Jeff Round 6 Preview

So with another weekends worth of games gone by and and gaps beginning to appear in the table, we begin to see who may be taking up their places for the rest of the season:

Harlequins 5 5 0 0 22
Saracens 5 4 0 1 18
Exeter Chiefs 5 3 0 2 15
Sale Sharks 5 3 0 2 15
Gloucester Rugby 5 3 0 2 13
Bath Rugby 5 3 0 2 13
London Irish 5 2 0 3 12
London Wasps 5 2 0 3 10
Worcester Warriors 5 2 0 3 9
Leicester Tigers 5 1 0 4 7
Northampton Saints 5 1 0 4 5
Newcastle Falcons 5 1 0 4 5

Flying high at the top of the table Quins are still undefeated making it 5 from 5 with a crazed game against Sale, but with their biggest test of the season so far on the horizon can they make it 6 in a row? From their position at the base of the table the Tigers will be anticipating a far more even contest then the previous games of the season with a number of players returning, could this be the start of the fight back?

Currently joning them in the basement Saints will be looking for a win any which way on Saturday, but they have looked almost completely clueless so far and third placed Exeter will be planning to heap on the misery for last years semi finalists. The chiefs have surprised everyone with their barnstorming start to the season and after two close losses the Sandy park faithfull will expect victory.

Second place Saracens have what should be a relatively straight forward home game against league whipping boys Newcastle, the way their going you wouldn't know that the Londoners list of missing players was in to double digits, the Falcons though will be on a high after their first win of the season last week against Wasps and even a losing bp could get them off the bottom.

The north's one shining light currently, Sale will be looking to carry on the impressive try scoring exploits when they welcome Gloucester. With both teams scoring a combined 250+ points in their first 5 matches but also conceding a combined 245 point you can bank on another end to end affair. Gloucester will be targetting breaking in to the top 4 with a win while Sale know victory, especially with another bp will put a little bit of sunshine between them and the rest of the pack.

With their first win of the season under their belts now Worcester will travel to Reading hoping for an upset, but London Irish looked to be hitting their old try scoring form against Gloucester and if they can nullify a belligerent Warriors pack could have far too much in the backs for the new boys. Although against all expectations Worcester did show a strong offloading game last week and who knows, maybe a fast paced but loose game will actually suit them? A win for either team will at least get them further from the basement battle.

Lastly Wasps welcome Bath to Wycombe, Bath will be pleased from their win over their old foes the Tigers last week and with Wasps current poor form will have little concern about the away game. Wasps know they need to get their season back on track after the good start and Dai Young will be expecting the massive defence and clinical opportunism of the first two matches again, they have the players to score from anywhere but there are certainly weak links that the visitors will be looking to target.

Sat 8 Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs, Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
14:30 local, 13:30 GMT
Sat 8 Sale Sharks v Gloucester Rugby, Edgeley Park, Stockport
15:00 local, 14:00 GMT
Sat 8 Leicester Tigers v Harlequins, Welford Road, Leicester
16:45 local, 15:45 GMT
Sun 9 London Irish v Worcester Warriors, Madejski Stadium, Reading
14:00 local, 13:00 GMT
Sun 9 London Wasps v Bath Rugby, Adams Park, Wycombe
15:00 local, 14:00 GMT
Sun 9 Saracens v Newcastle Falcons, Vicarage Road, Watford
15:00 local, 14:00 GMT

My predictions:
Exeter by 7
Gloucester by 3
Quins by 12
London Irish by 15
Wasps by 5
Saracens by 10

Thoughts?

I have to say I was chuffed to get a LBP at Kingsholm last week, as we normally get royally spanked when we go there, and but for the bounce of an oddly shaped ball near the end we could have come back with the win.

If we seriously want to be in contention for a Heineken Cup place next season, we MUST beat Worcester Warriors, and really ought to be looking at a try bonus point.

Our backs have looked very potent all season, it's up front we have had issues. I think big Faan will be back at tighthed this week, as Lahiff is never a tighthead really, and hopefull Ion will be back from World Cup duty the week after which will be a big plus for us.

I was really worried at the start fo the season that we could struggle this year, but I have been pleasantly surprised with how the guys have played, and am now much more optimistic going forward.

My predictions

Northampton Saints by 5
Sale Sharks by 12
Leicester Tigers by 6
London Irish by 10
London Wasps by 4
Saracens by 20

Thanks, yappy

Sat 8 Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs, Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
- I suspect that Saints will be up for this one, possibly boosted by a couple of returnees, and Exe will need to vary their attack more than they did against Sarries - Exe by less than a score
Sat 8 Sale Sharks v Gloucester Rugby, Edgeley Park, Stockport
- I remain impressed at the way that the newbies and the oldies have gelled at EP, thought it would take much longer, Glaws not great on road - Sale by less than a score
Sat 8 Leicester Tigers v Harlequins, Welford Road, Leicester
- again the return of players has the potential to bolster Tiger hearts, and jeebus knows their defence needs it, but Quins riding a wave - Quins by more than a score
Sun 9 London Irish v Worcester Warriors, Madejski Stadium, Reading
Surely Irish have got too much at home for one-dimensional Wuss? Exiles by more than a score
Sun 9 London Wasps v Bath Rugby, Adams Park, Wycombe
- both sides have shown some lovely stuff but have been misfiring of late, Bath with just too much street-smarts - Bath by less than a score
Sun 9 Saracens v Newcastle Falcons, Vicarage Road, Watford
- Falcons will struggle to keep their momentum of their first win going against a rampant Sarries - Fez-heads by more than a score

As one of teh few to acuratley predict all 6 results last week, I am of course the expert.

Saints to just hold of the Chiefs
Sale to beat Gloucester by more than a score.
Tigers defence to continue to improve and produce the shock result of the day.
LI to beat Worcester comfortably.
Wasps squeak home against Bath
Sarries to thrash Falcons.

