Prem fixtures announced

[FKAS]

Opening weekend Premiership fixtures
Friday, 9 September (19:45 BST)

Bristol Bears v Bath

Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints

Saturday, 10 September (15:00)

Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers

London Irish v Worcester Warriors

Newcastle Falcons v Harlequins

Sunday, 11 September (15:00)

Gloucester v Wasps

Bristol Vs Bath is a tasty opening game. Chiefs could be a tricky game for Tigers as they are having a reshape over the summer and Chiefs might be slightly unknown. Gloucester Vs Wasps on Sunday should be a try fest if the weather is good.

[Puja]

Full fixtures are here: https://www.premiershiprugby.com/gallag ... s-results/

Leicester got fairly lucky with the bye weeks last year falling very nicely to give players rest for the week after international periods. This year, we've got our first one on the week before the AIs (when the EPS will be meeting up and we'd be losing the widest range of our England players), but we won't have the second one until the penultimate weekend, which isn't great. Could've been worse, could've been better.

Puja

[FKAS]

Week before the AIs works nicely as we'd have been missing all of our England contingent which has grown somewhat and it's unlikely Pollard, Weise or Montoya would have been back long enough to settle in following the SH tournament.

If we go long in Europe again then the penultimate weekend off might allow us the chance to rest up some knocks before the key games. Last year was better but the rest weekends could be worse.

[Gloskarlos]

Hmmm. Bye weeks interpreted in a number of ways - and aside from the obvious benefit of players resting there is always a negative to be spun. For example, in Glos's example - first bye week is the 2nd round, provides a staccato start to our season. Second bye week falls where there should have been a home fixture in the Christmas period where the local economy and club traditionally would have benefitted enormously financially. With a lack of England internationals in our squad it's possibly nearly as bad as it could get (assuming we are not involved in the latter stages of cup coms)

[fivepointer]

Just seen this from Will Kelleher on twitter.

Crunching the numbers on the #PremRugby fixtures this morning.

By my reckoning #England's top players will be available for 11/24 regular-season Prem rounds for their clubs.

They will miss R1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 plus two more weeks, as mandated rest.

The #England tourists must have 10 weeks off after the 3rd Australia Test, so are not available until round three of the season.

So Sarries-Quins in round two will have no Smith, Care, Farrell, Itoje, George, Vunipolas, Isiekwe at the least - maybe Joe Marchant too.

[Scrumhead]

Is there any difference applied to players who had 0 game time?

They mentioned Marchant there, but no reference to Jack Walker who was on tour but didn’t play a single minute. Same goes for Dingwall, Randall, Rodd and a couple of others I can’t think of right now?

[Which Tyler]

There shouldn't be.
They're still there, training, analysing, thinking, fatiguing...

Of course, clubs will use any excuse to use their best players, and players will prefer to be on the pitch than sitting in the stands watching someone else take their spot off then

[Gloskarlos]

Jonny May? covid case - how much did he do? played a grand total of one match last season. You are right Which, clubs will put their own spin on who does what if players haven't featured in games.

[FKAS]

Just because they didn't play doesn't mean they weren't training, ok Dingwall and May probably weren't doing much more than holding tackle bags if they weren't fully fit. Walker though was probably in the live scrum and maul drills. Not exactly restful.

It's a tough balance but yeah the clubs will have them back as soon as they can be. Same with England since when are they fussed about players getting appropriate rest, Steward an obvious case study there.

[Mellsblue]

How much of a energy sapper is training in these enlightened times. Live scrummaging is minimal in this day and age. Even Cockers has come round to that. I’m not saying Walker and the like should roll back in to a standard preseason with the plebs but if there is a crude 10 weeks for Billy, Walker and everyone in between it is pretty ridiculous given how closely training and playing loads are monitored.

[FKAS]

How much of a energy sapper is training in these enlightened times. Live scrummaging is minimal in this day and age. Even Cockers has come round to that. I’m not saying Walker and the like should roll back in to a standard preseason with the plebs but if there is a crude 10 weeks for Billy, Walker and everyone in between it is pretty ridiculous given how closely training and playing loads are monitored.

Eddie's known for pretty brutal training sessions. Dunno if that would have been the case this tour.

[Puja]

Given how much "mandatory time off" meant last season, I fully expect every uninjured of that England squad to be starting for their clubs at least once in those first three games, with the likely exception of Itoje who is confident enough to trade immediate playing time for longevity.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

How much of a energy sapper is training in these enlightened times. Live scrummaging is minimal in this day and age. Even Cockers has come round to that. I’m not saying Walker and the like should roll back in to a standard preseason with the plebs but if there is a crude 10 weeks for Billy, Walker and everyone in between it is pretty ridiculous given how closely training and playing loads are monitored.

Eddie's known for pretty brutal training sessions. Dunno if that would have been the case this tour.

‘On this trip, for example, there has been no training beyond midday with players encouraged to switch off and enjoy themselves rather than constantly being under the thumbs of a stern-faced management.‘

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... ia-decider

[Scrumhead]

How much of a energy sapper is training in these enlightened times. Live scrummaging is minimal in this day and age. Even Cockers has come round to that. I’m not saying Walker and the like should roll back in to a standard preseason with the plebs but if there is a crude 10 weeks for Billy, Walker and everyone in between it is pretty ridiculous given how closely training and playing loads are monitored.

Yep. This is the question I was asking.

I’m 100% happy for players who toured to have a break and I’m not suggesting otherwise. However, to use Quins as an example, it seems a bit illogical for that break to be exactly the same for Walker with 0mins as it is for Smith with 240mins.

[FKAS]

How much of a energy sapper is training in these enlightened times. Live scrummaging is minimal in this day and age. Even Cockers has come round to that. I’m not saying Walker and the like should roll back in to a standard preseason with the plebs but if there is a crude 10 weeks for Billy, Walker and everyone in between it is pretty ridiculous given how closely training and playing loads are monitored.

Eddie's known for pretty brutal training sessions. Dunno if that would have been the case this tour.

‘On this trip, for example, there has been no training beyond midday with players encouraged to switch off and enjoy themselves rather than constantly being under the thumbs of a stern-faced management.‘

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... ia-decider

Thanks for that. Good to see they are moving with the times.

I suspect the players will want to go on holiday following the tour to unwind. Burns in a recent interview said it's normally four weeks off. Then in what condition they rock up to pre season in will determine how long they need from there. Four weeks down time and six weeks pre season (even if that's two weeks of actual season for the rest of the club) would set them up. If training hasn't been too arduous and no minutes played I can see some clubs looking to get key players back quicker. Walker, Randall, May, Dingwall for instance.