Summer Tournament - Cup and Trophy Semi Finals

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CUP


Sale Sharks vs. Northampton Saints

Sale Sharks
Manager – SJE

01. Marcos Ayerza	09. Danny Care
02. Benjamin Kayser	10. Johnny Sexton
03. Davit Zirakishvilli
04. Brodie Retalick	11. Simon Zebo
05. Dave Attwood	12. Kyle Eastmond
06. Peter O'Mahony	13. Malakai Fekitoa
07. Sam Cane	14. Nemani Nadolo
08. Louis Picamoles	15. Nick Abendanon

Subs:
16. Tommy Taylor 17. Jack McGrath 18. Rabah Slimani 19. Maro Itoje 20. Matt Kvesic 21. Kieran Marmion 22. Francois Steyn 23. Semesa Rokoduguni

Northampton Saints

1. Mako Vunipola
2. Dylan Hartley
3. Ramiro Herrera
4. Jonny Gray
5. Courtney Lawes
6. Schalk Burger
7. David Pocock (c)
8. Sergio Parisse
9. Sam Hildago Cline
10. George Ford
11. Julian Savea
12. Matt Giteau
13. Elliot Daly
14. Nick Cummins
15. Leigh Halfpenny (k)

Replacements
16. Dave Ward 17. Thomas Domingo 18. Logi Mulipola 19. Joe Launchbury 20. Billy Vunipola 21. Joe Simpson 22. Weslie Fofana 23. Ben Foden


Hurricanes vs. London Irish

Hurricanes
Manager – Chris Boyd

01. Reggie Goodes	09. TJ Perenara
02. Dane Coles	10. Beauden Barrett
03. Ben Franks
04. Jeremy Thrush	11. Julian Savea
05. James Broadhurst	12. Ma'a Nonu
06. Brad Shields	13. Conrad Smith
07. Ardie Savea	14. Nehe Milner-Skudder
08. Victor Vito	15. James Marshall

Subs:
16 Brayden Mitchell 17 Chris Eves 18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen 19 Mark Abbott 20 Blade Thomson  21 Chris Smylie 22 Ray Lee-Lo 23 Matt Proctor


London Irish
Manager: Ozzy3213        

01. Thomas du Toit	09. Mitchell Drummond
02. Liam Coltman	10. Aaron Cruden
03. Ben Alexander
04. Matt Symons	11. Tom Fowlie
05. Sebastien Vahaamahina	12. Samu Kerevi
06. Rynhardt Elstadt	13. JJ Engelbrecht
07. Blake Gibson	14. Marland Yarde
08. Marcell Coetzee	15. Delon Armitage

16. Harry Thacker 17. Ben Moon 18. Fraser Balmain 19. James Broadhurst 20. Hayden Thompson-Stringer 21. Will Homer 22. Shane Geraghty 23. Pita Ahki

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TROPHY


Crusaders vs. Harlequins

Crusaders
Manager – Todd Blackadder

01. Wyatt Crockett	09. Andrew Ellis
02. Codie Taylor	10. Dan Carter
03. Owen Franks
04. Luke Romano	11. Nemani Nadolo
05. Sam Whitelock	12. Ryan Crotty
06. Jordan Taufua	13. Robbie Fruean
07. Richie McCaw	14. Johnny McNicholl
08. Kieran Read	15. Israel Dagg

Subs:
16 Ben Funnell 17 Joe Moody 18 Nepo Laulala 19 Dominic Bird 20 Matt Todd  21 Mitchell Drummond 22 Colin Slade 23 Nafi Tuitavake

Quins

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Scott Baldwin
3. Kieran Brookes
4. Luke Romano
5. Pieter Steph Du Toit
6. Mamuka Gorgodze
7. Michael Hooper (c)
8. Nick Easter
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Steven Myler (k)
11. Teddy Thomas
12. Luther Burrell
13. Jonathan Joseph
14. Yoann Huget
15. Rob Kearney

16. Schalk Brits 17. Benn Robinson 18. Kyle Sinckler 19. George Kruis 20. Tom Wood 21. Karl Dickson 22. Damian McKenzie 23. Robbie Henshaw


