Bristol vs Northampton, Friday (19.45), rd 6

[jimKRFC]

Bristol:

15. RICH LANE!!! (40 apps)
14. Jack Bates (38 apps)
13. Kalaveti Ravouvou (15 apps)
12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg
11. Gabriel Ibitoye (46 apps)
10. AJ MacGinty (42 apps)
9. Kieran Marmion (29 apps)
1. Jake Woolmore (153 apps)
2. Gabriel Oghre (23 apps)
3. Max Lahiff (92 apps)
4. James Dun (39 apps)
5. Joe Batley (68 apps)
6. Steven Luatua (134 apps)
7. Benjamin Grondona (6 apps)
8. Fitz Harding (c) (77 apps).

Subs: 16. Harry Thacker (116 apps), 17. Yann Thomas (113 apps), 18. George Kloska (48 apps), 19. Joe Owen (16 apps), 20. Jake Heenan (111 apps), 21. Sam Wolstenholme (4 apps), 22. Sam Worsley (8 apps), 23. Benjamin Elizalde (2 apps).

A weakened Bristol (missing Ellis Genge, Sam Grahamslaw, Josh Caulfield, Santiago Grondona, Viliame Mata, Harry Randall, James Williams, Siva Naulago, Noah Heward & Max Malins) take on a weakened Saints side its a bit of guess as to who is worse off!

The return of BJVR is some good news. But the new centre combo with Ravouvou, making his first start in a long time (lets hope he's learnt English now), means it'll take some time to get working I should think. Should be a good match with both sides keen to run the ball.

Going on home form I predict a narrow 50-52 win for Saints...

[jimKRFC]

Saints:
5 George Hendy
14 James Ramm
13 Tom Litchfield
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Tom Seabrook
10 George Makepeace-Cubitt – Saint #2095
9 Tom James
1 Tom West
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Elliot Millar Mills
4 Temo Mayanavanua
5 Alex Coles (c)
6 Josh Kemeny
7 Tom Pearson
8 Henry Pollock

Replacements:
16 Craig Wright
17 Emmanuel Iyogun
18 Luke Green
19 Gavin Thornbury
20 Angus Scott-Young
21 Archie McParland
22 Charlie Savala
23 Jake Garside

Not available for selection:
Juarno Augustus, Emeka Atuanya, Fraser Dingwall, Sam Graham, Tom Lockett, Alex Mitchell, Burger Odendaal, Toby Thame and Robbie Smith.

International duty:
Trevor Davison, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Ollie Sleightholme and Fin Smith (all England).

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe and Harry Walbaum
No.4: Neil Chivers
TMO: Andrew Jackson

[Banquo]

Bit of a triumph for the Bedford finishing school!

If Coles is playing, amazed not been brought back into England squad.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Good to see Wright on the bench too

[Banquo]

Good to see Wright on the bench too

Quite a leap for GMC not sure he’s even started for Bedford yet

[Mellsblue]

Good to see Wright on the bench too

Quite a leap for GMC not sure he’s even started for Bedford yet

One match as a replacement.

[Banquo]

Good to see Wright on the bench too

Quite a leap for GMC not sure he’s even started for Bedford yet

One match as a replacement.

aye. Interesting that they let Grimoldby go to accomodate him.

[FKAS]

Bit of a triumph for the Bedford finishing school!

If Coles is playing, amazed not been brought back into England squad.

England might want to see him play a game or two to show he's back to fitness before bringing him back in.

With GMC it's a surprise to see him start and have Charlie Savala on the bench. Savala has more first team experience.

[Mellsblue]

Quite a leap for GMC not sure he’s even started for Bedford yet

One match as a replacement.

aye. Interesting that they let Grimoldby go to accomodate him.

Probably hints at where the power lies in the ‘buddy’ system.

[Banquo]

Bit of a triumph for the Bedford finishing school!

If Coles is playing, amazed not been brought back into England squad.

England might want to see him play a game or two to show he's back to fitness before bringing him back in.

With GMC it's a surprise to see him start and have Charlie Savala on the bench. Savala has more first team experience.

Only missed two games....Slade on the other hand was in the squad when injured and released to play...so...weird.

[Banquo]

One match as a replacement.

aye. Interesting that they let Grimoldby go to accomodate him.

Probably hints at where the power lies in the ‘buddy’ system.

madness. Bedford have to PAY effectively a huge retainer for players undefined and a match fee on top per player.

[fivepointer]

Bristol not as badly affected by unavailability as Saints.

Expect a cracking match.

[FKAS]

aye. Interesting that they let Grimoldby go to accomodate him.

Probably hints at where the power lies in the ‘buddy’ system.

madness. Bedford have to PAY effectively a huge retainer for players undefined and a match fee on top per player.

Really, you've never mentioned this before...

[FKAS]

Bit of a triumph for the Bedford finishing school!

If Coles is playing, amazed not been brought back into England squad.

England might want to see him play a game or two to show he's back to fitness before bringing him back in.

With GMC it's a surprise to see him start and have Charlie Savala on the bench. Savala has more first team experience.

Only missed two games....Slade on the other hand was in the squad when injured and released to play...so...weird.

Yes but Slade is the chosen one at 13 and must play unless physically incapacitated and even then will probably be subjected to a fitness test 5 mins before kick off, just in case.

[Banquo]

Probably hints at where the power lies in the ‘buddy’ system.

madness. Bedford have to PAY effectively a huge retainer for players undefined and a match fee on top per player.

