Premiership Round 15

First topic message reminder :

I really like having games on Friday afternoon (my time). I work most of the day then have a chance to get home, relax, and put on the Rugby with a pint and let the week disappear. Great door-opener for the weekend.

Round 15

Fri 6 Jan Gloucester v Saracens (7.45pm, live on BT Sport)
Sat 7 Jan Newcastle v Leicester (2pm, live on BT Sport)
Sat 7 Jan Exeter v Northampton (4.30pm, live on BT Sport)
Sun 8 Jan Harlequins v Sale (3pm, live on BT Sport)
Sun 8 Jan London Irish v Bristol (3pm)

Big test for Saints going down to Devon. Chiefs are struggling a bit and a great time for Saints to visit.

The bounce on this pitch is wicked

Heaf wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Heaf wrote:Tigers talking back too much ... not learning

It's just the one idiot. James Cronin again, having given a completely pointless blocking penalty away. Radwan was never going to trouble the catcher. I don't know why he's still on the pitch.

Nice maul work for Falcons, routine score.

Was he also the one that talked back to get the extra 10?

He was.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Heaf wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Heaf wrote:Tigers talking back too much ... not learning

It's just the one idiot. James Cronin again, having given a completely pointless blocking penalty away. Radwan was never going to trouble the catcher. I don't know why he's still on the pitch.

Nice maul work for Falcons, routine score.

Was he also the one that talked back to get the extra 10?

He was.

What a dummy ...

Heaf wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Heaf wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Heaf wrote:Tigers talking back too much ... not learning

It's just the one idiot. James Cronin again, having given a completely pointless blocking penalty away. Radwan was never going to trouble the catcher. I don't know why he's still on the pitch.

Nice maul work for Falcons, routine score.

Was he also the one that talked back to get the extra 10?

He was.

What a dummy ...

Subbed a couple of minutes later. Deservedly so. He should know better.

Bit harsh this, he was passive for my money...

Red for me....failing to see any mitigation.

Cumbrian wrote:Bit harsh this, he was passive for my money...

I thought he was trying to target the ball but you can't really do that these days. Glad it's not red, that would have been the fly on top of the turd sandwich that is this game for Tigers.

If Gleeson isn't required by England does he fancy a stint at Tigers, we desperately need an edge in attack.

Cumbrian wrote:Bit harsh this, he was passive for my money...

It was always going to be a card - just the colour was debatable ...

Poor defence from Radwan there.

How's that not a yellow card. Mulipola cynically kills that to stop Tigers playing. Gopperth scores from the tap and go at least. Best we can hope for is a TBP.

Lucky for Tigers....looked like Gopperth dropped that.

Penny looks like he's been in the wars - had a great game though

Fantastic try....Tigers really are awful.

Very poor defence from Leicester, looks like they've thrown the towel in...

Holy Beat Down, Batman! I just come home, put on the Rugby, and find Falcons are realy out to upset the natural order of things.

What's the world coming to?

Taufete'e is either injured or rubbish. I thought that was a block by Peterson for the first break initially but the fat American just got nowhere near being in position.

doctor_grey wrote:Holy Beat Down, Batman!  I just come home, put on the Rugby, and find Falcons are realy out to upset the natural order of things.  

What's the world coming to?

Walder is doing good things up north, Wigglesworth doesn't look ready for the top job and injuries on top are just making it worse.

I have no idea why Ilione isn't in.

Is Kelly playing 12? If so....he shouldn't be anywhere near an England squad.

Heaf wrote:Penny looks like he's been in the wars - had a great game though

He's a class act. He was a huge thing coming through but was crippled with injuries...now he's over them and playing week in week out...we're seeing how good he is.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Holy Beat Down, Batman!  I just come home, put on the Rugby, and find Falcons are realy out to upset the natural order of things.  

What's the world coming to?

Walder is doing good things up north, Wigglesworth doesn't look ready for the top job and injuries on top are just making it worse.

I have no idea why Ilione isn't in.

Sam one of my biggest gripes appears to be getting addressed by Mark Wilson. Collisions.

For years I've bemoaned how poor we are in the contact..both in attack and defence.

But slowly this season...we are winning more and more Collisions in both those areas. It makes such a massive difference...when you get on the front foot.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Is Kelly playing 12? If so....he shouldn't be anywhere near an England squad.

He is. Been fine bar his intercepted pass. Not really where the game has been won and lost.

Well Tigers get the TBP as consolation ...

I'll take that!! Nice

Geordie wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Holy Beat Down, Batman!  I just come home, put on the Rugby, and find Falcons are realy out to upset the natural order of things.  

What's the world coming to?

Walder is doing good things up north, Wigglesworth doesn't look ready for the top job and injuries on top are just making it worse.

I have no idea why Ilione isn't in.

Sam one of my biggest gripes appears to be getting addressed by Mark Wilson. Collisions.  

For years I've bemoaned how poor we are in the contact..both in attack and defence.  

But slowly this season...we are winning more and more Collisions in both those areas. It makes such a massive difference...when you get on the front foot.

I think the tenacity in the Falcons defence has definitely gone up a notch this season. Tigers running into contact with insufficient power runners certainly made it easier for you.

