LV=Cup - Round 1

This weekend the LV=Cup started with a bang as our 12 Aviva Premiership sides scored 309 points and played some outstanding rugby. In 5 days time the Welsh regions will join the party as Round 2 is ignited with the added spice of Anglo-Welsh rivalry. 

The live televised game of the weekend was at Allianz Park where Saracens hosted Harlequins in a good old London Derby! Saracens dominated the opening forty and were led throughout by 20 year old Maro Itoje. Now we have all been around the rugby block long enough to see many people be tipped as the next big thing and more often than we'd like they pail into insignificance after a season however I believe that Maro sits firmly in the 'real deal' category. Today Maro not only delivered positionally, at blindside flanker, but he also led his charges like a man ten years older and that was something coach Joe Shaw praised following the game; 

"He leads by example on the pitch and he is  a very calm influence for people that are actually older than him and more experienced. This was a step in the right direction for him leading the LV team today and he showed that he is pushing on very quickly." Let's not forget Maro is extremely young and every department at Saracens is thrilled by him as Joe shared; "The S&C coaches are very excited by him, he is growing everyday and his 'man strength' is getting better every day."

Saracens performance was strong and pushed every man in the side to deliver, not just Maro, and with Scott Spurling, Ben Ransom and Ben Spencer three others that enjoyed stand out days they are in a great position to push on in this LV=Cup competition. 

Turning the spotlight onto Harlequins, they found themselves lacking a spot of cohesion during the first forty minutes, their set piece was a little shaky and they couldn't regularly find their way through the gain line. That said, old timer (he’ll hate me for calling him that) Jordan Turner-Hall ran some superb lines and looked sharp and captain Karl Dickson was as dependable and solid as ever. Half time came and went and in the second forty O'Shea's side produced one hell of a comeback. They believed in themselves and showed a huge amount of resilience, something Conor was immensely proud of following the game; "I’m happy with the mental toughness of the players to not chuck in the towel, because they easily could have. Saracens got away from us in the first half through our own inaccuracies, we gave them the manadatory charge down which seems our way at the moment (!) but in the second boys started to win their collisions and played really well." Now, Harlequins have a 5 day turn around before they welcome the Newport Gwent Dragons to The Stoop on Friday evening and although they'll be some battered bodies Conor shared that he is looking to field a similar side to today's in order to continue the development of his young men. 

Elsewhere in the country we had some absolute thrillers; there was one point in it at Sandy Park between Exeter and Gloucester and anyone that was there classed it as a corker. However the win was tainted by the extremely sad news than a Chiefs' fan passed away at the ground during the game and of course all of our thoughts and prayers are with their family at this difficult time. At the Madjeski a single point also separated London Irish and the Leicester Tigers and Sale and Wasps were involved in a belter at the AJ Bell Stadium. Finally both Northampton and  Bath recorded more comfortable victories over Falcons and Welsh respectively. 

All of the highlights are on ITV tonight at 11.25pm and I can't wait to see them/record them and watch them tomorrow for I have work in the morning!!! Next weekend the Welsh Regions join the party and boy will they want to get stuck in against their English counterparts! So that is the LV=Cup Round 1 in a very small nutshell, personally I would have liked to have seen many more of the games on TV for in my eyes it is a cracking competition.