Aviva Premiership - Round 21

Table





Fixtures

Fri 29th Apr 16

19:45 Sale Sharks  v   Gloucester Rugby BT Sport
Sharks play-off hopes are now out of their own hands, however they are in prime position to secure a Champions Cup spot. They should have the arsenal needed to overcome an underwhelming and injury ridden Gloucester team. As often much will rest on the performance of Danny Cipriani. Having failed to get his drunk driving case thrown out, he has been bailed again until 26th May. This means that unlike last week he will have had a full week of training behind him.


Sat 30th Apr 16

15:00 Leicester Tigers  v  Worcester Warriors
Tigers need to win this game to guarantee 4th spot and a probable visit to Barnet in Mid-May. After a sequence of massive games with minimal rotation, they also need to rest some players. Could Worcester provide the banana skin that is needed to give hopes to Tiger's chasers. Yes they can, attimes they have been enterprising and effective this season, but really they should be beaten with "relative" ease.

15:15 Northampton Saints  v  Bath Rugby BT Sport
Saints hopes of making the play-offs are hanging by a thread that will be cut should Leicester beat Worcester. Bath meanwhile have only a mathematical chance of making the Champions Cup. Despite a seriously misfiring back division, Saints should have too much for a rudderless Bath XV.


Sun 1st May 16

13:00 Exeter Chiefs  v   Wasps BT Sport
Exeter will seek revenge for their Champions cup defeat to Wasps and overtake the visitors in the fight for the second home semi final and what should be 4th meeting between these two teams this season. Wasps will be smarting over their defeat at Sarries hands at the weekend and looking to put in a massive performance. Game of the round and too hard to call.

15:00 London Irish  v   Harlequins
London Irish are not down yet, but need to win this game to have any chance of survival. Quins can still sneak into the Top 6, but may well feel that the Challenge Cup gives them a chance of both silverware and the Champions cup for next season. It will take a huge improvement for LI to win this game, yet for some reason I think they will.

15:15 Saracens v  Newcastle Falcons BT Sport
If Newcastle win this game they are safe. There is a good chance that Sarries may choose to rest a large number of players, so the visitors should not be discounted.

15:15 Saracens v Newcastle Falcons BT Sport
If Newcastle win this game they are safe. There is a good chance that Sarries may choose to rest a large number of players, so the visitors should not be discounted.

In the bag LT. Sarries may aswell not bother turning up.

Geordiefalcon Sarries back up players haven't been good this season. When the key players have been away Saracens have been vulnerable. Agree with Londontiger can't discount Newcastle because of this.

I want some of the squad men for Sarries to up their games. It's not good to rely on a handful of players.

That's as maybe Beshocked, but the bottom line is we have been utter drivel this season.

Falcons best chance is for, among the changes, Mordt and Ransom to play 10/15 with Farrell, Hodgson and Goode all being given a complete rest.

Please not Mordt.....

If it's something like this I wouldn't mind.

Barrington
Saunders
Lamisotele
Hamilton
Smith
Rhodes
Brown
Wray

Wigglesworth
Hodgson
Ellery
Barritt (c)
Bosch
Wyles
Ransom

Bit weak in the pack but the backs would be fine.

Marler and McIntyre will both sit out this round and next after admitting foul play.

If we lose to London Irish, I will actually cry

ChequeredJersey wrote:If we lose to London Irish, I will actually cry

Well, if you do cry, perhaps Joe Marler, since he can't play, could sit with you and give you a cuddle.

LondonTiger wrote:Marler and McIntyre will both sit out this round and next after admitting foul play.

Owen Farrell also banned for two weeks. He can appeal, and did plead not guilty, but Sarries may just decide to give him the break as he will be back for the KO games.

I too can see Quins losing this one, we've made a habit of underestimating teams this season, and backing up good performances with crap.

At the end of the day I think Irish will just want it more too

Shrug

So, burns out for the season and probably needs surgery, whil eManu misses at least this weekend with a medial ligament tweak. Both would probably have been rested, but still a shame.

be nice if we could get away with giving
Ayerza
Cole
Manu

as much rest as poss.

IF we managed to win this weekend i wouldn't mind a squad of V Bath
1) Genge, 2) Leo, 3) Logo
4) De Chaves, 5) Slater
6) Croft, 7) Evans, 8) Fonua
9) Harrison, 10) Bryant
12) JDV/Smith, 13) Catchpole
11) Goneva, 14) Thompstone, 15) Tait

16) Bateman, 17) Brugnara, 18) Balmain
19) Maksymiw, 20) Pearce/Crane
21) Kitto, 22) Umaga/Bai, 23) Odogwu

prob wouldn't happen but would be interesting and would rest alot of players who could need 2 weeks.

