Jumping the gun Jeff predictions

First topic message reminder :

Ok so we already know that Newcastle LW will finish bottom with Worcester ahead of them.What about the other places?

Bath -4th to 8th Like many clubs its really hard to say how they will go next year,.On parer a strong squad but recent seasons have shown them underachieve.Should benefit during the international windows
Exeter 6 -10th Controversial? Maybe, but I cant see them being better thanlast year whilst a lot of the "pack" have improved their squads
Gloucester 5th -9th One of the mid table bunch of clubs who are much of a muchness. The selfish attitude of billy tewelvvtrees andhis unreasonable demands may cause disruption to thes quad.
Hairyqqueens 1-3rd After last season proved they can get lucky in a final they might be hit a touch harder in the international windows but should still be one of the top clubs competing for the right to meet Tigers in the final
London Irish 5tt-10th One of the mid table bunch of clubs who are much of a muchness. Improved squad this yearbut I think they will fall short of the playoffs
London Wasps 4th-8th One of the mid table bunch of clubs who are much of a muchness. Improved squad this year but I think they will fall short of the playoffs
Northampton 3rd-7th Slipped a bit from their peak a couple of years ago and Ashtons departure wont help them.Most likely will be in the mix again though
Saracen 1-4th - no reason to suspect the most boring club in south africa wont be allowed to ruin the playoffs again this year
Sale 5th to10th One of the mid table bunch of clubs who are much of a muchness. Improved squad this yearbut I think they will fall short of the playoffs
Tigers -1st to3rd As we know British rugbys greatest club will be decimated by international callups and are notorious slow starters. Its hard to imagine them not being in the mix all the same. Moral victors, only the salary cap is holding them back etc.


As always theres a few clear contenders for the top spot and a tier below that who will be looking to crash the playoff party. Quins showed last year that a team we suspected could be good can actually really get it together and be very good, so theres room for surprises. Most of the clubs are at a pretty similar level.

Tigers
Sarries
Saints
Quins
Gloucester
Exeter
Bath
Sale
Wasps
Irish
Worcester
Welsh

But only convinced of 1-2 and 11-12. Very tight in the middle. Think we'll still have enough to make the APs though. Lose at WR if I'm right on the table. I'll be satisfied with 4th and a HEC semi. Anything less, though understandable, would be disappointing

I have to say, having watched us in the 7's on Friday night (yes I know 7's and 15's are very different) I am enthused by our prospects. Alex Gray was superb for us and if he can translate that sort of form to the AP then we will have real competition in the back row.

The young lad Gerard Ellis that we have signed from Llandovery College looks an absolute monster. Apparently has covered the whole of the front and back rows last season. Will be interesting to see where he settles, but at 6'2" and over 18 stone, I would love to see what he could do at hooker, as he looks like a heavy ball carrier and tackles like a tank.

Ozzy3213 wrote:I have to say, having watched us in the 7's on Friday night (yes I know 7's and 15's are very different) I am enthused by our prospects. Alex Gray was superb for us and if he can translate that sort of form to the AP then we will have real competition in the back row.

Gray is the one I am most excited about. It was interesting to hear Ben Ryan refer to him as a 'future England captain' on Friday night. He looked brilliant and his work rate was really high. This will probably be Hala'Ufia's last season as first choice 8 as he is almost 34. If Gray is ready for next season then perfect. Even if he doesn't push on as much as his 7s form implies he might I think we will have a lot of competition anyway. Danaher, Gibson, Sisi, Sinclair, Fisher, Treviranus, Hala'Ufia, Thorpe - all are capable Premiership performers. Treviranus will really push on and be a star of the league this year and Gibson, Sisi and Gray are all future internationals.

As for the predictions a lot of people seem to be putting us down for 10th. I know that a lot of sides have recruited well this summer, but our squad is better on paper and will be better coached. I think top 6 is definitely within our grasp. How well the new on the pitch leadership can establish itself will play a big part.

I put you as 10th but you could come as high up as 4th

I'd expect Quins, Saints, Tigers and Sarries to be in the top 6. The rest could be anywhere really. I'd expect Welsh to be bottom and probably Worcester 11th. No idea with the rest

Jeffwinger, are you giving some inside info about Phil Burgess? I know Shed Web is full of rumour, but I'd have thought any new signings would've been done in time for the trip to France?

