Premiership Round 14

First topic message reminder :

Friday 28th 19:45
Bath v Harlequins

Saturday 29th all 15:00
London Irish v Exeter Chiefs
Newcastle Falcons v Gloucester
Worcester Warriors v Northampton Saints

Sunday 29th all 15:00
Sale v Leicester Tigers
Wasps v Saracens

Burns kicking hasn't been great

Really good goal kick there to Burns credit.

Sale 5 - 18 Tigers

J-L du Preez already being on for Burry tips the bench advantage even further in Tigers favour as well. With how Sale are playing Tigers should be able to get a TBP away from home, missing internationals, by simply executing basics. It might be boring but wins like that at these times of the season take so much pressure off later on.

Oh Freddie. Jekyll and Hyde. That's the exact opposite of executing basics.

nathan wrote:Burns kicking hasn't been great

Hegarty has looked the better 10 this season. It wouldn't surprise me if they switch roles as they did late on against Connacht. Freddie to 15 and Hegarty to 10.

I've always like Freddie as a player but he's really inconsistent these days. I can't help but feel that Gopperth may have been signed to be used as a reserve 10 as much as a 12.

Tigers advantage at half time. Not a great performance but still better than a pretty poor Sale outing thus far. Simply executing the basics could get a TBP win away from home, without the internationals here. It might sound boring but boring wins at this time of year take the pressure off later in the season.

Leatigaga, Liebenberg and JvP in particular I could see having a big impact off the bench in this game.

Tigers have left maybe 14 points out there though.

Thought Sale had brought that down

Missed the first 18 mins of the second half. Tuned in to see Sale scoring... If I do that a third time will Tigers score again?!

Wait... Is JvP actually on for Burns as listed on BBC?

Wigglesworth and JvP both on so seems so. I would have thought Potter would cover 15. Very odd.

Erm. Poor. Very poor.

Jesus. It's even worse on replay.

Yep. Gopperth has signed as a fly-half.

Brilliant from Wells on the restart. Tigers really needed something to get a foothold again just then and a senior player has delivered.

It has been a decent watch from a neutral's perspective. Good to see a full stadium too.

Inexperience from jvp there.

Abysmal. Just abysmal.

Credit to Sale's bench they've had the impact I hoped Tigers would.

The basic mistakes by Tigers today have been staggering.

If you would have told me on 45/50 minutes that Leicester wouldn't even have left with a LBP, I would have been skeptical. Have to say that they seem to have lost the game when Burns was subbed. A curious decision.

Well that messed up my Superbru predictions ... I would have at least still got a margin bonus before that last try gifted to Sale from a garbage restart.

It is going to be an interesting 6 nations period for tigers.

We lost all composure when Burns went off (apparently injured).

nathan wrote:It is going to be an interesting 6 nations period for tigers.

We lost all composure when Burns went off (apparently injured).

Yeah, I've read that he is/was injured, but (anecdotally) he didn't exactly look thrilled when his number came up.

Cumbrian wrote:

nathan wrote:It is going to be an interesting 6 nations period for tigers.

We lost all composure when Burns went off (apparently injured).

Yeah, I've read that he is/was injured, but (anecdotally) he didn't exactly look thrilled when his number came up.

Given how he's missed chances through injury this season and he's had very little chances at that another injury probably didn't go down well.

Tigers didn't come out for the second half. Even before Burns limped off we didn't look great. Once he did go off the wheels came off. Wigglesworth was out on his feet but we'd got no sub option. Very concerning how we fell apart when Sale turned up the intensity.

Hopefully Kini and Nadolo are back for Wuss next week. At least Whitcombe turned up well at loosehead.

Great win for Wasps but more pleasing is the successful return of a few players from injury.
Thats Toulouse, Leicester and Sarries on the bounce at home.
Worth a special mention for Biyi Alo our tighthead playing against his old team. Given our lack of depth nationally in this position he may well be worth a look at.

Things tightening at the top now, only 4 points between 2nd and 5th and all on 13 played.