Aviva Premiership - Round 4

Current Positions

Team	Points
Saracens	13
Leicester	12
Exeter	11
Harlequins	9
Gloucester	9
Sale Sharks	9
Northampton	7
Wasps	5
Bath	5
Worcester	5
London Irish	0
Newcastle	0

Fixtures

Friday 6th November 2015

19:45 Harlequins  v   Sale Sharks Twickenham Stoop BT Sport

Both teams will arrive at the Stoop for the first of four televised fixtures with two wins so far and having beaten playoff teams from last season in round 3. Harlequins away win at the Rec was the more notable (Only two late tries saved Bath from what the commentator was, at 70 minutes, calling a total humiliation.), but Sale's ability to shut down the Saints attack should not be ignored. While not exactly a head-to-head it will be interesting to see how the main playmakers for each side, Care and Cipriani, fare. Care still, to me, looks to be searching for form and we shall see how he responds to his first home start as club captain. Cipriani will delight in thre presence of the TV cameras, and will be out to show that he shoudl have been at the RWC. Equally fascinating will be the back row battle. Sale will probably go with the two opensides as usual, and their experienced pairing will be a good test for whoever O'Shea deigns to select.
I struggle to se any result other than a win for Quins - but probably no TBP.



Saturday 7th November 2015

15:00 London Irish  v   Bath Rugby Madejski Stadium

Misfiring Bath will arrive in Reading desperate to kick start their season against winless Irish. London Irish were handed a terrible start to the season, facing four of last seasons top 5. As the season unfolds this may prove to be a blessing in disguise - probably better to try and bed in new players and methods against teams you expect to lose against rather than against teams youshould be beating. While the attack in general has so far not clicked for Irish, their rolling maul has been hugely effective. Add in players like Maitland (who surely will improve on last week) and Irish have the tools to upset Bath.
Bath are not playing well. Beaten by Quins and Wasps, their only wion was almost gifted to them by Exeter on the first weekend. The set piece is misfiring and they have been second best at the breakdown. Will be interesting to see if Francois Louw is rushed back into the side. they are creating opportunities though. Any number of times in the first half against Quins they worked the ball into the opposition 22 only to fall over when close to the line. A mix of poor hands and white line fever allowed the boys from Surrey to constantly repel them.
Should Bath play to their potential this could be a thumping win, however I have a sneaking feeling that Irish will be scrapping for everything and sneak a victory.



15:00 Worcester Warriors  v   Newcastle Falcons Sixways

Is it too early to call this a relegation match? Worcester will feel that their win over 2014 champs Saints and narrow defeat at Kingsholm should earn them more respect than that. Falcons fans however will be watching through clenched fingers. To call Falcons poor so far would be a serious understatement. We know they have talent - but the application so far this season has been absent. A workmanlike team with great spirit like Worcester should have enough to win this with some ease. Unless Falcons brink more than they have so far it will be yet more depression for our Geordie friends.



15:15 Northampton Saints  v   Saracens Franklin's Gardens BT Sport

Huge fixture with the away team bang in form and looking to enter Euro weeks with a perfect start to the season. Saints are struggling. they seem to have reverted completely to Warrenball and as Wales are oft accused seem to have no plan B. Sarries will not back down from the physical challenge, so can Saints deliver something different on their return to a new, improved Franklin's Gardens?



17:30 Exeter Chiefs  v   Leicester Tigers Sandy Park BT Sport

Can Leicester continue their winning run this season. Having done the double in the AP last season over Exeter, and with some big names likely to be returning to the lineup they will be hopeful. Exeter should however provide a really stern test of the tigers defence. At times last season the Midlanders were over-run by sides willing to put pace and width on the ball - and Exeter are certainly capable of doing that. Baxter and his men will be fully aware that last season they allowed Tigers to drag them into an arm-wrestle at Sandy Park and will be looking to improve their own performance. Will be interesting to see which tigers Old Boys make the lineup for the men from Devon.
Exeter should win, probably denying Leicester an LBP




Sunday 8th November 2015

15:00 Wasps  v   Gloucester Rugby Ricoh Arena BT Sport

Final match of the weekend sees what will be a Gopperth-less (banned for 3 weeks so misses the first two ECC rounds) Wasps host a promising looking Gloucester team. this really could be a crackerjack of a game - though Daly and Wade will need to show more form than they have so far. Wasps could well be without Nathan Hughes following a knee injury at Welford Road. I am looking forward to seeing Kvesic against old master George Smith.
Wasps to win an entertaining match by less than a score.

