Premiership Cup 2023/24

[Epaminondas Pules]

36 v 7 at half time. Dolly with a hattrick!

[Epaminondas Pules]

Saints side for Bath:

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs BATH RUGBY
Premiership Rugby Cup, Round 4
cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off:3pm

15 George Furbank (c)
14 James Ramm
13 Fraser Dingwall
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Tommy Freeman
10 Fin Smith
9 Tom James

1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Robbie Smith
3 Trevor Davison
4 Alex Coles
5 Chunya Munga
6 Tom Pearson
7 Sam Graham
8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements:
16 Curtis Langdon
17 Ethan Waller
18 Paul Hill
19 Alex Moon
20 Angus Scott-Young
21 Archie McParland
22 Toby Thame
23 Tom Seabrook

[Which Tyler]

Beat me to it

[Puja]

Hopefully Bath will be bringing in a few more of the 1st XV that they have previously, cause otherwise that Saints team is an invitation to a massacre. Only two weeks till the start of the Premiership though, so it's not unfair to be giving people gametime.

On that note, who the fuck thought starting the Premiership on the weekend of the RWC quarter finals was a good idea?! Utterly sells to any investors that this is a competition that doesn't consider itself important and is a second-rate offering. I know organising the season is difficult and there's only a certain number of weekends available, but surely running through three weeks of the 6N would've been a better option than losing the grand opening of the season this way?!

Puja

[Banquo]

Poor old Pirates have a blank weekend now-big dent in their finances.

[jimKRFC]

Bristol side for Donny:
15. Piers O’Conor, 14. Harry Rowson, 13. Joe Jenkins, 12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 11. Jack Bates, 10. Sam Worsley, 9. Kieran Marmion; 1. Andrew Turner, 2. Will Capon, 3. Jay Tyack, 4. Ed Holmes, 5. Joe Owen, 6. Paddy Pearce, 7. George Taylor, 8. Fitz Harding (c).

Subss: 16. Fred Davies, 17. Aristot Benz-Salomon, 18. George Kloska, 19. Charlie Rice, 20. Macenzzie Duncan, 21. Sam Wolstenholme, 22. Harry Ascherl, 23. Deago Bailey.

Donny side not up yet as far as I can tell. POC at full back is an interesting move, has to be more solid than Ibitoye....

[Mellsblue]

POC at full back is an interesting move, has to be more solid than Ibitoye....

That’s the position he played through age grade, iirc, until he moved to centre whilst on loan at Bedford. His first game at centre was vs Rotherham so he’s only 10 miles short of going full circle.

[Banquo]

POC at full back is an interesting move, has to be more solid than Ibitoye....

That’s the position he played through age grade, iirc, until he moved to centre whilst on loan at Bedford. His first game at centre was vs Rotherham so he’s only 10 miles short of going full circle.

getting bad vibes about our trip to Brizzle- we've been battered with injuries, and I reckon they'll stick a first team out

[Which Tyler]

Saints side for Bath:

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs BATH RUGBY
Premiership Rugby Cup, Round 4
cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off:3pm

15 George Furbank (c)
14 James Ramm
13 Fraser Dingwall
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Tommy Freeman
10 Fin Smith
9 Tom James

1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Robbie Smith
3 Trevor Davison
4 Alex Coles
5 Chunya Munga
6 Tom Pearson
7 Sam Graham
8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements:
16 Curtis Langdon
17 Ethan Waller
18 Paul Hill
19 Alex Moon
20 Angus Scott-Young
21 Archie McParland
22 Toby Thame
23 Tom Seabrook

Bath Rugby XV:
15 Matt Gallagher
14 Joe Cokanasiga
13 Max Ojomoh
12 Will Butt
11 Tom de Glanville
10 Orlando Bailey
09 Ben Spencer

1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Thomas du Toit
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Ted Hill
7 Sam Underhill
8 Miles Reid

16 Niall Annett, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 GJ van Velze, 20 Chris Cloete, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Piers Francis, 23 Abdul-Khalik Akenzua Al-Kareem

Neither Bath nor Saints holding back now it's Prem v Prem, and season starts in 2 weeks.

I had to see Barbeary by now.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Tigers:

STARTING XV
15 Mike Brown [8]
14 Josh Bassett [1]
13 Guy Porter [62]
12 Dan Kelly [58]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [2]
10 Charlie Atkinson [19]
9 Joe Powell [2]
1 Francois Van Wyk [33]
2 Charlie Clare [79]
3 Joe Heyes [124]
4 Cameron Henderson [38]
5 Harry Wells [177]
6 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [86]
7 Olly Cracknell [25]
8 Matt Rogerson [1]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Nic Dolly [26]
17 James Whitcombe [38]
18 Will Hurd [26]
19 Mike Williams [82]
20 Kyle Hatherell [3]
21 Tom Whiteley [6]
22 Jamie Shillcock [3]
23 Phil Cokanasiga [8]

[Epaminondas Pules]

Newcastle Falcons team v Leicester Tigers (Saturday, 3pm, Mattioli Woods Welford Road)

15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Tom Penny, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Mark Tampin, 4 Tim Cardall, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Sam Cross, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan, 22 Louie Johnson, 23 Cameron Hutchison.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Sale Sharks Starting XV:

15. Tom O’Flaherty, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Sam James, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez ©, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Nathan Langdon, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Ernst van Rhyn, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. JL du Preez, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Dan du Preez.

Replacements:

16. Harry Thompson, 17. Ross Harrison, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Ben Bamber, 21. Rouban Birch, 22. Raffi Quirke, 23. Tom Curtis.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Saracens Men team to play Harlequins:

1 Tom West

2 Tom Woolstencroft

3 Ollie Hoskins

4 Callum Hunter-Hill

5 Nick Isiekwe

6 Ollie Stonham

7 Toby Knight

8 Tom Willis

9 Aled Davies

10 Manu Vunipola

11 Alex Lewington

12 Olly Hartley

13 Alex Lozowski (c)

14 Rotimi Segun

15 Tom Parton

Replacements:

16 Samson Adejimi

17 Sam Crean

18 Christian Judge

19 Alex Wardell

20 Nathan Michelow

21 Gareth Simpson

22 Francis Moore

23 Tobias Elliott

[Epaminondas Pules]

Harlequins Starting XV:

1. Fix Baxter (25)

2. Sam Riley (31)

3. Will Collier (220)

4. Joe Launchbury (1)

5. Stephan Lewies (Captain - 58)

6. Jack Kenningham (44)

7. Will Evans (64)

8. Alex Dombrandt (114)

9. Will Porter (Debut)

10. Will Edwards (27)

11. Cadan Murley (100)

12. Luke Northmore (58)

13. Will Joseph (1)

14. Louis Lynagh (45)

15. Nick David (32)

Impact Players:

16. Nathan Jibulu (4)

17. Jordan Els (29)

18. Will Hobson (9)

19. George Hammond (44)

20. James Chisholm (131)

21. Lewis Gjaltema (30)

22. Connor Slevin (7)

23. Lennox Anyanwu (14)

[FKAS]

You can certainly tell the Prem starts soon with the strength of these squads. Shame more isn't being televised.

[Mr Mwenda]

Battle of Bedfordshire had an interesting result today!

[Mr Mwenda]

Battle of Bedfordshire had an interesting result today!

My mistake, game not over yet!

[Mr Mwenda]

I clearly jinxed Ampthill there.

[Mellsblue]

It’s not over until Mike Rayer says it’s over.

[FKAS]

Saints Vs Bath looks a game of entertainment if not somewhat nerve shredding for the defence coaches with both sides scoring more than 40 points.

[Which Tyler]

Sounds like a real game of two halves as well.

[FKAS]

Coventry Vs Nottingham sounds like a bit of a comeback for a 33-33 draw. Can't help but feel BT have cocked up a bit not televising some of these.

[Which Tyler]

Bath vs Exeter
Saturday, 2.00

Bath Rugby XV:
15 Tom de Glanville
14 Joe Cokanasiga
13 Max Ojomoh
12 Will Butt
11 Will Muir
10 Piers Francis
09 Louis Schreuder

1 Juan Schoeman
2 Niall Annett
3 Johannes Jonker
4 Ted Hill
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Miles Reid (c)
7 Chris Cloete
8 Alfie Barbeary

Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Fergus Lee-Warner, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Jaco Coetzee

Meanwhile, McConnochie is babysitting the kids up in Edinburgh for a match (against a much stronger looking Embra side), where Sam Harris starts at FH, and Billy Sela is (I think) due to make his debut.
And no, I've no idea why we're still seeing Francis at FH, or why we insist on a 6:2 bench, with the backrow in the 23 shirt!

[Epaminondas Pules]

So good to see Barbeary back. Really hope he can stay fit!

[Puja]

Interesting to see Ted Hill at 4. Is that a general lack of locks (and two games on the same weekend) or has he been training up to move back to lock?

Puja