Aviva Premiership - Round 11

by **LondonTiger** Thu 04 Feb 2016, 4:13 am

First topic message reminder :

So we reach the halfway point in the Premiership season as the 6 Nations arrives. The next 7 weeks tend to see some surprising results as teams struggle to cope with both a mounting injury list and international call ups.

Fixtures

Fri 5th Feb 16 19:45 Bath Rugby Bath v Gloucester Rugby BT Sport

Sat 6th Feb 16 14:00 Harlequins Quins v Northampton Saints
Sat 6th Feb 16 14:00 Wasps Wasps v Newcastle Falcons
Sat 6th Feb 16 15:00 Leicester Tigers Tigers v Sale Sharks

Sun 7th Feb 16 13:00 Exeter Chiefs Chiefs v Saracens BT Sport
Sun 7th Feb 16 13:00 London Irish L Irish v Worcester Warriors

Match of the Round
This weekends fixture list is bookended by two massive matches, the derby game at the Rec and the relegation 8 pointer at the Madj, however the visit of table topping Sarrries to second placed Exeter takes pride of place. Last season Exeter beat their visitors home AND away, but finished level in the table and ceded the last place in the play-offs to the eventual champions. By such small margins are titles won! Chiefs have a worrisome injury list, while Saracens are missing a lot of key players - so the outcome is anyone's guess. Whoever wins this match will top the table.

by stub Sun 07 Feb 2016, 11:51 am

Heaf wrote:Barnes doing his best to help Wuss out - 2 tries by LI ruled out and one PT not given despite only being held up by an offside player that was then given yellow ...

Yes in Wuss we always feel that we have a special place in Wayne's heart!! Especially o'callahan - he is Wayne's favourite! Well played Irish, clearly the better team on the day and wuss will be pleased with the lbp. Very very tight at the bottom now - too close to call. What about that ring fencing??

by Guest Sun 07 Feb 2016, 1:13 pm

stub wrote:
Yes in Wuss we always feel that we have a special place in Wayne's heart!! Especially o'callahan - he is Wayne's favourite! Well played Irish, clearly the better team on the day and wuss will be pleased with the lbp. Very very tight at the bottom now - too close to call. What about that ring fencing??

Thanks, but no. boxing

by Heaf Sun 07 Feb 2016, 2:11 pm

I think ring-fencing would be better and not just because where LI are at the moment - I think it would allow teams to develop and recruit without the uncertainty of the drop - of course the 'upper' teams would prefer not as they don't want the 'lower' teams to be more competitive and make it more difficult for them to nick their decent players.

by stub Sun 07 Feb 2016, 2:41 pm

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:
stub wrote:
Yes in Wuss we always feel that we have a special place in Wayne's heart!! Especially o'callahan - he is Wayne's favourite! Well played Irish, clearly the better team on the day and wuss will be pleased with the lbp. Very very tight at the bottom now - too close to call. What about that ring fencing??

Thanks, but no.

C'mon Fuzzy - you know it makes good sense!

by Guest Sun 07 Feb 2016, 2:51 pm

Heaf wrote:I think ring-fencing would be better and not just because where LI are at the moment - I think it would allow teams to develop and recruit without the uncertainty of the drop - of course the 'upper' teams would prefer not as they don't want the 'lower' teams to be more competitive and make it more difficult for them to nick their decent players.

Of course the 'upper' teams (those in the AP) would prefer not as they don't want the 'lower' teams (those in the Championship) to be more competitive and make it more difficult for them to remain in the premiership.

I have to be honest I'm amazed to see someone suggesting that it's the teams at the top of the table that would have a less altruistic opinion on the matter of promotion/relegation than the teams who often fight at the bottom. Headscratch

by Alex_Germany Sun 07 Feb 2016, 3:05 pm

Anyone have any comments about how the England hopefuls performed:
- Daly at Wasps seems not to have been playing
- Itoje was a sub
- Sam Hill: England demonstrated that they need a 12 at 12, and the fit contenders are Devoto and Hill.
- Kvesic: Was on the bench, but some feel England need a 7 at 7, even though Haskell and Robshaw played OK.

by Heaf Sun 07 Feb 2016, 3:14 pm

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:
Heaf wrote:I think ring-fencing would be better and not just because where LI are at the moment - I think it would allow teams to develop and recruit without the uncertainty of the drop - of course the 'upper' teams would prefer not as they don't want the 'lower' teams to be more competitive and make it more difficult for them to nick their decent players.

