Clash of the Titans

Every year the Champions Cup competition brings together the best in Europe, it is the pinnacle of domestic rugby and it never disappoints. Its new structure means that, unlike previous iterations, there aren’t any ‘easy’ matches and instead teams must be on their game from Round 1 or face the consequences.

When the pools were drawn the one that stood out by a country mile was Pool 5. The sides housed in it hold nine tournament titles just one fewer than every other pool combined and every single match between Bath, Leinster, RC Toulon and Wasps was/is guaranteed to be phenomenal. Today Wasps will host Bath in Coventry for the first of their back-to-back meetings and looking across the two line ups there are outstanding match ups including a meeting between two world class individuals. 

Without question the Australian back row unit was one of the great talking points of Rugby World Cup 2015. Scott Fardy, David Pocock and Michael Hooper blended together in the manner in which every club and International back rows aspires to do. In particular the work of David Pocock was mesmeric and utterly destructive, he topped the turnover count for the tournament and England in particular were torn apart at his hands. The work of the Wallaby will have been watched and given a little affirmative hat tip by a man that takes to the field today, George Smith. 

(C) Paler Images

Smith could have easily played in this Rugby World Cup, whether he would have been as effective as the world-leading trio we will never know, however his presence in Wasps’ back row has already been magnificent. In a recent Premiership match Brian O’Driscoll shared that he spent much of the game just watching Australia’s most capped forward pick and choose his moments to pounce on the breakdown. The openside’s nous and years of experience means that he instinctively knows when 'it's on'. Smith also has skills that belie the number on his back as shown by his chip to put Frank Halai in for a score last weekend. 

Today however Smith’s proficiency will be tested as he will meet another world-class openside flanker, Francois Louw. Since joining Bath Rugby the Springbok has flourished and during the Rugby World Cup his presence was greatly missed by the domestic side.  In the tournament Francois went toe to toe with David Pocock in terms of turnover generation with 13, the second most in the tournament, and without question he caused every single side that South Africa met all manner of issues. 

Francois is a physical member of Bath’s back row as well as a breakdown specialist, like his counterpart today he has the years of experience behind him to know when it's on. It is the work of Francois across the park that I personally enjoy, he's mobile, athletic and has a tremendous work rate. Both men are leaders and arguably today there's more pressure on the shoulders of Francois due to Bath’s tough start to the season. The Springbok will captain the side, he is well aware of the weight hanging over them however is confident in his side, their game plan and their capabilities;

“One thing that we’ve created at Bath is a strong culture and tight-knit group. The guys are really close and ultimately that’s what holds you together during trying times. It’s very easy to be strong and in command when things are going well, but it’s when times are tough that a person’s true character is shown.”

For the eighty minutes today two of the world’s best openside flankers will go toe to toe. We all know how important the breakdown is to defining the outcome of matches and of course the blend of their respective back rows will be vital. Francois will have the physical presence of Matt Garvey and Scottish International David Denton supporting him while George will have James Haskell and Nathan Hughes for company. All six players have the ability to take this game by the scruff of its neck and make life very difficult for the other. As a unit Wasps’ are more comfortable with each other due to the greater number of starts together however Bath’s new blend has potential to take off and combine destructively. 

This match will be a fascinating affair and if you find yourself doing an O'Driscoll and just watching the two openside flankers pick and choose their moments then that's ok because you'll be watching two of the world's best in action!

Out On The Full - Vlog 1

So it has finally happened, I have ventured in front of the camera for the very first Out On The Full Vlog! Now obviously the neighbours' builders were an unwelcome addition however I've had a word and they won't be making a guest appearance next time!! So please do ignore them and instead enjoy the look ahead at this weekend's European action. 

As always with the first of anything feedback is welcome and I'd go so far as to so that it is paramount. Please let me know your thoughts, in the form of a Tweet or a comment below.... anything from Emma you're banging on for too long to suggesting topics to comment on.  So without further introduction here it is;

European Champions Cup - Let's Go Back-To-Back

Welcome to the back-to-back European fixtures and the two rounds that, more often than not, define teams' European fates. 

