[Narbia]

Glaws
Screenshot 2022-10-20 at 11-30-30 Rugby Union Betting Odds Build your Accumulators with oddschecker.png (19.25 KiB) Viewed 3409 times

Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson and Joe James
TMO: Andrew Jackson
Citing Commissioner: Andy Blyth

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[Narbia]

GLAWS :

15. Santiago Carreras 14. Louis Rees-Zammit* 13. Chris Harris
12. Giorgi Kveseladze 11. Jonny May* 10. Adam Hastings 9. Charlie Chapman*

1. Val Rapava-Ruskin 2. Santiago Socino 3. Fraser Balmain 4. Freddie Clarke* 5. Matias Alemanno 6. Jordy Reid 7. Lewis Ludlow (c)* 8. Ruan Ackermann

16. Jack Singleton 17. Harry Elrington 18. Ciaran Knight* 19. Cam Jordan* 20. Albert Tuisue
21. Stephen Varney* 22. Jack Reeves* 23. Lloyd Evans*

Welcome back Albert. Meet Sooty.

Edit: With scheduled light rain tonight, I guess we'll be seeing some garryowens kicked into the air. The catching has got to be sharper than it was at Sale.

[Ajax Treesdown]

London Irish have won just one of their last four Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches: 47-38 at home to Bath on 1 October. The Exiles are unbeaten in their last seven fixtures in all competitions at Gtech Community Stadium since Harlequins beat them there in Premiership Rugby on 3 April, a run which includes two draws.

Gloucester Rugby’s only defeat in any competition this season was 39-41 at Saracens in Round 3 of Gallagher Premiership Rugby. Gloucester won their most recent away game in Premiership Rugby at Bath in Round 5 and have not won successive fixtures on the road in the tournament since January.

Gloucester are unbeaten in their last three matches against London Irish, although the two clubs did share a 25-all draw the last time they met at Brentford in Round 5 last season.

https://www.premiershiprugby.com/previe ... y/#preview

[M_W]

Getting a bit depressed looking at the weather forecast.

Friday night, lots of rain about, against a team who like to maul and keep it tight. The omens aren't good.

[GC89]

The omens aren't good, no, but for the first time in a while I think they have probably got selection right. Excited to see that back row in action, even if I think Sooty is going to be a few weeks away from causing real havoc.

Joseph is brilliant in games where we get lots of front foot ball, but for a bit more ballast in midfield I am happy to have Cinti. Got a feeling that despite his best games for us coming on the wing so far, it is, at some point, going to click for him at 13. He has all the raw tools and can look really threatening when receiving the ball with players outside him.

Quietly optimistic, despite the weather.

[M_W]

Yep, the back row is what we've been waiting for so far this season. And good to see CCS on the bench too. Fine with Cinti getting a run at 13.

Discipline is absolutely key against a team with a good maul. We cant be conceding needless pens on half way that directly result in Gloucester line outs in our 22. Some can't be helped, but it's the really silly not listening to the ref saying release or contact with the jumper in the lineout etc that are killers.

[Narbia]

Well the bookies can't separate the teams.

The simplest way to improve from the last game is to catch the high balls, and cut out the silliest of penalties, and don't get the on wrong side of sir.

Do that, (easier said than done) and I'll go LI 32-26 Gloucester.

[Florida]

I'm expecting dire conditions and a dire game. The sale game was so painful to watch partly due to our performance but also because I had a vague hope we might get some points (based on last season's games against them). This game I'm far less hopeful / optimistic about our chances, which should make for easier viewing.

Hoping to see a bit of energy and intent, even if the conditions stop us playing our natural have

[M_W]

On the flip side, the conditions are probably a good thing development wise.

Ultimately we are never going to get anywhere if we can't put performances together in a home, evening game in the rain. For better or worse it's a winter sport. The pack selected is not far off first choice, there really shouldn't be an excuse to not to be competitive in the conditions. It's a key test for the squad and will probably tell us more about how this season may go, than if had been a dry, fine evening.

[Florida]

Pack's good, but I think tactical kicking let's us down and invites too much pressure. Too many times we see the forwards put the work in, win the ball back only to kick it straight back to the opposition and invite them to have another crack.

[M_W]

Yeah, agree. Not sure White is playing as well as he was last year either. Wouldn't mind seeing Englefield get a few starts during the autumn internationals to see what he can offer from the start.

[Florida]

Well, Craig Doyle doesn't think the weather will affect the game, not sure I'd agree with him, but he probably does know a bit more than I do.

[Florida]

So Doyle was right, plenty of attacking flair, some good defense and one of the best lineout moves I've seen from us

[Florida]

White's form continuing to drop, think he could do with a break.

[Florida]

One thing I don't understand if you get turned over and the opposition come away with the ball, how can they then get a penalty?

