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European Champions Cup Semi Final Clermont v Saracens

TheSaffycen

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untitled.png v.jpg Sarries.png

Saturday 18th April 2015, KO 16:15
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint Etienne
Referee: George Clancy

Head to Head
6 Played 6
4 Wins 2
2 Losses 4
0 Draws 0
12 Tries 12
8 Conversions 8
12 Penalties 11
2 Drop Goals 0
118 Points 109​
 
Farrell on the bench
What with the Sarries' rotation policy, I wonder if Itoje might start in the back row?- they need physicality at the ruck, and he was fantastic when he came on against Racing...
I hope Farrell doesn't just waltz into the starting line-up after this game for the remaining big matches- Hodgson has been a big part of their success recently.
 
There has been really big hints that Itoje will start with Vunipola and Burger.
 
There has been really big hints that Itoje will start with Vunipola and Burger.
So are we looking at: Vunipola, George, Du Plessis, Kruis, Hargreaves, Itoje, Burger, Vunipola
Thats a pretty good looking pack, I hope they give a better showing than Norts did.
Kruis and Vunipola have been immense recently (I'm hoping Kruis can secure a place in the WC squad), is Figallo injured atm?- I'd feel better about the prop stocks if him and longbottom were involved (Johnston :()
 
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He seems to be permanently injured sadly. He was part of the LV cup winning team, then he seemed to bench a couple of times. He must be injured though as Johnstone is awful, I think Longbottom is back before the end of the year.
 
He seems to be permanently injured sadly. He was part of the LV cup winning team, then he seemed to bench a couple of times. He must be injured though as Johnstone is awful, I think Longbottom is back before the end of the year.
Shame that, a Du Plessis/Johnston due is miles apart from Figallo/Longbottom, funny how both Bath, Leicester and Sarries have all had their TH stocks ravaged at some point this season.
This would be a huge game for Itoje, an away Champions cup sf is as close to international rugby as you can get- if he produces on the big stage here, I think he could genuinely put the cat among the pigeons in terms of England selection, not least because Wood and Clarke (two of the hopefuls) got well and truly beasted last time out against the same team (same is probably true for George and Kruis).
 
Sarries team:
15 Alex Goode;14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch 12 Brad Barritt ©, 11 Chris Wyles; 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Jamie George, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 4 George Kruis 5 Jim Hamilton; 6 Maro Itoje, 7 Jacques Burger, 8 Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 James Johnston, 19 Kelly Brown, 20 Jackson Wray 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 David Strettle.
 
Fancy Sarries, will be a very close game though. Looking forward to watching Itoje again.
 
Not many teams go away to France with a similar sized pack, maybe we can keep them on the back foot and make Nalaga turn around. He is the only weakness in positioning I can see in that Clermont team.
 
How many penalties will Hamilton give away?

I'd be tempted to say start Itoje in the donkey row, with Brown at blindside - Hamilton comes off the bench to add his bulk behind Johnston in the latter stages, to aid his scrummaging, and he gets less game to get himself carded.
 
CAN ONLY SEE ONE WINNER AND TO ME IT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE AN ALL FRENCH FINAL but who knows just hope we get 2 good games.
 
Not many teams go away to France with a similar sized pack, maybe we can keep them on the back foot and make Nalaga turn around. He is the only weakness in positioning I can see in that Clermont team.

personally i'd be hoisting it up on abendanon and smashing it into the corners.
 
Lets hope Itoje has an absolute stormer, England have a word in his and Sarries ear about him being a great 6 and they'd like him to play there on a regular basis. Then he can come in to the RWC warmup games, and become our world cup bolter :).
 
Feels dirty, but supporting Sarries today.

I'll just pretend it's Sale in different kit, because of Charlie and Wiggy, Strettle from our academy, and various other northerners in the side/coaching staff :p
 
Davies just dropped 5 points minimum there. Big first carry from Itoje. Saracens pack fronting up but wasting good field position.
 
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