Premiership Rugby 22/23 - Rd 21

[higgik]

Who, though?
Baring in mind he could only make 5 changes, as well

So given the qualities available, is SB the best option?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So given the qualities available, is SB the best option?

No,
I don't know who is, but I don't have much faith in the Borthwick/Sinfield/Wigglesworth combo
Though they're still relatively green so plenty of room for improvement

 

[Geordie]

What type of Rugby wins international games? Not open Fijian style...

So SB will have to decide on the style and pick the right players. Pretty much his tigers game with a bit better attack I would say.

The scrum and lineout were rhe best in the 6n so he's worked on that in the short period.

I do think Pearson will be in the mix. I'm a broken down record player but I'd like to see Ted Hill in...and George Martin is making a big stake for that lock spot...he's a powerhouse and making that switch to lock look effortless.

8 is an interesting one...Chandler Cunningham South?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Nah, CSS one for the future but Mercer and T.Willis much better options atm
CSS dynamic and skillful but not strong enough for the kind of player England would need him to be internationally, he was getting dominated in contact yesterday and I noticed it for the u20s as well. Give him a weak shoulder or a half gap and he's excellent, but he doesn't have the nitty gritty about him yet
One for post RWC

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I still think that Pearson could be a fantastic option at 8 if he was getting game time there for Irish. Got all the attributes for it.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Obano lucky,

I don't think there's any mitigation there, he's upright and it's direct to the head and it's obviously with force as Kata had to be helped off the pitch

Monye's mitigation is dumb - "He's the second man in, there was nowhere for him to go lower". Don't join the tackle then? "sorry for hitting him in the face, sir, it's the only bit of him I could see"

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Just noticed McConnochie's shirt no longer has a St George's cross on the back

Caps: EXPUNGED

 

[Wasps92]

How's Underhill getting on?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

How's Underhill getting on?

Out after a bad KO a couple of weeks ago - Not sure when he's due back, hopefully not anytime soon

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

How bad was that pass

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's concerning for Chiefs - Bath looked good but Chiefs failed in so many aspects you'd expect them to, traditionally, do well

 

[West Country Wail]

What has happened to my team, just a shadow of our former selves. The end of the season can't come sooner. Exeter Chiefs. We won the double not so long back.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

From tigers pov what a wonderful weekend

Can now start trying to pressure Sale into a slip up

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It doesn't take much pressure, tbh
Especially if Sanderson keeps trying to shoehorn Ford and Du Preez into the same backline

 

[Arcturus]

Time the players have spent together?
Most international teams seem to have a spine of one dominant domestic team in their ranks which we don't really have so it takes time to build an understanding?

I think EJ said that there was interference from the RFU in player selection, but there probably is logic in trying to operate pods of players.

As a rather late match report, I thought the Sarries v Quins game was quality. Good attacking play and quality last man tackling from both sides. Good tries scored by both sides, but Sarries were just far more clinical in their execution and the speed of ball is possibly only bettered possibly by Leinster.

Smith should have kept things simple, Dombrandt was irrelevant. Lozowski was my MOTM, although BV wasn't too bad. Concerned by the injury Farrell picked up, but he did his job, commanded well, held up a certain try and kicked better than Smith. Malins was both great at attack and awful in defence. Murley is a more rounded player.

Home semi now secured, now onto the Ospreys match.

Perhaps someone could correct me, but I think that is now 9 wins from 10; I guess cementing Sarries position as London's club .


May have said it last year after the Bristol game, but the Spurs ground is by far the best in the UK; so compact. They did have problems with delivery of beer though (missed the first two tries!). 55,000 in attendance and 1.5mn watched the game, the highest of any PR game this season.

 

[Arcturus]

Correction to the above, 1.516mn for the new all-time highest viewing figures for a Premiership game; 200,000 more than the previous all-time high (2022 final of Leicester v Sarries). 1.33mn watched the game on ITV, 0.18mn on BT.