Every year when the calendar is released these are the weekends that I immediately turn to and this term the fixtures are extremely tough for our Aviva Premiership sides. In Round 2 Aviva Premiership sides set a high benchmark with 6 victories from 6 matches however they'll have their work cut out taking on Racing 92, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Munster Rugby and Oyonnax and of course with Bath and Wasps will be facing each other. In short we expect a least one team will spoil the 100% party!!

Round 3 starts in Paris as Racing 92 will host the Northampton Saints. This will be Racing’s second European outing and it should be Dan Carter’s first in their light blue strip after recently arriving from New Zealand. The Northampton Saints are heading to Paris with a touch more confidence than they had earlier in the term after delivering four consecutive victories. The set piece battle will be all consuming and very interesting, right now Jim Mallinder's pack are causing every side they face issues and Racing's have yet to lose a scrum on their own feed in the European competition. Without question back-to-back meetings against Racing 92 is a huge test for Saints because, although their forwards are firing, they haven't shown a true spark yet in their backline. The last time that the two sides met Jamie Roberts absolutely ripped through the heart of Saints so they've got a few memories to erase however they'll have do so against some of Europe's best in the form of Joe Rokocoko, Luke Charteris, Maxime Machenaud, Chris Masoe and of course Daniel Carter. 

  

A man to watch out for!

At Sandy Park second in the Aviva Premiership will meet the top of the Top 14 as the Exeter Chiefs host ASM Clermont Auvergne. The Chiefs' performance against Wasps, just five days ago, had it all however obviously was marred by Henry Slade’s injury. Henry is a great loss and his injury woe has also been compounded by the news that Dave Ewers will also be out until the new year. That said the Chiefs have plenty of depth in their squad and will know that they have a great chance to show Europe exactly what they are made of against a side that are tipped to go all the way. Clermont’s start to the season has been productive and impressive - their backline is firing on around fifteen cylinders and a man that we all know very well, David Strettle, has excelled. Exeter’s defensive line must be rock solid to repel Les Jaundards flair and they must approach the fixture without any hesitation and trepidation. The Chiefs' home record is impeccable and against the toughest of French opponents they must play their rugby, igniting their own backs and delivering the physicality that has become synonymous with the Devon outfit. 

At Thomond Park Munster Rugby will host the Leicester Tigers in a fixture that always gets the European juices flowing! The current European spoils are split with two wins apiece however neither have beaten the other away from home. An incredible statistic is that Munster have won 62 to their 66 European fixtures on home soil however they are heading into the game off the back of their last domestic home match being a loss against Connacht. The Leicester Tigers are bubbling nicely, Aaron Mauger has reinvigorated them and all will arrive in Ireland on cloud 9 after the club announced their big contract extensions this week.  Personally I’m looking forward to a fixture that should have plenty of bite to it and seeing how Leicester's new look side fares in the intimidating arena that is Thomond Park.

On Sunday Saracens head to the Stade Charles Mathon to face Oyonnax. Saracens are sitting comfortably at the top of Pool 1 and remain the only side in the top tier of Northern hemisphere domestic rugby that are unbeaten this competitive season. Conversely Oyonnax are at the bottom of the Top 14 with just two wins out of ten fixtures. Saracens’ victories aren’t always filled with 80 minutes of beautiful running rugby however their formulae and pragmatism is winning them matches. Without too much further analysis the form book and common sense points to this being a bonus point European victory for the Premiership side.

The early domestic
meeting went Wasps' way

The final fixture of the weekend will be Wasps’ and Bath’s second of four meetings this season. Last weekend Wasps suffered a set back against Exeter but had rested, or been forced to be without, some key individuals. Against Northampton Bath also missed players, Attwood, Eastmond and Hooper in particular, and again struggled with their collective cohesion and confidence. In short both sides must react, Wasps to cement their strong European position and Bath to properly commence their season. This match has some cracking personnel match ups and a whole host of players that Eddie Jones should be taking a very close look at. In the two respective backlines Semesa Rokoduguni, Jonathan Joseph, Elliot Daly, Joe Simpson, George Ford, Anthony Watson and Kyle Eastmond should all be of interest to the Australian. Then in the packs Matt Mullan, Henry Thomas, Nick Auterac, James Haskell, Joe Launchbury, Dave Attwood (if fit) and Rob Webber will  also under the spotlight. This round will be the first time that Bath are able to select from their full strength backline and boy they need to deliver. The form book says Wasps, by at least score, however if Bath finally put a cohesive game on the park then they have the ability upset odds... 

