Pre-season games.

[twitchy]

Looks like exe picked up a load of injuries which isn't good.

[fivepointer]

Michele Campagnaro, James Short, Jonny Hill and Dave Dennis were all forced to leave the field during their side’s narrow 21-20 defeat at the Arms Park.

The loss of the quartet merely added to a frustrating night for the English champions, who kick-off their Aviva Premiership title defence this coming Friday with a trip to rivals Gloucester at Kingsholm (7:45pm).

“We will have to assess the injuries, with a couple of them potentially serious, which is always a disappointment in pre-season,” said Baxter at the final whistle.

[Scrumhead]

Exeter have the depth in the centre to cope with Campagnaro being out and they also have adequate cover for Short, but I would imagine Dennis and Hill were pencilled in as the first choice second row so long term injuries to both/either would be a big blow.

[Timbo]

I think the potentially serious injuries are Campagnaro and Hill...could be wrong. Off hand I think Exeter will be missing LCD, Hepburn, Lees, J.Hill, Ewers, Waldrom, Salvi, Horstmann, Devoto, S.Hill, Nowell, Campagnaro and possibly Short and Dennis for the opening Prem game. Crazy.

Gloucester pumped a fairly strong Scarlets team yesterday. Will be a turn up if Ackermann can turn them around pretty quickly.

Puja needs to do his usual predictions thread now everyone's preseason is done!!

[Puja]

I think the potentially serious injuries are Campagnaro and Hill...could be wrong. Off hand I think Exeter will be missing LCD, Hepburn, Lees, J.Hill, Ewers, Waldrom, Salvi, Horstmann, Devoto, S.Hill, Nowell, Campagnaro and possibly Short and Dennis for the opening Prem game. Crazy.

Gloucester pumped a fairly strong Scarlets team yesterday. Will be a turn up if Ackermann can turn them around pretty quickly.

Puja needs to do his usual predictions thread now everyone's preseason is done!!

Literally was working on it as you were typing that! I'm a bit late this year - we were bored mid-way through August last season. I blame the Lions for keeping our interest for longer.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

I think the potentially serious injuries are Campagnaro and Hill...could be wrong. Off hand I think Exeter will be missing LCD, Hepburn, Lees, J.Hill, Ewers, Waldrom, Salvi, Horstmann, Devoto, S.Hill, Nowell, Campagnaro and possibly Short and Dennis for the opening Prem game. Crazy.

Gloucester pumped a fairly strong Scarlets team yesterday. Will be a turn up if Ackermann can turn them around pretty quickly.

Puja needs to do his usual predictions thread now everyone's preseason is done!!

Jeez. I didn't realise their injury list was that extensive. How serious are the injuries to Devoto and Nowell? I hadn't heard that either of them were out. I think I heard that Hepburn is close to a return?

[anders_limpar]

Highlights from saints beating Ulster handily. Usual caveats about pre season etc but saints playing some good stuff and trying to keep the ball in hand. Let's see if it lasts....

[Adam_P]

After seeing highlights of all the Saints pre-season games, if Burrell walks back into a starting centre berth I will be livid. He has looked just as rubbish as last season, and I think all of Hutchinson, Stephenson, Tuitavake and Estelles have looked very good. Hutchinson's distribution is lovely, and I'm somewhat confused why we play Mallinder at 10 and Hutchinson 12, when I think the other way round seems like a more natural fit. I really hope Alex Mitchell gets some time this season as he has also looked excellent all pre-season - but with Groom and Reinach I can't see him getting much. Certainly should have moved above Kessell. Brookes is looking more like the player we signed, rather than the lazy one we saw last season which is promising.

Based on pre-season, for the Saracens game I would like to see (with allowances for injuries)
:

1. Waller
2. Hartley
3. Brookes
4. Ribbans
5. Lawes
6. Gibson
7. Harrison
8. Eadie
9. Groom
10. Mallinder
11. Collins
12. Hutchinson/Stephenson
13. Tuitavake/Stephenson
14. Pisi
15. Tuala/Foden

16. Haywood
17. Ma'afu
18. Ford-Robinson
19. Day
20. Wood
21. Mitchell
22. Grayson
23. Estelles

[Tigersman]

Are saints without all 3 of their big names back signings?


Is Hill injured?

[Adam_P]

Francis got a jaw injury which looks like it'll keep him out for a couple of games, and Horne and Reinach have only arrived in the last few days so I imagine it'll be a little while until we see them.

I don't think Hill is injured, and I am 100% sure he will start on the bench at the weekend. I picked Ford-Robinson because he has a bit of edge and carrying power that Saints pack has been missing lately.

[TheNomad]

Collins looking in good form! Doesn't really fit Eddie's stated preference for size in his wide men, but he's rapid as hell

[Puja]

The highlights looked as impressive as the match report sounded, although I will note that these are from Leicester's youtube channel and so may be biased. Warning for stupid bleepy-bleepy noises again.

Great to see Croft making an impact again - will be interesting to see him in a real match away from highlights to see if he really is coming back to some kind of form.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Collins looking in good form! Doesn't really fit Eddie's stated preference for size in his wide men, but he's rapid as hell

I thought Collins looked very good in 15/16 and then he seemed to be discarded last season. It would be good to see him back in the side.

[Beasties]

Some lovely stepping from George Ford in there. Manu seems to be taking up less real estate on the pitch than of late.

[Puja]

Some lovely stepping from George Ford in there. Manu seems to be taking up less real estate on the pitch than of late.

Nice little moment on the highlights in the buildup to Toomua's try - Manu draws the last man, feeds May with a nice 10m flat pass, follows in support and absolutely demolishes the opposition 14 who's trying to jackle over May. More of that please Manu.

Puja

[TheNomad]

Tigers look like they'll be hitting the ground running and Ford does indeed look in great shape. I still think Tigers are a forward or two away from where they would like to be but man for man, I'd say that's the back line in the league, possibly Europe

[Mikey Brown]

I was going to say Youngs' service looked pretty great, got as far as the second Leicester try. Maybe the hospital pass to Ford is an actual plan they've come up with? Ford seems to cope fantastically well with it.

Good to see Manu looking mobile.