Preseason thread.

[curtbob7]

Stronger team for this one, looking forward to seeing Toomua on the pitch hopefully. I'll be there

 

[Scotty]

2 weeks to go first round predictions amd table order prediction after week 1

Gloucester v Exeter Chiefs
Newcastle v Worcester
Saracens v Saints
Wasps v Sale
Lirish v Quins
Leicester v bath

My prediction;
1. Wasps (high scoring, but wasps can leak tries, bp win )
2. Chiefs (get BP win in last quarter)
3. Quins (decent win BP, Lirish to put up a fight)
4. Sarries (solid win with BP. No danger of losing but not a big win, saints to fight back)
5. Falcons (team looks stronger and some good signings and Worcester without their 9. who is with SA. BP win)
6. Leicester (will edge out bath)
7. Sale (try bp loss)
8. Bath (narrow loss)
9. Gloucester (good performance but no bp)
10. Saints (solid performance but convincing loss)
11. Lirish (loss but wait and see by how much)
12. Worcester ( going down this year)

My thoughts

 

[Every Time Ref]

Sarries might not have it so easy, they had a lot of Lions who will either be rested or knackered. Given everyone has to play Sarries away at some point, first weekend might just be the best time to do it (still think they'll win though)

Got to agree on Bath unfortunately, we suck at Welford Road for whatever reason. Although we are something of an unknown quantity in a way since this is the coaching team's first season with a proper pre-season, so who knows.

Exeter
Newcastle
Sarries
Wasps
Quins
Leicester

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale are attempting to stream the Edinburgh game on their YouTube (and I think Facebook?)
Mixed success so far, They started streaming without realising and were just effing and jeffing until cutting the feed
"Right set the video to private so we don't look like a bunch of ***** trying to set this up"

 

[BPM]

2 weeks to go first round predictions amd table order prediction after week 1

Gloucester v Exeter Chiefs
Newcastle v Worcester
Saracens v Saints
Wasps v Sale
Lirish v Quins
Leicester v bath

My prediction;
1. Wasps (high scoring, but wasps can leak tries, bp win )
2. Chiefs (get BP win in last quarter)
3. Quins (decent win BP, Lirish to put up a fight)
4. Sarries (solid win with BP. No danger of losing but not a big win, saints to fight back)
5. Falcons (team looks stronger and some good signings and Worcester without their 9. who is with SA. BP win)
6. Leicester (will edge out bath)
7. Sale (try bp loss)
8. Bath (narrow loss)
9. Gloucester (good performance but no bp)
10. Saints (solid performance but convincing loss)
11. Lirish (loss but wait and see by how much)
12. Worcester ( going down this year)

My thoughts

My thoughts as follows:

Gloucester vs. Exeter - Exeter win (no BP)
Newcastle vs. Worcester - Newcastle win (+BP), Worcester to get losing BP
Saracens vs. Saints - Saracens win (+BP)
Wasps vs. Sale - Wasps win (+BP), Sale to get losing BP
London Irish vs. Quins - Quins win (no BP), Irish to get losing BP
Leicester vs. Bath - Leicester win (no BP), Bath to get losing BP

Fairly similar on the whole.

I disagree on Worcester going down though. Gold did a very good job of improving them at the end of last season and importantly, they score tries which is crucial when it comes to BPs. They only really lost Rapava-Ruskin in the transfer market too.

Denton's injury is a blow, as is Hougaard's absence, but they have van Velze and Potgeiter back which will help. I think they will be 11th, but I think they'll survive quite comfortably and I don't think London Irish have enough quality across their squad to be consistently competitive.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Tigers winning 12-0.

Mulipola scoring a try god we missed him so much last season.
McGuigan with another try.

Joe ford has had a good preseason so far.

 

[GarethGriffiths]

Thoughts on the Possible Final Aviva Premiership Table:

1. Saracens
2. Exeter
3. Leicester
4. Wasps
5. Saints
6. Bath
7. Harlequins
8. Sale
9. Gloucester
10.Newcastle
11. London Irish
12. Worcester

 

[GarethGriffiths]

Score Predictions:

Gloucester 21-35 Exeter
Newcastle 19-12 Worcester
Saracens v 37-26 Saints
Wasps 39-18 Sale
London Irish 28-24 Quins
Leicester 40-32 Bath

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Won 20-24
Think we got like 3, maybe 4, yellow cards. Sounds like it was being played inside a windchamber as well, with both teams repeatedly missing touch or putting it out on the full.