Opta Match Facts

• Racing 92 have won both of their previous Champions Cup matches against the Northampton Saints, outscoring them 52-19 in the process & have the top tackle success rate in the competition so far with 92%
• Clermont have won eight of their last nine matches in Europe and kept their opponents to single figures in five of those clashes
• Leicester have averaged the most points (34.5) and tries (4.5) per game in the Champions Cup season so far.
• Saracens have won their last two pool games in a row against French opposition and five of their seven tries have originated from a lineout win. 
• This will be the first meeting between Wasps and Bath in Europe despite having played 167 European top flight matches between them

European Round 3 Schedule

11 Dec 19:45 Ulster Rugby vs. Toulouse (BT Sport)

12 Dec 13:00 Glasgow Warriors vs. Scarlets (Sky Sports)

12 Dec 15:15 Racing 92 vs. Northampton Saints (BT Sport)

12 Dec 15:15 Benetton Treviso vs. Stade Francais Paris (BT Sport)

12 Dec 17:15 Exeter Chiefs vs. ASM Clermont Auvergne (Sky Sports)

12 Dec 17:15 Ospreys vs. Bordeaux-Begles (Sky Sports)

12 Dec 19:45 Munster Rugby vs. Leicester Tigers (BT Sport)

13 Dec 14:00 Oyonnax vs, Saracens (Sky Sports)

13 Dec 16:15 RC Toulon vs. Leinster Rugby (Sky Sports)
13 Dec 17:15 Wasps vs. Bath Rugby (BT Sport)

Aviva Premiership Round 6 - Review

Round 6 of the Aviva Premiership arrived in town with a lot of pressure heaped on a number of sides' shoulders. As we all know it was the final outing before the second European break and therefore it was the last chance for teams to cement or improve their table position. Without question the Exeter Chiefs' performance at the Ricoh Arena was the standout of the weekend, albeit marred by Henry Slade's injury, and elsewhere Gloucester and the Saints pushed their way to key victories. 

The round opened on Friday night at Kingsholm where David Humprehys' side used every ounce of their home advantage to deliver a victory over the Sale Sharks. Arguably Sale played the better rugby with, Nev Edwards, Sam James and Josh Beaumont all catching the eye however they didn't take all of their opportunities. On the other hand Sione Kalamafoni grasped his start with both hands, a few eyebrows where raised when Ben Morgan was left out, however Kalamafoni was inspired and it was his two tries that changed the face of the game. For David Humprehys this match was all about the result while for the Sharks it will compound the frustration that they felt going into Round 6. Man Of The Moment: Gloucester Rugby’s Sione Kalamafoni. Full Time: Gloucester Rugby 23 Sale Sharks 19 

At The Stoop Harlequins maintained their six year home unbeaten record against London Irish thanks to three tries from Tim Visser and a captain's outing from Danny Care. The scrum-half will have certainly caught the eye of one, important member of the crowd, as he effervesced and led the home team with a smile on his face. Harlequins dominated the set piece and in all honesty every aspect of the match. Prior to kick off London Irish lost captain Matt Symons to illness and while they will have been pleased to have kept Quins try-less in the opening 30 minutes they didn't have the legs to stem the tide any longer. Alex Lewington stood out however it wasn't a day to remember with their head coach admitting 'there's not a lot we can take out of that... we were totally outclassed."  Men of the Moment: Tim Visser & Danny Care. Full Time: Harlequins 38 London Irish 7

Great day all around
for Tigers' fans

At Sixways the home crowd were left disappointed after such a promising and bright start to the match. The opening half was all about the Worcester Warriors with Dean Ryan's side winning the collisions and owning the territory battle. The result was a thoroughly deserved 17-0 lead however they then suffered at the hands of Wayne Barnes. Donncha O'Callaghan's second yellow meant that he saw red and then a card to Gareth Milasinovich left the Warriors with just 13 on the field. The Leicester Tigers capitalised, they were spurred by Tom Young's work in the loose and as they sharpened up their game the points arrived. Telusa Veainu continued to excel, his solo try, again highlighted what a great signing he is and then another card influenced the outcome. Matt Cox went to the bin, the Tigers gained the penalty try, and the final dagger blow was Lachlan McCaffrey’s score. The final result equalled Leicester’s largest ever come back in their 135 year history and broke Worcester supporters’ hearts. Man of the Moment: Tom Youngs. Full Time Worcester Warriors 29 Leicester Tigers 20 

