Aviva Premiership- Round 2

First topic message reminder :

League Positions:

Saracens 5
Gloucester 4
Leicester 4
Harlequins 4
Bath 4
Worcester 4
Northampton 1
Exeter 1
Wasps 1
Newcastle 0
London Irish 0
Sale 0



Fixtures:

Fri 23rd Oct 15

19:45 Gloucester v Saracens BT Sport
Both teams won last week and both looked impressive. Saracens will look to welcome the rest of their England contingent back to the fold and will be looking to make a real statement of intent this week. Glaws may also see some returnees, certainly no reason why hook should not play given he was around for much of pre-season and did not start for Wales. Following WC heartbreak though surely Greg Laidlaw will have a week off. Whether Hook or 12T is at 10 for the home team, you can be sure that Saracens will be trying to harry them. Really hoping we can see a head to head between Kvesic and Fraser. Also hoping that May is fit to play opposite Ashton.


20:00 Sale v Worcester
After a reasonable pre-season Sale were absolutely mullered by a highly efficient Sarries at the weekend. Steve Diamond will have read the riot act and this really is a must win game for them. Worcester may have surprised even themselves in beating Saints. That win will give them a little breathing space and also the confidence to believe the can travel up the M5/6 and pinch another win.



Sat 24th Oct 15

13:45 Northampton v Newcastle
Two sides who lost at the weekend, when both will have been expecting to win. With Franklin's Gardens being extended, Saints open their home season at Stadium mk and will be desperate to put a very poor performance at Sixways behind them. There was a real lack of ideas from the men in green who seemed to believe that they would just turn up and overpower Worcester. Add in some wonky throwing (and daft penalties) from former skipper Hartley and Saints were never able to impose themselves. Reports suggest that Falcons struggled a little at scrum time and massively at the breakdown - these will need to be addressed if their taleneted back line is not to find itself over-run.


14:00 Wasps v Bath
Wasps lost at the Stoop last week having resisted the urge to rush back their WC players. Looking decent in attack they struggled at the set piece and in defence. Fluidity improved when the replacements, most notably Robson, came on - but that may well have been due to the drop in intensity from Quins. Bath struggled in pre-season and should really have lost for the third time in a month to Exeter last weekend. Poor composure from the Chiefs plus a little Ford magic helped Bath squeak home. They will have to play better this weekend.


18:00 Exeter v London Irish
London Irish have a desperately difficult start to the season, with their most winnable fixture having been last weekend when Tigers came avisiting. Adding that defeat to 3 in pre-season and a visit to Sandy Lane is not what new coach Coventry would have been wanting, especially with Saracens and Bath up next. Both teams lost scrappy encounters that they feel they should have got more from. Exeter made innumerable visits to the Bath 22 leaving pointless far too often, while London Irish dropped the ball unopposed over the line and were held up on a second occasion. Exeter should be too strong and will probably look to involve England returnees Slade (starting rather than from the bench), Parling and Nowell. Exeter should be far too strong, especially if Paice is as wonky with his throwing for a second week.



Sun 25th Oct 15

14:00 Leicester v Harlequins BT Sport
Both teams won at the weekend, though Quins were probably more convincing. Leicester should be stronger this week as they re-integrate WC returnees and players who missed last week with niggles. Harlequins will however travel up to the East Midland firmly believing they can win and keen to put last seasons woeful performance in Friday night rain behind them. Breakdown will be key. Tigers are looking to play a much quicker game this season but that can be easily stemmed if Quins slow down possession. Meanwhile Tigers have to ensure that Quins do not build any offloading momentum. Probably will not be a classic as both teams will need a while to be at full oomph as new players and styles of play are introduced.

Our defence has been a shambles in the 2nd.

Paul Hill will an international sooner than later, the boy looks a natural.

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:

Heaf wrote:

Ozzy3213 wrote:Having consulted a friend who is a ref, it was technically a knock on, as it hit his heel, which for the purpose of it being kicked does not count.  He did say he would never give it and most refs wouldn't, so a harsh but not technically incorrrect call.

Interesting, that's a new one on me - didn't Zebo score a try for Ireland a couple of years ago after flicking the ball forwards with his heel?

He didn't drop it on to his heel, his first contact of the ball was with his foot as he flicked it up into his hands.

Edit: Just to add I can't remember the knock-on from the LI match so I have no idea what happened.

