Aviva Premiership - Round 18

[TRF_Olyy]

To quote Richard Cockerill: Gamesmanship
At a supporters night Q&A with David Rose he said that a lot of sides, who know they're in trouble on a 5m scrum, will collapse as early as possible to avoid the penalty try.
Realistically we should have had someone binned relatively early in the penaltyfest, and then if it continued another binned, and another - it'd have meant 12 players eventually, but we were "gamesmanship"ping the f**k out of those scrums.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I know - that's the point though, refs know exactly what they're doing... which is why a penalty try is ordinarily given in those circumstances.

The ref allowed himself to be played.
I didn't catch it myself - but apparently Dean Richards said to Seymour "the next one... I'm under the posts", after the fourth collapse... he then did nothing after the following 5.

I genuinely think he needs to be dropped from premiership duty from that.*

I also find it slightly irritating that people on twitter are saying that Ford should learn from Cips' kicking when he actually has the higher %.

*I'm not blaming him for the loss BTW - Sale limited our scoring opportunities and we failed to take them, we could have won.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

So moved up into 3rd place and 7 points behind saints what was the points difference between the 2 before Christmas.

Time to try and end a 74 home win record next week. (We can dream)

 

[04perryo]

I'm not sure if I'm reading this result correctly but it looks like wuss has won a game..... YES!!!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Now all you need is ten points and Newcastle to not pick up any.

 

[04perryo]

Should be easy haha

 

[Amiga500]

I see Dylan's been munching again...

 

[ratsapprentice]

According to Tom Youngs, and contrary to the (quite clear) video evidence.

 

[Aristodemus]

Not ideal is it that these two guys dislike each other so much. Disgusting on either side though, if Hartley did do it and if Youngs falsely accused him of it. /sigh

 

[Maverick1987]

I see Dylan's been munching again...

View attachment 2758

Article from the times

Dylan Hartley will face no disciplinary action following a claim from Tom Youngs, the Leicester hooker, that he was bitten by an opponent in Saturday’s 22-16 Aviva Premiership victory over Northampton.
The RFU today confirmed that Wade Dooley, the citing officer, has decided not to take action against Hartley, the England forward, after reviewing the match footage.
Jim Mallinder, the Northampton director of rugby, said after Saturday’s game that he would speak to Hartley after Youngs claimed to have been bitten on the hand after a collapsed scrum in the fifteenth minute at Franklin’s Gardens.

Don't judge too quickly my friend . You probably want us to forgive Healy over his stamp on Cole maybe you should forgive Hartley for his Bite on Ferris

 

[j'nuh]

Not ideal is it that these two guys dislike each other so much. Disgusting on either side though, if Hartley did do it and if Youngs falsely accused him of it. /sigh

Get rid of the two of them and bring in Webber and Ward, with George to be worked on as a long-term option.

 

[Patchey]

I didn't see the scrum in question but has anyone given a thought to the mechanics of it. How could one hooker bit another on the hand in a collapsed scrum? I know you've got to have a strong neck to play front row but Hartley isn't Mr Elastic. I don't think its physically possible he did it.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Just pulled an interesting stat from this week's Midol,

Difference in points between 1st and the 8th placed teams in the 3 European Championships.

Premiership 1st Saracens 72 pts. 8th Gloucester 36 pts difference = 36pts.

Celtic League 1st Leinster 68 pts. 8th Connact 34 pts difference = 34pts.

TOP 14 1st Montpellier 66 pts. 8th Stade Francais 58 pts difference = 8pts.

So which Championship is the most competitive, your comments Gentlemen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I didn't see the scrum in question but has anyone given a thought to the mechanics of it. How could one hooker bit another on the hand in a collapsed scrum? I know you've got to have a strong neck to play front row but Hartley isn't Mr Elastic. I don't think its physically possible he did it.

On the replay if anyone did the biting it was our tight head mafu but I don't think his hand gets bitten at all! It doesn't seem to be near a mouth!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Just pulled an interesting stat from this week's Midol,

Difference in points between 1st and the 8th placed teams in the 3 European Championships.

Premiership 1st Saracens 72 pts. 8th Gloucester 36 pts difference = 36pts.

Celtic League 1st Leinster 68 pts. 8th Connact 34 pts difference = 34pts.

TOP 14 1st Montpellier 66 pts. 8th Stade Francais 58 pts difference = 8pts.

So which Championship is the most competitive, your comments Gentlemen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Literally no one cares.

Literally no one.

 

[Patchey]

On the replay if anyone did the biting it was our tight head mafu but I don't think his hand gets bitten at all! It doesn't seem to be near a mouth!

Yeah. I think had Hartley not been on the field this wouldn't have even gone to the citing commissioner. The fact it was Barnes reffing was as well. I know Hartley has done a fair bit to deserve a bit of a rep but this is a bit silly.

---------

Anyone watch the Sarries/Wasps game? I found myself resisting the urge to weep as the club I suppoerted as a child was steamrollered by driving mauls. Plenty of people I know insist that Sarries play 'expansive' rugby but really, after that, I'm not convinced. Being a forward and a bit of a line out nerd I do love a good rolling maul but there was something very sad about the way Sarries spent most of the game in their default mode, just chugging away. Bodes well for the England pack though I guess.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I watched the highlights of the Wasps game - the highlight was Ashton messing up so monumentally for that try.

 

[Patchey]

I watched the highlights of the Wasps game - the highlight was Ashton messing up so monumentally for that try.

He was like a seak trying to catch a beach ball, only with less skill and no flippers. Beautiful.

 

[ratsapprentice]

He was a FB in league!

Very droll.

 

[McTallshort]

Stop talking about Ashton on a tread about England! I know its all negative but lets not tempt fate gentleman