Aviva Premiership - Round 9

by **LondonTiger** Thu 07 Jan 2016, 12:14 pm

First topic message reminder :

Table

Team	--P--	--W--	--D--	--BP--	Points
Saracens	8	8	0	4	36
Exeter	8	6	0	6	30
Harlequins	8	5	1	5	27
Leicester	8	6	0	1	25
Northampton	8	4	0	5	21
Gloucester	8	4	1	2	20
Sale Sharks	8	3	1	3	17
Bath	8	3	0	4	16
Wasps	8	3	0	3	15
Worcester	8	2	0	4	12
Newcastle	8	1	1	0	6
London Irish	8	1	0	0	4

Fixtures

Fri 8th Jan 16

19:45 Bath Rugby Bath P - P Sale Sharks
Postponed to allow Bath to travel to Toulon.

Sat 9th Jan 16

15:00 Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester Rugby
Both sides have growing injury lists, but at home Chiefs should have too much and maintain their place at second in the table.

15:00 Harlequins v Saracens
Common wisdom is that Quins are incapable of beating Saracens. common wisdom is that they will struggle up front and then run into blind alleys. Common wisdom states that Saracens are too clinical, too ruthless and just too awesome for a fragile Harlequins.
Well Love sacks to common wisdom. Quins are tougher up front this year and should conditions be dry have easily enough to run the famed Sarries defence ragged, especially if McCall decides to conhcentrate on next weeks visit from Ulster. Will it be dry though?

15:15 Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints BT Sport
Saints are in the poorest form I have seen since the relegation season - yet win at their old rivals and they will be in the Top 4! Will Mallinder decide to come with his strongest team, or will he be looking ahead to the Glasgow fixture next week? To be honest I am not sure the visitors can afford to worry about next week, they have to win this weekend in front of what will be the biggest ever crowd at Welford Road. Saints will be ruing the injury to Brookes, but will be certain they can get scrummage control - though it is possible that young Paul hill may learn a lesson or two from Marcos Ayerza. Saints will look to replicate the Sarries template from last week, take the scrum penalties, kick to the cornes and maul like crazy. They have shown little creative ability otherwise this season - but may well be looking for a Penalty Try TBP.
This game is free to air, for any interested.

Sun 10th Jan 16

13:00 London Irish v Newcastle Falcons BT Sport
Huge game for both clubs, but even more so for the hosts. They cannot afford to lose but can their half backs give them the control they need? Newcastle will look to dominate at scrum time, but have to improve at the lineout if they are to secure a vital away win. In their favour, the lineout is an area that LI have really struggled in. LI will be looking to take advantage of what has been at times a porous defence and certainly have some speedy backs who could prosper.

14:00 Wasps v Worcester Warriors
Wasps have looked like Gods in the ECC, but like dogs at times in the AP. Gopperth has had his one good display of the season and shoudl be dispensed with. Simpson needs to regain his earlier form. Most of all though they need hughes and Smith to be fit.
Wuss will fight for everything and never give up. If Wasps are not on top form they could prosper.

by **LondonTiger** Fri 08 Jan 2016, 5:36 pm

ChequeredJersey wrote:But he can watch the whole Welford Road match any time, the Stoop match isn't being broadcasted...

Stoop match is filmed and published online in it's entirety though. All matches in AP are available on video for Eddie to watch - apparently he made use of this while his visa was held up.

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 08 Jan 2016, 5:39 pm

If I can watch all the AP games, I'm sure Jones can.

by **LondonTiger** Fri 08 Jan 2016, 5:42 pm

LondonTiger wrote:
ChequeredJersey wrote:But he can watch the whole Welford Road match any time, the Stoop match isn't being broadcasted...

Stoop match is filmed and published online in it's entirety though. All matches in AP are available on video for Eddie to watch - apparently he made use of this while his visa was held up.

After making this point, I thought I would look back at the results to see what sort of entertainment might have been on offer to Eddie Jones watching all 6 matches each round. Now not commenting on the quality, but the lowest scoring fixtures each round were as follows:

R1 Warriors 13 Saints 12
R2 Wasps 16 Bath 9
R3 Sale 20 Saints 13
R4 Saints 6 Sarries 12
R5 Saints 15 Glaws 3
R6 Bath 11 Saints 13
R7 Tigers 22 Falcons 10
R8 Saints 8 Exeter 3

by Scottrf Fri 08 Jan 2016, 5:50 pm

Just a coincidence that Saints are in almost all of those.

Sad

Na, it's our great defense. Or something.

