Aviva Premiership - Round 5

First topic message reminder :

Table

POS	TEAM	-PL-	-W-	-D-	-L-	-PF-	-PA-	-DIFF-	-TF-	-TA-	-TB-	-LB-	-PTS-
1	Wasps	4	4	0	0	149	79	70	19	9	2	0	18
2	Saracens	4	3	0	1	106	45	61	12	3	2	1	15
3	Bath Rugby	4	3	0	1	127	75	52	14	9	2	0	14
4	Leicester Tigers	4	3	0	1	108	92	16	11	11	1	0	13
5	Exeter Chiefs	4	2	0	2	110	101	9	13	14	2	1	11
6	Newcastle Falcons	4	2	0	2	55	102	-47	5	12	0	1	9
7	Gloucester Rugby	4	1	1	2	93	92	1	9	12	1	2	9
8	Harlequins	4	2	0	2	73	84	-11	8	10	0	0	8
9	Sale Sharks	4	1	1	2	83	89	-6	9	9	1	1	8
10	Northampton Saints	4	1	0	3	73	75	-2	8	5	1	2	7
11	Worcester Warriors	4	0	2	2	82	129	-47	11	14	1	0	5
12	Bristol Rugby	4	0	0	4	68	164	-96	10	21	0	1	1

Fixtures

Friday 30 Sep

19:45 Bristol Rugby v Saracens
Things do not get any easier for Bristol as they entertain the defending champions. Saracens will be hurting after losing their first match since the 6 Nations period earlier this year. The home team’s style of harum scarum attack could be ready made for the wolfpack. Bristol’s best chance was for Sarries to win last week and rest players this week, but as it is I cannot see them breaking their season’s duck.

19:45 Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs BT Sport
Having had the hardest start imaginable to the new season, last season’s runners up have finally hit their stride. The attacking game is starting to take shape and they will travel to the East Midlands with confidence. Saints will be bemused and confused as to just how they lost last week. The controlled that match but could not get the ball over the whitewash. There were far too many individual mistakes for a team that won the title just a couple of years ago. They will be encouraged by the struggles Chiefs are having at scrum time but the match could come down to which team executes their maul game best. Vital for Saints to win as otherwise they could enter the Euro break after round 6 in 11th spot in the table!


Saturday 1 Oct

14:30 Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers
Tigers will travel to Salford buoyed by their best display of the season. However which Leicester will make the journey? Sale came back really well to sneak a draw down at Sixways and unless Tigers hit their straps could well beat the midlanders.

15:00 Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby BT Sport
Plougmans vs prawn sandwiches in this West Country derby. How do you even start to try and predict Gloucester as they are consistent only in their inconsistency. Is pressure mounting on Humphreys? His opposing DoR made all the right noises after the defeat at Welford Road, apparently Baths biggest AP defeat since December 2012. However he knows that they need to play much better this week to secure a win as surely Glaws will be fired up for this. We are unlikely to see the sort of scenes from two seasons ago that culminated with Knoyle’s red mist. Hopefully we will see both Ford and Burns the Younger performing well and an open game.


Sunday 2 Oct

14:30 Wasps v Harlequins
Not so long ago this would have been a major London derby, but no more. Buoyed by ending Sarries unbeaten run last week, I am sure Quins will be fired up to do the same to Wasps. How well the visitors can perform may well come down to the state of battered bodies after what was a very physical weekend. Wasps will be heartened that they won in Round 4 when really they could (or should?) have lost, knowing that even when under the cosh they can seal important victories. Dai Young may well look to rotate some players this week – though bringing in the likes of Robson, Halai, Eastmond etc certainly does not weaken the side. Wasps probably too strong, but write off Quins at your peril.


15:00 [Worcester Warriors v Newcastle Falcons BT Sport
Worcester have played two home matches, and drawn them both. What odds on 3 in a row? Falcons are currently in the top half of the table – a position that may well be giving fans vertigo. Far too early in the season to hale matches as must win games, but a win here for Worcester would really pile on the pressure to near(ish) neighbours Bristol at the bottom. If Worcester can attach some composure to the attacking flair they demonstrated last week a first win of the season is eminently achievable. However Falcons will (usually) fight for everything and make things hard for the home team. They will however need their defence to hold firm as right now they do not look like they will be going on any scoring sprees and are easily the lowest try scorers in the AP.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Saints looked awesome Friday (between the 22s).  Pulling out the win was important, but still nothing close to a complete performance.  After the first 15 minutes, which seemed an Exeter training session, Saints appeared the much better team.  The problems, just like last season, and in fact, the second half of the season before, opportunities are simply not being converted into points and Saints seem to be sleepwalking for longish stretches in games.

On the plus side, Saints gave a start to another 20 year old, this time at 12, and he played fine.  Calum Clark also did fine and had a few nice stretches where his breakdown work was terrific.  Louis Picamoles is turning out to be a fantastic addition to the squad.  George North had some real nice runs, the kickoff return was great, great play.  And the lineout was excellent.  The foundations are there, just something is still not clicking.  

The interview at the end of the match with Prince Harry and the newly dubbed 'King' Louis was pretty funny.

