Premiership 24/25 - Round 17

[TRF_Olyy]

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[TRF_Olyy]

Hoping Saints go full bore
Bath too, but realistically top 2 is gone as a possibility for us - so just focusing on 3rd/4th

Current standings:

 

[Which Tyler]

Hoping Bath use as few of our front-rank players as possible.
Last weekend was the one to keep sharpness; this one is too close to the final to be worth the risk. It's also ahead of the less-important must-win match (if that makes sense), so less risk with being marginally undercooked.

If you go light last week, then there's more to be gained by giving the 1st XV a full break before returning to training, than 1 week before throwing back into the fray.

The only thing we can gain by playing the 1sts is proving that we can beat Leicester at home - which we already know

 

[TRF_Olyy]

All very logical, and makes sense

But on the other hand.....it's Leicester vs Bath! Surely you want the bragging rights, if only for a few weeks until you inevitably meet in the final?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I feel like Bath might want to leave Finn and at least TDT out.

If Bath go full strength I do hope Leicester take the physicality level to the max and tire them out for next week

 

[Which Tyler]

All very logical, and makes sense

But on the other hand.....it's Leicester vs Bath! Surely you want the bragging rights, if only for a few weeks until you inevitably meet in the final?

Indeed - and it's the 2nd most important match of the regular season...
For fans.

Players and coaches need to rein that in and treat it as just another match. Even if it were Bath v Gloucester with an actual position in the table at stake - you can't afford to take your eyes off the following week's final.


Now, it's also a home match, and there's a... responsibility to not short-change your own fans; so I suspect JvG will be under pressure to go stronger than I'd like; but that's got little to do with my own hopes.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It is an interesting conundrum - risk vs reward, but Saints showed the value of going all out the week before a big knockout game
They had a lot less to lose though

 

[Which Tyler]

It's one of those we'll only the right answer in retrospect - and even then, it's for a certain value of the word "know"

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Rekeiti Ma'asi-White, 11. Tom O'Flaherty, 10. George Ford 9. Gus Warr, 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Tadgh McElroy, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. JL du Preez, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Dan du Preez.

Replacements:
16. Alfie Longstaff, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. WillGriff John, 19. Ben Bamber, 20. Sam Dugdale, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Alex Wills.

Debut for Longstaff

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

LCD and Reed are loses

Reed speed espcially

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, both been on good form recently too

McElroy will do a job but nervy about a debutant coming on to close out a game
Cometh the hour cometh the man

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Hoping Bath use as few of our front-rank players as possible.
Last weekend was the one to keep sharpness; this one is too close to the final to be worth the risk. It's also ahead of the less-important must-win match (if that makes sense), so less risk with being marginally undercooked.

If you go light last week, then there's more to be gained by giving the 1st XV a full break before returning to training, than 1 week before throwing back into the fray.

The only thing we can gain by playing the 1sts is proving that we can beat Leicester at home - which we already know

I get it.

But it sucks.

Seeing massively weakened teams rips off the fan at the stadium and is hugely unappealing to those in front of their TVs.

Seeing players who aren't even household names in their own household will be a total turn off for all but the hardcore fan.

I went to Sarries v Exeter a few years ago when both were good. Top of the table clash which turned out be a second XV fixture. Understood it, but for the (full rate) paying customer a total **** take and I've been very careful which games I've been to since.

 

[The Seeker]

Gloucester over Newcastle.

 

[IT157]

Gloucester still have a chance to make the playoffs so watch them blow it with a loss to Newcastle this weekend.

Would be such a Gloucester thing to do.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Tigers going hard

 

[Which Tyler]

Sat: 5.30
Ref: Anthony Woodthorpe
TJs: Jack Makepeace & Wayne Falla
TMO: David Rose

Bath:
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Ted Hill
7 Sam Underhill
8 Alfie Barbeary

09 Ben Spencer ©
10 Finn Russell
11 Will Muir
12 Will Butt
13 Cameron Redpath
14 Joe Cokanasiga
15 Ciaran Donoghue

16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Guy Pepper, 23 Arthur Green
21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Max Ojomoh

Much stronger than I would like.
In JvG we (have to) trust.


Leicester:
1 Nicky Smith
2 Julián Montoya ©
3 Joe Heyes
4 Cameron Henderson
5 Ollie Chessum
6 Hanro Liebenberg
7 Tommy Reffell
8 Olly Cracknell

09 Jack van Poortvliet
10 Handré Pollard
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins
12 Joseph Woodward
13 Solomone Kata
14 Adam Radwan
15 Freddie Steward

16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Cronin, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Matt Rogerson, 20 Emeka Ilione
21 Ben Youngs, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Dan Kelly

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Will be interesting if TDT or Russel get a head knock it will be squeaky bum time for Bath next week

 

[Which Tyler]

TdT's replaceable, FR isn't

 

[duncanb]

It is an interesting conundrum - risk vs reward, but Saints showed the value of going all out the week before a big knockout game
They had a lot less to lose though

We've stuck out a fairly strong side v sarries so assuming doing like as against leinster.

 

[Ddanno]

Care on the bench vs Chiefs, hoping he'll get a well deserved final appearance at the Stoop