Aviva Premiership 17/18 - Round 4

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

irish should be very worried IMO.

Worcester should also try and keep Kitto for longer looked much better with him on the park at 9.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Big fan of Kitto, just unfortunate to behind youngs and Harrison (who is in turn unfortunate to be behind youngs cause he's easily good enough to be a starting 9)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Big fan of Kitto, just unfortunate to behind youngs and Harrison (who is in turn unfortunate to be behind youngs cause he's easily good enough to be a starting 9)

Yep and our two best academy players currently are both 9's IMO (Well and hardiwck at 10)

 

[BPM]

Who listened to me after I pointed out how good he looked in the first sevens comp?

Who? 'Kin no-one!

Not sure about that? I think my championing of Simmonds has been at least equal in volume for a similar period of time. I don't care who was first. My point is that you clearly weren't the lone voice.

I've been looking at Sam Simmonds' stats and they are ridiculous.
This season he's made 231 metres, the most of any forward in the Prem. The next best forward after him at Chiefs is Armand with 82.
He's made 48 tackles (missed 3, 94% tackle rate), the most in the squad. The next best player in the Chiefs squad after him is once again Armand with 38.
He's beaten 16 defenders (Tied most in the Prem with Hughes), only beaten in the Chiefs squad by Nowell with 24 (most in the Prem). Next best forward is Armand with 7.
He's made 6 breaks, the most of any forward in the Prem (2nd most in the squad after Woodburn with 10) and 3 more than any other Chiefs forward (Skinner)
Considering he missed about 60 minutes today these are incredible.

To put him into a context with the England squad I'll compare him to Nathan Hughes. Obviously Vunipola is the man to beat but he hasn't played enough to make it a fair comparison.
Hughes has made 205 metres, 26 less than Simmonds.
He's made 50 tackles, 2 less than Simmonds however Simmonds has played roughly 60 less minutes and Hughes has missed 7 tackles, 4 more than Simmonds giving him a success rate of 88%, 6% less than Simmonds.
He's beaten 16 defenders, the same as Simmonds.
He's made 5 breaks, 1 less than Simmonds.

To summarise, of the Prem forwards he tops metres made, breaks and defenders beaten.
I'm not suggesting Simmonds should be starting for England. But he definitely deserves a look in.

100% agree with this. He certainly deserves a look based upon what has been a brilliant start to the season. I was very surprised Eddie didn't bring him in to the training squad at least.

I also like the look of Skinner too. Not as an England contender, but he's looking like another promising young player at Chiefs.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I care about who was first.

 

[BPM]

OK ... I have a feeling it was Toby.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

OK ... I have a feeling it was Toby.

I remember watching him a couple of times in his Albion days when my brother played for them and thinking he was pretty incredible. Didn't expect this level of progress though, that's down to Rats.

 

[curtbob7]

Word on the start of the Exeter Wasps game. 31 phases or something? Is that extremely good play or the rules becoming more like League?

Jackelling 7's that important anymore? Breakdown becoming uncontestable.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Word on the start of the Exeter Wasps game. 31 phases or something? Is that extremely good play or the rules becoming more like League?

Jackelling 7's that important anymore? Breakdown becoming uncontestable.

I'd say those phases probably had something to do with Wasps having a back row of Johnson, Haskell and Hughes. No real breakdown competitor in there. Once Young came on Exeter weren't nearly as dominant.