Aviva Premiership - End of Season Run-In

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League Positions

1) Wasps (74pts)
2) Exeter (69)
3) Saracens (68)
4) Leicester (52)
5) Bath (52)
6) Harlequins (47)
7) Northampton (47)
8) Gloucester (41)
9) Newcastle (40)
10) Sale (35)
11) Worcester (27)
12 Bristol (19)


Fixtures

Wasps - Bristol (a), Quins (a), Sarries (h)
Exeter - Quins (a), Saints (h), Glaws (a)
Saracens - Saints (a**), Bristol (h), Wasps (a)
Leicester - Falcons (h), Sale (h), Worcester (a)
Bath - Worcester (a), Gloucester (h), Sale (a)
Harlequins - Exeter (h), Wasps (h), Saints (a)
Northampton - Sarries (h**), Exeter (a), Quins (h)
Gloucester - Sale (h), Bath (a), Exeter (h)
Newcastle - Tigers (a), Worcester (h), Bristol (a)
Sale - Glaws (a), Tigers (a), Bath (h)
Worcester - Bath (h), Falcons (a), Tigers (h)
Bristol - Wasps (h), Sarries (a), Falcons (h)

** MK Bowl




Preview

With Bristol all but relegated, realistically we have three main areas of interest as the end of the season rapidly approaches:

The battle for a home semi.
All three sides at the top of the table will believe they can secure a home semi, but also fear they are the side who will miss out. Interestingly the first three rounds see them play the same three opponents (Bristol, Saints and Quin). While all of the pace setters will expect to win those games, Saints and Quins have their own fight for points and will not make things easy. That Wasps and Sarries have to meet in round 22 should favour Chiefs.

The battle for 4th
With the way that the fixtures end, the chances of anyone other than Leicester or Bath securing the final semi final spot are remote. Leicester currently sit in 4th, and a win at Twickenham against Bath in round 19 would see them planting one foot firmly into that semi-final. A Bath win opens things up and means that Leicester would require their rivals to drop points in the last 3 rounds.

Battle for 6th
The fight for the last automatic qualifying spot (7th will enter playoffs I think) in the main Euro competition sees Quins and Saints start with a head-start over 8th placed Gloucester, but with a much harder run in. Falcons would need to win all 4 remaining matches to have any chance of sneaking in.

It wasn't dangerous either way so no pen.

It was if he landed on his head, shouldn't have been a try.

I've played in games when things like that have been pinged by the Ref

If anything it was a dangerous tackle, it was just one of those things that happen though. Ellery was tackled low and tried to make the line still as the tackler came up so bodyweight sent him over the back of the tackler

Very good start by Wasps and a very nice team try, finished by Beale.

Fitzgerald gives away the penalty at the maul so Wasps have advantage and then Tait flies out the line and gets nowhere near the ball. Great controversial selections there Matt. Fecking stupid.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Fitzgerald gives away the penalty at the maul so Wasps have advantage and then Tait flies out the line and gets nowhere near the ball. Great controversial selections there Matt. Fecking stupid.

Give a rest.

Roberts got destroyed against Wuss the other week.
Fitzgerald does give away stupid penalties but he has handled a very dangerous back row so far.

Welly wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Fitzgerald gives away the penalty at the maul so Wasps have advantage and then Tait flies out the line and gets nowhere near the ball. Great controversial selections there Matt. Fecking stupid.

Give a rest.

Roberts got destroyed against Wuss the other week.
Fitzgerald does give away stupid penalties but he has handled a very dangerous back row so far.

We've done brilliantly to come back into it. I feared that try would have opened the floodgates. Still think that Fitz and Tait were the wrong decisions. Nobody turned up at Wuss including Tait who gifted Wus a try.

What a day of rugby! Congratulations to all 4 sides, 2 cracking games and commiserations to Saracens and Tigers who were both within minutes of reaching the final

Two great games.

Echo the sentiments, two very good games of rugby.

TheMildlyFranticLlama wrote:What a day of rugby! Congratulations to all 4 sides, 2 cracking games and commiserations to Saracens and Tigers who were both within minutes of reaching the final

Very happy with that performance from Tigers. Hopefully use that as a springboard for next season. Much improved defence and our set piece was still good.

Gutted for the forwards, a monumental effort that provided a good platform for the backs but they just couldn't make it count.

Ahh well, never mind. Another semi final loss but nothing like the last 3. That forward performance with Youngs, Ford, JPP, Toomua, Manu, Thompstone, Veainu could be incredible. The amount of phases in the 22 was really reassuring, Manu alone could've made a massive difference to the scoreline.

Needed Mulipola over Balmain really aswell.

That scrum penalty late in the second half really hurt us.

TBH Tigers need to make space to sign 2 top players to help the bench impact.

Welly wrote: Needed Mulipola over Balmain really aswell.

That scrum penalty late in the second half really hurt us.  

TBH Tigers need to make space to sign 2 top players to help the bench impact.

Rumour coming from various people is that 4 players, a couple very unexpected apparently, will be making way to make room for a big signing. Apparently one of those released has recently signed an extension as well.

