Aviva Premiership - Round 3

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Table

POS	TEAM	-PL-	-W-	-D-	-L-	-PF-	-PA-	-DIFF-	-TF-	-TA-	-TB-	-LB-	-PTS-
1	Saracens	2	2	0	0	69	16	53	9	1	2	0	10
2	Bath Rugby	2	2	0	0	76	19	57	8	3	1	0	9
3	Wasps	2	2	0	0	59	42	17	7	4	1	0	9
4	Northampton Saints	2	1	0	1	46	28	18	6	1	1	1	6
5	Sale Sharks	2	1	0	1	36	29	7	3	2	0	1	5
6	Leicester Tigers	2	1	0	1	60	65	-5	7	8	1	0	5
7	Harlequins	2	1	0	1	31	38	-7	3	4	0	0	4
8	Newcastle Falcons	2	1	0	1	24	75	-51	2	10	0	0	4
9	Gloucester Rugby	2	0	1	1	54	61	-7	6	8	1	1	4
10	Worcester Warriors	2	0	1	1	26	58	-32	3	6	0	0	2
11	Bristol Rugby	2	0	0	2	29	53	-24	4	6	0	1	1
12	Exeter Chiefs	2	0	0	2	33	59	-26	3	8	0	1	1

Fixtures

FRIDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER 2016

19:45 Sale v Gloucester BT Sport
The organised, but dare I say it slightly dull, Sale Sharks entertain the more mercurial but also much more dysfunctional Gloucester. Both teams had influential back rowers flattened by opponents subsequently receiving their marching orders last week. Sale especially would like skipper Beaumont to have passed the concussion protocols and be ready to play. In the end I suspect that Sale’s organisation and teamwork will win the day as they grind out a win.


SATURDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER 2016

15:00 Bath v Worcester
Having failed to score a try in Round 1, Bath ran in a whopping 8 in their crushing victory over Falcons in round 2. George Ford won the plaudits from opposing DoR Dean Richards, but special mention must be given to Max Clark, whose direct running and good hands allow time for the internationals either side of him. It is hard to say how well Bath played as by all accounts Falcons capitulated, but the tight 5 went well, back row better than expected and Fotuali’I looked a lot more like the 9 that Ospreys fans will remember (rather than Saints fans).
Worcester were perhaps unlucky to only draw last week, yet with the amount of mistakes made by Gloucester in that game they have only themselves to blame. They need players like Hougaard and Heem back. They need a better 10 than Ryan Lamb. With Bath’s back row still in disarray, even with Houston returning, someone is going to capitalise. Cannot see it being Worcester though.

15:00 Exeter v Harlequins
Having started the season with the worst two fixtures possible, last season’s runner up find themselves at the bottom of the table. Two defeats is not unexpected, but Rob Baxter will have been unhappy about the way the matches were lost and the number of tries conceded. Something is not quite working both in the pack and behind in the backs – but Baxter will be analysing everything in great detail to come up with an answer.
Quins fans are in despair. A squeaky win over new boys Bristol was followed by defeat away to Sale. That they lost in Salford is no surprise, but the manner of defeat with apparently a number of players looking almost disinterested is the main reason for the fans dissatisfaction. Travelling down to Devon is probably not the ideal trip – but maybe going as underdogs will allow Quins to relax and play their own game?
Exeter should, despite misfiring, have too much for Quins.

15:00 Saracens v Northampton BT Sport
Heavyweight clash in Barnet this week. George v Hartley, Mako v Brookes/Hill, Itoje v Lawes, Billy v Louis. Some contests to savour – but this match will be won by the collective not individuals. Sarries are slowly grinding their way into form, while pulverising opponents as they do it. Saints should not fold as Worcester and Exeter did but can they match the Allianz Juggernaut?
Having played poorly for most of the game in Round 1, their defence has largely stayed intact. Like their hosts just 1 try conceded in the two games so far is testament to their hard work. However can they create enough to truly scare Sarries? Gut feel is Saints will need the champions to be a touch off-colour if they are to get anything from this game.


SUNDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2016

14:30 Wasps v Bristol
Wasps host Bristol with two wins already under their belt. Dai Young will know that they are some way below their best so far but he will be pleased that the results are coming anyway. Last season they usually lost when not at their best.
Bristol are likely to make this a 3rd defeat in a row and despite showing early promise need to actually start getting results. Maybe next week.

15:00 Newcastle v Leicester BT Sport
Two teams who were happy after Round 1 and distraught after round 2. Two teams who need to play a lot better, show more application and dedication if they are to achieve their potential. Both sets of players should be truly embarrassed by their performances last week.

