New Season - RU Premiership

[Slid]

Watched the first game last night as Bristol beat a strangely dysfunctional Bath side in the opening game in what was, frankly a poor match to watch for a spectator not supporting Bristol. Fortunately I have fond memories of Bristol and found the game enthralling.

This afternoon, the mercurial Cipriani provided the decisive moment with a flick of "golden" wrists to set up the decisive score for his new team Gloucester against the Saints. Gloucester, as ever, could have a good season this time.

Early evening, my second favourite team, Exeter Chiefs, bombed several first half chances, but won by a comfortable margin in the end against a Leicester side that were superb on the team sheet and perhaps less so on the pitch.

Am I alone in noticing that Manu Tuilagi appears to have done what Gavin Henson once did before him? That is, inflate his musculative structure beyond the size his bones and connective tissues seem able to keep together under contact?

 

[Slid]

And this afternoon, we see Saracens win again in a game that by all rights they ought to have lost.

Well, as the few home grown players in the Top 14 might say - "Plus ca change, le plus c'est le meme chose".

 

[Linalmeemow]

Tigers were woeful yesterday. With the strength of that team they should be great but they posed no attacking threat at all.

 

[Slid]

Tigers were woeful yesterday. With the strength of that team they should be great but they posed no attacking threat at all.

Agreed, on the few occasions Tigers had the ball, George Ford seemed to kick it away aimlessly. Although he was faultless kicking off the tee, at 2 for 2. Possibly that was about as much use to his team as a sharp, new haircut.

With Leicester, is it just a case of letting that one go and getting the season kicked off next weekend? Like you say, that is a great team sheet.

 

[Linalmeemow]

Agreed, on the few occasions Tigers had the ball, George Ford seemed to kick it away aimlessly. Although he was faultless kicking off the tee, at 2 for 2. Possibly that was about as much use to his team as a sharp, new haircut.

With Leicester, is it just a case of letting that one go and getting the season kicked off next weekend? Like you say, that is a great team sheet.

I think the problems at Leicester are worse than they seem. Their pre-season results were middling at best, and poor against stronger opposition. I've also heard about problems in the background, and real dissatisfaction with the way the club is being run.

 

[Slid]

I think the problems at Leicester are worse than they seem. Their pre-season results were middling at best, and poor against stronger opposition. I've also heard about problems in the background, and real dissatisfaction with the way the club is being run.

That is interesting. Richard Cockerill always comes across as a small man with an attitude problem, but maybe he really did "run the show" at Leicester and actually might have known what he was doing.

Still, pre-season is not overly relevant. Perhaps a relevant observation is that for a few seasons now, Leicester have seemingly played as if the eventual return of Tuilagi to fitness will miraculously solve all their problems. The strange truth being that they never really needed that, just some of the old forwards dominant swagger. Now they have a great pack again, at least on paper, perhaps they might play that way first and foremost?

 

[Linalmeemow]

On his good days Tuilagi is a game changer, but his good days seem few and far between. He has attitude issues apparently - a couple of the girls I work with know him and reckon he like the drink a bit too much.

 

[Slid]

Leicester play at Welford Rd next week against Newcastle in a fixture they would routinely win, year in and year out. No real crisis unless they somehow lose. Can't see that happening, surely?

As for Tuilagi - maybe he needs some outside assistance. As you say, no-one doubts what he did, only whether he will ever do it again.

I don't often watch the Pro 14 games as the BT Sport coverage is very good and I don't speak Gaelic, along with almost the entire rugby playing or watching community in Scotland. Apparently Glasgow were rubbish this weekend, but got a debatably deserved bonus point win at Connaught. All my grandparents were Glasgow / Clydeside and I was born in Greenock, so that, as they say, is that (Jimmy!).

 

[Linalmeemow]

Leicester play at Welford Rd next week against Newcastle in a fixture they would routinely win, year in and year out. No real crisis unless they somehow lose. Can't see that happening, surely?

As for Tuilagi - maybe he needs some outside assistance. As you say, no-one doubts what he did, only whether he will ever do it again.

I don't often watch the Pro 14 games as the BT Sport coverage is very good and I don't speak Gaelic, along with almost the entire rugby playing or watching community in Scotland. Apparently Glasgow were rubbish this weekend, but got a debatably deserved bonus point win at Connaught. All my grandparents were Glasgow / Clydeside and I was born in Greenock, so that, as they say, is that (Jimmy!).

I shared an apartment in Tokyo with a bloke from Greenock. Good lad, but he was a walking stereotype of every bad Scots habit...

 

[Slid]

I shared an apartment in Tokyo with a bloke from Greenock. Good lad, but he was a walking stereotype of every bad Scots habit...

Can't have been me, honest! I don't even believe I've ever tasted a "Buckfast".