Bath Rugby hosted the Northampton Saints at the Recreation Ground and it was  a game that neither side could afford to lose. The story of this match was the scrummage, referee Craig Maxwell Keys took exception to Bath Rugby’s output and as a result that provided Northampton Saints the platform to gain points from. It infuriated the home crowd, and Mike Ford, and ultimately proved to be the difference. Bath’s precision still isn’t there, their errors were infectious and George Ford had a sticky day at the office. The Saints pack inspired their side, for in all honesty they didn't fire too many big shots in attack however Ben Forden looked sprightly from full back and JJ Hanrahan made the ten jersey his own. Man Of The Moment: Kieran Brookes. Full Time: Bath Rugby 11 Northampton Saints 13 

The Ricoh Arena witnessed 68 points in and 9 tries in total. The Exeter Chiefs found a Wasps’ weakness early and boy did they exploit it to great effect. The Chiefs’ driving maul was fruitful and tremendously powerful delivering the side with the bonus point after just 34 minutes. Frank Halai’s score just before the half-time whistle was absolutely critical for Wasps to feel that they had any chance of pushing back and Ashley Johnson bulldozing over shortly after the break gave the game a different perspective. That said you had the sense that this was a game that the Chiefs simply weren’t going to lose. Instead it was another very large statement that Rob Baxter and his side mean Premiership business. Thomas Waldrom’s hat-trick was inspired however the cloud over the fixture was the horrendous leg injury to Henry Slade. Henry has such a bright future ahead of him and we wish him all the speediest of recoveries. Man Of The Moment: Exeter’s pack. Full Time: Wasps 27 Exeter Chiefs 41

@Saracens

Kingston Park hosted the final game of the weekend between Saracens and the Newcastle Falcons. The opening half was dominated by kick tennis and points from the tee, in all honestly it wasn't the type of rugby that we all wanted to see given the calm conditions and players on the artificial surface however such is life. Charlie Hodgson was accurate off the boots and Saracens were pragmatic and in control. After the break it didn't improve drastically, Newcastle put together more phases however Saracens cracked it up in the dying minutes following Nick Tompkin's try and Charlie Hodgson's interception. Billy Vunipola snatched the bonus point try with the time in red and Saracens continue into the European break unbeaten, it may not be beautiful but at the minute it is highly effective. Man Of The Moment: Charlie Hodgson. Full Time: Newcastle Falcons 3 Saracens 38

Bath Rugby - Confidence Is King

Confidence is one of the most difficult things to find in professional sport. When you have it, it propels you to greatness that you didn't think was possible however when you lose it, it is the most difficult thing to find in the world - the smallest needle in the largest of haystacks.

When you read Bath Rugby’s squad it is one that is filled with all the ingredients to excel; their backs are effervescent ball players and their forwards powerful units. However after six Premiership rounds they find themselves sitting ninth in the domestic table. In the 2014-15 season Bath lost just six games, already they’ve recorded four defeats this term and the question on everyone’s lips is what has happened? And, perhaps more importantly what needs to be done? 

Well from my position drastic action is not required, far from it, instead one complete performance will spark this talented side into life. The performance must needs to marry precision and accuracy in their backline with parity or dominance at the forwards and set piece. I believe that will, very quickly, turn their domestic season on its head.

The Rugby World Cup robbed Bath Rugby of the opportunity to press on from their Aviva Premiership Final loss. Whether they say it publicly or not its presence will have frustrated Bath’s management and made them think what if? What could they have done with a normal full pre-season together complete with all of their key personnel? A pre-season that was built on the confidence of getting so close to the main domestic prize and a pre-season adding further details and layers to theagame plan that was firing on all four cylinders and impressing us all. Instead a number of their players found their confidence dented as part of England's World Cup fall out. Then when all returned to Farleigh House Sam Burgess betrayed the entire squad's confidence by upping sticks and leaving them when they expected him to knuckle down and give his all to the team. 

