Gloucester vs Sarecens

First topic message reminder :

Both Farrell and hodgeson out meaning Goode starts at 10. For Gloucester laidlaw has just pulled out with a calf strain.

What are people's predictions?

then again, Gloucester probably lucky to escape a yellow there, rather cynically killing the ball.

Great end to end stuff, in any case. As a neutral I've enjoyed this

Theres hasn't been many bad games so far this season.

Do you think Kelly brown combs and gels those eye brows each morning

Ha ha Nathan I was just thinking EXACTLY the same thing....they're HUGE ha ha ha

On a different note...very sad to see a second Glos player Nic Wood bring stretchered off.

Sarries mauls are very impressive.

Nice try by Mako.

36 panicking again

Another poor pass from Twelvetrees....

What was the problem there with Afoa and Vunipola?

I think hook and 36 are very similar players who blow hot and cold all the time

What a scrum...du plesis in the air.

Oh dear me what a poor attempt at a drop goal

I will be shocked if hook gets this

Agree

Oh wow, what a finish!

Wow...and to be honest...they deserved the win

Lol, he missed most of the kicks tonight but well done on getting that one

Kingsholm will forgive Hook a lot for that kick.

Ben Morgan injury trending on Twitter. Some wondering if that counts as exceptional circumstances for Armitage.

More good news for tigers haha

What a kick

Ah lets not talk about Armitage. Let him stay in France we don't need him.

As for this game...Sarries looked like a decent side not much more.

Glos need some composure. They have game breakers...Johnny May is simply class.

great kick from Hook!

feeling a bit ambiguous about that last penalty though: if the ref knows Ashton is offside when De Kock kicks it through, then he'll say "14, no!" or words to that effect, and Ashton can stop chasing. As it is, Ashton isn't given any indication that he's offside when chasing. Right to check with the TMO, but it still feels a bit strange...

All in all, have to say Gloucester deserved the win though.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:great kick from Hook!

feeling a bit ambiguous about that last penalty though: if the ref knows Ashton is offside when De Kock kicks it through, then he'll say "14, no!" or words to that effect, and Ashton can stop chasing. As it is, Ashton isn't given any indication that he's offside when chasing. Right to check with the TMO, but it still feels a bit strange...

All in all, have to say Gloucester deserved the win though.

Perhaps he wasn't sure and so played it safe by letting play go, not sure why you would think its a bit strange. What if he did shout 14, stop! And it turned out he wasn't actually offside?

nathan wrote:

Mad for Chelsea wrote:great kick from Hook!

feeling a bit ambiguous about that last penalty though: if the ref knows Ashton is offside when De Kock kicks it through, then he'll say "14, no!" or words to that effect, and Ashton can stop chasing. As it is, Ashton isn't given any indication that he's offside when chasing. Right to check with the TMO, but it still feels a bit strange...

All in all, have to say Gloucester deserved the win though.

Perhaps he wasn't sure and so played it safe by letting play go, not sure why you would think its a bit strange. What if he did shout 14, stop! And it turned out he wasn't actually offside?

I said it "feels stange", not that it is. The ref played it by the book, and was absolutely correct. I guess we always say "play the ref" and by not telling Ashton to stop the ref was implicitly saying that he could keep going.

You're right of course, the ref wasn't sure, so he played on, and as soon as the ball is dotted down calls for the TMO. Not much more he could have done I guess, but can't quite shake the idea that somthing felt a bit odd...

Have to admit the second half was more entertaining than the first. Happy for Gloucester supporters and that kick was a good way to send them home. But I figured there was no way Hook was going to make it. Goes to show, that's why we play the games to the end, no?

Twelvetrees really had a terrible evening. Not going to do his 6 Nations chances any good. Hard to tell about Morgan's injury. But when it was shown in slow motion, I had a feeling it was going to be bad. Hoping for the best.

Absolutely amazing and how I've missed games like that! Kvesic and May are a class apart. The dramatic finale has done nothing for my blood pressure though!

