Premiership Playoffs 2023

First topic message reminder :

The 2022-2023 season - Thank goodness it's over.  Probably the worst season in Premiership history, or certainly after the first few.  Two teams folding, blatant inconsistencies officiating cards spoiling games, on-going concerns about salary cap violations, top players starting an exodus to France, all backdropped by the financial weakness of the entire on-going operation.  Waiting for the damned thing to slowly end seemed at times like fingernails on a chalkboard (as opposed to marker on a whiteboard).  

At least the Rugby gods have come good and shown us all they have a sense of humour:  Saints sneaking into the last playoff spot with the second most point scored in the Premiership and the second most points surrendered.  UFB.  But, at least this shows in an incontrovertible manner that the Rugby gods, at least some time, do wear Black, Green, & Gold!

Saturday, May 13:  saracens-Saints, Stone Ex Salary Cap Cheater Stadium
Sunday, May 14:  Sale-Tigers, AJ Bell Stadium (Salford)
Saturday, May 20:  Watch French and Irish dudes play with each other
Saturday, May 27:  Tigers-Saints, Twickenham Courtney Lawes Stadium, for the Championship of the East Midlands, Mercia, England, and the World.  

Oh yeah.  Discuss....

Ha, or indeed no arms if there's no tackle being made.

Both teams are wearing their away kits this weekend in a solution for colour blind people. Sure that was being discussed for Wales Ireland but not don't remember if they've ever altered it.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Ha, or indeed no arms if there's no tackle being made.

Both teams are wearing their away kits this weekend in a solution for colour blind people. Sure that was being discussed for Wales Ireland but not don't remember if they've ever altered it.

I didn't realise that colour blindness effects 8% of men yet only 0.5% of women. That's a lot of men finding matches like Ireland v S.Africa very confusing.
It does of course depend on the type of colour blindness but wouldn't it be a great thing for rugby to lead the way in?

It makes complete sense doesn't it? When we all seem to be talking about how to make the game more accessible it's an easy win. And I've sat through some games, think it was a SA Ireland one where the colours made me give up.

The RPA U23 prem ream of the season is bloody impressive.

1 Bevan Rodd
2 Theo Dan
3 Joe Hayes
4 George Martin
5 Hugh Tizard
6 Ted Hill
7 Tom Pearson
8 Fitz Harding

9 Gus Warr
10 Fin Smith
11 Cadan Murley
12 Seb Atkinson
13 Ollie Lawrence
14 Mateo Carreras
15 Joe Carpenter

Geordie wrote:The RPA U23 prem ream of the season is bloody impressive.  

1 Bevan Rodd
2 Theo Dan
3 Joe Hayes
4 George Martin
5 Hugh Tizard
6 Ted Hill
7 Tom Pearson
8 Fitz Harding

9 Gus Warr
10 Fin Smith
11 Cadan Murley
12 Seb Atkinson
13 Ollie Lawrence
14 Mateo Carreras
15 Joe Carpenter

If, and this is hypothetical, but if we do not believe England will win the RWC, then perhaps does it make sense to blood this group in the RWC?  Or perhaps most of this group?

I think a few will go...Hayes, Martin and Pearson...and Lawrence

Sebastian Atkinson probably a little too early but will come in post WC probably similar to Carpenter.


and Mateo Carreras will be there against England.

Feeling a bit apathetic about this match. I will watch, but it is just not grabbing my attention. Perhaps as we get closer....

Geordie wrote:The RPA U23 prem team of the season is bloody impressive.  

1 Bevan Rodd
2 Theo Dan
3 Joe Heyes
4 George Martin
5 Hugh Tizard
6 Ted Hill
7 Tom Pearson
8 Fitz Harding

9 Gus Warr
10 Fin Smith
11 Cadan Murley
12 Seb Atkinson
13 Ollie Lawrence
14 Mateo Carreras
15 Joe Carpenter

Ollie Chessum's omission is somewhat baffling. I'd take both Chessum or Henderson over Tizard. Otherwise it's an exciting team. Good to see lots of EQ talent in there, shame Carreras is already capped and can't be convinced to switch allegiances.

Agree about Chessum.

Its quite a midfield isn't it.

Geordie wrote:The RPA U23 prem ream of the season is bloody impressive.  

