NPR

Lam's not happy ... video and discussion follows in the twitter thread.

What's Piutau doing to Hill's face on the floor?

BT just replayed it. Piutau is pushing Hill down into the floor rather aggressively and unnecessarily, but I'm not sure that was more than a pen.

Kitchener definitely should have been banned for longer as he was a non-involved party who came in swinging, but Piutau's defensive action definitely fell under the 'best defense is a strong offense' category and culminated in him throwing a punch too..

Don't buy Lam's idea that punching is necessary for self-defense either. Plenty of space to get away there if he's really worried about someone coming and hitting his head.

Yeah just saw the same. It's a forearm into the face, grubby shit. He deserved a slap really. Must say I couldn't see what it was he did that copped a ban though.

Pretty lacklustre opening 15 from Wasps. Tigers good value for their lead.

That's more like it. Powerful maul, ball away for Feikitoa and try.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 4:30 pm Yeah just saw the same. It's a forearm into the face, grubby shit. He deserved a slap really. Must say I couldn't see what it was he did that copped a ban though.

Before it went to ground he connected with a crisp right hook. His was actually the first punch to land I think.

Seems strange watching Wasps outmuscle a team. Especially since that's not a weak tigers front 5.

Right: Not-Nots vs Quins or Bath vs Wuss...? I can only be arsed to stream one, I’m leaning towards Bath vs Wuss.

Change my mind?

The Bath game is on a main channel, so should be easier to find if you're not planning on streaming with a BT account.

Quins - Irish might be more competitive, though.

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:31 pm Right: Not-Nots vs Quins or Bath vs Wuss...? I can only be arsed to stream one, I’m leaning towards Bath vs Wuss.

Change my mind?

Probably a good call tbf

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:31 pm Right: Not-Nots vs Quins or Bath vs Wuss...? I can only be arsed to stream one, I’m leaning towards Bath vs Wuss.

Change my mind?

If you like watching two shite teams who can't be arsed try to string two passes together then you know which game to watch.

Kawazaki’s profound insight notwithstanding, I’m going for London Irish as I’ve not seen them play this season and Wuss have had enough chances from me so far.

Cheers.

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:38 pm Kawazaki’s profound insight notwithstanding, I’m going for London Irish as I’ve not seen them play this season and Wuss have had enough chances from me so far.

Cheers.

Starting on BBC1 soon;

The Repair Shop
Episode 24

Today in the Repair Shop, the team restore a scoreboard that once belonged to a snooker legend, an old newsagent’s clock, a treasured metal box and an old wooden barber’s chair.



Thank me later.

Wuss not letting Bath have it easy.

EDIT - Actually, might be more accurate given how they've scored, to say that Bath aren't letting Bath have it easily.

Kawazaki wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:42 pm

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:38 pm Kawazaki’s profound insight notwithstanding, I’m going for London Irish as I’ve not seen them play this season and Wuss have had enough chances from me so far.

Cheers.

Starting on BBC1 soon;

The Repair Shop
Episode 24

Today in the Repair Shop, the team restore a scoreboard that once belonged to a snooker legend, an old newsagent’s clock, a treasured metal box and an old wooden barber’s chair.

Thank me later.

LI vs Quins is alright so far: LI just edging it, Marcus Smith scored a lovely little try - a darting finish - and tempers are just starting to fray a little in the pack.

7-5 to the NotNots with the Quins 9 in the bin for another 5 mins...

Game on!

Edit: halfers: LI 15 - Quins 10.

Last ten mins of the first half were a bit dull, but it was rounded off by a decent break by Quins, ended by a superb man and ball cover tackle with extra handbags on top.

Meahen, the Irish 9, has the best pass I’ve seen on a scrummie in the prem this season. An absolute bullet, mixed up nicely with the soft stuff round the fringe.

Wish we could play Quins every week.

No matter what team you put out, they always give you a chance.

Brutal hit at the end by Hassell-Collins to prevent that try at the death. Reckon Morris could have passed it.

Smith has scored 500 points in the league for Quins.

Bath - Worcester was quite competitive for the first quarter, but the game's been pver since half time and both sides are going through the motions really.

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 7:41 pm Wish we could play Quins every week.

Ah well. Maybe not

Regulation bonus-point victory away from home

God we were awful in the first half. Baldwin has to shoulder plenty of blame, how is an international hooker so bad at throwing? Much better second half despite all the disruption from KOs and assorted other injuries. Irish really tried to play at pace and gave a good account of themselves. Smith, Lang, Northmore all had big second half performances.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 9:09 pm Regulation bonus-point victory away from home

God we were awful in the first half. Baldwin has to shoulder plenty of blame, how is an international hooker so bad at throwing? Much better second half despite all the disruption from KOs and assorted other injuries. Irish really tried to play at pace and gave a good account of themselves. Smith, Lang, Northmore all had big second half performances.

It looked like the teams were determined to fill an A&E unit with injuries; every time I flicked over, there was another stoppage.

How many games are there left in the season ?

Four I think? Plus Europe, for those hoity toity types who concern themselves with such frippery.

Forgot to mention yesterday. Smith was genuinely excellent at 10.

Game control with raking kicks pinning the opposition back to the corners. Dangerous with ball in hand and seems to have a ton of time in the ball. Nice last ditch tackle thrown in as well.

