The high-scoring extravaganzas should be enjoyed while they last but it seems nobody will get anywhere near the top twoWe know it will not last once the winter bites, but this has been quite the September if a points frenzy is your thing. This match was the highest scoring yet, although its 85 points register as only joint 24th on the chart of highest-scoring Premiership games. If we count only those that finish within a score, it comes in at fourth. Even the Kiwis seem impressed. Todd Blackadder the other week was resigned to the need just to score more than the opposition. This week Chris Boyd bemoaned the defence but accepted that when players look for space they are...
Kiwi coaches deliver a very British contest, Joe Marler left to count his blessings, and the amazing jet-set Willie le RouxTwo New Zealand coaches presided over an old-school British game in which the set pieces shaped the outcome. Todd Blackadder is in his third season in charge at Bath while Chris Boyd moved to Northampton in the summer. Bath’s supremacy up front plus their lineout mastery gave them the platform for victory. Boyd noted how the scrum, a means of launching attacks in New Zealand, is more a means of establishing control in England. Blackadder said he could detect subtle changes in Northampton’s style under Boyd, but after slipping to 10th in the table the basics will be the Saints’...
Exeter’s strength in depth shines through, Northampton loves Taqele Naiyaravoro, and Aled Brew ‘won’t be doing that again’ Related: Controversial Leicester red card spoils eight-try classic as Wasps prevail Related: Freddie Burns insists that Todd Blackadder rumours are nonsense Team of the week Continue reading...
Dylan Hartley makes an impact, Brad Shields suffers injury blow and George Smith’s red card proves costly for BristolGeorge Smith’s red card against Saracens has split opinion. Bristol’s Pat Lamis among those to think a yellow card would have sufficed and many observers have suggested it was on the harsh side. What counted against Smith, however, is that it was the kind of tackle that has been identified by the Rugby Football Union in its research as the most likely to cause head injuries, leading to the “armpit tackle” trial in the Championship Cup. There can also be no denying it was the decisive moment in the match – the scores were level at 18-18 until that point. Billy Vunipola...
New signings Danny Cipriani and Dan Biggar faced off, Will Skelton impressed for Saracens and Worcester ran Wasps closeThere are plenty of high-profile fixtures heading to Newcastle over the next 12 months, with the city to host this season’s European Champions Cup final and England’s final warm-up game prior to the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which will be confirmed this week for a Friday night at St James’ Park. There are currently only around 10,000 public tickets left for the European showpiece next May, which Saracens will be hoping involves another trip to Tyneside for them. If their Australian forward Will Skelton, who has slimmed down by 15kg since the end of last season, can maintain the promising form he...