Aviva Premiership Round 2

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Friday 7th September

Harlequins v London Welsh

Preview

Harlequins Team
15. Mike Brown, 14. Tom Williams,13. George Lowe,12. Jordan Turner-Hall,11. UgoMonye,10. Nick Evans,9. Karl Dickson
1. Joe Marler,2. Joe Gray,3. James Johnston,4. Olly Kohn,5. George Robson,6. MaurieFa'asavalu,7. Chris Robshaw ©,8. Tom Guest

16. Rob Buchanan,17. Darryl Marfo,18. Kyle Sinckler,19. Charlie Matthews,20. Nick Easter,21. Danny Care,22. Ben Botica,23. Matt Hopper


London Welsh Team:
15. Tom Arscott, 14. Phil Mackenzie*, 13. Sonny Parker*, 12. Hudson Tonga’uiha*, 11. Joe Ajuwa, 10. Gordon Ross*, 9. Tyson Keats,
1. Frank Montanella*, 2. Neil Briggs, 3. Paulica Ion*, 4 Jonathan Mills ©, 5. Matt Corker, 6. Daniel Browne, 7. Mike Denbee, 8. Ed Jackson.

16. Dan George, 17. Tom Bristow, 18. Arthur Joly, 19. Kirill Kulemin*, 20. Alfie To’oala*, 21. Nick Runciman, 22. Seb Jewell, 23. Nick Scott.



Saturday 8th September

Bath v London Wasps 14:15 ESPN

Preview

Bath Team:
Abendanon; Eastmond, Hipkiss, Banahan, Biggs: Barkley, Claassens
Catt, Mears, Wilson; Hooper (capt), Day, Taylor, Fearns, Skirving.

Batty, James, Palma-Newport, Attwood, Ovens, McMillan, Devoto, Cuthbert.


Wasps Team:
Southwell (capt); Varndell, Daly, C Bell, Wade; Robinson, Simpson;
Payne, Lindsay, Stainbano; Palmer, Wentzel; Haskell, Poff, Vunipola.

Rhys Thomas, McIntyre, Taulafo, Launchbury, Johnson, Davies, T Bell, Mayor.


Leicester Tigers v Worcester Warriors

Preview

Leicester:
Murphy (capt); Hamilton, Tuilagi, Allen, Goneva; Flood, Harrison; Stankovich, T Youngs, Castrogiovanni; Kitchener, Parling; Mafi, Salvi, Waldrom.

Replacements: Hawkins, Mulipola, Cole, Andrew, Crane, Phibbs, Ford, Smith.


Worcester:
Pennell; Drauniniu, Grove, Matavesi, Lemi; Goode, Perry; Mullan, Lutui, Andress, Percival, Schofield (capt); C Jones, Betty, Taulava.

Replacements: Hayes, C Jones, Currie, Gillies, Kvesic, Arr, Carlisle, Howard.


London Irish v Gloucester

Preview

London Irish:
Homer; Ojo, Joseph, Tagicakibau, Yarde; Shingler, O'Leary; Lahiff, Lawson, Halavatau; Skivington, Evans; Danaher (capt), Treviranus, Fisher.

Replacements: Blaney, Aulika, Ryan, Low, Gray, Watson, Geraghty, Moates.


Gloucester:
May; Sharples, Trinder, Twelvetrees, Simpson-Daniel; Burns, Robson; Wood, Dawidiuk, Knight; James, Hamilton (capt); Savage, Hazell, Morgan.

Replacements: Edmonds, Murphy, Harden, Kalamafoni, Qera, Lewis, Tindall, Thomas.


Sale Sharks v Saracens 16:30 ESPN

Preview

Sale:
Miller; Addison, Leota, Tuitupou, Cueto; Cipriani, Peel; Lewis-Roberts, Ward, Cobilas; Gray, Myall; Gaskell, Seymour (capt), Vernon.

