Gallagher Premiership 2019/20

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Table

Pos	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Pts Difference	Bonus	Points
1	Northampton Saints	7	5	2	0	194	146	48	3	23
2	Exeter Chiefs	6	4	2	0	142	97	45	4	20
3	Gloucester Rugby	7	3	4	0	149	121	28	6	18
4	Bristol Bears	7	3	3	1	157	165	-8	4	18
5	Bath Rugby	7	4	3	0	139	145	-6	1	17
6	Worcester Warriors	7	4	3	0	122	144	-22	1	17
7	Sale Sharks	7	3	4	0	144	105	39	5	17
8	Harlequins	7	3	3	1	158	169	-11	3	17
9	London Irish	7	2	4	1	128	179	-51	2	12
10	Wasps	7	2	5	0	134	191	-57	3	11
11	Leicester Tigers	7	1	5	1	118	191	-76	0	6
12	Saracens	6	5	1	0	158	87	71	-32	-13

Bath
Last Season - 6th

Players in: Lewis Boyce (Prop), Christian Judge (Prop), Will Stuart (Prop), Mike Williams (Utility Forward), Josh McNally (Second Row), Ollie Fox (Scrum Half)
Promoted from Academy: Miles Reid, Will Vaughan, Sam Nixon, Tom de Glanville, Will Britton, Jack Davies, Tom Doughty, Levi Davis promoted (X Factor permitting)

Players Out: Dave Attwood (Second Row), Paul Grant (Back Row), Luke Charteris (Second Row), James Wilson (Utility Back), Kahn Fotuali'i (Scrum Half), Jacques van Rooyen (Prop), Jack Wilson (Wing), Cooper Vuna (Wing), Anthony Perenise (Prop), Michael van Vuuren (Hooker), Max Lahiff (Prop)


Bristol Bears
Last Season - 9th

Players in: Dave Attwood (Second Row), Nathan Hughes (Back Row), Nicky Thomas (Prop), Max Lahiff (Prop), Tyrese Johnson-Fisher (Wing)
Promoted from Academy: Sam Bedlow, John Hawkins, Toby Fricker

Players out: Nick Haining (Back Row), George Smith (Back Row), Nick Fenton-Wells (Back Row), Joe Latta (Second Row), Tusi Pisi (Fly Half), Sione Faletau (Prop), Jack Lam (Back Row)


Exeter Chiefs
Last Season: Runners Up

Players in: Stuart Hogg (Full Back), Will Witty (Second Row), Tom Price (Second Row), Stan South (Utility Forward), Jannes Kirsten (Utility Forward), Jacques Vermeulen (Utility Forward)

Players out: Santiago Cordero (Wing/FB), Tom Lawday (Back Row), Moray Low (Prop), Ollie Atkins (Second Row), Mitch Lees (Second Row)


Gloucester
Last Season: 3rd

Players in: Joe Simpson (Scrum Half), Jamal Ford-Robinson (Prop), Chris Harris (Centre), Corne Fourie (Prop)
Promoted from Academy: Charlie Chapman, Alex Seville, Alex Craig, Ciaran Knight, Tom Seabrook, Henry Walker

Players out: Paddy McAllister (Prop), Gareth Denman (Prop), Kyle Traynor (Prop) Tom Savage (Second Row), Gareth Evans (Back Row), Ben Vellacott (Scrum Half), Henry Purdy (Centre/Wing)


Harlequins
Last Season 4th

Players in: Santiago Garcias Botta (Prop), Martin Landajo (Scrum Half), Michele Campagnaro (Centre), Scott Baldwin (Hooker), Stephan Lewies (Second Row), Glen Young (Second Row), Will Evans (Flanker), Simon Kerrod (Prop), Tom Lawday (Back Row), Travis Ismaiel (Wing), Veriniki Goneva (Wing), Tevita Cavubati (Second Row)

