Gallagher Premiership 2020/21

First topic message reminder :

That's not a high tackle. Heyes initial contact is the chest. If you're going to review it, review it properly. It's a legal tackle.

How did the assistant miss that the LI player knocks the ball out of JVP's hands and into touch before the Joseph break. It was right in front of him FFS. Lineout Tigers.

Anyway, Tigers blow what should have been a straightforward win and only get 4 instead of 5 points. LI manage to snatch 2 league points with a TBP at the death. Probably a fair result as LI were the better side in the first half but didn't really show up in the second. Hassell-Collins is looking like a really classy player, shame Parton went off.

And LI. Great to have Goodrick-Clark back. Have missed him badly at the set piece.

London Irish:
15 Tom Parton, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Phil Cokanasiga, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Nick Phipps, 1 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 2 Agustin Creevy, 3 Lovejoy Chawatama, 4 George Nott, 5 Rob Simmons, 6 Matt Rogerson (c), 7 Blair Cowan, 8 Albert Tuisue

Replacements:
16 Motu Matu'u, 17 Facundo Gigena, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Ben Donnell, 21 Nic Groom 22 Jacob Atkins, 23 James Stokes

I wonder how the younger guys in the Falcons and LI squads feel about the experienced signings Fearns and Groom joining and immediately going straight into the first team.

Mixed feelings on Fearns Sam.

Hes a heavy duty powerhouse. We dont have many of those really...certainly not in the academy or on the fringe. I think he'll be a welcome addition.

But yes...had it been another Hardie type player id have been furious...many Falcons are getting very restless now with Dean. The talons are starting to come out.

Another Talented young winger Matty Ward, has shattered his leg playing for England u20s against our a team last weekend...big blow but then he hasnt even had a sniff this season...when he should have had plenty of gametime.

It's tough on Englefield especially as he was an unused sub the other week after being a travelling reserve/waterboy all season. Then Groom gets parachuted in.

I guess pragmatically on a short term basis it increases the experience on the bench and gives a proven option in a playmaking position. I think they should have finished the season with what they had though.

They both remind me of the type of thing that Cockers would do towards the end at Tigers. Short term journeyman signing straight in over developing an academy product. Fearns obviously is staying on for longer.

If Fearns has the same impact that Nili Latu had..then i really have no complaints.

But the way Dean has tret Collett for example is shocking...and i wouldnt be surprised to see him leave...and he would be a very good signing for any of the prem teams.

Wasps Centres this weekend..

12 Feikitoa
13 Odogwu

Ha ha now thats got some fireworks about it...

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wasps Centres this weekend..

12 Feikitoa
13 Odogwu

Ha ha now thats got some fireworks about it...

Yup. Without Esterhuizen, Quins have plumped for Northmore (who's usually a 13) and Marchant - which could go very well or very badly. On form, both deserve to be there, and both are exceptionally quick and good ball players. Wasps will need to be very alert to close them down, but equally Quins will need to hit Odogwu in particular before he hits his stride.

Saints side for Gloucester tomorrow:

15 George Furbank
14 Matt Proctor
13 Rory Hutchinson
12 Piers Francis
11 Tommy Freeman
10 Dan Biggar
9 Tom James

1 Alex Waller (co-capt)
2 Sam Matavesi
3 Paul Hill
4 Dave Ribbans
5 Api Ratuniyarawa
6 Tom Wood
7 Lewis Ludlam (co-capt)
8 Teimana Harrison

Replacements:
16 James Fish
17 Nick Auterac
18 Ehren Painter
19 Alex Moon
20 Shaun Adendorff
21 Henry Taylor
22 Fraser Dingwall
23 Taqele Naiyaravoro

Not available due to injury:
Owen Franks (foot), Mikey Haywood (hand), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (achilles), Nick Isiekwe (pectoral), Courtney Lawes (pectoral), Alex Mitchell (ankle), Ryan Olowofela (ankle), Ollie Sleightholme (back) and Kayde Sylvester (achilles).

That is one hell of a bench to finish a match

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wasps Centres this weekend..

12 Feikitoa
13 Odogwu

Ha ha now thats got some fireworks about it...

Yes. Watching them last week I was in complete agreement that Odogwu needs as many touches as possible and that comes at 13.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wasps Centres this weekend..

12 Feikitoa
13 Odogwu

Ha ha now thats got some fireworks about it...

Yes. Watching them last week I was in complete agreement that Odogwu needs as many touches as possible and that comes at 13.

Yes but it requires a lot more defensive positioning and workload to play 13. Probably the hardest position to defend in rugby.

Sometimes it's easier as the winger if you're given licence to roam when you're on the blindside. Coming into the line when you aren't marked can really open things up for you, but you've got to be on the same page as your flyhalf and centres.

