Aviva Premiership Round 11

First topic message reminder :

Table:

Fri 26th Dec 14

15:00 LONDON IRISH  v   LONDON WELSH Madejski Stadium
Winless London Welsh travel to Reading to face a misfiring London Irish in this thames Valley derby. Despite their woes and speculation surrounding Brian Smith's future and Declan Kidney's possible arrival, if any opponents can provide a timely boost it is the boys from Oxford. Surely a comfortable win for the home team and relegation all but secured for this season's whipping boys.


Sat 27th Dec 14

14:00 BATH RUGBY  v   EXETER CHIEFS Recreation Ground BT Sport
Massively important game for both teams. Bath fans will already be thinking about the play-offs, and a win against the team just one spot below them will go a long way to securing a home tie. Lose and the doubts will set in, especially as a number of players will be unavailable during the 6Ns, win and they will move two wins clear of their opponents. Exeter will have been disappointed to lose on the road to Sale and could be desperate for a win - hard to see but they do like confounding people.


14:00 SALE SHARKS  v   LEICESTER TIGERS AJ Bell Stadium
Sale moved back into the top 6 last week with the win over Exeter. However i still stand by last weeks comments that if you wish to make the play-offs then you have to be looking to win in Salford. This round only ends the first half of the season, yet I believe if Leicester lose they will be unable to make the top 4. Top 6 and next seasons ECC will be looking a distant dream too with a defeat. Sale meanwhile will be full of belief and with Cipriani pulling the strings should be favourites against a tigers team that look toothless in attack. Leicester's only real hope lies in their set piece and maybe some more Penalty tries.


15:00 NEWCASTLE FALCONS  v   SARACENS Kingston Park
I still get nightmares about the dreadful game (3?) years ago. Saracen's caterpillar, Stringers box kicks and the most turgid game I have ever seen. Falcons are better than that now, while Sarries will hope their demolition of LW will have blown all cobwebs away. Sarries should be too strong, but who knows.


16:30 HARLEQUINS  v   NORTHAMPTON SAINTS Twickenham Stadium BT Sport
The big game. Quins still undefeated in these? You do feel that the home side have little say in the result. If Saints play well they will win, no mater what Quins do. Saints do have off-days though and Quins will be looking to capitalise on any mistakes.


Sun 28th Dec 14
14:30 GLOUCESTER RUGBY  v   WASPS Kingsholm BT Sport
Two teams that liek to run with the ball. Two packs that are improving. Wasps have the stronger back row unit and that could be crucial.

Im oN the right thread now...

Dammit....try Saracens.

1 chance, 1 try. It's what we need to aspire to, we waste so many opportunities, but at least we now create.

Abslutely. We need to sort our scrum out aswell. Still under pressure.

Tuilagi off for Harris.

Wow that's a harsh decision!

And that! Tackling the legs? Surely Wilson was just defending the maul???

Knock on????? Are you kidding me?

Who the f*^k is this referee????

That's the type of break we need to score from.

Wehay we get a penalty....thatnks ref.

6 - 10 Sarries HT.

About right GF, difference in quality but we're giving it a go and have had more try scoring chances.

Yeah they do have more obvious quality...but we're showing the intent we have in the last few months now which is the really encouraging thing.

A couple of real quality signings (in the Summer) in key positions and it could make a huge difference.

5 points.

 What a come back

 Harrison was brilliant when he came on.

 Great take by Peterson for his first touch with Leicester.

 Crane played well, Goneva, Bai and Benjamin looked good in attack but defence esp wide must improve.

Welly wrote:5 points.

 What a come back

 Harrison was brilliant when he came on.

 Great take by Peterson for his first touch with Leicester.

 Crane played well, Goneva, Bai and Benjamin looked good in attack but defence esp wide must improve.

you were there?

It was on bet365, caught the last 5mins

Knock on in the tackle? Really?

Sgt_Pooly wrote:It was on bet365, caught the last 5mins

 Yep

 Was brilliant to watch the ending nerv racking stuff

SINOTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!

Best winger in the league

Get in there! Sinoti does it again!

Come on Newcastle.

Glad to see Welch questioning the ref.

I make a point of not talking about Refs but this one has made some very curious decisions.

Welly wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:It was on bet365, caught the last 5mins

 Yep

 Was brilliant to watch the ending nerv racking stuff

damn was following twitter feed

Just need £5 in your account LT, they stream all AP games

Ah man...our scrum is poor.

We have to fix that.

Although it should be pointed out the screen is tiny and it's not a simple job to get it any bigger. Usually better to get yourself on one of those, er, totally legal streaming websites.

Dammit

These illegal sites only tend to stream if it's televised.

Awful scrum & maul from Falcons, way to easy for Sarries there.

Score?

13-17 to Sarries, looks like we're doing our normal trick of slowly getting out of games in the last 20mins

13-20 Sarries

Yeah to be fair to Sarries they are putting the pressure on and forcing us to make mistakes which we are duly making.

Our scrum is a huge problem this season. It puts a lot of pressure on us.

Brookes lack of match fitness showing and Fry is probably the worst prop in the AP

Harris has had Chris Ashton in his pocket

Big Mario Itoje on.

I think we are seeing the benefits of having big carriers like the two vunipola brothers.

Just as I post that he scores pah.

We've ran out out of steam and scrum isn't going great. Pretty much matching a full strength Sarries side for 60mins isn't too shabby.

Was that a try?!?!

Get in Falcons!

Great hands.

Why the hell is that going to the TO!!!!!

How many conversions does Socino miss....

Great to see Ashton smashed for that try.

I really like Harris GF, he's going to be an excellent 13.

Socino's kicking is a joke!

LBP will do pls

Jesus ref how long will you let Ashton hold on!!!

GGGEEETTTTTTT INNNN YYYOUUUUUU BEEEAUAUUUTTTYYYYYY

Harris again

What a finish from Falcons!!!!

If only Newcatle had a kicker.

AARRRGGGHHHHH Socino!!

23-25 Sarries win.

We need to sort the scrum and a kicker.

Socino you useless tawt.....

He's a class 12. I would go so far as to say one of the best in the league....but he needs the kicking duties taken off him. Misses far too many...and its proving costly.

I don't know about that GF, he can't pass off his left hand and kicking from hand is so up and down. His goal kicking grates me, he was a 90% kicker in the Champ and he's more like 50% in the AP.

If only gopperth was there hey.