Aviva Premiership Round Ten

Sale Sharks vs London Irish - AJ Bell Stadium
Bath Rugby vs Harlequins - Recreation Ground
Exeter Chiefs vs Newcastle Falcons - Sandy Park
London Wasps vs Northampton Saints - Adams Park
Saracens vs Leicester Tigers - Allianz Park
Gloucester Rugby vs Worcester Warriors - Kingsholm

Home wins all round? Clash of the weekend between Sarries & Tiggers, or between Bath & Quins? Can Wuss win a game?

Keep the faith with the Chiefs dude - felt they were unlucky shipping so many last weekend   

Sale Sharks vs London Irish - have a feeling that LI may just take this one, bit of buzz around the place after the takeover and although competent enough Sale haven't got the strongest pack in the league. Type of weather could play a big part too.

Bath Rugby vs Harlequins - away win, maybe? Quins with some form and Bath maybe a little unsettled after the last couple of weeks. Poor weather conditions would help Bath more.

Exeter Chiefs vs Newcastle Falcons - Home win.

London Wasps vs Northampton Saints - Going to say away win after last week and because I'm biased . 

Saracens vs Leicester Tigers - Really can't call this one, will know more when the sides are posted maybe. Saracens for now just because they are at home.

Gloucester Rugby vs Worcester Warriors - Home win. Figure Worcester have to win eventually and think they will shock someone higher up when they do it but don't think it will be this weekend, even with the Dean Ryan returning sub-plot.

Tait is apparently back in the squad though Flood is a doubt after pulling his glute vs Montpellier. Mulipola is not quite fit yet and Mafi is due back in the country on the day of the game but Matera is available. I predict:

1. Ayerza
2. T Youngs
3. Cole
4. Slater
5. Kitchener
6. Matera
7. Salvi
8. Crane
9. B Youngs
10. Flood
11. Goneva
12. Bowden
13. Smith
14. Benjamin
15. Morris

Bench: Briggs, Stankovitch, Balmain, Deacon, Waldrom, Mele, Lamb, Tait.

Sale, Quins, Chiefs, Saints, Sarries and... surely Glaws can't lose this one?   

A loss would start the festive season off on the wrong foot that's for sure!

Big game for us. CJ van der Linde starting at tighthead, so keen to see how he goes.

If it was a hone game is back Quins but away I think Bath may just have a bit too much for us, especially with poor weather. I expect low scoring and Baths pack to do enough.

Theres been a bit of talk from the Quins camp about how draining the last game was defensively. Hopefully the players will be feeling fresh for this one but I think Baths two weekends of training drills practice might leave them with a bit more gas.

Sale
Bath
Ex
Saints
Sarries
Glos

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Sale Sharks vs London Irish - AJ Bell Stadium
Bath Rugby vs Harlequins - Recreation Ground
Exeter Chiefs vs Newcastle Falcons - Sandy Park
London Wasps vs Northampton Saints - Adams Park
Saracens vs Leicester Tigers - Allianz Park
Gloucester Rugby vs Worcester Warriors - Kingsholm

Now that I am back in Mother England (you must have felt the tremor in the force the other day) I am fortified by the heady draughts of fine English drink.  Therefore my my predictions must be spot on:

Two probable big wins:
Hard to imagine Saints losing to Wasps - Aren't both Wade and Varndell out injured?  Who will play fly half for Wasps?  Walking down Oxford street a little while ago, I thought I saw Andy Goode wearing a Santa outfit.  
Hard to imagine Exe losing to Newcastle at home - only concern is whether Exe suffer a let down after the Heineken Cup.

Two matches should be closeer:
Sale - on paper - should beat Reading Irish, but I agree Irish might have something extra with the new ownership
Gloucester should beat Worcester - but Worcester are due for a win, and Gloucester always seem happy to help other teams win

Close ones should be:
Bath hosting Quins.  This should tell us the current situation with both teams.  Are Bath for real and are Quins treading water a bit?
Saracens hosting Leicester should be the match of the weekend.  I would pick Sarries only because they are at home.  Tough to call.

