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**dudeabides** · 09-03-2010, 07:58 PM

Round 1...

Newcastle were away to the Sale Sharks:

Quote:

Sale head coach Mike Brewer was full of praise for his side following their impressive 35-18 victory over Newcastle at Edgeley Park.

The Sharks turned in a dominant display with fly-half Nick Macleod weighing in with 22 points while there were tries for debutants Karena Wihongi and Tom Brady and a drop goal from Dwayne Peel as the Falcons were comprehensively outgunned. The visitors registered two tries of their own from flanker Brent Wilson, with fly-half Jeremy Manning booting eight points, but it could not mask their inability to deal with their hosts whenever they secured quick attacking ball.

Former New Zealand flanker Brewer, who has previously been involved with the Scotland and Ireland national set-ups, said, "I am really happy with the intensity. We played at a pace that got away from Newcastle, they couldn't stand the pace. We have been training with intensity and pace and I think that won us the game. I was really happy that the guys put on the playing field the stuff we have been doing in training.

"I am a hard taskmaster, I don't flog the players but it is important we train with intensity otherwise you don't have it when you play."

Brewer was however disappointed with his side's set-piece, with several line-outs going astray and the Sharks finding themselves under pressure at scrum-time. "Our set-piece was poor," he said. "We only had a 33% success rate at the line-out and on all but one of our scrums our scrum was fractured. You have got to be happy with 35 points against a Newcastle side that came to play but we know we have lots to work on."

But Brewer did reserve particular praise for Macleod. The former Cardiff Blues man, who has struggled to nail down a regular starting spot in his previous two seasons in the north west, filled the boots of the injured Charlie Hodgson admirably as he and Peel ran the game superbly.

"Nick is a classy player," Brewer continued. "He can play at 10, 12 or at full-back, he even had a little go at nine tonight. We have young guys in Matty James and Rob Miller who have been going okay but there are parts of their game we need to develop. Nick has the experience and poise. Some people were shocked at his selection but he showed how good he is."

Newcastle boss Alan Tait admitted his side had been poor but refused to accept that they had been beaten by a superior side. "I have asked the boys if they thought they were outmuscled or outplayed by better players and they said no.

"Our mistakes cost us, we were sloppy around the breakdown and we need to get some thing cleared up on the laws there as we seemed to get penalised a lot. There is a lot to fix but the boys are confident they can sort things out. Our ball retention was poor and made a couple of bad decisions. We needed a good blow-out and we got it."

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**dudeabides** · 09-05-2010, 03:26 PM

Northampton v Leicester:

Quote:

Northampton handed defending champions Leicester a 27-19 defeat in their opening Aviva Premiership clash at Franklin's Gardens on Sunday.

Two first half tries from prop Soane Tonga'uiha and a further score from his front-row colleague Brian Mujati carried last season's semi-finalists to a deserved victory over their East Midlands rivals but they had to withstand a late comeback from the Tigers, with wing Scott Hamilton crossing for a brace to add to a first half try for Alesana Tuilagi.

Northampton fly-half Stephen Myler suffered a forgettable day with the boot - missing several first half opportunities before he was replaced by Shane Geraghty. The former England pivot gave the hosts an added edge. Leicester's poor start to the campaign was compounded by an injury to their first-choice No.10 Toby Flood, who was forced out of the game in the first half.

Northampton produced all the early attacking endeavour and a great forward drive took them deep inside the Leicester 22 with just two minutes on the clock. The ball was recycled as the visitors scrambled in defence but they could not prevent Tonga'uiha forcing his way over from close range. Hush fell over an otherwise vociferous Franklin's Gardens crowd as Myler stroked over the conversion.

And the hosts hammered home their dominance with their second try just two minutes later, with Tonga'uiha again the beneficiary of some clinical build-up play. The Tongan had winger Chris Ashton to thank for creating the opportunity after the England flyer cut a great line through the Tigers' defence and into the 22 before off-loading to his team-mate for a simple score.

Leicester showed their class by battling their way back into the contest and some slick handling by Hipkiss created an opening for Hamilton out wide but the Kiwi was denied by Saints centre Jon Clarke. His efforts were matched by his pack at the following scrum with Saints eventually conjuring the turnover to clear the ball.

The Tigers were soon pressing again with Flood skipping through the Saints' defence and drawing two defenders before off loading to Tuilagi - but the Samoan was guilty of backing himself in the tackle rather than off loading to captain Geordan Murphy. Further pressure drew a penalty but Flood could not find the target.

Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson tried to put some pace on the ball soon after but was denied by the Tigers' Craig Newby, who was penalised for doing so, but Myler could not punish Leicester further. A superb claim from Foden gave the hosts great field position midway through the half and Flood was the next to feel the wrath of referee Dave Pearson as the Saints turned the screw. Myler's opposite number's indiscretion enabled him to stretch the Saints' lead from the tee.

But the Tigers delivered a swift and impressive riposte. A great scrum laid the platform with some pace from scrum-half Ben Youngs and some quick hands from Murphy creating the opening for Tuilagi who coasted in from the 22 for a try. Flood found his range with the conversion and gave the Tigers' travelling support reason to cheer.

Northampton refused to dwell on the setback with a kick ahead from Dickson putting Ashton away down the touchline and although Murphy was there to tidy up, he was hit hard by the flying winger whose tackle was rewarded with a penalty. Myler couldn't get his angles right with his latest shot at goal and his kicking woes continued moments later when the Tigers were again forced into an error.

Luckily Myler's team-mates were happy to continue to create opportunities for their troubled No.10 with their pressure drawing yet another penalty from the Tigers. But there were more groans from the home crowd as yet another chance sailed wide with Myler struggling for any kind of rhythm.

An injury forced Flood from the game before the break, to be replaced by Jeremy Staunton, who was woefully wide with a drop goal attempt with the last act of the half.

Staunton's own kicking concerns were evident following the re-start with another effort sailing wide of the posts. He was granted another chance following a Saints infringement - this time at the lineout which warranted a final warning from the referee - but again there was no need to trouble the scorers. Myler retained the faith of his captain Dylan Hartley when the next opportunity arose but it was a familiar story for the beleaguered fly-half. Northampton then attempted to inject some pace into proceedings but good ball was wasted as Myler made a hash of a drop goal attempt.

Myler eventually made way for Shane Geraghty who was involved in the game-defining score. His dancing feet stretched the Tigers' defence in midfield and he fed flanker Phil Dowson who stepped in from the wing before finding Mujati superbly for a well-worked score in the corner. Geraghty underlined his credentials by nailing the conversion with arguably the most difficult kick of the afternoon and added a penalty moments later as Leicester hooker George Chuter trudged off to the sin-bin.

Leicester stepped up their work-rate in his absence and drew another penalty, which saw Hartley join his opposite number in the sin-bin, and there was further reward when Hamilton scurried over in the corner for a try after some more great hands from Murphy.

Staunton slotted the difficult conversion to offer hope of a comeback and Murphy and Hamilton combined again just a minute or so later for a try in the opposite corner. The conversion from Staunton went wide before the Saints sparked back into life and threatened to snatch a rare bonus point try against their fierce rivals. But they were eventually denied, as were the Tigers, who were left empty-handed.

Leeds v Bath:

Quote:

Bath head coach Steve Meehan praised his players' attitude following the 32-16 bonus-point victory at Aviva Premiership rivals Leeds but immediately demanded a big improvement next time out.

Meehan's men rarely hit the heights expected of them this season but still took their chances in clinical fashion and were certainly too good for their hosts. Fullback Nick Abendanon touched down in the first half before Sam Vesty, Matt Carraro and captain Luke Watson added further scores after the break to secure the maximum five-point haul.

"Yes, we got give points away from home but the performance is something that we need to improve on," said Meehan. "Our set-piece must get better but when your work ethic is high and you're determined to perform, you've still got a chance of winning. From an attitude point of view we were very happy."

Meehan also paid tribute to Matt Banahan after his impressive performance in the centres alongside Shontayne Hape. The 23-year-old wing switched positions after Olly Barkley withdrew through injury before kick-off. Banahan's powerful running and silky handling underpinned Bath's victory in Barkley's absence and left Meehan signing his praises.

"Matt is a big powerful player and I think he's going to develop into an outside centre," added Meehan. "He's got great technique and a great offloading game. We saw that today and he's quite happy to make some outrageous passes and they tend to come off.

"He did well defensively too and I thought he and Shontayne established a good partnership. I see Matt playing there quite a bit this season."

Meehan added that Barkley was nursing a thumb injury and will be fit for action next week.

Leeds were outclassed but at least had the consolation of a bonus point from England hooker Steve Thompson on his debut. Director of rugby Andy Key urged his side to cut out their errors and admitted Bath showed their class with three second-half tries.

Key - who lost fly-half Ceiron Thomas to a shoulder injury in the second half - said: "We felt very strong at half-time and the chat in the changing room was very positive. We were disappointed in the first half that we made so many chances but turned the ball over too easily.

