NPR

"No head contact from 18" as the replay shows his forearm hitting him in the cheek.

Whilst this sounds sensible, since when has the actions of another player bringing the carrier down been a mitigation?

Bristol are not committing anyone in the line, just passing it on.

Welcome back to the Premiership Saracens.

Looking good. Well led by Jackson Wray as well.

Beautiful.

Saracens are a test team who play club rugby. They just strangle the life out of you then finish you off.

They're such an improvement on the dull basketball rugby of last season, I think we can all agree on that.

Looks like Bristol have learned little from last season about when to try and play rugby.

Hal Jordan wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:28 pm They're such an improvement on the dull basketball rugby of last season, I think we can all agree on that.

Don't be uncharitable. They're the promoted team, they've got a third of their team missing, they're away, and they're playing the wealthiest team in the league.

This is magnificent.

That kind of sums their evening up..

Comprehensive.

Very enjoyable, seriously professional performance. Excellent start to a week off.

Steve Lansdowne is watching that thinking he's just given the head coach another 7 year contract.

Only ever 1 team in it. Clash of styles but if you don't get the spade work right, you are rarely going to get to make the threats our wide.

Kawazaki wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:31 pm

Hal Jordan wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:28 pm They're such an improvement on the dull basketball rugby of last season, I think we can all agree on that.

Don't be uncharitable. They're the promoted team, they've got a third of their team missing, they're away, and they're playing the wealthiest team in the league.

This is magnificent.

Now I know how supporters of other nations feel when we roll out the White Orcs.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 7:59 pm Can see shy Thacker didn't get much start time last season. Hands like tits.

Just catching up on this, but thacker may have fucked up there, but he's got better hands than most centres

Happyhooker wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:04 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 7:59 pm Can see shy Thacker didn't get much start time last season. Hands like tits.

Just catching up on this, but thacker may have fucked up there, but he's got better hands than most centres

As you can tell, I don't get to watch much Prem. He dropped the ball 4 or 5 times in the game. Bad day at the office?

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:16 am

Happyhooker wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:04 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 7:59 pm Can see shy Thacker didn't get much start time last season. Hands like tits.

Just catching up on this, but thacker may have fucked up there, but he's got better hands than most centres

As you can tell, I don't get to watch much Prem. He dropped the ball 4 or 5 times in the game. Bad day at the office?

Defintely. He's usually one the better ball handling forwards in the Prem.
only recently back from what could have been a career ending neck injury which required an opertation.

A really good showing from Sarries with so many players missing. Not a great start from Bristol, but one suspects they've looked at the season somewhat differently having fallen away at the end last season, or maybe Covid just got in the way of far too mcc of the pre season work leaving them ill prepared to move the ball as they'd want, I'd lean on the side of saying they're expecting to make top 4 and they want to have something in the bank when they get there

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:34 am A really good showing from Sarries with so many players missing. Not a great start from Bristol, but one suspects they've looked at the season somewhat differently having fallen away at the end last season, or maybe Covid just got in the way of far too mcc of the pre season work leaving them ill prepared to move the ball as they'd want, I'd lean on the side of saying they're expecting to make top 4 and they want to have something in the bank when they get there

Saracens players missing last night;

Alex Goode
Max Malins
Elliot Daly
Duncan Taylor
Sean Maitland
Owen Farrell
Mako Vunipola
Jamie George
Vincent Koch
Maro Itoje

I was very surprised to read that Bristol haven't had any pre-season matches. They will improve and they'll not play many teams that defend as well as Saracens, but that was a heavy defeat. Home losses are bad enough but no bonus points from home losses should not be something a team with ambitions for top-4 should ever really experience.

Saracens now have their bye week next round already.

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 9:18 am

Spoiler

Show

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:34 am A really good showing from Sarries with so many players missing. Not a great start from Bristol, but one suspects they've looked at the season somewhat differently having fallen away at the end last season, or maybe Covid just got in the way of far too mcc of the pre season work leaving them ill prepared to move the ball as they'd want, I'd lean on the side of saying they're expecting to make top 4 and they want to have something in the bank when they get there

Saracens players missing last night;

Alex Goode
Max Malins
Elliot Daly
Duncan Taylor
Sean Maitland
Owen Farrell
Mako Vunipola
Jamie George
Vincent Koch
Maro Itoje

I was very surprised to read that Bristol haven't had any pre-season matches. They will improve and they'll not play many teams that defend as well as Saracens, but that was a heavy defeat. Home losses are bad enough but no bonus points from home losses should not be something a team with ambitions for top-4 should ever really experience.