I'm (shockingly) going to be optimistic and say we have timed our form reasonably well with the return of some injured players and I think we will squeeze past Bath. The squad look like they have so much more belief and the gameplan is clicking and that is a great sign. It will be tough though.

doctor_grey wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Sale Sharks vs London Irish - AJ Bell Stadium
Bath Rugby vs Harlequins - Recreation Ground
Exeter Chiefs vs Newcastle Falcons - Sandy Park
London Wasps vs Northampton Saints - Adams Park
Saracens vs Leicester Tigers - Allianz Park
Gloucester Rugby vs Worcester Warriors - Kingsholm

Now that I am back in Mother England (you must have felt the tremor in the force the other day) I am fortified by the heady draughts of fine English drink.  Therefore my my predictions must be spot on:

Two probable big wins:
Hard to imagine Saints losing to Wasps - Aren't both Wade and Varndell out injured?  Who will play fly half for Wasps?  Walking down Oxford street a little while ago, I thought I saw Andy Goode wearing a Santa outfit.  
Hard to imagine Exe losing to Newcastle at home - only concern is whether Exe suffer a let down after the Heineken Cup.

Two matches should be closeer:
Sale - on paper - should beat Reading Irish, but I agree Irish might have something extra with the new ownership
Gloucester should beat Worcester - but Worcester are due for a win, and Gloucester always seem happy to help other teams win

Close ones should be:
Bath hosting Quins.  This should tell us the current situation with both teams.  Are Bath for real and are Quins treading water a bit?
Saracens hosting Leicester should be the match of the weekend.  I would pick Sarries only because they are at home.  Tough to call.

Welcome back Dr-G - is that a temp or perm move? Are you going to be based in London?

I actually think we'll give Exeter a proper game this weekend. Especially if the like of young Kibirige etc starts. We have looked much more threatening. Dean has given the team the licence to throw it about abit.

Added to that Saull really hitting form after a long injury, and the rest of the back row and pack looking good it could be a good game.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:[Welcome back Dr-G - is that a temp or perm move? Are you going to be based in London?

Just came over to torture me old man for Christmas.  One by one my kids will sneak through Border Control starting on Saturday morn until we take over his house, then the country!  

I need to keep my kids in school through the end of the school year in Jersey.  But I have been talking to people about where I can work starting June/July.  Hopefully I can get something worked out.  I love London, but would prefer to live closer to my dad and uncle up in the midlands.  Rather conveniently, I will be passing through Wycombe on Saturday afternoon.  I wonder if there is any Rugby there, say around 3 o'clock.............

Saracens Team to face Leicester;
15. Alex Goode; 14. Chris Ashton, 13. Marcelo Bosch, 12. Chris Wyles, 11. Jack Wilson; 10. Owen Farrell, 9. Richard Wigglesworth; 1. Richard Barrington, 2. Jamie George, 3. Matt Stevens, 4. Steve Borthwick ©, 5. Alastair Hargreaves, 6. Billy Vunipola, 7. Kelly Brown, 8. Ernst Joubert.
Replacements
16. Schalk Brits, 17. Mako Vunipola, 18. James Johnston, 19. George Kruis, 20. Jackson Wray, 21. Neil de Kock, 22. Charlie Hodgson, 23. Ben Ransom.


Sarries team. Got to say that's a pretty awesome bench.



Leicester Tigers (v Saracens away, Saturday 3.15pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Niall Morris
13 Vereniki Goneva
12 Matt Smith
11 Miles Benjamin
10 Ryan Lamb
9 Ben Youngs
1 Boris Stankovich
2 Neil Briggs
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Ed Slater
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Pablo Matera
8 Jordan Crane (c)

Replacements
16 Tom Youngs
17 Marcos Ayerza
18 Jérôme Schuster
19 Sebastian De Chaves
20 Thomas Waldrom
21 David Mélé
22 Terrence Hepetema
23 Adam Thompstone

Leicester not putting their full strength team out. Got to say that I would have liked them to put out their best side.

If Sarries don't win this one I will be hugely disappointed.

The difference between facing Zebre and Montpellier back to back. Sarries big favourites for this one, would be v. happy with an LBP.

Manu's boxing coach I can see some logic in Cockerill's choice but it still makes this clash between two top teams be seen as less important for one of the teams. Perhaps Leicester still don't see Sarries as a particularly big rival?

Injuries aside Sarries are putting out the best team they can possibly field.