Players out: Alofa Alofa (Utility Back), George Merrick (Second Row), Lewis Boyce (Prop), James Horwill (Second Row), Josh Ibuanokpe (Prop), Tim Visser (Wing), Charlie Walker(Wing), Demitir Catrakilis (Fly Half), Mat Luamanu (Back Row), Luke Wallace (Flanker), Stan South (Second Row), Dave Ward (Hooker), Dave Lewis (Scrum Half), Ben Glynn (Second Row)


Leicester Tigers
Last season 11th

Players in: Jordan Taufua (Back Row), Noel Reid (Fly Half/Centre), Calum Green (Second Row), Jaco Taute (Centre), Tomas Lavanini (Second Row), Nephi Leatigaga (Prop), Charlie Clare (Hooker), Joe Thomas (Centre), Johnny McPhillips (Fly Half), EW Viljoen (Utility Back), Hanro Liebenberg (Back Row), Jordan Coghlan (Back Row)
Promoted from Academy: Tom Hardwicke, Joe Heyes, Sam Lewis, Jordan Olowefela, Tommy Reffell, Sam Aspland Robinson, Harry Simmons, Ben White

Players out: Matt Toomua (Centre), Mike Williams (Utility Forward), Graham Kitchener (Second Row), Mathew Tait (Utility Back), Will Evans (Flanker), Tom Varndell (Winger), James Voss (Second Row), Matt Smith (Centre), Gareth Owen (Centre), Michael Fitzgerald (Second Row), Brendon O'Connor (Back Row), Valentino Mapapalangi (Back Row), Fred Tuilagi (Back Row), Leonardo Sarto (Wing),  Joe Ford (Fly Half), David Feao (Prop), David Denton (Back Row), Ross McMillan (Hooker), Campese Ma'afu (Prop), Charlie Thacker (Centre)


London Irish
Last Season: Promoted

Players in: Allan Dell (Prop), Nick Phipps (Scrum Half), Curtis Rona (Wing), Sean O'Brien (Back Row), Sekope Kepu (Prop), Paddy Jackson (Fly Half), Waisake Naholo (Wing), Adam Coleman (Second Row), Ruan Botha (Second Row), Steve Mafi (Utility Forward), George Nott (Utility Forward)

Players Out: Josh McNally (Second Row), Ian Keatley (Fly Half), Brendan McKibbin (Centre), Mike Coman (Back Row), Tommy Bell (Utility Back), Topsy Ojo (Wing), Fergus Mulchrone (Centre), Luke McLean (Full Back), Sebastian de Chaves (Second Row), Ofisa Treviranus (Back Row), Greig Tonks (Utility Back),  Napolioni Nalaga (Wing), Sam Twomey (Second Row), Filo Paulo (Second Row), Manasa Saulo (Prop)


Northampton Saints
Last Season: 4th

Players in: Matt Proctor (Utility back), Owen Franks (Prop), Ryan Olowofela (Wing), Henry Taylor (Scrum Half), Michael van Vuuren (Hooker)
Promoted from Academy: Ehren Painter, Fraser Dingwall,  James Grayson,  Alex Mitchell,  Alex Moon

Players Out: Luther Burrell (Centre), Jamal Ford-Robinson (Prop), James Craig (Utility Forward), James Haskell (Back Row), Dominic Barrow (Second Row), Nafi Tuitavake (Wing), Ken Pisi (Centre)


Sale Sharks
Last Season: 7th

Players in: Jake Cooper-Woolley (Prop), Robert du Preez (Fly Half), Akker van der Merwe (Hooker), Lood de Jager (Second Row), Coenie Oosthuizen (Prop), Dan du Preez (Utility Forward), Jean-Luc du Preez (Back Row), Simon Hammersley (Full Back), Mark Wilson (Back Row)

Players Out: Andrei Ostrikov (Second Row), Mark Jennings (Centre), Alexandru Țăruș (Prop), Johnny Leota (Centre),  Paolo Odogwu (Wing), James O'Connor (Utility Back), Josh Strauss (Back Row), George Nott (Utility Forward)