Messy game so far at KP...but Radwan is back...he must be in the summer England squad

Made a huge turnover v Creevy making carries knocking some of Irishes big boys back...

What a young pkayer he is.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Messy game so far at KP...but Radwan is back...he must be in the summer England squad

Made a huge turnover v Creevy making carries knocking some of Irishes big boys back...

What a young pkayer he is.

Could go either way. Radwan aside, it's the Newcastle pack against the LI backs at the moment.

Brilliant seeing Radwan back. I've been so impressed by him whenever he plays. Jones loves express pace on one wing but also a huge work rate which Radwan could offer in the same way May currently does.

Margin_Walker wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Messy game so far at KP...but Radwan is back...he must be in the summer England squad

Made a huge turnover v Creevy making carries knocking some of Irishes big boys back...

What a young pkayer he is.

Could go either way. Radwan aside, it's the Newcastle pack against the LI backs at the moment.

Forget I said anything

Second half is a train wreck for us so far

We're playing our best rugby this season in parts here today....

king_carlos wrote:Brilliant seeing Radwan back. I've been so impressed by him whenever he plays. Jones loves express pace on one wing but also a huge work rate which Radwan could offer in the same way May currently does.

He's also aggressive and strong for his size.

It's amazing what happens when your carriers take the ball at pace and run at the gaps between defenders ...

As I've been screaming all season.....

Big Carl comes on...

This is crazy....

38 27

GeordieFalcon wrote:It's amazing what happens when your carriers take the ball at pace and run at the gaps between defenders ...

As I've been screaming all season.....

Probably the easiest team to do it against today as they too love that end to end game.

Commentators...

Falcons are like watching the harlem globetrotters today...outstanding...

Ha ha ha

No 7&1/2 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:It's amazing what happens when your carriers take the ball at pace and run at the gaps between defenders ...

As I've been screaming all season.....

Probably the easiest team to do it against today as they too love that end to end game.

And probably the weakest depth when missing 1st choice players ...

Oh well at least we got a TBP as consolation ...

Heaf wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:It's amazing what happens when your carriers take the ball at pace and run at the gaps between defenders ...

As I've been screaming all season.....

Probably the easiest team to do it against today as they too love that end to end game.

And probably the weakest depth when missing 1st choice players ...

Ah I'm not listening to your excuses this time Heaf I'm savouring that performance...at least give me that

No problem GF - enjoy it

Also on the bright side I did pick Falcons to win that on Superbru - just not quite by that much

A much needed big win tbh, we've been dross for a while. Typically I misses the game we played well in!

Sgt_Pooly wrote:A much needed big win tbh, we've been dross for a while. Typically I misses the game we played well in!

Sgt, defences were optional at times....however we finally played a game to suit our players. Coming on to the ball at speed at space etc...hell even the props were throwing the ball around like Fijians...

On a serious note though...in Deans post match interview he states..."they were given licence to attack today.. "
How often are they restricted....?

GeordieFalcon wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:A much needed big win tbh, we've been dross for a while. Typically I misses the game we played well in!

Sgt, defences were optional at times....however we finally played a game to suit our players. Coming on to the ball at speed at space etc...hell even the props were throwing the ball around like Fijians...

On a serious note though...in Deans post match interview he states..."they were given licence to attack today.. "
How often are they restricted....?

GF I'm surprised your sober enough to have paid attention to the post match interview I'd have thought full celebration would have been well underway.

Sam,

Without going OTT on one game, the JD n coke is going down nicely

Wow how emotional was Sinkler.

Hope he uses this to become the best TH on the planet.

Buckets of fun in the game between Quins-Wasps, but Brown's red card for a filthy-looking stamp has probably decided it. Robson and the two Wasps centres having excellent games.

Or not, as Quins win it at the last. 48-46!

Bad result for Irish yesterday.

Point ahead at half time and then lose by 25 points. Not good. Fair play to Newcastle.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wow how emotional was Sinkler.

Hope he uses this to become the best TH on the planet.

Thought it was a bit much

Collapse2005 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wow how emotional was Sinkler.

Hope he uses this to become the best TH on the planet.

Thought it was a bit much

Haven’t watched it yet but I will get around to watching it soon, as going by the dislikes on this comment Sinckler has caused controversy again .

Collapse2005 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wow how emotional was Sinkler.

Hope he uses this to become the best TH on the planet.

Thought it was a bit much

In what way?

The guy is opening up and is clearing devastated, it's quite refreshing to see this kind of honesty. Would you have preferred the stock "blah blah blah disappointed....blah blah blah we move on"?

Nobody wants to see him or any of the other potential tourists upset, of course it sucks for him as it does for lots of guys who didn’t make it but if you really want to just accept the decision, take it on the chin and move on like he says then just save the tears for friends or family. I don’t think it helps his cause as someone who is already considered over emotional.