I think the acquisition of the three Pumas has made a real difference. Moroni is probably the best defence 13 in world rugby. Carreras can score from anywhere and Orlando is a quality operator. Has given you a lot of midfield solidarity which always helps build a defence.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Is Kelly playing 12? If so....he shouldn't be anywhere near an England squad.

He is. Been fine bar his intercepted pass. Not really where the game has been won and lost.

He's been awful...I didn't realise it was him.

Biggest plus for me is dominating the maul, not often we do that against Tigers.

Walder has really improved us...we look a decent mid table side.

Tigers.....worrying times.

Fair play to Leicester for having the nouse to get a LBP, but it's been a while since I've seen Newcastle play a game like that...

nice polite interview with Matteo Carreras after the match.

Cullen can't start soon enough for Leicester.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Cullen can't start soon enough for Leicester.

Anybody really. Wigglesworth is supposed to have the job until the end of the season but performances like that won't go down well at Welford Road. I'm always uneasy about relying on the ref to intervene on your behalf and when Foley bottled the penalty tries it just further highlighted the limitations to our attack.

Losing Sinfield the defensive guru and the guy who looked after the player motivation on match day has certainly hurt but there's no way a Borthwick led team would have arrived in Newcastle with so little game plan. We played into Falcons hands and they didn't really have to do any real thinking to break us down.

I'd let Cronin walk home frankly. Cost his team at least 14 points by brainless actions followed by not being able to keep his mouth shut.

Crap, crap, crap. Saints are playing like crap. And just got called into work for an emergency. Fix the scrums while I am away, please...

doctor_grey wrote:Crap, crap, crap.  Saints are playing like crap.  And just got called into work for an emergency.  Fix the scrums while I am away, please...

Might be waiting a while Doc....last good saints scrum I recall had Mujati and Tiny as props!

If Chiefs' line-out was working Saints would be getting even more of a beating ...

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Crap, crap, crap.  Saints are playing like crap.  And just got called into work for an emergency.  Fix the scrums while I am away, please...

Might be waiting a while Doc....last good saints scrum I recall had Mujati and Tiny as props!

Chiefs' scrum is actually coming off 2nd best so far

In fact with the state of their line-out and scrum it's odd Chiefs are winning

When the going gets physical Saints fall apart. Luckily for them they've been able to disrupt the line out.

28 nil now - Saints need the miracle come-back ....

There's one ...

Not sure about that scrum pen - looked like the Saints prop hinged

LCD looking in trouble with his knee but then Saints gift an intercept to Chiefs

Wow well saved try by Hodge

Heaf wrote:Wow well saved try by Hodge

Nice to see the hunger. Game is probably won even if Saints score there but he really fights there to deny Mitchell.

Great finish by Proctor.

Looked like that ball went into touch off a Saints leg/foot - not sure how they were allowed to take the quick throw

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Is Kelly playing 12? If so....he shouldn't be anywhere near an England squad.

He is. Been fine bar his intercepted pass. Not really where the game has been won and lost.

He's been awful...I didn't realise it was him.

Biggest plus for me is dominating the maul, not often we do that against Tigers.

Walder has really improved us...we look a decent mid table side.

Tigers.....worrying times.

Sgt I rate Kelly very highly. Tigers were struggling with our physicality today...so Kelly didn't get much chance to show how good he is. He must start in the 6n.

I still maintain though...if Penny had not had his injuries at the start of his career he may very well have been an England centre these days. That boys a class act.

I also think Walder is making some nice changes...bit Mark Wilson is making a HUGE difference in the physicality of the side

OK, back from A&E OR.  Very interesting cases came in.  Two high school boys who were competing against each other at a wresting tournament got tangled applying leverage on their arms.  The first kid had a fracture in the A/C joint and a torn labrum.  When the first kid collapsed or arm gave way, the other tore his UCL (elbow ligament) and had a small fracture by the joint.  I was called in to do the A/C joint and clean up the shoulder which was a real mess.  Decided the soft tissue injuries could be dealt with later.  Fascinating injuries.  I thnk the kids are in good shape and their soft tissue injuries can be more thoroughy investigated before rushing into the wrong procedure.  

And speaking of the wrong procedure, wtf did the Saints coaching team do to ruin the results of last week?  Saw the score as I was washing up and just got home.  Maybe I will wait until Sunday to watch the replay.

Bad Luck of the Irish continues - pouring rain and missing some key forwards, Genge and Sinkler both back for Bristol and now Paddy Jackson fails a late fitness test ... think LI will be bottom by the end of today.

Marchant is having a bit of a torrid time.

That's a try gone begging for Sale there

Sale handling errors costing them dear. Marchant's try makes it very much game on as well.

Care maybe lucky Sale scored there as could have been judged as a deliberate knock-on, PT and YC ... odd how the laws work when you can be worse off by scoring ...

Heaf wrote:Care maybe lucky Sale scored there as could have been judged as a deliberate knock-on, PT and YC ... odd how the laws work when you can be worse off by scoring ...

As it happened before the try the TMO should have raised it with Barnes. Care has just made a break to create the field position for a try and he shouldn't be on the pitch (at this point). Sale should have two more points.