Aviva Premieship Round 16 Preview

First topic message reminder :

Fri 28th Feb 14

19:45 PR Bath Rugby  v   Saracens BT Sport
Well, how do you judge form? Is it results, or is it performance? Saracens shock defeat to London Irish was only their second AP defeat this season. However a team that was running in tries for fun has failed to secure a TBP since they hammered Leicester at the end of last year. Mutterings about performance levels and missed tackles sees some oddly pessimistic Sarries fans. The away team should have a strong lineup on display, with only Owen Farrell likely to be held back by England (BillyV would have been held back – but is now injured).

Bath should see Davey Wilson released to gain more match fitness – and the front row will see the first of some interesting confrontations. ath will hope to have a clear edge here to set up scrum dominance and give a strong back row licence to really play. Sarries will be hoping they can get to work in the line-out. A variety of hookers for Bath this season have struggled at times to hit their jumpers – and Borthwick is still a significant threat in this area.

In the backs things get interesting. Bath will hope to have Ford available and are sweating on injuries to a few players.  Meanwhile on the wings both Strettle and Ashton will be looking to get back into try scoring form.

This is a crucial match for both teams – a Bath win will give them belief that a Home Play-off semi is not an impossible dream. An away win for Saracens and suddenly Recwatchers will be looking nervously over their shoulders. Should Saracens play well the should win, however perform as they have in the last month and we can expect to see the points staying in the spa town.

Bath 8/10, Sarries 11/10 with the bookies


Sat 1st Mar 14

15:00 PR Exeter Chiefs  v   London Irish
The Chiefs have lost 7 of their last 8 AP matches. They have obtained LBPs in 5 of those defeats, but at times a real lack of composure has hurt them. You could say the same about the Irish team that was narrowly beaten last weekend by Leicester, a defeat that ended the little winning streak that has done so much to ease relegation fears.
Can anyone explain what is going on down at Sandy Park? At times Exeter look awesome, then suddenly a switch gets flicked and they look lacklustre and shambolic. They seem to veer from the sublime to the ridiculous several times per match. they will need to make sure the scrum is firing, as this has been a weakness for LI all season. Further injuries to props cannot have helped.
This could be a highly entertaining match, as both teams like to run with the ball. Marland Yarde will be hoping to get a start this week as he comes back from injury and looks to pressure Nowell and May for their England shirts. Tom Johnson knows that a strong performance in this game could well see him in the matchday squad for England v Wales.

Exeter strong favourite on Betfair


15:00 PR Harlequins  v   Worcester Warriors
As Worcester desperately seek a first league win of the season, they will be glad that their visit to the Stoop sees the 2012 Champions missing vital players all the way down the spine of their team. Quins need their front 5 to man up and provide a platform for their backs to utilise. Worcester need to find some resolve, they have the players to worry a stuttering Quins side, but do they have the belief.

Quins massive favourites on Betfair


15:00 PR London Wasps  v   Sale Sharks
Wasps have lost their last 3 matches in a row, though have secured LBPs. In fact they seem highly proficient at just losing matches - 8 LBPs in 9 AP defeats this season. As a team, they have suffered injuries in the back 3 and seem to be getting little direction from half back. Against a stout, but unflashy Sale side - you can expect to see them struggle again. Wasps really need a win to keep hopes of top flight Euro action alive.
Sale still believe they can reach the top 4. They have to win matches like this on the road if that dream - or indeed decent Euro action, is to be realised. For this they need their forwards to be strong, and Cipriani to perform well against his former club.

Bookies unable to separate the two teams


15:15 PR Northampton Saints  v   Gloucester Rugby BT Sport
Saints should still be top of the table at the end of this weekend, as they seek to gain revenge for their only league defeat of the season. In seasons gone by, they have struggled during international windows, but that has not been the case this season. Up front the young guys have really developed nicely, Samu Manoa is as usual excellent and the form of Callum Clark has been incredible. At No8 Dickinson will be hoping to put in the sort of performance that could get him into the England squad for the remaining 6Ns matches. Behind the scrum Myler has been Mr Consistency while real flair is provided by the Pisi boys. they will be missing a shedload of players - yet still look strong.
Gloucester - apparently last week saw a hugely improved performance, which was needed. To call their front 5 powder puff would be no exaggeration, and you can see them being blown away again. Their talented backline needs some ball - and will be desperate for the arrival of Hibbard and Afoa next season. However there is this season still to finish.

Saints strong favourites with the bookies.


Sun 2nd Mar 14

14:00 PR Newcastle Falcons  v   Leicester Tigers BT Sport
When these two met earlier in the season, DoR Dean Richards virtually gifted his former team 5 points by selecting a weakened lineup. He will have seen Leicester's iffy form and surely will not do that again. The Falcons pack has improved markedly as the season has progressed (are the lineout failings still present?) and will be hoping to gain something close to parity with the East Midlanders. If selected Keiron Brookes will hope to show tigers what they let go and strengthen his place back in Falcon's fans hearts.
It is behind the pack that things get interesting. Both sides have struggled to show any fluency this season, with Falcons really struggling to score the points they should with the possession they have. Tigers may include Manu Tuilagi on the bench (his only appearance this season was a strong showing in the reverse fixture) and Cockerill has some tough decisions at 10 and 12. Dan Bowden was a late call up against his former team last week (no reason given for Allens late withdrawal) and did well. Inside him, Williams was solid.