Much is talked about the Bath game plan, the one that focuses on attacking from all areas of the field and one that nine times out of ten will choose to run the ball. After the opening six rounds there will be some that argue that it isn’t working however it is not their game plan that is falling short, it is their execution. Last season Bath’s precision was flawless, they delivered everything with pinpoint accuracy and almost every entrance to the  opposition's 22 resulted in a score. However since match one against Exeter passes have gone astray, their handling has been off and these errors have been costly. 

So what now? Well the fixture list doesn't let up; five of their next seven games are Champions Cup fixtures with two against Wasps, two against Toulon and one against Leinster. In the middle Mike Ford's side have two domestic outings to contend with meeting Worcester Warriors just after Christmas and facing the Newcastle Falcons in the New Year. 

Personnel wise Jonathan Joseph's return back is vital, as talented as Ollie Devoto is, JJ's influence cannot be rivalled. England missed him in the World Cup and Bath have done so too. David Denton needs to get into his groove pretty quickly and at scrum half Niko Matawalu must improve his basics sharpish. The Fijian has shown that he can be a game changer however at this moment he is more of a liability and if that continues he won’t last long in Mike Ford’s squad. 

This coming week will test the squad's character, they have to put their domestic disappointment aside and arrive at the Ricoh Arena with a spot of swagger. Potentially they'll be channeling the phrase 'fake it till you make it' however it is essential that they do so. Bath Rugby haven't become a bad side overnight they are just underperforming by a country mile. 

Aviva Premiership Round 6 Feature Match - Bath Rugby vs. Northampton Saints Review

Although we are only six rounds into the Aviva Premiership Saturday afternoon’s game between Bath Rugby and the Northampton Saints was one that neither side could afford to lose. Their respective starts to the year have left us wondering where the two sides are that spent so much time in the upper echelons of the table last year -  the Saints had to use their first two European fixtures to find something resembling confidence and Bath still haven't found theirs. 

Both sides were missing key individuals, the Saints travelled without Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes, Calum Clark and Alex Corbisiero. Bath were forced to field a very young second row, featuring  academy member Tom Ellis and graduate Charlie Ewels, due to injuries to Dave Attwood and Stuart Hooper. 

After both front rows had taken others to school in previous matches the scrummage was an area that we had all been so intrigued to watch unfold and it ended being the decisive element of the fixture. Ethan Waller, Mike Haywood and Kieran Brookes again delivered a powerful performance with Brookes in particular excelling. During the Rugby World Cup camp Kieran worked incredibly hard on his fitness, the area Stuart Lancaster highlighted for improvement, and his new engine means he adds so much more around the part as well as at the set piece. Jim Mallinder rightly lauded the trio;

"We’ve got some very good, mainly young English lads, with couple of senior older players in there helping. But it is great just seeing them develop and improve and over the last few weeks they have been the dominant forwards in whatever game we have played so we are delighted."

For Bath Rugby the area was one of huge frustration and confusion regarding the decisions of young referee Craig Maxwell Keys. I don't confess to be a scrum aficionado however there were couple of choices that perplexed me. Needless to say on another day with another official, some of the outcomes would have gone Bath's way. The question is would that have changed the match? You argue that it would and the whole area infuriated their Director of Rugby Mike Ford;

"It is just a lottery, we do what we do against Leinster, we go to Leicester and it is 50/50 and today, flip a coin. We’ve got referees refereeing scrums and they don’t know what’s going on and it is ruining the game."

As mentioned though you cannot take away from the work of Saints' pack, they played to the referee and won, the third fixture in a row, for their side. The focus on the set piece was large for in attack the Northampton Saints didn't fully launch themselves on Bath. In the role of captain Ben Foden make a couple of superb breaks and JJ Hanrahan worked tirelessly at fly half however the side that have title aspirations must launch more going forwards. Jim Mallinder's squad have the ability and the personnel with George North and the Pisi brothers in particular however they need to add a touch more  variation and flair to their attacking platforms. 