Not quite sure I agree with the decision for Tait to be thrown straight in against Sarries away after coming back from a long layoff.

I am certainly not underestimating Tigers even though it's not your full strength side but I am disappointed not to see the likes of Cole and Salvi.

Falcons for Exeter

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Noah Cato, 13 Danny Barnes, 12 Adam Powell, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Phil Godman, 9 Mike Blair, 1 Rob Vickers, 2 Scott Lawson, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Carlo del Fava, 5 Fraser McKenzie, 6 Richard Mayhew, 7 Andy Saull, 8 Ally Hogg (c)

Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Grant Shiells, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Sean Tomes, 20 Will Welch, 21 Warren Fury, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Jamie Helleur

Exeter for Falcons

Exeter:

15 Luke Arscott
14 Jack Nowell
13 Ian Whitten
12 Sam Hill
11 Tom James
10 Gareth Steenson
9 Haydn Thomas
1 Ben Moon
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Hoani Tui
4 Dean Mumm (capt)
5 Damian Welch
6 Dave Ewers
7 Ben White
8 Kai Horstmann

16 Chris Whitehead
17 Brett Sturgess
18 Alex Brown
19 James Hanks
20 Don Armand
21 Will Chudley
22 Henry Slade
23 Fetu’u Vainikolo

Beshocked,

Cole and Salvi have played a lot of rugby for us this season, especially as Cole is used to rotating with Castro. Just an admission that the season is a long one and unlike the HC this is not do or die.

Tait has also had a few games for Nottingham I think.

Still if our backline gets going ie. Benjamin, Tait and Goneva, this could be a cracker at Allianz. Lamb maybe flaky but he can get a backline moving and Smith will add some tigers dog and solidity to the midfield.

Glaws team:
Rob Cook; Charlie Sharples, Henry Trinder, Mike Tindall, Jonny May; Billy Twelvetrees (capt), Jimmy Cowan; Nick Wood, Darren Dawidiuk, Sila Puafisi; Elliott Stooke, James Hudson; Matt Cox, Matt Kvesic, Ben Morgan

Replacements:

Huia Edmonds, Yann Thomas, Shaun Knight, Tom Hicks, Akapusi Qera, Dan Robson, Freddie Burns, Martyn Thomas

I'm absolutely delighted to see Q on the list. Whilst his departure hasn't officially been announced it seems 99.9% sure he's off to Toulouse on January 1st. I hope Glaws are in a position whereby the nerves are abated and we can give him a proper standing ovation when he comes on.

I'm also really pleased to see Sila Puafisi start. He was one of the few bright moments from last week and it looks like we've acquired a pretty decent TH.

Manu's Boxing Coach wrote:Beshocked,

Cole and Salvi have played a lot of rugby for us this season, especially as Cole is used to rotating with Castro. Just an admission that the season is a long one and unlike the HC this is not do or die.

Tait has also had a few games for Nottingham I think.

Still if our backline gets going ie. Benjamin, Tait and Goneva, this could be a cracker at Allianz. Lamb maybe flaky but he can get a backline moving and Smith will add some tigers dog and solidity to the midfield.

Manu'd Boxing Coach it just seems that Tigers are almost resigned to not getting a top two spot.

Perhaps I am wrong to doubt the Tigers backline but without Flood,both Tuilagi bros, Murphy or Allen it doesn't look as threatening both in defence and attack as in the past.

beshocked wrote:

Manu's Boxing Coach wrote:Beshocked,

Cole and Salvi have played a lot of rugby for us this season, especially as Cole is used to rotating with Castro. Just an admission that the season is a long one and unlike the HC this is not do or die.

Tait has also had a few games for Nottingham I think.

Still if our backline gets going ie. Benjamin, Tait and Goneva, this could be a cracker at Allianz. Lamb maybe flaky but he can get a backline moving and Smith will add some tigers dog and solidity to the midfield.

Manu'd Boxing Coach it just seems that Tigers are almost resigned to not getting a top two spot.

Perhaps I am wrong to doubt the Tigers backline but without Flood,both Tuilagi bros, Murphy or Allen it doesn't look as threatening both in defence and attack as in the past.