As good as he was on the last tour and as good as he can be I also personally don’t think it was a particularly big shock that he wasn’t selected as the guys who were selected had really good six nations and he didn’t. Surely that’s what he should be focussing on? There were also some really good tight heads that didn’t make who might have been ahead of him.

mikey_dragon wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wow how emotional was Sinkler.

Hope he uses this to become the best TH on the planet.

Thought it was a bit much

Haven’t watched it yet but I will get around to watching it soon, as going by the dislikes on this comment Sinckler has caused controversy again .

Holding back tears talking about how gutted he was and how frustrated he felt but how he felt a responsibility to set a good example to the younger members of the team and to channel that disappointment into a positive display. He won man of the match so achieved.

Got to say I prefer the honesty displayed by him and his coach Pat Lam. I think it sets a good example, it's ok to say you're not ok. Non-selection has hit him hard, it meant a lot to him to be a Lion previously. If anything I respect him more now.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wow how emotional was Sinkler.

Hope he uses this to become the best TH on the planet.

Thought it was a bit much

Haven’t watched it yet but I will get around to watching it soon, as going by the dislikes on this comment Sinckler has caused controversy again .

Holding back tears talking about how gutted he was and how frustrated he felt but how he felt a responsibility to set a good example to the younger members of the team and to channel that disappointment into a positive display. He won man of the match so achieved.

Got to say I prefer the honesty displayed by him and his coach Pat Lam. I think it sets a good example, it's ok to say you're not ok. Non-selection has hit him hard, it meant a lot to him to be a Lion previously. If anything I respect him more now.

I agree, fair play to the lad. He's been in good form and a pervious tourist so would have had a good feeling about getting selected.

Id be crying if Fagerson was selected ahead of me...

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wow how emotional was Sinkler.

Hope he uses this to become the best TH on the planet.

Thought it was a bit much

Haven’t watched it yet but I will get around to watching it soon, as going by the dislikes on this comment Sinckler has caused controversy again .

Holding back tears talking about how gutted he was and how frustrated he felt but how he felt a responsibility to set a good example to the younger members of the team and to channel that disappointment into a positive display. He won man of the match so achieved.

Got to say I prefer the honesty displayed by him and his coach Pat Lam. I think it sets a good example, it's ok to say you're not ok. Non-selection has hit him hard, it meant a lot to him to be a Lion previously. If anything I respect him more now.

I agree, fair play to the lad. He's been in good form and a pervious tourist so would have had a good feeling about getting selected.

It is a great little interview but don't you just hate the way the camera zooms in the moment that an interviewee shows some actual emotion.

It's the Hollywood shot LIW....the director (or whatever he's called) must have been wetting his pants when he started to get emotional.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:It's the Hollywood shot LIW....the director (or whatever he's called) must have been wetting his pants when he started to get emotional.

Yep. Emotion vampires

lostinwales wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Wow how emotional was Sinkler.

Hope he uses this to become the best TH on the planet.

Thought it was a bit much

Haven’t watched it yet but I will get around to watching it soon, as going by the dislikes on this comment Sinckler has caused controversy again .

Holding back tears talking about how gutted he was and how frustrated he felt but how he felt a responsibility to set a good example to the younger members of the team and to channel that disappointment into a positive display. He won man of the match so achieved.

Got to say I prefer the honesty displayed by him and his coach Pat Lam. I think it sets a good example, it's ok to say you're not ok. Non-selection has hit him hard, it meant a lot to him to be a Lion previously. If anything I respect him more now.

I agree, fair play to the lad. He's been in good form and a pervious tourist so would have had a good feeling about getting selected.

It is a great little interview but don't you just hate the way the camera zooms in the moment that an interviewee shows some actual emotion.

To me, this shows a Rugby player in such a personal and human light.  This young man was highly emotional and gutted, but sucked it up on the pitch to earn MOM and then, the thing I believe is even harder, held it together in a interview with a camera six feet from his face.  We have all seen other players not hold themselves to the same classy standard.  We frequently don't get to see the human side of our players in the same way and I think he did great.

The verdict on Mike Brown seems universally damning. Given the player has a lot of goodwill among England rugby supporters, I was curious whether he might find some defenders, keen to see him play some part the rest of Quins season.

Aside from some immediate comments on commentary from Austin Healey, pretty much everyone supports the red card, and expects to see a lengthy ban.

Brown was a quality player for Quins for a long time and to see him end his Quins career in this way is so dumb, it's hard to put into words. He simply cannot be allowed back on the pitch for any club for a long time.

I don't think he intended to stand on the head of Taylor but he definitely intended to give him the studs. When he missed and made contact with the head that's a long ban, completely unacceptable. He might go on holiday until September because he won't be playing before then.

I thought he had a glance and knew roughly where he was. I'd be looking at the higher end entry point myself.