Premiership Review - Wasps 36 - 29 Exeter Chiefs

Think ‘entertainment’ in the Premiership and your first thought is probably, and quite fairly, Harlequins.  Bags of young English talent, a beautiful offloading game – what’s not to like?  Aside from the lack of consistency and disappointing results this season, of course.  The more traditional or one-eyed of you may automatically think of Gloucester, usually the breeding ground of an electric young backline that could slice teams apart on any given day?  It’s not so much the case anymore, due to injury, and that Cherry and White’s pack is taking a more prominent role – not that the Shed is complaining.  The more cruel amongst you may point to London Welsh, because you think seeing a team suffer without hope is somehow amusing, but then you’d be a monster.  No, the title for the most entertaining rugby side this year is shared between Wasps and Exeter (with a nod to Northampton, of course).  These are two sides who have found a wonderful balance between forward and back play; brute force and slick accuracy, all driven ambition and precision at a high tempo.  The clash at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday was always going to be a cracker, even with a top 4/top 6 spot on the line.

Wasps, of course, were boosted by the “Little n’ Large” combination of Christian Wade and Nathan Hughes, two of their most incisive – albeit very different – attacking threats.  There’s a not unreasonable school of thought (read: my match preview)that the Coventry club may even have had enjoyed a different outcome against the European Kings, Toulon, in their Champions Cup quarter final had they taken to the field, and that incredibly wise declaration was given more credibility as the two combined to put the hosts ahead after just 70 seconds.  Hughes was the architect off the back of a scrum 15 metres out, getting on the outside of a surprisingly sluggish Dave Ewers, drawing in 2 defenders and offloading to Wade, who held his width well to scoot over in the corner.  It was another reminder that Wasps’ attacking game has flourished this year, in stark contrast to Andy Goode’s hairline – but it didn’t stop the fly half from masterfully hammering the conversion over from the touchline.

Exeter though, have found a level of ambition and consistency this season that matches their renowned determination when up against it, and the Chiefs surged forward with, predictably, Tom Waldrom and Ewers carrying strongly.  After a half break, Will Chudley spotted a gaping hole at the side of the ruck and darted over from 20 metres to tie the game up, thanks to Henry Slade’s conversion, after just 5 minutes.

It had been a frenetic opening, and the game was about to take another surprising turn, albeit this time in the rather more claustrophobic environment of the scrum as Wasps shunted the Chiefs backwards to win a penalty just inside their own half.  I say this was a surprise because many people (myself included) had the scrum down as an area of potential dominance for the visitors, particularly in the way that they barrelled Northampton off their own ball just a few weeks ago.  But what do I know hey?  Elliot Daly stepped up and slammed over a monster 52 metre effort to put the hosts back ahead.  A further exchange of 3 pointers from Goode and Slade gave Wasps a lead of 13 – 10 after 20 minutes.

It was a ding-dong battle, but as the game wore on the hosts began to take charge.  With Hughes and Ashley Johnson catching the eye with some blockbusting carries that their counterparts Waldrom and Ewers would have been proud off, Daly and Wade were finding the space to get the crowd on their feet by showcasing their electric footwork and acceleration, without being able to quite break clear.  Goode, perhaps not so nimble on his feet but razor sharp off the tee, hammered over 2 more penalties to reward his side’s dominance.  Slade then grabbed another couple of kicks back for his side but the men in black were given a further boost when Waldrom was sent to the naughty boy corner for 10 minutes for a deliberate knock on.  It was one of those where most would have sympathy for the big man – he was trying to catch it by flipping it up one handed and running on to it – but, these days, if you try to cut out a pass with just a single mitt, you are asking for trouble.

Wasps took immediate advantage of being a man up against a set piece that was already struggling and blaster the visitors backwards over their line, forcing them to concede a penalty try and giving the hosts a 26 – 16 half time lead.

It was an imposing lead.  But the Chiefs, upon the resumption, were in the mood to do a little imposing of their own.  The return of Waldrom and the industry of Ewers and Jack Nowell in the midfield meant that the visitors began to find a bit more thrust than they perhaps had been before,  but despite the pressure the men in white came away empty handed time and again, with indiscipline being a recurring theme – and, it’s a shame to say, their skipper Dean Mumm was one of the chief culprits,  conceding 3 penalties in the match.  Goode was on hand once again to make the skipper pay for his transgressions with another successful kick, but the introduction of Damien Welch and Luke Cowan-Dickie seemed to reinvigorate the Chiefs and they finally made the pressure count on the hour mark.  After a rolling maul had come up just short, that man Waldrom atoned for his earlier sin-binning with a trademark wrestle over the line to bring the visitors within 6 of the hosts, after Slade’s conversion.

The young fly half tyro then smashed over another penalty from half way, with Goode missing one himself, to make it a 3 point game and assure people that his kicking wobbles against Leicester a month ago were a mere blip in an otherwise steep upward development curve.  The hosts hadn’t really been able to get anything going in the second half and now the home crowd fell silent as they feared a turnaround and a top 6 finish, let alone a top 4 one, being thrown in doubt.  One Wasp, however, answered those doubts in the most emphatic way.

Joe Simpson had been very good throughout the game, kicking pretty well and making some smart snipes, but now he really let loose like we know he can.  Taking a loose kick behind the half way line, he checked the blindside, saw it was a blind alley, then cut back infield to scorch through a gap before turning on the afterburners to leave Waldrom and Tom James for dead.  Goode converted, and Wasps had the game won with 3 minutes left to play.

The Chiefs did muster one final attack to allow substitute Gareth Steenson to nudge over a sweetly struck drop goal to ensure that Exeter went home with something, but there was no doubt at all that is was Wasps’ day.  And, taking a look at the remaining fixtures, is too farfetched to wonder if this is Wasps season?

