Aviva Premiership - Round 8

Table

POS	TEAM	-PL-	-W-	-D-	-L-	-PF-	-PA-	-DIFF-	-TF-	-TA-	-TB-	-LB-	-PTS-
1	Saracens	7	6	0	1	199	69	130	24	5	4	1	29
2	Wasps	7	6	0	1	241	133	108	31	15	4	0	28
3	Bath Rugby	7	6	0	1	185	94	91	20	10	2	0	26
4	Leicester Tigers	7	4	0	3	182	163	19	19	19	2	1	19
5	Sale Sharks	7	3	1	3	151	162	-11	18	16	3	1	18
6	Harlequins	7	4	0	3	147	154	-7	16	19	1	0	17
7	Exeter Chiefs	7	2	1	4	166	161	5	19	20	3	3	16
8	Northampton Saints	7	3	0	4	125	134	-9	12	9	1	2	15
9	Newcastle Falcons	7	3	0	4	89	158	-69	8	19	0	2	14
10	Gloucester Rugby	7	1	2	4	146	157	-11	14	20	1	3	12
11	Worcester Warriors	7	1	2	4	120	208	-88	15	23	1	0	9
12	Bristol Rugby	7	0	0	7	95	253	-158	13	34	0	2	2

Fixtures

Friday 18th November:

19:45 Bath Rugby v Bristol Rugby (live on BT Sport)
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant Referees: Philip Watters & Roger Baileff
TMO: Rowan Kitt

While missing players like Charteris, Ford & Joseph to international call-ups, Bath are not as badly affected as they might have been. A large(ish) injury list (with the likes of Denton, Louw and Watson ruled out by injury but may have been called up by their countries if fit) may be lessening, and rumours abound that Faletau will feature. If they are to make a decent fist of survival, Bristol have to get something out of fixtures like these when their opponents are not at full strength. However I struggle to see anything other than a TBP win for the home team.


19:45 Worcester Warriors v Northampton Saints
Referee: Greg MacDonald
Assistant Referees: Paul Dix & Peter Allan
TMO: Geoff Warren

Missing Hartley, Lawes, Harrison, North and Picamoles this could be a tough trip for Saints to Sixways. Whilst Worcester are still struggling with injuries and badly missing Hougaard at scrum half, this will be a fixture they hope to win and put some distance between themselves and Bristol.


20:00 Newcastle Falcons v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
Assistant Referees: John Meredith & Gareth Copsey
TMO: Trevor Fisher

With just two wins in the AP, and struggles in Europe, last years losing finalists have been struggling for form of late. If Falcons are to capitalise they will need to stay on the right side of perhaps the most pedantic ref in England and pick someone other than Delaney at 10.



Saturday 19th November


16:30 Gloucester Rugby v Wasps
Referee: Dean Richards
Assistant Referees: Roy Maybank & Simon McConnell
TMO: David Rose

Wasps have been building some serious strength in their squad, and despite the injuries they still have in their squad should be sending a powerful team down to Kingsholm. Gloucester will be close to full strength and if they play well can score points against anyone. I feel they will miss Moriarty's grit in the back row and will come up short against a very confident Coventry team.


Sunday 20th November

13:00 Sale Sharks v Saracens (live on BT Sport)

Sarries fans may be apprehensive of this fixture, point to an injury list and international calls that will rob them of perhaps  first choice players. However this is why they have splashed the cash to build a large squad. In what could be a rather attritional game, I suspect Sarries will out muscle Diamonds men.


15:15 Leicester Tigers v Harlequins (live on BT Sport)
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant Referees: Paul Burton & Nigel Carrick
TMO: David Grashoff

Quins are missing the core of their team, Marler, Sinkler, Robshaw, Care, Roberts & Brown. Add in the injuries and it will be a weakened side, lacking in leadership, that travels to Welford Road. Despite their defensive woes this is the kind of game that Leicester have to win well if the critics are to stay off Cockerill's back.

Bristol looked better in the AWC with a Hurrell and Woodward midfield. If that combination can remain and offer them some back line spark then it could see them do ok against an injury ravaged Bath midfield. Tough game up front where Bristol simply have to get on top of a still fairly formidable Bath unit.

Bath: Homer; Atkins, Clark, Banahan, Wilson; Priestland (co-capt), Allinson; Catt, Batty, Palma-Newport, Stooke, Garvey (co-capt.), Ellis, Mercer, Faletau.

Replacements: Dunn, Obano, Lahiff, Grant, Mercer, Homer, Hastings, Tapuai.