Waratahs vs. Gloucester

Waratahs
Manager – Michael Cheika

01. Benn Robinson	09. Nick Phipps
02. Tatafu Polota-Nau	10. Bernard Foley
03. Sekope Kepu
04. Will Skelton	11. Rob Horne
05. Dave Dennis	12. Kurtley Beale
06. Jacques Potgieter	13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
07. Michael Hooper	14. Taqele Naiyaravoro
08. Wycliff Palu	15. Israel Folau

Subs:
16 Silatolu Latu 17 Jeremy Tilse 18 Paddy Ryan 19 Sam Lousi 20 Mitch Chapman 21 Stephen Hoiles 22 Brendan McKibbin 23 Matt Carraro


 Gloucester
Manager – anonmattyt


Beast
Strauss
Mas
Etzbeth
Robson
Alberts
Savea
Heaslip
Perenara
Carter
May
Toomua
Kurindrani
Walker
Folau

Wood
LCD
Antonio
Gray
Matera
Robson
Cips
Talebula

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Can I use same side again. Struggling for time full stop at moment. Not helped by going to World Cup games Friday Saturday and Sunday this week so will struggle to predict

Quins

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Scott Baldwin
3. Kieran Brookes
4. Luke Romano
5. Pieter Steph Du Toit
6. Mamuka Gorgodze
7. Michael Hooper (c)
8. Nick Easter
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Steven Myler (k)
11. Teddy Thomas
12. Luther Burrell
13. Jonathan Joseph
14. Yoann Huget
15. Rob Kearney

16. Schalk Brits 17. Benn Robinson 18. Kyle Sinckler 19. George Kruis 20. Tom Wood 21. Karl Dickson 22. Damian McKenzie 23. Robbie Henshaw

Sale Sharks
Manager – SJE

01. Marcos Ayerza	09. Danny Care
02. Benjamin Kayser	10. Johnny Sexton
03. Davit Zirakishvilli
04. Brodie Retalick	11. Simon Zebo
05. Dave Attwood	12. Kyle Eastmond
06. Peter O'Mahony	13. Malakai Fekitoa
07. Sam Cane	14. Nemani Nadolo
08. Louis Picamoles	15. Nick Abendanon

Subs:
16. Tommy Taylor 17. Jack McGrath 18. Rabah Slimani 19. Maro Itoje 20. Matt Kvesic 21. Kieran Marmion 22. Francois Steyn 23. Semesa Rokoduguni

 Gloucester
Manager – anonmattyt


Beast
Strauss
Mas
Etzbeth
Robson
Alberts
Savea
Heaslip
Perenara
Carter
May
Toomua
Kurindrani
Walker
Folau

Wood
LCD
Antonio
Gray
Matera
Robson
Cips
Talebula

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Northampton Saints

1. Mako Vunipola
2. Dylan Hartley
3. Ramiro Herrera
4. Jonny Gray
5. Courtney Lawes
6. Schalk Burger
7. David Pocock (c)
8. Sergio Parisse
9. Sam Hildago Cline
10. George Ford
11. Julian Savea
12. Matt Giteau
13. Elliot Daly
14. Nick Cummins
15. Leigh Halfpenny (k)

Replacements
16. Dave Ward 17. Thomas Domingo 18. Logi Mulipola 19. Joe Launchbury 20. Billy Vunipola 21. Joe Simpson 22. Weslie Fofana 23. Ben Foden

Predictions OPEN, predos to SJE please.

RESULTS:

Sale Sharks 32 (T:4 C:3 P:2)
Northampton Saints 28 (T:3 C:2 P:3)

Hurricanes 33 (T:4 C:2 P:3)
London Irish 22 (T:1 C:1 P:5)

Crusaders 30 (T:4 C:2 P:2)
Harlequins 27 (T:3 C:3 P:2)

Waratahs 24 (T:2 C:1 P:4)
Gloucester 26 (T:2 C:2 P:4)

BONUS:
Full: Steve, Bam, Chris, Pooly & CJ
Score: SJE

Sale 33 - 31 Northampton

Both sides at full strength or thereabouts, I'd favour the Sale front 5 at set piece and round the park, and maybe just the Saints back row with Pocock the difference. Bit more experience with Care the difference in the halfbacks, while the rest of the outside backs are very close, both Eastmond and Daly can be targeted but are excellent attacking players. With tactics this may be a different game, as both so well matched, but I'll go with the quality of the front 5 and halfbacks, and give this to Sale

