Saints v London Irish - Teams Up

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:09:21:09:18:36 by Saint Ted.

I predict a fast game, lots of tries and even more scrum penalties !

Api on the bench for Irish

Somewhat concerned over our front row
would have rather seen the bench props starting

Think we will miss API
Let’s hope he doesn’t make us regret transferring him

Up to the backs to win this one
We have the talent let’s hope it clicks

Pleased to see Rory back. As much as Dingers is a class option, Rory always seems to be able to find time on the ball and create opportunities. Ok so defensively he might be slightly weaker but it’s not Tuilagi running at him this week.
Big test for Moon, he needs to hit and carry harder and prove he can start at prem level. If he gets overtaken by Lockett in the pecking order he’s doomed!

A bit more oomph with Moon over Coles in the 2nd row and added weight in back row. I don’t think our Aussie is the heaviest and thought we looked a little lightweight for much of the game. Good side though especially when we have Ludlam, Lawes, Ribbans & Freeman available next week

Given the absentees, this is a cracking side. Hutch is by far our most creative outlet so I expect to see our backs firing against.

With both sides looking to play, this should be a cracking match

Starting props are my worry scrum penalties in first half could be our downfall.

Quote:

batty
Starting props are my worry scrum penalties in first half could be our downfall.

Irish are without their first-choice props and hooker.

Just don't get three tries ahead of them it only encourages them. If you do you'll end up drawing!

Quote:

OldMarovian
Just don't get three tries ahead of them it only encourages them. If you do you'll end up drawing!

That's funny.
As if we want a 70-70 draw....

Great bonus point win
Bit of a hiccup when we turned off for 10 minutes

Coles was excellent
As was Alfie Petch when he came on
Heck of a ball carrier

Hope Manny is ok for next week

OK, no massive score line, but Saints simply continued to apply reasonable pressure and good things happened. But this is exactly how Saints need to win matches. They did play decent D against Irish, which ain't easy. Overall not a bad performance and the type of performance which can be positively built on. Nice seeing a number of the newer players getting stuck in and playing well. Nice game by Jimmy G.

Difficult to judge from listening to Graham Lennie and Ian Hunter on radio, but by crikey we do make life difficult for ourselves!

When we get a captain who can tell people to behave (!) we will be awesome.

Until then I shall just keep metaphorically biting my finger nails. And shouting at the radio.

Honestly not looking forward to next week on today’s showing

Well that proved rather harder than it needed to be.

Too much back-chat and ill -discipline.
Too much kicking the ball away to Haskell-Collins and Arundell.
No real leadership out there.
First ten minutes after half time was some of the dumbest Rugby I have seen for some time against a team with three men in the bin at the break.

All that being said, a bonus point win is a good result in the context of the game and we are still without Ludlam, Lawes, Ribbans and Biggar all of whom can provide leadership plus of course Dingwall and Freeman.

Tiggers will be a big test next week but at least we will not have to contend with Ford and Genge this time around.

Ref link was a bit odd - never heard the TMO all afternoon !



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:09:17:17:31:13 by Aberavon Wizard.

Take that against a dangerous irish. Play poor and win is not a bad thing. Small patches of what we can do but need to cut the errors. Lotto had a solid game and i thought alfie petch looked very good when he came on .

Good result but lots to improve on. I know it sounds like a Grumpy Old Man, but we need to address the basics, these things need not happen. Sleightholme. Snatching a good passes and knocking on. Waller. Not captain but can’t stop chirping at the Ref. Giving away 10yds. Grayson. Throws lots of passes without looking, which results in the odd pass going behind the next receiver. Yellow for deliberate knock on 7points gift to Irish. Hill. Much as I have admired him does not seem able to hold his own at 3. No leader/captain on the pitch.
And why can Sarries play all their England players?, and as for PRTV, incredibly bias in favour of Irish.

Quote:

Longers
Difficult to judge from listening to Graham Lennie and Ian Hunter on radio, but by crikey we do make life difficult for ourselves!
When we get a captain who can tell people to behave (!) we will be awesome.

Until then I shall just keep metaphorically biting my finger nails. And shouting at the radio.

With Biggar nominated as captain but not starting who was captain?

Furbank was captain.
Funny old game. Poor first half I thought.
Not sure what the watching Chris Boyd made of it.
Wonder if he will stay for the Tigers game?