Joe ford has had a good preseason so far.

He's a good player, Just gets a rough ride from a lot of people because he's not as good as George

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Tigers beat Treviso 47-12

Tries by Tigers
Mulipola
McGuigan
Brady
Ryan
Genge
Ben White x 2

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Won 20-24
Think we got like 3, maybe 4, yellow cards. Sounds like it was being played inside a windchamber as well, with both teams repeatedly missing touch or putting it out on the full.

It was breezy, but it is much windier today! As a rule of thumb England is reportedly twice as windy as the continent and Scotland is reportedly twice as windy as England. Scotland is a windchamber. Gulf Stream rugby baby!

Thanks for posting the link. I though Sale were able to boss the second half up front, probably with superior squad depth. A decent first impression from Cockerill though and a wee bit of optimism around Edinburgh despite our appalling inferiority to Glasgow at flyhalf.

Not surprised to see Faf de Clerk get a try already. He'll be a star in the English league if he has anybody creative to hook up with at flyhalf. I've been chided for suggesting he is a big loss for the Boks; but I reckon he is a top 5 scrumhalf in the world if he is playing in a loose attacking gameplan.

 

[Scotty]

Thoughts on the Possible Final Aviva Premiership Table:

1. Saracens
2. Exeter
3. Leicester
4. Wasps
5. Saints
6. Bath
7. Harlequins
8. Sale
9. Gloucester
10.Newcastle
11. London Irish
12. Worcester

End of season i see
7 sale good signings
8 Newcastle good signings to an improving team
9 quins no many changes to an average team
10 Gloucester not religation battle but 9 or 10 tops

 

[BPM]

End of season i see
7 sale good signings
8 Newcastle good signings to an improving team
9 quins no many changes to an average team
10 Gloucester not religation battle but 9 or 10 tops

Just got back from the Quins vs. Jersey Reds game. No huge surprises. Marcus Smith looked promising with some nice touches and a well taken try and Francis Saili looked very dangerous (if a little selfish) in midfield.

Your verdict there is a little harsh on Quins ... I'm not suggesting we're much better than average, but we are pretty cash-strapped in comparison to other clubs and we generally operate a one-in, one-out model. While I'm not massively excited by our signings, most are actually upgrades on the players they're replacing, or at least at the same level. IMO, Saili is a significant upgrade on Hopper and while I while Catrakilis is obviously no match for Nick Evans at his peak, age most definitely caught up with Evans in the past couple of seasons, so it's not as big a drop-off as you might think.

As I see it, the top 4 are more or less out on their own. If they're first choice XV is fit, Bath will be up there, but they haven't strengthened their squad enough to mount a sustained challenge for the play-offs IMO.

That basically leaves a mini-league in mid table with Saints, Quins, Sale, Newcastle and Gloucester in a close-run fight for 6th - 10th. I agree that Sale, Newcastle and Gloucester (to some extent) have made better signings, but there's no guarantee players like de Klerk or O'Connor will settle immediately. Quins' home form is generally very good. If we can maintain that and pick up a few more points on the road, we'll be in the upper-level of that group.

You haven't mentioned Saints, but arguably, I'd say they are more likely to drop down the league than Quins, their signings have mainly been squad players and they haven't signed a replacement for Picamoles who was massive for them last season.

My prediction:

6. Sale
7. Quins
8. Saints
9. Newcastle
10. Gloucester

 

[Scotty]

Just got back from the Quins vs. Jersey Reds game. No huge surprises. Marcus Smith looked promising with some nice touches and a well taken try and Francis Saili looked very dangerous (if a little selfish) in midfield.

Your verdict there is a little harsh on Quins ... I'm not suggesting we're much better than average, but we are pretty cash-strapped in comparison to other clubs and we generally operate a one-in, one-out model. While I'm not massively excited by our signings, most are actually upgrades on the players they're replacing, or at least at the same level. IMO, Saili is a significant upgrade on Hopper and while I while Catrakilis is obviously no match for Nick Evans at his peak, age most definitely caught up with Evans in the past couple of seasons, so it's not as big a drop-off as you might think.

As I see it, the top 4 are more or less out on their own. If they're first choice XV is fit, Bath will be up there, but they haven't strengthened their squad enough to mount a sustained challenge for the play-offs IMO.