Saracens
Last Season: Champions

Players in: Elliot Daly (Utility back), Rhys Carré (Prop), Jack Singleton (Hooker), Josh Ibuanokpe (Prop)
Promoted from Academy: Alistair Crossdale, Dominic Morris

Players out: Christopher Tolofua (Hooker), Sione Vailanu (Back Row), Hayden Thompson-Stringer (Prop), David Strettle (Wing), Henry Taylor (Scrum Half) Dominic Day (Second Row), Marcelo Bosch (Centre), Schalk Burger (Back Row)


Wasps
Last Season: 8th

Players in: Malakai Fekitoa (Centre), Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Prop), Ben Vellacott (Scrum Half), Matteo Minozzi (Utility back), Sione Vailanu (Back row), Biyi Alo (Prop), Paolo Odogwu (Wing), Zach Kibirige (wing)
Promoted from academy:  Will Porter,  Callum Sirker,  Sam Spink,  Tom Willis,  Tim Cardall,  Gabriel Oghre,  Owain James, Jacob Umaga

Players out: Jake Cooper-Woolley (Prop), Nathan Hughes (Back row), Will Stuart (Prop), Elliot Daly (Centre), Joe Simpson (Scrum half), Willie le Roux (Full Back), Michele Campagnaro (Centre), Kearnan Myall (Second Row), Gabiriele Lovobalavu (Centre), Matt Mullan (Prop)


Worcester Warriors
Last Season 10th

Players in: Graham Kitchener (Second Row), Jono Kitto (Scrum Half), Melani Nanai (Wing), Ed Fidow (Wing)
Promoted from Academy: Andrew Kitchener,  Ted Hill

Players out:  Bryce Heem (Wing), Josh Adams (Wing), Darren Barry (Second Row), Wynand Olivier (Centre), Dewald Potgieter (Back row), Jack Singleton (Hooker), Jonny Arr (Scrum half), Carl Kirwan (Back row), Luke Baldwin (Scrum Half), Ben Te'o (Centre), Alafoti Fa'osiliva (Back row)

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I didn't want to look like it was sour grapes, but I agree with the offside and slowing down bit. Coleman was well offside when he charged down Taylor's kick for their third try, I was jumping up and down that he didn't even look when BT were showing it over and over again.

Whats your take on the Reinach tackle LT, apart from just amazing.

Got to admit that I was expecting a penalty try as I could see that it could be deemed as a high tackle being that Reinach's arm slid over the shoulder.

Saints were not helped by the injuries that devastated the 3/4s or the points missed by Grayson.

If the tackle Smyler was pinged for was deemed high when it was nowhere near the neck, more like a bearhug around the chest, then Reinach's one surely was as although it ended up just with his hand on the shoulder it started off nearer the neck - we've certainly seen plenty of them given as seatbelt tackles before.

Ref had a shocker for both sides tbh ...

Wasps preparing for the trip to Tigers on Saturday by... sacking Dai Young.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/live-wasps-dai-young-17726902

Dai has been relieved of first team duties, and Lee Blackett is taking the reins for the moment. Statement from Wasps is to the point:

"Director of Rugby Dai Young will be stepping back from first-team duties for an interim period. Lee Blackett will step up to Interim Head Coach. Further announcements will be made in due course."

Hmmm.

Stepping back for an interim period? Does that mean he's coming back...?

Lots of Wasps noise that Dai's not been sacked, and is standing aside. Howley the name in the frame to replace, come the end of the season.

Rinsure wrote:Lots of Wasps noise that Dai's not been sacked, and is standing aside. Howley the name in the frame to replace, come the end of the season.

Wouldnt bet against Wasps to go down next season then

Rinsure wrote:Lots of Wasps noise that Dai's not been sacked, and is standing aside. Howley the name in the frame to replace, come the end of the season.

'Hes not sacked he's just resting

Dai Young, the Norwegian Blue of rugby managers.

Poor Sarries now Allianz pull out

Rinsure wrote:Lots of Wasps noise that Dai's not been sacked, and is standing aside. Howley the name in the frame to replace, come the end of the season.