"That was really the crux of it and in the second half a different Bath side came out. We knew that would happen because they are past masters at turning games around. We knew that we would have to be stronger and we weren't. We cannot go on making those mistakes that we did today.

"Our defence has worked for us favourably in the past. We'll look at what happened today as teething problems and we'll fix them. It's the first game of the season and there are no worries from our side, but we cannot keep giving away tries like that."

**dudeabides** · 09-05-2010, 03:27 PM

Exeter v Gloucester:

Quote:

Exeter Chiefs announced their arrival in the Aviva Premiership with a stirring 22-10 victory over Gloucester at Sandy Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Chiefs enjoyed a dream start to life in the top flight, with Mark Foster touching down after just five minutes of play. Gloucester posted a swift reply through James Simpson-Daniel but the boot of Gareth Steenson helped the home side into a 16-5 lead at the break.

Tim Taylor reduced the visitors' deficit when he crossed 14 minutes into the second half but Steenson landed another penalty towards the end of the third quarter before slotting over a drop goal with just over 12 minutes remaining to put the seal on a memorable opening day for the home side.

Steenson had effectively proven the difference between the two sides because while he landed every single kick which came his way, his opposite number Nicky Robinson did not manage to convert one. Taylor's early try was, of course, also crucial.

A badly sliced clearance kick from Mike Tindall gave the Chiefs possession, allowing them to build up a period of pressure. On entering the Gloucester 22, the home side skilfully moved the ball wide to create an easy try on the overlap for Foster, which Steenson promptley converted.

Gloucester hit back with a try of their own after 12 minutes. Tindall made amends for his earlier error with a trademark powerful run, brushing aside a few defenders and taking his side to underneath the home posts. From the resulting scrum, Luke Narraway and David Lewis combined well to give Simpson-Daniel his chance to score in the corner.

Exeter's Phil Dolman under pressure from Gloucester's Mike Tindall, Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester, Aviva Premiership, Sandy Park, Exeter, September 4, 2010
Exeter's Phil Dolman gets rid of the ball under pressure from Gloucester's Mike Tindall © Getty Images
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Four minutes later, Exeter extended their lead when Steenson expertly fired over a 40-metre angled penalty - but that lead should have been wiped out five minutes later. After some brilliant passing - with Simpson-Daniel prominent - Narraway crossed, only for the final pass to be ruled forward.

Gloucester's misfortune continued when a dejected Olly Morgan left the field with another injury - and soon after Robinson shaved the post with a penalty attempt. The Cherry and Whites were made to pay for their errors when they offended at a ruck, Steenson making no mistake with a penalty to give the home side a 13-5 lead with eight minutes of the first half remaining.

Moments later, Robinson was presented with an opportunity to reduce the arrears with a straightforward 40-metre kick - but his attempt hit the post. In contrast, Steenson fired over a superb angled kick just before the interval to give his side a healthy advantage.

Four minutes after the restart, Robinson had another penalty chance from 35 yards - but a fourth miss had the outside half shaking his head in disbelief. Despite this miss, the visitors continued to dominate proceedings in the second half and one lovely run from centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu nearly brought them a deserved score.

On 54 minutes, the visitors' sustained pressure finally told, with replacement Taylor touching down after more good work from Simpson-Daniel. An utterly dejected Robinson saw his conversion attempt come back off a post.

Two unforced errors from Gloucester then gave Exeter a platform and once again Steenson showed the value of a goalkicker with another successful penalty. The visitors had yet another chance when Lesley Vainikolo was put clear with 20 metres to go - but again a Gloucester pass was ruled forward.

With 12 minutes to go Exeter produced their best attacking phase of the match, culminating in a simple drop goal from Steenson. That left Gloucester with a mountain to climb - and the home side comfortably held on to their advantage.

Link

Wasps v Harlequins:

Quote:

London Wasps and Harlequins battled to a 29-29 draw in the London Double Header at Twickenham on Saturday.

Tries from big summer signing Andy Powell and Tom Varndell and some precision kicking from Mark van Gisbergen put Wasps in control at the break after an electric opening from Quins had brought a try for Nick Easter. But Quins rallied and a second half try from Mike Brown and the boot of Nick Evans conjured a turnaround before Van Gisbergen snatched a share of the spoils in the closing moments.

Quins set the tone of the clash from the kick-off with fast-paced start that brought them immediate reward. Evans carved through the Wasps defence after just two minutes, with veteran lock Simon Shaw the guilty party, before popping a simple scoring pass to Easter who coasted in for the opening try. Evans' conversion cemented their deserved lead but Wasps responded well and were soon on the board themselves courtesy of a penalty from the boot of Van Gisbergen.

