Aviva Premiership - Round 5

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Table:

Team	Points
Saracens	17
Exeter	15
Harlequins	13
Leicester	12
Bath	10
Worcester	10
Sale Sharks	10
Wasps	9
Gloucester	9
Northampton	8
London Irish	0
Newcastle	0

Fixtures

Fri 27th Nov

19:45 Northampton Saints  v  Gloucester Rugby BT Sport
After a fortnight of European action, the AP returns (for one week two weeks only) with the action kicking off at Franklins Gardens. Saints managed to put some iffy form behind them as they recorded home and away wins against decent opposition. Gloucester meanwhile went largely under the radar as they started their defence of the Challenge Cup. Two decent wins with a largely second string side will have pleased David Humphreys, but perhaps left him a touch worried that his first choice players may be lacking a little match practice. Saints will hope to continue their set-piece form of last weekend and unleash their powerful backs at Gloucester's pacy but often defensively fragile back line. The pace in that backline, especially May and Sharples if both fit, could really scare the home team. However for Glaws to get anything from this game you do feel that their pack will need to perform at a level well above that they have achieved so far this season.


Sat 28th Nov

14:30 Sale Sharks  v   Newcastle Falcons
With both sides returning from Challenge Cup action, it is hard to know what sort of form they will bring into this game. Actually that is not true. I think the win over the Russians last week was Falcons first win since beating London Irish in the LV cup in February. Their results this season have been poor, as have the performances. These sides have met twice already this season in a pre-season tournament with Sale winning both times. A home win really should be nailed on - but sometimes rugby can surprise us.


15:00 Exeter Chiefs  v   Harlequins
Chiefs had mixed results in the Champions Cup with Rob Baxter taking the chance to rotate his squad a little. The often blunt Baxter did not shirk from expressing his disquiet at the performances, especially the defensive laxity. Quins will have been pleased with the style of their two victories but no the trip down to Devon is a massive challenge. connor O'Shea will have been worried by the number of injuries his back rowers picked up in Cardiff and will be hoping some of the walking wounded can play. will Baxter prefer LCD to Yeandle. Where will Slade play? Will Robshaw and Clifford play and impress Eddie Jones against a very good Exeter back row, where Dave Ewers will be keen to continue making his case for international selection.


15:15 Saracens  v   Worcester Warriors BT Sport
The first of the London double headers sees the only top flight unbeaten team in Europe this season face Dean Ryans premiership returnees. Worcester this season seem very similar to Saracens, albeit at a lower level, in that the collective is stronger than the individual combinations. Saracens will again look to rest key players - but even so should be far too strong.


17:30 London Irish  v   Wasps BT Sport
London Irish finally broke their losing streak in the Challenge Cup, but will surely need to raise their game even further against a Wasps team that was on fire in Europe. What may work in Irish's favour will be the temptation for Dai Young to rest a lot of players to concentrate on the Euro double header with Bath. Depending on just how many he rests, Irish could well sneak a win.



Sun 29th Nov

15:00 Leicester Tigers Tigers  v   Bath Rugby Bath Welford Road BT Sport
Both sides will feel they have something to prove after the events of last season. No two ways about it but Leicester were thrashed twice on visits to the Rec. However Bath arrived at Welford Road over the Christmas/New Year period with all the form and skill, yet allowed themselves to get into an armwrestle which they duly lost. Leicester have been a much more attacking side this season, and despite the stuttering backline play this season from Bath we all know how good they can be. It coudl, conditions depending, be an excellent free flowing game. Much will depend on how well the back rows go - especially O'Connor vs Louw.
But really there is only one contest we are interested in this week. After seeing how well Bath's tyro props went against Leinster the match up between Ayerza/Youngs/Cole vs Auterac/Webber/Thomas will be highly illuminating.

Kick from there against the wind, never going to happen

Watsons having a great game

Great to see kitch back on

Bath there own worst enemy at the minute

Lol, 5 minute debut

Kitchener makes such a difference to the lineout.

Bath will feel they got mugged I reckon.

Both sides probably played better into the wind, but tigers kicking in first half with wind behind was shocking.

How on earth did Bath manage to get no points from that game?!
Leicester defence was good but very disappointed with the decision making.

Bathman_in_London wrote:How on earth did Bath manage to get no points from that game?!
Leicester defence was good but very disappointed with the decision making.

Personally I think they tried to play too much and needed to get into the tigers half and take the penalties to put pressure on them. Think they were lucky to have there try awarded as there looked to be a massive forward pass. They seemed to have lots of handling errors too, I think it was into the 20's

LondonTiger wrote:Bath will feel they got mugged I reckon.

