Premiership Preview - Northampton Saints v Bath

It's not always easy sitting on top of the pile, being number one.  The pressure builds with the expectation of success, and not everyone can handle it.  You can see it everywhere you look – take the music industry for example.  I'm almost ashamed to say that I was a proud owner of "Permission to Land" by The Darkness (actually, I'm not ashamed, it's a great album).  They were, for a year, a phenomenon, before they slowly faded into obscurity.  Ah, second album syndrome.  Or second season syndrome, as it is in sport. 

To be fair, Northampton Saints have not shown many signs of being susceptible to it following their maiden title win last June.  A brutal hammering of Gloucester on the opening weekend may have been followed by a surprise loss at a resurgent Wasps, but there was enough in their bonus-point win at Newcastle (with key players rested) to suggest that the defeat was a flash in the pan.  Their pack has started in typically monstrous form, with Courtney Lawes proving the bane of any fly-half's existence, and the backline still oozes menace – with the dancing feet of George Pisi and the power of George North all strung together by the puppet-master, Stephen Myler.  There's been enough from the East Midlanders to show that they won't be giving up their title without one hell of a fight.

By the looks of it though they will be given just that by their visitors at Franklins Gardens on Saturday.  You don't blast the all-conquering giants of English rugby from the last decade, the Leicester Tigers, to smithereens and not raise a few eyebrows in the process.  How they kick on from that remarkable 45 – 0 display will be interesting to see, but signs are there that this is not the same flash Bath side that lacked backbone from last season.  Their attack has shown utter conviction in every display and, with George Ford's decision making and execution sitting firmly in the top-drawer, it's easy to see why so many neutrals are flicking over to watch the Bath games now.

With the two early pace setters going head to head, there are plenty of key match-ups between rivals for international shirts that will help determine the outcome of this match, but I'm really to see how the two contrasting attacking games stack up next to each other.  Saints are all about momentum and power through the middle and closer channels, with forward runners being hit directly off the scrum half and the likes of North and Luther Burrell attacking the 10/12 channel.  Bath, on the other hand, run everything through Ford.  The forwards make the runs off him, rather than the 9, and they look to generate width very early on as they try and stretch defences to breaking point.  Both are great to watch, but with Saints' defence notoriously stingey, will Bath's ambitious approach pay-off?

There's no sign of this Saints outfit succumbing to the dreaded syndrome just yet, but if they want true immunity, they'll have to start winning the big games – and, believe me, this is one of them.

Northampton Saints Team News

England trio Alex Corbisiero, Tom Wood and Stephen Myler return for Northampton Saints in their only three changes from the win over Newcastle.  Kahn Fotuali'i keeps his place scrum-half as he continues to share the role with Lee Dickson.

Starting Line-up:  Foden; K Pisi, G Pisi, Burrell, North; Myler, Fotuali'i; Corbisiero, Hartley, Ma'afu; Lawes, Day; Clark, Wood (capt), Manoa.

Subs: McMillan, A Waller, Denman, Craig, Fisher, Dickson, Hooley, Wilson.

Key Player

Courtney Lawes.  As usual, Lawes was creating havoc last weekend, picking on poor innocent fly halves as he flew mercilessly into Ruaridh Jackson's ribcage.  That ability to time his run and flatten 10s is so important to the Saints defence – it sets the tone and forces the fly half to play deeper to avoid being clattered.  To that end, it doesn't really matter if they manage to get the pass away – the idea is to lead the line and get into their head.  George Ford was imperious last weekend but there were questions raised last season about his ability to handle pressure.  Lawes will provide plenty of that.

Bath Team News

Bath are forced to make two changes from the resounding 45-0 win over Leicester Tigers last weekend.  Carl Fearns and Matt Banahan are both injured, so Alafoti Fa'osiliva and Olly Woodburn take their places.

Starting Line-up:  Arscott; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Eastmond, Woodburn; Ford, Cook; James, Webber, Wilson; Hooper (capt), Attwood; Fa'osiliva, Mercer, Houston.

Subs: Dunn, Auterac, Thomas, Day, Ewels, Stringer, Henson, Devoto.

Key Player

George Ford.  For the reasons I describe above, the youngster will be under a lot of physical pressure on Saturday.  But he's one season older – and wiser – and so this is a real opportunity for him to step up and demonstrate that he can handle the pressure and can perform with authority without necessarily the strongest platform.  His performance at the Rec last week rightly had Bath – and England – fans purring, and if he can manage the pressure from Lawes, then he has all the tools to unlock this Bath defence.

 

Key Battle

Luther Burrell v Kyle Eastmond.  These are two blokes who had summers they would probably rather forget in international colours.  Burrell at times gave his best revolving door impression in defence during the second test whilst Eastmond, who had looked very sharp in the first match, gave a star turn as a doormat in the third.  Granted, they were playing the world's best side, but it was still enough to attract plenty of criticism from some quarters – but the way they have started this season, you can see that they've put it all right behind them.  Burrell – in his more familiar 12 role – has been direct and strong in both defence and attack and is a chief source of go-forward ball of first phase attack.  He'll be targeting Eastmond with his size advantage all day.  Eastmond, on the other hand, is a slightly different type of 12 – he can accelerate and distribute into the wider channels, where the real strike runners are.  Expect these boys to get their hands on the ball a lot early on to try and make a statement – they are both key to their team's gameplans.