Powell made his presence felt in the loose but it was the flair of Riki Flutey rather than brute force that created the next opening, with the fly-half putting centre Dom Waldouck away before play was called back for a forward pass.

There was not let-up in the pace of the game, with Quins dominating proceedings. Wasps' desperate attempts to shackle their rivals gave Evans the chance to stretch his side's lead with a penalty, an opportunity he duly took. Van Gisbergen was not so clinical moments later as Wasps continued to labour.

A crunching tackle from Quins centre George Lowe had the crowd on its feet soon after but he was adjudged off-side. Van Gisbergen atoned for his earlier miss but a penalty at the restart against Rob Webber for obstruction gifted Evans the chance to cancel that score out and edge his side further ahead.

However, Wasps were soon cranking through the gears with Flutey making big gains downfield only to be thwarted by some scrambling defence from Quins. The ball was recycled and Tom Rees wriggled free in the 22 before feeding Powell who celebrated his first game in English rugby's top flight with a try under the posts. Van Gisbergen's conversion levelled the scores with half an hour gone.

Quins' director of rugby Conor O'Shea reflects on the game

And Wasps were celebrating again just five minutes later following their second try - a score which again highlighted the exceptional skills of Flutey. Quins centre Jordan Turner-Hall spilled the ball in midfield before Flutey pounced and raced downfield. The England international did not have the pace to escape Lowe but found Varndell on his shoulder for the try. Van Gisbergen was once again on target with the conversion.

Wasps' joy soon turned to despair with flanker Joe Worsley shown yellow for deliberately killing the ball at a ruck and Evans punished Tony Hanks' side further with the penalty. Quins were hungry for more but were hit by a sweeping counter attack that should have resulted in Wasps' third try. A burst of pace from Van Gisbergen sparked the move and he found Ben Jacobs on a great line but Waldouck could only spill the ball in the Quins 22. But they did have the final say in the half with Van Gisbergen's third penalty giving them a seven-point cushion at the break.

Quins looked to hammer home their numerical advantage following the restart and closed in on Wasps' line only to be frustrated at every turn. Hooker Chris Brooker went closest to scoring following a strong break but was held up having managed to over-complicate the chance. In the end they had to settle for another penalty from the boot of Evans but their own indiscipline proved costly shortly after the with Van Gisbergen landing his fifth penalty.

The tit-for-tat exchange continued with Evans making it six from six before the intensity of the contest began to take its toll. A raft of replacements also helped stripped the game of any momentum while the capacity crowd entertained themselves with the obligatory Mexican wave.

But the game came alive again with Quins rediscovering the quick ball that brought them joy in the first half. Their pack, led by Easter and Will Skinner, made the initial incision with some superb close control before the ball was worked through the hands of Chris Robshaw and Turner-Hall to Brown who had the pace to go over in the corner. The conversion from Evans gave Quins a bit more breathing space.

They went for the kill as the game entered the final ten minutes with Brown picking another great line and bursting into space but the play was called back for another forward pass.

Forced to chase the game, Wasps made big gains through Varndell before Robshaw was penalised for slowing the ball. Van Gisbergen's kick then tied the scores with just over four minutes left. Quins were stung into action and piled forward as the clock ran down but Evans was wayward with a rather hurried drop goal attempt, ensuring that the bragging rights would be shared.

**dudeabides** · 09-05-2010, 03:28 PM

London Irish v Saracens:

Quote:

London Irish got their Aviva Premiership season off to a flying start with a thrilling 33-16 victory over Saracens in the London Double Header at Twickenham on Saturday.

A stirring fightback saw Toby Booth's Exiles overturn a half-time deficit and inflict back-to-back Twickenham defeats on Saracens, who suffered last-minute heartbreak against Leicester in last season's final.

Delon Armitage and Sailosi Tagicakibau both scored in an exhilarating burst just after half-time and victory was secured when a penalty try was awarded for Kevin Barrett's push on Topsy Ojo as the Exiles wing attempted to gather a chip ahead. Ojo then dusted himself off to score the bonus-point try with the final play of the game.

Barrett saw one of four yellow cards, with each one proving to be a turning point. Saracens had forged ahead with tries to South African duo Ernst Joubert and Schalk Brits, with Derick Hougaard chipping in with two penalties after an errant display from the tee by starting fly-half Alex Goode.