Good summary LT and I agree with most of your predictions.

I'll be hoping that Quins can get a BP, though as I think they need to start accumulating them if they want to be involved in the business end of the season.

Are you on the fence on Saints v Sarries? Or do you have a prediction. It's hard to see past Sarries on current form, even at the Gardens.

Waiting to see the Saints and Sarries teams before I decide.

I apologise in advance for bringing the salary cap up again, but the fact that once again we find ourselves where a host of games can genuinely go either way is no better advocate for it being properly policed. Anyway, on to the rugby Quins are the only team I would safely bet on winning, all the others are tough to call. I'm not confident of a Glaws win, despite Wasps' mixed form as we always struggle away to them. Gopperth being banned will help, but the Glaws backs will need to vastly improve on last week if we're to stand a chance and hopefully Laidlaw will return to help.

An LBP would be a good result at Sandy Park. The winds swirls around the place and the fans get behind their team. Chiefs look strong this season though could maybe do with a little more sparkle in the back three. Having both Armand and Salvi as back row options means they are a menace up front.

Should be a good game with our new attacking philosophy and some big names set to return.

We are utterly atrocious.

I don't think I have ever witnessed as poor a performance as that against Exeter on Sunday (and that's not taking away from Exeter - but they just had to canter)

1)We are Penalty machines.
2)Defence looks like a lump of swiss cheese the amount of holes in it!!
3)Delaney looks an amazing signing at 10...but is at a completely different wavelength to the rest of the team.
4) Bar Latu, the forwards lost EVERY collision v Exeter.

WTF are they doing in training!!!!!

I forsee nothing but a loss to Worcester and then we're in serious trouble.

Are there any more big name signings that have yet to join up with their new clubs? Matfield and JDV are the two off the top of my head, but what about Piutau etc

Piatau hasn't played at Wasps though they could use him at 15.

Brendan O'Connor is due to make his Tigers debut vs Stade. Campagnaro hasn't take his bow for the Chiefs and Quins are yet to field Roberts.

Won't get Roberts until after the Varsity Match - possibly a Big Game 8 debut?

Quins
Bath
Wuss
Sarries
Tigers
Wasps

Quins to me are 50/50, Sale wrecked our gameplan in a low scoring fixture last season and if the weather is poor and we're not accurate I can see that happening again.

I think Care's form is pretty good tbh. And was for England in the RWC warmups too...

All home wins I think

ChequeredJersey wrote:I think Care's form is pretty good tbh. And was for England in the RWC warmups too...

I am not sure we have actually seen him play enough to know how his form is. Looked OK against bath, but other than that been a long time since I have seen him make a really positive contribution to a game.

Of course I see him far less than you. Thing is though with Evans playing more and more like a functionary, Quins need Care firing to provide their spark and creation. If he plays well, then Quins will not often lose.

Evans has looked better this year too, in attack and kicking. Still not a great consistent defensive kicker out of hand these days, which with Danny too is always worrying.

Also, Nev is inevitably going to get injured

BamBam wrote:Are there any more big name signings that have yet to join up with their new clubs? Matfield and JDV are the two off the top of my head, but what about Piutau etc

Not seen Ben Franks at LI yet ...

Tom Marshall hasn't appeared for Gloucester yet either. Injured at the moment.

ChequeredJersey wrote:Evans has looked better this year too, in attack and kicking. Still not a great consistent defensive kicker out of hand these days, which with Danny too is always worrying.

Also, Nev is inevitably going to get injured

Really not sold on Botica either when Nev does get injured, luckily Pau are getting Nevs replacement ready for us...

ChequeredJersey wrote:Evans has looked better this year too, in attack and kicking. Still not a great consistent defensive kicker out of hand these days, which with Danny too is always worrying.

Also, Nev is inevitably going to get injured

Really not sold on Botica either when Nev does get injured, luckily Pau are getting Nevs replacement ready for us...

ChequeredJersey wrote:Evans has looked better this year too, in attack and kicking. Still not a great consistent defensive kicker out of hand these days, which with Danny too is always worrying.

Also, Nev is inevitably going to get injured

Really not sold on Botica either when Nev does get injured, luckily Pau are getting Nevs replacement ready for us...