Saracens now have their bye week next round already.

Looks weak!! And the salary cap has been reduced this season
THought I heard on commentary that is the first time 57 matches that Bristol haven't scored a try

Saracens certainly look well stocked with good backs, no really big lumps either, I'd be surprised if any of them are above 100kgs.

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 9:18 am

I was very surprised to read that Bristol haven't had any pre-season matches. They will improve and they'll not play many teams that defend as well as Saracens, but that was a heavy defeat. Home losses are bad enough but no bonus points from home losses should not be something a team with ambitions for top-4 should ever really experience.

I'm not surprised, again I think it's looking at a long season with European games and allowing they perhaps ran out of steam in the big game at the end of last season. And looking at the league they're trusting they can build their game during the season and still accumulate enough points to comfortably make the top 4. Perhaps it'll turn out they've called that wrong, and getting off to a poor start undermines confidence and that stops them ever getting back into the game plan we saw last season, but it's understandable and not especially surprising, it's certainly not very surprising. They had something like a 30 point buffer back to 5th last season, okay that's unlikely to fully replicate with Sarries back in the league, but if they retain a third to half of that this isn't anything to worry about as an opener.

If they'd been playing more the Bristol way and not failing in execution and still lost to an understandably limited Sarries side that would be a different thing. Which isn't intended as a negative on Sarries, and nor do I have any idea if both sides were playing at their best what the result would be, nor does it especially bother me either way.

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:28 am I'm not surprised, again I think it's looking at a long season with European games and allowing they perhaps ran out of steam in the big game at the end of last season. And looking at the league they're trusting they can build their game during the season and still accumulate enough points to comfortably make the top 4. Perhaps it'll turn out they've called that wrong, and getting off to a poor start undermines confidence and that stops them ever getting back into the game plan we saw last season, but it's understandable and not especially surprising, it's certainly not very surprising. They had something like a 30 point buffer back to 5th last season, okay that's unlikely to fully replicate with Sarries back in the league, but if they retain a third to half of that this isn't anything to worry about as an opener.

If they'd been playing more the Bristol way and not failing in execution and still lost to an understandably limited Sarries side that would be a different thing. Which isn't intended as a negative on Sarries, and nor do I have any idea if both sides were playing at their best what the result would be, nor does it especially bother me either way.

'You're not surprised, it doesn't matter, and doesn't bother you anyway' appears to be what you were trying to say?

Getting dicked at home in front of 20,000 fans is not a great strategy be it short-term or long-term.

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:33 am

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:28 am I'm not surprised, again I think it's looking at a long season with European games and allowing they perhaps ran out of steam in the big game at the end of last season. And looking at the league they're trusting they can build their game during the season and still accumulate enough points to comfortably make the top 4. Perhaps it'll turn out they've called that wrong, and getting off to a poor start undermines confidence and that stops them ever getting back into the game plan we saw last season, but it's understandable and not especially surprising, it's certainly not very surprising. They had something like a 30 point buffer back to 5th last season, okay that's unlikely to fully replicate with Sarries back in the league, but if they retain a third to half of that this isn't anything to worry about as an opener.

If they'd been playing more the Bristol way and not failing in execution and still lost to an understandably limited Sarries side that would be a different thing. Which isn't intended as a negative on Sarries, and nor do I have any idea if both sides were playing at their best what the result would be, nor does it especially bother me either way.

'You're not surprised, it doesn't matter, and doesn't bother you anyway' appears to be what you were trying to say?

Getting dicked at home in front of 20,000 fans is not a great strategy be it short-term or long-term.

