Aviva Premiership - Round 14

First topic message reminder :

After a month's gap domestic eyes return to the league this weekend.

Friday 9th February

19:45 Bath v Northampton   BT Sport
Bath are blowing hot and cold this season so far. Having been knocked out of the Champions Cup in January, the reserves managed to secure a home semi in the A/W cup. Missing players due to 6 nations and injuries they need to make sure that they can hold Saints physically. Saints on the other hand will need to come out all guns blazing. Hope created by the fine win against Clermont was then smashed by the 3rd trouncing from Sarries so far this season. When their forwards front up this season they play well. too often though they have appeared spineless and lacking any fight. Both sides will be looking for a win to kick start their run in to the end of the season. Home advantage will probably tell as Bath ease home by a score.


Saturday 10th February

14:00 Exeter v Worcester
One of the more helpful factors for Exeter in previous 6 Nations windows has been the lack of call ups for their players. Things have now changed significantly with a significant chunk of their side missing this week. Even so they should still have far too much for a Worcester side with it's own absentees. Exeter may have struggled to use their possession well against Glasgow last month, but the warriors cannot allow Exter to go through the phases as they usually do. Eventually something will break. Thus the visitors need to try and starve  Exeter of possession and avoid kicking the ball away. Squeeze them then unleash the runners available (but no Adams of course). Frankly I am struggling to see beyond a TBP win for the defending champs.

14:30 Gloucester v Leicester
A struggling Leicester team travel to 4th place Gloucester hoping to beat their hosts for the 3rd time this season. The previous games were at Welford Road however. Ackermann is slowly building a team with the fighting spirit you would expect from the Cherry and Whites. While Ed Slater may not find it as easy to steal lineouts as he did back in the Autumn, with Tigers having now rewritten their call book, Tigers woes in this area have largely continued. Gloucester will win with some ease, unless Leicester can return to the form they showed back in October. Missing our first choice props and half backs does not help.

14:30 Saracens v Newcastle
Saracens are missing a lot of key players and showed during the AIs how this can make them vulnerable. Falcons tend to flatter to deceive when playing the Barnet Wolfpack however. Play well and they have a good change of taking a serious scalp - but they have to believe. More importantly Deano has to believe and select a side that can win, rather than waiting to next weekend.

15:00 London Irish v Sale
Sale have risen to 7th in the table, and could end this weekend in the top half if results go their way. When you look at their tight 5 this would be remarkable. de Klerk is doing a sterling job in organising and sparking his backs. Still the exiles have to view this as a winnable fixture. As they seek to put some pressure on Worcester.


Sunday 11th February

13:00 Harlequins v Wasps
The arrival of the 4th meeting between these sides sees the visitors holding a 2-1 lead, with their win last month in the Champions Cup effectively knocking Wasps out. That game showed us the best and worst of Wasps. Their attack in the first half was incredible, their defence and attitude in the second half execrable. With Quins missing key leaders with England, Wasps should be too strong. However they would have been favourites before each of their losses to Quins and Quins do have home advantage

Just terrible from Quin's, but about what we've come to expect bow.
Not looking forward to next weekend.

That was a horrific tackle from Eastmond - he completely lost the plot!

It was 2 horrific tackles from him. Truly awful from Quins

Eastmond must have brought something on to the pitch with him. Two swinging arms in two minutes. Weird.
I gotta think he will have a lot of time off to think about it.

doctor_grey wrote:Eastmond must have brought something on to the pitch with him.  Two swinging arms in two minutes.  Weird.  
I gotta think he will have a lot of time off to think about it.    

6 weeks

I think he got off just a bit easy.