Sale Sharks:

15. Mike Haley, 14. Will Addison, 13. Sam James, 12. Johnny Leota, 11. Nev Edwards, 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Peter Stringer, 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Tommy Taylor, 3. Vadim Cobilas, 4. Bryn Evans, 5. Andrei Ostrikov, 6. Cameron Neild, 7. David Seymour (c), 8. TJ Ioane

Replacements: 16. Neil Briggs, 17. Eifion Lewis-Roberts, 18. Brian Mujati, 19. Jonathan Mills, 20. Mark Easter, 21. James Mitchell, 22. Joe Ford, 23. Mark Jennings

Gloucester Rugby:

15. Tom Marshall; 14. Rob Cook, 13. Henry Trinder, 12. Billy Twelvetrees, 11. Ollie Thorley; 10. Greig Laidlaw (capt), 9. Willi Heinz; 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Richard Hibbard, Paul Doran-Jones; 4. Tom Savage, 5. Jeremy Thrush; 6. Ross Moriarty, 7. Matt Kvesic, 8. Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements:

16. Luke Cole, 17. Nick Wood, 18. John Afoa, 19. Ben Morgan, 20. Gareth Evans, 21. Callum Braley, 22. Mark Atkinson, 23. Lewis Ludlow

ChequeredJersey wrote:If we lose to London Irish, I will actually cry

So will I!

Glaws haven't won at Sale in 15 years, the backs are depleted, key players rested and Sale have been unbeaten at home in the Jeff all season. Surely Glaws can't win, can they?...

No, there's absolutely no chance and we'll lose by 20.

Records are there to be broken HKC!

With three of the Championship play off teams undertaking and passing the audit, LI pretty much have to save themselves.

I fear the board could combust if they have a season of championship refs

Both Quins and LI have something to play for. Quins for that top 6 and LI for survival, I am hoping now that they have sorted out their management structure for next season that Quins can refocus on their rugby.

If Quins have their standard drop offs mid match, and LI can maintain a decent level then I think this will be another close one.....only difference is the NEv effect on the rest of Quins squad (who visibly play better when he is in the seat).

Ayerza, Leo, Balmain
Barrow, Kitch
Slater, Fonua, McCaffery
Harrison, Williams
Tait, Betham
Thompstone, TV, Goneva

Bench; Bateman, Genge, Cole, Croft, Evans, Youngs, Bell, Smith.

Good bit of rotation, bit unfortunate there's no Mulipola.

Tait at 12 will be interesting.

I think he played there as a schoolboy, but not sure if he has since.

SOOOOOO Genge playing for tigers this weekend and not been called back to Bristol.

Suggests to me Robinson def doesn't want him fingers crossed.

Worcester

15 Chris Pennell
14 Bryce Heem
13 Andy Symons
12 Ryan Mills
11 Cooper Vuna
10 Tom Heathcote
9 Francois Hougaard
1 Val Rapava Ruskin
2 Niall Annett
3 Nick Schonert
4 Tevita Cavubati
5 Darren Barry
6 Phil Dowson
7 Carl Kirwan
8 GJ van Velze (C)

Replacements
16 Jaba Bregvadze
17 Na'ama Leleimalefaga
18 James Johnston
19 Donncha O'Callaghan
20 Sam Betty
21 Luke Baldwin
22 Ryan Lamb
23 Dean Hammond

Pennell will be a challenge for Veainu's work under the high ball, kicking and positioning.

Saints team for Bath:

15 Ben FODEN
14 Ken PISI
13 George PISI
12 Luther BURRELL
11 George NORTH
10 Stephen MYLER
9 Lee DICKSON (capt)
1 Alex WALLER
2 Mikey HAYWOOD
3 Kieran BROOKES
4 Courtney LAWES
5 Christian DAY
6 Jamie GIBSON
7 Tom WOOD
8 Teimana HARRISON

16 Reece MARSHALL
17 Campese MA’AFU
18 Paul HILL
19 Victor MATFIELD
20 Ben NUTLEY
21 Kahn FOTUALI’I
22 JJ HANRAHAN
23 Harry MALLINDER

Just about back to full strength, but JM still insists in putting his best back on the bench

Falcons for Sarries on Sunday:

Mostly EQ'd and the majority have come through the academy.

Means we'll have thumping defeat!!!

Why is Dan Temm only playing his first game now!!

Newcastle Falcons team to play Saracens (Sunday May 1, Allianz Park, 3.15pm, live on BT Sport)

 1 Rob Vickers
2 George McGuigan
3 Taione Vea
4 Mouritz Botha
5 Sean Robinson
6 Will Welch (captain)
7 Dan Temm
8 Mark Wilson

9 Michael Young
10 Craig Willis
11 Marcus Watson
12 Adam Powell
13 Chris Harris
14 Alex Tait
15 Simon Hammersley

Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins, 17 Alex Rogers, 18 Andrew Foster, 19 Calum Green, 20 Richard Mayhew, 21 Ruki Tipuna, 22 Tom Catterick, 23 Tom Penny

HARLEQUINS HAS ANNOUNCED THE TEAM TO PLAY LONDON IRISH AT THE MADEJSKI STADIUM ON SUNDAY IN ROUND 21 OF THE AVIVA PREMIERSHIP, KICK-OFF 15:00.