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 08 Jan 2016, 5:59 pm

Thank god the Alex King appointment has been put on hold, Saints play some really dour rugby at times.

by Poorfour Fri 08 Jan 2016, 6:08 pm

So 8 teams have been in a low-scoring game once, Quins and Irish not at all (but mostly for different reasons), Bath twice and Saints a whopping 6 times.

by Poorfour Fri 08 Jan 2016, 6:22 pm

The highest scoring games are more evenly distributed:
3 - Quins
2 - Bath, Glos, Wuss, Newc
1 - Exe, Irish, Saints, Wasps, Sarries
0 - Tigers, Sale

And the closest games:
3 - Quins, Glos, Wuss
2 - Saints, Sale
1 - Bath, Newc, Sarries
0 - Exe, Irish, Tigers, Wasps

by yappysnap Fri 08 Jan 2016, 7:42 pm

Got to love being a Quins fan, high scoring, entertaining, champagne rugby, but brown trouser stuff at times!

by formerly known as Sam Fri 08 Jan 2016, 7:45 pm

ChequeredJersey wrote:Fair enough, missing out on the backrow battle, front row battle, his best scrum half, 2 prospective wingers to replace May, fullback battle then!

There's five EQ open sides between Tigers and Saints. Two big carrying eights and a twice toured Lions blindside. There's four EQ hookers all have played age grade, two seniors and one Lions. Add in the EQ props, locks and don't forget Foden will want to remind Eddie there's a pacey option at fullback. Add in the battle at 12 the two young EQ Saints wingers and Thompstone who's been excellent and there's an awful lot to watch.

by yappysnap Fri 08 Jan 2016, 8:49 pm

formerly known as Sam wrote:
ChequeredJersey wrote:Fair enough, missing out on the backrow battle, front row battle, his best scrum half, 2 prospective wingers to replace May, fullback battle then!

There's five EQ open sides between Tigers and Saints. Two big carrying eights and a twice toured Lions blindside. There's four EQ hookers all have played age grade, two seniors and one Lions. Add in the EQ props, locks and don't forget Foden will want to remind Eddie there's a pacey option at fullback. Add in the battle at 12 the two young EQ Saints wingers and Thompstone who's been excellent and there's an awful lot to watch.

But none of it as entertaining as Quins Sam.

by Sgt_Pooly Fri 08 Jan 2016, 8:53 pm

formerly known as Sam wrote:
ChequeredJersey wrote:Fair enough, missing out on the backrow battle, front row battle, his best scrum half, 2 prospective wingers to replace May, fullback battle then!

There's five EQ open sides between Tigers and Saints. Two big carrying eights and a twice toured Lions blindside. There's four EQ hookers all have played age grade, two seniors and one Lions. Add in the EQ props, locks and don't forget Foden will want to remind Eddie there's a pacey option at fullback. Add in the battle at 12 the two young EQ Saints wingers and Thompstone who's been excellent and there's an awful lot to watch.

Eddie wants to watch us. No he doesn't, he like us better..... Whistle

by formerly known as Sam Fri 08 Jan 2016, 9:10 pm

yappysnap wrote:
formerly known as Sam wrote:
ChequeredJersey wrote:Fair enough, missing out on the backrow battle, front row battle, his best scrum half, 2 prospective wingers to replace May, fullback battle then!

There's five EQ open sides between Tigers and Saints. Two big carrying eights and a twice toured Lions blindside. There's four EQ hookers all have played age grade, two seniors and one Lions. Add in the EQ props, locks and don't forget Foden will want to remind Eddie there's a pacey option at fullback. Add in the battle at 12 the two young EQ Saints wingers and Thompstone who's been excellent and there's an awful lot to watch.

But none of it as entertaining as Quins Sam.

Depends what you call entertainment. Quins in attack are pretty easy on the eye, in defence they are cynical and tackle like London Welsh.

by Scottrf Fri 08 Jan 2016, 9:32 pm

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Thank god the Alex King appointment has been put on hold, Saints play some really dour rugby at times.

Well last year (calendar) yes, year before not really and wonderful running rugby the season we won the title. He had a great impact initially.

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 12:59 am

formerly known as Sam wrote:
ChequeredJersey wrote:Fair enough, missing out on the backrow battle, front row battle, his best scrum half, 2 prospective wingers to replace May, fullback battle then!

There's five EQ open sides between Tigers and Saints. Two big carrying eights and a twice toured Lions blindside. There's four EQ hookers all have played age grade, two seniors and one Lions. Add in the EQ props, locks and don't forget Foden will want to remind Eddie there's a pacey option at fullback. Add in the battle at 12 the two young EQ Saints wingers and Thompstone who's been excellent and there's an awful lot to watch.

But how many players, realistically and honestly, are in a place for place contest against their opposition?

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 1:00 am

I don't think we are any more cynical than any other top half of the table team. Though i suppose in many ways that was a compliment

by formerly known as Sam Sat 09 Jan 2016, 8:02 am

ChequeredJersey wrote:
formerly known as Sam wrote:
ChequeredJersey wrote:Fair enough, missing out on the backrow battle, front row battle, his best scrum half, 2 prospective wingers to replace May, fullback battle then!

There's five EQ open sides between Tigers and Saints. Two big carrying eights and a twice toured Lions blindside. There's four EQ hookers all have played age grade, two seniors and one Lions. Add in the EQ props, locks and don't forget Foden will want to remind Eddie there's a pacey option at fullback. Add in the battle at 12 the two young EQ Saints wingers and Thompstone who's been excellent and there's an awful lot to watch.

But how many players, realistically and honestly, are in a place for place contest against their opposition?

