Aviva Premiership: something exciting happens

[tigerburnie]

Geordan Murphy has been shown the door at Leicester.

We can't really say if he has any credentials as a coach or not going forward because Leicester were so structurally bad the last few years. They could have had a top coach there who wouldn't have been able to do more than paper over the cracks.

I guess we'll see.

Well it's early days in this odd world we are in, but I'd like to think we are slowly getting some of our old dog back in the side, last year we'd have rolled over at 14-0 down. Perhaps Borthwick is is an unknown as a coach, but along with the rest I think the cracks are being filled with something a bit more substantial than paper, Northampton away next week will be the next test.

[FLIP]

Saracens lose 27-26 to Ealing Trailfinders in a warm-up game for the Championship. With Billy V and Koch playing too.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

Saracens lose 27-26 to Ealing Trailfinders in a warm-up game for the Championship. With Billy V and Koch playing too.

schadenfreude aside...I wouldn't read too much into this. the rest of their internationals are on "pre-season" training which I read as shorthand for 6N training. this was a warm up game for the championship which starts in march. McCall is no slouch. I reckon he will ensure salarycens get promoted and come back into the premiership and europe with a vengance..assuming they can find ways to bank roll their "stars" in the meantime..

[MylesNaGapoleen]

correction. They have scrapped relegation this season in the premiership, which means Salarycens (or Ealing!!!) will have to wait until the 2022/23 season for promotion!!!!! That is a lot of time for a bunch of english internationals to be playing in the championship....

[Fan with smartphone]

Last I saw they would suspend relegation but still allow a single team to be promoted each year. So that’d be a 13 team division next season and 14 for year 2. That may have changed so happy to be corrected if so.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

Last I saw they would suspend relegation but still allow a single team to be promoted each year. So that’d be a 13 team division next season and 14 for year 2. That may have changed so happy to be corrected if so.

I think you're correct FwS. The Rugby paper reported https://twitter.com/TheRugbyPaper/statu ... 26/photo/1 no relegation...but one club comes up and then they ring fence the prem. neatly allowing salarycens to pop back up.

[Fan with smartphone]

Aye that’s similar to what I saw, although getting a season played to get promotion isn’t guaranteed I guess. Presumably would be Saracens and then Ealing, but there’s a window of opportunity for a sugar daddy to sneak in and strike there!

My understanding is that once it went to a 14 team division, the team last in the premiership would have a relegation playoff with the top team from the championship, rather than automatic promotion/relegation. It’s as close to ring fencing as they can get I suppose, but maybe represents a compromise between prl and rfu. Never waste a good crisis.

[neill_m]

Relegation scrapped for 20/21 season. 13 team league in 21/22 with winner of championship joining the current 12.

[The Doc]

... with winner of championship joining the current 12.

I wonder how they'll decide that?

[neill_m]

... with winner of championship joining the current 12.

I wonder how they'll decide that?

I believe it is a 2 legged final between the top 2 after 10 league games (5 home / 5 away) for each side

London Scottish chose not to participate even with financial support being provided towards COVID testing etc, so 11 teams participating.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

Saracens were beaten in their first game today in the championship

CORNISH PIRATES 25
Tries: Duncan, Frost, Davies. Cons: Scully (2) Pens: Scully (2)

SARACENS 17
Tries: Maitland, Lewington, Swinson. Cons: Vunipola (1)

[Ruckedtobits]

Saracens were beaten in their first game today in the championship

CORNISH PIRATES 25
Tries: Duncan, Frost, Davies. Cons: Scully (2) Pens: Scully (2)

SARACENS 17
Tries: Maitland, Lewington, Swinson. Cons: Vunipola (1)

Going to bed with tears in my eyes.

[blockhead]

Some decent players on the Saracens 23.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

Some decent players on the Saracens 23.

15 Obatoyinbo
14 Lewington
13 Taylor
12 Socino
11 Maitland
10 Vunipola
9 Davies
1 Barrington
2 Pifeleti
3 Koch
4 Hunter-Hill
5 Swinson
6 Rhodes
7 Reffell
8 Wray

you're not wrong blockhead. seven internationals in there with 165 Test caps between them.
I guess every championship team will treat their clash with saracens with added zest. the few fans saracens have left have been going ballistic about the 10quid per game streaming charge....! BT sport pass for 1 month is 25quid...similar for sky.

[Peg Leg]

Saracens were beaten in their first game today in the championship

CORNISH PIRATES 25
Tries: Duncan, Frost, Davies. Cons: Scully (2) Pens: Scully (2)

SARACENS 17
Tries: Maitland, Lewington, Swinson. Cons: Vunipola (1)

Mods, can you you move this chat to the Greene King IPA Championship thread please?

[Oldschoolsocks]

Saracens were beaten in their first game today in the championship

CORNISH PIRATES 25
Tries: Duncan, Frost, Davies. Cons: Scully (2) Pens: Scully (2)

SARACENS 17
Tries: Maitland, Lewington, Swinson. Cons: Vunipola (1)

Mods, can you you move this chat to the Greene King IPA Championship thread please?

[IanD]

Watching Bristol v Gloucester. Bristol 25 - 7 to the good.

Gloucester are getting absolutely hammered but scoreline doesn't seem so bad as thegot a Real Red Card in the 15th minute.

Proof if ever proof was needed that scorelines can flatter to deceive. Bristol have had 9 tries disallowed. That is a massive 45 points without conversions.

Gloucester had a try disallowed too.

[IanD]

Just as I post Bristol get a 4th try.

32 - 7

[LeinsterLeader]

Anybody watching the end of the Leicester/Bristol game?

That......was ....Insane

[Ruckedtobits]

Anybody watching the end of the Leicester/Bristol game?

That......was ....Insane

Pure theatre. There could be repercussions against Lam, Afoa, Wigglesworth, Hughes, Genge.............or nobody. I started to describe what had occurred a while ago to a mate but it was too complex. You've really got to see it to get the reality of how crazy it was when the final whistle went on 90 minutes.