There are five changes to the team that played Grenoble in last week’s European Rugby Challenge Cup semi-final victory.

Winston Stanley returns from a leg injury sustained against Wasps in February to start alongside George Lowe in the centres. The second change to the backline sees Charlie Walker named in the back three with Marland Yarde and Mike Brown.

In the forwards, Mark Lambert and Will Collier come into the front row, with Jack Clifford starting at blindside flanker.

Among the replacements, Mat Luamanu and Owen Evans are named.

Harlequins Team
15. Mike Brown
14. Marland Yarde
13. George Lowe
12. Winston Stanley
11. Charlie Walker
10. Ben Botica
9. Danny Care©

1. Mark Lambert
2. Joe Gray
3. Will Collier
4. James Horwill
5. Sam Twomey
6. Jack Clifford
7. Luke Wallace
8. Nick Easter

16. Dave Ward
17. Owen Evans
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Charlie Matthews
20. Mat Luamanu
21. Karl Dickson
22. Nick Evans
23. Ross Chisholm

London Irish Team
15. Sean Maitland
14. Alex Lewington
13. Fergus Mulchrone
12. Johnny Williams
11. Aseli Tikoirotuma
10. Theo Brophy Clews
9. Scott Steele

1. Tom Smallbone
2. David Paice
3. Halani Aulika
4. Elliott Stooke
5. Matt Symons
6. Luke Narraway©
7. Blair Cowan
8. Tom Guest

16. Tom Cruse
17. Johnny Harris
18. Ben Franks
19. Jebb Sinclair
20. Ofisa Treviranus
21. Brendan McKibbin
22. Greig Tonks
23. Ciaran Hearn

Clearly resting key players for Europe! Hopefully should still win

Welly wrote: SOOOOOO Genge playing for tigers this weekend and not been called back to Bristol.

Suggests to me Robinson def doesn't want him fingers crossed.

Hope he's settled Leicestershire way and intending to stay. We're finally seeing some youngsters come through with Evans again coming in so it'd be nice to keep Genge and bring him through as an alternative to Logo and Marcos. A powerful scrummaging display in front of the Crumbie will make him very popular.

Hope Thompstone is feeling energetic we're going need him to do a lot of hard carrying.

What a shame Billy Twelvetrees couldn't be what the sum of his attributes would suggest. Size, strength, pace, passing, huge kick....the template for a 12...yet he just cant put it together.

Taylor at hooker played well for Sale and Kvesic once again....will he tour in the summer to Oz. Or will he go to SA?

Re Twelvetrees

Part of me is really glad he went from Tigers

The other wonders how he would have turned out if he stayed and not used as a primary ball carrier like he was at Glous.

Hes got to be one of the most frustrating players of recent times for England...with potential just never realised. And never will be.

yappysnap wrote:Records are there to be broken HKC!

Spot on Yappy!

What a fantastic win in adversity. Now we just need Bath to win...

GeordieFalcon wrote:What a shame Billy Twelvetrees couldn't be what the sum of his attributes would suggest. Size, strength, pace, passing, huge kick....the template for a 12...yet he just cant put it together.

You mentioned Billy T has all the attributes except the most important one: The top 10% which links all the rest together. I truly believe the difference between the successful athletes and the ones who don't quite make it despite equivalent gifts is mental. Not necessarily brains, more like character.

LondonTiger wrote:
15:15 Northampton Saints  v  Bath Rugby BT Sport
Saints hopes of making the play-offs are hanging by a thread that will be cut should Leicester beat Worcester. Bath meanwhile have only a mathematical chance of making the Champions Cup. Despite a seriously misfiring back division, Saints should have too much for a rudderless Bath XV.

Well, here we are at the bum end of the season, and Saints won't make the playoffs. Seems weird.
But this is the time to rampage. Show the world what they are made of and have a full blooded rampage. Let's see what might have been.....

doctor_grey wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:What a shame Billy Twelvetrees couldn't be what the sum of his attributes would suggest. Size, strength, pace, passing, huge kick....the template for a 12...yet he just cant put it together.

You mentioned Billy T has all the attributes except the most important one:  The top 10% which links all the rest together.  I truly believe the difference between the successful athletes and the ones who don't quite make it despite equivalent gifts is mental.  Not necessarily brains, more like character.  

