Aviva Premiership Round 5 - Preview

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TABLE


Friday, 28 September 2012

Northampton v Wasps, 19:45

Northampton Team News:

Waldouck replaces George Pisi, while Lawes continues to feature at 6, PDJ selected over Mooj and Myler gets the nod over Lamb.

15 James WILSON, 14 Ken PISI, 13 Dom WALDOUCK, 12 Luther BURRELL, 11 Vasily ARTEMYEV, 10 Stephen MYLER, 9 Lee DICKSON
1 Soane TONGA'UIHA, 2 Dylan HARTLEY (capt), 3 Paul DORAN JONES, 4 Samu MANOA, 5 Christian DAY, 6 Courtney LAWES, 7 Tom WOOD, 8 Rhys OAKLEY

Replacements
16 Mike HAYWOOD, 17 Alex WALLER, 18 Brian MUJATI, 19 Mark SORENSON, 20 Phil DOWSON, 21 Martin ROBERTS, 22 Ryan LAMB, 23 Tom MAY


Wasps Team News:

A raft of changes for Wasps. Johnson and Poff are unavailable this week seeing Launchberry switch to back row and joined by Haskell and Vunipola. Chris Bell comes in at centre, while former Glaws winger Bailey makes his first appearance for Wasps. This match will mark Tim Paynes 250th appearance for the club. The oft-maligned (and at times unfairly) prop has been a stalwart for Wasps through thick and thin.

1 Tim Payne, 2 Tom Lindsay, 3 Zak Taulafo, 4 Tom Palmer, 4 Marco Wentzel (c ), 6 Joe Launchbury, 7 James Haskell, 8 Billy Vunipola
9 Joe Simpson, 10 Nick Robinson, 11 James Bailey, 12 Chris Bell, 13 Andrea Masi, 14 Christian Wade, 15 Tommy Bell

Replacements
16 T Rhys Thomas, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Fabio Staibano, 19 Sam Jones, 20 James Cannon, 21 Charlie Davies, 22 Stephen Jones, 23 Elliot Daly



Worcester v London Irish, 20:00

Worcester Team News:

3 changes to the Warriors starting XV. Matt Kvesic makes another start at 8, Josh Matavesi comes in at 12 while Arr replaces the injured Perry at 9.

15 Chris Pennell, 14 Nikki Walker, 13 Alex Grove, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 David Lemi, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Jonny Arr,
1 Matt Mullan, 2 Aleki Lutui, 3 John Andress, 4 James Percival, 5 Dean Schofield (c), 6 Chris Jones, 7 Sam Betty, 8 Matt Kvesic

Replacements
16 Ollie Hayes, 17 Ceri Jones, 18 James Currie, 19 Craig Gillies, 20 Semisi Taulava, 21 Ollie Frost, 22 Joe Carlisle, 23 Jon Clarke


London Irish Team News:
Tagicakibau and Paice return to the LI line-up (I thought Paice was still banned?)

1 Lahiff, 2 Paice, 3 Aulika, 4 Evans, 5 Garvey, 6 Danaher, 7 Gibson, 8 Treviranus
9 O'Leary, 10 Humphreys, 11 Yarde, 12 Shingler, 13 Joseph, 14 Tagicakibau, 15 Homer

Replacements
16. Shaun Malton; 17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa*; 18. Alan Cotter; 19. George Skivington; 20. Alex Gray; 21. Topsy Ojo*; 22. Shane Geraghty*; 23. Jack Moates




Saturday, 29 September 2012

Bath v Sale , 14:15

Leicester v Exeter, 14:15

Sunday, 30 September 2012

Harlequins v Saracens, 14:00

London Welsh v Gloucester, 15:00

Thats why I call him Jumpy! Yapp.


I couldn't give a toss about Sarries playing style, I'm not a Sarries fan so why would I care.

At least you know what you're going to get when you play them.

yappysnap wrote:Aslong as they get the W I don't think saracens will be too fussed about the playing style. I find it baffling why other teams fans get so up in arms about it! If you don't like it then don't watch Saracens play. Simple as that really.

The whole you're team is more boring then mine argument is very very boring

Well said Yappysnap.

I wouldn't deny Saracens are boring and don't score tries. Every man and his dog knows it. The media frenzy is quite impressive actually.

As a Saracens fan I would of course prefer my team to play more like Quins - be more expansive etc but for Saracens it's important to be tough to beat.

The wins are what win you get you into the HC, win trophies etc. I keep saying it - Quins have an awesome defence - no shame in not scoring against them.

You don't try and play Quins by playing their own game do you? You play straight into their hands. It might be pretty to watch but it's likely you're going to lose.

I hope and want Saracens to cut loose vs London Welsh. Chuck it around please.

Ironically, if they do that, LW could live off mistakes and beat them. Ask Exeter.

We'll play the conditions. Hopefully the weather isn't absolutely appalling.

I expect Saracens to start CH which will give them a bit more attacking creativity.

LW aren't as good as Exeter anyway.

Should be too much firepower in the Saracens side.

The reason why Sarries fans should worry about their playing style is because it came up short in the important games last season - yet they have the talent to add something to their armoury.

If they believe they can win trophies playing this way - then they should carry on.

London Welsh aren't as good as all the sides in the AP, or so a lot of us thought.

