Jeff Round 2

First topic message reminder :

I'm not sure if anyone is going to do this weeks fixtures so here's a short version to get discussion going. I've watched a few games on the weekend but to be honest most of the write up's just speculation and opinion.

Friday 8th September 2017
Sale Sharks 19:45 Newcastle
Sale lost their opening game of the weekend and many have thought they may struggle this season. Apparently their pack is too weak to compete, no matter how well drilled Diamond will have them, their backline has the potential to cause damage if they can get some good ball. Falcons won their opening game against Wuss, it's difficult to base too much on that performance though as Wuss could be terrible. Falcons have shown a harder edge recently though and in Richards they have a good coach. Home advantage to win out over two pretty equal teams imo. Sale by 5


Saturday 9th September 2017
Bath 14:00 Saracens
Bath looked powerful on the weekend and their pack should be able to compete with Sarries far better then Saints did. Their backs too worked well at times. Saracens looked unstoppable for most of the game, but how much of that was due to their opponents being crap? Either way I expect Saracens to be too good for Bath. Saracens by 3

Exeter 15:00 London Irish
Exeter had a surprise loss on Friday, they'll be pissed that Glos managed such a late win and will look to make amends at home now, expect a big, nasty performance with lots of mauls and cross kicks. Irish had a good win on Sat and should be well up for this game, travelling away to the champs may be a bridge too far though and a bp loss would be great for them. Can't see it though, Exeter by 15

Harlequins 15:00 Gloucester
Harlequins need to sort their Poopie out. Gloucester surprised everyone including themselves by beating Exeter. The two most topsy turvy teams could at least provide an entertaining, if low skill game which either could find a way to lose. Quins to manage to win it by 2

Northampton 16:30 Leicester
Saints were hammered by Saracens and will be hurting, I see this going two ways; either they use that humiliation to come out fighting against Tigers, or they've given up and Tigers will roll over them. Leicester could have won against Bath but didn't, on paper both teams are strong but Tigers seem to actually be coached. Tigers by 10


Sunday 10th September 2017
Worcester 15:00 Wasps
Wuss are already tipped for the drop. Wasps are looking strong. Wasps by 20 unless the weather and a gnarly Worcester side slow them down.

Surely that's a penalty on Matavesi

Sharks lucky to get away with that interference

Although I still think unlucky to have the try disallowed ...

De Klerk is playing really well

How many handling errors now for sale.

Heaf2 wrote:Although I still think unlucky to have the try disallowed ...

Oh I thought it was completely the correct decision

Not sure Tait should be penalised for that!

I think Cameron Nield needs to move to the back row.

Christ, that is 40mins I will never get back...

I think Falcons will be happy to be only 3 behind after that half ... wonder if Sale will swap their hooker ...

Unfortunately I'm going to have to watch the rest later ... looks like you may be on your own here now - don't get lonely

Ah - just spotted Cumbrian has arrived to keep you company

Utter, utter tripe by both sides.

I see Matevesi is modelling himself on big Bill Cavubati

Share the pain eh?

Not sure why Matavesi is being started over Socino. I cant work that one out.

But its irrelevant we're second best in the pack.

Yay, the second half has started!

Sean Robinson finally makes an appearance.

Poor sod Nield has been on camera more on the bench than he was on the field!

Wow the combined meters gained by our forwards is.....8m!

Sums it up

To be fair, both sides are living off side and it is pissing down, I don't want to be too negative.

Sale are going to win this bar a bit of genius from Goneva...

We're playing for the losing BP.

No way!

Get in!

Its plummeted into carnage...

Ill take the win...but we have no right to have won that and Sae gave it away!

True enough, have sympathy with fellow northerners but will take the win!  Top of the league again! Temporarily!

We'll get 100 points on us by Sarracens in Phili if we play like that.

Unless the contract rumours are true that he had to make sure all the top players are there.

Both sides were poor, but Sale were pathetic. 2 games in and they're definite relegation fodder

Great result, awful game, pretty poor performance by us. Could be both Sale and us are in trouble if we don't improve. Equally though, crap conditions and as Cumbrian said, not helped by both teams camping offside.

Geordie I agree, Matavesi was an odd move but it's the pack that needs a rocket. We look underpowered, very little carrying, pretty lacklustre rucking. We got away with it today.

Agree Hood...the pack looks lightweight , powerless and purely there to tackle and ruck. We need to serious power carriers in there.

Even Witty did nothing.

That Saints pack should put serious pressure on a Tigers line-out that was poor at best last week. Lawes, Paterson, Day and Gibson as jumpers. Tigers arguably are a jumper lighter than last week with Ryan a stronger jumper than Hamilton.

On a different note I really hope something is done about the increasing trend for hookers to take a step towards their side of the line-out once the lines are set. So often hookers now stand in line with their line-out rather than on the mark in the centre of 'the gap'. It allows them to throw 'straight' whilst the ball is basically incontestable to the defending side as it's straight down the attacking sides line. It's the new feeding in the scrum, it's happening more and more, officials must realise but nothing is done as it's easier to ignore so the ball just gets in-and-out of set-piece without more difficult calls needing to be made. Extremely frustrating to watch.

Sale must be kicking themselves after that with the amount of territory and possession they had they should have won easily but blew chance after chance ... I bet Mr D's head nearly exploded.

But then again Hood, those are games we always lose...if we're starting to win games like that then we've turned a corner.

Heaf2 wrote:Sale must be kicking themselves after that with the amount of territory and possession they had they should have won easily but blew chance after chance ... I bet Mr D's head nearly exploded.

It was the same problem they had last season, McGinty isn't the most creative flyhalf. Sale must be desperate to get O'Connor out there.

Ah Anthony Watson...what a great run. Shame that wasn't a try.

Well Saracens making a lot of unforced errors in this game...just getting their bad one out of the way so they'll be perfect against us!

When Priestland plays well, he is a top fly half. Second game he has looked excellent. Biggar may have had more to worry about if Gatland did not have a dislike of Priestland's style of play.

Feel sorry for brits there, barns should of waved play on. It's not in the spirit of the game

Well I hope Sarries stuff Bath in the 2nd half now - can't stand that cynical buying of penalties ... WB should have pinged him for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Was that pass from banners to Lowe forward?

Looked suspect

Advantage over because he ran sideways lol

Disgusting decision there, he could easily still make the tackle

Think Saracens will take this now

GeordieFalcon wrote:Think Saracens will take this now

Really hope so

I missed the unsportmanship incident...what happened?

GeordieFalcon wrote:I missed the unsportmanship incident...what happened?

Brits was running back onside, ducked low to get out the way and the bath 9 clearly through the ball at him. About 2 foot off the floor.

Ah right...

The other thing I'm sick of hearing is that Eddie Jones has already discussed playing for England with Rhodes!

This just has to stop. We have ENGLISH flankers!!!