[GHA]

We lack nouse and rugby brains, you also make your own luck but by God we help the opposition out, one giant 50-22, a second basically 50-22 because Englefield touched the ball on its way out, a sightly poor clearance from OHC leading to their horrible drop goal. Then when we get a glimmer of hope two minutes from the end tge first line out is dreadful and the second leads to Api latching on and going straight to ground.

As frustrating as ever...

[GHA]

One thing I don't understand if you get turned over and the opposition come away with the ball, how can they then get a penalty?

I didn't get that but I think Carley decided to ping from coming in at the side rather than holding on

[Florida]

Eurgh, that was disappointing. Lots of things done well, lots of players look fabulous. However, lots of stuff that really wasn't very good and there's some quite ugly stats.

Metres run
Glaws - 160
LI - 420

Defenders beaten
Glaws - 10
LI - 20

Turnovers conceded
Glaws - 5
LI - 12

Possession (by half)
Glaws - 56/43
LI - 44/57

Territory (by half)
Glaws - 64/49
LI - 36/41

Ugliest of those is turn overs conceded, we just shouldn't be giving up that much possession, especially when several of those were off the back of mauls from lineouts.

We did better in the first half when we had less possession and less territory, I feel the forwards struggle to build a score. The backs make plenty of meters but how often do the forwards keep the ball alive with short range burts and go over?

Pearson is a very special player, I've said it before but I feel it's worth repeating, if we keep him I can see him being our captain.

[Narbia]

I hope you people watching from a TV set had a better explanation of what Carley was on about half the time.

[GHA]

Eurgh, that was disappointing. Lots of things done well, lots of players look fabulous. However, lots of stuff that really wasn't very good and there's some quite ugly stats.

Metres run
Glaws - 160
LI - 420

Defenders beaten
Glaws - 10
LI - 20

Turnovers conceded
Glaws - 5
LI - 12

Possession (by half)
Glaws - 56/43
LI - 44/57

Territory (by half)
Glaws - 64/49
LI - 36/41

Ugliest of those is turn overs conceded, we just shouldn't be giving up that much possession, especially when several of those were off the back of mauls from lineouts.

We did better in the first half when we had less possession and less territory, I feel the forwards struggle to build a score. The backs make plenty of meters but how often do the forwards keep the ball alive with short range burts and go over?

Pearson is a very special player, I've said it before but I feel it's worth repeating, if we keep him I can see him being our captain.

I blame Paddy

[Florida]

As you should because he's certainly partly to blame. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of what he brings in attack, but that needs to be balanced with an ability to kick to relieve pressure. He doesn't do that, not do any of our 9s.

[Steely Dander]

Make Pearson our Capt now.

All the others, incl Jackson today, lack real leadership qualities.

[GHA]

Gloucester have won every game this season bar one, and that was a two point loss to Saracens. We had a line out 5m from their line with minutes to go and lost it.

We managed the sin bin period pretty well.

[Narbia]

Gloucester have won every game this season bar one, and that was a two point loss to Saracens. We had a line out 5m from their line with minutes to go and lost it.

We managed the sin bin period pretty well.

It may be worthwhile to read the Shedweb thread on the game for a bit of perspective.
It's quite funny and interesting how some of them have come out with the mirror image of how I saw things transpire.

It was a decent game providing entertainment for over 9000 people on a supposedly rotten weather Friday night. It was chokker under the Northstand tonight. Glaws must've some huge away support base.

Terrific game of rugby even though we didn't get the rub of the Carley green in my own confirmation-biased opinion.

[GHA]

Bit odd to see Rona outside the stadium after the game, if he's still here can't he pull on his boots until he goes?

[GHA]

42nd minute, first phase move off the line out inside our half releases OHC, the ball back inside and White would've been under the posts turning a 6 point lead into a 13 point one

[shimmieandshake]

Regardless of Carley's frustrating performance, so much of this was self-inflicted. Our drift towards an aimless kicking game was painful in the 2nd half. Around the 60th minute, first phase lineout ball on halfway was being booted to Evans/Carreras, in field, way too far for our back three to challenge. Why? Who knows. We looked good ball in hand, then resort to these borderline baffling tactics and execute them badly.

It was especially confusing since we were so clearly losing the tactical kicking battle. It's not dissimilar to the amount of times we tried to maul over from 5m attacking lineouts. Mauls are their renowned strength, so why were we playing to it? I'm aware Creevy scored from a lineout in the 2nd minute, but it was always going to be the exception, rather than the rule.

Definite lack of leadership on field, and some pretty questionable tactics - who knows whether that was shaped by the coaches or instinctively by the players.

On the plus side, Pearson and BJVR were titanic. Give them both lengthy contract extensions immediately. Good to see Loader's confidence rising also.

