Premiership Rugby 21/22 - Rd 24

[TRF_Olyy]

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[will311293]

That Irish Vs Wasps game is so crucial to our season. Looking at the last 3 games of the season as it stands and the rounds... its a properly close run in.

As it stands...

Saints - 63pts
———————
Exeter - 62
Glaws - 62
Irish - 58
Wasps - 57
———————
Sale - 56

Round 24 - Saints V Quins, Sale V Falcons, Glaws V Bath, Tigers V Bristol, Wuss V Sarries, Irish V Wasps
Round 25 - Bristol V Exeter, Wasps V Sale, Bath V Irish, Quins V Glaws, Falcons V Tigers, Sarries V Saints
Final Round - Exeter V Quins, Glaws V Sarries, Tigers V Wasps, Saints V Falcons, Sale V Bristol, Wuss V Bath


This is going to be a fun run in ...

I'm backing... Sale to take top 4 with Irish falling out of top 8.

Exeter legit might not make top 4, with a week off and then Briz/Quins thats really tough. Saints have a tough run in. Really depends on what Sarries, Quins and Tigers do on resting squads.

If Wasps win against Irish, then Wasps vs Sale at CBS becomes so crucial to top 4. If Tigers beat Briz and Falcons, could see a rested team for our last game of the season.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Chiefs and Irish have played a game more than the others in contention - that'll play a part
Think it entirely rules out Irish but Chiefs are still in with a shout, but a longshot
Really hard to predict as everyone has tough run-ins - I still think Saints, but Quins then Sarries is a rough next two games, a loss to either could knock them out of the running if Gloucester get a good win vs Bath (though I think Bath might sneak it, they're improving)

Sale to take top 4

I'll have what you're smoking!

I think Healy predicted 73pts will take the final playoff spot

 

[will311293]

Chiefs and Irish have played a game more than the others in contention - that'll play a part
Think it entirely rules out Irish but Chiefs are still in with a shout, but a longshot
Really hard to predict as everyone has tough run-ins - I still think Saints, but Quins then Sarries is a rough next two games, a loss to either could knock them out of the running if Gloucester get a good win vs Bath (though I think Bath might sneak it, they're improving)


I'll have what you're smoking!

I think Healy predicted 73pts will take the final playoff spot

haha so this why i think Wasps/Sale are in with a chance. Glaws to lose and never rule out Exeter but that game more will play a part. Saints will get a rough time of it from Quins/Sarries as they won't let them come back from 19pts down.

I really think think Sale Vs Wasps could be a crucial game if we both get wins this weekend. We would need 2 wins with bonus points and then additional from last game to get it though.

 

[GlosJoe]

My take on it for a Glos perspective:

Round 24 - Should be a home win and hopefully Skivs will be drilling that into their head this week. The good thing is that although Bath are playing better than earlier on in the season they are still tending to fade in the final 20 mins of games so it would be nice it that trend continued on Saturday.
Round 25 - I've written that one off as we've not won at Twickenham since 2003 so any points from that game will be a bonus.
Round 26 - This is the interesting one for me as Saracens should have secured a home semi final by this point so fingers crossed they might not go full strength but they might want revenge for the reverse fixture at the start of the year (and the Challenge Cup QF depending on the result in that one).

Given this feels like the 2005/06 season again I've a feeling we'll just miss out but considering where we were last season it's a big improvement. I think the main thing though is to stay above Irish as that'll guarantee Champions Cup qualification since their bye is in the final round.

 

[will311293]

You could be in luck with Sarries. They will know they are good enough to go to anyone and beat them so either home or away semi final won't matter to them too much. I'd expect Sarries to take 9-10 pts away from Wuss & saints and Quins to find it tougher vs Saints/Glaws and not to get 9-10pts.

So i'd see Sarries putting a weaker team out vs your boys.

 

[BPM]

The Premiership Cup is a bit of an unwelcome distraction this round. I doubt any of the clubs who have semi finals this week are particularly keen to do anything other than playing academy kids.

Challenge Cup QF for Saracens the following week might also influence their selection this week too. I could easily see them resting a bunch of players vs. Worcester who might not have the depth to rotate as much as they'd ideally need to between the Prem Cup and R24.