The opening 20 minutes of the game remained scoreless thanks to a combination of Ryan Lamb's inaccurate boot and Saracens' fired-up defence. Irish dominated both possession and territory, forcing their white-clad opponents to concede a string of penalties, but despite punching several holes close to the line they were unable to reward their attacking ambition with points.

Lamb shanked his first penalty attempt short and wide before missing a shot to touch and his malaise soon spread to Daniel Bowden, the Exiles' big summer signing. The former Highlanders and Crusaders centre was guilty of slipping off Brad Barritt in a vital midfield tackle, allowing the Saxons centre a glimpse of the line before he was scythed down by the pugnacious Paul Hodgson.

Armitage, so subdued last season, enjoyed a productive start to the game before seeing yellow for a high tackle on Brits as the former Springbok hooker sent Noah Cato scuttling along the touchline. It didn't take Saracens long to make their numerical advantage tell and Brits played a pivotal role in Joubert's opening score.

Quick ball to the hooker allowed him to free his arms close to the line and with fullback Chris Wyles producing a superb first-time offload Joubert had the easiest of run-ins at the corner. Goode missed the conversion and the Exiles were immediately back within two as Lamb found his range from the tee.

There was a brutal mix of pace and power for Saracens' second try and again it was the South African axis of Brits and Joubert who did the damage. Joubert burst clear from the base of a scrum outside the Irish 22 and after Hodgson had hauled him to the earth a series of drives from the tight-five allowed Brits the space to barrel over, through the tackle of Armitage. Lamb's second penalty was quick to follow and ensured that Irish were within touching distance at the break, Goode having missed his conversion.

The gap was narrowed to a point four minutes after the resumption, but the Exiles had high hopes of a try before Lamb converted his third penalty opportunity. Armitage had carved Saracens apart in midfield to set them on their way and Bowden, showing the playmaking skills which made him such an attractive prospect, spread the play wide with a stunning long pass. Ojo pinned his ears back and was halted just short, where Goode interfered with a Lamb pass to earn 10 minutes in the bin.

London Irish fullback Delon Armitage reflects on his side's win

While their fly-half kicked his heels, Saracens slipped behind for the first time in the game as Armitage bagged a cathartic try, the first in a quick-fire brace for the Exiles. He added the rapier to his pack's broadsword, skipping over out wide off a pass from his brother, Steffon, who also played a major role in Tagicakibau's score seconds later. His pop pass set the increasingly-influential Bowden galloping into space and Lamb gleefully picked out his winger with a perfectly-weighted cross kick after Hodgson had quickly recycled possession.

Brendan Venter shuffled his deck as Goode's sin-bin ended, sending the Saxons playmaker to fullback and bringing on former Bulls' pivot Hougaard at No.10. Hougaard immediately took over the kicking duties and banged over three points in response to Irish's blitz. His next penalty accompanied the game's third yellow card, which was shown to Hodgson after he ended a Barritt break with a cynical knock-on.

Referee Andrew Small's fourth reach for his pocket was aided by the TMO, who was called in to adjudicate when Barrett shoved Ojo across the try-line with the ball inches from his grasp. Barrett trotted from the field and Lamb knocked over the simplest of conversions for the penalty try.

Ojo eventually got his try in the game's dying seconds but it was a Keystone Cops affair as he and Declan Danaher chased a bobbling ball. There was however no sense of embarrassment for the men in green, who were worthy winners against much-fancied opposition.

**dudeabides** · 09-12-2010, 03:34 PM

In Round 2...

Newcastle v Wasps:

Quote:

Fly-half Jimmy Gopperth booted 19 points as Newcastle produced a stirring fightback to beat Wasps 29-17 and give Alan Tait his maiden victory as head coach at Kingston Park.

Things had looked good for the visitors, who earlier on Friday denied a report that on-leave Wales centre Gavin Henson had signed for them, as tries from Tom Varndell and Ben Jacobs, plus seven points from Mark van Gisbergen's boot, had moved them into a 17-3 lead after 27 minutes.

But the game turned on its head when Redford Pennycook and Tim Swinson claimed close-range tries and Gopperth added four penalties and two conversions to an earlier three-pointer - 26 unanswered points seeing the hosts end as comfortable winners.

There had been little sign of what was to come when the home side, so poor in defeat at Sale last week, made a dismal start. Van Gisbergen's penalty attempt drifted wide but Varndell's superb chase saw him beat a lackadaisical trio of Falcons players to dot the ball down before it went dead. Van Gisbergen made no mistake with the conversion for a 7-0 lead after just two minutes.

