English Prem Prections

Time to nail your colours to the mast....

Winners : Northampton
Top 4 : Northampton,Sarries,Bath,Exeter
Top 6: Northampton, Sarries,Bath,Exeter,Leicester,Wasps
Relegated: London Welsh

what are prections?

I think at the beginning of the season the consensus here was Exeter in 9th place

Exeters destiny is in their own hands to a large degree but their fixtures are pretty tough run in.

Saints are obvious run away winners.
Bath I think will revive and come second, they have the easiest fixture list.
Next Saracens
then my wildcard 4th place is wasps (points in the bag, decent fixtures) who earn the right to get beaten by saints in the semi

Tigers and Exeter make up the top 6 with Sale valiantly hanging on. I think Welsh getting relegated is a safe bet. Bath deserve to be relegated for shipping a point to them.

Thing is one unexpected result (which youd expect :/) and all bets are off places 2-4. Tigers woeful points differential may hurt them come season end, coupled with a lack of fly half cover and senior players focused on 6 nations recovery and the world cup. That probably means the end of Cockerill.

Realistically Exeter should get another 13 points which would give them 61 whether that's enough for a play place not sure.

I think it'll go a little something like:

Saints (winners)
Bath
Sarries
Wasps
Leicester
Exeter
Sale
Harlequins
Glos
Irish
Falcons
Welsh

Wasp, tigers and Exeter could all swap places to be honest.

Top 4 of: Saints, Sarries, Bath, Wasps

Leicester and Exeter to join them in top 6. Sale securing 7th.

rosbif wrote:Realistically  Exeter should get another  13 points which would give them 61 whether that's enough for a play place  not sure.

By my calculations you'd need somewhere in the mid 60's. Saracens and Bath both have a good chance of getting 70+, and at least one of Wasps Tigers or Exeter likely in the mid to high 60's

If Exeter can beat their rivals they will get and fully deserve the play off spot, but I just see there being too many loseable games and not enough 5 pointers for them to do it.

For me...

Top 4:
Saints
Bath
Wasps
Sarries/Tigers (sorry but I think it comes down to the Sarries v Tigers game and for me that is too tight to call)

Making up the top 6:
Whoever loses from Sarries and Tigers game +
Sale

No disrespect to Exeter who everyone else seems to have in their top 6, but Sale are only a few points behind and in my view Exeter have a really difficult run in to the end of season.

Relegation:
Welsh. Obviously. Unless one of the other teams gets found guilty of something so dreadful they get an enormous points deduction it's getting pretty much impossible for them to survive. If anyone thinks otherwise the only real point of discussion is to decide who is going to call the psychiatrists.

I think Sarries may struggle with the injuries to Farrell and Hodgson (anyone know how serious that is?) particularly if Alex Goode is retained in the England squad.

Wasps are the form team at the minute. Exeter are ticking along nicely but might lack some firepower to break into the top 4. Sale and Bath look fragile when missing their play makers. Sale in particular look a shadow of their best when without Cipriani.

Tigers have been largely dire but are now getting a good Number of their players back from injury. They could make a late run.

1. Saints
2. Wasps
3. Tigers
4. Bath

Chiefs will lose on the plastic pitch up at Sarries! I believe they can win at Leicester and at home to Sale! I reckon that the season defining games will be Wasps away and Saints at home!

If we don't get the points in big games then we don't deserve to be there

We have to win 3 from the 4 of Sarries,Tigers and Wasps away and Northampton at home............

I think you need to look at the fixtures

Saints currently on 60

Gloucester away
Wasps home
Exeter away
Saracens home
London Welsh home
Leicester away

That's not an easy fixture list but with that 12 point buffer should easily come 1st.


Saracens currently on 48 points

Wasps away
Quins home
Leicester home
Saints away
Exeter home
London Welsh away

Will be looking for 5/6 which will give them 20 - 68 points.

Exeter - 48 points

LW home
Leicester away
Saints home
Wasps away
Saracens away
Sale home

4 very tough matches - could struggle.

Wasps - 48

Saracens home
Saints away
LW away
Exeter home
Leicester home
LI away

Will be looking for 5/6 which would give them 20 points -Wasps-Sarries in particular will be big.

Bath - 47

Sale home
LW away
Newcastle away
LI home
Quins away
Gloucester home

Will be looking for 6/6 - 24 points at least.

