fearns, 21. Ben Spencer , 22. Francois Trinh-Duc, 23. George Lowe

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Pool D

Worcester Warriors vs. Hurricanes
Sixways, Worcester

Worcester Warriors

01. Joe Moody	09. Lee Dickson
02. Codie Taylor	10. Owen Williams (k)
03. Davit Kubriashvilli
04. Dean Mumm	11. Waisake Naholo
05. Stuart Hooper	12. Alapati Leuia
06. Jordan Taufua	13. Huw Jones
07. George Smith	14. Nehe Millner Skudder
08. Jackson Wray	15. Mathew Tait

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16. James Fish 17. Tom Smallbone 18. Biyi Alo 19. Kieran Tredwell 20. Huw Taylor 21. Alex Mitchell 22. Anton Lienert-Brown 23. Jonah Placid

Hurricanes
Manager – Chris Boyd

01. Reggie Goodes	09. TJ Perenara
02. Dane Coles	10. Beauden Barrett
03. Ben Franks
04. Jeremy Thrush	11. Julian Savea
05. James Broadhurst	12. Ma'a Nonu
06. Brad Shields	13. Conrad Smith
07. Ardie Savea	14. Nehe Milner-Skudder
08. Victor Vito	15. James Marshall

Subs:
16 Brayden Mitchell 17 Chris Eves 18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen 19 Mark Abbott 20 Blade Thomson  21 Chris Smylie 22 Ray Lee-Lo 23 Matt Proctor

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Leicester Tigers vs. Harlequins
Welford Road, Leicester

Leicester Tigers
Manager – LukeLovesLuka

01. Gethin Jenkins	09. Kahn Fotuali'i
02. Hika Elliot	10. Freddie Burns (k)
03. Cencus Johnston
04. Steve Mafi	11. Matt Banahan
05. Victor Matfield (c)	12. Dan Bowden
06. Juan Smith	13. Jaco Taute
07. Francois Louw	14. Drew Mitchell
08. Thomas Waldrom	15. Cheslin Kolbe

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16. Christopher Tolofua 17. Riccardo Brugnara 18. Paul Doran-Jones 19. Tom Price 20. Jacques Burger 21. Micky Young 22. Billy Twelvetrees 23. Tamati Ellison

Harlequins
Manager – Steven_Sharks

01. Gurthro Steenkamp	09. Ruan Pienaar
02. Scott Baldwin	10. Colin Slade (k)
03. Kieran Brookes
04. Luke Romano	11. Jack Nowell
05. George Kruis	12. Jan Serfontein
06. Tom Wood	13. Jonathan Joseph
07. Jaco Kriel	14. Yoann Huget
08. Damien Chouly (c)	15. Rob Kearney

16. Schalk Brits 17. Benn Robinson 18. Kyle Sinckler 19. Pieter Steph Du Toit 20. Jack Clifford 21. Karl Dickson 22. Quade Cooper 23. Robbie Henshaw

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Sharks vs. Brumbies
Kings Park Stadium, Durban

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Northampton Saints
Manager Dammit Chris

01. Thomas Domingo	09. Sam Hildago-Cline
02. Dylan Hartley	10. Lima Soapoga
03. Ramiro Herrera
04. Joe Launcbury	11. Nick Cummins
05. Courtney Lawes	12. Weslie Fofana
06. Facundo Isa	13. Tyler Morgan
07. Yannick Nyanga	14. Julian Savea
08. Sergio Parisse	15. Leigh Halfpenny(k)

Replacements:
16. Dave Ward 17. Mako Vunipola 18. Logi Mulipola 19. Samu Manoa 20. Sam Burgess 21. Cobus Reinarch 22. Matt Giteau 23. Elliot Daly

Harlequins
Manager – Steven_Sharks

01. Gurthro Steenkamp	09. Ruan Pienaar
02. Scott Baldwin	10. Colin Slade (k)
03. Kieran Brookes
04. Luke Romano	11. Jack Nowell
05. George Kruis	12. Jan Serfontein
06. Tom Wood	13. Jonathan Joseph
07. Jaco Kriel	14. Yoann Huget
08. Damien Chouly (c)	15. Rob Kearney

16. Schalk Brits 17. Benn Robinson 18. Kyle Sinckler 19. Pieter Steph Du Toit 20. Jack Clifford 21. Karl Dickson 22. Quade Cooper 23. Robbie Henshaw

Best option at 10 (Myler, Cooper, Slade, Hernandez)
Best lock combo (Kruis, PDST, Hamilton, Romano)