Prediction

Both these sides have looked emphatic at points this year.  Saints, on their opening fixture, simply blew away a very talented – on paper – Gloucester side, whilst Bath absolutely marmalised the Leicester Tigers of all people last year.  These are two punishing and lethal attacks, but they do play very different games which makes it a tricky one to call.  Carl Fearns is a huge loss to Bath as his physicality has been top notch this year and, without him, there's a chance that they may spend a bit more time on the back foot than they've been used to so far.  It's enough to just sway it for the hosts, in my view.  Saints by 4.

 

What else is happening in the Aviva Premiership this weekend?

London Welsh v Gloucester:  Welsh at least avoided conceding a half century last weekend, but that won't be enough to prevent them from falling to another defeat – even against a Gloucester side that is still struggling to find that cohesiveness.  Gloucester by 22.

Leicester Tigers v London Irish:  Check out this handy starting line-up:  Ayerza, Youngs, Cole, Thorne, Parling, Croft, Matera, Slater, Mele, Bai, Camacho, Allen, Tuilagi, Thompstone, Morris.  That's a starting line-up you can make up from Leicester's injury/unavailable list.  Irish, after a great display last week, should be licking their lips, but Leicester should still have enough to grab a win – they'll certainly be hungry for it.  Tigers by 6.

Saracens v Sale:  Sale have been unlucky to only register the one win this season so far, but they won't be picking up a second at Allianz Park.  Sarries have looked unplayable at times and have a great habit of winning games without necessarily firing on all cylinders, like last week.  Sarries by 9.

Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins:  The Chiefs are looking in pretty decent nick this season and Quins have looked a little ropey at times to say the least.  Sandy Park is traditionally a difficult place to pick up a win and I think the Londoners may have to settle for a losing bonus point.  Chiefs by 3.

Wasps v Newcastle Falcons: The Falcons' long losing streak continued last weekend (to be fair, they've had a tricky start to the season) and I suspect it will continue this Sunday. Wasps look like they are on the cusp of being a very decent side and I can see them winning pretty comfortably.  Wasps by 11.

Premiership Review - Bath 45 - 0 Leicester Tigers

A note to any person who fancies writing a rugby blog.  Don’t.  A) I could do without the competition of better-informed people writing more accurate and comprehensive articles than me.  B)  Fitting it in around work inevitably means that your girlfriend remains unimpres....wait, where is she?  Oh.  She moved out.  And C) For all your tactical breakdowns and Mystic Meg-esque prophecies, your predictions will occasionally prove hopelessly wrong and will be brutally ridiculed.  The latter is especially pertinent given what happened at the Rec on Saturday when Bath hosted Leicester in one of the great traditional English fixtures.  A match I tagged as being a draw.

To be fair, I did alter my prediction approximately 3 minutes before kick off when I realised that Anthony Allen and Manu Tuilagi, an international-class centre pairing, had withdrawn during the warm up with niggles to be replaced by Owen Williams and Matt Smith, a fly half and a winger (Smith’s best position, in my view).  All of a sudden, Leicester had lost their way through a Bath defence that looked extremely generous against London Welsh the week before.  However, a comfortable defeat may have been on the cards; annihilation was not.

The warning signs for the bright orange Tigers were clear to see immediately.  With a last minute change out wide, there was simply no fluency or direction to the attack, with the Bath defence chopping and charging the men out wide down with merciless brutality.  More worrying though was the fact that the visitors immediately seemed to be on the back foot in the tight exchanges, where the pack – which hadn’t suffered any last minute setbacks – was also feeling the full force of the hosts’ enforcers, in the menacing form of Dave Attwood and Carl Fearns. 

Bath, on the other hand, were full of conviction when it was there turn to have the ball in hand.  Matt Banahan, starting for the first time this season, has been a thorn in the side of the Tigers for a while and he made big yards early on.  The pressure told after just 8 minutes, when quick hands from George Ford and Carl Fearns allowed Semesa Rokoduguni to crash over the line in the corner, with Ford adding a beautiful conversion from the touchline.

If there was crumb of comfort that my prediction-game could take from this game, it was that Leicester did indeed struggle in the scrum.  Although struggle is an understatement.  Now, Fraser Balmain is a talented young prop, who has done an admiral job as the Tigers’ 3^rd choice tighthead, but a grizzled veteran like Paul James he is not.  The Welsh international had him on toast throughout, and his ability to turn the screw at scrumtime meant that the hosts were consistently on the front foot, in possession, territory, and even defence – on the rare time the visitors managed to hang on to the ball on their own feed.

After 12 minutes, when Ford added a well-struck penalty, it became clear that the Tigers were going to be in for a long afternoon, and it proved to be so just 5 minutes later, as a smart pass from Kyle Eastmond put centre partner Jonathan Joseph into space on the outside of the defence, and the forgotten centre of English rugby scorched over for a fine score – once again, superbly converted by Ford.  The young fly-half was clearly in “one of those moods” as he buried a drop goal on the half hour mark, in stark contrast, in stark contrast to his fluffed attempts under pressure last season.  Another 3 points off the tee meant that the hosts could saunter down the tunnel with a 20 – 0 lead.  The Tigers, on the other hand, huddled in the middle of the pitch, determined to turn around a game where they were being unceremoniously humped (for want of a better phrase) in every facet of the game.

It didn’t work.  Sure, the Tigers may have had more of the possession and territory in the second half, but their attack was about as threatening as Mother Theresa with a pink feather duster.  Of course, huge credit needs to go to the Bath 8, with Fearns, Attwood, Leroy Houston and Stuart Hooper all playing monumental roles in the loose in swatting away their opposite numbers.  The hosts were quite happy to absorb the pressure, trusting in their defence and proving the doubters from the previous week to be very, very wrong, before launching some vicious and accurate counter attacks to kill the game off.