Bristol: Williams; Edwards, Woodward, Hurrell, Tovey; Searle, Williams; Traynor, Jones, Ford-Robinson, Evans, Sorenson, Eadie, Robinson, Crane (capt).

Replacements: Hawkins, Bevington, Cortes, Phillips, Fisher, Cliff, Jarvis, Wallace.

Newcastle: Tait; Watson, Waldouck, Socino, Sinoti; Delany, Young; Lockwood, Lawson, Welsh, Green, Witty, Wilson, Welch (capt), Hogg

Replacements: Nelson, Vickers, Wilson, Young, Fonua, Egerton, Hodgson, Goneva

Exeter: Dollman; Woodburn, Devoto, Whitten, Short; Steenson (capt), Chudley; Moon, Yeandle, Williams, Lees, Hill, Dennis, Horstmann, Waldrom

Replacements: Malton, Rimmer, Holmes, Parling, White, Maunder, Simmonds, Turner

those half backs will make things hard for what otherwise looks a half decent back line for Falcons.

I honestly don't have any idea why he persists with those two!!!!

Delayney is a big earner that's all I can think is why, as his performances certainly haven't warranted the gametime.

And Youngs....well lets not get started on him shall we....

And im wondering what Chisanga has to do. Proper x-factor player that causes havoc in the opposition everytime he gets on the pitch.

It's a big Exeter pack but there's no finesse or defensive jackler in the backrow. Dennis, Horstman and Waldrom is a lock and two 8's. Wilson and Welch have got the opportunity to target the breakdown. They will need to make their tackles though as there are some big ball carriers in that pack.

Ah Ive just noticed young hooker Nelson is on the bench aswell. That's an interesting call...

That bath side is so pieced together. I'm actually a little nervous.

Worcester:

Pennell; Hammond, Olivier, Mills, Vuna; Shillcock, Arr; Rapava Ruskin, Annett, Schonert, O'Callaghan, Barry, Potgieter, Kirwan, Dowson (capt).

Replacements: Singleton, Leleimalefaga, Daniels, Kitchener, Cox, Dowsett, Adams, Heem.



Northampton:

Foden; Elliott, Burrell, Hutchinson, Wilson; Myler, Dickson; Waller, Haywood, Brookes, Paterson, Day, Gibson, Clark, Dickinson (capt).

Replacements: Clare, Ethan Waller, Hill, Craig, Nutley, Kessell, Olver, Collins.

cester Tigers (v Harlequins, Welford Road, Sunday 3.15pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Adam Thompstone
13 Peter Betham 
12 Owen Williams
11 Tom Brady
10 Freddie Burns 
9 Jono Kitto
1 Ellis Genge 
2 Tom Youngs (c) 
3 Greg Bateman
4 Ed Slater
5 Mike Fitzgerald
6 Tom Croft 
7 Brendon O'Connor
8 Lachlan McCaffrey

Replacements
16 Harry Thacker
17 Marcos Ayerza 
18 Pat Cilliers 
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Luke Hamilton
21 Sam Harrison
22 Jack Roberts
23 George Worth

Not the team I'd have picked. Still fairly strong though the back line lacks balance to my mind. Great to see Crofty back but I'd still have found a way to involve Evans.

15. Rob Miller
14. Christian Wade
13. Kyle Eastmond
12. Jimmy Gopperth
11. Josh Bassett
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Dan Robson
1. Matt Mullan ©
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Phil Swainston
4. Matt Symons
5. Kearnan Myall
6. James Gaskell
7. Thomas Young
8. Guy Thompson

16. Tom Cruse
17. Tom Bristow
18. Marty Moore
19. Will Rowlands
20. Ashley Johnson
21. Joe Simpson
22. Frank Halai
23. Alapati Leiua


Injury update starting Phase Two of the season

Forwards:
· James Haskell – toe, expected to return to full-training in December.
· Sam Jones - broken leg & ankle ligament damage, ruled out for the rest of the calendar year.
· Simon McIntyre - has undergone an operation on his ankle and is expected to be out for another couple of months.
· Alex Lundberg- is progressing well from an ankle injury and is due back towards the end of November.
· Jake Cooper-Woolley – knee, expected to return to training in December.

Backs:
· Kurtley Beale – knee, hoping to return to full-training mid-December.
· Nick De Luca – following concussion protocols
· Craig Hampson – hamstring, expected to return to training next week.

