Aviva Premiership - Round 4

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Table

POS		TEAM			-W-		-D-		-L-		-PF-		-PA-		-DIFF-		-TF-		-TA-		-TB-		-LB-		-PTS-
1		Bath Rugby		3		3		0		0		##		41		72		12		6		2		0		14
2		Saracens		3		3		0		0		96		28		68		11		1		2		0		14
3		Wasps		3		3		0		0		##		64		65		17		7		2		0		14
4		Leicester Tigers		3		2		0		1		74		78		-4		8		9		1		0		9
5		Gloucester Rugby		3		1		1		1		80		74		6		8		10		1		1		8
6		Northampton Saints		3		1		0		2		58		55		3		6		3		1		1		6
7		Exeter Chiefs		3		1		0		2		69		84		-15		8		11		1		1		6
8		Sale Sharks		3		1		0		2		49		55		-6		5		4		0		1		5
9		Newcastle Falcons		3		1		0		2		37		89		-52		3		11		0		1		5
10		Harlequins		3		1		0		2		56		74		-18		6		9		0		0		4
11		Worcester Warriors		3		0		1		2		48		95		-47		6		10		0		0		2
12		Bristol Rugby		3		0		0		3		51		123		-72		7		16		0		1		1

Fixtures

Friday September 21

19:45 Bristol Rugby v Exeter Chiefs BT SPORT
Referee: Tom Foley (21st Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Greg MacDonald & Paul Dix
TMO: Sean Davey

Exeter travel to Ashton Gate for the first meeting between these two sides since the 2010 playoff final. Bristol will have been shocked by the size of the thumping they received last week, though much better teams than them have struggled when Wasps are in full flight. The longer the newly promoted team go without winning, the harder it gets as nerves set in. This though will probably not be that elusive first win. Exeter, off the back of their own first win of the season in Round 3, should have far too much grunt, skill and application for Andy Robinson’s team.


Saturday September 22

15:00 Harlequins v Saracens
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (19th Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Carrick & Phil Watters
TMO: David Grashoff

Quins are struggling for any sort of form, so perversely a visit from reigning champions could be exactly what they need. No-one expects anything from them, so they can adopt a siege mentality and just concentrate on their basics. Mark McCall has been rotating players already, and if Kruis is fit may take the opportunity to give Itoje a rest. He has intimated that Owen Farrell should be fit enough to play some part in proceedings, which will be a huge relief to Eddie Jones. It is hard to see anything other than the Saracens juggernaut continuing on it’s merry way.


15:00 Worcester Warriors v Sale Sharks
Referee: JP Doyle (116th Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Greg Garner & Roy Maybank
TMO: David Rose

Like Bristol, Worcester are still seeking a first win. With a Sale team that is not at it’s best travelling down the M6/M5 they have every chance to breaking their season’s duck today and perhaps moving a spot or two up the table. Sale have injury concerns at 10, issues with their set-piece. Their game will be built on a ferocious defence but will need their goal kickers to be on form.


15:00 Gloucester Rugby v Newcastle Falcons
Dean Richards (88th Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Jackson & Jonathan Healy
TMO: David Sainsbury

It seems rather unfair that this game will be reffed by the visitors DoR . We still do not know what to expect from the home team, consistent only in their inconsistency. Falcons will be hurting after the last two weeks. The positives from last weekend were that their defence kept Tigers well shackled. However they had so many opportunities to take any reffing decisions out of the equation that they can blame no-one but themselves for the defeat. The first 15 minutes had surely provided a template for how they could win – but they stopped playing like that. They were inept at the breakdown and butchered any number of chances. They need to play much better if they are to win. Gloucester need to show the same character they have in the last 120 minutes of rugby. If this is aligned to the flair the demonstrated in the first 40 minutes of the season it could be another long day for poor Falcon’s fans.


15:00 Northampton Saints v Wasps BT SPORT
Referee: Luke Pearce (52nd Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Steve Lee & Andy Watson
TMO: Rowan Kitt

Fascinating game. Saints will surely try to make it an arm wrestle, of the sort that worked for so long against Saracens. I am looking forward to seeing how the two back rows match up. If his tight five can hold their own, Joe Simpson (assuming Robson still injured) can be expected to try and capitalise on any lack of pace in the Saints team, especially around the fringes. Saints will surely look at sending their big runners down the 10/12 channel.



Sunday September 23

15:00 Leicester Tigers v Bath Rugby BT SPORT
Referee: Matthew Carley (46th Premiership game)
Assistant Referees: Tim Wigglesworth & Gareth Copsey
TMO: Trevor Fisher

To describe Leicester as lacklustre would be kind. They have started all three games so far this season poorly and had to play catch up rugby. They have to be better than they have been, but are they capable of that atm? Too often in recent seasons Bath have come to Welford Road and looked to flex their muscles rather than their brain. Such tactics would be dumb in the extreme. Play as they have done in attack this season and Tigers shaky defence could be conceding yet another TBP.

Bath have also been good at the pedestrian rolling away at the tackle. You do whatever you can to slow the ball. You only stop when the ref starts pinging you.

Ref has been good today. Unusual interpretation at times but consistent.

Great finish by Big Ed.

Graham Kitchener my vote for man of the match.

Been reffed really well I think. Bar the random penalty for Ayerza when he clearly slipped his bind, identically to the pen he conceded a few minutes before. Hasn't impacted the result though.

I'd have Mike Williams as mom. Been outstanding and physical

How many sweeping saves for Thompstone? Very good.

Will Homer looked lively. Perhaps he should have come on a little earlier. Bath need some actual centres so Ford has some options.

Thompstone been really good, I was impressed by him too

Robbie Fruean arrives in a few weeks. Need JJ fit again. That's the big difference to our play today versus other weeks, no coincidence.

