Gloucester Vs Sharks - t'other "European" Final

[FKAS]

STARTING XV Gloucester
15. Santi Carreras
14. Jonny May*
13. Chris Harris
12. Seb Atkinson*
11. Ollie Thorley*
10. Adam Hastings
9. Caolan Englefield
1. Jamal Ford-Robinson
2. Seb Blake*
3. Fraser Balmain
4. Freddie Clarke*
5. Arthur Clark*
6. Ruan Ackermann
7. Lewis Ludlow* (C)
8. Zach Mercer

REPLACEMENTS
16. Santi Socino
17. Mayco Vivas
18. Kirill Gotovtsev
19. Albert Tuisue
20. Jack Clement*
21. Stephen Varney*
22. Max Llewellyn
23. Josh Hathaway*

Hollywoodbets Sharks

1. Ox Nche*
2. Bongi Mbonambi
3. Vincent Koch
4. Eben Etzebeth (Captain)
5. Gerbrandt Grobler
6. James Venter
7. Vincent Tshituka
8. Phepsi Buthelezi
9. Grant Williams
10. Siya Masuku
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Francois Venter
13. Ethan Hooker
14. Werner Kok
15. Aphelele Fassi

Replacements

16. Fez Mbatha
17. Ntuthuko Mchunu
18. Hanro Jacobs
19. Lappies Labuschagne
20. Dylan Richardson
21. Cameron Wright
22. Curwin Bosch
23. Eduan Keyter

The Glaws tight five is in for a tough test but if they come through it then they've got a decent chance here. I'm interested to see how the two Sebs go in positions of need for England.

[fivepointer]

Agree that the main point of interest is in how the 2 Seb's go, plus Englefield who looks a very accomplished player.

Glos should come into this refreshed. Home crowd. They might rise to the occasion.

[Which Tyler]

C'mon Gloucester

And mostly posting for my suggested change of the thread title

[Banquo]

C'mon Gloucester

And mostly posting for my suggested change of the thread title

"well said"

[p/d]

Indeed WT.

Go Glaws!!!

[FKAS]

On one hand I want Glaws to win as it's the English club in the competition on the other hand I'd rather Tigers were in the big Euro competition next season.

[Puja]

On one hand I want Glaws to win as it's the English club in the competition on the other hand I'd rather Tigers were in the big Euro competition next season.

Oh shit, I hadn't realised that was on the line. What a Hobson's choice!

Puja

[francoisfou]

Just found out that the match is being shown on terrestrial French tv. Allez Glaws! ( even if it means Tigers will be in t’other European Cup!)

[FKAS]

Great start by Glaws but they're losing all the collisions now. Time for Mercer to stand up, he's not looked great so far but it's a game that's perfect for him to make a big statement in.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Gloucester were just a bit of a mess. Strong start but unable to convert. Some of that was a symptom of their general play. Just lacking execution. There were time when they had the ball and you could see there was literally no direction on the pitch. Nobody knew what was happening or supposed to happen.

Scrum was obviously an issue as it was always expected to be. Lineout wasn’t much better mind. Englefields box kicking was way too long all night. At no point did they think to change tack.

Once they were behind it was always going to be really tough. They needed to get points in that early pressure. And then start of the second half it’s just simple mistakes putting them under pressure, like Mercer’s blind pass for the intercept on about 44 mins.


Atkinson again showed very nice touches, they just didn’t have the ball much for large periods. In a pretty messed up side he is a silver lining.

Hastings is, erm, the opposite of that!

[Puja]

Does anyone get the Skivington thing? He is so highly hyped as a coach - Gloucester got in trouble poaching him from LIrish and he was the first name on the list for England A - but I don't know exactly what for. People talk him up as this promising young caoch with so much talent, but Glaws have finished second-bottom in 3 of his 4 seasons in charge now. Despite periods of looking like they've cracked it, they've been inconsistent, weak, and haven't looked like they're improving. At some point, you have to start asking whether the men in charge are actually as good as reputed.

Puja

[Oakboy]

Gloucester were just a bit of a mess. Strong start but unable to convert. Some of that was a symptom of their general play. Just lacking execution. There were time when they had the ball and you could see there was literally no direction on the pitch. Nobody knew what was happening or supposed to happen.

Scrum was obviously an issue as it was always expected to be. Lineout wasn’t much better mind. Englefields box kicking was way too long all night. At no point did they think to change tack.

Once they were behind it was always going to be really tough. They needed to get points in that early pressure. And then start of the second half it’s just simple mistakes putting them under pressure, like Mercer’s blind pass for the intercept on about 44 mins.