Both sides probably played better into the wind, but tigers kicking in first half with wind behind was shocking.

Yep! Totally mugged, but no one to blame apart from ourselves. Tigers played well though to be fair, can't begrudge them the win. The turning point was our failure to score a try when Tigers went down to 14 on their own line. Score was tied 11-11 and only about 20 to go. Think we would have ground it out from there.

Think Bath will feel short changed not to leave with a LBP as it was a tight game. There forwards inability to provide that rapid back line with any sort of quality ball will be a concern. When Bath got outside of the Tigers forward defence and were going one on one in wide channels they looked very dangerous. When their forwards were carrying into contact it was a count down to a Tigers forward smashing them (usually that beast Mike Williams) and them conceding possession.

Tigers were efficient but Tommy Bell's lack of authority will be a concern. He gifted Bath a couple of easy counter attacks with shocking kicks (including the try) which is suicidal play when you look at the ability in those Bath backs. Harrison helped steady the ship in the second half.

Dave Denton with a debut to forget. A blindingly obvious penalty and yellow card (should have been a penalty try also). If you're going to go in the side that obviously try and do it early rather than 2m out. His sin binning left Bath with too much to do late on.

@martin_crowson: Mike Fords going absolutely ballistic in the coaching box up here after his son goes to the corner instead of for goal.

Wonder if he got a bollocking

nathan wrote:

@martin_crowson: Mike Fords going absolutely ballistic in the coaching box up here after his son goes to the corner instead of for goal.

Wonder if he got a bollocking

At 10 points down it was a crazy decision.

Hooper is an experienced captain he should be the calming voice in the ear of the young 10.

Wouldn't it have been Hooper's decision? I wasn't paying that much attention.

Tigers deserved the win playing the elements well and some amazing physicality. Some of the best aggressive defence this season, will be interesting to see if they can keep that up.

Bath will feel aggrieved as they should have been playing against 14 men for the last 10 mins as Kitchener should have seen yellow for his cowardly off the ball hit on Eastmond. Without him Leicester wouldn't have had those final mauls.

You have to hand it to Leicester, they keep beating sides who appear to be better than them. At least they are showing some ambition this year.

Why was there no TMO review for the Kitchener incident? A citing does Bath no good, and that incident and the lack of intervention from the officials (and Bath's ineptness) probably cost them the game.

The Times team of the round:

Ayerza, Brits, Brookes, Itoje, Fitzgerald, Williams, Ward, Hughes
Spencer, Steenson, Veainu, Smith, Daly, Ashton, Foden

I've not seen any slow motion replays (only at the game so live plus one replay on big screen) but it looked to me like Kitchener runs a straight line to the ruck and Eastmond is clearly offside and showing no urgency to get back. Kitchener runs through him as opposed to going round and then hits the ruck.

If he steps out of the running line to the ruck to hit Eastmond or if he doesn't bother hitting the ruck afterwards I'd say that would be an offence. Otherwise Eastmond is offside and blocking support players from the breakdown.

Not aware of the incident in discussion, so atm unable to comment.

Finally found it on the fully replay on AP website.

Have to say I would be amazed if that was cited - though I admit I am biased. Eastmond is indeed off side and Kitch does appear to run through him to clear out the man lying on the ball. however I would say that Kitch was not entering from the back fot but from the side.

We shall see what the citing office thinks by close of play tonight.

Can't see it being cited. fkaSam, you're kidding right? Kitchener was clearly offside. If anything Eastmond wasn't blocking anything (as he was in the no-man land between the two offside lines) and was moving back towards his own line. Kitchener took him out off the ball. At worst a penalty, but if anything it would have been against Kitchener.


[Unless, of course my memory is faulty (which it often is) and Eastmond was in front of the Leicester offside line)]

How was Kitchener offside?

Welly wrote: How was Kitchener offside?

He was in front of the back foot on Leicester side of the breakdown (but behind the ball). Eastmond was more offside but by that point it is becoming semantics.

The real offender was the Bath player lying all over the ball that Kitch eventually cleared out.

meant to more offisde.

DaveM wrote:You have to hand it to Leicester, they keep beating sides who appear to be better than them. At least they are showing some ambition this year.

Why was there no TMO review for the Kitchener incident? A citing does Bath no good, and that incident and the lack of intervention from the officials (and Bath's ineptness) probably cost them the game.

suppose it evened it up, as there was a clear forward pass in the run up to Baths try.

True dat

I guess the tmo had fallen asleep in his van in that game as he didn't pick up on either offence.

Nope, don't think its such a problem if they even themselves out. Its when it doesn't it pisses everyone off