As you appear to have predicted the same as me Tiger, you will of course be correct!

Yappysnap bit of odd logic that you think Quins will beat Leicester by more than Saracens will beat Newcastle!

Before I show my hand who will Nothampton and Leicester be getting back on the weekend?

This is another really tough week to call. The only game I would predict with any certainty would be Sarries to beat Newcastle (and I've probably just given them the kiss of death!)

I think this will be Exeter's best chance to get a win at FG. If they can get an early lead I can see that rattling Saints, who will be desperate to get a win. Exeter will sneak it by less than a score.

We all know about Glaws' dodgy away form and EP is a notorious ground for us, it's been many a year since we've got a win up there. Normally the loss was orchestrated by Hodgson. At the beginning of the season I thyought this would be our year to get that win, but I have really underestimated Sale. Glaws may just sneak a losing BP.

Is this the 1st time ever that the favourites to win at WR 2 games running are the away team? Quins beat a similarly understrength Tigers team last year in the LV, but going completely against form and good sense I think Tigers will win this by more than a score.

The Irish backs have the potential to tear Wuss apart, but will their pack be able to give them enough quick ball? Wuss are very good with the driving maul and Irish struggled against Glaws last week in the maul. So I expect to very different styles going head to head, but home advatnage should give it to Irish by a score.

Wasps v Bath is probably the hardest game to call - so I'm going for a draw!

Sarries is probably the easiest game to call! Unfortunately for Newcastle I can see Sarries running up a bit of a cricket score and can see them getting a BP and being clear by many a score!

Tigers will be getting back Castro and Alesana Tuilagi from the RWC and will be seeing the return of Allen, Skivington, Hamilton, Young and Julian White from injury.

To line up something like;

Stanko, Chuter (should be Youngs), Castro (he'll get 50 then White will come on)
Slater, Parling
Mafi, Salvi, Woods
Young, Staunton
Allen, Twelvetrees
Tuilagi, Morris, Hamilton

Bench; Bucknall, Youngs, White, Skivington, Armes, Grindal, Ford, Tait.

My predictions:
Exeter by 7 (Chiefs to control a tight contest and just have a bit to much power for a brave Saints team)
Sale by 3 (Sale have got a feel good factor going at the minute)
Tigers by 1 (improved defence and front five to edge it)
London Irish by 4 (Worcester are no pushovers)
Wasps by 8 (no LBP for Bath)
Saracens by 15 (tight game for 60 mins then Sarries romp home)

Are you definite that you will have Castro and Tuilagi back this week Sam?

I notice none of the Scottish boys from the World Cup appear to be in the Glasgow team this week, and as far as I am aware our players that were at the World Cup but have been knocked out are not all back yet.

Ozzy3213 not sure about other clubs but I would expect the Saracens boys to be given a well earned rest. We won't need our world cup guys against Newcastle at home.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Are you definite that you will have Castro and Tuilagi back this week Sam?

I notice none of the Scottish boys from the World Cup appear to be in the Glasgow team this week, and as far as I am aware our players that were at the World Cup but have been knocked out are not all back yet.

None of Glaws' Scottish contingent or Qera are available either. EFS is another story...

I can't recall how quickly players returned after the last world cup, but I know in 2003 they were back playing within days. Leicester do need those players back though.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Let-play-Castro-pleads-Cockers-crack-leaders/story-13482228-detail/story.html

There's the detail. Apparently Castro called Cockers before the game vs Ireland and said that if Italy were knocked out he'd be available for the Qins game.

London Irish team to face Worcester Warriors

15. Tom Homer; 14. Topsy Ojo*; 13. Jonathan Joseph; 12. Steve Shingler; 11. Adam Thompstone; 10. Dan Bowden; 9. Darren Allinson;
1. Clarke Dermody* (Captain); 2. David Paice*; 3. Faan Rautenbach*; 4. Nick Kennedy*; 5. Bryn Evans*; 6. Declan Danaher; 7. Jamie Gibson; 8. Chris Hala'ufia*

Replacements : 16. James Buckland; 17. Max Lahiff; 18. Paulica Ion*; 19. David Sisi; 20. Alex Gray; 21. Guy Armitage; 22. Adrian Jarvis; 23. Paul Hodgson*

Pretty happy with that as a side. We have 3 locks out injured at the moment so young David Sisi covering there form the bench. Would have prefered to have Gibson and Danaher the other way round, but perhaps the shirt numbers don't mean so much with them both being able to play blind and openside.

Am confident that we should win this one, and hopeful that we'll ge tthe TBP.

Hey Pete,

Isn't Gibson primarily an 8? I'm sure he played age grades there for England, or is he more of an utility backrower?

As long as you boys keep playing wide and with speed you should be fine. only player for Wuss you really need to focus on is Perry, get to him and their whole attacking dimension crumbles. Well other then their surprising good wingers returning kicks, but just don't kick too much!

Isn't Perry injured this week?

Perry is out injured for the next 6 months.

Gibson can cover 6,7,8 but for me his best position is at 6. Bags of potential though.

Happy with that TBP against Worcester. Into the top 4, youngsters in the backs looking good, just need the pack to keep fronting up and it could actually be an ok season for us.

LondonTiger wrote:As one of teh few to acuratley predict all 6 results last week, I am of course the expert.

Saints to just hold of the Chiefs
Sale to beat Gloucester by more than a score.
Tigers defence to continue to improve and produce the shock result of the day.
LI to beat Worcester comfortably.
Wasps squeak home against Bath
Sarries to thrash Falcons.

Blooming typical - the only result i get wrong is the only one I wanted to be right

Bliwdy west country teams both let me down

I'm quite chuffed after that display