• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

Premiership Rugby 21/22 - Rd 7

Some tasty game this week
Yep,

Gloucester have started the season pretty well and beating Exeter would keep them up the top of the table. Exeter meanwhile got a bloody nose from Irish last week and are looking more vulnerable than they have in a while.

Bath and Wasps both need a big win to help get their season back on track. With all of Wasps injuries and being at home Bath surely have to win, otherwise it's hard to see where else they'll win except maybe the likes of Worcester.

Irish and Bears is interesting especially with Irish beating Exeter. If they also beat Bristol then they could lead to them finishing top 6 potentially if they get a run going. Bears meanwhile need a win just to start crawling back up the table. Even a BP win would only move them up 1 place right now.

Saints and Tigers doesn't need much said about it. Saints have a chance to rein Tigers in. If Tigers do win though then they have a good chance to beat Bath the week after and go into the bye week undefeated, which would do wonders for morale.

Worcester and Sharks is probably the least interesting. Based on the last few weeks Sharks really should win.

Quins and Sarries is a huge game. Quins as defending champions would like to send a statement, meanwhile Sarries are looking so dominant right now.
 
Worcester and Sharks is probably the least interesting. Based on the last few weeks Sharks really should win
We look gash atm, couldn't catch a cold or hit the side of a barn with a kick at goal, it would be typical for Worcester to finally click against us
 
The absence of the England players makes it a bit harder to call.

Gloucester are only missing May and Atkinson whereas Exeter will be without Sam Simmonds, Hill and Slade (plus Cowan-Dickie to injury), which isn't what you need when you're already in patchy form. Could be a surprise win for Gloucester.

Bath vs. Wasps could be an interesting one. Bath's horrible form + England absentees vs. Wasps large scale absentees of all sorts. Wasps for the win.

Irish we're very good last weekend and full value for their win. They're missing very few to test duty and are not to be taken lightly. Bristol have been crap, but maybe the bye week is just what they needed. I'm going for a home win, but backing Bristol to have made a big improvement.

Saints vs. Tigers will be tasty. Very hard to call, but I fancy Tigers to grind out a win.

Worcester look awful. 0 confidence and no obvious fight/pride. Sale aren't as hard hit on test absences as I bought they might be. They need MacGinty back, but once he is, they'll be fine. Sale for a comfortable BP win.

Quins vs. Saracens will be fun. We're about even on the England absentees with 4 key players missing on both sides. Unfortunately for us, I think they're better equipped to absorb that and the prospect of any half-reasonable tighthead, let alone Koch coming up against Garcia Botta has me very concerned … I'm not going to write what I think about this result.
 
Last edited:
Gloucester vs Exeter - Even with a lack of players, Exeter by 7. Baxter is gonna give them a rollocking over last week but close game.

Bath vs Wasps - Game of the injuries/Missing players - Could be a really high scoring game or complete drab affair. I will go wasps by 3 (As the fan) but both team scoring over 25 pts

Irish vs Bristol - Irish by 7. Bristol have been awful at Irish looked so good last week.

Saints vs Tigers - Agree with BPM that close game but reckon Saints might grind it out, Saints by 3.

Worcester vs Sale - Sale by 14, Wuss been terrible and not gonna change sadly i think for this one.

Quins vs Sarries - Sarries to grind it out by 3. Close game and aggressive but Sarries to play their way and shut out the attacking Quins.
 
To sum it up though how weird Bath vs Wasps will be :

Wasps are missing Charlie Atkinson, Alfie Barbeary, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Frost, James Gaskell, Ben Harris, Joe Launchbury, Rob Miller, Ryan Mills, Paolo Odogwu, Sam Spink, Theo Vukasinovic and Jack Willis., Tom Cruse, Ben Morris, Will Simmonds.
We may have Robson and Le Bourgeois back this week and will have suspended Oghre back.

Bath will be missing Will Stuart, Charlie Ewels, Sam Underhill, Josh Bayliss and Faletau through internationals and then missing De Glanville, Simpson, Muir, Coetzee, Spencer, Schoemann, Obano, Cokanasiga, Redpath at least.

So looks like both teams will be (from each others sights)

Bath: FORWARDS: Boyce, du Toit, Rae, McNally (c), Williams, Ellis, du Charp, Reid BACKS: Fox, Cipriani, McCon, Ojo, Clark, Roko, Bailey BENCH: Dunn, ?, Jonker, Richards, Cowan, Greene, Butt, GH-W.

Wasps: FORWARDS: Hislop, Oghre, JTA, Fifita, Stooke, Shields, Young, Willis, BACKS: Hougaard, Umaga, Gopps, McHenry, Bassett, Kilbrige, Crossdale. BENCH: Colling, West, Scholtz, Cardall, Carr, Porter, Matthews, Watson

This is also working on the assumption that no one who is currently 50/50 for either team plays.