  



Premiership Preview - Wasps v Exeter Chiefs

Trying to think of something new to say every week in the build up to a game is hard.  To those that know me, that might come as a surprise since I always seem to be talking; for those that know me well, it should come as no surprise since I actually only have about 7 stories on rotation.  Once you hear one for the second time, you know I’ve run out.  But sometimes you can just let the facts speak for themselves, or res ipsa loquitor if I’m feeling pretentious and want to bring my vast* legal knowledge into the equation.

And Wasps v Exeter has the basic set up to not only be an epic encounter in terms of how the season will settle, but also in terms of putting on a show for what looks set to be another impressive crowd at the Ricoh Arena.  The hosts are boosted by the return of Christian Wade and Nathan Hughes, two game-breakers in very different ways, and by the reuniting of their gargantuan back row unit, with Haskell and Johnson joining Hughes on the flanks.  They’ve been destructive all season but, if they’re to give the likes of Wade, Daly and Leiua a chance to show what they can do in open spaces, they’ll need to compete with a Chiefs pack that is not only bang in form, but every bit as powerful as they are.

Especially in the back row.  The Waldrom and Ewers double act has been irresistible at times (in terms of quality of play as opposed to aesthetics; it’s fair to say neither are lookers) and the powerful Jack Yeandle isn’t exactly dainty, so we’re all set for a titanic struggle at the breakdown.  After their demolition of the Saints pack a fortnight ago as well, the visitors will be feeling that there is an opportunity to cause the hosts some problems in the set piece, an area where Wasps are traditionally not overly strong, but you can’t overlook the backline in this Exeter side – they may not have the out and out pace that Wasps have, but they do have game-breakers in the form of Henry Slade and Jack Nowell and they operate with a precision which sees them take most opportunities handed to them.

There’s no need for waffle with this one.  With Chiefs in fourth spot and Wasps just 5 behind, this is playoff for the playoffs.

*limited

Wasps Team News

Wasps are boosted by the return of Christian Wade and Nathan Hughes from injury and suspension respectively as they return to the Ricoh Arena.   Carlo Festuccia, Lorenzo Cittadini and Kearnan Myall all start for Wasps in their first home game since 8 March.

Starting Line-up:  Masi; Wade, Daly, Leiua, Tagicakibau; Goode, Simpson; Mullan, Festuccia, Cittadini, Gaskell, Myall, Johnson, Haskell (capt), Hughes.

Subs:  Shervington, McIntyre, Cooper-Woolley, Cannon, Thompson, Davies, Lozowski, Miller.

Key Player

Nathan Hughes.  ‘If only’ is a phrase which has probably passed the lips of many a Wasps fan following their quarter final exit in Toulon, probably followed by ‘Hughes was playing’.  In a game where Wasps gave such a good account of themselves against the best side in Europe, you got the feeling that the absence of their most destructive ball carrier could have made a key difference to the outcome – but now he’s back, and he’s got a point to prove.  He’s up against another hard running number eight, Tom Waldrom, and he needs to make sure he breaks the advantage line at every opportunity – Wasps rely on him to kick-start their momentum in attack.

 

Exeter Team News

The Chiefs bring in Byron McGuigan at full-back after Phil Dollman suffered a leg injury last week.  Damian Welch is fit after ankle surgery, while Luke Cowan-Dickie replaces Elvis Taione as hooker.

Starting Line-up:  McGuigan; Whitten, Nowell, Hill, Jess; Slade, Chudley; Moon, Yeandle, Francis, Mumm (capt), Lees, Ewers, Horstmann, Waldrom.

Subs:  Cowan-Dickie, Rimmer, Brown, Welch, Johnson, Lewis, Steenson, James.

Key Player

Dave Ewers.  I’ve mentioned earlier that these are two massively powerful back rows, but Ewers is bang in form at the moment and can prove to be a pivotal player in this clash.  He was monumental in the game against Northampton at Sandy Park and his physicality, and work-rate were streaks above anyone else on the park – including blokes on his own team.  His engine is key to the Chiefs, who like to play at a fast, relentless tempo – not unlike Wasps – and the more he offers himself as a carrier, especially late in the game, the happier the visitors will be.

 

Key Battle

Elliot Daly v Jack Nowell.  Out of nowhere this season, Daly has become one of the most exciting runners in the Premiership.  He’s always been electrically quick and has a lethal step on him, but now he has a real confidence on the pitch and is showing an offloading game that we haven’t seen before; he now takes players on, with a mentality that is going to beat them.  A player who’s shown that same confidence this year is Jack Nowell, another player who has come of age this season.  He offers a slightly more physical threat than Daly but he still has a wonderfully balanced style to his running.  These are two of the brightest attacking prospects in the English game and, with defence not being either player’s trump card, we could be in for a blistering battle between these two, especially as one moment of magic could decide the outcome.  Expect tries.

 

Prediction

The Chiefs have hit some form but Wasps will be confident playing in front of a home crowd again.  The key battle will be in the back row, a battle which has the potential to be rather violent, but it’s out wide where some of the best attacking talent in the league will be on show.  The loss of Dollman is big blow to the Chiefs – he is so solid at the back and a great attacking threat – and, with Goode at the helm, I wonder if Wasps will be able to exploit his absence.  This one will go down to the wire but I’m leaning towards a home win.  Wasps by 4.

Champions Cup Review - Clermont Auvergne 13 - 9 Saracens

It’s amazing what can change in 12 months.  One year ago, I didn’t own a house and now I do.  I didn’t have a fiancé, and now I do.  I was clean shaven and now...I have a clumsy attempt at facial hair that can best be described as ‘brave’.  One day it will look good though, mark my words.  But perhaps nothing has changed as starkly as a semi-final result between two powerhouses of their respective countries, Clermont and Saracens.  In the 2014 edition of the contest between these two, the men in black ran riot thanks to a bruising defence and a clinical level of precision that saw them embarrass the pre-game favourites.  Instead, this time on ‘home’ soil (well, in Saint Etienne), the French outfit were determined to run an altogether tighter ship.