To arrive February:
· Willie Le Roux

On international duty:
· Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly, Nathan Hughes

Harlequins squad
15. Aaron Morris
14. Marland Yarde
13. Joe Marchant
12. Winston Stanley
11. Alofa Alofa
10. Nick Evans
9. Karl Dickson

1. Mark Lambert
2. Rob Buchanan
3. Will Collier
4. Charlie Matthews
5. James Horwill ©
6. Luke Wallace
7. Dave Ward
8. James Chisholm

16. Joe Gray
17. Dan Murphy
18. Adam Jones
19. Stan South
20. George Naoupu
21. Charlie Mulchrone
22. Tim Swiel
23. Charlie Walker

Seriously can't believe Walker is only getting a bench spot during the internationals. I know Yarde is back but still....

Actually not a half bad 1st XV for quins.

Really! Unless the whole lot up their physicality and NEV bosses the game then I can see that quins side getting humped by Tigers.

propdavid_london wrote:Really! Unless the whole lot up their physicality and NEV bosses the game then I can see that quins side getting humped by Tigers.

I hope so but I doubt it. Have you seen us defend this season?

formerly known as Sam wrote:
Not the team I'd have picked. Still fairly strong though the back line lacks balance to my mind. Great to see Crofty back but I'd still have found a way to involve Evans.

I would rather have seen Evans in the squad (and preferably starting) rather than Hamilton, and Roberts starting in the centre with one of the 10s on the bench.

LondonTiger wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:
Not the team I'd have picked. Still fairly strong though the back line lacks balance to my mind. Great to see Crofty back but I'd still have found a way to involve Evans.

I would rather have seen Evans in the squad (and preferably starting) rather than Hamilton, and Roberts starting in the centre with one of the 10s on the bench.

Agree on Hamilton. I like him as a player but against Quins who are mobile and like to attack the breakdown this is a game for Evans. Saints now that would be a game for the tackle happy Hamilton.

I'd have kept the same back line as last weekend personally. Tait means less pace at 15 and Betham at 13 means that our direct running in the midfield is coming from Owen (unless miracles happen and Thompstone is finally allowed off his wing).

Shocking sinoti wasn't out there!!!!!

Played boys!!!

Ah we're so close to breaking that Exeter line a number of times!!

Rubbish decision at the scrum ref!!!

Hang on ref don't give him the kick again!!!

Class from Watson!

Lawson try!! Get in!!!

We're taking the game to them....just need to cut out some of the mistakes

Ah try Exeter

Ah jeez boys you have to tackle!!!

Ah boys so many mistakes!!!

Well tackled Alex Tait but penalty

Brilliant maul work lads!!

Nit convinced Hogg is the best player to start these days. I think both fonua and Chisanga offer far more explosive carrying

Ah yellow card for Calum green. That will hurt us

Well that's some impact subs.!!! Goneva, Wilson and Fonua

But no effect

Marcus Watson should be in the saxons at least. He's class

Oh delayney!!!

Still don't know how he's getting his game

Ah your kidding me!

Exeter don't deserve that.

Just aswell they have a monster pack!!

That's not a try!!!!

Ah Scotty lawsons times is up aswell. Sowery is the man now and Cooper is on his way soon

Ah man. Well fair try. But still don't think they deserve it!

Still think Richards needs to sort out his selections.

5 points to Exeter....completely undeserved.

32-19 final score. Im livid!!

I always felt Falcons had a chance given Exeter's backrow injury list. It was a big pack to shackle though. Delaney the only real choice following Willis' red card last weekend?

I don't think we deserved to win it but 5 points was lucky for them

However why on earth is delayney continued with. Willis should be playing!

And why is fonua and Chisanga not having more gametime. Hogg is a waning force...with little explosive power these days and Welch doesn't carry.

Ive said this for a few years. We need some power carriers....we have them but Dean doesn't pick them.

Willis banned for 4 weeks.

LondonTiger wrote:Willis banned for 4 weeks.

It was a pretty cut and dried spear tackle. I'm not sure there was much malice in it but he was always getting a red and a ban. Hodgson was on the bench again, he could have given Falcons a different option from the off.

Ah I forgot all about Willis ban...but its irrelevant as he hasn't been getting picked anyway.

Well for the first time in a long time...the Falcons fans on mass have the knives out for Dean it would seem.

Something about last night has riled them beyond anything as the feelings are heated on all the forums! Delayney and Youngs in particular getting the heat.

Is Catterick still out of favour?

Ah I have no clue whatsoever is going on with Catterick. The mind boggles about what goes on behind the scenes!

Are there rumours of Catterick leaving? Has he signed somewhere else and been frozen out by Deano?

Couldn't buy a decision at the minute. Wallace is dragged into touch and the TJ raises his flag, Quins play on and then he puts it back down. He's either out or he isn't?!?