User avatar
By MattM
#4176
It's interesting trying to guess the team for Saturday. It seems most are agreed we should go as strong as possible but there are plenty of injury questions.

I'd be tempted by something along the lines of.

Hobba-Awoyemi
Fainga'a
Hoskins
Botha
Van der Merwe
Nott
Cowan
Rogerson
Steele
Jackson
Loader
Hepetema
Rona
Williams
Parton

McMillan, Chawatama, Cilliers, Maddison, Curtis-Harris,???, Brophy-Clews, Macken

Plenty of options in the back row and it will be interesting to see what blend we have on the bench.
By Margin_Walker
#4202
Yeah, that would be the 15 I went with as well. Clearly more scope for conversation on the bench and I have no idea what the pecking order is at loosehead.

Curtis-Harris definitely sounded like he put his name in the frame at the weekend.
User avatar
By Stevie J
#4210
Thekeg wrote:
Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:47 pm
When do Phipps and Naholo arrive for you?
December, I believe. A lot of our new signings are all coming once their post RWC contracts expire (even if they are not picked).

So that's Kepu, Dell, Coleman, Mafi, O'Brien, Phipps and Naholo still all to come.
By Thekeg
#4213
Stevie J wrote:
Wed Oct 09, 2019 3:10 pm
Thekeg wrote:
Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:47 pm
When do Phipps and Naholo arrive for you?
December, I believe. A lot of our new signings are all coming once their post RWC contracts expire (even if they are not picked).

So that's Kepu, Dell, Coleman, Mafi, O'Brien, Phipps and Naholo still all to come.
Ta
User avatar
By Paul_D
#4300
Team's up!!

15. Tom Parton, 14. Tom Fowlie , 13. Curtis Rona, 12. Theo Brophy Clews, 11. Ben Loader, 10. Paddy Jackson, 9. Scott Steele, 1. Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, 2. Saia Fainga’a, 3. Oliver Hoskins; 4. Barney Maddison, 5. Franco van der Merwe ©, 6. Matt Rogerson, 7. Max Northcote-Green, 8. Isaac Curtis-Harris.

16. Ben Atkins, 17. Harry Elrington, 18. Lovejoy Chawatama, 19. Ruan Botha, 20. George Nott, 21. Ben Meehan, 22. Stephen Myler, 23. Matt Williams
User avatar
By Paul_D
#4301
Scary looking Sale team :yikes: , including a welcome back to Marland and Bryn!

15. Simon Hammersley, 14. Chris Ashton, 13. Sam James, 12. Luke James, 11. Denny Solomona, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Will Cliff, 1. Coenie Oosthuizen, 2. Rob Webber, 3. Jake Cooper Woolley, 4. Josh Beaumont, 5. Jean-Luc du Preez, 6. Jono Ross (C), 7. Ben Curry, 8. Daniel du Preez

Replacements:16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Ross Harrison,18. Will-Griff John, 19. James Phillips, 20. Bryn Evans, 21. Embrose Papier, 22. Cameron Redpath, 23. Marland Yarde
Last edited by Paul_D on Fri Oct 11, 2019 12:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By Thekeg
#4302
Paul_D wrote:
Fri Oct 11, 2019 12:11 pm
Team's up!!

15. Tom Parton, 14. Tom Fowlie , 13. Curtis Rona, 12. Theo Brophy Clews, 11. Ben Loader, 10. Paddy Jackson, 9. Scott Steele, 1. Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, 2. Saia Fainga’a, 3. Oliver Hoskins; 4. Barney Maddison, 5. Franco van der Merwe ©, 6. Matt Rogerson, 7. Max Northcote-Green, 8. Isaac Curtis-Harris.

16. Ben Atkins, 17. Harry Elrington, 18. Lovejoy Chawatama, 19. Ruan Botha, 20. George Nott, 21. Ben Meehan, 22. Stephen Myler, 23. Matt Williams
So is this something close to your likely 23 next week. The sale team is v close, I’d anticipate only 3/4 changes for Gloucester
By Margin_Walker
#4314
Really good to see Meehan back on the bench.

Nice to see Fowlie getting an opportunity in these games too. Despite being out of favour last season, he could easily get some early season prem game time here with us being light on experienced wings.

Needless to say, I think we are going to get beaten in this one...
By Margin_Walker
#4362
Three losses on the bounce leading into the season doesn't look great, but that was a pretty strong result given the lineups fielded today. We've managed to stay competitive throughout the cup campaign (Worcester put out pretty much their strongest team and got thrashed today by Wasps)

Just need to find a way to pick up some early season points. Can't wait until the reinforcements arrive as it's so hard to catch up in this league.
By Ecksile
#4363
Yes, feel surprisingly buoyed by the way we played today, when I saw the Sale line up I thought we may have been in for a thrashing.

Defence was immeasurably better than earlier.

Would still like to see us close out games though................
User avatar
By Narbia
#4366
Followed this on Twatter.

Got to say I expected a drubbing from that Sale line up.

Good to also see Fowlie got stuck into it, after having been kept in the shadows for too long.

Hopefully I'm back in England for the next Sale game.
By Margin_Walker
#4430
Highlights up.



Ashton's tries both look a touch dodgy there. 'Flat' pass made the break on the first and seemed to shunt Parton out the way to make the try on the second
User avatar
By Stevie J
#4444
Yeah, oddly given the strength of both teams, it was weird to walk away thinking we could have, should have won that.

First half after we scored Sale had plenty of ball and we had to defend a lot but we were largely up to the task. One notable tackle by Fowlie stood out. One thing that also stood out, but not as positively, was Loader getting pinged for 2 silly mistakes (foot in the ruck, side entry at a maul). But our attack was a bit flat, too many one out isolated runners running into a brick wall.

However start of the second half we really improved, getting the ball into the Sale 22 and forcing them into some errors which lead to the 2 tries. Watching the highlights back Jackson did well to step inside, take out enough defenders to give Loader the try. Sadly a few miscues with lineouts in their half let them off the hook and back into the game.

Agreed on Ashton's tries. Would have been good to have the TMO around to check these but ultimately can not have too many complaints given the strength of their team versus ours.
By AndaleManito
#4449
Hi all,

Sale fan in peace :)

I was at the game on Saturday and though Irish looked quite good, the reason you lost was not because of being an inferior team, but because of small mistakes (line-out miss throws, infringements at the ruck) - those things are coachable and I'm sure will improve. I agree also that Ashton's second try was a bit suspect, perhaps we got a way with that one.

Whilst that wasn't Sales starting XV, it was still pretty close to what I expect we will put out for Gloucester this weekend, and you made us look pretty average to be honest. Irish certainly looked to have the more cohesive attack, especially down the blindside with Loader.

I have to say I think Jackson will stand you in good stead, he is a top level fly half and takes the ball well to the game line, and has a strong kicking game.

As I say, the mistakes made are coachable, and I'm pretty certain had you gathered that Line out in the last play you would have scored for the draw. I would be quietly confident if I was an Irish fan, looks like you got a proper team who will play well for each other, though I suppose it all comes down to squad depth and injuries.

Good luck for this season and I look forward to the game in a few weeks!
MattM liked this
User avatar
By Stevie J
#4484
AndaleManito - I think that's more than fair. Certainly small errors, like at the line out are correctable and had we made a couple more stick I think the outcome may have been a draw or LI win.

Practice is over. Time for the real thing at the Ricoh...!
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