2017/18 Aviva Premiership Round One

First topic message reminder :

Not on a par with LT but, hopefully, we can keep the discussions separate week by week.

Friday, 1st September

Gloucester vs Exeter Chiefs (19:45) BT Sport
Newcastle Falcons vs Worcester Warriors (19:45)

Saturday, 2nd September

Saracens vs Northampton Saints (14:00) BT Sport
Wasps vs Sale Sharks (15:00)
London Irish vs Harlequins (16:45) BT Sport

Sunday. 3rd September

Leicester Tigers vs Bath (15:00) BT Sport

Chat already started on this general thread: https://www.606v2.com/t65292-jeff-chat
Details lifted from: http://www.premiershiprugby.com/aviva-premiership-rugby-fixtures/

Hood83 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:One of my pals is a season ticket holder at Saints...and after ribbing him about his relegation battle with Worcester this season has challenged me to a bet that the Saints will be above the Falcons this season. I've accepted but still waiting for the stake

For the first time I have a slight bit of confidence in this one...

Would love to finish above them. Big ask as their squad still looks pretty large. I honestly think Mallinder has them firmly in reverse. Their pack now, minus Lawes, looks absolutely rank average.

Well that's the thing hood...I actually do fancy us to finish higher than them...because I think they'll be quite low down this season. not that we'll be top 4 or anything.

See what the bet is for

And they score courtesy of the resulting field position - well done Sir ...

Ooh Mike...naughty boy.

At least they got that right

Come on Tommy

Yes ...

I can't bear this ...

Good play by Yarde there

Holy moly....

Yes another forward pass !!!

Wow this season has started with a BANG!

And a try again after the ref doesn't spot it!

But a nice killer blow for LI and 5 points - who'd have predicted that ?????

Well I'm pretty confident that quins season is going to be another tale of lacklustre coaching being dragged up to mid-table mediocrity by a very good squad of players.

And the great thing is the tries have been good quality, not just the rolling maul stuff ...

I need to have a lie down now ...

The table has an interesting look to it at the moment - would be great if it stayed like that ...

Just about calmed down now after the nerves and excitement of that. Still plenty to work on and areas that will need big improvement through the season, but I've seen enough to feel confident that we have enough not just do survive, but to actually be competitive with the majority of sides. We don't have many star names, but this is a team that is more than the sum of its parts. Super, super happy with that performance and result today.

Me too

Well Lawes started against Itoje......not sure that was very clever?

kingelderfield wrote:Well Lawes started against Itoje......not sure that was very clever?

Not strictly, Itoje started at 6 with Day and Kruis as locks, Isiekwe cam on for the injured Kruis and Itoje didn't move to lock until Rhodes came on late in the second half.

Still doesn't answer the question of why two of the most played Lions were starting the first match of the season though.

Congratulations to the Irish fans - a wonderful return to the top flight for you.

How's the tigers/bath game been going?

Messy then!

A bit scrappy, lots of penalties and handling errors. Leicester have spent the last couple of minutes in the Bath 22.

Tuilagi scores. If anyone deserved a try after the last few years it's him.

Agh, we still turn off far to easy in defence

Discipline and defence was so good right up until that kick chase. After that we've just turned to Poopie. 

Attack we've been wasteful ball in hand.

Been impressed by Cook so far

B91212 wrote:Been impressed by Cook so far

Cook's kept it simple and direct. Perfect when you're away from home.

Ah FFS. Tigers are making unnecessarily hard work of this. Bath have just been warned about their penalty count. Go through the phases, build the pressure.

Great pass by Ford to Roko. Lol

Tigers crowd need to learn the high tackle laws

I liked Cooks decision making in the build up to Clark's second try. Strange game, could be argued that Tigers have been the better team. Score line says very differently though.

TightHEAD wrote:Great pass by Ford to Roko. Lol

3 on 1 outside him. Roko really only had that one play to make. Ford was just to eager to make the killer pass. Story of Tigers half, too eager the get the tries in and so have rushed the basic things. Bath haven't really been in it. Two of their tries were gifted by errors under little pressure. Bath have done the basics and took the chances when they arrived.

TightHEAD wrote:Tigers crowd need to learn the high tackle laws

There's been two penalties already for high tackles against Tigers players and Pearce asked the TMO to check the Joseph tackle. The ref was closer to the tackle than the Tigers fans.

Agreed that it has been an odd game, would say it has been about 50-50 with Leicester perhaps shading it. The difference is that Leicester have been forcing it whilst Bath have simply taken their chances. Tigers will have to play well in the second half because 13 points is a handy lead with Bath's defence looking pretty good.

Bath will surely get a card soon, the amount of times they are of their feet. Having said that the ref has been waving play on so tigers need to do the same

Cook has been good so far, probably the pick of the players out there. Priestland has been solid as well. Joseph has been good marking Tuilagi.

Positives for Tigers:

Toomua, Manu and Logo coming through some heavy impacts. The increase of pace in the back three is making a very noticeable difference. Kitchener and Barrow are winning a big second row battle.

Tigers need to turn the penalty count and scrum pressure into points. Cole to come on at tight head should be a vital moment. The Bath props have impressed in the loose but their technique at the scrum faded as the half went on.

Tigers also need to stop throwing to the front of the line-out. It nullifies attacking options through the middle and makes the maul far easier to defend.

stub wrote:Congratulations to the Irish fans - a wonderful return to the top flight for you.

As an aside, but sort of related to the thread due to Warriors' poor round one performance, Wuss are up for sale apparently with Griffiths (ex Saracens chief) being mooted as leading a consortium.
I'm hoping that this leads to more investment at Worcester but I'm not getting my hopes up at this early stage.

nathan wrote:Bath will surely get a card soon, the amount of times they are of their feet. Having said that the ref has been waving play on so tigers need to do the same

Luke Pearce certainly seems to be giving them a lot a leeway .... not sure about the penalty for offside at the ruck that lead to their 2nd try either.

Why does Genge always have to act like that? It doesn't make him a likeable player.

Is Luke Pearce being paid off in Dysons?

Why do Bath get to stand in the Tigers lineout but when Bath throw in there's a six foot gap and Bath are allowed to throw down their own line?

That was an outstanding restart from Bath.

Cumbrian wrote:That was an outstanding restart from Bath.

It was perfect. The penalty was a poor decision the ball was picked up when the tackle was made the ruck was over.

How was that a Bath scrum penalty? That's a terrible decision. Auterac crumbled to stop Tigers moving forward.

Pearce has made a lot of poor decisions today ...

You taking the piss head?

??? why do you think LP hasn't made a load of mistakes?