Silly hair though.

He's been a bright spot. He still makes the occasional bad error - that kick near the end that let you have a try, even though he worked bloody hard to prevent it - but he's one of the few players who appears to be trying to be the best he can be right from the start. It's great see him giving teammates a spray, too.

I'm curious to hear from the English posters on the Smith vs Umaga debate. Which one looks more likely to fill the England 10 jersey?

assfly wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:27 am I'm curious to hear from the English posters on the Smith vs Umaga debate. Which one looks more likely to fill the England 10 jersey?

Both of them show good promise.
Smith probably ahead in terms of experience, game management and execution.
Should include Joe Simmonds from Exeter alongside them. A year or so older but very talented and has already captained the Chiefs
A pretty good crop of 10's developing for England

Umaga is where Smith was 18 months ago, really.

Smith has all the right attributes, he just needs to learn a bit of pragmatism at times, he has this tendency to go for the showreel pass/play when maybe he should just kick, and ends up fucking it up, if he can learn to add that to his game i think he has real England potential.

To be honest, I think either Smith or Umaga (and maybe Simmonds, not seen enough) could do the job. In the end, whichever starts getting the experience is likely to end up being the one best suited (as daft as that sounds, I hope you understand).

Right now, with Ford and Farrell likely to stay 1 and 2, I don't see any newcomer forcing their way in for a little while yet.

All England games are going to be on Amazon Prime TV....

Except The Ireland game which will also be available on C4.

Out of the current crop Grayson Jr seems to be the only one that has gone backwards recently, due largely to the malaise hanging over Saints at the moment I'd guess. He still shows moments of superb skill but mixed in with some utter dross.

SaintK wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:52 am

assfly wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:27 am I'm curious to hear from the English posters on the Smith vs Umaga debate. Which one looks more likely to fill the England 10 jersey?

Both of them show good promise.
Smith probably ahead in terms of experience, game management and execution.
Should include Joe Simmonds from Exeter alongside them. A year or so older but very talented and has already captained the Chiefs
A pretty good crop of 10's developing for England

Yes indeed. I would say Simmonds is the most solid of the three at present, which isn’t surprising. His place kicking is phenomenal but Exeter playing as they do I can’t say I have seen much in the way of tactical open-play kicking from him. Imo both Smith and Umaga have the potential to out-strip him in the medium term.

Have to say Redpath has looked quite good at 12 that I've seen. A good blend.

Un Pilier wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:03 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:52 am

assfly wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:27 am I'm curious to hear from the English posters on the Smith vs Umaga debate. Which one looks more likely to fill the England 10 jersey?

Both of them show good promise.
Smith probably ahead in terms of experience, game management and execution.
Should include Joe Simmonds from Exeter alongside them. A year or so older but very talented and has already captained the Chiefs
A pretty good crop of 10's developing for England

Yes indeed. I would say Simmonds is the most solid of the three at present, which isn’t surprising. His place kicking is phenomenal but Exeter playing as they do I can’t say I have seen much in the way of tactical open-play kicking from him. Imo both Smith and Umaga have the potential to out-strip him in the medium term.

Agreed. Simmonds is great for the Exeter game plan and executes it well. It's difficult to say how the others would go in his position; they're such a well organised and well prepared unit with a very clear style that anyone playing 10 is going to be this weird mix of someone who's getting an armchair ride but absolutely cannot waste the possession and position they get. I guess that's where the Churchill Cup would've been useful.

Either way, I think we've got a great crop of young 10s. Wish I could say the same about 9s.

Raggs wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:03 am Have to say Redpath has looked quite good at 12 that I've seen. A good blend.

Yeah. Also Tom Hendrickson looks pretty beastly, I orginally thought he was another Saffer import...

There's a few guys like this that seem really promising. Luke James is another one for me - he's class.

I hear our old boy Josh Gillespie got his debut for saints this week.
Any thoughts on how he got on?

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:50 am

Raggs wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:03 am Have to say Redpath has looked quite good at 12 that I've seen. A good blend.

Yeah. Also Tom Hendrickson looks pretty beastly, I orginally thought he was another Saffer import...

There's a few guys like this that seem really promising. Luke James is another one for me - he's class.

Definitely like the look of Luke James, very calm and talented.

On the Umaga - Simmonds - Smith chat, this is Umaga's first season out of the academy; the other two have substantially more Prem experience and as such are ahead of him on the development curve, particularly when it comes to game management (as evidenced by that Sale game ). He does have oodles of natural attacking flair, though, it's a joy to see. Not that the other two are lacking in that area, especially Smith.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:50 am

Raggs wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:03 am Have to say Redpath has looked quite good at 12 that I've seen. A good blend.

Yeah. Also Tom Hendrickson looks pretty beastly, I orginally thought he was another Saffer import...

There's a few guys like this that seem really promising. Luke James is another one for me - he's class.

AT 26 he's a few years older than I'd presumed.

assfly wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:27 am I'm curious to hear from the English posters on the Smith vs Umaga debate. Which one looks more likely to fill the England 10 jersey?

In Smith's favour is that he has a high place kicking percentage. Working against him is that he has excellent awareness of space, has an eye for a gap and is good at getting a backline going.