Really, you've never mentioned this before...

It’s pretty germane and specific v Ampthill say, and perhaps might help folks understand how it looks. You never know, some might work out how daft it really is.

[Banquo]

England might want to see him play a game or two to show he's back to fitness before bringing him back in.

With GMC it's a surprise to see him start and have Charlie Savala on the bench. Savala has more first team experience.

Only missed two games....Slade on the other hand was in the squad when injured and released to play...so...weird.

Yes but Slade is the chosen one at 13 and must play unless physically incapacitated and even then will probably be subjected to a fitness test 5 mins before kick off, just in case.

[p/d]

If Coles is playing, amazed not been brought back into England squad.

Bloody relieved he hasn’t

[Banquo]

If Coles is playing, amazed not been brought back into England squad.

Bloody relieved he hasn’t

In what way? so Ewels can finally finish a match? Or Isekwe can demonstrate his ...um...well...er..gingerness?

As sources of relief go.....

He's a better bet as 4th choice lock than red card or red-head, imo

[p/d]

If Coles is playing, amazed not been brought back into England squad.

Bloody relieved he hasn’t

In what way? so Ewels can finally finish a match? Or Isekwe can demonstrate his ...um...well...er..gingerness?

As sources of relief go.....

He's a better bet as 4th choice lock than red card or red-head, imo

I would like to think Ted Hill is above the two reds and Coles.

[Puja]

Bloody relieved he hasn’t

In what way? so Ewels can finally finish a match? Or Isekwe can demonstrate his ...um...well...er..gingerness?

As sources of relief go.....

He's a better bet as 4th choice lock than red card or red-head, imo

I would like to think Ted Hill is above the two reds and Coles.

At lock?!

Puja

[FKAS]

If Coles is playing, amazed not been brought back into England squad.

Bloody relieved he hasn’t

In what way? so Ewels can finally finish a match? Or Isekwe can demonstrate his ...um...well...er..gingerness?

As sources of relief go.....

He's a better bet as 4th choice lock than red card or red-head, imo

I doubt either of the reds will make the match day 23 so it probably won't matter.

[Beasties]

Bristol:

15. Rich Lane (40 apps)
14. Jack Bates (38 apps)
13. Kalaveti Ravouvou (15 apps)
12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg
11. Gabriel Ibitoye (46 apps)
10. AJ MacGinty (42 apps)
9. Kieran Marmion (29 apps)
1. Jake Woolmore (153 apps)
2. Gabriel Oghre (23 apps)
3. Max Lahiff (92 apps)
4. James Dun (39 apps)
5. Joe Batley (68 apps)
6. Steven Luatua (134 apps)
7. Benjamin Grondona (6 apps)
8. Fitz Harding (c) (77 apps).

Subs: 16. Harry Thacker (116 apps), 17. Yann Thomas (113 apps), 18. George Kloska (48 apps), 19. Joe Owen (16 apps), 20. Jake Heenan (111 apps), 21. Sam Wolstenholme (4 apps), 22. Sam Worsley (8 apps), 23. Benjamin Elizalde (2 apps).

A weakened Bristol (missing Ellis Genge, Sam Grahamslaw, Josh Caulfield, Santiago Grondona, Viliame Mata, Harry Randall, James Williams, Siva Naulago, Noah Heward & Max Malins) take on a weakened Saints side its a bit of guess as to who is worse off!

The return of BJVR is some good news. But the new centre combo with Ravouvou, making his first start in a long time (lets hope he's learnt English now), means it'll take some time to get working I should think. Should be a good match with both sides keen to run the ball.

Going on home form I predict a narrow 50-52 win for Saints...

Caps lock not working?

[Banquo]

Bloody relieved he hasn’t

In what way? so Ewels can finally finish a match? Or Isekwe can demonstrate his ...um...well...er..gingerness?

As sources of relief go.....

He's a better bet as 4th choice lock than red card or red-head, imo

I doubt either of the reds will make the match day 23 so it probably won't matter.

Fair, though given Martins sick note propensity it could well be a factor. Similarly, I’d think a bit of rotation might be on the cards given the actual fixture list.

[Banquo]

Bloody relieved he hasn’t

In what way? so Ewels can finally finish a match? Or Isekwe can demonstrate his ...um...well...er..gingerness?

As sources of relief go.....

He's a better bet as 4th choice lock than red card or red-head, imo

I would like to think Ted Hill is above the two reds and Coles.

Given he hasn’t had a sniff under Slightly Ballsedthisoneup not sure why you might think that; that said, I’d have him in the squad as a back row option. He and Coles aren’t mutually exclusive and Coles is a very good lock (but not an intl 6).

[Mikey Brown]

What is the deal with Isiekwe? Is he actually any good? You'd argue he's had a pretty impressive career so far and he is certainly athletically gifted, but I've never been that convinced. I feel like the best I've seen him play was as a 6 on loan to Northampton for that season Sarries were relegated. He's not necessarily a Lawes/Ollivon/PSDT level of talent but I wonder if he's only considered a lock by default because of his height.

I know he's had some fitness issues. It seems like he's one of those players we could be getting more out of, rather than battling it out with Ewels to be 'least disappointing 4th choice'.

I'd love to know what Ted Hill is missing or Borthwick doesn't like. Again not saying he's the complete 6 yet, but seems exactly the sort of player with pace, smarts and physicality that could be a point of difference.