Aviva Premiership - Round 2

[TRF_Olyy]

Round 2 Fixtures

Live on BT Sport

Live on BT Sport

Live on BT Sport

​

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale will likely be without Braid and Cueto, on the trip to Gloucester, after both went off injured vs Bath - possibly Ross Harrison too.
Georgian hooker Mamukashvili will be in contention (probably on the bench) and Johnny Leota should be back from an injury he picked up playing for Samoa over the summer (supposed to be back training fully this week).

Hopefully we learnt our lesson about using AdM as a tighthead, and have him solely on the loose.
My side would be:
AdM, Jones, Cobilas,
Hines, Ostrikov,
Paterson, Seymour, Fihaki
Cusiter, Cipriani,
Ingall, Jennings, Leota, Brady,
Mclean

Mamukashvili, Harrison, ELR, Mills, Lund, Cliff, Ford, Arscott


Though it's more likely to be the same 23 as last week, but with Lund starting (one of Ostrikov or Fihaki on the bench - Mills as backrow cover if Ostrikov), Arscott starting (with either Leota on the bench or whichever of Addison/Jennings he takes the place of in the starting lineout).

 

[goodNumber10]

I can't see wasps getting anything from that Saints game
think Falcons will do Irish
Think Bath will do Welsh (but it will be a better performance from Welsh)
Leicester will beat Exeter
Sarries will take Quins

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I can't see wasps getting anything from that Saints game
think Falcons will do Irish
Think Bath will do Welsh (but it will be a better performance from Welsh)
Leicester will beat Exeter
Sarries will take Quins

Sale/Glos too close to call?


I reckon Wasps could get a losing BP vs Saints, as long as they don't let last weeks last minute defeat weigh on their minds.
This'll basically be Saints first run out of the season, as last week was less troubling than their pre-seasons.

 

[goodNumber10]

i'm not sure about sale gloucester not sure how good Sale are and how poor gloucester were.. at home they may click. nd you know LM has had them hammering everything this week.

agree about bonus points for wasps, but sadly that's where they were last season.. i'm not seeing a markedly improved squad for all their signings think best they can hope for is mid table (in a tough league).

 

[ratsapprentice]

I think the first round isn't really a reliable indicator of form.

 

[TheSaffycen]

I hope that we dont play like we did against wasps otherwise Quins will close a game out. I would start Hamilton and Wray, Brown was useless and added nothing, Hargreaves isn't the player quins will fear, we need too play the big guys. Farrell too start as well and possibly Wyles instead of Ashton too combat Yarde's power.
1.Barrington 2.George 3.Longbottom 4.Kruis 5.Hamilton 6.Wray 7.Fraser 8.Vunipola 9.Wigglesworth 10.Farrell 11.Strettle 12.Barritt 13.Taylor 14.Wyles 15.Goode

 

[ratsapprentice]

Quins didn't play all too well either - I do think quins have a good chance of beating you if the first round was any indicator of your form.
But until we've seen 3-4 games it's hard to tell.

 

[TheSaffycen]

What was most worrying for me was just the missed tackles. Even if the guys are a bit rusty from pre-season it's just the basics of rugby, but as you said Quins played poorly so who knows really. Does anyone know if it is going too rain on Friday night ?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Weather looks good for Friday.

Oh, and, don't take this the wrong way, but: http://www.totootwo.com/

 

[TheSaffycen]

 

[Geordie]

2nd game of the season and we already have a potentially massive game at KP with regards to bottom end of the table business.
Falcons v Irish.

Could be pretty even but i have a feeling Juan Pablo Socino could be the difference. He looks a hell of a signing for us.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Socino was superb in Championship last season, good to see him carry his form into the Prem.
I thought Falcons would be really stung by the loss of Hodgson, but Socino will take a lot of pressure off of Godman/Clegg at 10 as they're both pretty poor kickers when there's any sort of pressure on, leaving them to focus on controlling the game.

 

[Geordie]

Ive watched him in the pre seasons and then the Tigers game and he looks the real deal. He's not tall but he's a proper powerhouse aswell.

We have some potent weapons in our backs (which might surprise a few i know) like Sinoti, the Tuilagis (once they get fit) and the academy lads... Sean Brown, Hammersley, Kibirige...our pack has always given us decent ball and will continue to do that.....but we've lacked any kind of ability to use the ball and our strike runners effectively.

Socino might be the catalyst that allows us to do that...and might give Clegg some confidence to use his skills aswell.

We shall see.

 

[TheSaffycen]

I have Socino in my fantasy team and i hope that he can pick up some points this week. I've said it before but for alot of the smaller teams having a reliable kicker is so important too them, teams like Saints and Tigers create so many opportunities that if their kicker only kicks 60% alot of the time they still win the game. Gopperth was so good for you lot, and the lower teams an 80-90% kicker is soooo useful, especially when they can only get 4 or 5 shots at goal in a game.

 

[Geordie]

Actually our kickers were ok last season (though JPS will improve the % thats for sure)......the problem was converting chances.

We actually surprisingly did create chances we just couldnt convert them at all. Hopefully having Socino in there (if he continues the way he started) it might just be that creativty we need to turn missed chances into actual points.

I also think the two tuilagi boys could be quite influential to us this season. We have pacy silky runners...but we missed a couple of big monster carriers either in the backs or the forwards.....to drag in defenders. Now Alex might not be at his prime anymore and Andy never the most skilled...but if they do that job effectively....they could be very influential for us,

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Only just looked at our fixture list...

Saints (Home)
Harlequins (Away)

Wasps to be bottom of the heap after 3 rounds?
Place your bets now!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Freddie burns scored the 3rd highest total (16) for a Leicester Tiger debut. The other 2 were Liley in 1992 and Hare in 1976.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Having just watched our game vs Sale again, I'm feeling pretty good.

Aside from some dropped balls and lineout issues we didn't look too rusty and were stringing some nice moves together from set piece.
I think Sale were lucky not to be carded for Houston's almost-try (ball was handled on the floor) and to be awarded their first try.

We missed out on a load of bonus points last season.
I think we need to target getting a bonus point within 60 minutes against Welsh.
They'll be better than last week but there is a gulf in player quality and we are at home with a full house at the newly expanded Rec.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Attwood start with Will Spencer on the bench.

 

[Patchey]

Quins team to face Sarries tomorrow:

15. Mike Brown
14. Marland Yarde
13. Matt Hopper
12. Jordan Turner-Hall
11. Ollie Lindsay-Hague
10. Nick Evans
9. Danny Care

1. Joe Marler©
2. Joe Gray
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Charlie Matthews
5. George Robson
6. Luke Wallace
7. Chris Robshaw
8. Nick Easter

Replacements
16. Rob Buchanan
17. Mark Lambert
18. Will Collier
19. George Merrick
20. Jack Clifford
21. Karl Dickson
22. Ben Botica
23. Charlie Walker

Once change, LH in for injured Monye and Charlie Walker onto the bench.