Bit strong. Clark looked like he'd been out for 18 months, he got knocked around in contact and didn't link up with his team mates particularly well. Picamoles summed up Saints perfectly. From the sublime to the ridiculous. He broke tackles and offloaded on a regular basis whilst always on the shoulder of any Saints player making a run. On the flip side his error count was pretty big, particularly under the high ball and any pass not at chest level, his pass for the 3 on 0 wasn't sympathetic either. 

They just about scrapped through. Exeter started at a barn storming rate but soon fell off that pace and needed more incision in backs. Too many playmakers and not enough strike runners (Turner was poor at 15).

Think you are a little harsh on Clark. Agree there were times he didn't look match ready, but he also had his periods of surprisingly fine play, too. Lots and lots o rust. His beard was fine.

I think one of the problems with Picamoles is his lack of English. He can barely communicate with his teammates and I think that was likely a strong factor with missed passes or decisions under kicks. if you watched the interview at the end of the match, this was glaring. He and prince harry made light of it, but it is a challenge for the moment.

BY the way, I forgot to post my predictions for yesterday's matches. I thought Saracens would win by 39 whilst Saints would win by a point. So far, so good............

Looks like it will be the error laden Tigers today.
ck of the ruck.
Owen williams misses touch from a penalty, big forward loses ball 10m from their line and we give up field position and fail to defend the ba

And then a great try team try finished by Betham that may though have had a foward pass in it.

Helter skelter game.

Second from Betham, fantastic feet ans pace, good pass from BOC who is playing well.

Where you watching it, bet365?

Slater off with a foot injury

nathan wrote:Where you watching it, bet365?

yeah. Travelling to next away game though.

Pffffft

Hmm, seriousley crooked lineout taken by Odugwo and under the posts

Pass was foward from Beaumint to Odugwo too, poor from officials.

Ah flip i thought it was a 3pm ko. I'm on it now though .Bet 365

Oooh try sale

I said it was helter skelter - Sale back in the lead

Surely you can't crawl along the floor as there was a tackler on his back

Maybe not

Cole arguing that the lineout that led to the try wasn't straight too

Think the ref may need to stamp his authority soon

Genge has that aggression with a little bit of arrogance aswell. I like that in a front rower.

I look forward to seeing how far he comes on over the next few years.

Our forwards need a kick up the arse

Yup try sale

How is that not offside!!

Wonder if the commentators will mention something about Williams boots or socks again...

Has this ref been paid off by sale?

Havent seen much of Odogwu but he seemingly has all the sale fans gasping when he gets the ball. Are they hoping for another Robinson....??

If he's stopped the maul then surely a pen try?

Ref just gave a really good explanation as to why it wasn't a penalty try.

What a finish by thompstone

Great finish from Thompstone.

Cumbrian wrote:Ref just gave a really good explanation as to why it wasn't a penalty try.

Yeah he did, it was after I commented

Gloucester vs. Bath game is dire.

What's the score?

3 3. 45 min.

I'm not a fan of how quick this ref calls for holding on. It's a pen a most rucks and slowing it down

I'm not a fan of the premier refs at all. I think they are ALL poor. They need a rocket up their backside and sent on a huge retraining course!

No 7&1/2 wrote:3 3. 45 min.

vintage attacking Rugby, eh?

He was holding on for what 2 seconds lol

The commentators are plying their usual gush over a player...I do agree that Neild has played very well today. Especially considering hes a hooker playing at 6. Should move him back to 2.

Good win for Sale that, they are a tough nut to crack in Manchester. If they could improve their consistency away from home they could be challengers for the the top 4.

Thought that was a great game nearly ruined by the ref with his stupid lack of empathy at the breakdown for both sides. In an attempt to speed the game up he slowed it down with all the penalties

Right, I can focus on the assault on my eyes that is Gloucester vs. Bath.

Cumbrian wrote:Right, I can focus on the assault on my eyes that is Gloucester vs. Bath.

Thank goodness I can't see that match over here. Must be caught by the 'ugly' censors.

Diamond Geezer!

Leicester (are) lost.

Try. Bath have scored a try!

doctor_grey wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:Right, I can focus on the assault on my eyes that is Gloucester vs. Bath.

Thank goodness I can't see that match over here.  Must be caught by the 'ugly' censors.  

You are indeed fortunate. I am being a bit harsh, there has been a deluge in the Westcountry before kick off making things a bit spongy. As I speak Watson goes over in the corner.

I love rugby.

A game for all shapes (maybe not as much as it used to be...) two of our young LH prop pretenders Genge and Auterac are both very different shapes. Yet both players we hope really come through.

Genge is the kind of guy you hate your team playing against, he's going to raise the hackles of the Welsh/Scots/Irish and French in the coming Six Nations. I can almost hear the fuming now!

Seems a very soft penalty for Gloucester that.

ha ha I can hear it Marra.

I just hope the both of them really come through. Genge just looks an angry aggressive lean fighter...Auterac looks a huge muscle bound guy...

Lets hope they both come through and really hit their potential.

Seems justice done with Laidlaw's subbuteo range kicking.