Dave Walder then fell just short with a long-range fifth-minute penalty before the hosts finally entered the opposition half after 12 minutes when Micky Young, back in the side after being on the bench last week, pounced on loose ball at a Wasps scrum to send Luke Eves and Charlie Amesbury down the left flank with a lovely flick pass.

The Wasps scramble defence infringed and Gopperth, another man returning to the starting XV, stepped up to trim the lead to four points. But the visitors replied with an early contender for try of the season. Richard Haughton's wonderful one-handed pick-up saw him break from his own 10-metre line down the left and link with Varndell. The ball was moved inside to Tom Rees and Simon Shaw, with centre Jacobs applying the finishing touch. Van Gisbergen added the extras.

It took a crunching cover tackle from Newcastle wing Gcobani Bobo to prevent Haughton claiming Wasps' third as the visitors threatened to cut the Falcons apart. Despite that missed chance they increased their stranglehold with a Van Gisbergen penalty on the half-hour mark after Newcastle had collapsed a scrum.

Newcastle No.8 Ally Hogg gets his offload away, Newcastle v Wasps, Aviva Premiership, Kingston Park, Newcastle, England, September 10, 2010
Newcastle No.8 Ally Hogg gets an offload away © Getty Images
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Newcastle needed to respond quickly and they did as Pennycook burrowed over after a series of pick and drives close to the Wasps line to mark his first start for his new club with a try, converted by Gopperth. And the deficit was soon back down to four points when former Blues stand-off Gopperth landed a three-pointer from halfway after Wasps prop Tim Payne turned in at a scrum.

The home side began the second half brightly as Young launched an enterprising counter along with Ally Hogg and Amesbury, but the winger knocked on as the cover drew in. Haughton's woeful pass in front of his own posts kept the hosts in the Wasps 22 and more close-range work helped lock Swinson crash over under the posts. Gopperth added the easy conversion to give Newcastle the lead for the first time in the match at 20-17.

Gopperth doubled the lead shortly after with his third penalty and from being in control at 17-3 up, Wasps were rocking. Poor discipline continued to hamper the visitors and Gopperth added two further penalties to further extend the Newcastle lead and seal the win as the ragged Londoners failed in a late bid to land a losing bonus point.

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Gloucester v Leeds:

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Fly-half Nicky Robinson helped Gloucester claim their first win of the season as they edged out Leeds Carnegie 22-21 at Kingsholm on Saturday afternoon.

However, it was a far from convincing display by the hosts as Leeds led by two points with a minute to go only to give away a penalty which Wales international Robinson, whose kicking was again horribly inconsistent, thumped through the posts.

It was welcome relief for home head coach Bryan Redpath, who said some stern words during the week after his side's shock 22-10 defeat by debutants Exeter at Sandy Park last week. Redpath made five changes from that side, with flanker Brett Deacon, a summer signing from Leicester, starting his first match.

http://www.scrum.com/PICTURES/CMS/13300/13379.jpg

Meanwhile, Leeds made five changes from the side beaten 32-16 at home on the opening Sunday of the season by Bath. One of those changes, though, was not England star Steve Thompson, who started the match on the bench for a second weekend. Instead, ex-England hooker Andy Titterrell occupied the number two berth to play against one of his old clubs.

Gloucester came out of the blocks firing and, in front of England team manager Martin Johnson, wing Lesley Vainikolo set up the first home try with a dash to within 10 metres of the Leeds line before handing the chance to No.8 Luke Narraway.

The Cherry and Whites went even further ahead when Leeds wing Lee Blackett missed a tackle on Scotland prop Alasdair Dickinson on eight minutes, after the front row forward had taken a pass from a ruck on the 22. Dickinson sprinted past the attempted tackles and found his way to the line. And, with Robinson adding the conversions against two penalty kicks from opposite number Christian Lewis-Pratt, it seemed all was back to normal for Gloucester after their awful start to the new season.

However, despite having the superiority in the pack, the Cherry and Whites lost their way as Leeds rallied. The visitors enjoyed good possession in dangerous areas but could not convert until Lewis-Pratt grabbed a neat pass on the left wing to bypass the home cover and crash over.

Gloucester's Lesley Vainikolo finds a gap in Leeds' defence during during the Premiership match, Kingsholm, Gloucester, England, September 11, 2010
Gloucester's Lesley Vainikolo finds a gap in Leeds' defence © Getty Images
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His conversion would have levelled matters but he missed and, on the stroke of half-time, big home centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu delivered a third Gloucester try to put them eight points ahead.