Saracens, with the Vunipola brothers Billy and Mako in powerful running mode, took a 15th-minute lead when Hodgson showed his experience to land an angled drop-goal to reward an impressive spell of pressure, but Clermont quickly responded through a reminder of their attacking prowess.  Wesley Fofana swivelled brilliantly in and out of a tackle near the Saracens posts, and Clermont looked to have sent Napolioni Nalaga over in the corner, but Chris Ashton careered across the pitch to shunt the big man into touch before he managed to get the ball down.  I use the word ‘shunt’ because there was a pretty decent argument that it was an illegal hit – the former England man certainly didn’t use his arms, and it wasn’t a million miles away from being a mirror image of ‘that’ hit Liam Williams pulled out the bag to (nearly) save a try against South Africa just under a year ago.  In that instance, Williams was given a yellow card for his troubles and then watched his side marched under the sticks as a penalty try was called by Steve Walsh, so by all accounts Ashton could count himself pretty lucky on this occasion - referee George Clancy consulted the television match official Simon McDowell on the validity of the score before it was ruled out, but no judgement was made on Ashton's tackle. 

Brock James, a brilliant kicker from hand but as reliable as a second hand Alfa Romeo of the tee, then tied things up with a penalty that went over via the post, but Saracens had successfully avoided a first-half surge from Clermont – the kind of surge which had obliterated Northampton, and an intriguing semi-final tussle remained firmly in the melting pot.

Hodgson missed a long-range penalty chance 10 minutes before half-time, yet he then bisected Clermont's posts from an identical spot last season's beaten European finalists ahead. Clermont still had their moments – such as when Jonathan Davies somehow conspired to drop the ball when faced with an enormous overlap – but in truth they had not remotely threatened to hit the heights of a breathtaking performance against Northampton, although much of that was down to Saracens' defensive resilience and impressive intent to play the game on their terms.  The first half had been attritional and brutal, with the power players like the Vunipola brothers and Damien Chouly prominent, with limited space for the fleet-footed speedsters like Nick Abendanon and Chris Ashton to run free, but there was no doubt that Sarries believed that another semi-final upset was on the cards – even it wasn’t quite proving to be the landslide it was 12 months ago.

Clermont needed a bit of trademark sparkle, and they responded brilliantly early in the second period, opening up Saracens' defence through a clever James kick that was gathered on the bounce by Fofana, who touched down complete with the obligatory celebratory dive. James added the conversion to give Clermont a 10-6 lead, which was arguably rough justice on Saracens, but it gave the French side a head of steam as they began summoning reinforcements from the bench, including scrum-half star Morgan Parra to the delight of the French crowd.

Farrell joined the action approaching the final quarter for his first piece of competitive action since January, and Saracens were by no means out of the contest, yet the marginal calls were starting to go against them as Clermont targeted a territorial edge. Farrell kicked a penalty with 14 minutes remaining to set up an intense finale, but Clermont were not to be denied, and another James penalty six minutes from time sealed the deal, with the final score at 13 - 9.   Sarries had worked hard but, truth be told, there was a lack of creativity when it mattered to really make the space count – there was only so much the big power carriers could do by themselves.  Or the wolf pack, for that matter.

Sometimes, contrary to the old saying, offence is the best form of offence.

 

European Champions Cup Preview - Clermont Auvergne v Saracens

They say lightening doesn't strike twice.  But what about thunder?  Anyone who was at Twickenham 12 months ago will be able to recall a rumble that shook all of European rugby as Saracens, slight underdogs against the free-flowing men from Clermont, delivered a crash-course in offensive defence, bullying the ball-carriers mercilessly and burying the men in white's morale long before the final whistle confirmed their crushing defeat.  46 – 6.  Who saw that coming?  The beauty of European rugby is its ability to create rivalries with the intensity of derbies across the borders, and that's what's happening with Sarries and Clermont.  They have already met twice this season in the group stages, where the English side took the spoils at home in the first round before being squeezed out in the return fixture at Stade Marcel-Michelin.  It's 1-1 for this 'series', and it's literally winner takes all on Saturday, as they meet in the semi-finals again - this time in Saint-Etienne. 

Clermont can boast with some accuracy to have been (unofficially) the best side in Europe over the past 4-5 seasons.  I say unofficially, because they have actually won diddly-squat, as the technical term goes, in that time.  They've been to a couple of finals and the knockout stages, they've even looked at various points like the ultimate exponents of 'total rugby' and utterly unplayable – but they always seem to choke.  It's hard to imagine that when you see the way they cut loose against Northampton a fortnight ago – they were only playing the reigning English champions after all – as they ran out 37 – 5 winners, thanks to a performance of physical dominance and breathtaking speed and accuracy in attack.  The man of the match, that day, Nick Abendanon, will be licking his lips at showcasing his skillset to Stuart Lancaster again, especially seeing as he was a key factor in the two teams' last meeting back in January, darting over for a crucial try.

 But Abendanon is just one of many potent threats that the visitors will have to keep an eye on – lose track of Nalaga, Fofana or Davies at your peril – but that's not say that Sarries don't have threats of their own.  Billy Vunipola has been imperious this season both in attack and defence, improving his work rate all over the park without losing that brutal explosivity that generally leaves a trail of destruction – and bruised – egos in its wake.  Saracens will know, however, that they have one weapon that can defuse all of the attacking flair that Clermont have in their ranks – defence.  Last weekend they shut down a (limited, admittedly) Leicester side without breaking a sweat, and a year ago on 'that day' at Twickenham, it was a similar story – ball carriers were engulfed by a wave of black (led by Jacques Burger) before they even had a chance to get going.  A stream of big hits like that don't just keep a team at bay, it destroys their ambition and pass their momentum straight onto the defence.

So Saracens will be bringing the thunder, and Clermont will be bringing the lightening.  We should be in for one hell of a storm.

Clermont Auvergne Team News

Clermont welcome back their big guns after their surprise home loss to Oyonnax in the Top 14.  Having been rested after their demolition of Northampton in the quarter-finals, Wesley Fofana, Julien Bonnaire, Nick Abendanon, Napolioni Nalaga and Brock James all return to the starting line-up.  In the centres, Jonathan Davies is a familiar figure to most on this side of the channel, but the French outfit are missing experienced forwards Thomas Domingo and Fritz Lee.