After Ford had added yet another 3 points, Eastmond went from provider to finisher as Joseph launched a scything counter attack from his own line to get Bath planted in the Tigers 22 – from where the miniscule centre wriggled over from 10 metres out for Bath’s 3^rd try.  The conversion was – disgracefully – missed by Ford. 

For the next 15 minutes, Leicester hammered away, but their lack of shape and inventiveness – and the speed of their ball – was in stark contrast to the wonderfully slick Bath.  Mathew Tait did come close to wriggling over and, if there was any positive to be taken from the game, the returning Tom Croft was a comfortably their best player, causing all sorts of problems in the wider channels, but everything seemed all too predictable.  And – predictably – it was Bath who would take full advantage.

First, a loose ball was hoofed upfield for substitute Olly Woodburn to chase, where – after exchanging passes with Houston in the manner of a cat toying with a mouse – the winger plunged over for a bonus point, and then the icing on the cake was added 7 minutes from time, with 65 year old Peter Stringer cantering over after another magnificent Bath counter attack, this time with Rokoduguni at its heart.  Two Ford conversions left the final score a staggering 45 – 0, although there was still time for a frustrated David Mele to see a red card from some over-zealous rucking...with the ball 5 metres away.

Now, I have been following rugby to a friendship-ruiningly obsessive level since I was 6.  I can never, ever recall the Tigers being nilled (I am told it has happened though...over a decade ago).  Sure, the visitors already have a nightmare injury list which is making last season’s problems seem like a pleasant bubble-bath, but that is no excuse for the utter lack of cohesion, accuracy and – above all – intensity, which saw them bullied in every corner of the park.  The issue, for me, has to rest with the coaching.  Questions will be asked.

Bath, however, were magnificent.  Ford was handed man of the match for a wonderfully composed and accurate display, but boy was he given an armchair ride.  For me, Fearns encapsulated why Bath won like they did – brutal, uncompromising and accurate.  All traits that Tigers fans usually like to cling on to.  But for the West Country outfit a huge warning bell has been rung; they look like serious contenders.

That said, the way this season is going, I wouldn’t bet on anything just yet.

And in the rest of the Premiership?

Gloucester 22 – 25 Exeter Chiefs:  The Cherry and Whites lost at home despite outscoring the Chiefs three tries to one, as indiscipline once again cost them.  Quickfire tries from Johnny May and Dan Murphy put the hosts in charge, but the visitors clawed their way back through the boot of Gareth Steenson and a Ben White try.  Even a second half Sione Kalamafoni try couldn’t rescue it for Gloucester.

Sale Sharks 46 – 8 London Welsh:  Well, the good news for Welsh is that they didn’t concede 50 this time.  The bad news? They took another pasting.  The Sharks coasted to victory with a Tom Arscott hat-trick and tries from Vadim Cobilas, Tom Brady and Luke McClean doing the trick, despite the Exiles responding through Nic Reynolds.

Harlequins  26 – 23 Wasps:  Like Leicester, Quins seem to have upset the injury gods already this year but had just enough to squeeze past a resurgent Wasps.  A Robshaw 5-pointer and a penalty try, plus the boot of Ben Botica, were enough to see-out Wasps, who crossed through Guy Thompson, Tom Varndell and Thomas Young.

London Irish 32 – 26 Saracens:  A last gasp Billy Vunipola try saw Sarries steal the points against a spirited Irish display in Reading, even though the hosts outscored the visitors 4 tries to 3.  A Blair Cowan try and an Alex Lewington hat-trick seemed to have earned the Exiles a famous win but Vunipola’s effort, preceded by scores from Tim Streather and Richard Wigglesworth ensured that wouldn’t be the case. 

Newcastle Falcons 10 – 35 Northampton Saints:  Saints ensured that they bounced back from their surprise defeat last week by claiming a bonus point win at still-winless Newcastle.  The Falcons scored their only try through Noah Cato but they were outmuscled predominantly in the first half, with tries coming for Saints from Will Hooley, Alex Waller, Ken Pisi and (leaving it late) George North.
 

Premiership Preview - Bath v Leicester Tigers

Things are changing in the world of rugby.  A bizarre IRB loop-hole that will apparently let players play for different countries even after already representing another, an increased salary cap and room for a second marquee player, and yet another set of experimental rules being trialled down under in yet another attempt by our Antipodean to take the scrum and maul (a.k.a the fun) out of the game.  Or something like that.  It all gets a little bit complicated.  Remember the good days, when all that mattered was 15 blokes playing against another 15 blokes?  Or at least having a scrap?  Think back (or watch a video, if you're too young) and you may think of Bath v Leicester.

Any fixture between these two actually.  The two clubs are steeped in both history and success, making them guaranteed rivals.  Bath, the undisputed masters of the pre-professionalism era, and Leicester, the dominant force post 1996.  It’s a rivalry with so many compelling chapters that it's almost impossible to think of one without drama.  In that regard, Saturday's fixture at the Rec will hopefully be a return to the good old days, and all the old principals and feelings that go with it.

The hosts were last season's big spenders – and the nearly men.  They moved on from a depressingly constricted gameplan to unleash the youthful exuberance within their ranks, and they look like a real force again this time round.  George Ford is pulling the strings wonderfully and will want to prove a point against his old club, whilst Carl Fearns has really impressed with some bullocking displays after a couple of frustrating seasons with injury.  Bath strike me as a very well balanced side, but there are two questions that still need to be answered.  Can they defend the midfield channels effectively, especially seeing as London Welsh (hardly the Harlem Globe Trotters of rugby) carved their way through the middle four times, and can they play under pressure?  Bath look superb against lesser opponents, but when they meet the big boys – the sides who match their pack and rush up on the backline – they don't always click.

