PREM 25/26 - Round 17

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[Reiser99]

Bristol need a big win or they're done. I feel that Bath will win, they will want a home semifinal. Sarries will beat Quins to put pressure on Exeter. Saints will beat Gloucester to secure a home semifinal and give them a chance to rest plays on the last weekend. Sale will win the cripple fight barely. Tigers will be too strong for Exeter.

Next week I can see Bath vs Tigers as a decider for who plays at home in the play offs as likely they will face each other. Exeter vs Sarries will be decider for last play off spot.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Geoff Parling has named his side to face Exeter Chiefs at Mattioli Woods Welford Road this Sunday (kick-off 3:30pm).

Tickets are still available for the last home clash of the PREM regular season although areas are close to selling out. Secure your place now.

The fixture will mark Hanro Liebenberg’s 150th appearance for Leicester Tigers, who has been a mainstay in the side since his debut season in 2019/20.

George Pearson comes in to replace the injured Freddie Steward for his first PREM start for the club, having impressed for England u20s and in the Investec Champions Cup this season.

Charlie Titcombe starts at fly-half to replace James O’Connor in the other change to the side that faced Sale with the 24 year old starting his first Gallagher PREM game, having spent time this season on loan at Mitsubishi DynaboarS.

The rest of the Tigers lineup remains unchanged from the side that beat Sale Sharks 47-33 at the Corp Acq in the last round of the Gallagher PREM.

Parling said, "Tits (Charlie Titcombe) will come in at 10 having impressed in training since his return from Japan, and we look forward to him driving our game in front of our fans."

"Hanro is a remarkable player and person and to reach 150 appearances in the shirt shows how consistently good he has been."

Leicester Tigers (appearances)
15. George Pearson (12)
14. Adam Radwan (30)
13. Will Wand (37)
12. Orlando Bailey (25)
11. Ollie Hassell-Collins (73)
10. Charlie Titcombe (5)
9. Jack van Poortvliet (111)
1. Nicky Smith (43)
2. Jamie Blamire (23)
3. Joe Heyes (180)
4. George Martin (77)
5. Ollie Chessum © (83)
6. Hanro Liebenberg (149)
7. Tommy Reffell (154)
8. Joaquin Moro (27)

Replacements
16. Charlie Clare (146)
17. Archie van der Flier (23)
18. Will Hurd (76)
19. Cameron Henderson (83)
20. Hamish Watson (4)
21. Olly Cracknell (83)
22. Tom Whiteley (65)
23. Solomone Kata (55)

Exter must be licking their lips

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not that weak of a side is it?
Bit surprised you've not just put Bailey at 10 and Kata at 12 - I know you're guaranteed top 4 but top 2 is still possible
Though it wouldn't be the first time a youngster has been thrown in at the deep end and thrived

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Luke James, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Arron Reed, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2. Alfie Longstaff, 3. James Harper, 4. Ernst van Rhyn ©, 5. Ben Bamber, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Seb Kelly, 8. Reuben Logan.

Replacements:
16. Wills Austin, 17. Ralph McEachran, 18. Patreece Bell, 19. Hyron Andrews, 20. Tristan Woodman, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Ollie Davies, 23. Tom O’Flaherty.



Excited to see more of Kelly and Logan - not played a ton this season (which I'm surprised about, with Logan) but in the little they have played they've got some real fight/dog about them in the contact area

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Bit surprised you've not just put Bailey at 10 and Kata at 12 - I know you're guaranteed top 4 but top 2 is still possible
Though it wouldn't be the first time a youngster has been thrown in at the deep end and thrived

He got Man of the Match in the Top league during his loan period and was BUCS player of the season a few years back

So he has some pedigree suspect with Woodward injury they prob want to keep Bailey and Wand as a combo in defence

 

[Saintjay]

Coys.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Got to say that Newcastle v Sale isn’t jumping out as a must watch for the neutral.

How good is Logan? The inevitable question is how much his name has helped.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Got to say that Newcastle v Sale isn’t jumping out as a must watch for the neutral.

Most evenly matched game either side has had in a while, tbf

 

[Rinkadink]

Bristol Bears team to face Bath Rugby at Ashton Gate on Friday night (7.45pm KO, live on TNT Sports):

15.⁠ ⁠⁠Noah Heward (42 apps), 14.⁠ ⁠⁠Louis Rees-Zammit (14 apps), 13. Matias Moroni (14 apps), 12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (72 apps), 11. Kalaveti Ravouvou (54 apps), 10. AJ MacGinty (56 apps), 9. Harry Randall (163 apps); 1. Ellis Genge (77 apps), 2. Harry Thacker (157 apps), 3. George Kloska (84 apps), 4. James Dun (68 apps), 5. Joe Batley (93 apps), 6. Joe Owen (63 apps), 7. Fitz Harding (c) (120 apps), 8. Santiago Grondona (31 apps).