Bloody awful replacement, but as long as he is applying his expertise outside of Wales I'm happy.

I thought Dai Young has been very good for Wasps, they've at points been a brilliant team to watch even with all the off-field issues.

A fresh face could help now though as they may be stale

yappysnap wrote:I thought Dai Young has been very good for Wasps, they've at points been a brilliant team to watch even with all the off-field issues.

A fresh face could help now though as they may be stale

If the rumours are true and Dai is unhappy with the signings and Wasps spending then maybe it has come to a head and both sides have decided it's best to step back. There's been some big names leave and the front five recruitment has been average despite the obvious need for a number of years.

Leicester Tigers (v Wasps, Welford Road, Saturday 3.00pm)

15 Telusa Veainu

14 Jonah Holmes

13 Jaco Taute

12 Kyle Eastmond

11 Rory Hughes

10 Tom Hardwick

9 Ben White

1 Greg Bateman

2 Tom Youngs (c)

3 Dan Cole

4 Tomás Lavanini

5 Will Spencer

6 Hanro Liebenberg

7 Jordan Taufua

8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Tatafu Polota-Nau

17 Nephi Leatigaga

18 Joe Heyes

19 Harry Wells

20 Tommy Reffell

21 Harry Simmons

22 Noel Reid

23 George Worth

Tigers going big with Hughes coming in for Owolfela on the wing and Liebenburg back on the flank. The conditions should be poor so I'd assume Tigers will look to make the WR field feel even more narrow than usual and turn the game into a forward based arm wrestle.

No news on Owolfela but Guy Thompson and Calum Green are both out injured. We're missing a few due to England call ups.

9 academy graduates in the 23.

And Lee Blackett's Wasps side to play the 6N depleted Tigers:

Wasps (First-team appearances)
15 Marcus Watson (41)
14 Zach Kibirige (15)
13 Michael Le Bourgeois (29)
12 Jimmy Gopperth (92)
11 Josh Bassett (115)
10 Jacob Umaga (17)
9 Dan Robson (cc) (111)
1 Simon McIntyre (165)
2 Tommy Taylor (62)
3 Kieran Brookes (32)
4 Will Rowlands (83)
5 Thibaud Flament (12)
6 Jack Willis (50)
7 Thomas Young (cc) (110)
8 Nizaam Carr (52)

Replacements
16 Gabriel Oghre (16)
17 Zurabi Zhvania (33)
18 Biyi Alo (7)
19 Brad Shields (22)
20 Sione Vailanu (15)
21 Sam Wolstenholme (8)
22 Billy Searle (20)
23 Sam Spink (4)

Jacob back from England camp to start at 10. No Fekitoa or JDJ due to injury, so Booj starts at 13 (hmm). James Gaskell's out with injury so Flament comes into the second row.

Good to see Zhvania and Shields back from injury on the bench!

Looking forward to this one, I'm going, hope the weather isn't as forecast and we get some good rugby.

In other news, still no update from the club on the Dai situation, nothing on the website, twitter, nada....

That's a very mobile Wasps team, a lot of pace particularly in the back three. The Tigers fans on the Crumbie terrace will be doing a rain dance before hand in a hope that is slows those boys down.

Around the park you'd back the Wasps pack but in the tight it should all be Tigers so interesting one.

Wasps choice of playmakers at 10 and 12 is a good choice with the forecast conditions. Be interesting to see Umaga Vs Hardwick. Hardwick was the younger man coming through the academy behind Umaga when Wasps offered Umaga senior wages over the development contract Tigers had offered him it was thought that Tigers refused to blink in the negotiations because they were confident that Hardwick would develop into a good player.

Hardwick is the son of former Coventry prop Rob Hardwick?

Rinsure wrote:Hardwick is the son of former Coventry prop Rob Hardwick?

Yep.

Conditions in Leicestershire are very windy with a scattering of rain. Going to be tough for the back three and half backs. Hookers have a great excuse for the squint lineouts.