GOD HELPS US ALL
 
To sum it up though how weird Bath vs Wasps will be

Bath aren't very forthcoming about injuries, but Hooper has said that we're missing about half of our squad (including senior academy).
I think this is right:

1: Beno Obano (knee)
2:
3: Will Stuart (England)
4: Charlie Ewels (England)
5: Will Spencer (Calf)
6: Miles Reid (Concussion) Jaco Coetzee (Concussion)
7: Sam Underhill (England) & Josh Bayliss ("Soft Tissue")
8: Taulupe Faletau ("Soft Tissue")

9: Ben Spencer (Hamstring) & Joe Simpson (Concussion)
10: Tian Schoemonn (Knee)
11. Will Muir ("Soft Tissue")
12: Cameron Redpath (Knee)
13: Jonathan Joseph (?*) & Max Wright (Loan)
14: Joe Cokanasiga (Knee)
15: Anthony Watson (Knee) & Tom DeGlanville (Knee)

So a good spread, which is better than concentrated crises; but still a big hit - 10-13 of those would be first choice starters*
Equally, we know that there are more than the above, I just don't know who. We think Butt (OC) and Jonker (THP).
Of course, some of those, especially the Concussed and the Soft Tissue injuries may be available.



* Don't know what's wrong with Joseph, but he had to withdraw ahead of the match against Quins.
* Not sure, due to strength of the back 3 - all 4 of those injured back 3 players could claim to be first choice starters, as would McConnochie.
 
Last edited:
Bath aren't very forthcoming about injuries, but Hooper has said that we're missing about half of our squad (including senior academy).
I think this is right:

1: Beno Obano (knee)
2:
3: Will Stuart (England)
4: Charlie Ewels (England)
5: Will Spencer (Calf)
6: Miles Reid (Concussion) Jaco Coetzee (Concussion)
7: Sam Underhill (England) & Josh Bayliss ("Soft Tissue")
8: Taulupe Faletau ("Soft Tissue")

9: Ben Spencer (Hamstring) & Joe Simpson (Concussion)
10: Tian Schoemonn (Knee)
11. Will Muir ("Soft Tissue")
12: Cameron Redpath (Knee)
13: Jonathan Joseph (?*) & Max Wright (Loan)
14: Joe Cokanasiga (Knee)
15: Anthony Watson (Knee) & Tom DeGlanville (Knee)

So a good spread, which is better than concentrated crises; but still a big hit - 10-13 of those would be first choice starters*
Equally, we know that there are more than the above, I just don't know who. We think Butt (OC) and Jonker (THP).
Of course, some of those, especially the Concussed and the Soft Tissue injuries may be available.



* Don't know what's wrong with Joseph, but he had to withdraw ahead of the match against Quins.
* Not sure, due to strength of the back 3 - all 4 of those injured back 3 players could claim to be first choice starters, as would McConnochie.
Ohhhh that's a good injured XV. Ok i will raise you ours, who would win the injured XV match?

1: Ben Harris (Bulging Disc)
2: Tom Cruse (Concussion)
3: ?
4: Joe Launchbury (Knee)
5: Theo Vukasinovic (Knee)
6: James Gaskell (Ankle)
7: Jack Willis (Knee)
8: Alfie Barbeary (Hamstring)


9: Dan Robson (Groin)
10: Charlie Atkinson (Knee)
11. Paolo Odogwu (Groin)
12: Ryan Mills (Toe)
13: Malaki Fekitoa (Shoulder)
14: Sam Spink (Hamstring)
15: Rob Miller (Knee)

Extras: Ben Morris, Dan Frost, Michael Le Bourgeois, Will Simmonds
 
How long is Barbeary supposed to be out? Initially it was reported as 'a couple of months' so that should mean he's available soon?

IIRC, Jack Willis is targeting a return in December.
 
How long is Barbeary supposed to be out? Initially it was reported as 'a couple of months' so that should mean he's available soon?

IIRC, Jack Willis is targeting a return in December.
I think fairly soon, Barbeary, Launcbury, Fekitoa, Mills and Odogwu are expected to all be back around the same time.
 
GOOD NEWS! ALFIE BARBEARY IS BACK! Apparently according to Blackett he's in the best shape he's ever been in and has changed his lifestyle to being a pro rugby player.

This weekend may be a little early but the first of our cavalry returns.
 
GOOD NEWS! ALFIE BARBEARY IS BACK! Apparently according to Blackett he's in the best shape he's ever been in and has changed his lifestyle to being a pro rugby player.

This weekend may be a little early but the first of our cavalry returns.
Ha he may have looked good before but he has Bath's defence to face!





That will make him look even better...
 

Latest posts

Top