System players: 16.⁠ ⁠Tomas Gwilliam (15 apps), 17.⁠ ⁠⁠Jake Woolmore (185 apps), 18.⁠ ⁠⁠Max Lahiff (126 apps), 19.⁠ ⁠⁠Jimmy Halliwell (25 apps), 20.⁠ ⁠⁠George Taylor (17 apps), 21.⁠ ⁠⁠Kieran Marmion (73 apps), 22.⁠ ⁠⁠Tom Jordan (19 apps), 23.⁠ ⁠⁠Jack Bates (63 apps).

Unavailable: Gabriel Oghre, Pedro Rubiolo, Steele Barker, Paddy Pearce, Kenzie Jenkins, Steven Luatua, Viliame Mata, Benjamin Grondona, Kofi Cripps, James Williams, Gabriel Ibitoye, Victor Worsnip, Josh Carrington, Evan Morris, Ollie Harris.

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B*th going to be legit targeting 100. Bristol even have 3 props on the bench with I guess one covering lock, which is odd as AFAIK Taylor is only a lock himself. Adge straight back in after being injured all season whiffs of desperation although he does pair better with Randall than Jordan (who pairs better with Marmion). Horrendous injury list still.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

B*th going to be legit targeting 100. Bristol even have 3 props on the bench with I guess one covering lock, which is odd as AFAIK Taylor is only a lock himself. Adge straight back in after being injured all season whiffs of desperation although he does pair better with Randall than Jordan (who pairs better with Marmion). Horrendous injury list still.

Obv squad injuries/depth is playing a massive part but wonder if they're not sure on Kloska's calf and think there's a good chance he could go off in minutes, so have the extra cover?
Lahiff not without his injury issues as well - run 3 until he breaks down, then bring on 18 until he breaks down, the 19 to see out the game

 

[Rinkadink]

Could be.

Problems run deeper than selection at the moment though. Lot of protest here tonight, season ticket holders not showing up or selling their tickets. Crazy.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Counts as a win but that was a horrible lineout, guy was being lowered from his lift by the time it was thrown in

 

[Quel Carreleur]

The Ravouvou non-penalty is annoying because whilst time was off, you could hear Dickson explaining exactly why it was a penalty behind the commentators, then setting the scrum anyway

Donoghue needs to calm down a little, and seems to be - just trying a bit too hard early on

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That was class from Spencer

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Nice move for the Harding try.
Bristol do love a mis-direct - me too

 

[TRF_Olyy]

And that's a lovely trick play on the tap and go

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That looks like a PT

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Yup.
Stupid.
The sort of brain fade we were all worried about when he signed.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

That penalty's gone the wrong way hasn't it?
I'm sure I e been told the ball has to go through the maul, not over the top?
Or is that not the case if it's handed off, rather than passed?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

5min21s of the sin bin period gone before the first pass is made

Gotta be a record

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Dunno what that penalty (advantage) was for, but LRZ must be hurting from that one

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Someone on that wing is lucky Barb.s scored.

ETA, or not.
In which case, I hope that they look at the late tackle on Arundel as well as the knock on by Frost.

ETA2, okay, replay of original angle makes him not so late, there's just a delay between him first grabbing shirt and getting HA down.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Incredible from Hill

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hope Genge isn't too bad - one of his teammates went over to him on the floor and he just shook his head/told him not to touch him

From my armchair doctor perspective that's definitely the hobble of a man who's back is ******

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not sure why they're even checking that, it's just side entry - does he even make head contact?


Edit: rare sensible decision from KD

 

[Quel Carreleur]

BJVR to Ravouvou was beautiful.
Deserved more TBH

 

[Quel Carreleur]

That's on the neck for me. Possibly a really mild deflection off the top of the shoulder - and if so, a good reason why the line should be armpit, not shoulder

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bath not winning in Bristol for 18yrs is crazy
I know a chunk of that Bristol were in the championship, but still

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Great game

Bath not winning in Bristol for 18yrs is crazy

I know a chunk of that Bristol were in the championship, but still

Also, a good chunk with Bath being utter shite