London Irish, Sale and Worcester fans, How worried are you this morning?

So London Welsh have their 1st win in the bag against a tough battle hardened Exeter team, LW showed a lot of character to come back from 14-0 after only a few mins on the clock.

So I direct this question to London Irish, Sale and Worcester fans.

How worried are you?

At the moment as I've seen little from any of you to suggest that you'll going to improve, and if it comes down to a head to head against LW do you fancy your team’s chances?

Hersh, I'm getting worried about LI - over a hundred points shipped in three games and not even a LBP to show for it, whilst I understand that the coaching staff are rebuilding some improvement needs to start showing on the field asap.

Pretty worried right now....BUT Paice, Corbs, Garvey, Gibson and the Hoff will improve the pack immeasurably. We just need a season without injuries. It does make you question the conditioning regime at the club.

I'm still managing to convince myself that LI will be ok. There's still alot of players to come back from injury/suspensions, which will boost the squad.

The real issue is whether Welsh have the squad to keep up the performances over the entire season. As I understand it they're paying only about half the salary cap at the moment, which will mean that they've got a competitive first XV, but can't afford to rotate them the way other clubs can. After a few months of the premiership, with injuries and fatigue kicking in, their performance levels may well drop.

List of LI players currently unavailable:

Injured
Hala'ufia, Sandford, Sisi, Griffiths, Corbisiero, Geragthy, Humphreys, Allinson, Ansbro, Cross, Gibson, Garvey, Buckland.

Also Unavailable

Sinclair - Not back from South Africa yet.
Paice - Ban ends after next week
Sa - Contracted to Catalan Dragons until October/November. Visa problems may keep him out for the season.
Yanuyanutawa - unknown. Should have been available 2 weeks ago, but hasn't played. Possibly the same visa problems as Sa

As a Wuss fan, I am still not particularly worried. We have fared pretty well in all 3 matches so far, and the losses of Garvey and Benjamin don't appear to have drecreased our try scoring ability.

A win at the weekend would have been nice, but we have a good solid pack who will pick up enough sneaked wins over the wet and cold winter at Sixways.

London Welsh will still be the team who should be worried most about releagation, remember they have been playing without the handicap that is our Gav.

too early to be worried.

I think Irish will get there first point, potentially points of the season at home to Bath this weekend.

If we lose that game and ship another 40 points, I will be concerned.

chris_501 wrote:As a Wuss fan, I am still not particularly worried. We have fared pretty well in all 3 matches so far, and the losses of Garvey and Benjamin don't appear to have drecreased our try scoring ability.

A win at the weekend would have been nice, but we have a good solid pack who will pick up enough sneaked wins over the wet and cold winter at Sixways.

London Welsh will still be the team who should be worried most about releagation, remember they have been playing without the handicap that is our Gav.

Agree, you don't need to be worried. Whilst the game at the weekend was utterly dire you showed enough to show that you're going to casue a few teams plenty of problems. A bit more composure and you'd be sitting on 2 home wins by now.

Still think Welsh will be favourites to go down. If LI get some of their players back, I'd still pick them to stay up. But conceding over 40 points in all 3 games is a sorry start....

Wales fans must be loving their defense coaches work so far. Really inspiring stuff!

Isn't he also the leading contender for the B&I Lions defence coach?

HERSH wrote:

Isn't he also the leading contender for the B&I Lions defence coach?

One of the few Englishmen likely to go.

Ouch!

bathmad wrote:Ouch!

Aye

I very much doubt England will win the GS - but winning 4 matches and the 6Ns title is very possible. Even if this happens I expect the Lions Squad to be primarily Welsh/Irish based with some Scots and a smattering of English.

Mind in so many positions there are few really stand-out performers, so who knows.

any way with rowntree and Edwards going we are at least represented.

Cole
Hartley
Robshaw
Haskell
Youngs
Flood
Tuilagi
Ashton
Foden

These guys have one foot on the plane already, as long as they're fit they'll go.

HERSH wrote:Cole
Hartley
Robshaw
Haskell
Youngs
Flood
Tuilagi
Ashton
Foden

These guys have one foot on the plane already, as long as they're fit they'll go.

Haskell no way. Flood possibly. The others yes.

I would say of those only Cole is a near definite tourist.

Ashton and Foden may have one foot on the plane - but competition includes North, Cuthbert, Halfpenny, Bowe, Kearney, McVisser.

Manu should have one foot on the plane - but then most posters on here seem to want England to drop him.

Other than that the players face serious competition.

apologies for hijacking a club thread with Lions talk.

HERSH wrote:Cole
Hartley
Robshaw
Haskell
Youngs
Flood
Tuilagi
Ashton
Foden

These guys have one foot on the plane already, as long as they're fit they'll go.

No chance on Haskell. At Blindside the more likely contenders will be Lydiate, Ferris, O'Brien. To be fair he's no shot at openside and at 8 I would put Falatau, Denton & Heaslip in front of him.

Ashton - got his work cut out for himself. Try scoring record at international level has not been great in the last year. North, Cutherbert, Visser and about a half dozen other wingers are in contention. Unless he finds some seriously good form I cant see it myself.

Foden - Tricky one. Will really depend on if they take 2 or 3 specialist full backs. Kearney's a shoe in and I would imagine Halfpenny will be ahead if only because of his goal kicking option and ability to cover wing.

Hartley is likely to go.

Robshaw as England captain has a good chance too.

Youngs defintly providing he holds on to the England 9 shirt.

Flood may even miss out. Again they tend to take 2 and a utility 10. Sexton and Priestland in my opinion are probably front runners. Priestland aint playing well though so maybe he can make it.

Tuilagi defnitly.

Stay on topic then

Injuries are key look at Wasps last season!

If each club had no injuries ie. Who has the weakest squad ? then I would say LW definitely.

But a long injury list changes things dramatically particularly if they are long term.