Premiership Cup 2023/24

[Mellsblue]

I dread to think what the boxes at Bath are like. The only sports ground in the world where a bottle of champagne is more expensive than the building it’s served in.

[FKAS]

Sale 0-3 Tigers at half time. Sounds like a cure for insomnia.

[Which Tyler]

I dread to think what the boxes at Bath are like.

[FKAS]

Pollard came off the bench and had a hand in two tries from which Tigers won the game Vs Sale. As Banquo said earlier he might be in France before long.

[p/d]

Pollard came off the bench and had a hand in two tries from which Tigers won the game Vs Sale. As Banquo said earlier he might be in France before long.

At hooker?

[FKAS]

Pollard came off the bench and had a hand in two tries from which Tigers won the game Vs Sale. As Banquo said earlier he might be in France before long.

At hooker?

You joke but they've said Marco van Staden has been training at hooker in case of emergency. Would be a real risk only have two specialists but gaining the first choice 10 back in the side would counter that.

I was expecting some sort of injury, possibly to one of their four scrum halfs to occur before the knock out rounds, probably after Pollard has a couple of appearances under his belt at Tigers.

[fivepointer]

Jersey had a good win at Bath. Ran away with it in the 2nd half.

Glos won at Saracens, 29-20.

[Puja]

Pollard came off the bench and had a hand in two tries from which Tigers won the game Vs Sale. As Banquo said earlier he might be in France before long.

At hooker?

You joke but they've said Marco van Staden has been training at hooker in case of emergency. Would be a real risk only have two specialists but gaining the first choice 10 back in the side would counter that.

I was expecting some sort of injury, possibly to one of their four scrum halfs to occur before the knock out rounds, probably after Pollard has a couple of appearances under his belt at Tigers.

They only took two specialist hookers in the first place - they're now down to one specialist hooker, one flanker who used to play hooker and whatever level of competence van Staden is.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

FYL

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[FKAS]

At hooker?

You joke but they've said Marco van Staden has been training at hooker in case of emergency. Would be a real risk only have two specialists but gaining the first choice 10 back in the side would counter that.

I was expecting some sort of injury, possibly to one of their four scrum halfs to occur before the knock out rounds, probably after Pollard has a couple of appearances under his belt at Tigers.

They only took two specialist hookers in the first place - they're now down to one specialist hooker, one flanker who used to play hooker and whatever level of competence van Staden is.

Puja

Yeah well it's not like they are a set piece team or anything...

[Banquo]

FYL

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qed

[FKAS]

Glaws beating Sarries at Sarries with fairly equal looking teams out was a bit of a surprise. 20-29.

Bath getting thumped 10-34 at home Vs Jersey maybe not so much a surprise given the youngsters on show but still not a good result for them.

A young but decent Quins team (some notable names in there) drawing at the Stoop Vs Coventry 21 a piece.

The Championship clubs aren't letting the Prem teams have it all their own way. Hopefully this helps the exposure of the league and this cup format becomes a fixture.

[fivepointer]

Ealing beat Bristol 28-12. Bris a long way from full strength but they put out a decent side and i would have expected more from them.

[Banquo]

Pollard came off the bench and had a hand in two tries from which Tigers won the game Vs Sale. As Banquo said earlier he might be in France before long.

and so it became

[Banquo]

Ealing beat Bristol 28-12. Bris a long way from full strength but they put out a decent side and i would have expected more from them.

Ealing have about 50 full time pros....

[FKAS]

Ealing beat Bristol 28-12. Bris a long way from full strength but they put out a decent side and i would have expected more from them.

Ealing have about 50 full time pros....

If you include development/senior academy or whatever Prem clubs call it then most clubs in the Prem probably have similar numbers. I doubt many Championship clubs do though.

[FKAS]

Pollard came off the bench and had a hand in two tries from which Tigers won the game Vs Sale. As Banquo said earlier he might be in France before long.

and so it became

Most is us suspected it would happen. I'd have assumed he'd come in for one of the 9s or a back in general. It's a gamble bringing him in for a hooker.

[francoisfou]

At last the 2nd tier sides are having the opportunities to show their worth and hopefully persuade the RFU that they’re essential to the wellbeing and future of England rugby and merit much improved financial support. French rugby certainly wouldn’t be in the rude health that we find it today without a strong and competitive ProD2.

[Mellsblue]

The results of the pro Champ teams in comparison to the part timers is pretty illustrative…

[Banquo]

The results of the pro Champ teams in comparison to the part timers is pretty illustrative…

exactly right. Our first two games have been against a fully pro Champ side and a prem team, and the gulf in conditioning is huge, as well as skill levels in the younger players.

What lesson you draw from that is another question.

[Banquo]

Ealing beat Bristol 28-12. Bris a long way from full strength but they put out a decent side and i would have expected more from them.

Ealing have about 50 full time pros....

If you include development/senior academy or whatever Prem clubs call it then most clubs in the Prem probably have similar numbers. I doubt many Championship clubs do though.

I'm not including Ealing dev players btw. Its a massive adult squad.

[fivepointer]

43 players listed in the Ealing senior squad. Plenty of guys with Prem experience. Not too many young players, just seasoned pro's at Champ/Prem level. Cant be cheap to maintain it.

[Banquo]

43 players listed in the Ealing senior squad. Plenty of guys with Prem experience. Not too many young players, just seasoned pro's at Champ/Prem level. Cant be cheap to maintain it.

I thought it was more, though they did shed about 10 in the close season and have several out on loan. Its about 10-12 more than the average full time pros in the pro Champ teams.

[Epaminondas Pules]

First start for Ben Redshaw for Falcons tonight

Newcastle Falcons team v Sale Sharks (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park)

15 Ben Redshaw, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Tom Penny, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Hugh O’Sullivan; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Michael van Vuuren, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Tim Cardall, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 Callum Chick (captain), 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Freddie Lockwood.

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 John Kelly, 20 Josh Bainbridge, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Louie Johnson, 23 Zach Kerr.

Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Connor Doherty, 12 Sam Bedlow, 11 Arron Reed, 10 Tom Curtis (captain), 9 Gus Warr; 1 Ross Harrison, 2 Nathan Langdon, 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Ben Bamber, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 7 Sam Dugdale, 8 Jean-Luc du Preez.

Replacements: 16 Harry Thompson, 17 Tumy Onasanya, 18 James Harper, 19 Alex Groves, 20 Rouban Birch, 21 Nye Thomas, 22 Sam James, 23 Tom Roebuck.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Also of note, Pepper starting and Brantingham and Fletch Jr on the bench.