[2013/13 Premiership] Round 6

[TRF_Olyy]

Round 6 Fixtures

Recreation Ground, Bath (Friday, 19:45 GMT)

Sandy Park, Exeter (Saturday, 15:00 GMT)

Twickenham Stoop, London (Saturday, 15:00 GMT)

Franklin's Gardens, Northampton (Saturday, 15:15 GMT)

Adams Park, London (Sunday, 14:00 GMT)

Kingston Park, Newcastle (Sunday, 15:00 GMT)​

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If we're going to beat Quins, then now is the time. Not on particularly good form (though looked improved vs Clermont) and will be without Marler, Robshaw and Brown, whereas we're hitting our stride and have very few injuries to deal with (and those that we do are long term ones, i.e. Mark Jennings, Will Addison, Dan Baines and Tony Buckley - none of whom have featured this season anyhow).
Will be interesting to see how our newly improved pack goes against Quins weakened one. Third game in a row with a scrum penalty try?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Bath team:

15. Anthony Watson
14. Semesa Rokoduguni
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Kyle Eastmond
11. Matt Banahan
10. George Ford
9. Peter Stringer
1. Paul James
2. Rob Webber
3. Anthony Perenise
4. Stuart Hooper ( c )
5. Dave Attwood
6. Matt Garvey
7. Francois Louw
8. Carl Fearns
Replacements
16. Ross Batty
17. Nathan Catt
18. Juan Pablo Orlandi
19. Will Spencer
20. Alafoti Fa'osiliva
21. Martin Roberts
22. Gavin Henson
23. Horacio Agulla

...Pretty strong.

 

[Patchey]

Very strong. Good to see Eastmond is back starting, presumably we was released from the EPS for the week just so he could get some good game time. Looking forward to seeing what Watson can do, he really impressed me in the oppening few rounds, and how Louw bolsters the pack.

If we all pray together do you think we can ensure Atwood doesn't get injured?

If we're going to beat Quins, then now is the time. Not on particularly good form (though looked improved vs Clermont) and will be without Marler, Robshaw and Brown, whereas we're hitting our stride and have very few injuries to deal with (and those that we do are long term ones, i.e. Mark Jennings, Will Addison, Dan Baines and Tony Buckley - none of whom have featured this season anyhow).
Will be interesting to see how our newly improved pack goes against Quins weakened one. Third game in a row with a scrum penalty try?

If you don't beat us you should be very annoyed. My outlook for the next few weeks is very glum.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Eastmond is nailed on mate. Just a shame he was injured in the first game of the season otherwise I think we would have seen him get into some form.
He had a stormer in the same fixture last year.
And that's probably right, he's barely played this season.
Watson's been fantastic, one of the most awkward steppers I've seen.

Louw vs Kvesic should be interesting!

Attwood is fairly hardy, I hope his form won't be affected by the injury because bath have Looked like a completely different team when he's played this year.
Very rarely do you see a single player make that much difference.
The scrum might be a bit iffy though TBH because Perenise isn't the strongest.


I really hope Burns plays well, I really don't want Flood to play ahead of him.

 

[Patchey]

He seems to marshal the line out with so much more composure than anyone else in the Bath pack. He looks like a fifty cap international he's so assured!

Is Watson in the Saxons?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Why oh why do Bath persist with Hooper? Should give the captaincy to Louw and then his spot to....anyone, really. Not sure what Bath's injury state is, i.e. is Day fit?, but even Garvey in the donkey row, Fa'osilvia at 6 and Gilbert on the bench would be far better.

I'm loving Fearns back at 8, though.

 

[Peat]

He seems to marshal the line out with so much more composure than anyone else in the Bath pack. He looks like a fifty cap international he's so assured!

Is Watson in the Saxons?

Nope, named in the U20 squad for the year.

As for Garvey - heard he's looking at losing weight with a mind to staying at 6 long term.

 

[j'nuh]

And Gloucester:

Murphy, Dawidiuk, Harden, Stooke, Hudson, Savage (c), Kvesic, Kalamafoni

Cowan, Burns, May, Mills, Tindall, JSD, Cook

Bench: Edmonds, Thomas, Gibbons, James, Evans, Robson, Sharples, Qera

----

Why do teams put their extra forward in the 23 shirt when going with 6-2 benches?

It's time to congratulate Stooke. 21 and now appears to be first-teaming for Glos in the second row. Appears to be well on-target to achieving his potential. Here's to hoping Stooke-Hudson is the start of something special.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Imagine if England hadn't have released Burns - pretty bold of Gloucester having Twelvetrees as their main backup flyhalf, considering he's starting every game when fit, and him and Burns are both in the England squad.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I like Stooke, not doing anything flashy, just doing what he should.