1 Bevan Rodd
2 Theo Dan
3 Joe Hayes
4 George Martin
5 Hugh Tizard
6 Ted Hill
7 Tom Pearson
8 Fitz Harding

9 Gus Warr
10 Fin Smith
11 Cadan Murley
12 Seb Atkinson
13 Ollie Lawrence
14 Mateo Carreras
15 Joe Carpenter

Pretty sure quite a few of these are over 23......

From an English perspective, is it really that impressive though?

Heyes, Martin and Rodd are on the fringes of the England squad from the forwards and only Lawrence is making any real impact on the Int scene in the backline. ( I guess Curry is still only 23ish also).

It would be interesting to see similar sides from Ireland and France as first thoughts would be we've not really produced that much top quality talent over the last 3 or 4 years.

Geordie wrote:Agree about Chessum.

Its quite a midfield isn't it.

It's the hope that gets you. Seb Atkinson has done an awesome job at Glaws, he's not big but in defence he's been brilliant. A defensive rock even when Quins sent Andre E running down his channel repeatedly, which is some accomplishment. Good all round skills and makes ground ball in hand. Slightly reminiscent of Ant Allen and still only 20. Hope he's in the mix for the world cup warm up squads even if he is to young for this tournament he's going to feature up to the next one. With Dan Kelly finding his best form towards the end of the season as well we might have actual 12s playing at 12 before long.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

Geordie wrote:The RPA U23 prem ream of the season is bloody impressive.  

1 Bevan Rodd
2 Theo Dan
3 Joe Hayes
4 George Martin
5 Hugh Tizard
6 Ted Hill
7 Tom Pearson
8 Fitz Harding

9 Gus Warr
10 Fin Smith
11 Cadan Murley
12 Seb Atkinson
13 Ollie Lawrence
14 Mateo Carreras
15 Joe Carpenter

Pretty sure quite a few of these are over 23......

From an English perspective, is it really that impressive though?

Heyes, Martin and Rodd are on the fringes of the England squad from the forwards and only Lawrence is making any real impact on the Int scene in the backline. ( I guess Curry is still only 23ish also).

It would be interesting to see similar sides from Ireland and France as first thoughts would be we've not really produced that much top quality talent over the last 3 or 4 years.

It feels like that the talent we should have pushing into the England squad around the 25-29 age bracket missing but we seem to have a number of guys in their early twenties looking very promising. A couple of fallow years now the conveyor belt is starting up again?

Tommy Freeman, Dan Kelly, Chessum, Bailey, Quirke, JVP, Cunningham-South, Kenningham and Will Joseph could all be added into that XV as well as some I've forgotten as EQ talent at 23 or under.

Ouch. Big chance for Dan to out down a marker ina big game though.

Cracking turnover. Great kick.

It's all happening today ...

Sarries not having much luck with injuries so far

Also maybe a bit unlucky to give away 3 points because Luke Pearce got in the way ...

Earl is being pinged all over the place today.

Trying too hard?

Mr Bounce wrote:Earl is being pinged all over the place today.

Trying too hard?

2nd was Itoje.

He has missed tackles too.

Malins is looking very good.

What were those nasty protesters throwing around?

Is anyone else just bored of seeing scrum pens all the time?

Heaf wrote:Is anyone else just bored of seeing scrum pens all the time?

Think McCall will be more annoyed with his props rather than bored.

That's an amazing kick from Daly

Farrell is playing so well today.

Nice try

Sarries will miss Malins that's for sure

I know little about him but I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen from Theo Dan today.

Good half of rugby that.

How can you be pinged for closing the gap when the hooker isn't even close to throwing the ball in?

Daly dawdling.

Perfect example of why you don't want Daly as the last defender! Cracking Sale try!

Messy from Sarries there but brilliantly taken by Sale

That deserves to be a try ...

Unlucky

Then blowing a try.

This is a cracking final!

Sale lucky not to give away a try there too

Well Quirke has added a bit of impetus.

Bevan Rodd!

Should have been a pen for Sarries there - Rodd got tackled and stood up again and then went on to score ....

TMO has checked and says try is good

Yep but probably didn't look at the tackle quite a bit earlier in the move ...

Another lucky bounce for Sale - looks like it could be their day

Breathless game.

Was that the turning point?

Such a back and forth game.

Who'd be a TMO?!

Idiots booing.

Close call but I think correct