Premiership Rugby 23/24 - The Final Chapter - Live on ITV

[Which Tyler]

Ref: Christophe Ridley
TJs: Luke Pearce & Anthony Woodthorpe
TMO: Tom Foley

Why 80,000 people can’t be wrong: Premiership final will be neutral’s dream

Nine reasons to treasure Northampton’s meeting with Bath in Saturday’s sold-out Twickenham season finale

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Reiser99]

I don't mind that ref combination. Definitely could be a lot worse.

 

[Reiser99]

I'm supporting Saints. Mainly as I don't want to see Russell's stupid grin.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, Ridley deserves it and Pearce is an experienced voice on the touchline - other than swapping those two around I don't think it can get any better tbh

 

[Which Tyler]

I'm supporting Saints. Mainly as I don't want to see Russell's stupid grin.

Dammit - I intended to do a poll who who supports whom - I suspect you'll be in a significant majority.

If I were a neutral, I'd probably support Saints, as A] Finished top of the league, B] TNT love-in with Bruce Craig and Finn Russell, C] They've played nicer rugby than Bath over the course of the season.
Against that, I think that Saints will win, which would usually push me towards supporting the underdogs.

If both teams get into their strides, there should be some awesome rugby to watch, and Saints favourites.
If it becomes a tight, scrappy affair with frankly too many basic errors, then Bath have more experience playing that way (not of winning them, necessarily, but playing scrappy with too many errors).

As a Bath fan, I'm happy just to be here - didn't expect to be at any stage in the season (pre-season I thought I was being optimistic thinking we'd get 4th-5th). I REALLY hope the players don't feel that way, but we've only one or two players who've done it before, whilst Saints have virtually a whole squad who've reached a final before.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

It is about time bath started delivering. It's been quite a while since they got to this position and even longer since they won. Pretty much every other major club has won the ***le at least one since bath last won.

Given the fact we have a wealthy benefactor, we have massively underperformed.

 

[TommiG88]

I'm hoping for a Saints win. I wonder if the missus won't mind me asking the sports bar on the cruise ship if they'll play the game for me

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Dammit - I intended to do a poll who who supports whom - I suspect you'll be in a significant majority.

If I were a neutral, I'd probably support Saints, as A] Finished top of the league, B] TNT love-in with Bruce Craig and Finn Russell, C] They've played nicer rugby than Bath over the course of the season.
Against that, I think that Saints will win, which would usually push me towards supporting the underdogs.

If both teams get into their strides, there should be some awesome rugby to watch, and Saints favourites.
If it becomes a tight, scrappy affair with frankly too many basic errors, then Bath have more experience playing that way (not of winning them, necessarily, but playing scrappy with too many errors).

As a Bath fan, I'm happy just to be here - didn't expect to be at any stage in the season (pre-season I thought I was being optimistic thinking we'd get 4th-5th). I REALLY hope the players don't feel that way, but we've only one or two players who've done it before, whilst Saints have virtually a whole squad who've reached a final before.

Saints only have 2/3 players left that made the final. Completely different team.

 

[BPM]

Yeah, I'm struggling on that? Lawes, Alex Waller … who else? I can't even think of anyone who has made a Premiership final with another team prior to joining Saints?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Hard to read much into the league fixtures between the 2.

Teams generally tighten up a bit in knock out matches and I think Bath might take heart from Sarries in the semi. Both teams can play great rugby but I think Bath's chances increase the uglier they can make it.

I think I fancy Bath to just nick it. Russell quite likes HQ and his experience will just get them over the line in a close one.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Yeah, I'm struggling on that? Lawes, Alex Waller … who else? I can't even think of anyone who has made a Premiership final with another team prior to joining Saints?

I wondered if Ludlum was on the bench but it was actually Dowson on the bench.

So it's only 2 players with final experience.

 

[Which Tyler]

Surely you've not had that much turnover in 5 years? (though I had it as 4 years in my head).

