We are going to be missing 4 regular startes - Marler, Dommers, Smith and Marchant - but we have still got a great core group, plus a load of good options on the bench. And this assumes that Lewies and Louw will still be missing.
1. Santiago Garcia Botta
2. Jack Walker
3. Will Collier
4. Matt Symons
5. Dino Lamb
6. Jack Kenningham
7. Tom Lawday
8. James Chisholm
9. Danny Care
10. Tommy Allan
11. Cadan Murley
12. Andre Esterhuizen
13. Luke Northmore
14. Louis Lynagh
15. Tyrone Green
Swap the flankers around and I think you've got it.
I'd be tempted to swap Northmore and Jones.
It'd be good to get some mileage out of him before he goes back up to Scotland and we've not seen that much from him yet. Northmore is also always better off the bench that starting imo for some reason
I think the original post is pretty much spot on and still is a pretty strong team. I’d probably start Kerrod as he is a better carrier than Collier and we’ll need that with no Dombrandt. I don’t think he is quite ready for it, but Baxter at LH ahead of Botta would great but I completely understand not starting him.
Also the potential return to full fitness of Lewies, I’d be tempted by him at 6 but probably his impact will be from the bench if he can play
I’d probably start Kerrod as he is a better carrier than Collier
How very dare you speak demeaningly of the scorer of the Prop's try of the decade...
I think the original post is pretty much spot on and still is a pretty strong team. I’d probably start Kerrod as he is a better carrier than Collier and we’ll need that with no Dombrandt. I don’t think he is quite ready for it, but Baxter at LH ahead of Botta would great but I completely understand not starting him.
Also the potential return to full fitness of Lewies, I’d be tempted by him at 6 but probably his impact will be from the bench if he can play
Reckon Lewies would be on the bench if he's fit enough to play next week. I wouldn't expect us to throw him straight in after a few months off by starting against Sarries.
Otherwise, agree the starting team with flankers swapped looks favourite.
Yes, Lewies off the bench could make a pretty big impact. Tommy Allan has got a run of games ahead of him too, which is good. Agree with the o/p with Kenners and Lawday reversed.
I wonder if Walker will be available after what I think was an HIA on Saturday. He has settled in well and has done a job in all parts of the game. Riley came on and did well, as he has done every time. It is nice to have two good hooking options.
So, we will lose our four England Boys for Sarries and Wasps in the league, then Saints and Sarries in the Cup. Will they be back for Irish on the 27th Nov or Tigers on the 5th Dec, does anyone know?
Personally, I wish the calendar had fewer Prem games and more Cup games during these international periods. I would prefer the 6 nations to be played across consecutive weekends too. Oh well, c'est la vie. We are capable of wins in all of the games, so bring on all comers!!!
They normally have to have a weeks rest but you can manage their game time I think, as in Marler & Smith could rest against the Nots and Marchant & Dommers rest against Tigers. Else we rest all 4 for the Nots so that they're all back for Tigers.
That may have changed in the new rules so I'm not 100% sure. Plus we've got Europe straight after Tigers.
Can't remember if he was listed as unavailable for Bath - but is Wilco Louw still out?
Can't remember if he was listed as unavailable for Bath - but is Wilco Louw still out?
He was one of the two listed as unavailable for selection alongside Viliami Taulani.
We'll need to be solid in the set piece against Sarries, so for that reason I'd give Collier the nod over Kerrod. I'd also be tempted to put in Lewies at 6 (assuming he's fit enough) to give us another genuine line out threat. If we can limit/nullify their set piece threat, I fancy our chances.
We need SGB to put in a big performance. I don't have much confidence in him to be honest, but just think it's a bit to early to throw Baxter in from the start in a big derby game.
He was one of the two listed as unavailable for selection alongside Viliami Taulani.
True, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that will be the case this week. Wilco being back would be a serious boost.
There biggest lineout threat is not there, but as has been said we need to be solid in set piece they still have good depth.
I just hope we don’t fumble as much we have in the last couple of weeks because they are in great form.
There biggest lineout threat is not there, but as has been said we need to be solid in set piece they still have good depth.
I just hope we don’t fumble as much we have in the last couple of weeks because they are in great form.
Yeah them having a great game against bath then another against Wasps C team will give them a lot of confidence.
I am worried they come and try to play a flowing game like the last 2 weeks and we don’t click, I don’t think I could take BT sports going on about how Sarries can play that way too, they are a all court team and the rest of it.
I want them to play boring rugby and we cut through for a win, don’t care by how much just a win.
Also quite typical we get them during internationals for the first time in a long time and we are hit harder by it, their version of big game might actually work in our favour with it always being just after players return from the 6N.
Obviously we are missing a few, but so are they. If Louw is back I would fancy him to sort Mako out in the scrum. I think its pretty even on paper (guessing at who will be playing)
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