Replacements: Taylor, Dickinson, Thomas, McKenzie, Easter, Cliff, Macleod, Uys.


Saracens:
Goode; Ashton, Tomkins, Barritt, Wyles; Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Vunipola, Brits, du Plessis, Borthwick (capt), Botha, Brown, Fraser, Joubert

Replacements: George, Saunders, Nieto, Hargreaves, Wray, De Kock, Farrell, Short.



Sunday 9th September

Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs 15:00 Sky

Preview

Northampton:
Foden; K Pisi, G Pisi, Waldouck, Artemyev; Lamb, Dickson; Tonga'uiha, Hartley (c), Mujati; Manoa, Day; Dowson, Wood, van Velze.

Replacements: Haywood, Waller, Mercey, Sorenson, Oakley, Roberts, Myler, Burrell.

Exeter Chiefs Team:
15 Luke Arscott 14 Josh Tatupu 13 Ian Whitten 12 Phil Dollman 11 Matt Jess 10 Ignacio Mieres 9 Will Chudley;
1 Brett Sturgess 2 Chris Whitehead 3 Craig Mitchell 4 Tom Hayes (capt) 5 Aly Muldowney 6 Tom Johnson 7 James Scaysbrook 8 Richard Baxter

16 Simon Alcott 17 Ben Moon 18 Chris Budgen 19 James Hanks 20 James Phillips 21 Kevin Barrett 22 Gareth Steenson 23 Sireli Naqelevuki

Ha well I just needed to know how to act now that we're English Champions and to be honest I still haven't quite managed the mix of condescending and self righteous that the Tigers fans can be.


Yea I did wonder why we never let Esher or any of the other Championship sides have him. We obviously much prefer him sitting on the bench praying that he may manage to drag Evans off the pitch and actually get some game time!

Good to see Quins A side ease to a comfy win over Welsh last night as well. Of note is that our whole pack was made up of either current or past academy boys all under 21 captained by Luke Wallace, and they were very very impressive.

yappysnap wrote:Ha well I just needed to know how to act now that we're English Champions and to be honest I still haven't quite managed the mix of condescending and self righteous that the Tigers fans can be.

Yea I did wonder why we never let Esher or any of the other Championship sides have him. We obviously much prefer him sitting on the bench praying that he may manage to drag Evans off the pitch and actually get some game time!

Good to see Quins A side ease to a comfy win over Welsh last night as well. Of note is that our whole pack was made up of either current or past academy boys all under 21 captained by Luke Wallace, and they were very very impressive.

Trust me, 'Quins will never be good enough for you to be able to earn that right.

That's the spirit

Yappysnap you have much to learn - plenty masters of the dark arts of being self righteous and condescending on these boards.

This is the problem you can get into when your first choice in any position is so much better than the replacements. If that player is injured you're in a right pickle.

Quins academy is very good.

Talking about first choice and replacements how did Farrell go against Sale? I only say the highlights but noticed he actually got game time on Sat unlike the weekend before. Was he at 10 and was he any good?

No he came on at 13 but I didnt really focus on him. The game wasn't really about the backs IMO. It was about the Sarries pack getting stuck into the Sale one. This they did very effectively.

Mako Vunipola could be a bolter at loosehead. He actually scrummages quite well but also adds so much in the loose.

Yea him and his brother at Wasps have both been very impressive so far this season. If they carry on like this I think we'll see them both in the Saxons during the 6N's and then they have the summer tour with the Lions players gone after that.

Was just about to say yappy, Billy Vunipola's started the season brilliantly. He looks a lot fitter, and his game's moved on greatly because of it. I really like the Wasps backrow at the moment, with him, Haskell, and Poff.

Agreed Yappysnap

Maybe Saracens can coax Billy to the club in the future.

It seems as if Billy's problem is fitness. We would soon fix that.

I am starting to like all this hatred aimed at Tigers fans again.