On a far more subdues note, it was terribly sad to leave the ground to see the ambulance arrive with the lights on. Thoughts firmly with Woody and Morgan.

Great match - very entertaining indeed. Been to many matches at Kingsholm and have a real soft spot for Gloucester. Congratulations to Glos and commiserations to Sarries.

Wowzers! What an ending to the match, massive plaudits to Hook, that took serious balls

Also love this screenshot, such contrasting emotion!

Balls!!! That's my Superbru predictions and my weekly aaccumulator fecked!!!

Re: 36

He had a good first few minutes, a good touch kick and something else. So I turned to the misses and said 'now watch him feck it up'. Lo and behold next thing was give away a daft penalty. He's not what England need and should not be playing in the 6 nations. That 2 on 1 was atrocious, I know 6 year olds who would know to draw and pass.

I really hope Ben Morgan is OK, it doesn't look good.

Being overly pedantic but 36 didn't actually mess up a 2 on 1 as he successfully negated the 1. What he stupidly didn't realise was that it was actually a 2 on 2 as the cover defender was right behind him. I can't defend 36 for his performances this season as in the most part they have been poor. Last season he came in for some unfair criticism, but unfortunately he is in a poor run of form and his performance last night was littered with errors and he shouldn't be an England starter. When he is playing to his full ability then there isn't a better English 12, but sadly he has a long way to go to get back to that level.

OP: Saracens. Two 'a's.
Update on Ben...lower left fracture. Had operation, so out for a while. Get well soonest Ben. Gloucester and England will be missing you. 12T... frustratingly erratic, more down than up this season. Calm down dear and think.

Very bad news about Morgan. Let's hope for a speedy recovery.

Twelvestrees is very hit and miss. His carrying is good if not spectacular. More often than not he gets over the gain line and when tackled presents the ball well. He seems to have a blind spot when it comes to kicking. He seems to kick even when he clearly does not have the time or space.

Yesterday's game confirmed what a loss Dan Robson will be. Clearly a superior scrum half to Laidlaw. To be honest you cannot blame a player for leaving when they get no game time because they are kept out of the team by an inferior player.

Exiledinborders wrote:Very bad news about Morgan. Let's hope for a speedy recovery.

Twelvestrees is very hit and miss. His carrying is good if not spectacular. More often than not he gets over the gain line and when tackled presents the ball well.  He seems to have a blind spot when it comes to kicking. He seems to kick even when he clearly does not have the time or space.

Yesterday's game confirmed what a loss Dan Robson will be. Clearly a superior scrum half to Laidlaw.  To be honest you cannot blame a player for leaving when they get no game time because they are kept out of the team by an inferior player.  

Or he gives a desperate, unnecessary offload straight to the opposition.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:great kick from Hook!

feeling a bit ambiguous about that last penalty though: if the ref knows Ashton is offside when De Kock kicks it through, then he'll say "14, no!" or words to that effect, and Ashton can stop chasing. As it is, Ashton isn't given any indication that he's offside when chasing. Right to check with the TMO, but it still feels a bit strange...

All in all, have to say Gloucester deserved the win though.

While it's good refereeing practice to alert players if they are offside, it's not required by the law. Also, from the replay Ashton was pretty comfortably ahead of the kicker and should have known it himself. He can't have any complaints

An interesting question for me is whether Ashton was offside before Doyle called advantage over for the Glaws knock on, in which case he should have gone back for the scrum as the penalty offence occurred whilst Sarries had the advantage so the offence should just have cancelled the advantage and they should have gone back for the scrum.

Anyone else heard the rumours that some sarries players had the ref against the wall and verbally abusing him after the match?

Much as I think Doyle is a complete plank if that's true it's completely unacceptable and should be dealt with very strongly - surely it can't be true?

It is doing the rounds on shedweb as apparently security were called. I'd very much reserve judgement until we hear something official.