[2013 Premiership] Round 2

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Round 2 Fixtures

Twickenham Stoop, London (Friday, 19:45 GMT)

Salford City Stadium, Salford (Friday, 20:00 GMT)

Sandy Park, Exeter (Saturday, 15:00 GMT)

Sixways Stadium, Worcester (Saturday, 15:00 GMT)

The Rec, Bath (Saturday, 15:15 GMT)

Allianz Park, London (Sunday, 14:00 GMT)

​

 

[Tony Manx]

Thanks!

 

[Draggs]

Saints, Sharks, Wasps, Warriors, Tigers, Saracens.
Quins Saints and Bath Leicester could be tough to call. Quins were lucky to get the win last week; Tigers didn't look outstanding.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Saints, Sharks, Chiefs, Irish, Bath, Saracens.

Quins will have to really step it up to get a win, even at home.
Sharks should be full of confidence and buoyed at home.
Chiefs/Wasps is difficult to call. I think both teams look set to battle it out for 7th this year. I went for Exeter because of home advantage.
Warriors will be at home, but I thought Irish looked decent against a very strong Saracens.
Tigers/Bath is the toughest to predict IMO. Their first games were just too different. If Bath can maintain their discipline/accuracy they stand a good chance of winning, Tigers need to improve but they are more than capable of doing so.
Sarries to dominate Glos.

 

[Draggs]

Saints, Sharks, Chiefs, Irish, Bath, Saracens.

Quins will have to really step it up to get a win, even at home.
Sharks should be full of confidence and buoyed at home.
Chiefs/Wasps is difficult to call. I think both teams look set to battle it out for 7th this year. I went for Exeter because of home advantage.
Warriors will be at home, but I thought Irish looked decent against a very strong Saracens.
Tigers/Bath is the toughest to predict IMO. Their first games were just too different. If Bath can maintain their discipline/accuracy they stand a good chance of winning, Tigers need to improve but they are more than capable of doing so.
Sarries to dominate Glos.

Ill admit I didn't watch the Not Nots, so you could be very right. Likewise Wasps.
Tigs did enough to win without looking convincing. Bath would be tough to judge with Newcastle being 'unknown' right now. Eastmond might be injured, and Henson is starting at inside centre for Bath United v Wasps A.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It would not surprise me in the slightest to see Quins get absolutely ruined by Saints.

Also I wouldn't be surprised to see Newcastle beat us - games between Sale and Newcastle are often horrendous affairs with scores like 3-6 and 9-3 - I, of course, am hoping for try bonus point win though :lol:

For my money:
Saints, Sale, Wasps, Worcester, Bath, Saracens

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Bath looked so powerful that i think they might try and steamroller over tigers which is a switch of tactics from years gone by!

I think they might actually be able to if Tigers put out the same team!

As for Quins i think we will smash them, they looked so poor vs wasps and we are on fire, can't wait!

 

[martinspoonboy1]

Bath looked so powerful that i think they might try and steamroller over tigers which is a switch of tactics from years gone by!

I think they might actually be able to if Tigers put out the same team!

As for Quins i think we will smash them, they looked so poor vs wasps and we are on fire, can't wait!

Should be a good game! Northampton do look dangerous, i reckon it will be closer than you think though, quins dont often get smashed at home!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Should be a good game! Northampton do look dangerous, i reckon it will be closer than you think though, quins dont often get smashed at home!

True and no one told saints it was a 80 minute game as we still only play for 60. I'm really looking forward to Robshaw vs Wood!

On that note whats your opinion of them playing Wallace at 6 and Robshaw at 7? Surley it should be the other way round!

 

[BasqueBete]

Wallace did play 7, as he is one, capt notsure had the shirt, assume so as not to prick hs bubble..but played the 6 role.

 

[martinspoonboy1]

True and no one told saints it was a 80 minute game as we still only play for 60. I'm really looking forward to Robshaw vs Wood!