Yet, their Achilles heel flared up again as Leeds fought to make significant inroads into the home half before the hour mark. Twice, as at Exeter, Gloucester spurned chances, the clearest of which saw centre Mike Tindall put fullback Charlie Sharples in at the corner only for the ball to be lost.

Leeds then reduced their arrears with Lewis-Pratt's third penalty and, after their pack thwarted another golden Cherry and Whites chance, they raised their game, with Thompson making his presence felt and flanker Hendre Fourie proving a tower of strength.

Lewis-Pratt hit the post with a 35-metre penalty but centre Luther Burrell followed up, stretched high in the air and thundered over, giving his fly-half a simple conversion and, with it, a 21-19 lead.

Gloucester threw the kitchen sink at Leeds but spurned a couple more chances to grab a fourth - and bonus point - try. But they were rescued by Robinson's boot after the Leeds pack, trying to run the clock down, were penalised for a ruck offence to give Gloucester a one-point win.

Link

**dudeabides** · 09-12-2010, 03:38 PM

Bath v London Irish:

Quote:

Nick Abendanon crossed for a late try as Bath beat rivals London Irish 20-13 in an exhausting contest littered with injuries at the Recreation Ground.

Bath saw four of their star-studded squad - internationals Matt Banahan, Lee Mears, David Flatman and Simon Taylor - make premature exits along with Irish's England flanker Stefon Armitage. And there was an early demise for Irish's Samoan number eight George Stowers, who was sent-off for a high tackle on Bath fullback Abendanon.

Abendanon appeared to be briefly knocked out in the 65th-minute incident before Stowers - who collected a three-week ban for fighting with ex-Gloucester captain Gareth Delve last season - received his marching orders.Bath centre Olly Barkley - a summer discard from England boss Martin Johnson's elite player squad - stayed standing to kick five penalties and give Bath their second successive Premiership win this term.

Barkley, seemingly intent on making a mockery of Johnson's decision in front of his fellow England coaches Brian Smith and John Wells, was also at the heart of Bath's more creative moments, although neither side could break each other down until the closing minutes.

Irish, against the odds, went ahead when their impressive young wing Jonathan Joseph crossed after 78 minutes, and fly-half Ryan Lamb, who kicked two first-half penalties, slotted the conversion to threaten a famous Irish victory.

But Bath responded immediately when scrum-half Michael Claassens kicked expertly into space and Abendanon finished with a flourish before Barkley slotted his fifth penalty with the game's final kick.

Lamb and Barkley exchanged penalties inside the opening five minutes, but the game quickly became a tale of dominant defences as both teams strived for an attacking spark. Banahan made a clean midfield break midway through the first half, almost freeing Bath's England captain Lewis Moody in the process yet it was to be his final contribution as Banahan limped off following a crunching tackle.

And Banahan was soon joined in the casualty department by his fellow England internationals Mears and Armitage, who also failed to last the opening 25 minutes of an encounter played at lightening-fast pace in glorious sunshine. Bath hooker Mears appeared to suffer a wrist problem, while Armitage hobbled gingerly away from the action and it was the home side who continued to control territory even though that was not readily apparent on the scoreboard.

A second Barkley penalty nine minutes before half-time nudged Bath ahead, only for Irish to underline their attacking prowess when full-back Delon Armitage beat several players during a weaving run that stretched the home side's defensive organisation. Bath's response saw substitute Tom Biggs, on for Banahan, sprint towards the left-hand corner yet Irish snuffed out any danger, being partially helped by Abendanon delivering his pass to Biggs too early.

Bath lost a third injured player on the stroke of half-time, Scotland's Taylor being replaced by Andy Beattie, but Barkley continued to hit the target by completing his penalty hat-trick before Lamb reduced the arrears to 9-6 at the break. Bath, after losing Banahan, Mears and Taylor in quick succession, regrouped impressively to keep Irish at a safe distance before Flatman became their fourth injury victim.

Bath's Nick Abendanon lunges for the line during the Aviva Premiership match between Bath and London Irish, the Recreation Ground, Bath, England, September 11, 2010
Nick Abendanon scores a late try for Bath © Getty Images
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Bath unlocked the Irish defence after 51 minutes but scrum-half Claassens's clever reverse pass to Abendanon was ruled forward by referee Dave Pearson and Irish enjoyed a reprieve. They didn't help their case though, when Irish's former Bath back Elvis Seveali'i was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on home fly-half Sam Vesty and Pearson immediately reached for the yellow card.