Speaking of not clicking, the Tigers won't be entirely satisfied with their displays so far.  A bonus point win over Newcastle and a tricky win over Exeter are good results, but they do paper over the cracks somewhat.  The pack remains as powerful as ever – even though it is missing big names such as Dan Cole, Ed Slater, Louis Deacon, Marcos Ayerza and Pablo Matera – but the backs have not looked especially cohesive in the midfield.  Burns is attacking the line and varying his game well, but far too often we've seen the men outside (or inside) him too deep or two wide to take advantage of the gaps he creates.  Perhaps it will take some time to gel but – currently, Tigers are only in 3rd gear; with the back division they have, they should be arguably the most dangerous side in the country.

The stakes are always high with these two, but with unbeaten records at stake you can feel the pressure even at this early stage of the season.  This is the game they look forward to down these parts in the West.  Rugby at its purest.

Some things never change.

 

Bath Team News

Bath are forced to make a change on the wing, with Matt Banahan coming in to replace Anthony Watson, who has an ankle injury.  Olly Woodburn is named on the bench, as the hosts look to continue their unbeaten start to the season.

Starting Line-Up: Arscott; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Eastmond, Banahan; Ford, Cook; James, Webber, Wilson; Hooper (capt), Attwood; Fearns, Mercer, Houston.
Subs: Dunn, Auterac, Thomas, Day, Fa'osiliva, Stringer, Devoto, Woodburn.



Key Player

Paul James.  He's a prop that divides opinions in terms of his ability, but one thing can't be argued – he looks like the kind of chap that spends his Saturday evenings enjoying a pint or 7 of Carling, topped up with a couple of WKDs and finished off beautifully with a scrap outside a Yates' Wine bar.  Simply put, the bloke is nails, and I happen to think he's a very handy operator at the set piece – one of the few looseheads that Dan Cole has trouble with, according to the injured Tiger.  James has a chance against Leicester's third choice tighthead, young Fraser Balmain, to really apply some pressure and set a platform for his side.

 

Leicester Team News

Richard Cockerill makes three changes to his starting line-up, including his game-by-game rotation policy for the hooker and number 8 spots, with Leonardo Ghirdaldini and Jordan Crane coming in for Tom Youngs and Roberto Barbieri respectively.  Most strikingly, there is a first start of the season for Tom Croft, as he completes his comeback from a season-ending knee injury in 2013.

Starting Line-up:  Tait; Morris, M Tuilagi, Allen, Goneva; Burns, B Youngs; Mulipola, Ghiraldini, Balmain; Kitchener, Parling; Croft, Salvi, Crane.
Subs: T Youngs, Brugnara, Pasquali, De Chaves, Barbieri, Mele, Williams, Smith.

 

Key Player

Manu Tuilagi.  The big man was not only quiet, but a bit pants, against the Chiefs last week against a pair of young centres he would have hoped to have gobbled up for breakfast.  Instead, the powerhouse international was reduced to lateral running (not helped by some unimaginative lines run by the rest of the backs) as opposed to attacking his smaller opponents head on.  Again, this Saturday, he lines up against a nimble but smaller set of inside backs – he will have to ensure that he not only watches his line speed (so he doesn't get caught out by quick feet) but that he actually offers himself flat, on the gainline, to test out the likes of Ford, Eastmond and Joseph.  If he can get those guys going backwards, there is a big opportunity for the lethal finishers out wide.

 

Key Battle

George Ford v Freddie Burns.  Can anybody remember such a well-stocked refrigerator of English fly-half talent?  I certainly can't.  And make no mistake – that 10 shirt is up for grabs.  Don't get me wrong, Farrell has earned the shirt over time and is reliable, but with the way these two, Danny Cipriani and Stephen Myler are playing, there are some serious headaches in store for Stuart Lancaster.  But this game isn't just about England selection for Ford and Burns – it's about implementing their own game plan and executing under pressure to win this game.  In a way, they are similar players – both like attacking the gainline, both have a wonderful armoury of passes and kicks – but their teams will be looking to them for leadership and guidance in a tight game.  If there is one question that's been asked of both, it's how they will react under pressure.  The one that holds it together, in the toughest game of the season for either side, will be instrumental in the final result.

 

Prediction

It feels odd saying it, but my big concern for Leicester in this game is their scrum.  Perhaps it's not surprising with Cole, Ayerza and Rizzo all missing, but there is an opportunity perhaps for Bath to get an advantage there.  Otherwise, the hosts' concern will be with their porous midfield defence and they will have to tighten that up with some of talent that the Tigers have out wide.  I can see this one to-ing and fro-ing, and turning into an absolute nail-biter.  You know what?  I'm going to sit on the fence.  They were all square at Welford Road, and I reckon we might see the same outcome tonight.  Draw.  Cop-out, I know.


And the other Aviva Premiership fixtures?

Gloucester v Exeter Chiefs:  The Chiefs certainly haven't got off to a bad start but the Cherry and Whites will be buoyed by their performance against Sale last week.  I think home advantage will see them pick up win number 2.  Gloucester by 8.

Sale Sharks v London Welsh:  With 14 tries conceded by Welsh and Danny Cipriani in sparkling form, the omens aren't good for London Welsh.  Expect another improvement, but another solid win for their opponents.  Sharks by 20.