Bit of an error there...

I thought there was an echo in here here here ...

I'd be happy not to concede 30pts in the first half.

On paper we should be beating Wuss I feel, sadly we're a shambles on the pitch.

That defence is a real issue for you guys. Worcester aren't the most impressive squad but they are well drilled. In a similar way to Sale they will cause teams problems though not set the world a light. Stay in it in the first half and Falcons have a threatening attacking game. Against Chiefs there were some exceptional length of the pitch attacking moves in the second half that were nearly amazing tries.

Delany isn't quite clicking with the backline yet, we look threatening with Catterick at 10.

I think we might be getting Phil Blake in as defence coach when his ban ends this month.

I did wonder it that move would happen. He's a very good defence coach though his systems take time to bed in and adapt to.

I think He was going Cardiff before his ban.

Obviously that changed every unfortunately.

It'd be nice just to have a system Sam.

Quins team vs Sale

15 Brown
14 Yarde
13 Lowe
12 Hopper
11 Visser
10 Evans
9 Care
8 Easter
7 Wallace
6 Robshaw
5 Twomey
4 Matthews
3 Collier
2 Ward
1 Marler

Subs Lambert, Gray, Sinckler, Clifford, Chisholm, Dickson, Botica, Lindsay-Hague


Some rotation, hope the tight 5 are still good enough despite it. Not sure about Hopper at 12

when was the last time robshaw wore the 6 shirt?

Can't be long till Clifford gets past Wallace surely?

Rotating back row I think, Pooly, Clifford started last week with Robshaw, think we'll regularly see Robshaw-Wallace, Clifford-Robshaw and Clifford-Wallace in succession

Welly wrote: when was the last time robshaw wore the 6 shirt?

Probably for his first Premiership player of the year award

We like signing banned coaches....

Our defence is appalling though.

Yes interesting Robshaw is playing 6.

O'Shea will play him at 6 if he thinks he's got a good chance of moving to 6 for England. All psychological, makes little difference what number he's wearing when we play as Quins

Team V Worcester

15.Tait
14.Tuilagi
13.Harris
12.Socino
11.Vendetti
10.Delaney
9.Young

1.Fry
2.Lawson
3.Welsh
4.Green
5.Botha
6.Wilson
7.Latu
8.Clever

Sale Sharks: 15. Mike Haley, 14. Tom Arscott, 13. Sam James, 12. Sam Tuitupou, 11. Nev Edwards, 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Peter Stringer, 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Tommy Taylor, 3. Vadim Cobilas, 4. Jonathan Mills, 5. Bryn Evans, 6. Dan Braid (capt.), 7. TJ Ioane, 8. Josh Beaumont.

Replacements: 16. Neil Briggs, 17. James Flynn, 18. Brian Mujati, 19. Andrei Ostrikov, 20. Magnus Lund, 21. James Mitchell, 22. Nick Macleod, 23. Johnny Leota.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Team V Worcester

15.Tait
14.Tuilagi
13.Harris
12.Socino
11.Vendetti
10.Delaney
9.Young

1.Fry
2.Lawson
3.Welsh
4.Green
5.Botha
6.Wilson
7.Latu
8.Clever

Deano naming it early?

Great to see Wilson & Socino back, possibly our two best players last season.

Wilson's lack of game time and Socino's lack of time with Delany could be an issue, I'd have started Catterick.

Yeah...naming it very early.

Is Blake a good coach? Will he fix the problems with defence.

Wells needs to sort out the forwards...they look soft.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Team V Worcester

15.Tait
14.Tuilagi
13.Harris
12.Socino
11.Vendetti
10.Delaney
9.Young

1.Fry
2.Lawson
3.Welsh
4.Green
5.Botha
6.Wilson
7.Latu
8.Clever

See that team should be winning games! What is Deano/Wells doing?

GeordieFalcon wrote:Yeah...naming it very early.

Is Blake a good coach? Will he fix the problems with defence.

Wells needs to sort out the forwards...they look soft.

Very good coach. Took him quite a bit of time to imprint his systems into our game plan. We took some kickings early on. There isn't any over the night miracles when he arrives. His defensive game plan got us a thoroughly unlikely win against Wasps to get us into the playoffs last season.

Why was he banned?

yappysnap wrote:Why was he banned?

