Round Three of the Aviva Premiership continued to deliver head turning results including the Northampton Saints losing on the road at the Sale Sharks, Harlequins squashing Bath Rugby’s fifteen game Premiership winning record at The Rec and the Exeter Chiefs ruthlessly thrashing the Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park.
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| (C) Paler Images |
It is to Conor O’Shea’s Harlequins that I turn to first for the opening reflection of the round. Conor spoke to me after his side’s first pre-season outing at The Stoop against London Irish and was hugely positive ahead of the season; 'when everyone is around we are going to have the most talented group of individuals that we have had in my 6 years here at the Club, unequivocally’. Unlike last year Harlequins’ recruitment has been on point and its fruits are abundantly clear in the opening three rounds. James Horwill is a classy operator in the second row, their set piece is strong and out the back they are more robust and purposeful than ever. At The Rec Tim Visser’s debut was hugely promising, Marland Yarde has stepped up his game, George Lowe is enjoying life being injury free and with their England stars back the start to the season has been rosy for the men in quarters.
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| Travel sickness at The Rec Jan 2014 |
So far this Aviva Premiership season Wasps’ away form has continued to cause Dai Young sleepless nights. In the 2014/15 term Wasps won just two fixtures on the road, recording two draws and losing the rest. Unlike the Top 14 travel sickness is an issue when you are part of the Aviva Premiership and is likely to have consequences towards to end of the season. Overall Wasps are a side, alongside Bath Rugby and the Northampton Saints, that haven’t really cranked into fifth gear yet. Of course we all know that you don’t win any trophies in the opening rounds however they do set the platform for the year in terms of confidence and often table positions. When your backline has the names Joe Simpson, Elliot Daly, Frank Halai, Christian Wade and more you expect fireworks on every outing and personally I haven’t seen them yet. Why is that? Well in all honesty it is difficult to tell from outside of the club however they'll need to find their away forma quickly for their next trip is to face Leinster in the opening round of the Champions Cup and we all know that in that competition every single match is vital.
They may have lost narrowly in Round 1 however the Exeter Chiefs’ are having a storming start to the Aviva Premiership season arguably are looking the most comfortable out of all of our Aviva Premiership sides. After missing out last season Rob Baxter has his squad energised and motivated; they are playing high tempo, confident, attacking rugby and it is great to watch. The Chiefs' ability to field numerous ball players in the back line is paying dividends and the combination between Sam Hill and Henry Slade looks set to go from strength to strength. Out wide James Short is showing the type of form that he put on the park during his loan at Wasps with dynamic and threatening running and on the other wing Matt Jess is a seasoned professional. The Chiefs’ pack do the hard graft brilliantly; their scrummage has been solid and their abundance of riches in the back row means that they are highly proficient at the breakdown and in terms of their ball carrying threats. If the Exeter Chiefs' form continues until the end of the season then Rob Baxter and his side won't miss out on a coveted playoff place, the question will be which side will miss out as a result?