 

[Draggs]

Bath, Chiefs, Quins, Saracens, Tigers, Not Nots

 

[j'nuh]

I like Stooke, not doing anything flashy, just doing what he should.

Same. He pops up all over doing the rucking and helping out with the carries, and that's exactly what Glos need right now. It's perfect timing for him to be breaking through, and he's pushed Savage into the back row now. (Which now begs the question whether Savage can start, given it means two of Kalmafoni, Morgan, Qera, Kvesic now miss out.

Imagine if England hadn't have released Burns - pretty bold of Gloucester having Twelvetrees as their main backup flyhalf, considering he's starting every game when fit, and him and Burns are both in the England squad.

Well, Glos have quite a few options at 10.

The 10s: Burns, Bentley, Taylor (injured)
The can-play-10s: Robson, Twelvetrees, Mills, Cook (in an absolute emergency)

Twelvetrees just gets the nod usually because he's a very talented player, and it gives Mills a chance to come in.

Some say that Mills should give 10 a go as his primary position, but I like him as a centre.

 

[Packman]

Bath V Glaws - gotta go with Bath at home.

EX v Wusster - again, a pretty simple one

Quins V Sale - Tougher... Quins to shade it.

Saints v Sarries - I think home advantage will count for a bit here. Also Northampton's self belief. (In that they need to be be confident.) I hope to see Wood and co continue hitting rucks like they did v Ospreys, the ref interpretation may be an annoyance though. You know what the aviva is like for rucks.

Wasps V Leicester - Leicester are not firing... but I still think they can win this. Wasps are a work in progress shy the odd signing in the pack.

Falcons V LI - Now here's a fun one. I'll just go with the home side, but it would have been a good game to watch.

 

[Packman]

Apparently Chris Robshaw is going to be awesome from now on, because he's got the England captaincy. This wisdom is courtesy of Matt Dawson I think. Chris always gives 100% so surely its his execution that he needs to clean up. Time will tell.

 

[Peat]

I like Stooke, not doing anything flashy, just doing what he should.

I too like Stooke - can see Saxons calling for him next year at least - which is why I stuck him in my ones to watch in my most recent blog on the HEC (really unsubtle self-promotion). Incredibly good timing for Glaws as well - although, in fairness, its not like he just popped out of nowhere, Davies would have been watching him last year and reckoning he'd be up to this. Possibly sooner than expected though.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Quins team

15. Tom Williams
14. Ugo Monye
13. Matt Hopper
12. Ben Botica
11. Sam Smith
10. Nick Evans
9. Karl Dickson

1. Mark Lambert
2. Dave Ward
3. Will Collier
4. Nick Easter (C)
5. George Robson
6. Joe Trayfoot
7. Luke Wallace
8. Tom Guest

16. Harry Allen
17. Darryl Marfo
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. George Merrick
20. Jack Clifford
21. Danny Care
22. Paul Sackey
23. Charlie Walker

Good to see Clifford on the bench.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bookies have us as massive under dogs, which I was a little surprised at - thought quins would be favourites but not to that extent (4.50 for a sale win)
Should be a good game, though.
On my phone so can't be arsed to copy paste but our side is
Fridge, Taylor, Thomas
Mills, Ostrikov
Braid, God, Easter
Peel, Cipriani
Cueto, tuitupou, Leota, Arscott
Miller


Jones, harrison, cobilas, kulemin, holmes, cliff, ford, forsyth


Suggests Paterson is injured, which isn't ideal. Good to see holmes getting a shot though, very good lock

 

[Patchey]

Quins team

15. Tom Williams
14. Ugo Monye
13. Matt Hopper
12. Ben Botica
11. Sam Smith
10. Nick Evans
9. Karl Dickson

1. Mark Lambert
2. Dave Ward
3. Will Collier
4. Nick Easter (C)
5. George Robson
6. Joe Trayfoot
7. Luke Wallace
8. Tom Guest

16. Harry Allen
17. Darryl Marfo
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. George Merrick
20. Jack Clifford
21. Danny Care
22. Paul Sackey
23. Charlie Walker

Good to see Clifford on the bench.

Thank god for that, with Easter in the row we need another carrier to fill his place in the back row. I don't know how Clifford has been doing on his loan spell at Ealing Trailfinders (Sinkler is there too) but I want to see him much more in a Quin's jersey.

 

[Tony Manx]

Be really interested to see Botica again and hope he has a better game than recently, particularly in defence..............not sure that he is the man for Quins and they might regret allowing Clague to go to Newcastle?