Bath vs Saracens (Friday 19:45 - BT Sport)

[Banquo]

I think he's lost their respect.
His man-management has always been iffy; and I think that's where the Redacted saga took it's biggest toll.
Devoto, Fearns and Garvey getting screwed around positionally => upset with those players and those thinking "there but for the grace of god go I"; and thoughts that the team is picked based on wage packet rather than previous performance / training.
Burgess leaves and Faletau move falls through => Houston & Garvey feel shafted; further thoughts on selection based on wage packet.
Faletau falls through, whilst Priestland doesn't get the "2-starts, 2 benches" he'd allegedly been promise (seem unrealistic, but I'm sure he expected more); so he unretires from international rugby - and gets "shafted", selection based on petty grievance, thoughts of nepotism enter the equation.
Devoto gets played everywhere but his best position - more petty grievance.
Evans gets no game-time; Matawalu is favoured over Cook - more selection based on wage packet not performance.

Every turn seems to have re-enforced the idea that the Redacted saga planted; the team play as a group of individuals, and the team as a whole relies on individual brilliance rather than set moves / tactics to secure victories - all stinks of players trying avoid personal blame on the Tuesday, or playing to build a highlights reel and attract other options - or even just his own selectors.

I've always felt that Ford's ego is too big; and has been for a good decade now, disrupting 3 England regimes; disrupting Gold's regime. He calls out players in the press for poor performances, and seem fond of "looking hard at ourselves in the mirror on Tuesday" - I wonder how often he applies that to himself? certainly seems unwilling to replace or rest his son.
He talks a good game for player rotation; but never seems to actually do it.

He built up a lot of good-will for the team performances last year; though rotation was still an issue; but he's spent it this year; and I worry that he's over-spent it as far as the players are concerned.

be a great squad for someone else to take over, when you look at it from afar!

[PPJ]

Wilson up before the Citing officer tomorrow for eye gouging.

[Digby]

You can run a blocking line without moving off said line. You see it in midfield all the time with players pinged for running into defenders without deviating.

I've some sympathy with your view that Ashton is running a blocking line rather just running back. Certainly if Ashton truly thinks he's running a line towards the ball he should be fired for an astonishing lack of spacial awareness








I've only included that first image to give an idea of where Ashton has run from and to, but I don't think you're ever going to see Ashton pinged for a blocking line there, they're massively more likely to ping squint feeds at a stable scrum, and tbf Watson would do the same. What I think is illustrative is how close Watson is in that 2nd image to Goode with Goode still on the ground as Watson is (I'm supposing) looking at him, but Watson isn't especially looking at Ashton (which was shown on the TV in a reverse angle shot) and by the time Goode is going up, which is the 3rd shot here, Watson is too close and hasn't regained control. Without the brush with Ashton then Watson could have elected to challenge aerially which if he gets even close to the ball isn't likely to result in any sanction, or he can be harshly judged for poor contact with Goode, as is I'm not sure what we want Watson to do.

We could say Watson needs to be aware he might get contact with a covering player and still be able to control contact. But that seems to harsh a requirement to me, so I come back to it's just an accident, not even a penalty

[Banquo]

Wilson up before the Citing officer tomorrow for eye gouging.

..and Kruis for biting in the same incident! Could be like the Grewcock fish hook incident I guess

[I R Geech]

Ashton's reaction and handbags to the incident that HE caused (possibly on purpose) is everything that we've come to expect from the prick's prick.

[twitchy]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/a ... vid-wilson

[Galfon]

Wilson up before the Citing officer tomorrow for eye gouging.

..and Kruis for biting in the same incident! Could be like the Grewcock fish hook incident I guess

don't players wear gumshields these days ?

[Peej]

More on the fan who made his way to the official's changing room:

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/bath-su ... ries-flag/

[Which Tyler]

More on the fan who made his way to the official's changing room:

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/bath-su ... ries-flag/

If true, then it's a bit childish but nothing.

Sonja McLaughlin says that it was Downey she saw; and that his version of events does not match what she witnessed.
Another local reporter has also said that Garner's version of events differ significantly from what Downey has claimed.
Both of the above come 2nd hand from twitter via COML - I don't use twitter, so can't / won't verify further.