Aviva Premiership - Round 4

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Current Positions

Team	Points
Saracens	13
Leicester	12
Exeter	11
Harlequins	9
Gloucester	9
Sale Sharks	9
Northampton	7
Wasps	5
Bath	5
Worcester	5
London Irish	0
Newcastle	0

Fixtures

Friday 6th November 2015

19:45 Harlequins  v   Sale Sharks Twickenham Stoop BT Sport

Both teams will arrive at the Stoop for the first of four televised fixtures with two wins so far and having beaten playoff teams from last season in round 3. Harlequins away win at the Rec was the more notable (Only two late tries saved Bath from what the commentator was, at 70 minutes, calling a total humiliation.), but Sale's ability to shut down the Saints attack should not be ignored. While not exactly a head-to-head it will be interesting to see how the main playmakers for each side, Care and Cipriani, fare. Care still, to me, looks to be searching for form and we shall see how he responds to his first home start as club captain. Cipriani will delight in thre presence of the TV cameras, and will be out to show that he shoudl have been at the RWC. Equally fascinating will be the back row battle. Sale will probably go with the two opensides as usual, and their experienced pairing will be a good test for whoever O'Shea deigns to select.
I struggle to se any result other than a win for Quins - but probably no TBP.



Saturday 7th November 2015

15:00 London Irish  v   Bath Rugby Madejski Stadium

Misfiring Bath will arrive in Reading desperate to kick start their season against winless Irish. London Irish were handed a terrible start to the season, facing four of last seasons top 5. As the season unfolds this may prove to be a blessing in disguise - probably better to try and bed in new players and methods against teams you expect to lose against rather than against teams youshould be beating. While the attack in general has so far not clicked for Irish, their rolling maul has been hugely effective. Add in players like Maitland (who surely will improve on last week) and Irish have the tools to upset Bath.
Bath are not playing well. Beaten by Quins and Wasps, their only wion was almost gifted to them by Exeter on the first weekend. The set piece is misfiring and they have been second best at the breakdown. Will be interesting to see if Francois Louw is rushed back into the side. they are creating opportunities though. Any number of times in the first half against Quins they worked the ball into the opposition 22 only to fall over when close to the line. A mix of poor hands and white line fever allowed the boys from Surrey to constantly repel them.
Should Bath play to their potential this could be a thumping win, however I have a sneaking feeling that Irish will be scrapping for everything and sneak a victory.



15:00 Worcester Warriors  v   Newcastle Falcons Sixways

Is it too early to call this a relegation match? Worcester will feel that their win over 2014 champs Saints and narrow defeat at Kingsholm should earn them more respect than that. Falcons fans however will be watching through clenched fingers. To call Falcons poor so far would be a serious understatement. We know they have talent - but the application so far this season has been absent. A workmanlike team with great spirit like Worcester should have enough to win this with some ease. Unless Falcons brink more than they have so far it will be yet more depression for our Geordie friends.



15:15 Northampton Saints  v   Saracens Franklin's Gardens BT Sport

Huge fixture with the away team bang in form and looking to enter Euro weeks with a perfect start to the season. Saints are struggling. they seem to have reverted completely to Warrenball and as Wales are oft accused seem to have no plan B. Sarries will not back down from the physical challenge, so can Saints deliver something different on their return to a new, improved Franklin's Gardens?



17:30 Exeter Chiefs  v   Leicester Tigers Sandy Park BT Sport

Can Leicester continue their winning run this season. Having done the double in the AP last season over Exeter, and with some big names likely to be returning to the lineup they will be hopeful. Exeter should however provide a really stern test of the tigers defence. At times last season the Midlanders were over-run by sides willing to put pace and width on the ball - and Exeter are certainly capable of doing that. Baxter and his men will be fully aware that last season they allowed Tigers to drag them into an arm-wrestle at Sandy Park and will be looking to improve their own performance. Will be interesting to see which tigers Old Boys make the lineup for the men from Devon.
Exeter should win, probably denying Leicester an LBP




Sunday 8th November 2015

15:00 Wasps  v   Gloucester Rugby Ricoh Arena BT Sport

Final match of the weekend sees what will be a Gopperth-less (banned for 3 weeks so misses the first two ECC rounds) Wasps host a promising looking Gloucester team. this really could be a crackerjack of a game - though Daly and Wade will need to show more form than they have so far. Wasps could well be without Nathan Hughes following a knee injury at Welford Road. I am looking forward to seeing Kvesic against old master George Smith.
Wasps to win an entertaining match by less than a score.

Worried about Hopper at 12, especially with the way the Sale centres like to smash people.

Otherwise a very good side, wonder if Horwill is tactical or injury?

Oh and the no8 positions taken a bit of a battering with Talei out for the season with a knee injury and Luamanu out for 10 weeks with a pec injury. I assume Easter, Clifford and Chisholm will play 8 now.