Of course the 'upper' teams (those in the AP) would prefer not as they don't want the 'lower' teams (those in the Championship) to be more competitive and make it more difficult for them to remain in the premiership.

I have to be honest I'm amazed to see someone suggesting that it's the teams at the top of the table that would have a less altruistic opinion on the matter of promotion/relegation than the teams who often fight at the bottom.

It's quite simple really - if you're at the top of the table why would you want a change that would make the teams lower down more competitive? That would make it more difficult for you to qualify for the Champs cup and reduce the chances of taking their decent players from them ...

I'm not sure where you got the idea for your 2nd paragraph? - I'm saying the teams at the bottom (of the AP) would want ring-fencing - for obvious reasons - but the teams at the top probably wouldn't. That doesn't seem like an odd idea to me? Maybe we're talking at cross purposes?

by Guest Sun 07 Feb 2016, 3:29 pm

Of course, my bad. Completely misread your post as saying the 'upper' teams would not prefer to see the 'lower' teams "develop and recruit without the uncertainty of the drop" rather than them preferring to not see ring-fencing. I'm a certified moron, you see thumbsup

by Heaf Sun 07 Feb 2016, 3:40 pm

no worries Hug

by propdavid_london Mon 08 Feb 2016, 5:38 am

Was that Sloan playing at 12 for Quins?
Dispite the typical brain fart moment at the end, I thought positives were Sloan and Sinkler as standouts, Tito had a better game, and some big defensive tackles going in.
Chisholm was also much improved from 15 too.

Worry's are injury to Evans and possible Yarde!

by **Ozzy3213** Mon 08 Feb 2016, 5:45 am

Well that was a really strange game at the MadStad yesterday. I am torn between optimism and concern as a result. Worcester were terrible. With a different referee it could easily have been a complete rout. We could and really probably should have had 5 tries, whilst Worcester never really looked like scoring, other than the two they got, one of which was from a penalty awarded to them when we had a try chalked off for an apparent obstruction about 50 yards back and 4 phases earlier.

We also had one chalked off that all of us in the North-East corner saw Halani Aulika ground, but no way Barnes could have done from where he was, and the camera angles didn't. How the TJ couldn't give it however I have no idea.

I struggle to see where Worcester are going to pick up many more points if any this season, which is my cause for optimism. My concern however is that we gave them a point that they really didn't earn, which could come back to bite us. I am also torn as to who I want to win next weekend, them or Bath. A Bath win puts Worcester right in it, particularly if us and Falcons get anything next week, but similarly a Worcester win could drag Bath into the relegation battle, and lord knows we'd probably have the urine up to end all urine ups at irish if Bath were to go down.

This season is going to be a real nail biter.

by Margin_Walker Mon 08 Feb 2016, 6:00 am

I want Bath to win, no question. They aren't getting relegated.

Echo your points re the match though, can't help but be disappointed that they got that LBP. Just can't fathom how we weren't further ahead. Encouraging performance though and we need to push on and start at least picking up some bonus points of our own before a run of crucial fixtures from the back end of March.

by Heaf Mon 08 Feb 2016, 3:09 pm

Margin_Walker wrote:I want Bath to win, no question. They aren't getting relegated.

Echo your points re the match though, can't help but be disappointed that they got that LBP. Just can't fathom how we weren't further ahead. Encouraging performance though and we need to push on and start at least picking up some bonus points of our own before a run of crucial fixtures from the back end of March.

Nice to dream though eh ... they should count themselves lucky they haven't been found guilty of breaking any rules or something and had points deducted Whistle

by stub Mon 08 Feb 2016, 5:10 pm

Come on lads, you have to support Wuss against the perfidious Bath next Saturday. Imagine Craig's face should the diminutive Worcester upset his expensively assembled and pampered elite.

by Heaf Mon 08 Feb 2016, 6:02 pm

I learned a new word - had to look up perfidious Smile

by doctor_grey Mon 08 Feb 2016, 8:29 pm

stub wrote:Come on lads, you have to support Wuss against the perfidious Bath next Saturday. Imagine Craig's face should the diminutive Worcester upset his expensively assembled and pampered elite.