Gopperth is pulling all the strings in this game so far, his experience is looking like it could be key.

Should have been a yellow card for Wasps that. I think of the ref had seen it rather than the touch judge it might have been. Turnover ball and never onside makes the tackle.

Rolling maul then motors from the lineout but is blatantly tackled at the side. Nothing given. Ref is very poor at the maul.

A typical Tigers passage of play there. Turn down the three, conservative touch finder is 15m out from the corner, lose the line-out throwing to the front.

Tigers line-out is abject.

With Spencer, Wells and Liebenberg we aren't short of targets even with Lavanini not the strongest jumpers.

king_carlos wrote:A typical Tigers passage of play there. Turn down the three, conservative touch finder is 15m out from the corner, lose the line-out throwing to the front.

Very much felt like all the leaders are forwards and want to have a fight in the maul. In a way that's not been the best idea because sir is letting Wasps sack it from the side every other time (there's been some interesting entry at the ruck as well).

Gopperth has been the difference so far, he's guided Wasps well within the Tigers half. Tigers have looked a bit inaccurate in the Wasps half and have had more time there.

king_carlos wrote:Tigers line-out is abject.

With Spencer, Wells and Liebenberg we aren't short of targets even with Lavanini not the strongest jumpers.

Low on confidence clearly. Wasps are jumping at the front with a lightweight backrow each time so they are up quick. Youngs fires them in quite low so they know they can disrupt that way. In the conditions a hooker lacking confidence isn't going to go high and long. Whatever happened to ye olde dummy and throw to the fat boy at the front? That would isolate the committed lifting pod at the front for Wasps.

Throwing to the front so rarely works these days. Rewind 15 years ago and jumping was a specialist skill set still. The England 03 pack had two brilliant flankers who hardly jumped in Hill and Back. These days almost all young flankers are good in the air so defensive line-outs are a lot more aggressive. As seen with Willis here, Curry and Ludlam for England.

At the very least our hookers need to be able to throw a lob over that first man to hit the middle of the line-out. It's not the best attacking ball but does give a consistent means of recycling ball. Jamie George is very good at that in poor conditions. As is Rob Herring for Ulster and now Ireland.

Tigers desperately need to sign starting quality at hooker and a second row to partner Lavanini.

So sacking a lifter is a yellow card but you can kill a turnover break where most of your players aren't in the defensive line where you are miles offside and it's nothing? The Wasps players have decided that by questioning the ref, weak officiating after he'd said it's not a card.

Thomas Young even ran round to the back of that maul at the end there to grab the ball. Ridiculous, come on sir.

Inconsistent officiating but Tigers are their own worst enemy. Trying to get the maul moving before the ball is set at the back. If the ref is letting players come round then getting the ball back through at least two forwards to seperate from the defence becomes even more vital.

We've created all our own problems this half by not sorting the restarts. Two restarts and we've twice given Wasps time in our 22 on the back of them.

The Dallaligio Wasps love in is now in full swing. I have no idea how he still has a job.

I'd have rather gone back to the corner from that penalty than the one at the end of the first half. Lavanini was binned for sacking a mual in the red zone. Surely try to build that pressure of cumulative penalties on the Wasps pack.

Brilliant restart from Umaga.

Fortunate for Tigers there. Not straight by a mile then I thought Youngs lost his bind when he slipped!

king_carlos wrote:Inconsistent officiating but Tigers are their own worst enemy. Trying to get the maul moving before the ball is set at the back. If the ref is letting players come round then getting the ball back through at least two forwards to seperate from the defence becomes even more vital.

See what you mean about the transfering the ball back, very lazy movement of the ball.

Old school try that. Worrying the ref wasn't playing advantage with several binding clearly in the side again. Surely only a matter of time before one of the Wasps forwards goes to the bin.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

king_carlos wrote:Inconsistent officiating but Tigers are their own worst enemy. Trying to get the maul moving before the ball is set at the back. If the ref is letting players come round then getting the ball back through at least two forwards to seperate from the defence becomes even more vital.