Starting Line-up: Nick Abendanon; Noa Nakaitaci, Jonathan Davies, Wesley Fofana, Naipolioni Nalaga, Brock James, Ludovic Radoslavjevic; Vincent Debaty, Benjamin Kayser, Davit Zirakashvili, Jamie Cudmore, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Julien Bonnaire, Julien Bardy, Damien Chouly (capt).

Subs: John Ulugia, Raphael Chaume, Clement Ric, Julien Pierre, Alexandre Lapandry, Morgan Parra, Camille Lopez, Aurélien Rougerie.

Key Player

Nick Abendanon.  I personally thought that the calls to have him returned to the England set up, made captain and knighted for services to rugby (or something like that) were a tad premature after his admittedly superb display against Saints last week, but there is no doubting the talent in Englishman's boots.  His acceleration and balance has never been in doubt, but his intelligence in support also sets him apart as being one of the top attacking threats in the tournament – however, he will be facing a very different test on Saturday.  Saracens are the exponents of the finest kick-chase game in Europe and there is no doubt that his size, concentration and…er…balls will be tested as Hodgson, Wigglesworth and potentially Farrell pepper the backfield searching for territory…and mistakes.

Saracens

Saracens have named England fly-half Owen Farrell on the bench for their Champions Cup semi-final against Clermont.  Farrell returns to the Saracens' match-day 23 for the first time since he suffered a knee injury three months ago.  Saracens, looking to make the final for a second year in a row, will be without captain Alastair Hargreaves and Jim Hamilton replaces him in the second row while centre Brad Barritt takes over captaincy duties. There is also a start in the back-row for exciting prospect Maro Itoje.  Flanker Jacques Burger – who terrorised Clermont in last year’s semi-final with some ferocious tackling – is back from suspension.

Starting Line-up:  Alex Goode; Chris Ashton, Marcelo Bosch, Brad Barritt (capt), Chris Wyles; Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Petrus Du Plessis, George Kruis, Jim Hamilton, Maro Itoje, Jacques Burger, Billy Vunipola.

Subs: Schalk Brits, Rhys Gill, James Johnston, Kelly Brown, Jackson Wray, Neil de Kock, Owen Farrell, David Strettle.

Key Player

Maro Itoje.  If you're looking for possibly the next big thing for the England pack after the World Cup, this should be the first place you look.  Not only is the 20 year old back-row-cum-second-row a phenomenal athlete, but he's also a natural leader, having led England to under 20 success in the Junior World Cup and captained Saracens to an A-league victory last year.  He's impressed with his appearances off the bench so far this season, but this match is on a different scale to anything he will have experienced before.  The sheer physicality of the hits and the pressure of the situation will hit him as soon as the whistle blows – the question is, how will he handle it?  Welcome to the big time, son.

Key Battle

Julien Bardy v Jacques Burger.  We all know what Burger did to Clermont last season; members of the French side that day probably still have nightmares about it.  The hosts will know that Sarries' only chance of causing an upset and coming away with a win will be to shut down their attack early, to hammer them behind the gainline and to force them to kick hurriedly or, worse, panic.  Clermont will be braced for an onslaught, but they know that they need to get the leader of the Wolf Pack on a tight leash, and that's where Bardy comes in.  The big Portuguese international is a mobile and physical presence, but he will need watch Burger like a hawk and try to tie him up for as long as possible in breakdowns – the longer Burger is out of the game for, the more comfortable and effective Clermont will be.

Prediction

Saracens may not have been quite at their best this season but you know that they will always have a big game in them, as they showed last year – and they don't come any bigger than this.  They will believe, there is no doubt about that, but Clermont will have a lot of pent up anger themselves in relation to that debacle last year.  I expect them to meet the physicality full on and beat Sarries at their own game – only after a mighty arm-wrestle, mind.  Clermont by 9.

Premiership Review - Saracens 22 - 6 Leicester Tigers

I said before the game that these two teams have a tendency to cancel each other out.  Not necessarily through poor attacking play, but through brutal defence and a lack of ambition with the ball in hand, like two heavyweight boxers circling in the first round of a championship bout, with both knowing that the other has a hammer of a right hook that will send them flailing if they get too close.  But, as it turns out, one of them has started to pick up delicate hands and a weak chin – surprising in what was effectively a pre-playoff playoff, with Saracens occupying third spot and Leicester hot on their tails. 

And it was the Tigers that made a more impressive start, moving six points ahead after 11 minutes through two Burns penalties which rewarded some composed and efficient phase-play.  It wasn't spectacular, it wasn't pretty, but with the likes of Jordan Crane, Tom Youngs and Seremai Bai rumbling into gaps – without actually splitting the Sarries defence open – it at least got the hosts moving backwards and breaking the offside line.  Burns has not been given the platform he deserves this year, being unable to rely showcase the creativity that once made him – and not those upstarts Henry Slade and George Ford – the darling of English rugby.

Saracens appeared surprisingly sluggish in comparison, creating little in attack and being out-thought tactically by Burns and his half-back partner Ben Youngs behind a Leicester pack that showed set-piece diligence, particularly in the scrum, where Dan Cole was exerting no small amount of dominance over his England mucker, Mako Vunipla.  The crowd perhaps began to wonder if the men in black may have been thinking of a certain big fixture next weekend instead of focussing on the present.  Marcelo Bosch tried to relive the past (well his heroics last week against Racing Metro) midway through the first-half, but he skewed it horribly wide, and Saracens' sense of frustration was summed up after Kelly Brown made a powerful midfield run, Billy Vunipola took the move on, but skipper Alistair Hargreaves spilled possession in open play.  Frustration perhaps, but the positive news for them was that they had managed to get on the outside of the Tigers very easily, far too easily as far as the visitors were concerned…but being caught narrow has been a hallmark of their defence all season.