Leicester - 47 points

Newcastle away
Exeter home
Saracens away
LW home
Wasps away
Saints home

It's the Tigers they think they will win every match - realistically probably 4/5 out of 6

Going by these predictions - thinking this.

1.Saints
2.Bath
3.Saracens
4.Wasps
5.Leicester
6.Exeter


Though 2nd-5th battle should be very close - sorry Exeter I think your fixture list is too tough.

Saints to win 5/6 and only lose 6th because they rest their first team.
Saracens 4/6
Exeter 3/6
Wasps 4/6
Bath 5/6
Leicester 4/6

Saints and Bath to secure home semis, other two down to bonus points.

After looking at Sale's fixtures If everyone takes points off of each other then I could see Sale possibly sneaking in! Tonight's game is crucial, as a Tigers / Exeter fan I'm not sure which way I want the result to go

How have you ended up being a Tigers/Exeter fan?

Big wrote:For me...

Top 4:
Saints
Bath
Wasps
Sarries/Tigers (sorry but I think it comes down to the Sarries v Tigers game and for me that is too tight to call)

Making up the top 6:
Whoever loses from Sarries and Tigers game +
Sale

No disrespect to Exeter who everyone else seems to have in their top 6, but Sale are only a few points behind and in my view Exeter have a really difficult run in to the end of season.

Relegation:
Welsh.  Obviously.  Unless one of the other teams gets found guilty of something so dreadful they get an enormous points deduction it's getting pretty much impossible for them to survive.  If anyone thinks otherwise the only real point of discussion is to decide who is going to call the psychiatrists.

We do have Dean Richards in charge

Lots expecting full points off Irish and Falcons. They may previously have been easy places to go get points...but not so much now.

If teams go expecting a victory is a gimme then they will lose...

In fact Irish and Falcons might well have a significant influence on the final standings...

GeordieFalcon wrote:Lots expecting full points off Irish and Falcons. They may previously have been easy places to go get points...but not so much now.

I would have gone 5/6 for Tigers if I was confident of a win on sunday.

Hopefully itll be a great game LT....

Born and raised in Reading and followed football week in week out watching Reading Fc, played school rugby but nothing more, went to Leicester Uni, played rugby and watched the Tigers as I couldn't bring myself to watch football if it wasn't Reading fc, moved to Devon after uni and following Torquay football didn't have any appeal so started watching Chiefs in the year they went up from the Championship! Am now a hooked Chiefs fan but have a massive soft spot for old school Leicester! Not liking the current crop much though! Don't seem to have a dogged spine in the team that refuses to get beat like the good old days!

Born and raised in Reading and followed football week in week out watching Reading Fc, played school rugby but nothing more, went to Leicester Uni, played rugby and watched the Tigers as I couldn't bring myself to watch football if it wasn't Reading fc, moved to Devon after uni and following Torquay football didn't have any appeal so started watching Chiefs in the year they went up from the Championship! Am now a hooked Chiefs fan but have a massive soft spot for old school Leicester! Not liking the current crop much though! Don't seem to have a dogged spine in the team that refuses to get beat like the good old days!

Battle for playoffs is fascinating.

Saints still are heavy favourites despite flattering to deceive and should top the league. Below them battle for 2nd-4th is hotting up nicely.

The most notable change has been the falling away of Wasps and one would expect Exeter to start losing more ground too.

beshocked wrote:Battle for playoffs is fascinating.

Saints still are heavy favourites despite flattering to deceive and should top the league. Below them battle for 2nd-4th is hotting up nicely.

The most notable change has been the falling away of Wasps and one would expect Exeter to start losing more ground too.

Saints flatter to deceive? They've been top since pretty much week one and haven't looked back?

Interestingly, Exeter and Tigers have pretty much the same run in opponents wise. Tigers have Welsh at home though - could be the difference.

Tigers aren't scoring a lot of tries though and need the TBP against LW to continue the revival.

The game against Wasps is big as well. It would be beneficial to Tigers of Hughes citing is upheld though that would be seriously unfair on the bloke.

Optimism is building so we'll probably throw it away. A lot is hinging on Burns form which is currently very good.

I'm hoping that we get a Tigers vs. Chiefs final. Sadly I suspect it's going to be the Sinners vs. GloboGym!

Jimpy Saints haven't exactly been in barnstorming form in recent weeks have they?