ChequeredJersey wrote:I put you as 10th but you could come as high up as 4th

That is what makes it so interesting for next season.

Most sides are confident they are good enough to make the playoffs. With about 10 sides going for four spots it makes things very interesting.

You look at some of the XVs that can potentially be put out and you can see why.

Gloucester and Wasps in particular will looking to do better and they should.

HKC/Jeffwinger, are the rumours rife down your way then? I've seen Burgess play a few times and often thought that surely an AP team will swoop for him sooner or later. This would be the second high profile Cornish Pirate on his way to Gloucester with Rob Cook already signing. The start of some sort of agreement? It might be a considerable distance between the two but it could work.

formerly known as Sam wrote:HKC/Jeffwinger, are the rumours rife down your way then? I've seen Burgess play a few times and often thought that surely an AP team will swoop for him sooner or later. This would be the second high profile Cornish Pirate on his way to Gloucester with Rob Cook already signing. The start of some sort of agreement? It might be a considerable distance between the two but it could work.

B*gger, was hoping that Exe would move for Burgess - would be a natural replacement for Scays in the next couple of years

aslongasbut100ofus how do you think Exeter will do?

What are your hopes and expectations?

beshocked wrote:aslongasbut100ofus how do you think Exeter will do?

What are your hopes and expectations?

beshocked, have been ducking that question so far, but can't ignore your direct enquiry!

To be honest, I'm just not sure - I look at other teams' recruitment and get worried that we haven't quite brought in the same quality of players, but then I remind myself that Baxter and Hepher seem to have the knack of getting the blend right with players relishing playing for each other so that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. I wouldn't expect us to do quite as well as last season, there were several big games (mostly away matches) where we snuck wins at the death, and I doubt that we'll be able to repeat that. Personally I will be delighted if we continue to play in the manner that we did in the last third of the season, when we went out and attacked each game - i think we went from being somewhat predictable (altho often effective) in attack to a team that could score in a number of different ways. So I'll settle for a top half of the table finish, I'd like to see us do well in the 'A' competition again (bringing on our youngsters), and I'll be chuffed to bits if we can put out a great welcome for the other three teams in our Heino group when they visit SP.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:HKC/Jeffwinger, are the rumours rife down your way then? I've seen Burgess play a few times and often thought that surely an AP team will swoop for him sooner or later. This would be the second high profile Cornish Pirate on his way to Gloucester with Rob Cook already signing. The start of some sort of agreement? It might be a considerable distance between the two but it could work.

B*gger, was hoping that Exe would move for Burgess - would be a natural replacement for Scays in the next couple of years

I think it still is rumour, but there is a definite link being forged so we'll definitely be in the running for him.

HKC, I haven't looked at ShedWeb so don't know what they're saying about it but I think it's as good as a done deal. Not 100% but it sounds like one of the true type of rumours. Good signing if it happens (pretty sure it will).

Another young lower league 7 I'd love to see a Premiership team sign is Jack Preece. I think he's actually from the Gloucester area but been playing semi-pro at B&S. He's a real Pocock-style 7, and when I've seen him play he's been the best player on the pitch by a mile. Typical of the English system though, he was told to switch to Hooker a year or so ago as he'll be unlikely to get a shot at 7 since he's too short to offer much in the lineout. I think he now splits his time between the 2 positions, wherever the cash-strapped B&S need him. He's captained them for a couple of years already and think he's still only 22-23ish. Someone should definitely give him a shot at the big time.

Have revised mine a bit today at work while bored:

1. Leicester
2. Saracens
3. Harlequins
4. Northampton - think they could struggle this year though
5. Gloucester
6. Irish
7. Bath
8. Sale
9. Exeter
10. Wasps
11. Worcester
12. Welsh

Top four - usual suspects
Relegated LOW
Everyone else somehwere in the middle depending on injuries, players yet to join/leave, who gets called up for the AIs/6N, when they play top four, and European progress.
If one of the top four has a poor start or go a bit awry early on it could be a very interesting season but fully expect a Midlands v London day out at Twickenham to end the season.