Elvis & Breaking Records - Aviva Premiership Round 9 Preview

Can you believe that Round 9 is here already!? It is the last round before the Heineken Cup break and it contains a London derby, an Elvis special and a few other big clashes to keep us fully entertained! As Movember comes to a close it is the last weekend that we will get to see our Premiership players' outrageous facial hair, so if Mo’s are your thing then make sure that you take a few photos and make the most of this round because it will be 12 months before you see them again!

Round 9 kicks off on Friday Night with two teams who both have a recent run of matches that they are less than proud of; Gloucester and Leicester. Whilst the Tigers did win at Welford Road last weekend their recent run of form hasn't been great and Gloucester haven't won in the Premiership since September. Sadly Gloucester’s new signing Sila Puafisi, the Tongan power house, won’t be starting this weekend however there is a welcome return back from injury for Shane Monahan. In plain and simple terms the Cherry and Whites really, really need a win… the foundations were there against Quins however poor discipline cost them dearly. Turning the spotlight onto the travelling Tigers they will be pleased to have back Blaine Scully and Marcos Ayerza from International Duty and watch out for nineteen-year-old centre Javiah Pohe. Pohe is 19, a strong ball carrier and tipped by many, including Cockers as a ‘one to watch’. However it is not all about individuals; Leicester need to re-find their collective form… they started the season so well however International season hit them very hard and now is the time to get back in business and clinically close out a hurting Gloucester side. 

On Saturday we have a good old fashioned London derby… derby days are things of beauty as they include huge hits and an intensity that often eclipses the other matches. This weekend’s derby sees London Irish host London Wasps at the Madjeski and before you ask yes I do realise that Reading isn’t London but stick with me on this one! The home team have the larger point to prove, after recording 5 straight defeats in all competitions, the pressure is back on Brian Smith however at least this year the performances have been strong, even if the wins have been elusive. Wasps, well they had their ‘match horriblé’ last weekend and I expect that we will see a notable step up in their performance this weekend. If the reports are true Christian Wade could be making his first appearance back from injury and with Tom Varndell not far behind him the Wasps’ back line just got a little tastier again. Irish will be without Marland Yarde and David Paice, two big losses however Topsy Ojo is running out for his 200th appearance for the club and add in the delicious James O’Connor and you have yourself a great deal of excitement! 

Saracens, who host Sale this weekend, have been catching people’s eyes both on and off the pitch. Let’s start off the pitch first and this weekend it is their ‘Elvis Tribute Game’… any fan dressed as Elvis gets in for free, they will be playing back to back Elvis hits, have a tribute act and an Elvis lookalike contest… phew! My suggestion… whether you like Elvis or not is to embrace it!! On the pitch the man catching a lot of attention is Mr Jacques Burger; September’s Aviva Premiership Player of the Month continues to be in absolutely blistering form. Was it 36? Was it 34? Needless to say whichever is now the reported number of tackles that he made against the Exeter Chiefs last weekend it is simply outstanding. Did I also mention the 17 rucks hit and 8 carries that he made? The man is a machine and one that Sale should certainly watch out for and to add insult to injury he has a few other notable team-mates around him! Strength in depth is certainly a term made for Saracens! Sale, well they have only won once away from home since February and the question is whether or not a win on Elvis Day at Allianz Park is too much to ask!? If I give you my honest answer… maybe! However with their recent run of performances and future of the experienced Nick Macleod and young gun Ross Harrison secured there is an air of confidence at the Sharks now, so never say never. 

The Mighty Jacques Burger

Worcester Warriors are hosting the Northampton Saints at Sixways… this fixture should potentially come with its own theme tune… I wonder if Frédéric Chopin - Marche Funèbre would be fitting? This is not doing Worcester Warriors a dis-service; it is simply acknowledging the brilliance of the Northampton Saints and both teams’ current situations. There is no doubt that Worcester are moving upwards in terms of their performances; Chris Pennell remains on-song at fullback, moves are coming together and their set piece is becoming stronger however the Saints well they are a force to be reckoned with. Their preparation for the game has been slightly overshadowed by the controversy surrounding releasing George North for International duty however I am not going to open up that issue right now. The usual suspects of Courtney Lawes, Lee Dickson, Luther Burrell and Stephen Myler will form the heartbeat of this team and welcoming back players like Samu Manoa can only strengthen them further. Expect some huge hits, running rugby and a try or two at Sixways this weekend! 

 

Samu Manoa Premiership Player of the Month (October)

Bath are thoroughly enjoying the 2013/14 season so far, they have an A League team safely through to the final, Semesa Rokoduguni was the winner of Round 8 Try of the Week and their 1XV are riding high at third in the table. With 17 tries to their name and confidence building week on week you just wonder whether they could push for a Top 4 playoff position, although obviously we are still very early on in the season! The Chiefs cannot ever again be called the ‘Championship team that is having a good run of luck’, their heavy-weight Premiership status has been firmly cemented in the past few weeks and they are a joy to watch, whether they win or lose. They have a huge record to settle as their last ever victory over Bath was in 1978 and I’m sure that the whole team, fans and management would love to eradicate such of blot on their report card.

The final fixture of the weekend is at Kingston Park where Newcastle host Harlequins. The Falcons played a great game against the Northampton Saints last weekend; they fronted up and were lead from the front by Richard Mayhew and Scott Lawson, however sadly they came away with nothing. Clearly this weekend, at home, the Falcons are hoping to produce the same performance but deliver a different outcome. Harlequins are likely to be boosted by a few of their key men coming back from injury; Paul Doran Jones and Nick Kennedy both had a run out on Monday night and depending on how their bodies are feeling they could be back in action this weekend. Quins’ level of precision and ruthlessness during the sin binning periods last weekend will give them more confidence than they have had in a while and I suspect that they will grind out a win on the road.

So there you have it all of the Aviva Premiership Round 9 fixtures… it is the last hurrah before the 2 week European break so now is the time to cement table positions and gain some additional confidence before moving into the huge set of European fixtures. As the winter weather draws in I do hope that you all have your rugby watching coats and accessories sorted, you know the ones that I mean; mini hot water bottles, hats and if you are 18 or over a little hip flask! With less than 24 hours to go before the start of Round 9 and the rest of the team news on the way it is game on and all aboard the Round 9 Express!