On that note whats your opinion of them playing Wallace at 6 and Robshaw at 7? Surley it should be the other way round!

Agreed! But for whatever reason the coaching staff see it differently. Im sure Wallace will get game time at 7 at some point. I guess theyre going for the old 'if it aint broke dont fix it' approach. If we get turned over by Saints, you may well see them fixing it! Really looking forward to this fixture!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

To be fair, if you've got a 7 in the 6 shirt and a 6 in the 7 shirt, surely that's just the numbers on their backs? They'll play how they play naturally.

 

[ratsapprentice]

To the extent that positions are decided by a players natural athletic ability.
Directives from coaches need to be adhered to though - if Wallace gets told he needs to make a certain number of tackles then he might keep out of a breakdown he otherwise would have contested.

 

[BasqueBete]

Exactly, and Wallace played as 7 as he is a 7 and can play as 7, capt notsure is not and can't and doesn't

I will need to drop the title though and simply call him notsure. Perhaps extend it the other way and call him notsure of the hardlywins....

His days in England shirt are numbered too, just another borthwick but without nose cut and an actual stand out talent for a facet of the game, ie. at least birthwick is a talented lo exponent...

 

[04perryo]

Must win game for worcester in my opinion, preferably a try bonus point haha

 

[j'nuh]

Home wins for all, 'cept Saints beating Quins. Tigers losing out to Bath because of the injury crisis.

But will probably change mind again once teams are announced.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Exactly, and Wallace played as 7 as he is a 7 and can play as 7, capt notsure is not and can't and doesn't

I will need to drop the title though and simply call him notsure. Perhaps extend it the other way and call him notsure of the hardlywins....

His days in England shirt are numbered too, just another borthwick but without nose cut and an actual stand out talent for a facet of the game, ie. at least birthwick is a talented lo exponent...

I'm not the biggest Robshaw fan ever but i'm i think he is a good flanker ( at 6 or a 6.5 or what ever). I don't get why people have turned on him.

He still makes *****e loads of tackles, hits rucks and carries open and around the frindges, thats what i want. Personally i'd have wood at 6 as he is faster, better rucker and better in the lineout but if wood was injured i'd have no beef about robshaw stepping in.

Who i really can't stand is 'hang out on the wing' Tom croft. He is no loss for england and i don't understand why so many people fail to see that yes he might be fast, yes he is good in the lineout BUT

he is not a aggressive tackler, he is not a great rucker and he plays far too loose. Thats not what i want from a 6! and it annoys me more when people say 'you obviously don't watch many tigers games' because yes i do unfortunatly and every time he plays he's waiting on the wing, standing in the backs. Simply a rubbish flanker

Rant over!

 

[ratsapprentice]

I don't think most people have turned on him, Betty is the exception rather than the rule.

Robshaw is a grafter without equal - but he is not capable of playing the role of an openside at international level.
At a very basic level he just isn't fast enough.
If Lancaster/O'Shea wanted to play the French way (with two "6.5s") then that would be fine*.
But they (O'Shea at least) keep on trying to tell people he is an openside, when he quite clearly is not what the vast majority of people consider an openside.
I have no issue with Robshaw or Wood being considered our top blindsides: they probably are.


*I'm not endorsing that btw, it's just for the sake of argument.


Tom Varndell is out for 3-4 months with a ruptured bicep.
Massive blow for wasps.

 

[Patchey]

Exactly, and Wallace played as 7 as he is a 7 and can play as 7, capt notsure is not and can't and doesn't

I will need to drop the title though and simply call him notsure. Perhaps extend it the other way and call him notsure of the hardlywins....

His days in England shirt are numbered too, just another borthwick but without nose cut and an actual stand out talent for a facet of the game, ie. at least birthwick is a talented lo exponent...

Trollin'

 

[j'nuh]

Tom Varndell is out for 3-4 months with a ruptured bicep.
Massive blow for wasps.

Everyone get your bets on Wade as the season top try scorer now.