Aside from the scrummage decisions the area that will frustrate Bath Rugby’s management the most is their imprecision. They have the flair, and they have the pace, to make defences look silly however they are stuttering. George Ford didn’t have his finest day at the office however it was more than just his individual errors. As a collective Bath’s radar is off, what was so fluid and natural last season, now feels edgy and nervy and the Aviva Premiership is an unforgiving competition. 

While the Ricoh enjoyed 68 points the 24 seen at the Rec weren’t vintage ones however in a test match with so much hanging in the balance the victors won't mind one jot. Jim Mallinder's Saints will now allow themselves to think of Racing 92 and a certain Dan Carter while Bath find themselves in a unfamiliar, and unwanted, domestic position and have a monumental double header against Wasps on the horizon. 

Aviva Premiership Round 6 Feature Match - Bath v Northampton Saints

The last time that the Northampton Saints headed to the Recreation Ground, in February this year, it was a top of the table clash between second and first. Now, ten months on, ninth are hosting eighth and both sides are still searching for their true domestic form. 

Last Aviva Premiership season Bath ignited our rugby senses week in, week out, as they produced beautiful attacking rugby. Mike Ford’s side were one of the most precise and clinical of the bunch however their disjointed pre-season, with so many players away at the Rugby World Cup, has caused them to stutter in the opening five domestic rounds. 

After 22 regular rounds the Northampton Saints finished at the top of the 2014-15 tree, only to be undone by a ruthless Saracens side in the playoff. Over the summer Jim Mallinder recruited well, particularly up front, and in the early rounds this has paid dividends however behind their scrummage they also haven’t clicked. 

Bath introduce Jonathan Joseph back into their 13 jersey as the England international has recovered quicker than expected from a chest injury sustained during the Rugby World Cup. His presence will boost Bath’s confidence no end, Joseph’s distribution and talent to make something happen from nothing may just be the spark that they need. Chris Cook is handed the starting 9 jersey in order to provide George Ford with cleaner service and Dave Attwood returns from injury adding experience in their second row. 

The Northampton Saints are travelling without a number of key individuals; Coutney Lawes, Calum Clark, Alex Corbisiero and Dylan Hartley are all ruled out due to injury, or in Hartley’s case the return to play concussion protocols. Ben Foden captains the side from full back and will be one of a number of individuals looking to impress Eddie Jones who landed in England this morning.  Luther Burrell partners George Pisi in their centres and big George North will be looking to impose himself in the right way out wide. 

@BTSportRugby

The set piece battle will be monumental for recently both packs have taken others apart and are on scintillating form. Neal Hatley’s work at Farleigh House has been tireless and under his tutelage Nick Auterac, Rob Webber and Henry Thomas have become a formidable trio. Equally Dorian West is moulding Ethan Waller, Mikey Haywood and Kieran Brookes into a match winning combination as their outing against Gloucester Rugby highlighted. In this crucial game adapting to young referee Craig Maxwell-Keys, who is in charge of only his eighth Premiership game, will be critical for neither team can afford to get on his wrong side. In short the set piece tussle will be intense and enthralling to watch. 

The start will be critical for both sides, if Bath put their foot on the gas early then home advantage will come into its own. Bath made basic errors at Welford Road that cost them ever pushing ahead on the scoreboard and if they do the same today Northampton will punish them. Jim Mallinder’s men have won the last eight Premiership encounters between the two however without some key figures could struggle to deliver for the full eighty. 

On a dry, but slightly blustery day in Bath they’ll be little love lost between these two sides for both know that they must ignite their season with a Round 6 victory... or else!

Bath Rugby: 15 Anthony Watson 14 Semesa Rokoduguni 13 Jonathan Joseph 12 Ollie Devoto 11 Matt Banahan 10 George Ford 9 Chris Cook 1 Nick Auterac 2 Rob Webber 3 Henry Thomas 4 Dave Attwood 5 Tom Ellis 6 Matt Garvey 7 Francois Louw (c) 8 Leroy Houston Replacements: 16 Ross Batty 17 Max Lahiff 18 Dave Wilson 19 David Denton 20 Guy Mercer 21 Niko Matawalu 22 Rhys Priestland 23 Tom Homer 

Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden (C) 14 Jamie Elliott 13 George Pisi 12 Luther Burrell 11 George North 10 JJ Hanrahan 9 Kahn Fotuali’i 1 Ethan Waller 2 Mikey Haywood 3 Kieran Brookes 4 Michael Paterson 5 Christian Day 6 Jamie Gibson 7 Teimana Harrison 8 Sam Dickinson Replacements:16 Reece Marshall 17 Alex Waller18 Paul Hill 19 Victor Matfield 20 James Craig 21 Lee Dickson 22 Stephen Myler 23 Ken Pisi

Imagine Change Moments - London Irish

As part of a new #ImagineChange Moments series we are going behind the scenes at the Aviva Premiership Rugby Clubs and getting to know the Directors of Rugby/Head Coaches. In this first episode we speak with London Irish's Tom Coventry from his new home at Hazelwood. 

The start of the Exiles' season hasn't been as strong as their new head coach would like, however he is an astute coach with many years of experience and we all expect the side to get stronger as the rounds progress.

Audio Delights - LWOS

Talking about rugby is always an enjoyable way to spend evening and again this week I was invited to join Molly Smith (@mollyraemaria) and Rob Mitchell (@LWOSRob) to be a guest on the Last Word On Sports podcast. 

This week's podcast reviews the Aviva Premiership Round 5 fixtures, looks ahead to Round 6 and touches on the Pro 12. From a news perspective we discuss Jamie Roberts' upcoming appearance in the Varsity fixture, Eddie Jones' potential coaching team and more!

Check out the audio below and as always do let me know your thoughts and feedback. 

Throwback Thursday

In this week’s Throwback Thursday we take at look at some of the corresponding fixtures  from the 2014/15 season including Bath taking on the Saints at the Rec, Wasps hosting Exeter at the Ricoh Arena and the Newcastle Falcons tussling with Saracens at Kingston Park. 

The last meeting between Bath Rugby and the Northampton Saints at the Recreation Ground was a top of the table clash as second played against first. Heading into the game Bath were defending an 11-month unbeaten  Premiership home record in the however ended the day without it. The match fell in the middle of the RBS 6 Nations and as a result it meant that both sides were missing critical individuals. Bath’s backline wasn’t as potent as it could have been without George Ford and Jonathan Joseph, instead Ollie Devoto was at fly-half and Sam Burgess wore the 13 jersey. That said the home side stretched to an early 10-0 lead before Saints responded and gained a spot of momentum pulling back to a 12-10 half-time lead. The game continued at pace, Stephen Myler’s boot gave the visitors an eight point lead, 18-10. As expected with a home record to keep in tact the home side romped back and were frustrated not to capitalise on the final ten minutes with an man advantage. Tom Homer, who was making his debut for the club struggling to contend with the elements at the Rec and as his late penalty drifted wide with it went the losing bonus point.

Last year with just two rounds to go before the end of the domestic season the Ricoh Arena house two sides still within touching distance of a top four finish Wasps and the Exeter Chiefs. Both sides started strongly with early scores from Christian Wade and Will Chudley however the reliable boot of Andy Goode opened up a ten-point half time gap for Wasps, 26-16. The second half saw Wasps enjoy a dominate scrummage however the Exeter Chiefs’ tenacity meant that the game never felt comfortable for the home team and instead they let their ten-point cushion slip to 29-26. At that point we all delighted in watching Joe Simpson score the try of the season, his sensational solo effort was a work of art however the Chiefs had one more trick up their sleeve as Gareth Steenston’s drop goal ensured they left the Ricoh with a losing bonus point. 

The final Throwback Thursday match was between the Newcastle Falcons and Saracens. The fixture occurred just after Christmas on 27th December and was a much tighter affair than many expected. Mark McCall took a strong side up to the North East however they had a tardy start. The home side gained the early momentum and it could have been costly had Alesana Tuilagi’s foot not been in touch from his interception try. Once that had occurred Saracens woke up and played a spot of rugby with Owen Farrell, Chris Wyles and Neil de Kock connecting to produce their opening try. The second half was a drama fest with both sides holding the lead at points however Owen Farrell’s boot was the steadier of the two tens leading into the final minutes. Chris Harris, who was making his home debut, delivered two tries in the final moments of the match however Juan Pablo Socino missed the conversion that would have handed his side the draw. 