See what you mean about the transfering the ball back, very lazy movement of the ball.

It happens so often with Tigers and absolutely infuriates me. When you start jumping/lifting in the line-out the first thing forwards get taught is transfer of the ball and being set before you start moving.

Good maulers such as the Boks will often be driven back whilst setting up the ball but they don't panic and know that once it's set-up they can go for the shove or at least can easily get the ball out.

Our forwards are slowly, if messily getting an advantage over Wasps here.

Tigers don't deserve to be up but somehow we are. This is the sort of game Tigers have managed to lose in recent years. Come on guys. Lets win ugly and start looking up the table.

Rory Hughes what a moron. Absolutely stupid penalty to give away. He's not impressed so far.

That's a tickle of the shoulder with the hand, nowhere near the neck or head but Dayglo thinks it's a high tackle because it stops Wasps scoring.

Wasps robbed, it was a high tackle

Leicester benefit from the wrong call again!

TightHEAD wrote:Leicester benefit from the wrong call again!

someone's got their spoon out.

Umaga saw the tackler coming in and panics trying to release the pass to early. He can see it's on as well which is why he really rushes it.

Home crowd playing a weak Ref.

TightHEAD wrote:Home crowd playing a weak Ref.

Sadly not as well as the Wasps co-captains have been.

As a neutral, a difficult game to watch. I think Leicester have deserved the victory (calling it early) based on the second half. Wasn't a high tackle on Kibirige, reckon he will be really disappointed with his finishing, a decent premiership winger should be expected to finish that off.

Cumbrian wrote:As a neutral, a difficult game to watch.  I think Leicester have deserved the victory (calling it early) based on the second half.  Wasn't a high tackle on Kibirige, reckon he will be really disappointed with his finishing, a decent premiership winger should be expected to finish that off.

I think he transferred to a single hand too early. With the weather you're guaranteed to slide. Always better to took into the chest with both hands. As soon as it's away from the body in these conditions then it's at risk.

Is it me? Or do players suddenly start getting talked up when they get called up to other nations' international teams? Commentators were praising Rowlands to high heavens earlier, despite simply doing what any competent lock should do and suddenly Tompkins is the next Sonny Bill when he gets into the Welsh team! Both are decent player, but I feel the hyperbole police should be called sometimes...

I thought Rowlands was bullied in the tight exchanges to be honest, the little niggle he tried to inject after conceding the maul penalty got him a little jab in the eye from Tom Youngs (he'll get a week or two on the naughty step but if you're going to drop into someone trapped in a collapsed maul you deserve it). Same problems for Wasps, tight five getting dominated and not providing the platform.

I always thought Tigers we're a touch lucky Wasps persevered with Umaga for so long. If Gopperth had stepped in at 10 I think we'd have been in more trouble.

Huge benefit for Tigers having Liebenburg back he was massive for us on the flank.

Nice result for Irish at Quins including a TBP. They seem to go from one extreme to the other so will probably lose 50 nil at home next week.

TightHEAD wrote:Wasps robbed, it was a high tackle

high tackle.....

Daglo shouldn't be allowed to commentate on Wasps games. The moment where he said "I don't know why the Tigers fans are booing, as soon as he has the ball the Wasps forwards can touch him"

This was at a line out whilst the Tigers player was still in the air. I couldn't make my mind up if it was too many bangs to his head or his Wasps bias showing.

nathan wrote:Daglo shouldn't be allowed to commentate on Wasps games. The moment where he said "I don't know why the Tigers fans are booing, as soon as he has the ball the Wasps forwards can touch him"

This was at a line out whilst the Tigers player was still in the air. I couldn't make my mind up if it was too many bangs to his head or his Wasps bias showing.

" I don't know why they're booing there was no contact in the air, it was fine". As the Wasps player wraps both arms round the chest of the Tigers player in the air to stop him releasing the ball.

He was embarrassingly bad.

Austin and Ben Kay normally do Tigers games, it's sickening!