Ok is Finn Smith the best 10 at saints currently?
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PREM 25/26 - Round 8
- Thread starter TRF_Olyy
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Watched overnight, and... Bloody hell Northampton!
Absolutely brilliant.
Out-thought, out-skilled and out-bloody-minded us.
Never accepted the tackle to set up the ruck, always changing the point of attack, always asking questions (often the same one) that Bath had no answer for.
This is everything I love about rugby, even as a fan of the losing side.
One of the best performances I've seen at the Rec, by any team - with a heavily rotated team and 3 disallowed tries.
On which, 1st absolutely should have been run in before blowing the whistle, and then checked properly. This one was huge, because the change in possession directly led to Bath's first try.
2nd is one of those bits of shithousery you see (and I hate) at every ruck. Usually ignored as immaterial, in this case it was materially significant, but he wasn't exact trying hard to get back in position. If you give the ref a decision to make, you can't complain too much when he makes it (I'm not sure either way if I'd have allowed the try, it certainly was a penalty offence, and certainly was "material", just feels a bit... pathetic). I was personally more annoyed that ref allowed play on top of injured player on the ground. TdG got away with it, but that had the potential to be really nasty (I don't care that he was out off the field of play, it's a matter of safety)
3rd probably was short, but I often disagree with ref.s and TMOs on where "probable" becomes "clear and obvious". If you give the ref a decision to make, you can't complain too much when he makes it (even though I'd have allowed the try). Ultimately immaterial as Saints scored from that forward field position anyway.
I know the commentators were saying "at 21-14, everyone expected Bath to run away with it"... They certainly weren't including me in "everyone" we were second best from first second to last. There have been matches where we've been 10 points down, and I never felt we'd lose. This was one where we were 7 points up, and I never felt we were favourites.
Absolutely brilliant.
Out-thought, out-skilled and out-bloody-minded us.
Never accepted the tackle to set up the ruck, always changing the point of attack, always asking questions (often the same one) that Bath had no answer for.
This is everything I love about rugby, even as a fan of the losing side.
One of the best performances I've seen at the Rec, by any team - with a heavily rotated team and 3 disallowed tries.
On which, 1st absolutely should have been run in before blowing the whistle, and then checked properly. This one was huge, because the change in possession directly led to Bath's first try.
2nd is one of those bits of shithousery you see (and I hate) at every ruck. Usually ignored as immaterial, in this case it was materially significant, but he wasn't exact trying hard to get back in position. If you give the ref a decision to make, you can't complain too much when he makes it (I'm not sure either way if I'd have allowed the try, it certainly was a penalty offence, and certainly was "material", just feels a bit... pathetic). I was personally more annoyed that ref allowed play on top of injured player on the ground. TdG got away with it, but that had the potential to be really nasty (I don't care that he was out off the field of play, it's a matter of safety)
3rd probably was short, but I often disagree with ref.s and TMOs on where "probable" becomes "clear and obvious". If you give the ref a decision to make, you can't complain too much when he makes it (even though I'd have allowed the try). Ultimately immaterial as Saints scored from that forward field position anyway.
I know the commentators were saying "at 21-14, everyone expected Bath to run away with it"... They certainly weren't including me in "everyone" we were second best from first second to last. There have been matches where we've been 10 points down, and I never felt we'd lose. This was one where we were 7 points up, and I never felt we were favourites.
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Best 10 in the premiership F Smith is.
Funny way is spelling Searle
Not even the best 10 at tigers.
Agreed, F.Smith wouldn't be the best 10 at Tigers
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Anyone see why the 3rd chiefs try was disallowed? Saw it was 19 - 0 then 14 - 7 next time I looked.
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Was that the shove in the back off the ball try?
Probably the right call. Just a very unnecessary thing to do.
Brown Bottle
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That would have been the ridiculous push on a Leicester defender who wouldn't have been able to do anything anyway.
I really think Exeter should be penalised for not pushing Leicester players more.
They deserve it.
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Shows how far the mighty Tiggers have fallen when they're lauding old 3rd choice Bristol out halves (and 9s).
Genuinely pleased to see him getting some game time and plaudits though. Really nice bloke as well.
Austin is so biased at times, needs to shut the **** up or don’t let him commentate on tigers games as he’s brilliant for other games at times.
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Hate that ruling. I don't think there's a player in the world who doesn't go in to stop the try there. Completely different to a tackle anywhere else on the pitch too.
That yc seems very harsh.
One of the worst refereeing performances I’ve seen in a long time
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How was that a holding on penalty when the Leicester player wasn't holding on. Was it not turned over after ball release but lost forward in the clear out?
They'll be signing Tiff Eden next season at this rate
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Didn't Sarries beat them to it?
How much are Exe allowed to get away with cynically sealing off at every opportunity and clearly going straight off feet, seems like only one team getting reffed here.
A tale as old as time