Saracens finally began to enjoy a spell of pressure as half-time approached, despite being largely out-fought at the breakdown by Julian Salvi and co, but full-back Alex Goode hit the post with a simple penalty inside Leicester's 22 into a strong wind.  But then came the game-changer.  As Chris Ashton once again got on the Tigers' outside, the former England man chipped ahead, only for Mat Tait to cover superbly and scamper away…with the help of the previously-excellent Tom Youngs, who barrelled into the flyer to send him, er, flying, and the hooker promptly earned a yellow card from referee Matt Carley, handing the home side a one-man advantage as the interval approached.

And Saracens made the Tigers pay, exerting considerable scrum pressure – against the grain considering what had happened so far in the game – that reaped its reward (after 4 resets) when Billy Vunipola powered over from close range, before Hodgson's conversion secured a 7-6 half-time lead, despite being way behind on the possession and carries stats.

But with Tom Youngs still off the pitch, Leicester had their work cut out, and Saracens did not spare them as they collected a second try following Ashton's strong run, with the move finished off by Bosch in the left hand corner. Tom Youngs then returned, but before Leicester had even had a chance to regroup and try to muster a counterpunch, Chris Wyles touched down wide out as the home side eased clear. It was looking all too easy for Saracens against the former champions, who in turn are beginning more and more to look like they aren't quite the heavyweight contenders they once were.

Leicester's early promise had evaporated, with their cause was not helped by scrummaging cornerstone Marcos Ayerza limping off in agony after he attempted to tackle Bosch. Entering the final quarter, Leicester huffed and puffed as they looked for a consolation score, yet the Tigers lacked attacking flair and invention, confirming a dismal strike-rate this season that has seen only Premiership basement club London Welsh score fewer league tries than them.  It was a stark difference between the two sides – from the comfort of my arm chair, it was easy to spot exactly which Tigers player the ball was going to go to before they actually received it; if I can do that, how easy is it for one of the meanest defences in league?  The Tigers were frankly as threatening as Mother Theresa.  Saracens on the other hand ran from depth, at pace, and constantly had options, keeping the defence guessing, and they deserved a fourth try and a bonus point, although this reward ultimately eluded them.  The Tigers did go close, after Lawrence Pearce and Logovi'i Mulipola added some serious punch to the attack and Niki Goneva got within inches of either corner, but in truth they didn't deserve it – the scoreline of 22 – 6 was exactly fair, despite the visitors dominating possession for large swathes of the game.

The Tigers look out of ideas.  Sarries, on the other hand, have got plenty of ideas on where their season might yet end up.

Premiership Preview - Saracens v Leicester Tigers

Saracens v Leicester was probably always going to be my selected game for this weekend, but I have to admit I have picked it with a certain amount of trepidation.  They’ve played some classics, sure, such as the 2010 Final, or the last-gasp win a few years ago when Geordan Murphy banged over one of the worst drop goals ever seen.  But they also have the ability to lob a complete turd into the mixer – see their draw at Wembley Stadium a couple of seasons back, or indeed their draw at Welford Road earlier this season.  It almost (note almost) made that 50 Shades of Grey film, which I was forced to sit through, seem reasonable by comparison.  Or, the other option is, Saracens win – by a lot.

That’s what happened infamously at Welford Road in 2011 when a depleted Tigers side were put to the sword by a rampant Saracens outfit, and it’s what happened when Leicester travelled to Allianz Park last season, as they were smashed 49 – 10.  The truth is that if you don’t go to Saracens at 100%, you will be taken apart – there is no side more ruthless in the league.  I say ruthless because the truth is – looking down their side – there aren’t too many magicians who can create something out of nothing, perhaps with the exception of Billy Vunipola.  Instead, they have a side that is packed with power, intelligence, and reliability – now that might sound like I’m being harsh, or implying that they’re boring, but they really aren’t.  Sure, they have a good kicking game, but once they are in the right areas they create opportunities and finish with astonishing precision – they score more tries when they get given credit for, and when they get moving forward they are almost impossible to stop.

Speaking of impossible to stop, that is usually the feeling about Leicester when it comes to this time of the season, and looking at the results only, you would argue that the Tigers are pulling their usual trick of coming good when it matters.  But the truth is that, even when winning, Leicester keep stuttering along without being able to really put together anything resembling a coherent game plan, in stark contrast to Sarries.  It’s the end effect of not replacing Matt O’Connor when the Aussie moved over to Leicester, and it’s meant that the Tigers have, more often than not, relied on two things to get them wins – set piece dominance, and individual moments of magic.  There’s no doubt that the Tigers have some outrageously gifted players, in Niki Goneva, Ben Youngs and Freddie Burns to name just three, but without everyone being on the same page, they’ve struggled for fluency.  But they’re still winning despite all of that, and with their internationals and several absentees returning, the Tigers do smell blood – and it is not too late for them to find their fourth and fifth gears.

 

Saracens Team News

England centre Brad Barritt returns to the Saracens side, with Chris Wyles on the wing in place of David Strettle.   Alistair Hargreaves replaces Jim Hamilton in the second row and Kelly Brown comes into the side for the suspended Jacques Burger at flanker.

Starting Line up:  Goode; Ashton, Bosch, Barritt, Wyles; Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Vunipola, George, Du Plessis, Kruis, Hargreaves (capt), Wray, Brown, Vunipola.

Subs: Spurling, Barrington, Johnston, Itoje, Joubert, de Kock, Taylor, Strettle.

Key Player

Billy Vunipola.  I have to admit I never really rated big Billy.  In his Wasps – and early England days – he was too much of a 60 minute man, making a big play and then waddling around doing nothing apart from looking knackered for the next 10 minutes.  A bit like me, apart from the ‘big play’ bit.  But his conditioning has improved beyond recognition and he showed for England that he can not only go the full 80, but he can keep looking for work and smashing people too.  Sarries aren’t really an off-the-cuff, ‘flair’ side, but what they do have his ruthless precision and execution based on attaining front foot ball – and they will be looking to Billy to deliver that all afternoon.