 

[Linalmeemow]

I've never met anyone who smoked or drank as much, ate as poorly or did as little exercise as him. He smelled of ash, farts and heart attacks.

 

[Covrich]

Tigers problems isn't the squad.. they have on paper a very good squad.. could be better mind and some recruitement has been iffy over recent years

But the BoDs seem to make a few questionable choices and to be honest Matt O'Connor is not the answer.. I think he is pretty average he even dragged Leinster into a rit and then he left and they got better again.

I find it hilarious he admitted after the game that none of the team were even fit, it was obvious after 30 minutes they looked liked they smoked 20 before kick off.. Mind you Exeter executed their game plan and strangled the life out of us..

@Slid you say that about Falcons.. I took my boys up to welford road last home game of the season last year and Tigers had a 13 point lead and blew it..

On a positive note I think Denton looks to have potential in this side if we get a decent coaching setup.

 

[GhostShip]

Highlight of the weekend was Cipriani's sublime long pass to set up a Gloucester try. Not many players would even see that, let alone have the skill to execute it to perfection.

 

[Slid]

Some great entertainment this weekend. Northampton squeeze past Harlequins, whose fly half Marcus Smith looks more and more like a rugby player with every game. Not the first time he has carried the game for an increasingly jaded side.

This afternoon, Wasps score four tries against Exeter, who just go about their business scoring five and then Henry Slade accepts a gift somewhere in the middle of the melee for a clear win. I really like Exeter and everything about their approach to the game. Rob Baxter never, ever, complains about referees, bad luck, injuries or anything. All he ever talks about is how to re-set his systems and his players to adjust to new information.

Bath vs Gloucester was a fine game to watch for a neutral spectator, but perhaps a hair tearing experience for the emotionally committed. Another fine spectacle and a great weekend for the game.

I understand that Leicester and Saracens also won, but no surprises there!

 

[Slid]

Spent last weekend in Edinburgh with the 3 girls (DW and 2xDD) and so watched only the highlights show on return.
This season is starting to look similar to the last at the top of the table, but much more interesting lower down, as Bristol will not be a pushover for any team.

Yesterdays game was very entertaining, with the Chiefs edging out Newcastle. Also watched Wasps win comfortably on the scoreboard in another game they might have lost against a Sale side that often do everything right except score any points.

 

[Slid]

Another week and all much the same - Saracens give Bath 14 points through over confidence, but still massacre a side put out to save some players for a game Bath might actually win. Exeter go on, and may still sneak past Saracens during the International part of the season.

Wasps edge out another game they might have lost, but at least it was one of five hugely entertaining games in the Premiership this weekend.

Not so the dismal displays of both Leicester and Sale this afternoon. "Can anyone catch a goddam ball out there?" is quote from the film "Dodgeball" and was horribly appropriate today. Had Sale turned up with the 9 who can run the game - Faff de Clerk, or a 10 who can kick a ball over the bar -AJ McGinty, then they win. Easily, against a clueless Leicester "team" with fantastic players, great fans and no cohesion. Both sides were just awful, compared to their legitimate objectives for this season. Just awful.

 

[Covrich]

Another week and all much the same - Saracens give Bath 14 points through over confidence, but still massacre a side put out to save some players for a game Bath might actually win. Exeter go on, and may still sneak past Saracens during the International part of the season.

Wasps edge out another game they might have lost, but at least it was one of five hugely entertaining games in the Premiership this weekend.

Not so the dismal displays of both Leicester and Sale this afternoon. "Can anyone catch a goddam ball out there?" is quote from the film "Dodgeball" and was horribly appropriate today. Had Sale turned up with the 9 who can run the game - Faff de Clerk, or a 10 who can kick a ball over the bar -AJ McGinty, then they win. Easily, against a clueless Leicester "team" with fantastic players, great fans and no cohesion. Both sides were just awful, compared to their legitimate objectives for this season. Just awful.

I am thankful I never went yesterday, we nearly did after we went last weekend. Think we were lucky that Sale couldn;t kick or had their best side out.. But on the other hand we were missing £3m of our salary cap players, but still had a decent side out..

Horrible game though, Referee gave us a few favours aswell.

I think Falcons will rue their missed chances, loads of points turned down at the posts.. Plus Wasps also very lucky not to get penalised several times after the clock went red.. I think they are lucky to be honest aswell.

Looks like Saracens Exeter the cream of the crop wasps just behind and the rest to tough it out mid table.

 

[Slid]

Exeter lost every kick off tonight and the lineouts were dysfunctional. Rob Baxter slightly annoyed by all of this, but a fine win nonetheless.
So, a performance to be remembered. That little lad in he centres, Henry Slade his Godparents called him? He was good again. Rugby player he is, amongst rugby players.