Harlequins v Wasps:  Wasps all of a sudden look like a very handy side and Quins are – according to some – in crisis.  Of course, that view on Quins is nonsense but they'll be pushed all the way by a rejuvenated Wasps side…although I think they have just enough class to sneak it.  Quins by 2.

London Irish v Saracens:  Irish have put in some decent shifts so far and their pack seems much improved but they won't have enough to match Saracens – even at home.  The brutality of Sarries' display against Quins last week is still fresh in the mind.  Sarries by 12.

Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints:  The Falcons have had a tough start to the season but they should have really picked up a win last weekend.  They'll have to wait another week to get their campaign off the ground because Saints have a score to settle after last weekend.  Saints by 15.

Premiership Review - Harlequins 0 - 39 Saracens

Anyone who knows me will know that I am not prone to underplaying things.  Exaggerating stuff?  Perhaps.  Generally a tale that, at the first telling, will involve me bumbling over for scruffy a try in a pre-season friendly for a club in Kent Division 2, will eventually transform into a heroic last-gasp, cup-winning touchdown, resulting in me being carried off the pitch on the shoulders of my team-mates and then being quite literally bathed in champagne by some passing-by (but very impressed) members of the Swedish beach volleyball team.   So perhaps it came as something as a surprise – to me, as much as anyone – that I had underplayed my pre-season prediction in stating that Sarries ‘may bully’ Quins on Friday night.

To be fair, who could have seen what was about to unfold at a packed out and expectant Stoop.  Of course, we all know what Sarries have in their locker and we have seen them perform to devastating effect against the likes of Clermont and look a different class, but they looked surprisingly porous against Wasps the previous week, whilst Quins – who may not have been firing on all cylinders – looked pretty solid.  Everything was pointing towards a tight encounter, even if the hosts had only managed to beat their London rivals once in the last 11 games.

Certainly, in the early stages there was plenty of physicality on show by both sides, with Billy Vunipola man-handling Joe Gray early on before Kyle Sinckler creamed Chris Ashton as the England winger picked what I have to say is probably the worst line in history – straight into a prop’s shoulder.  That said, Sinckler stayed flopped on the wrong side of the ruck, allowing veteran fly-half Charlie Hodgson to land the first points of the game after 10 minutes.

The game was swiftly entering into a pattern.  Quins would get hold of the ball and string a few phases together, but get nowhere as they were met by an aggressive wall of white as the Saracens defence swarmed all over them.  They’d inevitably cough up the ball – mainly through Sinckler and Jordan Turner-Hall, who appeared to be adopting an interesting strategy of dropping as many simple passes as possible – or concede a penalty, with Sinckler again a main culprit.  The signs were ominous and didn’t get any better when Matt Hopper was forced off with a hand injury to be replaced by the young (but electric) Charlie Walker.

Saracens, though, were biding their time and waiting to get their hands on the ball – and when they did, they looked far more threatening.  Alex Goode and David Strettle combined sharply on the right to put in Scotsman Duncan Taylor, who had the simple task of coasting in for the game’s opening try – but Mike Brown had other ideas, superbly chasing back, making a hit and forcing the knock on right by the try line.  Sarries earned another 3 points from a resulting scrum penalty, but it was still a welcome escape for the homes side.

That relief lasted all of three minutes, though, as Hodgson struck with his ‘Charge-down Charlie’ routine to block Nick Evans’ kick and stroll in for the game’s opening score.  It is an issue Evans does have – he tends to take a huge stride before kicking, which gives the defence that extra second to pressurise him.  A conversion and another penalty followed, and Quins were down by 16 – 0 after just half an hour and with one bloke (Hodgson) scoring all the points.

In the last 10 minutes, Quins finally earned themselves some territory, but it was clear that they were already getting desperate.  Evans had missed a couple of kicks, Danny Care had foolishly tapped and ran from simple goal-kicking positions, only to get turned over – but it was Sarries’ defence that was the real cause of the hosts’ frustrations, with Brad Barritt and the magnificent Will Fraser dominating the collisions and the breakdown.  Perhaps the good news – for England fans – was that the only blokes making any yards were Chris Robshaw and Marland Yarde, but it wasn’t enough to see them pick up any points, and they went down the tunnel  16 – 0 down at half time.

The second half didn’t get much better when Evans was unable to emerge for the restart, with Ben Botica taking his place and, although Hodgson was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock on within the first couple of minutes, the Kiwi pushed another penalty attempt wide.  The hosts couldn’t make the extra-man advantage count and in fact Goode added another 3 points during the 10 minute period, before things went from bad to worse as Walker – who had looked lively during his brief stint – was forced off with a leg injury, meaning young back-rower Jack Clifford was told to ‘have a go’ in the centres.

For the next 15 minutes though, it was Quins who bossed the territory, with new skipper Joe Marler (who looks like he should also be skippering a tug boat) insisting on kicks to the corner.  But not only was Joe Gray’s throwing occasionally wayward, but Sarries’ defence was just too aggressive and too smart, even if skipper Alistair Hargreaves was sent to the bin by Wayne Barnes for playing the ball from an offside position – a harsh call when listening to the referee’s instructions during play on replays. 

