The 2014/15 pre-season general news/discussion thread

[Peat]

Urgh. Saracens. Really? Sorry Saffycen, but yeesh.

Yes but they only just managed to get in and other teams have improved. Harlequins haven't gone forwards, they've gone slightly backwards if anything. Monye and Evans have another year in the legs, same as Easter and Robson. They play the best rugby in my opinion but it didn't work against the big teams and it probably wont work this year, no offence too Harlequins but everytime we play them i go into the game just knowing we are going to win. The players i would have got this year is Adam Jones, a big lock like Wyn Jones/ Galarza and probably a player like Downey.

But you don't have to beat the big teams to get into the play-offs, do you? After all, their scalps against the big sides last year amounted to doing Leicester home and away, and then beating Bath on the last day. Still made it. You shouldn't conflate Sarries being kryptonite to them with a view on their overall effectiveness.

 

[Patchey]

http://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s104.htm?107,14869272,showresults=1

The results = top lel.

I know rugby is a business these days but couldn't they be a bit less bare faced about this? No? Ok.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Urgh. Saracens. Really? Sorry Saffycen, but yeesh.
There is no need to be sorry, Saracens operate in a way that i usually find distasteful.


But you don't have to beat the big teams to get into the play-offs, do you? After all, their scalps against the big sides last year amounted to doing Leicester home and away, and then beating Bath on the last day. Still made it. You shouldn't conflate Sarries being kryptonite to them with a view on their overall effectiveness.
No you don't that's a good point but the point I make is that they haven't improved upon the squad this year. They are a year older and now we have improved, Leicester have improved immensely, Bath have had another year together and they are still a young squad.

On a seperate point why do you believe we will come 4th ? I thought it would go
1.Tigers
2.Saracens
3.Saints
4.Bath
5.Glos
6.Quins/Wasps

 

[Peat]

I'd say Quins have a younger squad than Bath. Marler, Buchanan, Collier, Sinckler, Matthews, Merrick, Wallace, Clifford, Botica, Lowe, Yarde, Chisholm - wouldn't be unreasonable for a Quins 23 to contain all of those players, all 24 or under. That's 12 players, the same number as Bath have 24 or under in their whole squad by my count. I don't think any club can benefit more than Quins from the march of time improving the physical maturity of the squad at the moment. Whether the increased physical maturity of those players will improve on Quins is up in the air until they play mind, but certainly any look at which squads are improving needs to take account of the improvement rate of youngsters as much as signings and in Quins' case, a huge amount more.

To be honest, I think Bath *should* get the 4th play-off place. But they should have got it last season. There's a lot of guys at Quins with serious levels of experience at the very top of the game now, they've got a lot of nous which I think could be pivotal. Bath's failure to make a break through could play on their minds - or could fire them through.

Should be one of them. Sale my dark horses. Glaws have changed too much to make accurate guesses, although the talent is there. I'm not sure who they think their 10 is either. Wasps are a little short on coherent half-backs for my liking.

 

[ratsapprentice]

The Mullet is back, baby! (he better dye it!)

 

[Geordie]

Peat is George Lowe still under 24?

Great to see he's fit but can he scale the heights he was showing before this bad injury lay off.

 

[Patchey]

Does anyone remember when Marler was first in contention for selection there was a lot of guff in the media about how his hair showed he was 'too immature' for England and he should shave it off before being picked? I hope that this is actually applied for LCD, because that is horrible...

I'd say Quins have a younger squad than Bath. Marler, Buchanan, Collier, Sinckler, Matthews, Merrick, Wallace, Clifford, Botica, Lowe, Yarde, Chisholm - wouldn't be unreasonable for a Quins 23 to contain all of those players, all 24 or under. That's 12 players, the same number as Bath have 24 or under in their whole squad by my count. I don't think any club can benefit more than Quins from the march of time improving the physical maturity of the squad at the moment. Whether the increased physical maturity of those players will improve on Quins is up in the air until they play mind, but certainly any look at which squads are improving needs to take account of the improvement rate of youngsters as much as signings and in Quins' case, a huge amount more.

I just worry that for this season the improvement with age that you mention, which is a massive strength for, won't come quick enough. A could of old heads would do us the world of good even if only for a season to help guide some of those young guys through. That being said, a good number of our players under 24 already have a lot of experience, Marler is going to Captain us as a 23 year old prop for god's sake, so maybe I'm worrying for nothing.

 

[ratsapprentice]

LCD's mullet in all it's glory is a wonderful thing.

I genuinely think he looks better with that hairstyle. :lol:

 

[Patchey]

*Shudders*

I think the twirled mo is the worst part of his new look. Living in East London I see too many of those things on my daily commute to ever want to see one on a rugby pitch, let alone combine with that mullet.

 

[Geordie]

Does anyone remember when Marler was first in contention for selection there was a lot of guff in the media about how his hair showed he was 'too immature' for England and he should shave it off before being picked? I hope that this is actually applied for LCD, because that is horrible...