I have watched them play vs Quins,Gloucester and Wasps (1st 40 anyway, there was no point watching it after the young ref bottled it).

Quins,Gloucester and Wasps should have all won to be honest.

I think the likes of Exeter,Saracens and Tigers could beat Saints if Saints don't up their game.

Jimpy you are right - Exeter do have similar fixture list to Leicester but Leicester have experience on their side - always in the fight.



Ozzy3213 why do you want those two teams?

Because I don't want the same finalists as last year beshocked. I want variety and going forward for teams to feel they have a chance, rather than what has happened in football where it's the same teams every year. So ruling out Saints and Sarries, that leaves Tigers, Bath, Wasps, Chiefs and Sale as an outside bet. Realistically I don't think Wasps and Sale can make the top 4, and I don't like Bath, so by default Tigers and Chiefs are left. I do however like both clubs to varying degrees, and would love to see the Chiefs win it, if for no other reason than to prove an article which I wrote 2 or 3 years ago correct.

Ozzy3213 Tigers have one of the worst try counts in the AP this season. Plus they are basically in the mix every season. No one would call Tigers underdogs! No side is more consistent than them in the AP.

A Wasps vs Exeter final would be variety. To be honest I wouldn't mind Bath either at least that would be different too.

Realistically I think the winner will be either Saints,Bath or Sarries.

Perhaps I am underestimating Tigers though - pretty dangerous thing to do but unless their up their form I can't see them winning.

I'm not sure what Tigers try count this season has to do with my reason for wanting a Tigers v Chiefs final.

Tigers have been boring. Not that it will matter to Tigers but surely it would to a neutral?

My point is that Tigers haven't exactly been lighting up the AP with attacking rugby. They've been grinding out wins. Not pretty but effective.

Surely in a final you want to see teams that will sparkle?

I think the pick of the AP teams this season in terms of showing a massive improvement has been Bath.

beshocked wrote:Tigers have been boring. Not that it will matter to Tigers but surely it would to a neutral?

My point is that Tigers haven't exactly been lighting up the AP with attacking rugby. They've been grinding out wins. Not pretty but effective.

Surely in a final you want to see teams that will sparkle?

I think the pick of the AP teams this season in terms of showing a massive improvement has been Bath.

Frankly Bath could play the most exciting attacking rugby ever seen on the planet and I would still be hoping that they get found to be massively in breach of salary cap regulations, have all their points deducted and get relegated to the Championship, such is my loathing for them. If they get to the final, I won't watch it live, I will recorded it and only watch it if they happen to get their backsides handed to them!

Do you feel the same about Globogym?

I guess I can understand your loathing of Bath a little understandable as Bath have used London Irish as their unofficial feeder club. That strategy has reaped dividends regardless of whether one agrees with it or not.

I don't have a particularly strong view on your boys either way beshocked. I'm not queuing up to take shots at them, but I'm certainly not in their fan club either.

Bath have pillaged my club, and whilst I get professionalism and that we needed to be better as a club, which we are now starting be, it leaves a bitter taste. There are other reasons why I dislike them as well, but I shan't be airing them here.

Ozzy, you should be a Glaws supporter!

Without wanting to side with my foes, you can understand why the players moved: more money, better facilities and a bigger (and better?) coaching set up plus they all get a free vacuum cleaner

Ozzy3213 wrote:I don't have a particularly strong view on your boys either way beshocked.  I'm not queuing up to take shots at them, but I'm certainly not in their fan club either.

Bath have pillaged my club, and whilst I get professionalism and that we needed to be better as a club, which we are now starting be, it leaves a bitter taste.  There are other reasons why I dislike them as well, but I shan't be airing them here.

You forgot to mention the self satisfied smirk on the face of the owner whenever he is pictured on TV, which , by the way, is during every break in play.

Gooseberry wrote:Exeters destiny is in their own hands to a large degree but their fixtures  are pretty tough run in.

Saints are obvious run away winners.
Bath I think will revive and come second, they have the easiest fixture list.
Next Saracens
then my wildcard 4th place is wasps (points in the bag, decent fixtures) who earn the right to get beaten by saints in the semi

Tigers and Exeter make up the top 6 with Sale valiantly hanging on.  I think Welsh getting relegated is a safe bet. Bath deserve to be relegated for shipping a point to them.

Im still sticking by this prediction.