Probably won't get team in till tomorrow. Got first pre season game
tonight

Bath Rugby
Manager – CJB

01. Steven Kitchoff	09. Richard Wigglesworth
02. Richard Hibbard	10. Christian Lealifano
03. Samson Lee
04. Charlie Matthews	11. Liam Williams
05. Sam Whitelock	12. Kurtley Beale
06. Siya Kolisi	13. Damian De Allende
07. Justin Tipuric	14. Hallan Amos
08. Josh Beaumont	15. Alex Goode

16. Mikey Haywood 17. Richard Barrington 18. Scott Wilson 19. James Gaskell 20. Liam Messam 21. Maxime Machenaud 22. Nicholas Sanchez 23. George North

Leicester Tigers
Manager – LukeLovesLuka

01. Alex Corbisiero	09. Micky Young
02. Hika Elliot	10. Freddie Burns (k)
03. Cencus Johnston
04. Steve Mafi	11. Matt Banahan
05. Kearnan Myall	12. Dan Bowden
06. Juan Smith	13. Jaco Taute
07. Jacques Burger (c)	14. Rene Ranger
08. Thomas Waldrom	15. Cheslin Kolbe

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16. Christopher Tolofua 17. Max Lahiff 18. Paul Doran-Jones 19. Tom Price 20. Tom Johnson 21. Scott Steele 22. Brock James 23. Tamati Ellison


Can I have some feedback as a potential side during the World Cup.

01. Joe Moody	09. Lee Dickson
02. Codie Taylor	10. Owen Williams (k)
03. Davit Kubriashvilli
04. Dean Mumm	11. Waisake Naholo
05. Stuart Hooper	12. Alapati Leuia
06. Jordan Taufua	13. Huw Jones
07. George Smith	14. Nehe Millner Skudder
08. Jackson Wray	15. Mathew Tait

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16. James Fish 17. Tom Smallbone 18. Biyi Alo 19. Kieran Tredwell 20. Huw Taylor 21. Alex Mitchell 22. Anton Lienert-Brown 23. Jonah Placid

I've gone for my 6 nations first xv. Can I please have feedback on combos and who will be able to step up from the bench this season.
Thanks

For some reason I though I was playing quins not canes, my mistake naming millner skudder if allows can I put in agulla instead? No worries if not

Sorry guys, busy week at new work and new town. Will try to predict thanks for putting in a team :/

Waratahs vs Saints
Waratahs 28 -28 Northampton Saints
Waratahs 25 - 26 Saints
 
Waratahs 28-24 Northampton
Little in the scrum battle and Skelton/Lawes the best locks on show. See Saints getting a line out edge though. Parisse the much better 8 but Tah's have the better flanks on show.  Tah's take the halfbacks, big jump up in quality at 9 with 10's a bit closer. Tah's centre combo stronger but prefer Saints back 3. Tough place to win and Saints not quite enough.
 
Waratahs 30-33 Northampton
Edge to Saints in the front five. Slight edge in backrow. Prefer the Tahs half back combo. Outside backs are close maybe edge to Tahs
 
Waratahs 29 - 34 Northampton Saints
Good contest in the tight with both sides strong on their own ball. Line-out Tahs suffer a bit with TPN at hooker. Both sides are good around the park and will make headway with some big carriers in both sides. Both halfback combos looking to attack and I like the combination SHC and Sop could create. Morgan will be the target in defence for the Tahs and will get some success in this channel. The quality on the Saints bench will change the game late on for Saints and help them swing the result for a big win.

Waratahs 26 - 30 Saints
Great battle on paper. Close in the front row, but Saints have enough. The rest of the pack is a win for Saints, although Hooper will have some success up against a back row with no natural 7. Just favour the Waratahs halfbacks, and not sure if Morgan is ready for this level despite his game against Ireland. Other than that, the Saints backs are far stronger, and the bench quality will see them home more comfortably than the scoreline would suggest
 
Tahs 25-24 Saints
Front row pretty even but 2nd row to Saints with a good combo. Feel the back row battle is going to be close and Tahs could get an edge here. Same with half backs and I think Morgan could be got at by AAC, don't think he's ready just yet. Pretty even back line battle. A very strong bench for Saints will bring them back into it but I think, with the back row and centres on top for Tahs they will hold out for a win.

Bath Rugby vs Wasps
Bath Rugby 25-22 Wasps
 
Bath Rugby 25 - 23 Wasps
Two good solid front fives which will set both sides up nicely with a clean source of possession. The breakdown is hotly contested between both back rows with both sets of back rowers adept on the floor and using their pace to help link the play between backs and forwards. I like the Wasps halfback combo who will attack the fringes and keep the inside defence honest allowing time and space for the likes of Moala and Gilroy. The spine of the Bath back line has a good creative axis, with Leali and Beale, as well as Goode able to mix up the guy standing at ten. There's a little more impact off the Bath bench and they will just sneak this one.
 
