collapse collapse

Please donate to help towards the costs of keeping this site going. Thank You.

Follow us on...

Author Topic: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19  (Read 17712 times)

Online paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #15 on: September 07, 2018, 10:46:21 PM »
Saints vs quins tonight, 9-3 at half time but that's half the story. Saints have been massively frustrating, a huge number of handling errors,  mostly in good areas. Could've had 25+ on the board with a little more concentration.

Good win for Saints in the end, I'm sticking with my prediction that there's a very good team in there, they just need a bit more work on the handling skills (because they're playing an offloading game that requires a lot more practice) and get the familiarity of playing together.  There were 3-4 moves that were superb. Mallinder came on after about 20 minutes and had a great game, he's still my outside bet for the England 15 shirt for the world cup. Marcus Smith was excellent and will be a top player but he's not quite there yet, he needs to focus on his game management.

Offline nigel

  • Member
  • Posts: 5324
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #16 on: September 08, 2018, 08:39:59 AM »
Saints vs quins tonight, 9-3 at half time but that's half the story. Saints have been massively frustrating, a huge number of handling errors,  mostly in good areas. Could've had 25+ on the board with a little more concentration.

Good win for Saints in the end, I'm sticking with my prediction that there's a very good team in there, they just need a bit more work on the handling skills (because they're playing an offloading game that requires a lot more practice) and get the familiarity of playing together.  There were 3-4 moves that were superb. Mallinder came on after about 20 minutes and had a great game, he's still my outside bet for the England 15 shirt for the world cup. Marcus Smith was excellent and will be a top player but he's not quite there yet, he needs to focus on his game management.
Harry Mallinder seems to have been around for ages, but, he's only around 21.
Marcus Smith will be a fantastic player, I agree, not quite there, but he's only 19. I'd really like it to see him get a few international minutes

Edit: Mallinder is 22. 6'5" & 17 stone according to Wiki
« Last Edit: September 08, 2018, 08:44:54 AM by nigel »

Online paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #17 on: September 08, 2018, 11:16:40 AM »
Saints vs quins tonight, 9-3 at half time but that's half the story. Saints have been massively frustrating, a huge number of handling errors,  mostly in good areas. Could've had 25+ on the board with a little more concentration.

Good win for Saints in the end, I'm sticking with my prediction that there's a very good team in there, they just need a bit more work on the handling skills (because they're playing an offloading game that requires a lot more practice) and get the familiarity of playing together.  There were 3-4 moves that were superb. Mallinder came on after about 20 minutes and had a great game, he's still my outside bet for the England 15 shirt for the world cup. Marcus Smith was excellent and will be a top player but he's not quite there yet, he needs to focus on his game management.
Harry Mallinder seems to have been around for ages, but, he's only around 21.
Marcus Smith will be a fantastic player, I agree, not quite there, but he's only 19. I'd really like it to see him get a few international minutes

Edit: Mallinder is 22. 6'5" & 17 stone according to Wiki

Smith will be an England regular, that's undoubted but, for me, he's behind Cipriani and Farrell right now (and probably Ford as well). I'd give him some minutes in a few games but I'd be focused on those 2 in the build-up to the world cup and then I'd move on from Cips over the following year or 2 building towards 2023.

Mallinder's biggest problem has been his versatility.  As you've posted he's big and strong (and quick) but he's also got great hands (the offload for the held-up Reinach try last night was sublime) and a great kicking game.  Put all of that lot together and he can play anywhere from 9 out, and has over the last 2 seasons. If he can nail down a spot (probably 15 but he's really a 12 for me) over this season he brings something England don't have in anyone else right now.  If nothing else I'd have him on the bench because he gives you cover all across the backline.

Offline cheltenhamlion

  • Member
  • Posts: 18734
  • Location: Pedmore, Stourbridge
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #18 on: September 10, 2018, 05:45:01 PM »
Not sure how to feel about Saturday. We chucked away a game that we had won but managed to conjure a try from nothing to snatch a draw at the end. Very odd.