And the reaction to that eternal defensive set before half-time was the liveliest I've seen the stadium this season; such a shame we didn't build on it.

[GHA]

And the reaction to that eternal defensive set before half-time was the liveliest I've seen the stadium this season; such a shame we didn't build on it.

[M_W]

That's one of those games that we could/should have won that really ruins your weekend.

For all the talk about Gloucester's maul (and whilst it did bring them some success), their tactical kicking was the difference. It was so much better than ours.

I'm not in the full on anti PJ brigade, but I do sometimes wonder what would happen if we were to give Jennings or Atkins a run with a first choice team. It's a hunch, but I think Atkins could do a job these days. I've been quietly impressed by some of his Prem Cup performances and as a bloke that's played a fair bit at full back, he'd put another carrying threat in that backline.

[Narbia]

Just rewatched it in the cold light of day, and yep the tactical kicking was just giving the ball away again repeatedly. I would guess they were instructed to keep the ball infield, because I don't believe we attempted a 50/22.

Why would you do that unless you were under extended pressure and you had no other option but to relieve it that way?

PJ isn't doing a bad job, but the whole thing is reminiscent of Irish 15 years ago. Time for something different, shake it up a little, otherwise it's all going to be too easy for Quins next week.

[Florida]

Tactical kicking isn't PJs job alone, the 9 and back 3 should all be capable (centres too really), but its something we've failed at for years.

When your kicking game is as poor as ours you need a defensive unit that can soak up the pressure and force the opposition into mistakes, we don't have that.

There's a lot of talk on the other board about needing Diamond and various Wasp players, I'd be more inclined to bring John Mitchell in and give him our forwards to work with

[Narbia]

Tactical kicking isn't PJs job alone, the 9 and back 3 should all be capable (centres too really), but its something we've failed at for years.

Yep, I meant all the half backs, but didn't write it.

A good example is Hastings of yesterday. In his GW days he did the play making and spot kicking. He has a cannon boot on him, but that is a trained trait in Scotland. Duncan Weir has got it and obviously Stuart Hogg. Weir incidentally the first to do what Hastings did yesterday.

Again at GW right now, everyone but the 10 takes kicking from the tee. Usually the #9, sometimes the 12 or even a winger. Hardly new in France either.

Which goes to show that a number of players are confident in their precision kicking.

If anything a.t.m we are too reliant on Paddy.(He's defensively the best #10 I've seen in an LI jersey.)

What I don't get is : we already have tons of coaches. This to me is a readily learned skill if you have the raw talent, but it seems as they choose not to emphasise it with us.

John Mitchell - the former England coach, presumably lately of Wasps? Do we really need another coach?

I've just had a flashback to a Wasps game 10+ years ago , during watching the game rerun. Our then fly-half kicked the ball to the Wasps back-field cover, the #8 as it happens. The Wasps guy didn't even have to move before catching the ball, and then ran upfield at full pelt.
This was then repeated exactly 3 more times in succession.

I've never played rugby, but why would you continually make the same mistake when you're decent with ball in hand? Perhaps you're dog tired?

Anyway, the point in this rant is that next week we have Quins(A). They really like to run from deep as well. Why would we gift possession to such an outfit? They'd probably punish us for it.
Greatly.

[Florida]

Again at GW right now, everyone but the 10 takes kicking from the tee. Usually the #9, sometimes the 12 or even a winger. Hardly new in France either.

Which goes to show that a number of players are confident in their precision kicking.

Interestingly when Paddy goes off Englefield takes over kicking duties, as did Meehan before him. So it's obviously something they practice.

John Mitchell - the former England coach, presumably lately of Wasps? Do we really need another coach?

If he's an upgrade on the current, then yes. I don't think Davis is doing a bad job on the defense, but I do think Van Zyl is the weakest link in the group.

[SimonG]

Well, Craig Doyle doesn't think the weather will affect the game, not sure I'd agree with him, but he probably does know a bit more than I do.

You don't get to do all those double glazing ads without learning a bit about weather conditions!

[GC89]

Well that was frustrating. A game we really could have won, but we lost the kicking battle and really struggled to defend the maul. On the positive side, Pearson and van Rensburg were class again - we must hang onto both of them. On the negative side, I worried before the season that Phipps would be a bigger loss than we thought and right now I think that is proving correct. White is a good player, but I don't think he is in great form and is certainly lacking some control at the moment.

As for Jackson, I think someone on the Craic summed it up very nicely. He isn't a world class 10, but he is better than almost any other player I can remember wearing that shirt in recent times. His form has dipped a bit, but it is clear that he is a player that others look up to and for all of their good form in the Prem Cup, I just can't imagine Atkins or Jennings doing as good a job. Having said that, the argument for continuing to ignore at least having them on the bench grows weaker with each week...