Not as many head to heads as could have been what with Brookes injured and Tait moved to centre. Still;

O'Connor vs Harrison and then Wood when he comes on
Youngs vs Haywood who's been better than Hartley this season
Kitchener vs Lawes
McCaffery vs Dickinson
Youngs vs Dickson
Smith vs Burrell

Plus let's face it the East Mids derby game is pretty much a main event on the calendar. If you want to see how players can handle a volatile atmosphere then it's telling.

by thomh Sat 09 Jan 2016, 10:20 am

ChequeredJersey wrote:But he can watch the whole Welford Road match any time, the Stoop match isn't being broadcasted...

All premiership games are filmed and made free to view on the website. Steve Diamond also said the other day that he was sure Jones had watched all their games on "the database" when talking about Cipriani, so maybe insiders have access to a database with extra camera angles and the like as well. Jones doesn't just rely on his sky+ box.

100% sure that he'll watch Quins v Saracens, even if he isn't there.

by formerly known as Sam Sat 09 Jan 2016, 10:55 am

Eddie will have a database put together by a sports science team so that he can watch all the games back with breakdowns of EQ players significant actions for in depth review.

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 11:47 am

Think I read a while back that they have software that tags players in various ways to allow an easily searchable database

by **Ozzy3213** Sat 09 Jan 2016, 11:47 am

It's so annoying that we are not playing until tomorrow!!! furious

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 11:55 am

Amazing how much data they can pull from games now a days
http://www.optasportspro.com/products/rugby-superscout/mbProductPage

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 1:03 pm

Mformerly known as Sam wrote:
ChequeredJersey wrote:
formerly known as Sam wrote:
ChequeredJersey wrote:Fair enough, missing out on the backrow battle, front row battle, his best scrum half, 2 prospective wingers to replace May, fullback battle then!

There's five EQ open sides between Tigers and Saints. Two big carrying eights and a twice toured Lions blindside. There's four EQ hookers all have played age grade, two seniors and one Lions. Add in the EQ props, locks and don't forget Foden will want to remind Eddie there's a pacey option at fullback. Add in the battle at 12 the two young EQ Saints wingers and Thompstone who's been excellent and there's an awful lot to watch.

But how many players, realistically and honestly, are in a place for place contest against their opposition?

Not as many head to heads as could have been what with Brookes injured and Tait moved to centre. Still;

O'Connor vs Harrison and then Wood when he comes on
Youngs vs Haywood who's been better than Hartley this season
Kitchener vs Lawes
McCaffery vs Dickinson
Youngs vs Dickson
Smith vs Burrell

Plus let's face it the East Mids derby game is pretty much a main event on the calendar. If you want to see how players can handle a volatile atmosphere then it's telling.

May have a point on volatile atmosphere, very important to see how players do in that

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 1:36 pm

Wondering if pooly the line out expert will be watching where most of saints line outs go, in their last game not a single one to the back

by Sgt_Pooly Sat 09 Jan 2016, 1:49 pm

nathan wrote:Wondering if pooly the line out expert will be watching where most of saints line outs go, in their last game not a single one to the back

Why would they need to go to the back, all Saints do is maul.

by broadlandboy Sat 09 Jan 2016, 2:35 pm

Manu on the bench

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 2:52 pm

broadlandboy wrote:Manu on the bench

by WELL-PAST-IT Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:10 pm

Kick off in 10, not got a good feeling about this. Tigers pack is going to be looking to prove that they are not the bunch of big girls blouses they played like last week

Having said that what happened last time Tait faced a big Welshman in the centres?

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:12 pm

5 red cards since 2011 between these two teams, 1 for tigers and 4 for saints.

With Hartley being removed at least there's less chance of a red .

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:13 pm

Wonder what treatment from the crowd Gibson will g

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:14 pm

Ffs Horwill

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:16 pm

Barnes, wonder if that's why Hartley has been taken out of the team lol

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:20 pm

Missed tackle by Gibson?

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:20 pm

Sarries score a roll over scrum try against a 7 man pack

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:22 pm

O'conner off already Sad

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:26 pm

Get slaughtered at the scrum

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:30 pm

Wonder if we'll see this mythical Manu enter the fray today

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:32 pm

We need some to go straight not sideays

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:33 pm

Danny Care trademark wonder break sets up a try for Buchanan, Nev misses kick, 5-7 to Sarries which given the start of this match is better than could be expected

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:38 pm

Another scrum push over try, by Billy V. Their scrum seems completely rampant

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:39 pm

by Cyril Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:41 pm

Tigers are absolutely smashing Saints.

Great little break from Youngs to set up the 3rd try.

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:42 pm

Tigers 3 tries to nill. 21 - 0

by Sgt_Pooly Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:44 pm

Way too east for Tigers.

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:44 pm

Evans makes it 8-14

by nathan Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:45 pm

Interesting to see how wood goes

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:50 pm

I'm actually happy with how this match is going so far

by Geordie Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:51 pm

Great try

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:51 pm

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is how we play rugby!

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:52 pm

Nev is a playmaking god

by ChequeredJersey Sat 09 Jan 2016, 3:53 pm

15-14 Quins at HT

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