Aviva Premiership: something exciting happens

[blockhead]

Northampton 66 Worcester 10

Northampton must have been resting players for weeks.......joke of a league.

[FLIP]

Northampton 66 Worcester 10

Northampton must have been resting players for weeks.......joke of a league.

Wasps are putting out the kids Vs a full strength Sarries on Sunday, could be a bad one for them.

[Dexter]

Northampton 66 Worcester 10

Northampton must have been resting players for weeks.......joke of a league.

Wasps are putting out the kids Vs a full strength Sarries on Sunday, could be a bad one for them.

Joke of a league

[riocard911]

Northampton 66 Worcester 10

Northampton must have been resting players for weeks.......joke of a league.

Wasps are putting out the kids Vs a full strength Sarries on Sunday, could be a bad one for them.

If more teams do this and it means Sarries - next season - reach the ko stages of the Heino "undercooked", then I'm all for it ... joke of a league

[dropkick]

The premiership would want to be careful or it could go on a downward spiral.


They've done 2 things that are dodgy from a competitive point of view. Scrapped relegation and expanded the league. The owners want a closed shop and it looks like they've succeeded. Thats good for them and they can concentrate on bringing through youngsters which is good for England they say. That might be true but imo if you're good enough to be a future England international then you will be rapidly promoted in any premiership club. George Ford was played at 16 or 17! It's not like Irish provinces in that regard. Scrapping relegation essentially cuts off any future millionaire or billionaire who wants to develop his own home town club.


Now we're seeing massive lopsided games as a result of that. This is something new to the premiership. It's always been fairly competitive but now we see all these teams TARGETING certain games. Therefore throwing games by playing youngsters. Top 14 teams do it often too but this looks very bad for the premiership.


They've been pointing their fingers at our league for a long time and although exaggerating their claims, they had a case. In the last few years we've had the likes of Ospreys sending over a real B squad to ireland. And the results showed. Just as the URC has cut down game numbers and cut down matches in international windows, the premiership moves in the opposite direction.


As I said, they should be careful. Nobody is interested in lobsided matches. Less interest is dangerous and their latest tv deal is down from the last one as it is. Maybe they think they'll get more money by expanding the league but they will have to as it will be divided more too.

[paddyor]

It’s great fun taking the Mickey, but they’re playing a longer season. If they’re taking the long view wrt player welfare and developing a more risky style of play fair dues to them and I think it will pay off even if there’s some teething problems.

[riocard911]

I predict it here: if and when the URC becomes the financial etc. success we all hope it will be, it won't be long before the Nigels start a push for it to fuse with their (joke) league.

[dropkick]

It’s great fun taking the Mickey, but they’re playing a longer season. If they’re taking the long view wrt player welfare and developing a more risky style of play fair dues to them and I think it will pay off even if there’s some teething problems.

Not sure player welfare was on their mind when increasing the number of matches. But they will have to do it anyway somehow which means weakened teams.

[dropkick]

I predict it here: if and when the URC becomes the financial etc. success we all hope it will be, it won't be long before the Nigels start a push for it to fuse with their (joke) league.

Probably but it will be a new league under their control and to get it they'll throw the Scots some money and throw the Welsh some promises.

[paddyor]

It’s great fun taking the Mickey, but they’re playing a longer season. If they’re taking the long view wrt player welfare and developing a more risky style of play fair dues to them and I think it will pay off even if there’s some teething problems.

Not sure player welfare was on their mind when increasing the number of matches. But they will have to do it anyway somehow which means weakened teams.

Well no, that was a trade off. If they're not sending out the strongest possible squad for every game then it clearly is.

[Dexter]

Joke of a league

[blockhead]

Young Dan Lancaster got himself a conversion and a penalty yesterday for Leicester against some other team.....#jokeofaleague

[hugonaut]

Bath are currently dead last in the table with 0 wins from 7:

Round 1 - Sale 20-19 Bath [18.09.21]
Round 2 - Bath 13- 20 Newcastle [25.09.21]
Round 3 - Bristol 25 - 20 Bath [01.10.21]
Round 4 - Bath 17 - 70 Saracens [17.10.21]
Round 5 - Harlequins 31 - 17 bath [23.10.21]
Round 6 - Bath 17 - 27 Wasps [30.10.21]
Round 7 - Leicester 40 - 23 Bath [05.11.21]

They haven't secured a losing bonus point since Round 3.

