Rugby - Tours Tours Everywhere!

[Havak]

I wish.

[Havak]

Is Eddie giving Chris Jack a kick up the derriere here? He is playing him at blindside flanker at Sarries right now.

"Chris has been one of the best second-rows in the world for many years, but we felt he needed a challenge to improve as a player so he has been selected in the back row after featuring in that position in pre-season, It's not necessarily a permanent switch, but it's something we believe will help the composition of the team and also allow us to get the best out of him."

I'll be honest with you - if I'd been dropped for Hugh Vyvyan I'd be furious.

And Borthwick skippers the side straight away after his move from Bath. Hmm Borthwick and Chris Jack - Sarries have half a decent lock combination there.

[finbar]

Nice line up. But I've never thought their pack was particularly their problem. With the odd exception, it's the lack of class beyond #10 that hamstrings them.

Speaking of problems, I gather Leicester are still sniffing around Caucau.

Oh, and Leicester's Afrikaans #10 apparently thinks the world of Leicester's Afrikaans coach. It helps to speak the same language.

[Havak]

Well he has rescued him from obscurity and brought him to the biggest club side in the world. I wouldn't expect him to hate Meyer.

[Joe Kick Ass]

Couldn't watch the match last night. Just couldn't do it...

[Havak]

A draw with Leinster is not a bad result for Blues - though by all accounts you should have won it.

Ospreys will be falsely confident after brushing aside the minor Irish province.

But the very best news so far is Wasps losing their opening game. Here is hoping they lose another 20 premiership games.

Oh and Eddie lost his opener too Finbar so Mr Jack might return to locking fairly quickly.

[LDiCesare]

Looks like Beauxis is playing full back at Paris this season. I just hope the lad will play enouigh, there or as #10, to make it to France team.

[finbar]

Beauxis at 15? Why? Oh, of course. An Australian coach.

Rusty old start for Leicester and Gloucester. Strange game. Incompetence and/or stupidity within spitting distance of the line cost Gloucester a match that Leicester should have nailed with their possession and set-piece dominance. As it was, they needed an intercept. Same old problem for Leicester - turning control into points. Hipkiss at 12 didn't help. Hopefully Mauger at 12 will. Great game from Tom Croft. Who was that wee keg of muscle who came on as a replacement?

[Havak]

We only used four replacements - but I think you may be refering to Tom Youngs? I actually don't know the replacment openside who came on. Other than that Kayser (hooker) and Dupuy (scrummy) were the only changes.

[finbar]

I think the replacement openside came from Newcastle with Flood.

Yes, it was Youngs. I looked him up on the website. Goodness me. Solid muscle.

[Andydog]

The Cartel have named an unchanged side to face the shackle draggers. It was the best team we can name at present, and that team knows how to win so there can be no excuses. The bench makes me slightly nervous, but i have more faith in our bench than theirs.

[finbar]

Hopefully the thinness of your locking ranks will be exposed, not to mention the back row and half back back-up.

[Andydog]

Hopefully the thinness of your back line cover will be exposed, not to mention your front row back-up.

I notice five forwards, two openside flankers on the bench for the Aussies. Surely Mr McCaw isn't that scary?

[finbar]

What front row back-up? In fact, what front row?

And so what if Matt Giteau breaks down and there's no one to replace him except Matt Dunning? Pick an unbalanced bench and live dangerously.

The player they're desperately missing is Berrick Barnes. Not only is he support for Giteau, and another very good kicker, he's the best defender in the team.

[finbar]

Stupid Software-Induced Double Post!