I just worry that for this season the improvement with age that you mention, which is a massive strength for, won't come quick enough. A could of old heads would do us the world of good even if only for a season to help guide some of those young guys through. That being said, a good number of our players under 24 already have a lot of experience, Marler is going to Captain us as a 23 year old prop for god's sake, so maybe I'm worrying for nothing.

You beat me to it...some of your youngsters have a great deal of experience.

And i think Marler could be a great Captain.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Leicester Tigers (v Cardiff Blues, Friday, 7.30pm)
15 Niall Morris
14 Blaine Scully
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi
12 Anthony Allen
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Freddie Burns
9 Ben Youngs (c)

1 Fraser Balmain
2 Leonardo Ghiraldini
3 Logovi'i Mulipola
4 Sebastian De Chaves
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Robert Barbieri
7 Julian Salvi
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements from
16 Neil Briggs
17 Tom Bristow
18 Tiziano Pasquali
19 Harry Wells
20 Paul Grant
21 David Mele
22 Seremaia Bai
23 Matt Smith
Harry Thacker
Joe Maksymiw
Charlie Beckett
Sam Harrison
Mathew Tait

Beckett, Maksymiw where in the England U18 team that beat SA Schools team, Beckett is a flnker who captained them and Maksymiw is a lock all have promising futures. Paul grant is a former Otago and Montpellier flanker now at Notts looks like he maybe handy if push comes to shove.

Expect this 23 but with Tait on the bench, Croft starting and the backrower dropped onto the bench and Parling starting with De Cheves on the bench, and maybe Williams on the bench.

So the only players not to play in a PS game are:
Ayerza, Rizzo, Youngs, Cole, Deacon, Slater, Matera, Williams, Thompstone, Hepetema.

Have to sya I am liking the quality of players coming up the academy now.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Saracens starting XV to face Bedford Blues;

15. Alex Goode; 14. Chris Ashton, 13. Duncan Taylor, 12. Brad Barritt, 11. David Strettle; 10. Charlie Hodgson, 9. Ben Spencer. 1. Richard Barrington, 2. Jamie George, 3. Kieran Longbottom, 4. Alistair Hargreaves (capt), 5. Jim Hamilton, 6. Kelly Brown, 7. Will Fraser, 8. Jackson Wray.

Replacements; Scott Spurling, Rhys Gill, Petrus Du Plessis, Biyi Alo, Mouritz Botha, George Kruis, Hayden Smith, Matt Hankin, Jacques Burger, Ernst Joubert, Hayden Thompson-Stringer, Tom Whiteley, Nils Mordt, Tim Streather, Nick Tompkins, Jack Wilson, Aaron Morris, Ben Ransom.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Am I right in thinking that Nathan Earle is going to be at University and not playing much rugby as a result, Saffy?

 

[TheSaffycen]

Being honest I haven't got a clue, where did you hear that from ? This year Jack Wilson and Tompkins should be playing some games this year, apparently Wilson is the fastest player in the team so should be worth a watch.



Highlights from the 39-5 win against Ospreys
http://www.saracens.com/video/?vid=593

 

[big ginger 8]

Am I right in thinking that Nathan Earle is going to be at University and not playing much rugby as a result, Saffy?

Sorry to derail but is it unusual for pro players in England to go to university these days? Most in Ireland just stretch it over a longer period of time.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sorry to derail but is it unusual for pro players in England to go to university these days? Most in Ireland just stretch it over a longer period of time.

Nah, most do but they, as you mention, do the courses part time so spread it out over 4/5/6 years.

 

[ratsapprentice]

It depends, I guess there are some courses that are harder to do than others.

 

[Geordie]

Whats the crack with Matera then Tigs man.

Is he out for long. Dislocated Shoulder?

 

[Tmartin995]

Exeter starting with Steenson at 10, Slade at 12 and Hill at 13 tonight vs Worcester. Hopefully that will be the way they line up for most of the season. Add 2 from Vainakolo (spelling?), Jess and James on the wings and most likely Nowell at fullback when he returns now that Arscott has gone and that back line looks pretty nice to say the least.

 

[Peat]

Peat is George Lowe still under 24?

Great to see he's fit but can he scale the heights he was showing before this bad injury lay off.

Nah, he's 24... for a few months more... tbh, I'm not sure he's going to get back there, but it will be interesting to see.

I just worry that for this season the improvement with age that you mention, which is a massive strength for, won't come quick enough. A could of old heads would do us the world of good even if only for a season to help guide some of those young guys through. That being said, a good number of our players under 24 already have a lot of experience, Marler is going to Captain us as a 23 year old prop for god's sake, so maybe I'm worrying for nothing.

I think you're probably right to worry. The potential for improvement is there but that doesn't mean it's going to come and truthfully, all of those guys are still a long way from their prime even if a few do make breakthroughs. That said, the guys who appear to be making breakthroughs - Sinckler and Matthews in particular - are the guys who Quins need to make that jump, so that's something. Imo, Quins are in a position where they need to keep eking out top 4 slots in order to maintain the money and prestige needed to keep their youngsters in place while they wait for them to form a ***le winning side of their own accord... that could be a good 4 to 6 years.