Sale 29 - 28 Saints

Sale take scrum, just edge lineout too. Saints take breakdown, good battle in carrying. Prefer Sale HBs, though both good, two cracking backlines that have raw finishing power and exciting centre partnerships, I like both partnerships very much and can't separate them. Based on set piece, Sale win

Sale 30-26 Northampton

Sale come up tops in the scrum with Hartley lacking a bit of form and Mako/Lawes not the strongest compared to a strong front 5 from Sale. Little in the line out and around the park from two strong units. Not much in the backrows with Sale stonger at 8 and Saints 6, 7's pretty even, good contest. Sale step it up at halfback with both much stronger but Saints much better at 12. Could see Daly having issues with Fekitoa and this could be real danger for the Saints backline. Savea v Nadolo is worth the admission alone, little in the back 3.

Sale 29 - 27 Saints

Saints unusually lacking some physicality here and it costs them away from home. Both sides are strong and no obvious weaknesses but Sale's extra physicality provided by Picamoles, Fekatoa and Nadolo provide them the win.

Hurricanes 34 - 24 London Irish

Ozzy gone with a RWC side is a big ask up against a side as good as Hurricanes. Canes will win this comfortably with the pack they have out, and the backs will score plenty of tries against some young Irish backs. As a RWC side, think the back row will be the main weakness, especially as I haven't seen much of Coetzee at 8. Backs look good though

Canes 30-24 Irish

Hurricanes - Irish

Canes edge scrum, just take lineout too. Also slight edge in the breakdown. Close at 10 but Canes better 9. Kerevi will make holes in defence, but AB centres and wingers - too much class. Decent World Cup London Irish side but up agaisnt too much. 

Hurricanes 34-22 Irish

Bit of a hiding to nothing in the Irish pack against a strong Canes outfit. Canes stronger in the set piece and can see them controlling the breakdown, Coetzee at 8 is an odd one which could cost games in the AP. Tidy Irish halfback combo but they are a level down in form to their opposition and with good ball Canes could really get on top. 11-15 Canes much stronger and will come out routine winners. Tough ask for an Irish 2nd string.

Hurricanes 23 - 18 Irish

A lot of youth see's Hurricanes win this. Not sure that any of the youngest lot for Wasps fit into a AP side without standing out (Du Toit, Kerevi, Drummond, Gibson and Eldstadt included in this category of players who aren't quite at that level).

Crusaders 29 - 26 Quins

Man for man, other than Woodcock I favour Crusaders (have assumed Romano out and Kruis in with bench short). Back row closer, but think Saders have a bit more dynamism. One each at halfback, think Quins stronger overall in the backs but Crotty and Nadolo dangerous. Tough one to call, but gone with the stronger pack

Saders 28-26 Quins

Crusaders 31 - 30 Harlequins

Tiny edge to Crusaders in scrum, Romano can't play for Quins, which gives lineout advantage to Saders. 2 ABs for Crusafers in backrow but love the look of Quins backrow, think it's close in breakdown but Quins dominate collisions there. Carter an advantage but the kicking games of Quins HBs can put them in right areas. Nadolo a beast but more footwork and guile for Quins backs, would be Quins win but for costly selection of ineligible player 

Crusaders 27-24 Harlequins

Can see Crusaders getting on top in both set pieces with a stronger front 5. I like the make up of the Quins backrow with 6/8 allowing Hooper to go roaming, pretty even contest though. Not much in the 9's but Carter offers more than Myler and will do well off good set piece ball. Not much in the midfield battle but I prefer the Quins back 3 with Dagg suffering with form.

Waratahs 24 - 26 Gloucester

Gloucester have the advantage at scrum time, and think I'd just favour them as a pack at the breakdown. Glos always good in the backs, but without an ineligible Folau I think they'll be evens at best here. Very close game, Glos bench quality is the difference

Tahs 22-23 Glaws

Waratahs 27 - 26 Gloucester

Even in scrum, Gloucester take lineout. Tough fight at breakdown but Gloucester have more skilled players and edge this. Evens at HB, evens with different styles if centre. Close but maybe just Waratahs on wings. Folau can't play for Gloucester. This just hands match to Waratahs

Waratahs 23 -23 Gloucester

Tough to pick a winner here. Gloucester strong in dry but not convinced it's a side for wet conditions. A lot of hit and miss players in the Gloucester side.