Falcons:

1 - Vickers
2 - Lawson
3 - Welsh
4 - Botha
5 - Thompson
6 - Welch
7 - Latu
8 - Hogg
9 - Young
10 - Delany
11 - Tuilagi
12 - Socino
13 - Harris
14 - Venditti
15 - Tait

McGuigan
Fry
Vea
Robinson
Clever
Tipuna
Catterick
Penny

Hell of a back three Worcester are putting out against Falcons tomorrow. If they get decent ball and the Falcons defence doesn't improve on what they've shown so farm, they could have a field day.

Worcester

15 Chris Pennell
14 Bryce Heem
13 Alex Grove
12 Ryan Mills
11 Cooper Vuna
10 Tom Heathcote
9 Jonny Arr
1 Val Rapava Ruskin
2 Niall Annett
3 Nick Schonert
4 Donncha O'Callaghan
5 Darren Barry
6 Phil Dowson
7 Marco Mama
8 GJ van Velze (C)

Replacements
16 Jaba Bregvadze
17 Na'ama Leleimalefaga
18 Joe Rees
19 Tevita Cavubati
20 Matt Cox
21 Charlie Mulchrone
22 Ryan Lamb
23 Ben Howard

Not a bad back 3 at all!

Our backline looks a bit more solid this week, hopefully that will help.

They've got to get ball Ozzie...and hopefully after last week...the rocket up the A$$ they should have had will mean they are fired up.

On paper we are putting out a strong team. Its just how they perform on the pitch.

Good to see Barrow start.

yappysnap wrote:Oh and the no8 positions taken a bit of a battering with Talei out for the season with a knee injury and Luamanu out for 10 weeks with a pec injury. I assume Easter, Clifford and Chisholm will play 8 now.

We'll get a backrow injury replacement for Talei. Extra 400,000 pound pot for it. Must be of same positions and similar experience. Talei has 33 caps for Fiji, is what, 32, and plays flank and 8, should be able to get decent cover

Read?

I very much doubt Keiran Read will be playing for Quins anytime soon, he's taking over the AB captaincy.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:I very much doubt Keiran Read will be playing for Quins anytime soon, he's taking over the AB captaincy.

We'll only need him until Luamanu is back

Too many caps though

Now, someone like Vito or Kolisi would fit, just until Super 18 Pre Season

Is Corbs injured as he is yet to figure in a Saints squad this season?

probably - he spent most of his time at LI injured

It's probably easier to assume he's injured, then be pleasantly surprised when he's fit.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:I very much doubt Keiran Read will be playing for Quins anytime soon, he's taking over the AB captaincy.

Kill joy

Sorry Yappy

Sale up 0-7. Cips kicks high and Braid dots it down after a Visser muff up

Mare by Visser

Awful from Visser but Sale were bloody good in keeping Quins pinned in their half. Very intelligent play just to have a go ball in hand and then when it's not on grubber in behind and force Ward to throw in from 5m out.

Cipriani is kicking magnificently.

Cips kicking so well from hand

Also with Ward at hooker, the Sale kicking game is a very good idea

Quins are great with ball in hand. Only let them have the ball deep in their half. Simple plan but difficult to execute when the Quins back three is that good.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Quins are great with ball in hand. Only let them have the ball deep in their half. Simple plan but difficult to execute when the Quins back three is that good.

Need a power centre to work our style though. Need Roberts

Quins lucky to get this three pointer. Matthews dragging Braid along by his throat in that ruck and when he wriggles free he gets pinged for being unbound. Awful call.

Sale only have themselves to blame for some lazy errors close to the Quins line.

get in position, DG please

Danny and Nev both capable at firing them off

Or a pen will do

3-7 to Sale at the break. About fair. Sloppy knock ons whenever Quins got an attack on and looked dangerous in first half, Cips getting Sale playing in better areas but Quins beginning to get more into it

Driving maul is working very well against Sale

Dodgy pen. Almost justice it was missed.

You're right CJ the Quins are definitely missing a powerful ball carrier at 12. Where's the Samoan you signed, Stanley?

formerly known as Sam wrote:Dodgy pen. Almost justice it was missed.

You're right CJ the Quins are definitely missing a powerful ball carrier at 12. Where's the Samoan you signed, Stanley?

If he's a Quins centre, probably injured

That's what I've become used to with Lowe, JTH etc

No Braid gives Quins ascendency at breakdown

Try Tim Visser, nice chip by Nev

Visser is a hell of a finisher.

13-7 Quins

Welly wrote:Visser is a hell of a finisher.

Makes up for the ball he dropped for the Sale try

He would be worth a fortune if he could defend as well as he could attack.

Is this what Quins do now? Lacklustre start, get a foothold in the end of first half then actually play rugby in the third quarter?

Quins get the ball in the opposition half and the momentum swings. They're forcing the knock ons, getting the 50/50 calls and suddenly there's a 9 point gap. Dale have got to refind their game plan. Too much trying to force it in the wrong areas, the clever kicking has to been seen this half.

Bold from Cipriani

Not Care/Robshaw bold. But bold.

Would of been a great try then.

Good defence

How did Evans get away with that?

Clever kick comes back in and nearly a try or a yellow card for Evans. Quins need to stay on top of Cipriani as he is what will drag Sale back into the game.

He's an ex-All Black, might still have the invisibility cloak?

Haha, something like that.

Good finish from the boy, Lowe should have done better.