Yes that's the bit I don't understand though - if you're allowed to flick the ball forwards with your heel into your hands how can it be deemed a knock on if you drop the ball onto your heel and back into your hands? I always thought the ball had to touch the ground or another player to be a knock on but I haven't read the laws on that tbh ...

Good games from Falcons and Irish today, oh wait...

The Other Cheats got we'll beat by Wasps though so a good days work there, money well spent by Barf

Well that was tough to watch yesterday.  We got absolutely schooled at the breakdown in the first 40 minutes and by the time we gained a bit of parity there in the 2nd the game was already gone.

From what I've seen in the opening 2 rounds, there are two leagues within a league.  Us, Falcons, Worcester and Sale will be the bottom four without a doubt.

For a change eh Oz.

I think it might take a while for us to settle, too many changes. Our scrum looks hugely improved but defence is still dreadful.

Similar for us mate. Scrum hugely improved bur new defensive system not quite bedded in and players lacking in confidence so struggling a bit to execute the attacking game plan. It doesn't get any easier for us in the next two rounds as we face the salary cap cheats back to back.

At least you seem to have a defensive system, I'm at a loss.

Tough at the bottom end eh mate. Why do we do it to ourselves?!

Battle of converted hookers, should be interesting

Some new refs this season, will be interesting to see how they go

Our defence looks awful already

He's huge!

No idea Ozz, might just start supporting Bath. Been there a few times so kinda counts.

Yay we're actually capable of passing the ball and attacking in a coherent manner!

Think Quins might have a bit much for us particularly at half back but I'm more interested in our performance.

Couple of workman have that whole stand to themselves

nathan wrote:Couple of workman have that whole stand to themselves

Perk of the job I suppose.

Seriously ugo, just shut up please

Ugo?

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:Ugo?

Lol, it is ugo monye isn't it?

Pretty sure it's Nick Kennedy, but you have me doubting myself now.

Although wherever Ugo is he probably needs to shut up anyway.

We're going down!!!!

GeordieFalcon wrote:We're going down!!!!

It's early yet!

Disagree with Austin there, looked nothing like a deliberate knock on

Lambert is struggling at the scrum and driving across. Got away with it there.

Awful attempted tackle by Mulipola, he had to do better there.

This is all a bit flat..

nathan wrote:This is all a bit flat..

Tempo is lacking a bit. Slight lack of niggle and bite.

Think Cockers will provide the hair dryer at half time and I think we'll see Pearce and Cole after 50 minutes to provide something extra.

Games struggling to take off. Never realised how swift Harrison's delivery was compared to Youngs, it's like a bullet. Love Youngs but his passing is not the strongest area of his game.

50 Min reckon we will have a pack of

1) Mulipola, 2) Youngs, 3) cole
4) Fitz, 5) Williams
6) Croft, 7) Mccaffrey, 8) Pearce

Harrison is such a good 9 IMO, very different to Youngs style, although youngs used to be alot quicker.


O.Williams is looking very good after a long injury.

Harrison has a rocket of a pass. When he was coming through in what was the old A league there used to be move with him and Ford where the breakdown was out wide, Ford would stand in the middle and Harrison would rocket a 20 odd metre pass across the pitch past the forward pod.

Harrison is a very good AP level 9 but isn't creative enough for anything higher. He's a little passive today, he's normally a bit more niggly.

What kind of six do people want from England? Clifford seems to have a good range of skills.

England need a balanced back row to my mind.

Wallace had his hands firmly on the deck there. This is why we struggle at Int level

Bell is a wonderful kicker

Wish Kennedy would put his quins Pom poms down

Quins to get a couple of tries now

Clifford already a much better player than Wallace. Seems a real leader.

Marler comes on and the crabbing scrum begins. No idea how that was a Quins pen

Our maul defence has been shocking for a while now.

Wallace needed to release as well.

Tigers getting bullied a bit up front

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Tigers getting bullied a bit up front

Esp in rolling maul.

We pulled the maul down by pushing it back?

Quins get some momentum and with that the rub of the green with the ref.

oh FFS

Munipola seems to think tackling is optional at the moment

Can't wait for Ayerza to come back.

Mulipola is a great impact player but not a starter IMO.

Also can't wait for O'Connor to arrive this week.

nathan wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:We're going down!!!!

It's early yet!

Nah we're poor!

GeordieFalcon wrote:

nathan wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:We're going down!!!!

It's early yet!

Nah we're poor!

Have you been watching us?

nathan wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:

nathan wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:We're going down!!!!

It's early yet!

Nah we're poor!

Have you been watching us?

Were not that bad (Yet)

No release by quins