But if Sarries don't win comfortably i'd be suprised. But as Leicester (and another couple of teams have discovered) throwing it about in front of a side that live off scraps can create opportunities for the opposition which they have made the most of thus far.

I expect Sarries to be a lot more clinical than Tigers were. Grind LW down before finally releasing the strike runners in the second half - sort of a repeat of the match v LI.

LondonTiger it's still early in the season. I am just pleased to see Saracens at last notch up a tight win. They need more notches to the bow but hopefully it comes.

Jimpy I agree. On the other hand if Saracens are going to chuck it around against anyone in the next few games it's London Welsh. A big win would be a great confidence booster for the HC.

Got to expect to win and well.

I am probably wrong, but I think we've already seen the best of LW this season. They've benefitted from being something of an unknown quantity and making the most of some poor early season form of other teams - I still can't work out what's happening at Sale. Unfortunately, I think that all the other teams are waking up and that LW don't have the strength in depth to compete for the entire season.

Mind you, we said that about the Chiefs.

Sale are the odd ones so far. You look at their team and see a lot of class, but the performances have been dire. I hope they do not wake up on Friday.

yappysnap wrote:Aslong as they get the W I don't think saracens will be too fussed about the playing style. I find it baffling why other teams fans get so up in arms about it! If you don't like it then don't watch Saracens play. Simple as that really.

The whole you're team is more boring then mine argument is very very boring

Couldn't agree more. The whole point of rugby is that it can be played in different styles. It doesn't all have to be SBW-esque offloads, personally I will always prefer the grit of forward play. To this day the best game I've watched was Glaws beating Bath 8-7 a few seasons ago. The style wasn't pretty but the intensity of both sides was unbelievable.

LondonTiger wrote:Sale are the odd ones so far. You look at their team and see a lot of class, but the performances have been dire. I hope they do not wake up on Friday.

It would be nice if it was on TV, but I suspect it wont be.

I would actually say it's very good for our league to have a team like Saracens in it.

Their style of defence, attritional play and insane amount or aggression at the breakdown is more aking to top European and Int rugby then hardly any of the other teams in the Prem.

Obv they don't have the attacking game yet but then nore do teams like Arg, or Sa (up until now).

Quins should have learnt more from Sunday then all of the games before that this season so far.

Of course if more teams play like them then it'll be a problem. But one team who are incredibly tough to break down is really very good for us.

Jimpy wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Sale are the odd ones so far. You look at their team and see a lot of class, but the performances have been dire. I hope they do not wake up on Friday.

It would be nice if it was on TV, but I suspect it wont be.

It is on the box.

Jimpy this seems to be going from acceptable dislike into somewhat disturbing pathological hatred and confrontation. Why do you hate Saracens so much? This isn't a normal response to something you seem to have no real relationship with!

ChequeredJersey wrote:Jimpy this seems to be going from acceptable dislike into somewhat disturbing pathological hatred and confrontation. Why do you hate Saracens so much? This isn't a normal response to something you seem to have no real relationship with!

I don't hate Saracens, I do not however, suffer fools, regardless of their allegience.

35-28 win for Quins A over Exeter Braves last night, in a reversal of the A team final from last season

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:35-28 win for Quins A over Exeter Braves last night, in a reversal of the A team final from last season

Pleased to see that with Casson starting his injury against us was not as bad as initially thought.

Charlie Walker was apparently electric when he came on, hopefully he'll get a run out in the LV and then perhaps next season could pinch the 23 shirt.

Sounds like a very good game, once again I wish I lived closer to Twickenham.

Tim Payne has just received a two week ban for kneeing Artemyev.

Hearing under way for Powell and Brady

No surprise for Payne, really obvious knee that should have been a red.

Powell fined £5k, Brady banned for 2 weeks

http://www.premiershiprugby.com/news/21084.php#.UGtIs1FReSo

So what did Powell and Brady actually do?

Gotta feel sorry for Bath fans as this isn't the first time it's happened...

Spoiler:

Is it something in the water down there??

Powell mouthed obscenities and flicked a V sign to the crowd as he marched off post YC. It is a hard one for me as all of us who sit in a crowd know the sort of obscenities and gestures a sizeable portion of the crowd would have been giving Powell. It is undertandable that he may react - but it is part of his job not to. I am glad that the bulk of his fine was suspended.

Over the years - as attendances have grow larger and more tribal, crowd behaviour has worsened, yet clubs are never held to account for this. They should be.



Brady was found guilty of making a dangerous tackle. Not seen it nor any description so no idea what made it dangerous.

Ah, Andy Powell. Living proof that craniology isn't defunct after all.

Surely Powell gets this all the time?

£4000 of the £5000 fine has be suspended until the end of the season, what are the odds he'll do it again?

Jimpy wrote:Ah, Andy Powell. Living proof that craniology isn't defunct after all.

Ug, him look like caveman, him act like caveman?


I bet the gestures being made by the pimms swilling, prawn eating, barbour wearing gentlemen who sit in the platinum seats were much uglier.

Just finishing watching the remaining AP matches from last weekend, and have to say that Freddie Burns looked extremely impressive

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Just finishing watching the remaining AP matches from last weekend, and have to say that Freddie Burns looked extremely impressive

The only Gloucester match I have seen so far was against Worcester where I think burns had about 20 minutes off the bench. So I am unable to comment.