That basically leaves a mini-league in mid table with Saints, Quins, Sale, Newcastle and Gloucester in a close-run fight for 6th - 10th. I agree that Sale, Newcastle and Gloucester (to some extent) have made better signings, but there's no guarantee players like de Klerk or O'Connor will settle immediately. Quins' home form is generally very good. If we can maintain that and pick up a few more points on the road, we'll be in the upper-level of that group.

You haven't mentioned Saints, but arguably, I'd say they are more likely to drop down the league than Quins, their signings have mainly been squad players and they haven't signed a replacement for Picamoles who was massive for them last season.

My prediction:

6. Sale
7. Quins
8. Saints
9. Newcastle
10. Gloucester

But then isnt this harsh on saints? I see falcons on the rise which is good to see and quins stagnating abit. Saints seem in the same boat.

Would like to see falcons have a breakthrough season but need fwd signings morn than backs to compete IMO but dth van de merwe, josh matavasi are good signings though along with toby flood. Takalua gonava and sinoti, they have a strong back line. I think they can make 7th tbh.

As long as chiefs smash it i dont really care haha

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Went to see Chiefs vs Cornish Pirates and vs Newport Dragons today. Can't remember scores but Chiefs beat both comfortably. Kvesic looks to be a very good signing and a few of our backs were looking very impressive, especially Campagnaro.

 

[Scotty]

Wish i could have been there to see them games. Glad to hear kvesic did well and didnt sam simmonds get a try? Is he looking like a strong replacement for waldrom when he retires? Which cant be long. Why was hepburn not playing i find that wierd tbh

Glad to hear chiefs smashed it

Chiefs 47 pirates 15
Chiefs 50 dragons 24

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ben betts apprently looking ready to feature for the 1st team this season same with young 9 Ben White.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Wish i could have been there to see them games. Glad to hear kvesic did well and didnt sam simmonds get a try? Is he looking like a strong replacement for waldrom when he retires? Which cant be long. Why was hepburn not playing i find that wierd tbh

Glad to hear chiefs smashed it

Chiefs 47 pirates 15
Chiefs 50 dragons 24

Don't think Hepburn's quite back from injury yet but he was walking around fine so I can't imagine he'll be out for too much longer. On the topics of looseheads, Billy Keast was the replacement in the Dragons game and he actually looked rather impressive. He's looks quite fit for a prop but have nothing away at scrum time. A strong ball carrier too. I could definitely see him overtake Rimmer this season.

Simmonds' try was just from a maul, nothing special there but he was looking impressive throughout the game. Worryingly though it actually looks like he may have trimmed down a bit which is the opposite of what he needs to do. Regardless though he carried very well throughout the game and looked threatening whenever he got the ball. He's a damn good breakdown forward aswell which I don't think many people realise. Waldrom got a good 30 minutes out of the game and it has to be said that Simmonds completely outclassed him. In my eyes Simmonds is the clear choice of those 2 but Baxter may think otherwise.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Don't think Hepburn's quite back from injury yet but he was walking around fine so I can't imagine he'll be out for too much longer. On the topics of looseheads, Billy Keast was the replacement in the Dragons game and he actually looked rather impressive. He's looks quite fit for a prop but have nothing away at scrum time. A strong ball carrier too. I could definitely see him overtake Rimmer this season.

Simmonds' try was just from a maul, nothing special there but he was looking impressive throughout the game. Worryingly though it actually looks like he may have trimmed down a bit which is the opposite of what he needs to do. Regardless though he carried very well throughout the game and looked threatening whenever he got the ball. He's a damn good breakdown forward aswell which I don't think many people realise. Waldrom got a good 30 minutes out of the game and it has to be said that Simmonds completely outclassed him. In my eyes Simmonds is the clear choice of those 2 but Baxter may think otherwise.

i mean how many of waldroms tries where from back of the mauls?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

i mean how many of waldroms tries where from back of the mauls?

With that I wasn't comparing him to Waldrom, I was just saying that his try was nothing to rave about.
Waldrom's try scoring is IMO the only thing that kept him in the team over Simmonds last season or over Ewers/Armand at 8 the season before which is ridiculous seeing as, as you say almost all of his tries are from mauls or driving over from 1-2 metres out. He's been the beneficiary of being lazy in a dominant pack for years and has somehow gained a reputation as a dominant carrier and scorer because of it. The sooner he's dropped and the other 7 aren't having to pull his weight the better IMO.