The condescending sympathy we got from you guys last season meant you no longer feared our team. The outpouring of hate suggests you fear us again

Ha I think he'd go very well for you guys and depending upon how Johnson goes for Wasps it could happen... He'd be very different to your current 8's but that's not a bad thing. I can't imagine he's getting paid much at Wasps either...

Yea Bluestone he's looking a lot more trim isn't he? Wasps backrow is scary good when all fit, not the best attacking combination but for tackling and rucking they are very competent.

And I finally saw what the hype for Wasps lock was all about on the weekend, when he made that break I though he was a center! Lad has some wheels and a good pass.

LondonTiger wrote:I am starting to like all this hatred aimed at Tigers fans again.

The condescending sympathy we got from you guys last season meant you no longer feared our team. The outpouring of hate suggests you fear us again

Oh I always feared you guys, I just can't help trying to goad you as well now! Like a kid poking a Tigger in its cage.

I'm looking forward to Saracens, Tigers and Quins all playing each other soon. This phony war against amateurs doesn't quite hit the spot.

Beshocked,

Are we likely to see Smit or Stevens in a matchday squad any time soon?

LondonTiger wrote:Beshocked,

Are we likely to see Smit or Stevens in a matchday squad any time soon?

Stevens? I hope so

yappysnap wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:I am starting to like all this hatred aimed at Tigers fans again.

The condescending sympathy we got from you guys last season meant you no longer feared our team. The outpouring of hate suggests you fear us again

Oh I always feared you guys, I just can't help trying to goad you as well now! Like a kid poking a Tigger in its cage.

I'm looking forward to Saracens, Tigers and Quins all playing each other soon. This phony war against amateurs doesn't quite hit the spot.

Yes, its as easy as popping a blood capsule...

Jimpy wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Beshocked,

Are we likely to see Smit or Stevens in a matchday squad any time soon?

Stevens? I hope so

On saturday woul dbe nice

LondonTiger wrote:

Jimpy wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Beshocked,

Are we likely to see Smit or Stevens in a matchday squad any time soon?

Stevens? I hope so

On saturday woul dbe nice

I hope and expect Nieto to start. Stevens might be on the bench though.

I expect Smit to be on the bench at least, probably Jamie will miss out.

beshocked wrote:Agreed Yappysnap

Maybe Saracens can coax Billy to the club in the future.

It seems as if Billy's problem is fitness. We would soon fix that.

Oi hands off Beshocked!

Billy has Academy roots at Wasps not bought from another club

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

beshocked wrote:Agreed Yappysnap

Maybe Saracens can coax Billy to the club in the future.

It seems as if Billy's problem is fitness. We would soon fix that.

Oi hands off Beshocked!

Billy has Academy roots at Wasps not bought from another club

I'm sure the same could have been said about Strettle

ChequeredJersey wrote:

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

beshocked wrote:Agreed Yappysnap

Maybe Saracens can coax Billy to the club in the future.

It seems as if Billy's problem is fitness. We would soon fix that.

Oi hands off Beshocked!

Billy has Academy roots at Wasps not bought from another club

I'm sure the same could have been said about Strettle

In the form Strettle has been in you can have him back.

Bigstrevsbigmac how do you see Wasps doing this season?

I bet Stretts is on a fair bit with you guys as well. Probably one of the best paid lowest scoring wingers out there! He's a smart guy

beshocked wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

beshocked wrote:Agreed Yappysnap

Maybe Saracens can coax Billy to the club in the future.

It seems as if Billy's problem is fitness. We would soon fix that.

Oi hands off Beshocked!

Billy has Academy roots at Wasps not bought from another club

I'm sure the same could have been said about Strettle

In the form Strettle has been in you can have him back.

Bigstrevsbigmac how do you see Wasps doing this season?

I think we need to keep Masi & Bell fit in the centres & bring in Stephen Jones at fly half.
I'm confident of mid table but we may bloody a few 'big boys' noses along the way