Premiership Weekend Round 18 - It is still February

Something ain't right............With the 6 Nations in full swing (especially if one is French, Irish, or Scottish) will anyone be watching?

Friday:  
Bath Rugby v Bristol Rugby, 2:45 PM EST, 7:45 BST, Recreation Ground, Bath

Saturday:
Saracens v Newcastle Falcons, 9:30 AM EST, 2:30 PM BST, StoneX Stadium, London
Northampton Saints v Gloucester Rugby, 9:45 AM EST, 2:45 BST, cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
London Irish v Leicester Tigers, 2:30 PM EST, 7:30PM BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London

Sunday:
Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks, 8:00 AM EST, 1:00 PM BST, Sandy Park, Exeter

There's a lot more than two rounds remaining. Due to the number of cancelled games and bye weeks each time hasn't played in every round. I think Tigers have four or five games remaining after this weekend.

formerly known as Sam wrote:There's a lot more than two rounds remaining. Due to the number of cancelled games and bye weeks each time hasn't played in every round. I think Tigers have four or five games remaining after this weekend.

At last I knew something wasn't right, and I guess that was me....

doctor_grey wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:There's a lot more than two rounds remaining. Due to the number of cancelled games and bye weeks each time hasn't played in every round. I think Tigers have four or five games remaining after this weekend.

At last I knew something wasn't right, and I guess that was me....

You tried to apply logic to an illogical situation.

By the hair of Boris Johnson, I must be the only person watching Rugby this afternoon.

By the way, I like the guy playing 8 for Bath. Every time I see him play, his jersey is dirty, he is covered with grass or dirt (if playing on a proper Rugby surface), and he is always in the middle of the action. Good player.

Carley seems to have taken against Bristol ... happy for Bath to keep throwing crooked though ...

Poor match from all concerned - including Carley.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:There's a lot more than two rounds remaining. Due to the number of cancelled games and bye weeks each time hasn't played in every round. I think Tigers have four or five games remaining after this weekend.

At last I knew something wasn't right, and I guess that was me....

You tried to apply logic to an illogical situation.

That doesn't make sense

Peterson sent off for Falcons after leading and arguably looking the better side.

Game effectively over but Falcons having a good go.

Hartley the young 12 looks good as does the young Sarries hooker...Dan?

Possibly one of the qirst reffing performances I've seen in a while.

The amount missed for both teams including knock ons, sealing off.

nathan wrote:Possibly one of the qirst reffing performances I've seen in a while.

The amount missed for both teams including knock ons, sealing off.

I've not seen the game yet but the offy is rather annoyed by the two disallowed tries. Less so as Tigers still won.

George Martin man of the match from lock as well I hear.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

nathan wrote:Possibly one of the qirst reffing performances I've seen in a while.

The amount missed for both teams including knock ons, sealing off.

I've not seen the game yet but the offy is rather annoyed by the two disallowed tries. Less so as Tigers still won.

George Martin man of the match from lock as well I hear.

Martin was great and the Leicester pack fronted up. LI spent a huge amount of time in the red zone, but your defence was great on their line.

Disallowed tries were fine for me, but then I would say that. Certainly not howlers decision wise anyway.

Ref was lenient on sealing off. I did wince a few times from a LI perspective expecting him to blow.

Here's a stat for any supporters who think it's hard following their club. In the Prem and HC LI have been involved in 9 tight games decided by 7 or less points this season. We haven't won any of them. Not one.

Didn't see the Saints game, but how do we get ourselves in a situation where we are 24 points or so up with 5 minutes to go and we stop playing and we let them get 2 bonus points by reducing our win to 41-34, they scored three tries in the last 5 minutes

Chiefs get a YC for head on head tackle whilst a previous high shot by Sale completely missed by the officials

Sale revert to type and are now on two YCs

And two nice tries by Hodge

Heaf wrote:And two nice tries by Hodge

Was difficult for him to run through the acres of space against a side down to 13 wasn't it.

"I can't see why Johnny Hill has been dropped by England", says nobody watching this game. Penalty magnate.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Heaf wrote:And two nice tries by Hodge

Was difficult for him to run through the acres of space against a side down to 13 wasn't it.

Yep - bit like Saints last week

Thought Sale were going to sneak that in the end as they were fairly dominant in the 2nd half but Chiefs just managed stick with it for the win.

Sale are their own worst enemy with their discipline costing them matches.

Hodge really is something special....he'll be pushing Steward soon with any luck as he's just on another planet attacking wise.

Heaf wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Heaf wrote:And two nice tries by Hodge

Was difficult for him to run through the acres of space against a side down to 13 wasn't it.

Yep - bit like Saints last week

Yeah, it was....
muchas gracias

Margin_Walker wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

nathan wrote:Possibly one of the qirst reffing performances I've seen in a while.

The amount missed for both teams including knock ons, sealing off.

I've not seen the game yet but the offy is rather annoyed by the two disallowed tries. Less so as Tigers still won.

George Martin man of the match from lock as well I hear.

Martin was great and the Leicester pack fronted up. LI spent a huge amount of time in the red zone, but your defence was great on their line.

Disallowed tries were fine for me, but then I would say that. Certainly not howlers decision wise anyway.

Ref was lenient on sealing off. I did wince a few times from a LI perspective expecting him to blow.

Here's a stat for any supporters who think it's hard following their club. In the Prem and HC LI have been involved in 9 tight games decided by 7 or less points this season. We haven't won any of them. Not one.

Tigers had a very physical pack out there. Camped in the red zone making big hits is pretty comfort zone stuff since Borthwick did so much to improve the discipline.

Having seen the highlights the van Rensburg break for LI's second is great speed and footwork for a bloke who ain't small. There really isn't much that bloke can't do on a rugby pitch, if he was dual qualified he'd be a regular international.

The knock on for the first disallowed try looked rather harsh unless there was a different angle than the one shown on the highlights. The double movement was hard to see but Cracknell didn't seem to be showing any signs of outrage at the decision which probably means he was pushing the limits of what he could get away with and it was a fair cop.

Martin has been a revelation at lock, he was a hard hitting blindside and playing well there it's impressive he's doing so much of that work still as well as the lock stuff. Locks don't normally manage to push in the scrum/maul and then run round smashing people for 80 mins.

I don't think Cracknell shows outrage or emotion at anything to be fair. He just always has his terminator face on. It's a pain to have given against you, but his momentum stops dead. He can reach out with his arm at that point to place it, but what he does is propel and leverage himself off his knees. It's the correct call for me.

On the knock on, he loses it forwards initially for me and doesn't regather.

It was a good close game. Ultimately the Leicester red zone defence was great though. Spent a lot of time defending pick and goes and mauls in that second half. Also won a couple of key tactical kicking battles in the final stages to pull out into that lead.

Margin_Walker wrote:I don't think Cracknell shows outrage or emotion at anything to be fair. He just always has his terminator face on. It's a pain to have given against you, but his momentum stops dead. He can reach out with his arm at that point to place it, but what he does is propel and leverage himself off his knees. It's the correct call for me.

On the knock on, he loses it forwards initially for me and doesn't regather.

It was a good close game. Ultimately the Leicester red zone defence was great though. Spent a lot of time defending pick and goes and mauls in that second half. Also won a couple of key tactical kicking battles in the final stages to pull out into that lead.

He lost it on to his leg, the ref deemed it wasn't a deliberate kick and so a knock on. Hadn't heard of that interpretation before but happy with the explanation