They also just took a hiding from Gloucester in the Premiership Rugby Cup, a second class tournament in which they played a young team]:
Round A - Gloucester 71 - Bath 10 [12.11.21

[sunshiner1]

by hugonaut

Bath are currently dead last in the table with 0 wins from 7:

Round 1 - Sale 20-19 Bath [18.09.21]
Round 2 - Bath 13- 20 Newcastle [25.09.21]
Round 3 - Bristol 25 - 20 Bath [01.10.21]
Round 4 - Bath 17 - 70 Saracens [17.10.21]
Round 5 - Harlequins 31 - 17 bath [23.10.21]
Round 6 - Bath 17 - 27 Wasps [30.10.21]
Round 7 - Leicester 40 - 23 Bath [05.11.21]

They haven't secured a losing bonus point since Round 3.

They also just took a hiding from Gloucester in the Premiership Rugby Cup, a second class tournament in which they played a young team]:
Round A - Gloucester 71 - Bath 10 [12.11.21

Wow. Are they still been supported by the Billionaire? For a team with that legacy that is a terrible situation to be in.

[the spoofer]

Bath are currently dead last in the table with 0 wins from 7:

Round 1 - Sale 20-19 Bath [18.09.21]
Round 2 - Bath 13- 20 Newcastle [25.09.21]
Round 3 - Bristol 25 - 20 Bath [01.10.21]
Round 4 - Bath 17 - 70 Saracens [17.10.21]
Round 5 - Harlequins 31 - 17 bath [23.10.21]
Round 6 - Bath 17 - 27 Wasps [30.10.21]
Round 7 - Leicester 40 - 23 Bath [05.11.21]

They haven't secured a losing bonus point since Round 3.

They also just took a hiding from Gloucester in the Premiership Rugby Cup, a second class tournament in which they played a young team]:
Round A - Gloucester 71 - Bath 10 [12.11.21

That's a hard sell for the Leinster marketing team.

[Ruckedtobits]

Bath are currently dead last in the table with 0 wins from 7:

Round 1 - Sale 20-19 Bath [18.09.21]
Round 2 - Bath 13- 20 Newcastle [25.09.21]
Round 3 - Bristol 25 - 20 Bath [01.10.21]
Round 4 - Bath 17 - 70 Saracens [17.10.21]
Round 5 - Harlequins 31 - 17 bath [23.10.21]
Round 6 - Bath 17 - 27 Wasps [30.10.21]
Round 7 - Leicester 40 - 23 Bath [05.11.21]

They haven't secured a losing bonus point since Round 3.

They also just took a hiding from Gloucester in the Premiership Rugby Cup, a second class tournament in which they played a young team]:
Round A - Gloucester 71 - Bath 10 [12.11.21

That's a hard sell for the Leinster marketing team.

Not really if Leinster want to welcome back 13 / 14 players who helped beat NZ in the previous 3 weeks.

[riocard911]

Bath are currently dead last in the table with 0 wins from 7:

Round 1 - Sale 20-19 Bath [18.09.21]
Round 2 - Bath 13- 20 Newcastle [25.09.21]
Round 3 - Bristol 25 - 20 Bath [01.10.21]
Round 4 - Bath 17 - 70 Saracens [17.10.21]
Round 5 - Harlequins 31 - 17 bath [23.10.21]
Round 6 - Bath 17 - 27 Wasps [30.10.21]
Round 7 - Leicester 40 - 23 Bath [05.11.21]

They haven't secured a losing bonus point since Round 3.

They also just took a hiding from Gloucester in the Premiership Rugby Cup, a second class tournament in which they played a young team]:
Round A - Gloucester 71 - Bath 10 [12.11.21

That's a hard sell for the Leinster marketing team.

Not really if Leinster want to welcome back 13 / 14 players who helped beat NZ in the previous 3 weeks.

Exactly. "You can only play what's in front of you"....

[paddyor]

Genge to leave Leicester at the end of the season. With the loss of Ford they're headed for mid table next season.

[IanD]

Genge to leave Leicester at the end of the season. With the loss of Ford they're headed for mid table next season.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/59562749

Handle Pollard is a definite improvement in my opinion.

[paddyor]

Is he? Barely played for MOP due to injuries and he can't attack or pass as well as Ford IMO. He'll kick his points if he can get a run injury free.