Interesting to see how our midfield coped with Hutchinson. Not as well. But great experience for Litchfield who I think could be a real star. Great going forward. Needs to learn a bit about Centre play at the next level. And he will do

Did anyone have any real concerns about Luke Pearce yesterday. I thought he was OK. I know he received some abuse over those three yellows, but I can't see any other call for any of them. What did you think? Also, anyone hear from LI supporters?

Have to admit, It was shocking LI didn't tighten up after the first yellow. More shocking was Saints incredibly poor play during the massive man advantage.

Watched the replay and no real concerns on Pearce. I think all the yellows were correct.

I was interested why Arundells yellow didn't come with a penalty try when we had 2 players miles ahead of the defence with a ball rolling into the try area.

Quote:

TimperleySaint
Watched the replay and no real concerns on Pearce. I think all the yellows were correct.
I was interested why Arundells yellow didn't come with a penalty try when we had 2 players miles ahead of the defence with a ball rolling into the try area.

"The ball was bobbling around" or some such wording. Tight call on whether it was a PT for me, Happy to accept either way on that call

The LI board seem fairly incensed with the officiating, with one even claiming the above w was a clumsy attempt to gather rather than a deliberate act

I found it frustrating that almost every scrum resulted in a penalty to one side or the other. Were both sides really scrummaging so poorly all game?

Similarly baffled about the penalty try not given.

Watching on TV, Hill seemed to push early at every scrum, think he was struggling againts their loose head and trying to gain some ascendancy. Alex Waller pinged for pre-engaging at first few scrums. Pearce repeatedly told the scrum what he wanted and we were either unable or unwilling to comply. Hill given a final warning and then hooked off which allowed Petch to come on and he did well, he and Manny managed to get some dominance towards the end, aided by Irish injuries. I dont think the problems were due to pedantry from Pearce, two evenly matched packs that were struggling against each other and more interested in dominance than listening to the referee.

IMHO giving the penalty try would have been the correct but difficult call, in a very unusual situation. Very rare to see the ball thrown intentionally into touch, I wonder if Arundel even knew it was a penalty offence?

Quote:

195Rich
Watching on TV, Hill seemed to push early at every scrum, think he was struggling againts their loose head and trying to gain some ascendancy. Alex Waller pinged for pre-engaging at first few scrums. Pearce repeatedly told the scrum what he wanted and we were either unable or unwilling to comply. Hill given a final warning and then hooked off which allowed Petch to come on and he did well, he and Manny managed to get some dominance towards the end, aided by Irish injuries. I dont think the problems were due to pedantry from Pearce, two evenly matched packs that were struggling against each other and more interested in dominance than listening to the referee.
IMHO giving the penalty try would have been the correct but difficult call, in a very unusual situation. Very rare to see the ball thrown intentionally into touch, I wonder if Arundel even knew it was a penalty offence?

Good summary

I remember thinking. Thank goodness Irish fielded their second line front row

Just watching the full game.. the Arundell yellow is most definitely a penalty try, there are 2 Saints players that just need to gather the ball 5M out no chance anyone is tackling them they just have to collect and score. I get the bouncing ball argument, but you’ve got to say that in all probability which is all that’s needed, they would have scored.

And then gives the Irish a Pen try which was less likely



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:09:21:20:36:02 by Walks11.

No, the ref called the Arundell card correctly. If he hadn’t committed the offence he would have been able to dot the ball down before the Saint players.

In the exeter vs Leicester game. They had to make a similar decision. The ruling was heard that the player who committed the offence shhould be removed and therefore the Exeter player would have scored.
That was the opposite of what Sir Hector was suggesting?

Quote:

Sir Hector
No, the ref called the Arundell card correctly. If he hadn’t committed the offence he would have been able to dot the ball down before the Saint players.

Chris Hoddle is right. The same thing was said by the ref on Saturday. Freddie Burns did a very similar thing in Week One.

It's because he wasn't able to dot the ball down that he committed the offence.

What about the last defender who commits a high tackle? If he hadn't committed the high tackle he could have made a legal tackle and saved the try......????

That being the case I wholeheartedly agree, we should have had a penalty try.

Very similar occurrence happened in the Canterbury v Auckland game this morning (Friday).
Batted out with two runners waiting to pounce.
Yellow card and penalty try given.