Are wasps and Bristol playing 7s?

Bristol have conceded enough to suggest they turned up short and only played with 7.

TMO gives an awful additional insight to the game with that interuptuon.

I missed that what was it FKAS?

Just watched the replay but couldn't see anything wrong?

Much earlier with the tackle in the air from the pass. Ridiculous interuptuon from the TMO.

Lol, straight in at the side and nothing

Ah OK

nathan wrote:Just watched the replay but couldn't see anything wrong?

He's not completely behind the back foot. All of about 6 inches offside. Normally he'd get away with it but two metres from his own line and try saving tackle.

How wasn't that our turnover!!!

Lack of composure lets us down again and again...

That was a penalty at the scrum! What is he looking at!?

Eh? Both sides drove up.. JP got something right for a change

You can see on that second scrum Newcastle driving up again, should of been a pen to tigers

Cumbrian wrote:That was a penalty at the scrum! What is he looking at!?

You had the ball against the head so play on was given.

Given Welsh went forwards and then across for my money he's a bit lucky there.

Are you kidding? Youngs popped out of the scrum twice, we were driving you back, why would our front row stand up?

Cumbrian wrote:Are you kidding? Youngs popped out of the scrum twice, we were driving you back, why would our front row stand up?

Driving up is different to standing up.

You could see it again there

Sowry has transformed that Falcons scrum. They were on the back foot before he came on.

Scrappy game and we were lucky to win that. I fear a massacre vs Bath next weekend.

I can't believe he missed that, did he want a stepladder so he can just tap it through? Christ.

Andy goode would of gotten that.

Poor DG attempt

We were so poor, I fear for our season. Glad to get the win but worried for next week.

Trouble is there is just no improvement

Cumbrian wrote:Are you kidding? Youngs popped out of the scrum twice, we were driving you back, why would our front row stand up?

Before the final scrum you can hear JP telling Welsh he has to stay down and drive he can't go up of he wants the pen. Soon as Newcastle start going forward he drives across and up. Ball spits out the back to save JP from a decision.

If Welsh was perhaps less tired he'd have fought harder to stay down and Falcons would have maybe got the win.

I'm sorry I am really annoyed. Youngs stood up in the scrum a number of times, we should have had a penalty. The fact that we managed to get the ball isn't here or there, he should have been playing advantage.

I'm so frustrated, that game was there for the taking. If Wauldouck/ had shown more composure and not crawled to the line, if we had actually organised once when we were camped on the Tigers try line we could have come away with a score.

Ah it's gone. Well done Tigers.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:Are you kidding? Youngs popped out of the scrum twice, we were driving you back, why would our front row stand up?

Before the final scrum you can hear JP telling Welsh he has to stay down and drive he can't go up of he wants the pen. Soon as Newcastle start going forward he drives across and up. Ball spits out the back to save JP from a decision.

If Welsh was perhaps less tired he'd have fought harder to stay down and Falcons would have maybe got the win.

If it was the case of that why wouldn't he have penalised our front row? I mean if he just warned our players about it and we did again straight away surely he would have done something about it?

Bristol to go down this year then? Maybe that's a bit premature - life isn't going to be easy if you okay Saints and Wasps this early in the season. 70 points is a big thumping though.

I understand how you feel Cumbrian, our season has been awful so far. I really don't think you were hard done by with JP. He made some bazaar decisions all game.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Sowry has transformed that Falcons scrum. They were on the back foot before he came on.

Scrappy game and we were lucky to win that. I fear a massacre vs Bath next weekend.

i think the scrum issue was that we had 2 props who had been on for 80 mins.

ayerza was a late withdrawal and Logo isn't match ready.

mikey_dragon wrote:Bristol to go down this year then? Maybe that's a bit premature - life isn't going to be easy if you okay Saints and Wasps this early in the season. 70 points is a big thumping though.

Exeter and Sarries next - not going to get any easier for a while

nathan wrote:I understand how you feel Cumbrian, our season has been awful so far. I really don't think you were hard done by with JP. He made some bazaar decisions all game.

As he always does ...

I called the scrum win and drop goal attempt.

I could have put THAT over. He wants shot!!!!

Bloody awful game, with bloody awful refereeing. Tigers could easily have been penalised at the end, but then Falcons should have been penalised for holding on 60 seconds earlier.

On that display both teams should be thankfull that Bristol seem so unready for top flight rugby.

Cumbrian wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:Are you kidding? Youngs popped out of the scrum twice, we were driving you back, why would our front row stand up?