Leicester Team News

Wingers Niall Morris and Vereniki Goneva start for Leicester in place of Miles Benjamin (knee) and Adam Thompstone, who is on the bench.   Lock Graham Kitchener among the Tigers' replacements after a foot injury.

Starting Line up:  Tait; Morris, Smith, Bai, Goneva; F. Burns, B. Youngs (capt); Ayerza, T. Youngs, Cole, De Chaves, Parling, Gibson, Salvi, Crane.
Subs: Ghiraldini, Rizzo, Mulipola, Kitchener, Pearce, Harrison, Bell, Thompstone.

Key Player

Tom Youngs.  Leicester have been as sharp in attack as a bag of pillows this season, but what they can always rely on is some serious punch and power in the forwards, and Tom Youngs is key in that regard.  He’s a similar source of front foot ball as Billy Vunipola – despite being half the height and weight; he’s got an awkwardly low centre of gravity and he’s probably one of the most aggressive runners in England, the way he hurls himself through people, like a human bowling bowl.  I can also vouch for this first hand as I had the displeasure of playing him once, and he compounded my misery by helping me up and sincerely congratulating me on a ‘brave effort’ every time he creamed me.  Of course, one of Leicester’s chief attacking weapons will be the set piece and throwing in is, of course, Youngs’ most high profile (and arguably only) weakness.  Burns has been kicking really well from hand so, if Youngs can get his lineout in order as well as leading from the front with his carries, then the Tigers may just be able to build some pressure.

 

Key Battle

Mako Vunipola v Dan Cole.  The sight of two England colleagues going head to head is always a mouth-watering one, but especially so when the battleground is as defined as it is in the scrum.  Vunipola and Cole are two different kind of props, with the former a superb carrier and the latter a destructive scrummager – although both have made big strides at improving their performance in the other area, too.  Vunipola is a decent scrummager but he will be all too aware that one of the few areas Leicester may be able to get a foothold in is the scrum – he will need to hold his ground to avoid giving the Tigers hope, or penalties for that matter.  Cole, on the other hand, must continue is superb return to fitness – not just in terms of scrummaging well, but also in terms of offering himself as a genuinely effective carrier...as he demonstrated by headbutting Cian Healy out of his way.

 

Prediction

These are two sides which have plenty of talent but arguably (certainly in Leicester’s case) have been too rigid for large parts of the season.  What Sarries do have, however, is a ruthlessly effective gameplan which earns them victories – which is more than can be said for Leicester, who seem to have stuttered their way into top 4 contention.  The Tigers will know that they are underdogs but they will also spy a window of opportunity to attack the set piece – if they get on top there, who knows what could happen.  But Sarries are at home, they have the power and the nous to hold off any threat from the visitors – Saracens by 8.

Champions Cup Review - Leinster 18 - 12 Bath

Going to Dublin for a Heineken Cup quarter finals holds fond memories for me - well, of the few that I've returned.  As a spotty, greasy 17 year old, I headed over with 4 mates to watch Leicester soundly defeat Leinster in their own backyard, before going out on the town and finding some poor unsuspecting local lady to attempt to woo.  Siobhan, I'm sorry for ruining your night.  Of course, at the time I had no idea what an occasion I've just witnessed - beating the Irish giants in the capital in a knockout game is not something that happens very often.  At all.  And though Bath went there on Saturday with real hope that they might be able to utilise their young talent to conjure a win, did they really believe it would happen?

The opening exchanges proved fast and furious but with little pattern as Leinster relied on fly-half Jimmy Gopperth's boot, while Bath provided early counter-attacking threats via Watson and centre Kyle Eastmond. Heaslip then went close himself to touching down near the Bath posts, but, despite the visitors denying him, they conceded a penalty and Madigan kicked Leinster 3-0 ahead.

But Bath were not to be denied and they stormed back up field through a typically bustling run from Horacio Agulla, and then the equeally brutish Francois Louw, whose powerful break meant that Leinster resorted to illegal means in an attempt to stop him. French referee Jerome Garces expertly played advantage, though, and Ford conjured a try out of nothing, leaving Leinster's defence leaden-footed as he sliced through an inviting gap he created with dummy before he scooted past Rob Kearney to dive over.  Say it quietly, but there is something of the 'Dan Carter' about him when he's on form.

 

His conversion attempt hit the post, yet Leinster responded rapidly as Madigan booted a second penalty before Bath had Watson sin-binned when he took out opposite number Kearney in mid-air, leaving Garces with little option but to brandish a yellow card. Bath had to tighten up their discipline and Madigan did not require a second invitation to keep punishing them as he completed his penalty hat-trick.

 

Bath, though, did not learn their lesson, and two more Madigan penalties opened up a 15-5 interval advantage that meant the visitors had a mountain to climb one that would prove too steep.

Leinster, though, suffered an injury blow within a minute of the second period getting under way as wing Fergus McFadden was helped from the pitch after his head made contact with Eastmond's shoulder. South African Zane Kirchner replaced him - not a bad bloke to bring on really.

 

Bath's best attacking moments continued to be provided by Ford, and he came up trumps again after 48 minutes as another break between Devin Toner and Cian Healy took him close to Leinster's line before he found Hooper in support to claim a well-worked try. Ford's successful conversion brought Bath back to just three points adrift, but Madigan's sixth successful penalty gave Leinster a hint of breathing space.  On the whole though, Bath were looking more threatening with the ball in hand and, now they had tightened up their discipline, they looked the better side.

 

Watson then launched another thrilling break from deep inside his own 22, only for wing Horacio Agulla to drop Ford's pass when the Leinster defence was stretched to breaking point. Bath continued to press, but the hosts were in no mood to surrender, defending with brutal physicality around the fringes and scrambling well to chop down dangerman Jonathan Joseph at every opportunity. 

