Aviva Premiership - Round 9

[Every Time Ref]

I don't know, I think of him more as an 8. There's arguably more technical stuff to learn but I think he can do it, and I see him as a ball carrier

 

[Wendigo7]

heh! still think number 6 is his position... him 6, Flouw 7... dyamn!

Yeah.

I think there are some people who do intentionally want him to fail which is a shame.

He's got great footballing skills and a rugby brain and physique to boot, he'll do just fine and I'm excited as hell seeing him play. Thought he had a nice cameo, not great for an experienced pro but better than expected from most loigs.

He'll be a backrower and will probably be in the 6 Nations team, genuinely. I know people will frown at that but I think it's inevitable with more game time.

The attempted offload though was an interesting moment. At first I thought oh dear, but on second though it will be an instinct for him to look to offload immediately. Inglis always watched Sam manoeuvre and ruin defenses to give him space in the NRL, Bath mustn't waste that ability and nor must England.

Quitely encouraged is best to describe his cameo in that shambles of a match. I don't even want to talk about Quins

 

[Patchey]

Very frustrating.

Obviously Quins lost it in the scrum, and it was a little terrifying to see our first choice pack (baring Robshaw) get made to look like children by a second string Bath 8. What was going on? I have no idea but I hope someone has worked it out by Monday.

That obviously set the precedent for us to be pinned back, unable to escape our own half and constantly unable to punish Bath for mistakes. Doubly frustrating because our backs attacked quite well and Care, with a set of forwards who were keen to run onto the ball (take note England), looked sharp. Our defense, once we'd woken up, was quite good as well.

However had Bath had a decent kicker on the field it would have been a 30+ margin. Score line flattered us. I am getting a little worries that the constant up down nature if our form is going to really effect the growth if young guys like Cliffors, Twomby, Walker and Chisholm. They should be being groomed to be future Quin's stalwarts and potential England players, not spending their (generally patchy) game time under the cosh.

Normally when we're getting pumped I can at least appreciated good rugby from the oppo. However, whenever Kyle or Joseph did something magical I felt like screaming. As every pundit asked, why aren't they playing tomorrow?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Mako looks to have put on a lot of weight in his time off, and not in a good way.
Obviously learnt a lot from Matt Stevens.

 

[Patchey]

Mako looks to have put on a lot of weight in his time off, and not in a good way.
Obviously learnt a lot from Matt Stevens.

Yeah...

I switched the Exeter game off to watch Wales on iPlayer. Are Sarries still getting destroyed in the scrum.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah...

I switched the Exeter game off to watch Wales on iPlayer. Are Sarries still getting destroyed in the scrum.

Nah, pretty even now.
Strettle and Ashton are having absolute shockers, can't catch a pass to save their lives. I think they might get lynched by the rest of the Sarries players, it's getting ridiculous.

 

[Patchey]

Sounds like something worth watching!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Itoje try.

Saracens getting dicked on from the last 15 minutes that I've seen.

 

[Irishkid]

3-0 Gloucester at haif time. Impressed with court and cross doing a good job trev doing a half decent job. We just need a bit more X factor in the backs.

 

[SelimNiai]

Dull 1st half, better second half. Hook had a good game including a couple of nice chips behind the defence, one of which was scored.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm imagining that this won't be the last we hear of Brookes not being allowed onto the Falcons bench - I predict much guff in the papers tomorrow.



Also this is the only benefit on 4G pitches, imo: Pre-match stuff without a fear of ruining the pitch for the main event. Earlier today they had Sale u23 vs Newcastle Academy, and then they'be had a mini rugby tournament on there too.

Getting the young kids in the area involved, and playing on the pitch in a proper rugby stadium, is only going to help passion for the sport.

 

[ratsapprentice]

He was allowed, but the RFU have paid the Falcons a lot of money for the EPS rights to him, so they rightly hold the right to penalise them should they break the agreement.

 

[j'nuh]

Unconvincing but will take the Glos win. For the Gloucester players, there was a clear difference in ability of some of the players on the pitch.

Kvesic and Evans looked like big fish in a small pond to me. Both put in enormous shifts.

I'm very quickly coming to the opinion that Evans could be on the England scene before the next WC. I think England will go in with Morgan and Vunipola, but if one gets injured, Evans would be a fantastic third-choice. He doesn't look like the biggest 8 ("only" 17st) but I think it's mainly because he's fast as hell for an 8 and puts his body position in awkward positions to tackle, that he's able to make so much ground in the carry. 62 meters on 11 carries today! A clean break and 5 defenders beaten. Not bad at all for a 60 minute shift for someone recently back from a long-term injury.

Kvesic with the highest number of tackles for Glos (again) and 4 turnovers. MOTM performance.

Would definitely look at 6. Evans 7. Kvesic 8. Morgan when all are available.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

F***ing horrendous refereeing so far.

Gave Falcons a penalty for a high tackle and wanted to yellow Haley - went to the TMO and it showed it wasn't even a penalty, but he gave one anyway.
Scrubbed out a try for us for a double movement despite Haley not being held at all.
Gave us an advantage and then gave advantage over after 3 passes (and making negative metres)
Just gave a penalty to Falcons at the scrum despite Wilson lifting Fridge's leg up and driving into him sideways.


and it's not even half time yet!

 

[SelimNiai]

F***ing horrendous refereeing so far.

Gave Falcons a penalty for a high tackle and wanted to yellow Haley - went to the TMO and it showed it wasn't even a penalty, but he gave one anyway.
Scrubbed out a try for us for a double movement despite Haley not being held at all.
Gave us an advantage and then gave advantage over after 3 passes (and making negative metres)
Just gave a penalty to Falcons at the scrum despite Wilson lifting Fridge's leg up and driving into him sideways.


and it's not even half time yet!

Its possibly the worst half of reffing Ive seen this year

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Thank gggaaawwwddd for that!

Cipriani moment of magic for the winning try. Closer than it should've been considering the refereeing decisions in the first half.


Always surprises me when Lund talks, he just doesn't look like he should have such a Manc accent :lol:

 

[TommiG88]

Why isn't he in the England team!?

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Cipriani just isn't consistent enough in lancasters eyes, that's what I think he said last time when talking about it.

Consistency. I rate rate ford higher than cipriani though any day. Cipriani is way ahead of myler and Farrell though.

 

[TommiG88]

Cipriani just isn't consistent enough in lancasters eyes, that's what I think he said last time when talking about it.

Consistency. I rate rate ford higher than cipriani though any day. Cipriani is way ahead of myler and Farrell though.

I feel cipriani has been consistently good for the last 12 months in an average side. Ford plays in a very strong team. Ford is young and has time but cipriani is in the prime of his career.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Cipriani' s face doesn't fit.
He has been far more consistent in the past 18 months than Ford, and is a better defender now too, but then Myler gets in instead even though we already have Farrell in the EPS as our boring option.

Lancaster wants mediocrity on attack from his halfbacks and centres.
Someone who'll look up, see gaps opening up, weak shoulders to exploit, and then kick the ball direct to the opposition fullback instead.