Aviva Premiership Round 6 - Preview

In a number of ways Round 6 is a significant one for all of our Aviva Premiership sides, first it provides the opportunity to cement or improve their table position heading into the domestic competition's two week break and second has the ability to deliver the momentum required to face Europe's best in the bruising back to back encounters. As expected after five rounds the Aviva Premiership table is tightly congested and one win can instantly push a side up two or three places and a loss provides a significant set back. 

The round kicks off at Kingsholm where Gloucester Rugby have an important match against the Sale Sharks. After a more promising start to the year the Cherry and Whites have stuttered and will not have enjoyed their Round 5 experience in the slightest. The pack must deliver a much stronger performance against a tenacious Sharks and out the back they have to click. Sale have made three changes to the side that played Newcastle last weekend with Josh Beaumont, Peter Stringer and Nev Edwards coming in the side, in the place of Magnus Lund, Chris Cusiter and Tom Arscott respectively. Selection from a Gloucester perspective is interesting as David Humphreys has stuck with the side that performed against the Northampton Saints, potentially not what I would have done however his knowledge is greater thank mine so we will see!

Saturday’s order of play starts with a South West London derby as Harlequins will host London Irish at the Twickenham Stoop. The form book dictates that this should be a home victory for a Harlequins side that are ticking along nicely however London Irish did show great strides of improvement against Wasps. After two sterling weeks of work in the back row I’d love to see Dave Ward continue his occupancy of the seven jersey alongside Chris Robshaw and Nick Easter for personally I believe the trio is well balanced. The Exiles should stick largely with the same side that improved against Wasps - their defence was strong and in attack they had much more about them with Johnny Williams and Alex Lewington looking dynamic. In the Premiership London Irish haven’t beaten Quins at the Stoop since the days of Mike Catt, Steffon Armitage and Nick Kennedy and their memorable 17-0 semi-final victory back in 2009. 

The second Saturday offering is at Sixways where the Worcester Warriors will welcome the Leicester Tigers to town. After a tough day at the Twickenham office last week my hope is that the Warriors' Premiership confidence hasn't been dented. The Tigers will arrive with a spring in their step after getting one over the side that they hate to lose to, Bath. The home side will need to be at their physical best against a Tigers team that are superb athletes and collectively more experienced. Without question this will be a stiff test of the Warriors’ impeccable home record, they’ve lost only one of their last 22 home games at Sixways in all competitions, however I expect an affair with a bit of bite to it.

One of the most intriguing matches of the weekend will take place at The Recreation Ground between Bath Rugby and the Northampton Saints. Both aren’t running at their full potential yet, particularly in Bath’s case, and both simply have to record result this weekend to put themselves in a positive position in the table. The clash of the packs will be enthralling for both have taken other teams to the cleaners in recent weeks and it should be a great watch for Eddie Jones! Dave Attwood is set to be fit for Bath which is a huge boost particularly when the Saints have a certain Victor Matfield in their armoury. Out the back we have to see some flair and clinical finishing; in torrid conditions Bath showed their hand slightly against the Tigers however multiple errors cost them and we haven’t seen Saints' backs fully fire yet. Northampton are unbeaten in their last eight Premiership Rugby encounters with Bath however the home side haven’t lost back to back fixtures at the Rec since March 2014. 

The final game on Saturday afternoon is at the Ricoh Arena between Wasps and the Exeter Chiefs. My great hope is that the conditions are dry so that both sides can really open up and show us what they are made of. Their respective backlines speak for themselves, Exeter are the top try scorers after the opening five rounds and Wasps’ backs have been shifting through the gears week on week. As always the back row clash will be sensational, George Smith continues to be a master at work, Nathan Hughes’ statistics and impact are first-class and Dave Ewers was made a staggering 22 tackles last weekend. This match has it all, electric backs, in form fly-halves and forward packs ready to test each other to the max. 

On Sunday Kingston Park will open its doors to finish the round as the Newcastle Falcons will host Saracens. Last weekend the Falcons will have been pleased to get off the mark in terms of table points and their key positives from Round 5 were a much stronger defensive display and the work of their forwards. That said Saracens are an altogether different prospect and their imperious five from five domestic form speaks for itself. With respect to the Falcons I can only see this match going one way for at this moment in time Saracens are ruthless in defence and looking extremely positive in attack.