 

A Ford penalty six minutes from time gave Bath renewed hope, and then they surged towards the line for one last assault, or at least a penalty or drop-goal to force the game into extra time.  During the ruck exchanges Leinster were, in truth, very lucky not to be penalised for hands in the ruck on several occasions, but Jerome Garces eventually called time on Bath's brave campaign by penalising Matt Garvey for a borderline side entry.  Leinster were in the semi-finals again - where they belong.

The odd thing was that Bath looked busy and inventive, whilst the hosts didn't seem to have to do too much for their win.  However, Leinster are a mirror-image of the Championship-winning Irish team; they are no longer the 'moral' winners who play beautiful rugby but come up short, they are the hard-nosed, ruthless and infuriatingly well-disciplined machine that churns out wins in big games. And that is all that matters.
 

European Cup Preview - Leinster v Bath

 

The news this week seems to have been filled with headaches.  Whether it’s George North’s bonce yet again taking a pounding after Nathan Hughes stumbled into him with almost comical (if the outcome hadn’t been so serious) clumsiness, or the headache everyone who watched the 7-party ‘bullshitability’ ‘debate’ on Thursday experienced, we’ve all be reaching for the panadol one way or another.  And I can guarantee there will be a few sore heads in Dublin on Sunday too – win or lose, a quarter final away against Leinster is always a good time.

Except that the Leinster fans are 100% expecting to win.  And why shouldn’t they?  They may have spluttered through the pool stages and Matt O’Connor is still struggling to get his side firing on all cylinders, but this is their territory now.  Not just in terms of playing at home, but they know the deal when it comes to European knockout rugby – after all, guys like Healy, Heaslip and O’Brien and all have got their hands on the trophy enough times before.  They know what it takes to win, and from looking at their starting line-up and their form, they have a classic side built to win the big games: a huge, ball-carrying pack, two play makers and a back three who are great under the highball and smart counter-attackers and kickers.  It’s a team designed to bully and squeeze opponents out in the tightest of games. 

The same can’t really be said about Bath.  Yes, they have some big bruisers themselves, such as Dave Attwood and Carl Fearns, but pound for pound it’s hard to say that there’s more explosivity in their ranks – but what there is, is a bucket load of instinct and natural flair.  The three-quarters especially, in Ford, Eastmond and Joseph, are not the biggest but they can run rings around you and create space in the tightest of situations all day.  They may be charged at by the big bullies all day but they won’t be afraid to make a few of the bigger boys look like fools too – and let’s not forget, with an all-international back three, they have just as much firepower as (if not more than) Leinster out wide.  Yes, Leinster have the capacity to win the game up front, as the international side did just over a month ago, but Bath have the capacity to punish any mistakes with ruthless efficiency.

Because here, in the European quarter finals, is where every moment, every mistake counts.  And headaches and hangovers are so much better with a win under your belt.

Leinster Team News

Matt O’Connor has recalled the big guns to his side following international duties with Ireland, with Jamie Heaslip returning at number 8 Heaslip alongside Sean O'Brien.  Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Mike Ross form a revamped front row while Devin Toner returns to the second row.   Rob Kearney is included at full-back with wing Luke Fitzgerald and scrum-half Issac Boss also included.

Starting Line-up:  Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Ben Te'o, Ian Madigan; Luke Fitzgerald; Jimmy Gopperth, Issac Boss; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Jordi Murphy, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip (capt).

Subs: Richardt Strauss, Jack McGrath, Marty Moore, Tom Denton, Dominic Ryan, Eoin Reddan, Gordon D'Arcy, Zane Kirchner.

 

Key Player

Ian Madigan.  The Leinster utility back had a bit of a disappointing Six Nations, being overlooked for the 10 role while Johnny Sexton was injured, in favour in Ian Keatley, followed by a couple of less-than-impressive cameos from the bench, where his poor decision making and execution seemed to almost steer an otherwise very tight Irish ship-off course.  But that was in the fly-half role, and at 12 today he has a bit more space in which to operate pick his options and his lines of attack.  Madigan is no doubt a gloriously gifted player, and he will need to make sure he offers a calm presence out wide to give genuine threat and option to the Leinster attack.

 

Bath Team News

Bath welcome back five internationals including England quartet George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson and Dave Attwood.   Wales prop Paul James is back after recovering from a thumb injury.   Attwood comes into the second row with Ford at fly-half, Joseph is named at centre and Watson takes over at full-back.  Big Sam Burgess finds himself on bench duty again for the big game.

Starting Line-up:  Anthony Watson; Horacio Agulla, Jonathan Joseph, Kyle Eastmond, Matt Banahan; George Ford, Micky Young; Paul James, Rob Webber, Kane Palma-Newport, Stuart Hooper (capt), Dave Attwood, Carl Fearns, Francois Louw, Leroy Houston.

Subs: Ross Batty, Nick Auterac, Max Lahiff, Matt Garvey, Alafoti Faosiliva, Peter Stringer, Sam Burgess, Tom Homer.

 

Key Player

Jonathan Joseph.  The outside centre was probably England’s player of the tournament and, whilst he may not have claimed the same gong for the Six Nations as a whole, he was certainly the revelation of last two months.  With lightening footwork and acceleration and a telepathic understanding with George Ford, Joseph quickly became the most dangerous attacking weapon in Europe, but he will really need to dig deep into his box of tricks if he is to get by a Leinster defence that is renowned for being more suffocating than an overcrowded sauna for obese people.  He will need to hold his depth to give himself time against Ben Te’o, who likes to rush up in defence but can be seen as a potential weak link, too.

 

Key Battle

Sean O’Brien.  After an injury plagued Six Nations, O’Brien announced himself back on the international stage with a serious bang, battering his way forward for two tries against Italy on the final weekend.  He’s fresh, on form and looks to have added to his carrying game with more nous over the ball – and he’s coming up against one of the world’s best in Francois Louw.  The South African is more of a ‘classic’ openside than O’Brien, but that doesn’t mean to say that the Bath man shirks any of the physical stuff at all – he will relish playing against O’Brien’s bruising, direct style.  It’s probably fair to say that Leinster have more carrying power in their pack, and so Louw’s work over the ball will be absolutely crucial to stifling any momentum for the hosts.  How O’Brien deals with him will not just be fascinating, but will probably be the key to the match.