Perhaps but I highly doubt it. Flood did come off injured last week so is probably rested as a precautionary measure, Bowden is second choice and while Smith brings less creativity he is a far sturdier option. And you can't go through a season without resting your front rowers and due to injuries the 3 of Ayerza, Youngs, Cole have played a lot already. So it's not like they're a changes for changes sake also we're only 8 off the saints in December there's plenty of time.

Our backline at the moment has far more pace than what we've had recently that's what excites me but its defence where it's far weaker attack still looks pretty tasty to me.

CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE FALCONS

15 Luke Arscott
14 Jack Nowell
13 Ian Whitten
12 Sam Hill
11 Tom James
10 Gareth Steenson
9 Haydn Thomas
1 Ben Moon
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Hoani Tui
4 Dean Mumm (capt)
5 Damian Welch
6 Dave Ewers
7 Ben White
8 Kai Horstmann

16 Chris Whitehead
17 Brett Sturgess
18 Alex Brown
19 James Hanks
20 Don Armand
21 Will Chudley
22 Henry Slade
23 Fetu’u Vainikolo

Congrats to Ben Moon on his 100th senior appearance for the club at the tender age of just 24, still tender years for a prop. The 2008/09 England u20s player has really developed in the last few years, particularly this season, taking the #1 shirt from stalwart Brett Sturgess. Chatting to Mooner in Toulon, he is absolutely relishing the new scrummaging laws

Congrats to Luke Arscott on his 100th AP appearance, not all for Exe, but the majority!

Tom Johnson and Phil Dollman both out injured, Dave Lewis and Jason Shoemark both lose out narrowly in two very competitive positions for Exe

Team Up
Posted by: Mr Deltoid (IP Logged)
Date: 20 December, 2013 12:00

15. Mike Brown
14. Charlie Walker
13. Matt Hopper
12. Tim Molenaar
11. Sam Smith
10. Nick Evans
9. Karl Dickson

1. Joe Marler
2. Dave Ward
3. Paul Doran Jones
4. Charlie Matthews
5. George Robson
6. Luke Wallace
7. Chris Robshaw (C)
8. Nick Easter

16. Max Crumpton
17. Mark Lambert
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Nick Kennedy
20. Tom Guest
21. Sam Stuart
22. Ben Botica
23. Ollie Lindsay-Hague



Harlequins has announced the team to play Bath Rugby in Round 10 of the Aviva Premiership tomorrow at The Rec, kick-off 3:00pm.
There are just two changes to the starting line-up which beat Racing Metro in the Heineken Cup last week. Paul Doran Jones and Karl Dickson start at tighthead prop and scrum-half respectively, in place of Will Collier and Danny Care who picked up knocks last week.

Among the replacements, Max Crumpton is named. Crumpton, a former England U20 hooker, has arrived from Saracens due to injury to three of the four hookers at Harlequins. Tom Guest returns from injury and is joined by Sam Stuart.

For Tigers both Bowden and Flood went off injured last weekend with Allen and Manu already injured. I think Cole and Youngs have to be rested per the EPS agreement I think where as Ben has missed enough of the start of the season to be excluded from the mandatory rest. Matera is a regular starter for Argentina and hasn't played much whilst Salvi has been flat out for weeks. Would have liked Ayerza to start though I'm looking forward to seeing what Balmain can do, he's a big lad and a rampant ball carrier but his scrummaging has been a bit hit and miss, still only 21 I think.

I didn't think Hempetema would return to action so quickly after his fractured eye socket.

I think we'll be lucky to be in sight by the end of the game.

Great to see Young guys like Walker, Stuart, OLH and Sinckler all getting in the team sheet. Quality looking side that.

2 NEQ players in the whole 23!! And both of those two are quality as well. 12 I think have come through our academy.

The club may have had some issues but we are doing a lot right

Nev in form just makes me so happy

So didn't go well for London Irish first up then. 1 down 5 to go!

HKC - Burns is clearly suffering a slump in form, is this a safety first option with 12 Trees at 10?

Will 12T place kick do you think? Is this something that can actually help Burns at England level, if 12T was there to take some kicking duties and ease the pressure potentially? I'm thinking of Cooper and Lealiifano for Aus type situation

yappysnap wrote:So didn't go well for London Irish first up then. 1 down 5 to go!

