Aviva Premiership - Round 9

First topic message reminder :

Table

Team	--P--	--W--	--D--	--BP--	Points
Saracens	8	8	0	4	36
Exeter	8	6	0	6	30
Harlequins	8	5	1	5	27
Leicester	8	6	0	1	25
Northampton	8	4	0	5	21
Gloucester	8	4	1	2	20
Sale Sharks	8	3	1	3	17
Bath	8	3	0	4	16
Wasps	8	3	0	3	15
Worcester	8	2	0	4	12
Newcastle	8	1	1	0	6
London Irish	8	1	0	0	4

Fixtures

Fri 8th Jan 16

19:45 Bath Rugby Bath P - P Sale Sharks
Postponed to allow Bath to travel to Toulon.


Sat 9th Jan 16

15:00 Exeter Chiefs  v   Gloucester Rugby
Both sides have growing injury lists, but at home Chiefs should have too much and maintain their place at second in the table.

15:00 Harlequins  v   Saracens
Common wisdom is that Quins are incapable of beating Saracens. common wisdom is that they will struggle up front and then run into blind alleys. Common wisdom states that Saracens are too clinical, too ruthless and just too awesome for a fragile Harlequins.
Well Love sacks to common wisdom. Quins are tougher up front this year and should conditions be dry have easily enough to run the famed Sarries defence ragged, especially if McCall decides to conhcentrate on next weeks visit from Ulster. Will it be dry though?

15:15 Leicester Tigers  v   Northampton Saints BT Sport
Saints are in the poorest form I have seen since the relegation season - yet win at their old rivals and they will be in the Top 4! Will Mallinder decide to come with his strongest team, or will he be looking ahead to the Glasgow fixture next week? To be honest I am not sure the visitors can afford to worry about next week, they have to win this weekend in front of what will be the biggest ever crowd at Welford Road. Saints will be ruing the injury to Brookes, but will be certain they can get scrummage control - though it is possible that young Paul hill may learn a lesson or two from Marcos Ayerza. Saints will look to replicate the Sarries template from last week, take the scrum penalties, kick to the cornes and maul like crazy. They have shown little creative ability otherwise this season - but may well be looking for a Penalty Try TBP.
This game is free to air, for any interested.

Sun 10th Jan 16

13:00 London Irish  v   Newcastle Falcons BT Sport
Huge game for both clubs, but even more so for the hosts. They cannot afford to lose but can their half backs give them the control they need? Newcastle will look to dominate at scrum time, but have to improve at the lineout if they are to secure a vital away win. In their favour, the lineout is an area that LI have really struggled in. LI will be looking to take advantage of what has been at times a porous defence and certainly have some speedy backs who could prosper.


14:00 Wasps  v   Worcester Warriors
Wasps have looked like Gods in the ECC, but like dogs at times in the AP. Gopperth has had his one good display of the season and shoudl be dispensed with. Simpson needs to regain his earlier form. Most of all though they need hughes and Smith to be fit.
Wuss will fight for everything and never give up. If Wasps are not on top form they could prosper.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Nice break from Lewington, such a silky runner. Irish a bit lucky with the offside with Paice fumbling, luckily missed.

Yes he is Sgt, I wonder with May out and Nowell off yesterday (not sure how bad it was) might Eddie have a look at him.

Oh for gods sake our scrum is shocking!!!!

Low quality affair so far.  We've not shown anything other than the Lewington break and Falcons have huffed and puffed a lot without looking threatening!

We really miss Welsh. Why don't we just get the bloody thing out???

For Frak sake...

Only the falcons could manage that F*^k up!!!!!!!!!

That passage of play sums the game up!

You right Ozzy....truly awful game

Ohhhhh Harris, that could be a game changer.

Williams is a cracking little player. I hate this standing off from a maul almost as much as mauls.

Didn't look a lot wrong with what Narraway did, on the other hand I think teams should be penalised for not competing anyway.

Oh dear lord another kick missed.

Why does Socino not take the kicks? He was a points machine at Rotherham.

I'm starting to think we both should be relegated.

That is pathetic... Who bumps into their own men as much as us?

Was there not a knock on there?!

I put off painting one of the rooms to watch this...what a mistake that was.

Can I come round and watch it dry GF?

Dear me...thank god for half time

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Can I come round and watch it dry GF?

Aye mate ill crack open the beers.

YOu know I don't think other teams fans really know how bad it is being a falcons fan.

Not only do we have to put up with defeats...but we have to put up with watching performances like that.

Oh for the free running rugby of last season. It certainly puts a valid case in for no relegation.

Sounds like a plan, please don't put the rugby on though.

Second half can't be as bad as the first... Can it?

Well that is us knackered then...

Well now a try has been scored maybe things will open up a bit and we'll see Newcastle play a bit.

EH what the hell happened...ive only just come back...

Well we're relegated.

Well GF. Lewington leapt magnificently to take the restart and score. Then a Geraghty crossfield kick was caught and dotted down by Ojo.

Geraghty always has a stormer against us, who injured Noakes???

Dear me were look amateurish

formerly known as Sam wrote:Well GF. Lewington leapt magnificently to take the restart and score. Then a Geraghty crossfield kick was caught and dotted down by Ojo.

Sam I think it would be worthwhile having Lewington in the Saxons at least..

Has to be a yellow....shocking

That looked a try

Got to be a try.

Did he rush and miss the kick?

Agree there should have been a yellow. We are chasing the game and they committed penalty after penalty.

nathan wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Is that true Nathan? Seems bizarre to change plans just for one player. Especially with how the Quins game turned out

It's what I've read, no idea if it's true.

Hasn't Eddie seen quins and sarries already?

He's definitely seen Quins and I suspect Sarries and definitely spoken to O Shea

Christ! Goode looks chubby.

At last!

Goode is massive! What was he like 2 weeks ago....jeez.

THe bottom line is...Irish look far more dangerous with Ball in hand.

We looked like that last season yet this season we look like Whitley Bay Rockliffe would give us a game.

Fat lard a$$ Goode is a waste of space.

Should have just stuck with Willis

Oh and its time Tait was benched. Slow, ponderous, predictable....

WHy is Kibirige etc not being given his chances.

Get in! Game on.

At least Watson is really looking the part.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Fat lard a$$ Goode is a waste of space.

Should have just stuck with Willis

Got to disagree GF, I've been really impressed with Goode. He just makes the right calls, he'll be a great signing once fit.

Flipping restarts!

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Fat lard a$$ Goode is a waste of space.

Should have just stuck with Willis

Got to disagree GF, I've been really impressed with Goode. He just makes the right calls, he'll be a great signing once fit.

In 3 months.

Clever could have just lost us the match...

Haha....well 10% fit he looks pretty good.

Horrible shank from Gerarghty.

How many times does the ref need to say 'Break away!'. What was he doing????