Aviva Premiership Round 5

[TRF_Olyy]

Friday 28th September

Live on ESPN

Saturday 29th September

Live on ESPN​

Sunday 30th September

Live on Sky Sports

​

 

[Peat]

Might make a special effort to watch LW - Glaws at some point as a) I'd like to see what the Oxfordians have b) Freddie Burns looked seriously good against Pests c) There's a strong chance it will be the most entertaining match this round. Although Saints - Pests should be good.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Saints Wasps does indeed have the makings of a cracker. Part of me feels a bit sorry for Wasps (a sentence I never thought I'd say after that pistol whipping the gave us a few years back.) They've played an awful lot of good rugby this season yet haven't really got the results that their play has merited. Expect Saints to take it by about 8 points.

 

[04perryo]

I expect worcester to win with a try bonus point, if this doesnt happen i will cry

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think we might manage a losing BP at Bath.
We've been dire up to this point, but always manage to put in a half-decent performance after losing a coach, and Peel dislocated his shoulder last weekend so we'll have quicker ball from Willis or Cliff (whichever it is).

 

[Feicarsinn]

I think we might manage a losing BP at Bath.
We've been dire up to this point, but always manage to put in a half-decent performance after losing a coach, and Peel dislocated his shoulder last weekend so we'll have quicker ball from Willis or Cliff (whichever it is).

Tough ould times at Sale. On the bright side, Bath are muck, you could easily grab a win with a bit of luck. Ah Willis, ultimate lad. He was pretty close to retiring a year or two back you know, after being thoroughly unimpressive at Connacht and Leinster. He did a stint for us after the RWC though, and looked pretty slick. I wouldn't have minded at all if we'd held onto him.

 

[Peat]

I reckon both Wasps and Saints might be looking at bonus points in their match.

I also think Bath - Sale is one to avoid, largely due to Bath being boring beyond belief.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tough ould times at Sale. On the bright side, Bath are muck, you could easily grab a win with a bit of luck. Ah Willis, ultimate lad. He was pretty close to retiring a year or two back you know, after being thoroughly unimpressive at Connacht and Leinster. He did a stint for us after the RWC though, and looked pretty slick. I wouldn't have minded at all if we'd held onto him.

Been very impressed with him since he joined Sale, and he's said he's refound his love for the game (think being passed from club to club as no more than a squad player must have gotten him down).

Prefer him to Peel, to be honest - he's nippy as anything, and has a great pass.

 

[04perryo]

Worcester team announced looks like a good backrow with the newly bulked up kvesic at 8 and josh matavesi in the centres who should tare the irish defence if he plays well

 

[j_remos]

Saints
Worcester
Sharks
Leicester
Quins
Glos

I think (hope) Saints might look to make up for the last 20 from round 4 and put on a massive score... but Wasps are no muggs this year ... could be a high scoring game.

Any game involving Saracens or Bath is going to be dull.

The Welsh / Glos match could be entertaining though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not a terrible game by Wasps, but Saints were a class above.
Manoa was/is an absolute machine!


Payne should see some time on the sidelines for his kneeing Artemyev - should've been a red card, not a yellow.







Edit: Just seen that Worcester got 5pts vs London Irish! 04perry0 will need a change of pants :lol:

 

[04perryo]

http://youtu.be/76RrdwElnTU

About bloody time

 

[04perryo]

May i just Add Worcester are unbeaten against London Irish this 2012- 2013 season

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Well done to Wuss! Think they'll be hyped up next week at Adams Park, a good game it should be, but a must win for Wasps.

I was glad to see that we didn't completely capitulate last night, but I can't help but think this was more down to Saints' poor handling near our line. Still, credit is due for our hard-hitting defense particularly from the centres.

What infuriates me though is how predictable the problems we are having were. So many of us said pre season the front-row was going to hold us back, and also that we ideally neded another back 3 option in case of injury. The last couple of games have proved this.

Look at Gloucester last week: Where our guys had to work hard for every 3 points(such as Ashleys fantastic work at the breakdown), Gloucester simply had to put us in a scrum situation and the penalty would come. Not only that, but the indiscipline of Taulafo and Payne at the breakdown resulted in about 9 points worth of penalties.

Last night our scrum was really shown up. Yes Saints have a powerful scrummaging tight 5, but the better scrummaging sides in the Prem can generally avoid being made to look like school children out of their depth. Add to this Tim Payne behaving like a complete tool, and Tom Lindsay's far from perfect lineout throwing and its clear to see where we're falling short.

Whats annoying is seeing our squad which I think is very strong now, held back by a front 3 weakness that we all predicted. We have a strong(ish) squad now, but nobody can challenge the top teams without a high-class front row. You also need more than 3 wingers in your squad - with Bailey (poor guy) out with a broken leg we're down to two wingers - TV and Wade. Again, it seems that fans' concern about our back 3 depth were well founded.

 

[Teh Mite]

Everso pleasing to see Lawes, Manoa and Hartley tackle everything in site. I lost count of how may big hits came in.


Wilson has a glint of Reihana about him. Also pleasing. I wonder if he's a useful 10 once Foden is fit again?

 

[04perryo]

just read something saying that was first bonus point win for worcester in the premiership since 2008... boy wer're s***

 

[Teh Mite]

Apparently forward passes and holding on isn't a foul when Leicester do it... #sameold

 

[TRF_Olyy]

F***ing hell we're sh*t.

I bet Gray/Cipriani are leafing through their contracts for a get-out clause.

 

[SelimNiai]

Might be seeing you lot next season down the Mem

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Games vs Not Nots are going to instrumental.

I don't get the Not Nots this season, they recruited decently over the summer, and were a decent enough side this season, but it's all gone to pots over the summer.
Was Toby Booth the key for them? Delon Armitage?
Nick Kennedy would have been a loss as he was a real leader on the pitch, however looking at their players they're better than their position suggests (though, imo, so are Sale - ho hum!).