Pre-season Thread

[TRF_Olyy]

Pre-season matches start up this week, so we might as well have a place to discuss the matches, post the scores and so on and so forth.













Sale Sharks are playing Clermont on Friday in France.
26 players flew out today, including Sheridan and Gaskell who are both back from injury:

Nick Macleod, Fergus Mulchrone, Tom Brady, Kyle Tonetti, Anitelea Tuilagi, Ben Cohen, Matty James, Rob Miller, Will Cliff, Chris Leck, Dwayne Peel, Andrew Sheridan, Karena Wihongi, Aston Croall, Simon McIntyre, Neil Briggs, Marc Jones, James Gaskell, Nic Rouse, Sean Cox, Kristian Ormsby, Chris Brightwell, James Harris, David Seymour, Carl Fearns, Sisaro Koyamaibole.

Will be interesting to see who the match day squad will be, as there's a fair few new signings in there, along with a couple of guys who haven't played GP level before (academy and championship players)

 

[Amobokoboko]

Clermont did sign some nice names. So I think it will be a good game. Pity I'm on weekend would have loved to see it.

 

[tinchy17]

Saracens have thier first match tonight! They're playing two matches against Bayonne in France

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Clermont did sign some nice names. So I think it will be a good game. Pity I'm on weekend would have loved to see it.

As far as I'm aware it's not being televised, which is a shame =/
I'll have to just read the updates on their site instead

 

[tinchy17]

As far as I'm aware it's not being televised, which is a shame =/
I'll have to just read the updates on their site instead

Will I have to do the same tonight with the Sarries?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No idea, check the tv guide?

 

[tinchy17]

No idea, check the tv guide?

Don't see it in there

 

[Duckdee]

Tigers are playing Brive tonight, team posted on the forum:

Amorisino
Robinson
Smith
Twelvetrees
Agulla
Staunton
Grindall

Stanko
Hawkins
White
Green
Skivington
Waldrom
Crane
Woods

 

[Teh Mite]

Looks more like the Cubs then the Tigers.

 

[SelimNiai]

We're off to Dax (on Ryanair I bet with the finances as they are) to play Dax, funnily enough, before our traditional game against Clifton RFC.

 

[Duckdee]

Looks more like the Cubs then the Tigers.

I can see how the one academy player would give that impression.

 

[tinchy17]

Saracens played 2 matches against Bayonne on Wedensday. We won one 24-23 and lost the other 17-27. The Sarries are up next against Bordeaux Begles on Sunday

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Clermont 26 - 8 Sale Sharks
Koyamaibole got Sales try, and Matty James missed numerous attemts on goal. Charlie Hodgson is out injured for the first month of the season (and all pre-season), so hopefully James was just having a bad day at the park...

Don't think Brewer was really looking at this as a proper match though, more of a chance to see how the players work in a game. At one point 7forwards were switched out at once

 

[Darwin]

Clermont 26 - 8 Sale Sharks
Koyamaibole got Sales try, and Matty James missed numerous attemts on goal. Charlie Hodgson is out injured for the first month of the season (and all pre-season), so hopefully James was just having a bad day at the park...

Don't think Brewer was really looking at this as a proper match though, more of a chance to see how the players work in a game. At one point 7forwards were switched out at once

I never regarded James as a good goal-kicker when he was in NZ - he was generally a solid 2nd-3rd option in most teams rather than being their primary goal-kicker. He is young though, so I would expect him to improve his goal-kicking.

 

[tinchy17]

Clermont 26 - 8 Sale Sharks
Koyamaibole got Sales try, and Matty James missed numerous attemts on goal. Charlie Hodgson is out injured for the first month of the season (and all pre-season), so hopefully James was just having a bad day at the park...

Don't think Brewer was really looking at this as a proper match though, more of a chance to see how the players work in a game. At one point 7forwards were switched out at once

Saracens have Clermont in the Heineken Cup - the scoreline against Sale's just made me nervous!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm not too sure what to make of it to be honest. Clermont had a nearly full strength squad out, whereas Sale had a mishmash of new players, and were switching people around alot (like the full-pack substitution mentioned above), and if Sales kicks went over then the scoreline would've been 26 - 16, which would've been encouraging considering it's the French champs vs the 2nd lowest placing GP team from last year - They've got Perpignan next week, so that'll be a better gauge of their strength

 

[Duckdee]

Leicester did no better, losing 29-17. Crane and Robinson scoring.

 

[tinchy17]

I'm not too sure what to make of it to be honest. Clermont had a nearly full strength squad out, whereas Sale had a mishmash of new players, and were switching people around alot (like the full-pack substitution mentioned above), and if Sales kicks went over then the scoreline would've been 26 - 16, which would've been encouraging considering it's the French champs vs the 2nd lowest placing GP team from last year - They've got Perpignan next week, so that'll be a better gauge of their strength

How well did they do last season, Perpignan?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Came 1st in the league, and lost in the final to Clermont (who came 3rd) 19 - 6

 

[tinchy17]

Came 1st in the league, and lost in the final to Clermont (who came 3rd) 19 - 6

A bit like the Sarries then?