But it made no difference.  Quins were simply being smashed at the breakdown and were unable to generate any forward momentum, despite having most of the ball, and they weren’t helped by poor decision making from key individuals, with Care in particular having a surprisingly bad day at the office.  The hard line-speed from Sarries gave meaning to the term offensive-defence, and eventually – after 2 more Hodgson penalties – they gained their reward as Ollie Linday-Hague spilt a pass under pressure, the ball was hacked ahead, and Ashton raced past a snoozing (or, according to him, cramping) Yarde to touch down for another score.  Owen Farrell, on for Hodgson, added the extras and 5 minutes later he was repeating the trick after Fraser had burrowed over for a deserved try after a powerful drive by the pack.

It left the final score at a staggering 0 – 39 to the visitors.  Saracens stunning, Harlequins humiliated.  What has it told us?  Well, Quins need to find a way to grind out metres because, when Plan A (play at 1 million miles an hour) doesn’t work, there doesn’t seem to be a Plan B.  A real enforcer – perhaps at number 8 or second row, would go a long way, if they can bring somebody in.  For Saracens – well, we’ve seen this before.  The shock on the Quins’ player’s faces was a replica of the reaction of those in the white of Clermont in last season’s Heineken Cup semi-final.  When that defence really gets going, it’s a joy  to watch (unless you have the ball) – what’s worrying for everyone else, is that they seemed to have found that gear, that level, that nobody else has, at this early stage in the season.

 

What else was happening in the Premiership at the weekend?

Bath Rugby 53 – 26 London Welsh:  As predicted, Bath did hammer the Premiership newboys but Welsh, to their credit, picked up a bonus point themselves by scoring 4 tries.  The hosts crossed through Chris Cook, Semesa Rokoduguni (2), Jonathan Joseph (2), Leroy Houston and Carl Fearns, with the Exiles having Pete Browne, Seb Stegmann and Seb Jewell (2) to thank for their scores in an entertaining game at the Rec.

Gloucester 34 – 27 Sale Sharks:  The Cherry and Whites recovered from their nightmare opening display to launch an impressive comeback against the Sharks and claim the first win of David Humphrey’s reign.  Johnny May, Rob Cook and a penalty try all contributed to the celebrations at Kingsholm, but the Sharks scored 4 tries to claim a bonus point.  Danny Cipriani scored a fine solo try after he had claimed assists for scores from Tom Arscott, Chris Cusiter and Luke Mclean.

Exeter Chiefs 20 – 24 Leicester Tigers:  The Tigers came away with a scrappy but valuable win over the Chiefs at Sandy Park, despite the hosts looking more fluent throughout.  Exeter had led at half time through scores from Dave Ewers and Haydn Thomas, but tries from Anthony Allen and Ben Youngs, accompanied by the boot of Freddie Burns, saw the East Midlander’s home.

Newcastle Falcons 18 – 20 London Irish:  The Falcons slumped to their 18^th consecutive Premiership defeat, despite outscoring their opponents three tries to two.  The hosts scored through Josh Furno, Scott Wilson and Sinoti Sinoti, with Fergus Mulchrone and Andy Fenby crossing for the Exiles, but 6 missed kicks from Juan Pablo Socino proved costly.

Wasps 20 – 16 Northampton Saints:  Wasps caused the upset of the weekend by turning over last-weekend’s big winners, Saints, at Adams Park, with a superb display.  Two tries in three minutes did the business for the hosts, with an Ashley Johnson intercept and a Tom Varndell kick-and-chase providing the platform for the win, despite a late effort from Ben Foden.
 

 

 

Premiership Preview - Harlequins v Saracens

I came in for a little bit of stick this week for not focusing on the London double-header more in the opening weekend (I was just as surprised as any to see that somebody had actually paid attention) but to make up for it, there’s little doubt that the big game this week is between two of the capital’s powerhouses.  And, at the risk of becoming even more unpopular, I’ve come round to thinking that it’s as close to having a ‘good-guys v bad-guys’ face-off as you can get in the Premiership.  In terms of rugby style, anyway.

Look at Harlequins.  They’re quick, skillfull, brave in how they play – when in full swing, they almost strut through rugby matches with the dashing and confident charm that your standard Disney prince would have in abundance.  Then you could look at Saracens – powerful, dominant, ruthless.  The tyrants of the league for so much of last year, you wouldn’t be surprised if they hired Sauron as a motivational speaker.  Yes, at first glance, it seems so black and white.  But it isn’t really.

Don’t get me wrong, Quins have some sublime runners in their ranks – Marland Yarde, Ollie Lindsay-Hague and Charlie Walker, for example – but they have some real Orcs chucked in there as well.  Joe Marler, George Robson and Nick Easter all know how to handle themselves, and last week they had to grind their way to a win in a real snoozefest at Twickenham.  That followed a mesmeric and pant-wettingly exciting encounter between Sarries and Wasps, where the men in black picked up a try bonus point with some intelligent, clinical and entertaining rugby.  Yes, just because Saracens like to bully teams doesn’t mean they can’t chuck it about a bit either. 

But despite the fact that things may not be as clear cut as first thought, we can’t hide away from the fact that Friday’s game is very much going to be about Quins’ frantic offloading game against Sarries’ brutal power, despite the fact that both sides are more than capable of mixing it up.  It’s what they’re best at, and they shouldn’t shy away from it.  Because in the Premiership, there are no good guys or bad guys. 

Only winners...and the rest.

 

Harlequins Team News

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea makes one change to the side which beat London Irish, with Ollie Lindsay-Hague replacing Ugo Monye.  Wing Monye requires surgery on a groin injury and is set to be out for three months, but Charlie Walker is named among the replacements.

Starting Line-up:  Brown; Yarde, Hopper, Turner-Hall, Lindsay-Hague; Evans, Care; Marler (capt), Gray, Sinckler; Matthews, Robson; Wallace, Robshaw, Easter.
Subs: Buchanan, Lambert, Collier, Merrick, Clifford, Dickson, Botica, Walker.

