Aviva Premiership 16/17 - Round 3

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I don't doubt that but regardless the transition between AP and championship is extremely unfair to the promoted team.

- - - Updated - - -

What the fek.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

This a really good game

Seen a lot of people moaning the wasps game wasn't on telly but walkovers aren't half as good as a game like this

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What a mental end,
Budgies should have carried on pressuring the line.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

10/10 Drop goal.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Newcastle Falcons, showing the world how to throw away a win in style. #Fordwouldadunnit

 

[Which Tyler]

They got very very lucky that Lam decided to stay.

Lemi is different he has history with Bristol.
Henson when was the last time he was relevant? Injury prone and had off field issues.
Varndell tried to get out but didn't have a clause from what i gather.
Cliff wasn't AP quality when he signed i mean in his 100 caps for started what 20?
Maule IMO a AP squad player.
Jones = Age

Lemi supposedly had prem offers when he signed for Brizz
Henson was relevant in the prem when he signed for Brizz - was wanted in Bath, but being stroppy and 'injured'
Varndell still signed
Jones age would not have stopped him getting a prem contract

Bristol also had Premise & Koster in the champ, and most of their other signings made ahead of promotion.
I agree with your point in general, just not in Bristol's case, where the problem is high quality players not playing at a high kevel

 

[BPM]

Lemi supposedly had prem offers when he signed for Brizz
Henson was relevant in the prem when he signed for Brizz - was wanted in Bath, but being stroppy and 'injured'
Varndell still signed
Jones age would not have stopped him getting a prem contract

Bristol also had Premise & Koster in the champ, and most of their other signings made ahead of promotion.
I agree with your point in general, just not in Bristol's case, where the problem is high quality players not playing at a high kevel

I agree to an extent. However, given the resources they have available, their signings were largely underwhelming and there weren't enough of them. I'm not suggesting that they would necessarily have attracted 'star' names, but they could/should have done more.

Basically they went for bit-part players from other AP teams like Crane or Fisher, a couple of veterans like Pisi or Tonga'uhia and a couple of gambles like Hurrell and Palamo. I guess you could argue that they've tried to follow a similar model to Exeter, but I think it's going to be a tough season ahead.

If they do go down, Lam is playing is way on to a few clubs' shopping lists.

 

[Geordie]

I was at the Falcons game and it was same old story.

Im really starting to think we need someone else in charge. Dean and John Wells are not doing it. The same tactics...kick kick kick, passing through hands to one wing then back again with no incisive breaks...etc etc. So predictable.

I called the drop goal, but it should have happened a few phases earlier when Joel had much more time and space.
And Delayney missed two easy kicks....that's 6 points and a win.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I called the drop goal, but it should have happened a few phases earlier when Joel had much more time and space.

I disagree, he was stood too close, simple as that.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I disagree, he was stood too close, simple as that.

This. It was an appalling miss.

The DG seems to be a dying art. Ford's hit a couple recently, but doesn't strike them convincingly, likewise Farrell. If you've got a decent DG exponent its another thing for the defence to be worried about, adding an element of uncertainty instead of just preparing for the next big man to come round the corner and hammer away at the line. Not suggesting they should be Plan A, but they're part of a balanced attacking strategy, and a great way of building scoreboard pressure, that many teams seem to have overlooked.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

TBF Hodgson isn't really a proper 10 though.

 

[ratsapprentice]

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BKiNYFihXoU/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Gotta love them 4G pitches </a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Courtney Lawes (@bigcourts89) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-09-19T10:41:15+00:00">Sep 19, 2016 at 3:41am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The number on the shirt shouldn't have anything to do with it! In this day and age of multi skilling you'd like to think that most backs would be able to slot one from straight in front in the 22.

It wasn't so much that he missed, but that he was in the wrong position to take the shot. What do these blokes practice all day long??

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BKiNYFihXoU/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Gotta love them 4G pitches ����</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Courtney Lawes (@bigcourts89) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-09-19T10:41:15+00:00">Sep 19, 2016 at 3:41am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

I know about 5/6 Tigers players who hate 4g pitches.

 

[Every Time Ref]

The number on the shirt shouldn't have anything to do with it! In this day and age of multi skilling you'd like to think that most backs would be able to slot one from straight in front in the 22.

It wasn't so much that he missed, but that he was in the wrong position to take the shot. What do these blokes practice all day long??

Agree with your original point that it's an important skill, but I wouldn't say it's one all backs should have. You've got a limited amount of training time, having all your backs practice dropgoals is a waste of time

But yes, absolutely every flyhalf should be confident there. Missing is one thing - everyone messes up a simple skill sometimes, even the best - but not knowing the most basic element of the skil (where to stand) is unforgivable. I honestly would say that I would have given myself a better chance than him, simply by standing in the right spot and giving myself time (not saying I'd have got it mind!). It was literally the easiest position for a breakdown to take a DG from.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Agree with your original point that it's an important skill, but I wouldn't say it's one all backs should have. You've got a limited amount of training time, having all your backs practice dropgoals is a waste of time

Fair enough, but you should have a couple on the pitch at any time who can. Care for instance has come up with a few useful ones over time.

Shocking stats on ESPN. George Ford has 1 (one!) DG to his credit in 26 tests, Farrell has twice that many in 43. Wilko got 36 in 91. You can't tell me that we're not leaving some points out there!

 

[Every Time Ref]

Fair enough, but you should have a couple on the pitch at any time who can. Care for instance has come up with a few useful ones over time.

Shocking stats on ESPN. George Ford has 1 (one!) DG to his credit in 26 tests, Farrell has twice that many in 43. Wilko got 36 in 91. You can't tell me that we're not leaving some points out there!

Wilko's DG stats will be skewed because he used to take DGs on penalty advantage, nowadays the fashion is to have a go at the shot to nothing, a cross kick or something. I do agree we could probably take more points through DGs, but it isn't a zero-sum game, every one of those dropgoals meant giving up the chance of seven points.

 

[Peat]

They're pro players. Why couldn't they squeeze in an extra couple of hours a week to just practice drop goals? I get that fly-halves can point at all the goal-kicking they do but not everyone has that excuse.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I know about 5/6 Tigers players who hate 4g pitches.

Henry Slade replied to the photo:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Awful aren't they <a href="https://t.co/hKqfKvo8Be">https://t.co/hKqfKvo8Be</a></p>&mdash; Henry Slade (@Sladey_10) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sladey_10/status/777878353923731456">September 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I've seen countless numbers of players complain about them.

 

[ncurd]

At a rough guess I think most 10's should be taking 2-3 DG attempts per game. If you enter the oppenents 22 and fail to have a kick at goal (DG, Pen, Con) you've pretty much failed as a team. The SH and FH shoukd be able to recognise when an attack has petered out and to try to salvage some points. So I'll happlily argue it's a specialist skill at least one player in the pitch should be well versed in.