Leicester clear favourites with the bookies

At this rate Goneva contract demands could be marquee level  

Falcons hitting the self destruct button here.

nice step for a big man

lineout was no where near striaght!

Fury, thats a great name. Unleash the Fury!!

Slaters had a decent game.

Apparently we play better with 14 men on the pitch.

Damn it, really could have done with Tigers losing!

felt sorry for Flood, went with both hands as the ref said for the other two and still got a yellow!

Thought Matera played well, giving us much needed back up to Salvi.

Slater and Matera were both excellent in the forwards and Crane looked better. Goneva was just magical at times, his ability to just add a spark of something special when Tigers need it is great for us. Shame he's now 29 and looking to take a big pay day in France at the end of the season (can't blame him though).

I thought Falcon's midfield looked an awful lot weaker once Barnes came on for Powell and that limited them a bit in the second half. Not really sure why they didn't start with Hodgson as he offered them a spark they needed. Fury was a poor addition off the bench, Blair had a very good game.

Joint 3rd on points now with bath I think.

Gonna have to take some scalps to stay in the chase now

Didn't see the whole game, but based on what I saw I have to agree about Goneva. Was really good. Also thought Crane and Slater were good, too.
For Newcastle, I thought Brookes was good and also Lee Smith. Since I didn't see the end of the match, did Smith continue to play well? What happened with Flood's yellow?

Fury is just an appalling player...was poor in the championship and continues now. Cant understand his selection.

Likewise Godman. IF Smith is the kicker no need for him now. Play young Joel.

I think we need couple of real quality signings in certain positions...but I still have faith in the plans the coaching team have. A young group of locally (north east and uk) produced academy players with some quality players around them.

TIme will tell.

PRESSER: Cockerill - "We have been crap all season and we are 3rd. Bath have been brilliant all season, and they are 3rd too."

Welly wrote:PRESSER: Cockerill - "We have been crap all season and we are 3rd. Bath have been brilliant all season, and they are 3rd too."

He's not wrong though.

He was full of praise towards Matera (apparently he is signing a new deal with us)

Welly wrote:He was full of praise towards Matera (apparently he is signing a new deal with us)

Yeah he had a good game, isn't something like a 21 old?

Not sure if this was discussed earlier, but I just watched my recording of Saints-Gloucester and was caught by Healey's comments about Freddie Burns, which I must have missed on Saturday. His comments were quite damning but did not seem out of line or even inaccurate.
I hadn't watched Burns too much this season, but he did seem tentative and hesitant. And clearly not wanting to get dirty. I would suppose this is the pressure of expectation, but could easily be something completely unrelated to his Rugby. I wonder what Gloucester fans think, and then again what Leicester fans think. Shame to see a young man with promise stutter like this.

Nathan he 20 (21 in july)

 Doctor_grey i'm glad Williams is showing lots of promise. but still feel confident Burns can turn it around.

 Ford last season was rubbish but is playing well. contract situations have a funny way of affecting players it shouldn't.
 Also Davies isn't a fan now and the shed will certainly give him enough stick to keep his confidence low.

doctor_grey wrote:Not sure if this was discussed earlier, but I just watched my recording of Saints-Gloucester and was caught by Healey's comments about Freddie Burns, which I must have missed on Saturday.  His comments were quite damning but did not seem out of line or even inaccurate.    
I hadn't watched Burns too much this season, but he did seem tentative and hesitant.  And clearly not wanting to get dirty.  I would suppose this is the pressure of expectation, but could easily be something completely unrelated to his Rugby.  I wonder what Gloucester fans think, and then again what Leicester fans think.  Shame to see a young man with promise stutter like this.

It could be that he hasn't signed a contract anywhere and now Gloucester have moved on leaving him with nowhere to play next season (i have no tips or reasons for thinking this, it's just a guess). Every player stutters in their career at some point, i really hope Burns is putting everything into his remaining time at Gloucester - If he isn't, then a player with that type of attitude won't go down well at Tigers.

Welly wrote:Nathan he 20 (21 in july)

 Doctor_grey i'm glad Williams is showing lots of promise. but still feel confident Burns can turn it around.

 Ford last season was rubbish but is playing well. contract situations have a funny way of affecting players it shouldn't.
 Also Davies isn't a fan now and the shed will certainly give him enough stick to keep his confidence low.

Actually that's not true. Firstly ND has continued to play Burns except on the 2 prior games where Mills' form warranted a change. Secondly I think it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say over 90% of Glaws fans wanted him to stay; on match day you give your players support not matter what. For all the jeers we give out to visiting players and officials we're extremely parochial with our own players. Burns' contract has been sorted for months so there is no excuse for his performances

Cockers revealed his signing at a fan night and Simon Cohen has alluded to it on the weekly radio show. He's coming but Tigers don't announce signings until It's convenient for them. The coverage for new kit is going to be more focussed if the new 10 is wearing it, also handy if the fans are disappointed about us losing out on a player. For instance, when Goneva and Flood's destinations are confirmed I wouldn't be surprised to see us announce a couple of signings.

Glaws announced both of their front row signings early in order to end the doom and gloom surrounding the scrummaging issues. Much needed PR at the right time.

Anyone else see Mary Berry at the Bath game?

Yep.

You two baking fans?

No, just happened to notice she was at the game behind Nigel Wray. The commentators mentioned it also. I just thought it was interesting.

Londontiger any famous Tigers fans?

Gino D'Acampo.   

Nice.