Key Player

Danny Care.  The dynamo scrum half was nowhere near his terrier-like best last weekend, but there’s no doubt that he is key to his side’s hopes on Friday night.  Despite some early season rustiness last week, that Sarries defence will soon tighten up like a millionaire’s daughter’s chastity belt and it will be moments of invention – and quickness of thought – which will create the gaps for Quins to attack.  Care has to get his decisions right and know when to stick and when to twist.

 

Saracens Team News

Mark McCall has also chosen to make just the one side that squeezed past Wasps last week, swapping around last week’s bench warmer Jackson Wray and blindside flanker Kelly Brown.

Starting Line-up:  Goode; Ashton, Taylor, Barritt, Strettle; Hodgson, Wigglewsorth; Barrington, George, Longbottom; Kruis, Hargreaves (capt); Wray, Fraser, Vunipola.

Subs: Spurling, Gill, Du Plessis, Botha, Brown, Spencer, Farrell, Wyles.

Key Player

Kieran Longbottom.  He might not be the most glamorous player – or have the most glamorous name – but he will have a crucial role to play as the anchor for the Saracens pack.  Signed from the Force over the summer, Longbottom is a hard-working and hard-hitting tighthead who had a rising stock in Australia changing hemispheres.  He’s also a reasonable scrummager, but his ability in that department will be severely tested when he takes on the much improved Joe Marler at scrum-time.  Sarries need set piece dominance for their game to function; they need Longbottom to cause Marler some problems.

 

Key Battle

Chris Robshaw v Will Fraser.  Who knows where Will Fraser would be now if he hadn’t had a nightmare run of injuries last season?  In 2012-13, he was phenomenal and our player of the season, but this time round he’s playing catch up after spending most of the last year on the treatment table.  His opponent on Friday night is the England skipper, and the ultimate barometer on where he is.  Both men are top-quality all-round opensides – they can pinch ball, make tackles, act as a link man and carry a bit too.  Robshaw, though, has the ability to run his opponents off the park, and if Quins are to find fluency to their attacking game, they need him to be more visible than his youthful opposite number.

Prediction

This one strikes me as a horrible one to call.  The Stoop on a Friday night is always a tricky place to play, but if any side can poop the party it’s Sarries.  Both sides looked rusty in their opening encounters but, for me, the visitors have less to fix.  We know their defence is usually as watertight as a mermaid’s brassiere (to coin a phrase from Blackadder), and so I don’t think they’ll be leaking scores like last week, but they also looked clinical in attack, whilst Quins struggled for fluency all game.  If Quins can win that initial contact, they have a great chance of causing Saracens some real problems – but, otherwise, I can see the hosts getting bullied out of this one.   Close call, but Sarries by 5.

 

Let’s take a look at the other fixtures taking place this weekend...

Bath v London Welsh:  The West Country side looked pretty smooth as they despatched of Sale last week, whilst Welsh were frankly shambolic.  A big home win may be on the cards here.  Bath by 30.

Gloucester v Sale Sharks:  There is no doubting the Cherry and White’s quality on paper but they will take time to gel – as shown by their drubbing at Franklin’s Gardens.  However, the Sharks didn’t really impress me last week either and I think the hosts could sneak a first win here.  Gloucester by 2.

Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers:  It’s hard to know just how good Chiefs were last week, but we do know the Tigers will need to be on top of their game to get a win at Sandy Park.  I think they had a sterner test last week and should be in better shape to take a win in a tight encounter.  Tigers by 6.

Wasps v Northampton Saints:  The traditional opening-day heartbreak continued for Wasps last year and they seem to have a habit of losing bravely.  Saints aren’t the sort to have sympathy, though, and I suspect they’ll come away with a hard earned win.  Keep an eye out for North v Wade, too.  Saints by 5.

Newcastle Falcons v London Irish:  Irish showed plenty of solidarity last week without finding a cutting edge, whist Falcons showed some very encouraging and enterprising signs against the Tigers.  At home, on a new 4G pitch, I think the hosts could pinch it.  Falcons by 4.

PS  If you need psyching up for another weekend of Premiership Rugby (and also because I feel I haven’t plugged this enough) then take a look at our second edition of Crash Bang Wallop:

 

Premiership Review - Northampton Saints 53 - 6 Gloucester

 

Expectation is not a new concept at the start of a new season in every sport.  Any supporter will have their own hopes and fears about what might happen to their side, sure, but what they really expect is something a bit different.  And the two sides tasked with kicking of the Aviva Premiership rugby season at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday night were at the very sharp end of the expectation.  The hosts, Northampton Saints, are in unchartered territory as defending champions.  No longer the plucky underdog, the anticipation of a brave season ultimately ending in failure and a refereeing controversy involving Wayne Barnes has gone with it (for most).  Their fans and opposition sides expect them to perform.  At Gloucester, on the other hand, there is a genuine belief that a corner has been turned.  A new, talented coach in David Humphreys, leads a plethora of quality signings, the majority of which are there to ensure that the West Country pack is never used as a form of doormat by opponents ever again.  This is the season where they begin to challenge once again.