 

Prediction

There’s no doubt that this, of all the quarter finals, has the potential to be the easiest on the eye.  Leinster have a phenomenal amount of power in that pack and an intelligent backline, but Bath have some magic dust sprinkled over that three quarter line and it is that that lends a sense of unpredictability to the fixture (getting my excuses in early).  For me, the hosts are the favourites because of their physicality and experience, but if Bath can hold a solid set piece and Ford can show the same maturity as Jimmy Gopperth, then there is no way of knowing what could happen.  I’m going to go for the safe call of a Leinster win, but don’t be too surprised if there’s an upset.  Leinster by 6.

 

Premiership Review - Leicester Tigers 25 - 18 Exeter Chiefs

It’s strange how optimism and pessimism are all relative.  Look at the Exeter Chiefs, back on the upward trend and challenging for the top 4 after a dip last year, and their young tyro of a fly half Henry Slade, a man many are – quite justifiably – clamoring to have in the international set up.  Rob Baxter, his prized asset Slade, and the rest of the tribe at Exeter are the toast of the South Coast, and most of the media, for that matter.  Compare that the pantomime villain Richard Cockerill, an underperforming Leicester side, and the much-maligned Freddie Burns, once the darling of English rugby, but now struggling to find any sort of consistency.  The atmosphere would suggest two clubs at either end of the table, but the reality is these two are neck and neck in the tightest race for playoff spots in years – and that’s what made this fixture so crucial.

The Chiefs had a strong wind at their backs in the opening half and Henry Slade looked to take advantage with an early penalty kick from his own 10m line.  His big boot had the distance but flew wide of the left post, however referee JP Doyle ruled that a Seremaia Bai tackle on Slade was late and awarded the Chiefs a second penalty, this time 30m out.  Now the young Chiefs fly half is a real talent who usually has a reliable boot, but Slade again shanked his effort (this one pretty straightforward) wide of the posts, and at this stage of the season those kicks simply cannot be  missed – especially as Freddie Burns added 3 points just two minutes later after the Chiefs were penalised at a ruck during Tigers’ first charge into their 22. 

The Chiefs attempted to bounce straight back, taking advantage of a pathetic restart defence from Leicester, but they were creamed at the scrum – a regular occurrence, as it would transpire – and, several penalties later, Burns took the chance to double the lead.

An accidental offside against Jamie Gibson gave Slade another penalty from inside his own half, and this time he was on target – but although the Chiefs have been characterised by smart, accurate play this year and that was lacking for once, with even the ultra-reliable Thomas Waldrom chucking errant passes here and there.  That said, the pressure and possession continued to build for the visitors and it was all hands to the pump in the Tigers defence as Exeter went through phase after phase, looking for an opening.  But the hosts held firm through an incredible 27 phases before Matt Smith, a trademark grizzled-Tigers’ squad player, halted Sam Hill with a superb covering tackle and then recovered to force Ian Whitten into a knock-on.

Tigers then won their obligatory penalty at the scrum to ease the pressure, before Miles Benjamin and Ben Youngs made good ground to force the Chiefs into conceding an offside penalty.  Burns made it three kicks from three to restore Leicester's six-point lead, but the good news was tempered by the sight of Benjamin hobbling from the field with, what has been confirmed as a season-ending injury.

However, the Welford Road faithful were on their feet a moment later, after a wonderful Tigers lineout play on halfway was almost rewarded with the first try. The forwards created a gap through which Ben Youngs burst to collect brother Tom's throw, which caught Exeter napping.  Ben returned the ball to Tom, who was stopped 5m from the line. I’ll stop now, this is sounding like school rugby review.  The Chiefs scrambled back to prevent Tigers from crossing, with strong defence from Phil Dollman, but went offside in front of their posts. Burns landed his kick, the last of the half, to send Tigers in at the break with a 12-3 lead.

The Chiefs had been wasteful in every aspect of the game and things didn’t get any easier after the restart, as a tackle off the ball on Tom Youngs gave Burns another 3 points, with the ex-Gloucester man showing a new reliable streak with a 100% record from the tee, but Exeter did strike back soon after.  Waldrom peeled off the back of a 5m scrum and was just about stopped by Burns, but his side kept the ball alive through Dave Ewers before Waldrom rejoined the attack to score next to the posts. Slade, however, plumbed new depths from the tee and slammed his simple conversion against a post as Tigers led 15-8.

The try seemed to stun Leicester into life and a stunning 60m kick to the corner by man-of-the-match Burns had Tigers back in Exeter territory.  From there they ramped up the pressure, with Niki Goneva being tackled into touch 1 metre from the line and Dan Cole being held up over it, before they finally broke the resistance through Geoff Parling, who benefitted from quick hands by Ben Youngs and Sebastian De Chaves to crash over in the corner against his new employers.  Burns added a touchline conversion to give Tigers a 22-8 lead with 14 minutes remaining.

However, Exeter may be a young side but they are a confident one, and they hit back with a breakaway try four minutes later. Slade – assured in possession but crap off the tee – scampered past Jamie Gibson and stepped inside Mathew Tait to race for the line.  Although a superb cover tackle from Tait pulled the fly-half down, a smart offload to Will Chudley saw a try under the sticks and the Chiefs right back into things, after Slade’s conversion, at 22 – 15.

However, captain Dean Mumm conceded a brainless penalty inside his 22 for playing replacement scrum-half Sam Harrison and Burns knocked over the kick to move Tigers 10 points ahead going into the last five minutes.  The Chiefs pressed in the closing stages but the Tigers’ held firm in defence – with the only breakthrough coming from , ironically, a scrum infringement, which Slade knocked over for a losing bonus point, which may become key in the final shake up.

We can talk about missed penalties here and there by Exeter but once again Leicester are somehow sniffing around the playoff spots despite being pants for most of the season.  And that is never a good sign for anyone else.