Gallagher Premiership 2020/21

First topic message reminder :

The new season starts next weekend. What are people's hopes and expectations?

I will certainly be watching as I am really interested to see how he goes. I should be waking up by then......

Looking at those sides I'd expect a tough game. The Bristol back line is of course outstanding but with players missing in the front row and Falcons pack in such good form it could be fairly tight.

Blamire has a great chance to make an impact against the depleted Bristol front row.

Gooseberry wrote:Pretty much garauntee the solution will be a 13 team premiership for next season. Its by far the most sensible solution and certainly the one PRL would collectively take. It would be in noones interest to see Saracens down in the chump league again and inevitably lead to legal action.

As it is having some abandoned games is arguably good in the medium term for the welfare of players in what will be a very long season

To your point, some years ago the NFL instituted 'bye' weeks. The weeks off were staggered so teams were off at different points of the season, usually during the mid weeks of the season. So, the NFL had a 17 week schedule, but the teams still played the usual 16. It lengthened the season by one week, increased tv revenue, and players had a rest part way through the season.

To me this was a unique instance where player welfare was completely aligned with making more money. The problem in Rugby is a 22 week league season with a minimum of 6 Euro Rugby matches, plus playoffs, plus internationals. This is grossly irresponsible and insane from a player welfare point of view, but it is good for my business......

Hope everyone is well! Almost time for BristolWales to beat Newcastle.

Joe Simmonds OBE? Can anyone explain that to me..?

Double winning captain.

Really? For an OBE?
Seems excessive...

Oh dear Arscott

Not a great start, mate. But there is time to settle.

Arscott is Jekyll and Hyde. He does that then will do something special later...

Well have that. Our own Fijian flyer...

You guys had a super maul going. And ended with that nice try. Your forwards are good.

They are better than we have had for quite a number of years.

But a few of them look physically bigger and more powerful this season.

But we shall see...

Well theres definitely lots of tries ha ha

I missed that Bristol score - serves me right for going into the kitchen to talk to my wife!

Arscott is having his Mr Hyde game sadly. .

Flood giving a lecture. I like that. Leadership.

Our mauls are quality.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Our mauls are quality.  

Really good. Enjoyable to watch. And that should help out later in the match...

Their young front row is struggling in the scrums

With the yellow, now is the time....

Bad mistake by De Walt

Yes...we had to score there

So typical of Wilson to finish it off when Falcons really needed to. It's great seeing him back fit.

Fuser has impressed me every time he's played for Falcons, I'm really surprised he's not in the Italy setup.

Great try, and was overdue.
Will leave you for the second half. My club has it's traditional New year's day touch Rugby. Gotta leave. Good luck in the second half.

king_carlos wrote:Fuser has impressed me every time he's played for Falcons, I'm really surprised he's not in the Italy setup.

Yes he is KC but i also think Peterson has been a great signing for us. Seemed to have mixed reviews from Leicester fans but he does a basic job for us and hes been hugely effective.

Petersen has been much better at Falcons that Tigers. He's had a few years development though to be fair. Good to see he kicked on. Similar to Calum Green.

Brilliant offload from Blamire and ridiculous tackle from O'Connor to hold up Orlandi.

That's a tough call with the scrum still moving...

We are our own undoing in this game. We are leaving tries out there and you cant afford to do that against Bristol.

And Orlando just starting to come in to the game...

Finally Falcons finish it off.

It's interesting seeing Blamire taking on the tap and go role that LCD goes for near the posts. He's great ball in hand.

Orlando is impressive in attack too.

Blamire is class KC. We are lucky we have hom and Mcguigan. And we have another young Scott whos built like a cannon ball coming through also

Well thats some try...

No its not..

Does flatman not know that Cooper has been moved permanently to LH? Clearly not.

I think this one has just slipt away from us now.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Really? For an OBE?
Seems excessive...

The novelty is starting to ware off. Some people have even been giving it back...

Sinckler and Randall made a huge impact in the second half.

Good to see Sinckler finding some form at Bristol.

Our mistakes have been crucial.  We've left tries out there. But you give world class players, like Bristol have, chances..and they take them.

Im still happy we've given them a good game.

Though id like to have got that 4th try ..

Is Randall English? Is he not being looked at for England?

GeordieFalcon wrote:Is Randall English? Is he not being looked at for England?

Born in England but spent a significant portion of his school years in Wales. Played Wales under 16s and England under 20s. I think Wales talked to him about a possible call up during the Autumn Internationals.

Leicester: Steward; van Wyk, Taute, Scott, Nadolo; Ford, B Youngs; Genge, T Youngs (capt), Cole, Wells, Green, Martin, Liebenberg, Wiese.

Replacements: Clare, Leatigaga, Heyes, Henderson, Wallace, van Poortvliet, Henry, Murimurivalu.

Bath: Watson; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Redpath, McConnochie; Priestland, Spencer; Obano, Dunn, Stuart, McNally, Ewels (capt, Faletau, Underhill, Mercer.