It might be codswallop but it's been a very similar story coming from various directions so I reckon there might be a big announcement coming fairly soon.

I had to listen to the games on the radio for the first time in years as I've been at work. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and the far better standard of commentary!

I think seeing the number 1 and 2 in the table make the final is a fair reflection of what's been an odd premiership season in several ways.

Obviously gut wrenching to see/hear Tigers lose at the death. It was closer than I thought we would come with JPP and Mermoz unavailable - not to mention the other big players who have been out long term.

Our pack has been on a steady upward curve since midway through the season and it's very promising to see.

king_carlos wrote:

Welly wrote: Needed Mulipola over Balmain really aswell.

That scrum penalty late in the second half really hurt us.  

TBH Tigers need to make space to sign 2 top players to help the bench impact.

Rumour coming from various people is that 4 players, a couple very unexpected apparently, will be making way to make room for a big signing. Apparently one of those released has recently signed an extension as well.

It might be codswallop but it's been a very similar story coming from various directions so I reckon there might be a big announcement coming fairly soon.

It's not codswallop.

Classy comments from McCall post match saying that Slades kick was 'one of the best of all time'.

2 superb games of rugby & the both winners just about deserved to go through. Should be a great day next weekend.
COYW.

For the first time ever, I felt pleased for both winners yesterday, and genuinely sad for both losers. Not sure who I want to win the title. I would have said Exeter before but Wasps have played good rugby, and I wouldn't mind seeing Wade, Cipriani and Launchbury etc get reward for their season.

Didn't see either game yesterday but can someone tell me how Farrell played? After the Pro-12 semi finals, neither Biggar or Sexton covered themselves in glory.

Sexton was injured for most of the game so not surprising he struggled

Why was he not replaced then Geoff? Don't get me wrong, I think Sexton is a great player but I feel is not as good as he once was. That may be down to injuries or age but he is no longer the best 10 in the NH in my opinion.

eirebilly wrote:Didn't see either game yesterday but can someone tell me how Farrell played? After the Pro-12 semi finals, neither Biggar or Sexton covered themselves in glory.

The opposite to how he looked in the European final. He looked rattled, threw a couple of interceptions, twice took treatment to his face/head because of poor tackle technique and failed to make the most of the massive wind advantage in the frat half. He did come back well in the second as Sarries came back to take the lead but it was an uncharacteristic display from the normally reliable Farrell. Not what Gats would want to see.

Cheers Sam. So that means neither of the Lions 10's had good games this weekend. I would still have Farrell starting at 10 ahead of Sexton and Biggar myself.

eirebilly wrote:Why was he not replaced then Geoff? Don't get me wrong, I think Sexton is a great player but I feel is not as good as he once was. That may be down to injuries or age but he is no longer the best 10 in the NH in my opinion.

Obviously don't trust Bryne.
Sextons injury was the reason Nacewa took the place kicks
Why Carbery didn't move to 10 and Nacewa to 15 I have no idea - Cullen dropped the ball there

I also agree with Sam - Farrell was not at his best either

Welly wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

Welly wrote: Needed Mulipola over Balmain really aswell.

That scrum penalty late in the second half really hurt us.  

TBH Tigers need to make space to sign 2 top players to help the bench impact.

Rumour coming from various people is that 4 players, a couple very unexpected apparently, will be making way to make room for a big signing. Apparently one of those released has recently signed an extension as well.

It might be codswallop but it's been a very similar story coming from various directions so I reckon there might be a big announcement coming fairly soon.

It's not codswallop.

Welly - From what you've heard is it just one player being released having signed an extension this season? That's where the various talk that I've heard has varied slightly. Some are saying it's one player being released who has a signed and announced contract, others say it's more than one.

Firstly congratulations on Exeter, well deserved win for that going for broke at the end.

Impressive stuff from Slade. From a poor performance in the final last year to a match winning intervention - quite a turn around.

Is it just me who thinks that Wigglesworth looked ponderous? The speed of service in the last 2 games hasn't been good enough IMO. The young Exeter 9 outplayed him.

When comparing the ball, Exeter, Wasps and Leicester got on the weekend seemed to be a big difference.

Much harder to break down the opposition with slow ball. Even against Clermont this was a problem.

Don't know why Saracens didn't use the bench more, Spencer and Lozowski I think in particular could have added much more needed tempo.

Also I don't know why Saracens constantly keep the ball in the forwards off the lineout, I like the ball to be spread quickly off the top of the lineout - Saracens have been effective when doing it so don't know why they did it very sparingly.


Two exciting games, good advertisement for the AP.

That kick by Slade was something else.

eirebilly wrote:Cheers Sam. So that means neither of the Lions 10's had good games this weekend. I would still have Farrell starting at 10 ahead of Sexton and Biggar myself.

Farrell at 12 for me. His passing is limited, both interceptions at weekend came from poor attempts at spreading the ball wide and he threw some other poor long passes. His passing close to the line and short range has come on very well and was a threat. Because Farrell has a limited assign range you need some serious power in the midfield to work his game and the Lions don't have that.