On resting … Quins don't really need to do it. We have Saints away on Friday then a 3wk gap until we play Gloucester followed by a 2wk gap before we play Exeter on the final day. We're the reigning champions, it's the only competition we're in and with 3 games spread across 6wks, there really shouldn't be any reason for us not to play our strongest side.

 

[will311293]

The Premiership Cup is a bit of an unwelcome distraction this round. I doubt any of the clubs who have semi finals this week are particularly keen to do anything other than playing academy kids.

Challenge Cup QF for Saracens the following week might also influence their selection this week too. I could easily see them resting a bunch of players vs. Worcester who might not have the depth to rotate as much as they'd ideally need to between the Prem Cup and R24.

On resting … Quins don't really need to do it. We have Saints away on Friday then a 3wk gap until we play Gloucester followed by a 2wk gap before we play Exeter on the final day. We're the reigning champions, it's the only competition we're in and with 3 games spread across 6wks, there really shouldn't be any reason for us not to play our strongest side.

No i agree. Quins won't rest anyone. Irish benefit from having until Sunday but have the challenge of both being in competition for both competitions. The real challenge is for Glaws, as Wuss will go full noise i reckon on Weds.

 

[BPM]

You could be in luck with Sarries. They will know they are good enough to go to anyone and beat them so either home or away semi final won't matter to them too much. I'd expect Sarries to take 9-10 pts away from Wuss & saints and Quins to find it tougher vs Saints/Glaws and not to get 9-10pts.

So i'd see Sarries putting a weaker team out vs your boys.

I'm certainly not looking at it as a given, but I still fancy us to beat Saints and Gloucester. Both of them really need to go all out for BP wins which probably means looser, more open games and to put it simply, I just think we're better at that kind of rugby than they are. Even more so with the likes of Smith, Dombrandt and Marchant back.

 

[will311293]

I'm certainly not looking at it as a given, but I still fancy us to beat Saints and Gloucester. Both of them really need to go all out for BP wins which probably means looser, more open games and to put it simply, I just think we're better at that kind of rugby than they are. Even more so with the likes of Smith, Dombrandt and Marchant back.

Oh i think you will win... do i reckon you will get both with bonus points... maybe not.

 

[Goodey]

The fact that we had all the teams from 4th-9th all vying for 4th in February and it's still basically what's happening is kinda great

 

[will311293]

The fact that we had all the teams from 4th-9th all vying for 4th in February and it's still basically what's happening is kinda great

100%. It just shows how close the league can be....

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Looks like AJ and Tom Curry are back this weekend, that's a big boost

 

[TRF_Olyy]

'Nugget' tactic mined by Sale on recent visit by Springboks bosses

Sale boss Alex Sanderson was left enthused by last Friday's training ground by Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber and some of his staff.

www.rugbypass.com

Bouncing some ideas off the Boks coaches

@munstermuffin I always said Felix Jones was a top lad*


*i reserve the right to remove this when we get battered by Racing

 

[munstermuffin]

'Nugget' tactic mined by Sale on recent visit by Springboks bosses

Sale boss Alex Sanderson was left enthused by last Friday's training ground by Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber and some of his staff.

www.rugbypass.com

Bouncing some ideas off the Boks coaches

@munstermuffin I always said Felix Jones was a top lad*


*i reserve the right to remove this when we get battered by Racing

If ye win those 2 lads on defense will be the blessing ye got. Jacques in a genius in defence and Felix is very detailed. Could be worst than get him on an advisory role

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If ye win those 2 lads on defense will be the blessing ye got. Jacques in a genius in defence and Felix is very detailed. Could be worst than get him on an advisory role

Especially after you plundered us for his eventual replacement at 15

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

'Nugget' tactic mined by Sale on recent visit by Springboks bosses

Sale boss Alex Sanderson was left enthused by last Friday's training ground by Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber and some of his staff.

www.rugbypass.com

Bouncing some ideas off the Boks coaches

@munstermuffin I always said Felix Jones was a top lad*


*i reserve the right to remove this when we get battered by Racing

Hopefully he gets the teams emotions in check before the game

 

[munstermuffin]

Especially after you plundered us for his eventual replacement at 15

Mike Haley is a super player. Deserves to be competing at business end. Lets all be happy he got that opportunity

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Aaron Hinkley at Saints has surprised me this week? He was a great prospect at Glouc but it just seemed to fall apart at Cheifs?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Both Currys back - looking forward to seeing Metcalf get another start, as well