Bath 25 - 21 Wasps
Really good forward battle and very even there, Whitelock can make a huge difference for the home side, but Vito adds more for the Wasps pack in comparison to his opposite number. Prefer Russell as the fly half but Bath have some great attacking options and can see them making the most of any chances they create.
 
Bath 26-23 Wasps

Solid front rows, Lee needs game time to be rated. Slightly more for Bath in the 2nd rows and the back row battle is fairly even with neither team getting on top really. Half backs go 1 a piece and the centres go to Bath with a strong combo here. Looking out wide both teams look quite dangerous but I think that Bath will get the better ball. Step up on the Bath bench and they take a win.

Warriors vs Hurricanes
Worcester Warriors 26-31 Hurricanes
Worcester 23 - 25 Hurricanes
 
Worcester 27-31 Hurricanes
Good front row contest and not too much in it. Similar battle in the engine room with set pieces close. Canes better in the backrow bar Savea and this gives Canes a slight pack edge.  Little in the 9's but Barrett a big step up at 10. Canes better centre and shade back 3 by a whisker. A real tough game for prop and Canes win again.
 
Warriors 20-31 Hurricanes
Canes have the front five advantage, Worcester still should look to improve here. Canes have the better all round back row. Backs from Canes a lot more dangerous
 
Worcester Warriors 28 - 33 Hurricanes
Away side wins it with their backrow and stronger halfbacks that will provide the Canes backline with a lot of attacking options and they'll get the win.
 
Worcester Warriors 31 - 36 Hurricanes

Wuss are more settled come the set piece, but their back row will struggle with the pace of the Canes back row who will use their dynamism to stretch the Wuss defence and create overlaps. The Wuss halfbacks will play a good structured game that will help get them in the right places on the paddock. Wuss will struggle in midfield against the on fire Nonu, but their back three is electric. Wuss will make this really hard work for Canes, and with tactics could edge the Canes. But the speed in the key areas is the difference and Canes will pinch a result in a high scoring affair.

Tigers vs Harlequins
Leicester Tigers 26-27 Harlequins
Leicester 23 - 24 Quins
 
Leicester 30-26 Quins
Tigers a touch better in each front row position with Steenkamp not quite cutting it at this level. Quins better locks around the park but will struggle against Tigers line out and own ball. Not much in 8's but Tigers step up on flanks, especially at 7.    Not much in the half backs but Quins better centre combo and a good outfit, similar story in back 3. Tigers better pack against Quins better backs, too much at home for Tigers.
 
Leicester 22-27 Quins
Quins have the front five advantage. Hard to split the backrows. Quins have an edge in the half backs and there outside backs are more dangerous
 
Leicester Tigers 28 - 30 Harlequins
Good contest up front, can see both sides doing well with the tighter exchanges against each other. The breakdown is a good contest between both sides and can't really pick a winner, but can see Tigers pinching a few more with Louw prominent for them. There is a just a little more attacking threat from the Quins with JJ exploiting the Tigers midfield defence. Slade's kicking and Pienaar's guidance give the Quins back line some stability and will secure a tight win.
 
Tigers 23 - 25 Quins
Tough game to predict on, a slight edge to the home teams pack, but i'm not sure about Matfield anymore, still exceptional lineout but the rest of his game isn't what it was. Issue is 10/12 for Tigers. Quins very good backline and it is the difference between the two teams.
 
Tigers 30-31 Quins

Can't see much give in the front rows with the 2nd row battle close but maybe a small advantage for Tigers. Back row I think Tigers look good here and will have enough, not that Quins are weak here mind with Kriel playing well at end of Super 5. Half back battle see more for Quins and the same in the centres with a good pairing.Out wide I can see Quins causing more issues too. Looking at the bench Quins have a scarily strong bench and, with a step up out wide I think they have enough to pull it back and win.

Leicester 24 - 27 Quins
Quins are stronger in the front row for me, but its pretty close as am not a huge Steenkamp fan. Rest of the pack favours Quins, although I think Louw could have some success as not sure how Kriel plays as a 7, but doubt it will be that significant with the quality of the rest of the pack. Advantage Quins at half back, and the rest of the backs are a big win for Quins with the likes of Joseph and Nowell in form. Being on the road keeps this close for Quins, but think they have just enough.

Steve - I'd start Kruis and Romano until PDST is playing regularly again. All of the fly halves are similar quality for me, i'd play whoever is in best form at the time, or possibly favour Myler due to EQ.

RESULTS

Bulls 22 (1T)
Chiefs 28 (3T)

Waratahs 28 (3T)
Northampton Saints 30 (4T)

Bath Rugby 27 (3T)
Wasps 22 (2T)

Worcester Warriors 26 (3T)
Hurricanes 34 (4T)

Leicester Tigers 27 (3T)
Harlequins 31 (4T)

Sharks 29 (4T)
Brumbies 26 (2T)