Replacements: Walker, Schoeman, Judge, Stooke, Bayliss, Reid, Chudley, Matavesi.

Borthwick is self isolating and judging by the Tigers team I'd presume a few players are too. Lavanini, Reffell, Taufua, Brink and Moroni would presumably be involved if available. Ben White potentially too but Jack van Poortvliet has impressed enough that I'm very happy for him to be involved.

From a Tigers perspective, delighted to see Martin back fit and in the first XV. He's a huge talent. It's a big Tigers back row that's for sure.

I think that is pretty much full strength for Bath. Cokanasiga might start if fit and on form but it's still a very good back three, all of whom I'd probably select ahead of big Joe at the moment. The only other absences would be bench props with Boyce and Thomas (of course, sadly...) both absent.

I'm expecting a good game between those sides. Genge and Cole against Obano and Stuart will be a good battle.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Is Randall English? Is he not being looked at for England?

Born in England but spent a significant portion of his school years in Wales. Played Wales under 16s and England under 20s. I think Wales talked to him about a possible call up during the Autumn Internationals.

He wasn’t interested, smacks of ‘tie him in’ as we have decent stock at 9. If he has both options going forward then good luck to him in whatever decision he makes.

mikey_dragon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Is Randall English? Is he not being looked at for England?

Born in England but spent a significant portion of his school years in Wales. Played Wales under 16s and England under 20s. I think Wales talked to him about a possible call up during the Autumn Internationals.

He wasn’t interested, smacks of ‘tie him in’ as we have decent stock at 9. If he has both options going forward then good luck to him in whatever decision he makes.

I thought it was more a case of WOL reported that he was technically still qualified inspite of having moved back to England rather than Pivac actually looking at him, even with the injuries Wales were hardly short on candidates young or experienced. He made the comments about being English when he made the move to Gloucester, the same interview quotes are being trotted out again after yesterdays game. Hes played for Englander Under 20s since then.

Apparently Jones did say he had the potential to play for England at the start of 2019 season, but I cant help feeling some of the press hype is down to Barberry getting injured and them needing something else to overegg....he was only on the pitch for 15 minutes of this game and has only just started to become a regular starter at club level.

Randall has been starting games regularly ever since joining Bristol.

He was injured a bit with Hartpury if I remember correctly but played 80 minutes pretty much every time he was available.

18/19 - 13 starts, 11 bench appearances
19/20 - 17 starts, 14 bench appearances
20/21 - 5 starts, 2 bench appearances

Those are his stats with Bristol. Worth noting he started both the Champions Cup games ahead of Uren recently.

He rotates with Uren as both are very good scrum-halves but Randall has over 50 caps from his first two seasons in the Premiership. Fair to say he's made an immediate impact since stepping up to first XV rugby.

What happened to the Falcons in the second half? By halftime, it looked like the Falcon's forwards were getting an increasing edge on Bristol. And I thought you could have had another try. Then I turn off the tv and go out and it looks like everything fell apart. As my wife would say: It must be my fault....

doctor_grey wrote:What happened to the Falcons in the second half?  By halftime, it looked like the Falcon's forwards were getting an increasing edge on Bristol.  And I thought you could have had another try.  Then I turn off the tv and go out and it looks like everything fell apart.  As my wife would say:  It must be my fault....

Sinckler and latterly Randall coming on made a big difference for Bristol, whilst Orlando and the starting Falcons front row getting subbed hit Falcons a bit.

I actually thought Newcastle did well to stop Bristol pulling away more in the final 20. They were being put under a lot of pressure but largely hung in there.

king_carlos wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:What happened to the Falcons in the second half?  By halftime, it looked like the Falcon's forwards were getting an increasing edge on Bristol.  And I thought you could have had another try.  Then I turn off the tv and go out and it looks like everything fell apart.  As my wife would say:  It must be my fault....

Sinckler and latterly Randall coming on made a big difference for Bristol, whilst Orlando and the starting Falcons front row getting subbed hit Falcons a bit.

I actually thought Newcastle did well to stop Bristol pulling away more in the final 20. They were being put under a lot of pressure but largely hung in there.

There was also the inexplicably bad defence for Hughes try where Falcons had literally no fringe maul defence allowing Hughes to just run over the Falcons scrum half (with a run up) on the way to the try line.

Falcons blew several clear try scoring chances. De Walt should be taking quite a bit of the blame losing control of the ball at the base of a scrum that was hurtling towards the try line and then ignoring the screams of the ref to use it at another scrum only a few metres out and not letting the scrum half near the ball. Both led to turnovers instead of points. Orlandi getting held up didn't help either.

Exeter pack looks odd. Armand at 5?

Armand's been playing second row so far this season. With Kirsten injured (I think) plus Gray and Hill on international duty Baxter seems to have decided to just get his best available players on the pitch.

The back row is stacked as well to be fair Simmonds, Ewers and Vermeulen backed up by England U20 players Tuima, Capstick and Hinckley.