He has always seemed to lack the time on the ball the top players have. The likes of Carter seem to have an age ball in hand, not so for Billy. He has also lost that occasional brilliance. One in every give or six games at Tigers he just dominated, see the 30 odd points haul against Wasps or the draw vs Ospreys at WR when we didn't have a midfield. After that one brilliant game he'd go steady but unspectacular for a few games and that unspectacular seems to be his norm now.

I think a move might do him good. If he could get a year or two experience in the Super 18 that may help.

I think Gloucester use him all wrong, in that they don't use him. He's like a worse mixture of Barritt and Jamie Noon for Gloucester, just there to tackle, ruck and do simple passes.

A move to a better organised team like Exeter, Wasps or Sale would do him well, somewhere his skills would be factored into the gameplan rather then just playing like a flanker at 12.

Saints would also be a good shout with Burrell at 13

Oh and apparently if Bedford win the Championship then Irish won't go down, as they can't be promoted.

yappysnap wrote:I think Gloucester use him all wrong, in that they don't use him. He's like a worse mixture of Barritt and Jamie Noon for Gloucester, just there to tackle, ruck and do simple passes.

A move to a better organised team like Exeter, Wasps or Sale would do him well, somewhere his skills would be factored into the gameplan rather then just playing like a flanker at 12.

Saints would also be a good shout with Burrell at 13

Prince Harry has that spot nailed for the foreseeable future, once JM recognises what everyone else does; Harry is the best midfield back they have and Saints are nor best served with him playing 23. HM and LB at 12 and 13 respectively is the only combo that has really worked this year, and it worked really well. Pisi (G) seems to have lost that edge and a yard of pace and is far less effective as a result.

Well Harry is at fullback today. Dunno why with Wilson on the bench. Jim is frustrating me.

Opeti Fonau finally showing what Tigers signed him by crashing through two tackles close to the line to score. It was his turnover penalty that got us the field position that led to it as well. Much more promising form the big fella.

Tigers 12 - 10 Warriors

Barnes is a cheat.

Nasty head clash between Symons and Sam Harrison with Harrison looking in a bit of trouble.

It at least gives Ben Youngs the chance to improve on last weeks showing though.

Symons is a loss for Warriors here. He was playing really well with him and Mills looking much better than Tigers with Tait at 12.

Scottrf wrote:Barnes is a cheat.

The fans won't be impressed with you on you phone in the stands Dylan

On a more serious note I've only just seen that Saints-Bath scoreline, are Bath finally turning up or are Saints having a shocker?

Barnes gives three penalties against Saints for not driving straight, still happening, but no more penalties; as good as an admission- Opps I was getting that wrong.

Blue and white shirts hovering at the foot of every ruck slowing down possession, one penalty.

Garvey waltzing right around the side of a maul from a lineout and mauling with the ball carrier, a solid wall of green and black in front of him - scrum Bath.

Having said that, any side with 75% possession and 70% territory that can't get on the board deserve to be losing.

Will Evans, the young Tigers 7 who came on at half-time, really is an enjoyable player to watch. He isn't the usual behemoth we see come through these days but he reads the game brilliantly, is a nuisance on the deck and excellent as a link man and support runner.

It's only his second performance after impressing so much against Gloucester but he really does look like a potential star.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:Barnes gives three penalties against Saints for not driving straight, still happening, but no more penalties; as good as an admission- Opps I was getting that wrong.

Blue and white shirts hovering at the foot of every ruck slowing down possession, one penalty.

Garvey waltzing right around the side of a maul from a lineout and mauling with the ball carrier, a solid wall of green and black in front of him - scrum Bath.

Having said that, any side with 75% possession and 70% territory that can't get on the board deserve to be losing.

Scrum interpretation are such a frustration. Especially when a single ref is inconsistent over the course of a game. I noticed Brookes came off just before the half, injury I take it?

king_carlos wrote:

Scottrf wrote:Barnes is a cheat.

The fans won't be impressed with you on you phone in the stands Dylan

On a more serious note I've only just seen that Saints-Bath scoreline, are Bath finally turning up or are Saints having a shocker?

Three words

Yes

Wayne Barnes

I don't know why we insist on offloading in contact. We never break lines.

king_carlos wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:Barnes gives three penalties against Saints for not driving straight, still happening, but no more penalties; as good as an admission- Opps I was getting that wrong.

Blue and white shirts hovering at the foot of every ruck slowing down possession, one penalty.

Garvey waltzing right around the side of a maul from a lineout and mauling with the ball carrier, a solid wall of green and black in front of him - scrum Bath.

Having said that, any side with 75% possession and 70% territory that can't get on the board deserve to be losing.

Scrum interpretation are such a frustration. Especially when a single ref is inconsistent over the course of a game. I noticed Brookes came off just before the half, injury I take it?

He is back on, so possibly a head knock being checked after he smashed Wilson