Bathite wrote:Thompstone been really good, I was impressed by him too

Robbie Fruean arrives in a few weeks. Need JJ fit again. That's the big difference to our play today versus other weeks, no coincidence.

Will give you far more in the midfield than the two wingers you had there during the second half. Louw returning will help the breakdown which is where you lost out today.

Disappointing Bath never got going with any sustained possession or territory - a lot of soft penalties conceded with a ref who is never going to be sympathetic at WR and Bath never worked out any solutions.
The Leicester maul did the business, as it has many times over the years.

However a lot of young Academy forward players getting pitch time Dunn, Obano, Ellis, Ewels, Mercer but probably meant we came off second in some collisions.

Bring on Gloucester and then Sale in the next fortnight.

Yep. Played an academy lock at 7 and two wingers at centre and it really showed. Definitely where we were second best. Losing charteris at line out hurt too.

With Louw faletau auterac charteris to come into the pack and with JJ Clark and fruean in the backs, I'm pretty happy to have 3 wins and a loss.

Our backline is much more threatening with Watson at Fb too. Homer is a bit pedestrian.

Credit to Leicester too though. They had a very makeshift sets of centres and it didn't hurt them too much. They played to their strengths upfront.

Must of missed bath confirming Fruean is coming in.

Welly wrote: Must of missed bath confirming Fruean is coming in.

Too busy predicting bath to win by 20. Lol.

Not been officially confirmed, but open secret. Issue was visa, but his wife can get a uk passport apparently, which solved it. Joins after his club season finishes in a few weeks apparently.

Manu out for 2 months.

Fruean to be brought in as his injury replacement.

Welly wrote: Manu out for 2 months.

Fruean to be brought in as his injury replacement.

2 months!!

Will we ever see him again

Welly wrote: Manu out for 2 months.

Fruean to be brought in as his injury replacement.

That sounds like a Peter Tom strategy to get at injury dispensation salary funds. Give Manu some rest to make sure he's 100% and get in an additional attacking threat at the same time.

Much more pleased journey home than a fortnight ago. Special kudos to Max Lahiff who seemed to have borrowed George Ford's spare shorts.

Who did TV give MotM to?

LondonTiger wrote:Who did TV give MotM to?

williams

Mike's or Owen

Mike

Mike had a cracker...a bonus with Mr Jones there after saying that he was,considering Mike as Haskells replacement

Bathite wrote:Robbie Fruean arrives in a few weeks. Need JJ fit again. That's the big difference to our play today versus other weeks, no coincidence.

Welly wrote: Manu out for 2 months.

Fruean to be brought in as his injury replacement.

Do we know yet if it's Bath or Leicester?

GeordieFalcon wrote:Mike had a cracker...a bonus with Mr Jones there after saying that he was,considering Mike as Haskells replacement

Glad it was Mike Williams, one lost ball in contact excepted, he was outstanding. Not sure on the idea of him playing at 7 though.

Credit to Leicester they came out a different team. I thought Bath looked off the pace and weren't at the races. Ford had some nice touches, but I couldn't see much leadership in the Bath team yesterday and no bench impact.

Well done Quins, sounds like the team who on the day wanted it more won.

A loss for Saracens is not necessarily a bad thing, especially in what I see as a less important game. Sometimes good to have a team refocus. Far too one dimensional vs Saints, need to play more intelligently.

You don't win the AP in the 4th round but you can be unprepared if cracks are papered over in latter rounds.

It was a pretty bruising game beshocked - coupled with that physical Saints encounter last week I would imagine that it will take its toll on the squad. Quins will certainly have players out for next week.

I shall finally stick my head above the parapet after one of the the worst, error strewn Glaws games I've ever had the misfortune to watch. Austin Healey said a few weeks ago that there isn't a team like Glaws which consistently makes so many mistakes and we well and truly lived up to that reputation. We dominated territory, yet managed to lose the ball constantly in the 22. We'd make some excellent line breaks near half way, but then make bizarre decisions when we were camped on the line. Full credit to Newcastle, they defended very well and more importantly took their chances when they came (except for butchering a 4 on 1 overlap!); however, we should have won that game comfortably, but on this showing we will definitely be a bottom 4 side again this year.

LondonTiger wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Mike had a cracker...a bonus with Mr Jones there after saying that he was,considering Mike as Haskells replacement

Glad it was Mike Williams, one lost ball in contact excepted, he was outstanding. Not sure on the idea of him playing at 7 though.

No different to Haskell. He'll be there to do a job simple as that. Smash the tackle area and smash the breakdown.

GeordieFalcon wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Mike had a cracker...a bonus with Mr Jones there after saying that he was,considering Mike as Haskells replacement

Glad it was Mike Williams, one lost ball in contact excepted, he was outstanding. Not sure on the idea of him playing at 7 though.

No different to Haskell. He'll be there to do a job simple as that. Smash the tackle area and smash the breakdown.

You could always shuffle Robshaw across to openside and keep Mike on the blindside. Though as GF points out England don't really play with a natural openside anyway.

propdavid_london wrote:It was a pretty bruising game beshocked - coupled with that physical Saints encounter last week I would imagine that it will take its toll on the squad.  Quins will certainly have players out for next week.  

And as a result, so will England by the looks of it.

I don't think there were any major injury concerns on Sarries side following that Quins game - Farrell and Kruis weren't playing. Itoje, Mako, Billy and Goode all seemed to come through ok.
Marler and Care are the England/Quins worries but they are kind of peripheral to England at the moment.

Marler covered well with Mako and Mullan, while Robson could easily step into Cares spot and be the backup to youngs.