Was as frustrating an eighty minutes as I've seen for a long time. Loads of effort, but we are killing ourselves with some real basic, and at times brainless, individual mistakes.

Sale were by far the better side on the night and could have won by more.

little_badger wrote:HKC - Burns is clearly suffering a slump in form, is this a safety first option with 12 Trees at 10?

Will 12T place kick do you think? Is this something that can actually help Burns at England level, if 12T was there to take some kicking duties and ease the pressure potentially? I'm thinking of Cooper and  Lealiifano for Aus type situation

It is safety first, but also a necessity. Burns has really been misfiring and could do with being dropped to give him a kick up the backside. Its a shame Ryan Mills is injured as he'd be perfect to bring in.

On the kicking front it is just as likely to be Rob Cook taking the kicks as 36. We won't know until the day as it goes to whoever has kicked the best during the week. We do this even when Burns is starting, so given he has been our first choice kicker all season it shows how the pressure of game time has got to him, as his success ratio is only just over 50%.

Our defensive organisation is looking very dodgey so far. Kick chase in particular is diabolical. Lamb is also looking iffy.

Whole team is looking iffy. This is looking ominous

formerly known as Sam wrote:Our defensive organisation is looking very dodgey so far. Kick chase in particular is diabolical. Lamb is also looking iffy.

Again, B Youngs points aimlessly at a ruck before slooowing it al down. I cannot for the life of me see why people think he is on form, he dawdles endlessly.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Lamb is also looking iffy.

Just today?

Hood83 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Our defensive organisation is looking very dodgey so far. Kick chase in particular is diabolical. Lamb is also looking iffy.

Again, B Youngs points aimlessly at a ruck before slooowing it al down. I cannot for the life of me see why people think he is on form, he dawdles endlessly.

Best player in an HC away win in France that's why. Playing a fast paced game in the driving rain is great idea....

Take your WUMs somewhere else please.

Youngs is under an awful lot of pressure at the base. Lamb is standing very deep and doesn't seem to really want the ball. Playing into the wind and the rain is making it a lot more difficult.

An Owen Farrell Christmas Present there. We've barely threatened Sarries but that try puts a nice gloss on the score.

Kitchener is in some form would Parling start over him?

And nice first start by Matera IMO.

Normal Barnes over the top reaction to a tackle. Kitchener is committed as Farrell era the ball, It's not late. Barely past the horizontal, you can argue he doesn't take him to floor and so It's a definite penalty but a yellow is harsh.

Looks forward from Wyles so Tigers may get away with it.

BS.

I jinxed it.

Got to use the wind now 8 points is doable.

Currently being outmuscled by Bath, looks like a LBP at best

So It's all about the hands when the ball goes forward into the head wind to a player clearly in front of the passer. There was a good deal of shouting at the tv at that point.

Giteau last week, Wyles the next the forward pass is disappearing out of the game....

Manu's Boxing Coach wrote:

Hood83 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Our defensive organisation is looking very dodgey so far. Kick chase in particular is diabolical. Lamb is also looking iffy.

Again, B Youngs points aimlessly at a ruck before slooowing it al down. I cannot for the life of me see why people think he is on form, he dawdles endlessly.

Best player in an HC away win in France that's why. Playing a fast paced game in the driving rain is great idea....

Take your WUMs somewhere else please.

And I have no idea how anyone thought he was the best player in that game either?! The best I could say is that the pack isn't cleaning out effectively enough so he is having to go digging.

A difference of opinion is not a wum, I don't post to antagonise people. I would genuinely like people to tell me what aspects of his game they think he is excelling at because I remain baffled by the praise.

Compare Youngs speed of thought and deed with Care's in the Racing Metro games - Care was in a different league. I have no personal preference over either, but Care looks like he's now a far, far better option.

Care has the exact same problem whenever he plays for England though.

There you go, more excellence from Youngs. Agree Care hasn't been great for England, I think Lancaster sees the 10 as the attacking focus and the 9 as simply a provider.

Clearly he doesn't, he picks Farrell at 10

ChequeredJersey wrote:Clearly he doesn't, he picks Farrell at 10

Haha, well yes, that's his second mistake!

Care's style doesn't suit England's plan, they should use him as a sub really