There may have been a heightened sense of expectation around the ground, but it was perhaps inevitable that the opening exchanges were cagey with little sign of the fast-flowing rugby that both sides are capable of.  Big Ben Morgan, so often anonymous in club colours but a talisman in the white of England, caught the eye with a couple of promising rampages and Ken Pisi had a smart scoot down the right hand touch line – only to see his chip kick run dead – but otherwise, you got the feeling that neither defence was overly threatened.  But then again, neither side had played their best cards in attack.  Instead, the scoring was opened by Stephen Myler after Alex Corbisiero forced John Afoa up in a scrum, before James Hook levelled with a well-struck effort from distance – following an attempt from scrum-half Greg Laidlaw, which cannoned off the crossbar.

Saints seemed genuinely insulted that the visitors had dared to trouble the scoreboard, and exploded into life.  Having opted for an attacking lineout from a penalty, Lee Dickson switched play and quick hands from Luther Burrell allowed the abnormally large George North to dive in on the blindside for the game’s opening try.  Myler slotted the conversion from out wide, and 5 minutes later (after Samu Manoa had cut Billy Twelvetrees in half with an early contender for hit of the season) he was adding another two points – this time from right out in front.  It came from another attacking lineout, and this time the fly half landed a perfectly placed chip kick in behind the Gloucester defence for George Pisi to gather and touchdown beneath the sticks.  17 – 3, and it all of a sudden seemed a bit easy for the Champions.

The Cherry and Whites were doing their best sieve impression in defence – in particular around the narrow channels – which was perhaps understandable given the complete overhaul in personnel.  But the East Midlanders are not renowned for their sympathy and, after Laidlaw had attempted to steady some nerves with another penalty, North effectively sealed the game with another 7-pointer just before half time.  Saints flung the ball wide, with James Wilson and George Pisi combining well to offload to North in the middle and – despite ignoring a clear try-scoring pass to go it alone – the giant winger displayed a frankly unfair level of agility, pirouetting his way out of one tackle before landing a ludicrous sidestep to evade another and dive over for his second score.  With Myler’s conversion, it left the half time score 24-6.

It was, already, damage limitation for the visitors.  There had been questions raised about Saints’ ability to deal with the weight of expectation and how quickly Gloucester’s big name signings would gel – but these had been emphatically answered, and there was more proof to come in the second half.  Three minutes in, to be exact.  Wilson scythed through a gaping hole on the blindside and gave a pass to Burrell, and the England centre just about got the ball down in the corner – there was a question as to whether the big man had control of the ball but, to be frank, it didn’t matter at this stage.  Myler slotted another superb conversion and the Saints already had their bonus point.  And they were nowhere near done yet.

On 50 minutes, Myler continued his impressive display with a looping pass that missed out 3 defenders to put North in for a simple score – and his hat-trick – before substitute Fotuali’i scooted down an undefended blindside to claim a try just 7 minutes later.  Myler disgracefully missed both touchline conversions but with the score now at 41 – 6, he could perhaps be forgiven.

The hosts – and the Franklins Garden’s faithful – soon had the 50 point mark on their mind, and it was inevitable this new target was hit.  And they did it in some style.  Firstly, new signing Jon Fisher plunged over in the right hand corner following more good work from Wilson and soft hands from Christian Day, before  Luther Burrell snaffled a loose pass from a backpeddling Gloucester pack to add the coup-de-grace on the 75 minute mark, with substitute Will Hooley adding the extras.

It would prove to be the final act of a decisive game of rugby.  Even the most optimistic of Saints fans and uncertain of Gloucester fans could have probably considered a 53 – 6 final score as being particular accurate, but the brightly lit figures at the end of Franklins Garden do not lie.  For Gloucester, it can be chalked up as a learning experience and a reality check; a realisation that a complete metamorphosis will not change overnight.  They will improve and they will threaten teams.  But for Northampton, there was no ecstatic celebration from the coaching staff, or even the players.  With all the talk of expectation, it seems that those at Saints have embraced it – they now thrive on it.  They expected to destroy their opponents on Friday night.  And, for the rest of the league, that is very ominous indeed.

 

What else was happening in the opening weekend of Aviva Premiership Rugby?

Saracens 34 – 28 Wasps:  Sarries pinched a thriller thanks to a last-gasp score from hat-trick hero Dave Strettle.  The former England man had already picked up a double to add to Chris Ashton’s effort, but they still trailed by one point with two minutes to go thanks to a score from Nathan Hughes and a brace from fit-again winger Christian Wade.  It would prove to be not enough for Dai Young’s side.

London Irish 15 – 20 Harlequins:  Part 2 of the London double header saw a rather more cagey affair, with all of Irish’s points coming courtesy of Shane Geraghty’s boot.  Quins, though, crossed twice through first half efforts from Ugo Monye and his substitute, Ollie Lindsay-Hague.

Sale Sharks 20 – 29 Bath Rugby:  Bath left it late to claim a tense win against the Sharks in Salford, despite going ahead in the opening minute through an Anthony Watson try.  Scores from Mark Jennings and Mark Easter had put the hosts in front, but a late effort from Semesa Rokoduguni put the game back into the West-Country outfit’s hands.

Leicester Tigers 36 – 17 Newcastle Falcons:  The Tigers took a while to get going but eventually dispatched of a plucky and enterprising Falcons side with a glut of tries in the second half.  Nicky Goneva carried on his try-scoring habit with a treble, before substitute David Mele grabbed one for himself, whilst the Falcons responded through Richard Mayhew and Andy Saull.

London Welsh 0 – 52 Exeter Chiefs:  The Exiles were humiliated on their return to the big time as the Chiefs routed them at the Kassam Stadium.  Tom Waldrom grabbed a double on his debut, with Dave Ewers, Sam Hill, Ian Whitten, Jack Arnott and Chrysander Botha all claiming tries as well.