Offline cheltenhamlion

  • Member
  • Posts: 18734
  • Location: Pedmore, Stourbridge
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #19 on: September 12, 2018, 05:20:14 PM »
Be interesting to see how Bristol go against Gloucester on Friday.

Offline DaveD

  • Member
  • Posts: 2111
  • Location: Waltham Abbey
    • Twitter
  • GM : 26.12.2015
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #20 on: September 13, 2018, 11:32:04 AM »
Be interesting to see how Bristol go against Gloucester on Friday.

I was very impressed with Bristol on Saturday. They totally outplayed us at the breakdown, and looked very dangerous whenever they got wide. Would have been an extremely tight game without the sending off.

Online paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #21 on: September 13, 2018, 02:22:03 PM »
Be interesting to see how Bristol go against Gloucester on Friday.

I was very impressed with Bristol on Saturday. They totally outplayed us at the breakdown, and looked very dangerous whenever they got wide. Would have been an extremely tight game without the sending off.

I'm really impressed with Bristol, they've done a great job of building a squad to compete at this level.  I don't know if it'll be enough but they've given it a really good go.

Offline DaveD

  • Member
  • Posts: 2111
  • Location: Waltham Abbey
    • Twitter
  • GM : 26.12.2015
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #22 on: September 15, 2018, 03:43:04 AM »
No Farrell or Lozowski available for Sarries at Saints today, so Goode playing 10. Liam Williams comes in at full-back so no big loss there but it's been a while since Alex ran the show, and Tompkins is potentially lightweight at 13.

Virtually full strength pack including first start for Billy though, so we should still be competitive.

Shame it's not on TV.

Offline cheltenhamlion

  • Member
  • Posts: 18734
  • Location: Pedmore, Stourbridge
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #23 on: September 15, 2018, 05:12:03 AM »
Bristol can't chuck it around like that if they want to do any5hing this season. The Gloucester pack destroyed them second half.

Online paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #24 on: September 15, 2018, 12:05:58 PM »
No Farrell or Lozowski available for Sarries at Saints today, so Goode playing 10. Liam Williams comes in at full-back so no big loss there but it's been a while since Alex ran the show, and Tompkins is potentially lightweight at 13.

Virtually full strength pack including first start for Billy though, so we should still be competitive.

Shame it's not on TV.

Agree with the last bit, Saints vs Sarries is always a great match (even if you've smashed the shit out of us the last few times). Saints are slowly sorting themselves out now though and I still think they'll be a very strong side in the 2nd half of the season.

Offline cheltenhamlion

  • Member
  • Posts: 18734
  • Location: Pedmore, Stourbridge
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #25 on: September 21, 2018, 05:18:58 PM »
Saracens away on Sunday so it will be interesting to see how Gloucester hold up to that challenge.

Offline DaveD

  • Member
  • Posts: 2111
  • Location: Waltham Abbey
    • Twitter
  • GM : 26.12.2015
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #26 on: September 21, 2018, 08:36:22 PM »
Saracens away on Sunday so it will be interesting to see how Gloucester hold up to that challenge.

I will be there. Probably getting very wet.

Online paul_e

  • Member
  • Posts: 33280
  • Age: 44
  • GM : July, 2013
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #27 on: October 02, 2018, 11:07:21 AM »
Worcester have been taken over by a new consortium. The money man behind it seems ok but the guy fronting it is as dodgy as fuck.  He was at Swindon for a while and the fans there fucking hate him.  I'm a bit worried for them.

Offline Meanwood Villa

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6875
  • GM : PCM
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #28 on: October 13, 2018, 02:49:59 PM »
That has to be one of the worst couple of minutes in sport for Freddie Burns there. Misses a kick in front of the posts then is over the line and loses the ball before he grounds it. Unbelievable.

Online PaulWinch again

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 49020
  • Location: winchester
  • GM : 25.05.2024
Re: Domestic & European Rugby Union 2018/19
« Reply #29 on: October 13, 2018, 02:51:23 PM »
Yes he’s had a shocker there.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal