Gloucester vs Northampton - Saturday 5.30pm

[Puja]

Gloucester: Evans; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, May; Carreras, Varney; Rapava-Ruskin, Singleton, Balmain; Clarke, Alemanno; Ackermann, Ludlow (c), Morgan.

Replacements: Socino, Elrington, Knight, Jordan, Polledri, Twelvetrees, Hearle.


Saints: Furbank; Ramm, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Freeman; Smith, Mitchell; Waller, Matavesi, Hill; Salakaia-Loto, Moon; Coles, Ludlam (c), Augustus.

Replacements: Smith, Iyogun, Petch, Ribbans, Scott-Young, Graham, James, Proctor.

[Banquo]

Should be a cracker- interesting Ribbans on bench and the return of Polledri. Saints backline looks good, 6:2 interesting.

[Adam_P]

Moon has been going well this season, so it would be a bit harsh to dump him to get Ribbans straight back in - good as he is. Read an interview with Moon this week saying he was frustrated with his stagnation the last couple of seasons, and has dropped about a stone off for this season and it seems to have done the job because he's been better than I remember previously.

Good to see Ramm get a prem start. Thought we'd be seeing a fair bit more of him when we signed him. Had a cracking game against Barbarians last week, very strong runner.

Looking forward to seeing which team wants to throw away their lead more, and for how many times the comms get Ludlam/Ludlow wrong.

[Banquo]

Moon has been going well this season, so it would be a bit harsh to dump him to get Ribbans straight back in - good as he is. Read an interview with Moon this week saying he was frustrated with his stagnation the last couple of seasons, and has dropped about a stone off for this season and it seems to have done the job because he's been better than I remember previously.

Good to see Ramm get a prem start. Thought we'd be seeing a fair bit more of him when we signed him. Had a cracking game against Barbarians last week, very strong runner.

Looking forward to seeing which team wants to throw away their lead more, and for how many times the comms get Ludlam/Ludlow wrong.

I think Ribbans is benched because he can't manage more than an hour - bad back.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Great to see Seb Atkinson starting! Proper talent! Great test for him against Hutch and Dingwall!

[FKAS]

Great to see Seb Atkinson starting! Proper talent! Great test for him against Hutch and Dingwall!

He's having a good game to. When I saw the team sheet it didn't click that it was Seb and not Mark.

Seems defence is a bit optional in this game.

[Mr Mwenda]

Yes, you'd think someone would be keeping an eye on Carrera by now

[FKAS]

Rapava Ruskin putting in the kind of, "how dare you not pick me for the Bok game" performance many Mako doubters are likely to highlight.

Seb Atkinson holding up Ludlum with the game already won was good commitment.

Saints scrum has crumbled again. Not sure what Ferguson does as scrum coach but it doesn't appear to be trying to build a powerful scrum.

[Banquo]

Rapava Ruskin putting in the kind of, "how dare you not pick me for the Bok game" performance many Mako doubters are likely to highlight.

Seb Atkinson holding up Ludlum with the game already won was good commitment.

Saints scrum has crumbled again. Not sure what Ferguson does as scrum coach but it doesn't appear to be trying to build a powerful scrum.

VRR wasnt available iirc… plus it’s not intl rugby, he wasn’t against Malherbe but as you say, Saints

[FKAS]

Rapava Ruskin putting in the kind of, "how dare you not pick me for the Bok game" performance many Mako doubters are likely to highlight.

Seb Atkinson holding up Ludlum with the game already won was good commitment.

Saints scrum has crumbled again. Not sure what Ferguson does as scrum coach but it doesn't appear to be trying to build a powerful scrum.

VRR wasnt available iirc… plus it’s not intl rugby, he wasn’t against Malherbe but as you say, Saints

Ah ok if he wasn't available that's different. I thought he was brought into the training squad and then sent back to Glaws for Rodd to be the Mako injury cover.

You can only play what's in front of you and giving a dominant display at the scrum, turning balls over at the breakdown, big carries and then an outrageous offload. Can't ask for much more.

[Gloskarlos]

Better start for Glos, needed to stem the tide. Not a single try through maul either. Better, finally.

[Banquo]

Rapava Ruskin putting in the kind of, "how dare you not pick me for the Bok game" performance many Mako doubters are likely to highlight.

Seb Atkinson holding up Ludlum with the game already won was good commitment.

Saints scrum has crumbled again. Not sure what Ferguson does as scrum coach but it doesn't appear to be trying to build a powerful scrum.

VRR wasnt available iirc… plus it’s not intl rugby, he wasn’t against Malherbe but as you say, Saints

Ah ok if he wasn't available that's different. I thought he was brought into the training squad and then sent back to Glaws for Rodd to be the Mako injury cover.

You can only play what's in front of you and giving a dominant display at the scrum, turning balls over at the breakdown, big carries and then an outrageous offload. Can't ask for much more.

Yeah but no but. We do have a problem in that the prem isn’t a good guide to intl rugby…but bar Europe it’s all we have.

[Spiffy]

VRR wasnt available iirc… plus it’s not intl rugby, he wasn’t against Malherbe but as you say, Saints

Ah ok if he wasn't available that's different. I thought he was brought into the training squad and then sent back to Glaws for Rodd to be the Mako injury cover.

You can only play what's in front of you and giving a dominant display at the scrum, turning balls over at the breakdown, big carries and then an outrageous offload. Can't ask for much more.

Yeah but no but. We do have a problem in that the prem isn’t a good guide to intl rugby…but bar Europe it’s all we have.

That applies to any rugby playing nation. Basically, the only regular guide to form is how players are performing compared with their counterparts in weekly domestic league games. If someone has a run of good form and is playing better than anyone else in that position, it would be fair to give him serious consideration for international selection. Likewise, if an established international is playing like a drain, it would be fair to think of dropping him from the international squad.
Unfortunately coaches seem to establish a roster of favourite players who will never be dropped, no matter what; and those who will never be given a chance, no matter how good their form.
I do realize that the international squad can't be changed from week to week for the sake of continuity, planning, tactics etc; and also that those who have a record of playing well should not be dumped after an isolated poor performance or two. But good or bad form should probably factor a bit more in selection than it currently does. Otherwise we would see players like Mako, Youngs, Nowell, Hill, Farrell, Billy eased out and others like Willis, Ted Hill, Lawrence, Joseph jr., Murley, Radwan eased in.

[Banquo]

….sort of, though the SH esp has a very different tier below intl rugby.
All of the above have been selected into the broader squad and most made it into the match day squad at some point, based on form. Billy and Mako were both dropped for a fair while and reselected on club form. You also have the likes of Coles, JVP who have been rewarded on club form, so definitely a mixed picture; Eddie does a lot of watching…fair to say that perhaps we don’t quite gel with what he sees quite a bit

[fivepointer]

Val R-R was excellent. Frankly he's been this good for a number of seasons.
Elsewhere I thought Atkinson looked very assured. Saints played some attractive stuff only for ill discipline, malfunctioning set piece and poor defence to undermine them. They frustrate the hell out of me and i daresay their supporters feel it even more.

[p/d]

Ah ok if he wasn't available that's different. I thought he was brought into the training squad and then sent back to Glaws for Rodd to be the Mako injury cover.

You can only play what's in front of you and giving a dominant display at the scrum, turning balls over at the breakdown, big carries and then an outrageous offload. Can't ask for much more.

Yeah but no but. We do have a problem in that the prem isn’t a good guide to intl rugby…but bar Europe it’s all we have.

That applies to any rugby playing nation. Basically, the only regular guide to form is how players are performing compared with their counterparts in weekly domestic league games. If someone has a run of good form and is playing better than anyone else in that position, it would be fair to give him serious consideration for international selection.

Exactly Spiffy.

[Banquo]

Val R-R was excellent. Frankly he's been this good for a number of seasons.
Elsewhere I thought Atkinson looked very assured. Saints played some attractive stuff only for ill discipline, malfunctioning set piece and poor defence to undermine them. They frustrate the hell out of me and i daresay their supporters feel it even more.

Atkinson always looks good for glaws

[Banquo]

Yeah but no but. We do have a problem in that the prem isn’t a good guide to intl rugby…but bar Europe it’s all we have.

That applies to any rugby playing nation. Basically, the only regular guide to form is how players are performing compared with their counterparts in weekly domestic league games. If someone has a run of good form and is playing better than anyone else in that position, it would be fair to give him serious consideration for international selection.

Exactly Spiffy.

And it generally happens. Often to disappointment when suddenly it dawns on the lobbyist for the latest messiah that they ain’t all that.

[FKAS]

Val R-R was excellent. Frankly he's been this good for a number of seasons.
Elsewhere I thought Atkinson looked very assured. Saints played some attractive stuff only for ill discipline, malfunctioning set piece and poor defence to undermine them. They frustrate the hell out of me and i daresay their supporters feel it even more.

Atkinson always looks good for glaws

I presume you're thinking Mark Atkinson whereas last night was the Prem debut for Seb Atkinson at Glaws. I'm sure he'll be a fan favourite just like Mark if he keeps playing the way he did yesterday.

[Banquo]

Val R-R was excellent. Frankly he's been this good for a number of seasons.
Elsewhere I thought Atkinson looked very assured. Saints played some attractive stuff only for ill discipline, malfunctioning set piece and poor defence to undermine them. They frustrate the hell out of me and i daresay their supporters feel it even more.

Atkinson always looks good for glaws

I presume you're thinking Mark Atkinson whereas last night was the Prem debut for Seb Atkinson at Glaws. I'm sure he'll be a fan favourite just like Mark if he keeps playing the way he did yesterday.

I don’t know my Harris from my Atkinson obvs

Mark is crocked, forgot that.

[FKAS]

Atkinson always looks good for glaws

I presume you're thinking Mark Atkinson whereas last night was the Prem debut for Seb Atkinson at Glaws. I'm sure he'll be a fan favourite just like Mark if he keeps playing the way he did yesterday.

I don’t know my Harris from my Atkinson obvs

Mark is crocked, forgot that.

I presumed Mark was back fit and playing having seen "12. Atkinson" when the teams were announced but it was young Seb putting in a good showing. Glaws need a young centre to come through at 12 so happy times he was available.

[Gloskarlos]

Mark crocked for the rest of the season. Seb was brilliant Saturday. I’d be thankful if he was given the remainder of games at 12, with Giorgi also getting a few, and Billy just coached....