No. I'm not surprised Bristol have perhaps rethought how they structure their season to leave them fresher (at least hopefully from their pov) come the end of season big games they'll be hoping for, and I'm not fussed if it's Bristol or Sarries who eventually win the title, or even another side. If I was going to pick a side I'd like to see win it that would likely be Newcastle or Wuss, so irrelevant either way

Yes ideally you don't lose at home, but if the thinking is something has to give then something has to give. And if that something is getting off to a slower start as they build cohesion, fitness and intensity that's a perfectly reasonable call. I will accept right now it might not work as a strategy, I'm merely noting it has merit in advance even accepting it delays getting momentum into one's campaign.

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:43 am

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:33 am

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:28 am I'm not surprised, again I think it's looking at a long season with European games and allowing they perhaps ran out of steam in the big game at the end of last season. And looking at the league they're trusting they can build their game during the season and still accumulate enough points to comfortably make the top 4. Perhaps it'll turn out they've called that wrong, and getting off to a poor start undermines confidence and that stops them ever getting back into the game plan we saw last season, but it's understandable and not especially surprising, it's certainly not very surprising. They had something like a 30 point buffer back to 5th last season, okay that's unlikely to fully replicate with Sarries back in the league, but if they retain a third to half of that this isn't anything to worry about as an opener.

If they'd been playing more the Bristol way and not failing in execution and still lost to an understandably limited Sarries side that would be a different thing. Which isn't intended as a negative on Sarries, and nor do I have any idea if both sides were playing at their best what the result would be, nor does it especially bother me either way.

'You're not surprised, it doesn't matter, and doesn't bother you anyway' appears to be what you were trying to say?

Getting dicked at home in front of 20,000 fans is not a great strategy be it short-term or long-term.

No. I'm not surprised Bristol have perhaps rethought how they structure their season to leave them fresher (at least hopefully from their pov) come the end of season big games they'll be hoping for, and I'm not fussed if it's Bristol or Sarries who eventually win the title, or even another side. If I was going to pick a side I'd like to see win it that would likely be Newcastle or Wuss, so irrelevant either way

Yes ideally you don't lose at home, but if the thinking is something has to give then something has to give. And if that something is getting off to a slower start as they build cohesion, fitness and intensity that's a perfectly reasonable call. I will accept right now it might not work as a strategy, I'm merely noting it has merit in advance even accepting it delays getting momentum into one's campaign.

Bristol didn't save any energy last night that might come in handy during the 15th round or the play-offs because they didn't (appear) to play as loosely as they did last season. That's not how it works.

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:56 am

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:43 am

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:33 am



'You're not surprised, it doesn't matter, and doesn't bother you anyway' appears to be what you were trying to say?

Getting dicked at home in front of 20,000 fans is not a great strategy be it short-term or long-term.

No. I'm not surprised Bristol have perhaps rethought how they structure their season to leave them fresher (at least hopefully from their pov) come the end of season big games they'll be hoping for, and I'm not fussed if it's Bristol or Sarries who eventually win the title, or even another side. If I was going to pick a side I'd like to see win it that would likely be Newcastle or Wuss, so irrelevant either way

Yes ideally you don't lose at home, but if the thinking is something has to give then something has to give. And if that something is getting off to a slower start as they build cohesion, fitness and intensity that's a perfectly reasonable call. I will accept right now it might not work as a strategy, I'm merely noting it has merit in advance even accepting it delays getting momentum into one's campaign.

Bristol didn't save any energy last night that might come in handy during the 15th round or the play-offs because they didn't (appear) to play as loosely as they did last season. That's not how it works.

Not last night no. But if you delay your training, play less pre-season friendlies and the like that has an impact on both physical and mental freshness that absolutely carries into the season's end.

And again I'm not saying Bristol have got this right, time will tell. But they're hardly the first team to shift their thinking in such fashion, and as a normal piece of thinking it misses by some margin the idea of being 'very surprising'. Actually it might not even be Brizzle are trying to blend some pre-season work into their opening games, it's possible that's a horrible misread on my part, but it is a normal and logical step to take.

It's the second half of the season that matters. You can muddle along ok for the first half and still make the final. You can even do pretty badly and do it, see Quins and Wasps the last couple of seasons.

It's easy to read too much into one result at the start of the season when we're all desperate to talk about the league again after a few months off.