Barkley immediately punished Irish by stroking over his fourth successful penalty and the 14-man visitors knew they had to keep their shape and composure as Bath pressed to make the game safe. Irish were forced into some frantic defensive work, especially after Stowers' exit yet their numerical disadvantage counted for little when Joseph sprinted in at the corner.

Bath were suddenly in danger of losing a match they had controlled for so long, but Abendanon's late intervention secured the victory and left Irish to head back down the motorway with just a losing bonus point.

Link

**dudeabides** · 09-19-2010, 05:45 PM

Round 3

London Irish v Gloucester:

Quote:

London Irish boss Toby Booth has hailed his side's scrum dominance as the key to their 23-16 Aviva Premiership win over Gloucester at the Madejski Stadium.

The Irish set-piece laid the platform for their second win in three games, with hooker James Buckland and No.8 George Stowers scoring tries in front of their home fans to ensure more woe for Gloucester.

"The facts are the facts, and we dominated the set-pieces from start to finish," he said. "Games in the Premiership are hard to win, and today was based on a fantastic scrum performance. It is a simple game built on good set-piece and forward dominance, and our scrum did the damage."

Gloucester director of rugby Bryan Redpath was critical of his side's discipline after they conceded twice as many penalties as the Exiles, who nevertheless went to sleep at the end in order for Lesley Vainikolo to seal a losing bonus-point for the visitors.

"We conceded 19 penalties to Irish's seven or eight. We cut our own throats," he said."I thought the game was winnable for us from 10-9 behind, and we talked at half-time about the need to be smarter but there were a lot of penalties and free-kicks at scrum time.

"You have got to keep safe with it. Bath had 10 losses on the bounce last season and finished in the top four. There is no point getting all panicky about it - we have to keep working hard."

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**dudeabides** · 09-19-2010, 05:46 PM

Exeter v Newcastle:

Quote:

Newcastle head coach Alan Tait cursed his side for crossing the referee and failing to maintain their discipline as they slumped to a 22-17 defeat to Exeter at Sandy Park on Saturday.

Tait's team outscored Exeter by two tries to one with Charlie Amesbury and Rob Vickerman both touching down for the visitors after a 370-mile journey to Devon from the north east. But the Falcons' inability to avoid the wrath referee Greg Garner cost them as Exeter fly-half Gareth Steenson slotted five penalties to claim the win.

And Tait suggested that his side's failure to adapt to the new directives from referees this season was something they must address as a matter of urgency.

Tait said: "It was our own mistakes in key positions that cost us. We got hammered on the penalty count, 8-1 in the second half, and whilst I'm at a loss as to some of those decisions, I'm not going to use the officials as an excuse.

"Obviously there are bits that we will go through with the refereeing authorities, but that's perfectly normal and it's down to us really to adapt because these penalties are killing us. But fair play to Exeter, they ran with more vigour today and you probably can't argue with them getting the win. It's my first trip here and it seems like a good set-up, they're bringing something new to the Premiership and you have to take your hat off to them."

The result will be a bitter pill to swallow for the Falcons boss after they opened their account for the season with a rousing home win over Wasps last weekend.

Tait said: "It wasn't up to the standards we expect from ourselves. The set piece didn't function as well as it has been, that was the catalyst for Exeter's try which again was just sloppy play. In the end it's cost us the game, and we have a week to turn things round with a big game against London Irish next weekend."

Newcastle's day was made worse with the news that an injury to James Hudson could leave them without their skipper for a significant period. The Falcons lock had to leave the field towards the end of the first half with what Tait reported as a hamstring injury.

"We'll obviously have a proper look at that early in the week, but it looks like he will be out for a bit and that's something we will have to cope with," Tait said. "I'll have to sit down and discuss who comes in to captain the side presuming James isn't fit, but that's something we will look at as we prepare for London Irish."

Exeter assistant coach Ali Hepher praised his side's determination and also signalled the importance of the result to his side's continued development.

"It was important that we battled through it," he said. "It wasn't the slickest of performances but you can see the character of the team coming through at the end. We have been emphasising to the guys all week the mental side of the game. We knew, game wise, we had enough to win the game but it would come down to the attitude of the team.

"I think that we just pulled through it but the guys have just got to get used to that pressure week in, week out. They are great guys, they work so hard, probably the hardest working group of players that I have seen. These guys are going in the right direction and we will learn masses from this game and take it through to next week."

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Leroy7908 · 03-20-2012, 07:57 PM

I am a hard taskmaster, I don't flog the players but it is important we train with intensity otherwise you don't have it when you play.

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