Before the final scrum you can hear JP telling Welsh he has to stay down and drive he can't go up of he wants the pen. Soon as Newcastle start going forward he drives across and up. Ball spits out the back to save JP from a decision.

If Welsh was perhaps less tired he'd have fought harder to stay down and Falcons would have maybe got the win.

If it was the case of that why wouldn't he have penalised our front row?  I mean if he just warned our players about it and we did again straight away surely he would have done something about it?

Presumably because he felt Youngs was as much at fault as Welsh and didn't want to pick a victim.

Both sides will be looking back and thinking about chances they missed but should have scored. Waldouck crawling to the line instead of looking to pop up an offload from the floor and Genge throwing a very optimistic offload rather than recycling for what seemed to be an inevitable try.

Tigers error count, particularly in the first half was criminal. Against Bath next week we'll be taking a fifty point humping if we don't sort that out. I'm hoping we'll see some squad rotation before next weekend.

Well at least it was better than bath.

We need to get the big carries in the game and give Goneva and sinoti actual chances in space!!

Tigers props where also clearly driving in at the angle in the final scrums aswell.

The first scrum I thought should've been a penalty but in the second scrum the Newcastle tight head was the first to pop up. As others have said it was a typical JP performance, Youngs tackled 1m away from the try line by someone who never retreated not being picked up by Doyle was every bit as influential in the outcome of the match than the non-decisions around the final scrums.

Welly wrote: Tigers props where also clearly driving in at the angle in the final scrums aswell.

Genge was barely on his feet tired. As soon as Welsh angled in he was all at sea, to be fair he was all at sea as soon as the scrum began. Mulipola could have been risked for the final ten though I understand why he wasn't.

Not looking forward to my drive home next week.

Bath will put some points on Leicester. They look brutal when they click.

That's our concern GF.

Burns HIA means we'll probably have Williams at 10 which might lead to a more controlling game plan. Hopefully Tait won't be fit as he's been a liability so far this season. Smith at 12 and TV or JPP at 15 will hopefully give us more control and reduce the errors.

Leicester playing at home after being beaten up by cockers all week will be a completely different team.
Every season tigers fans are downbeat and every season you make the playoffs!


Bristol look pretty poor, Newcastle and Worcester will be looking forward to taking some points from them. Bristol will be looking forward to the international break to regroup already I think.

You'd have thought that after the Glaws game, or the Wasps game Bathman.

Fingers crossed we ditch some of the guys who aren't firing and who are making the mistakes and bring in some of the guys who dug us out of holes last season. Evans and Thacker. Got to hope Smith and McCaffery are ready to come back in to give the team some solidity and go forward.

Bath are going to be bigger and more physical than us so I hope we don't just look to try and better that because we're unlikely to whilst instead it's entirely feasible to field a pack that can menace your breakdown and lineout. We also need the mobility to close down Ford who by all accounts is in electric form, unlike our defence.

Well I guess we will see next week. Despite scoring a lot of tries in the last two weeks in fact Bath have started very slowly before suddenly pulling away, which I doubt will happen against tigers. In a ideal world we would have a few more fit back row options as an early knock there could mean a pretty inexperienced unit.

You are quite right that Ford has started the season well, he seems to have already developed a good understanding with Kahn F, which is great to see.

Ford is the greatest concern. He's excellent at probing defences with his running, passing and kicking. At the minute our defence, mainly in broken play, is very susceptible to the half break which Ford is more than capable of making and finishing. It could be a try fest of he gets going. Personally I'd dedicate a forward to do a marking job on him and try and get in his face everytime he gets the ball, someone to be his shadow.

Your backrow is where I'd choose to target, you've got a whole lot of physicality there but no natural openside.

With Dylan Hartley's career path in mind, I wonder whether we can start to pencil in Chris Ashton as a future England captain.

The next few weeks are going to be awful for us Quins fans

Yeah - not looking forward to it CJ.

Rugby Fan wrote:With Dylan Hartley's career path in mind, I wonder whether we can start to pencil in Chris Ashton as a future England captain.

What is it with Ashton? Is he just a bit simple? He's talented but his brain let's him down a lot

That was pretty god awful from Bristol, does not bode well for the rest of the season to be getting smashed up that badly so early early.

As a Quins fan, I am so glad Bristol are up this season, hopefully we can stay above them at least.

Genuinely worried about every game atm unless something changes in the team.

There were a few plus points from the Exeter game, Walker looked very sharp and by all accounts baby Chis was far better then most other backrow options. Otherwise though... Meh

And for gods sake drop Buchanan!!!!!