Either way, I'm not talking about "winning finals" I'm talking about "playing big pressure matches" - like Leinster at Croke Park, 3 premiership semi-finals in a row - that sort of thing.

ETA: I absolutely appreciate that my wording didn't make that clear at all.

 

[IT157]

Predicting a Northampton victory. Sorry Saints fans. I predicted a Saracens Sale final!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Surely you've not had that much turnover in 5 years? (though I had it as 4 years in my head).

Either way, I'm not talking about "winning finals" I'm talking about "playing big pressure matches" - like Leinster at Croke Park, 3 premiership semi-finals in a row - that sort of thing.

ETA: I absolutely appreciate that my wording didn't make that clear at all.

It's 10 years since we've been in a final.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I didn't realise it was that long ago, feels much more recent

This was the team for Saints last final appearance:
15 Ben Foden
14 Ken Pisi
13 George Pisi
12 Luther Burrell
11 George North
10 Stephen Myler
9 Kahn Fotuali'i
8 Sam Dickinson
7 Tom Wood
6 Calum Clark
5 Courtney Lawes
4 Samu Manoa
3 Salesi Ma'afu
2 Mike Haywood
1 Alex Corbisiero
Replacements:
16 Dylan Hartley
17 Alex Waller
18 Tom Mercey
19 Christian Day
20 Phil Dowson
21 Lee Dickson
22 James Wilson
23 Tom Stephenson


Bath made the final the following season with this squad:
15 Anthony Watson
14 Semesa Rokoduguni
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Matt Banahan
10 George Ford
9 Peter Stringer
8 Leroy Houston
7 Francois Louw
6 Sam Burgess
5 Dave Attwood
4 Stuart Hooper (c)
3 David Wilson
2 Ross Batty
1 Paul James
Replacements:
16 Rob Webber
17 Nick Auterac
18 Henry Thomas
19 Dominic Day
20 Matt Garvey
21 Carl Fearns
22 Chris Cook
23 Ollie Devoto

Be interesting to see what kind of big game experience each side has, in terms of prem finals with the current team it's Saints 2 vs 0 Bath, but then Bath have Spencer who has won it like 4 times (plus multiple champions cups), guessing Roux won a few things with Leinster? Did Russell with anything with Racing?

 

[ncurd]

Bath made the final the following season with this squad:
15 Anthony Watson
14 Semesa Rokoduguni
13 Jonathan Joseph
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Matt Banahan
10 George Ford
9 Peter Stringer
8 Leroy Houston
7 Francois Louw
6 Sam Burgess
5 Dave Attwood
4 Stuart Hooper (c)
3 David Wilson
2 Ross Batty
1 Paul James
Replacements:
16 Rob Webber
17 Nick Auterac
18 Henry Thomas
19 Dominic Day
20 Matt Garvey
21 Carl Fearns
22 Chris Cook
23 Ollie Devoto

Good team, Farrell special 9 mins in injured Watson he got Man of the Match for it....

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Good team, Farrell special 9 mins in injured Watson he got Man of the Match for it....

Jumpscare at blindside flanker,
Forgot he even played that much, feels like he turned up, went to the rwc, then went back to league straight after

 

[ncurd]

Jumpscare at blindside flanker,
Forgot he even played that much, feels like he turned up, went to the rwc, then went back to league straight after

Yup the team imploded after that match. It was harsh Fearns didn't start but *redacted* was winning over the fans at blindside he certainly wasn't a center but another season or two he could of genuinely been world class at blindside.

But yeah ****** off back to league as a huge thank you to Bath for putting all the effort in getting him up to speed in one season.

I've barely watch Prem rugby in years because watching Bath was a bigger chore than watching England and rekly on you guys telling me what's what. Already have plans Saturday for this.

 

[Which Tyler]

It's 10 years since we've been in a final.

Is it 2029 already?

I know time is passing faster now I'm older - but didn't realise it was quite that fast.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Are people really counting the 2019 Prem Cup as a legit final? Even if you do then Waller, Ludlam, Mitchell and Furbank are the only players from that game who are likely to appear on Saturday.