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 1:48 pm It's the second half of the season that matters. You can muddle along ok for the first half and still make the final. You can even do pretty badly and do it, see Quins and Wasps the last couple of seasons.

It's easy to read too much into one result at the start of the season when we're all desperate to talk about the league again after a few months off.

I do understand what you mean but any league points won in round 1 are worth the same as points won in round 24.

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:00 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 1:48 pm It's the second half of the season that matters. You can muddle along ok for the first half and still make the final. You can even do pretty badly and do it, see Quins and Wasps the last couple of seasons.

It's easy to read too much into one result at the start of the season when we're all desperate to talk about the league again after a few months off.

I do understand what you mean but any league points won in round 1 are worth the same as points won in round 24.

Oh of course, and the more points gathered the better as positions 3 - 4 are always an absolute bunfight between a few teams, just pointing out that it's a bit too early to be ringing any bells of concern.

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:09 pm

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:00 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 1:48 pm It's the second half of the season that matters. You can muddle along ok for the first half and still make the final. You can even do pretty badly and do it, see Quins and Wasps the last couple of seasons.

It's easy to read too much into one result at the start of the season when we're all desperate to talk about the league again after a few months off.

I do understand what you mean but any league points won in round 1 are worth the same as points won in round 24.

Oh of course, and the more points gathered the better as positions 3 - 4 are always an absolute bunfight between a few teams, just pointing out that it's a bit too early to be ringing any bells of concern.

Getting rinsed at home by the promoted team with 11 first choice players missing would ring a few bells if you are Worcester, but if you're Bristol then it really should ring a few more. I agree it's too early to draw any conclusions - for both teams - but Bristol will definitely be rattled. Extra training next week I suspect.

Tigers looking good, though the scoreline is flattering them a little as Chiefs only narrowly missed out on bagging a couple of tries of their own.

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:34 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:09 pm

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:00 pm



I do understand what you mean but any league points won in round 1 are worth the same as points won in round 24.

Oh of course, and the more points gathered the better as positions 3 - 4 are always an absolute bunfight between a few teams, just pointing out that it's a bit too early to be ringing any bells of concern.

Getting rinsed at home by the promoted team with 11 first choice players missing would ring a few bells if you are Worcester, but if you're Bristol then it really should ring a few more. I agree it's too early to draw any conclusions - for both teams - but Bristol will definitely be rattled. Extra training next week I suspect.

Eh, sometimes you just get done. I'm sure Lam et al have enough belief in what they're doing not to be fazed unless they look as toothless over the next couple of games. It may well be the last time they go into a season without any warm ups now.

Ford looking really sharp for tiggers as is Steward, Exeter very Meh, i think the law changes have fucked them over.

Exeter are so thick trying the 5m pick and go now they've stopped latching which was the only reason it worked.

Slade is absolutely mud, apart from touchkicking

Tigers have earnt that (for the mullet alone, jesus...), but Exter really need to find other ways to score. Their conversion rate has been low this game and it felt like it was decreasing last season too.

If Freddie Steward is not the starting 15 for England then i know Jones is just trolling England fans. He is light years ahead of Daley

ASMO wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 3:27 pm If Freddie Steward is not the starting 15 for England then i know Jones is just trolling England fans. He is light years ahead of Daley

Max Malins says hi.

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 3:34 pm

ASMO wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 3:27 pm If Freddie Steward is not the starting 15 for England then i know Jones is just trolling England fans. He is light years ahead of Daley

Max Malins says hi.

Who i would also take over Daley, but Steward pips him for me due to his ability under the high ball.

Exeter disintegrating now, this is an old fashioned spanking

ASMO wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 3:43 pm

Kawazaki wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 3:34 pm

ASMO wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 3:27 pm If Freddie Steward is not the starting 15 for England then i know Jones is just trolling England fans. He is light years ahead of Daley

Max Malins says hi.

Who i would also take over Daley, but Steward pips him for me due to his ability under the high ball.

Exeter disintegrating now, this is an old fashioned spanking

Daly is not a 15, he's an outside centre/winger. That's been proved now beyond any question so naturally, his place as Eddie Jones's England fullback is bolted on.

Hodge has been a rare bright spark for Exeter this half. No one seems to be on his wavelength, though.