Just had a quick look and Bath is in ninth place, with a record of 3 up, 7 down, for 18 points.
Only 6 points from the bottom of the table, 6 points from justice.

by stub Tue 09 Feb 2016, 4:43 pm

doctor_grey wrote:
stub wrote:Come on lads, you have to support Wuss against the perfidious Bath next Saturday. Imagine Craig's face should the diminutive Worcester upset his expensively assembled and pampered elite.
Just had a quick look and Bath is in ninth place, with a record of 3 up, 7 down, for 18 points.
Only 6 points from the bottom of the table, 6 points from justice.

Hopefully closer still to justice after this weekend.

by stub Tue 09 Feb 2016, 4:45 pm

Heaf wrote:I learned a new word - had to look up perfidious

Haha - well I aim to educate every now and again!

by **Ozzy3213** Tue 09 Feb 2016, 5:05 pm

As an add on to our game, Tevita cavubati has just been banned for 9 weeks for biting Jebb Sinclair.

by Heaf Tue 09 Feb 2016, 6:46 pm

Was he the same one that Jebb didn't obstruct to get Topsy's try disallowed?

by Sgt_Pooly Wed 10 Feb 2016, 12:09 am

Are you whining about ref's again Heaf Wink

by doctor_grey Wed 10 Feb 2016, 4:26 am

stub wrote:
doctor_grey wrote:
stub wrote:Come on lads, you have to support Wuss against the perfidious Bath next Saturday. Imagine Craig's face should the diminutive Worcester upset his expensively assembled and pampered elite.
Just had a quick look and Bath is in ninth place, with a record of 3 up, 7 down, for 18 points.
Only 6 points from the bottom of the table, 6 points from justice.

Hopefully closer still to justice after this weekend.

And so much the shame. Bath is a great town, a fun place, has pretty girls, and is a Rugby town. But, for Mr. Craig, a little relegation scare would be good for him.

by **Ozzy3213** Wed 10 Feb 2016, 6:02 am

To be fair to Heaf, Barnes had a shocker on Sunday. Fortunately it didn't cost us the game, however it did cost us the bonus point and gifted them one which is pretty annoying.

by Heaf Wed 10 Feb 2016, 8:22 am

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Are you whining about ref's again Heaf

Yep - everyone has to have a hobby Smile

by Heaf Wed 10 Feb 2016, 8:24 am

Ozzy3213 wrote:To be fair to Heaf, Barnes had a shocker on Sunday. Fortunately it didn't cost us the game, however it did cost us the bonus point and gifted them one which is pretty annoying.

To add to the one he also gifted them in a previous match (Quins I think?) - the other one they got against Glaws was a different ref however ... still that's 3 so far which could be significant. Of course to be fair I'm sure there are calls that have also gone against them it's just these ones in their favour resulted in extra LBPs.

by **Ozzy3213** Thu 11 Feb 2016, 11:29 am

Cavubati's citing hearing report

by Heaf Thu 11 Feb 2016, 1:45 pm

Doesn't reflect well on Barnes ... interesting that he was the one that Jebb supposedly blocked to disallow Topsy's try when he shouldn't have even still been on the pitch if Barnes had done his job.

by Margin_Walker Thu 11 Feb 2016, 1:55 pm

Barnes should have made a report after the game on it, but I doubt Cavubuti would have left the pitch. Even if it had gone to TMO, by all accounts there wasn't a conclusive view of it.

That said, he's a touch fortunate to get away with only 9 weeks.

by Heaf Thu 11 Feb 2016, 6:19 pm

The bite mark was pretty conclusive though and he waived it away without even trying to look into it ... the players knew who had done it so if Barnes had asked the offender a direct question about it he may have fessed up and if he denied it he may not have walked at the time but he surely would have got a longer ban after the event.

by doctor_grey Thu 11 Feb 2016, 10:42 pm

Bite marks like that 1.5hr-2hr after the incident. And only 9 games? Do we want this out of Rugby or not? 9 games is nothing.

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