Illegal gambling on matches.

He was betting on Leicester to win (with the handicap) - so not a terrible thing as such.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/premiership/11699562/Former-Leicester-Tigers-defence-coach-Phil-Blake-banned-for-placing-eight-separate-bets-on-his-own-team.html

Gambled on Tigers winning. There were rumours he was bored and a bit lonely so did a bit of gambling in his spare time. He said he wasn't aware of the gambling restrictions. Personally I thought he'd be straight back to Australia but obviously another crack at the AP was too good to turn down.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Yeah...naming it very early.

Is Blake a good coach? Will he fix the problems with defence.

Wells needs to sort out the forwards...they look soft.

Very good coach. Took him quite a bit of time to imprint his systems into our game plan. We took some kickings early on. There isn't any over the night miracles when he arrives. His defensive game plan got us a thoroughly unlikely win against Wasps to get us into the playoffs last season.

We its nice to hear hes a very good coach. But im not sure how much time we have.....

Is he likely to bet on Falcons winning?

London Irish Head Coach, Tom Coventry, has made five changes for the visit of Bath this Saturday in round four of the Aviva Premiership at Madejski Stadium (kick-off 3pm).

Leo Halavatau comes in to starting line-up in the front row alongside David Paice and Tom Smallbone. George Skivington and Matt Symons continue their partnership in the second row with Tom Guest and David Sisi starting in the backrow to play alongside Rob McCusker.
Brendan McKibbin and Shane Geraghty form a new half back combination and Fergus Mulchrone and Tom Fowlie play together in the centre for the second successive game. Aseli Tikiorotuma and Topsy Ojo are joined by Alex Lewington in the back three.

Dom Waldouck has recovered from injury to be named among the replacements along with Gerard Ellis, Tom Court, Halani Aulika, Eoin Sheriff, Luke Narraway, Scott Steele and Chris Noakes.

London Irish Head Coach, Tom Coventry, said: “We made significant strides last week in our performance against Saracens and it is important we build on that progress against Bath tomorrow afternoon. We have made changes for this week and those that have come in to the squad are there on merit. We look forward to playing at home again, and putting on a good display in front of our supporters.”

London Irish side to face Bath:
15. Topsy Ojo*; 14. Alex Lewington; 13. Tom Fowlie; 12. Fergus Mulchrone; 11. Aseli Tikoirotuma*; 10. Shane Geraghty*; 9. Brendan McKibbin; 1. Tom Smallbone; 2. David Paice*; 3. Leo Halavatau; 4. George Skivington (C); 5. Matt Symons; 6. Tom Guest; 7. David Sisi; 8. Rob McCusker*

Replacements: 16. Gerard Ellis; 17. Tom Court*; 18. Halani Aulika*; 19. Eoin Sheriff; 20. Luke Narraway*; 21. Scott Steele; 22. Chris Noakes; 23. Dom Waldouck

*Denotes International

Leicester Tigers (vs Exeter Chiefs, Sandy Park, Saturday 5.30pm)
15 Telusa Veainu
14 Adam Thompstone
13 Matt Smith
12 Seremaia Bai
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Owen Williams
9 Ben Youngs
1 Fraser Balmain
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Dan Cole
4 Dom Barrow
5 Sebastian de Chaves
6 Tom Croft
7 Lachlan McCaffrey
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 Harry Thacker
17 Riccardo Brugnara
18 Tiziano Pasquali
19 Mike Fitzgerald
20 Laurence Pearce
21 Jono Kitto
22 Peter Betham
23 Mathew Tait



A number of players being rested after playing 5/6 matches so far, either completely or on the bench. No sign of Slater or Kitch though.

Still a pretty strong looking side for you LT.

CHIEFS SIDE TO FACE LEICESTER TIGERS
15 Phil Dollman 14 Jack Nowell 13 Henry Slade 12 Ian Whitten 11 James Short 10 Gareth Steenson (capt) 9 Will Chudley 1 Ben Moon 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie 3 Tomas Francis 4 Mitch Lees 5 Damian Welch 6 Dave Ewers 7 Julian Salvi 8 Don Armand
16 Jack Yeandle 17 Alec Hepburn 18 Moray Low 19 Ollie Atkins 20 Thomas Waldrom 21 Dave Lewis 22 Sam Hill 23 Matt Jess