Atkinson again showed very nice touches, they just didn’t have the ball much for large periods. In a pretty messed up side he is a silver lining.

Hastings is, erm, the opposite of that!

In crunch games, the 9/10 presence/influence just seems vital if pressure is to become points. Gloucester had a 9 good from the neck down but with little above it. The 10 was just poor, as you say.

[Adam_P]

Mercer did a good job of confirming why he's not been selected for international rugby. Against a big physical pack he can't have the kind of influence he regularly has in open premiership games. I like him as a player, but can definitely see why Borthwick isn't selecting him.

[Oakboy]

Mercer did a good job of confirming why he's not been selected for international rugby. Against a big physical pack he can't have the kind of influence he regularly has in open premiership games. I like him as a player, but can definitely see why Borthwick isn't selecting him.

Agreed. He must have a fair few ahead of him: Earl, Dombrandt, Willis, Fisilau, Barbeary etc.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Mercer did a good job of confirming why he's not been selected for international rugby. Against a big physical pack he can't have the kind of influence he regularly has in open premiership games. I like him as a player, but can definitely see why Borthwick isn't selecting him.

Dunno, it’s hard to make much impact when everyone else is doing little to nothing. He was well marked and the rest of his pack was largely absent. He made a couple of mistakes trying to force things, but otherwise he played pretty well.

[FKAS]

Mercer did a good job of confirming why he's not been selected for international rugby. Against a big physical pack he can't have the kind of influence he regularly has in open premiership games. I like him as a player, but can definitely see why Borthwick isn't selecting him.

Dunno, it’s hard to make much impact when everyone else is doing little to nothing. He was well marked and the rest of his pack was largely absent. He made a couple of mistakes trying to force things, but otherwise he played pretty well.

As the 8 who gets the most touches in attack, just make a bit of ground and you're the hero in a faltering attack. See Jasper Weise for context.

Mercer was simply out muscled. Other Glaws forwards stood up, Freddie Clark had a very good game for instance.

Just reinforced my opinion that Mercer is a luxury player. If you can create the space for him to operate then he's brilliant. If you can't then you have to carry him.

[Which Tyler]

Does anyone get the Skivington thing? He is so highly hyped as a coach - Gloucester got in trouble poaching him from LIrish and he was the first name on the list for England A - but I don't know exactly what for.

I'll be honest - I don't remember seeing any hype for him as a coach.

Weren't Glos in trouble for not asking LI's permission to talk to Skiv, rather than because anyone particularly thought he was exceptional?

Pretty sure he was the only Premiership coach willing to take on England A at that point. Top 8 were concentrating on their mid-season pre-season, Dimes had just arrived at Newcastle.

[FKAS]

Does anyone get the Skivington thing? He is so highly hyped as a coach - Gloucester got in trouble poaching him from LIrish and he was the first name on the list for England A - but I don't know exactly what for.

I'll be honest - I don't remember seeing any hype for him as a coach.

Weren't Glos in trouble for not asking LI's permission to talk to Skiv, rather than because anyone particularly thought he was exceptional?

Pretty sure he was the only Premiership coach willing to take on England A at that point. Top 8 were concentrating on their mid-season pre-season, Dimes had just arrived at Newcastle.

Sam Vesty coached the backs/attack for England A so there were certainly options available to England.

Skivington has been talked up as a good lineout/forwards coach and comes across well in the media. Perhaps promoted too quickly and without a mentor figure. Glaws have had a lot of injuries and the coaching staff is pretty inexperienced.

George Skivington — Director of Rugby
Dominic Waldouck – Rugby Strategy & Defence Coach
Trevor Woodman – Scrum & Assistant Forwards Coach
James Lightfoot Brown — Attack Coach
Tim Taylor – Skills & Backs Transition Coach
T. Rhys Thomas – Forwards Transition Coach

[Which Tyler]

Sam Vesty coached the backs/attack for England A

Sorry, my fault - I meant Head Coach / DoR

[FKAS]

Sam Vesty coached the backs/attack for England A

Sorry, my fault - I meant Head Coach / DoR

Sam Vesty is the Saints head coach. They were in camp for a week. Don't think it makes much difference which of the three roles each person had you'd be away from your club for a week.

[Which Tyler]

I thought Dowson was Saint's HC

[twitchy]

Watching lein v tls now, lots of huff and puff in the first half hoping things open up now as people tire.

[twitchy]

It should go straight to pens.

[FKAS]

I thought Dowson was Saint's HC

Dowson is DOR and Vesty Head Coach.

[Which Tyler]

Right, so you know what I mean, but are being awkward.
The guys in charge stayed at their club.
Sole exception of the sole guy in charge whose club had nothing to play for (or had only just arrived)