Saints v Tigers

[twitchy]

That was petulant and crass by Burns. Lucky boy to only be subbed.

He got caught nastily and his reaction was pretty harmless. No big deal. Any way a fun game although saints ahould have come back in the last 15.

[fivepointer]

Great game for the neutral. Felt a bit for Saints who played a strong game but couldnt capitalise on their spells in the Tigers 22.

Thackers try was a gem. He's rapidly becoming one of my favourite players.

Burns completely over reacted I thought and Bethan was lucky not to get a yellow at the end.

Mallinder looks class.

[Timbo]

I thought Burns was within his rights to be angry at Mallinder tbh. Those flops over the try line can be dangerous and painful, and I thought Mallinders reaction to Burns showed that he realised he shouldn't have don't it.

Anyway, was a good game overall, but spoiled a touch by some poor officiating.

[twitchy]

I thought Burns was within his rights to be angry at Mallinder tbh. Those flops over the try line can be dangerous and painful, and I thought Mallinders reaction to Burns showed that he realised he shouldn't have don't it.

Anyway, was a good game overall, but spoiled a touch by some poor officiating.

It looked to me like he got a nasty knee to the spine, you could tell by his face it was more than the normal. I've watched mallinder quite a few times now and he is a raw diamond. What do people think his final position will be?

[Mellsblue]

I thought Burns was within his rights to be angry at Mallinder tbh. Those flops over the try line can be dangerous and painful, and I thought Mallinders reaction to Burns showed that he realised he shouldn't have don't it.

Anyway, was a good game overall, but spoiled a touch by some poor officiating.

It looked to me like he got a nasty knee to the spine, you could tell by his face it was more than the normal. I've watched mallinder quite a few times now and he is a raw diamond. What do people think his final position will be?

IC

[Timbo]

Not sure on Mallinder, but a 6ft 5inch 17 stone pacy fullback would certainly come into the England reckoning pretty damn quick. First things first, I hope we get the U20's sorted with some quality coaching and all our best eligible players and Mallinder can tear it up at the JWC this summer.

[Digby]

Mallinder isn't averse to leaving a little on a try scorer, which isn't wholly a bad thing but he should show some care not to get a rep for it.

[Puja]

Why have Tigers avoided yellow there, just because our advantage led to a try?

You're not wrong - I was actually cheering for Saints to score there because otherwise it was a guaranteed yellow card and that could have swung the game. Mind, the ref was terrible and capricious all the way through - the penalty before the try came when he talked to Croft, reassuring him that he had come through the centre of the maul to latch onto the ball and then shut his mouth entirely and decided inside his own head that it was now a tackle not a maul and that Croft should've mind-read him to know that he'd changed his mind.

Burns having a tantrum because someone tackled him, Looking like a twat

Mallinder slid in knees first after having run at full-pace - I'd be pissed off too.

Puja

[Adam_P]

Burns having a tantrum because someone tackled him, Looking like a twat

Mallinder slid in knees first after having run at full-pace - I'd be pissed off too.

Puja

Would you pull his hair too?

I don't remember such a reaction when Croft went knees first into a man on the ground

[Mikey Brown]

It quite obviously wasn't the same. Did Burns pull his hair? Something tells me you're not completely unbiased here. I just saw the thumbnail for the highlights and I can see why that might hurt a bit. http://sport.bt.com/rugby-union-01363810542305

[Puja]

Burns having a tantrum because someone tackled him, Looking like a twat

Mallinder slid in knees first after having run at full-pace - I'd be pissed off too.

Puja

Would you pull his hair too?

I don't remember such a reaction when Croft went knees first into a man on the ground

No, but I might grab him by the collar and shake him a bit, like Burns did. Pulling hair is a Northampton thing in these East Midlands derbies, as I recall.

Puja

[Adam_P]

Mallinder slid in knees first after having run at full-pace - I'd be pissed off too.

Puja

Would you pull his hair too?

I don't remember such a reaction when Croft went knees first into a man on the ground

No, but I might grab him by the collar and shake him a bit, like Burns did. Pulling hair is a Northampton thing in these East Midlands derbies, as I recall.

Puja

Only with that defector, the lynch mob will sort him out though!

[Adam_P]

It quite obviously wasn't the same. Did Burns pull his hair? Something tells me you're not completely unbiased here. I just saw the thumbnail for the highlights and I can see why that might hurt a bit. http://sport.bt.com/rugby-union-01363810542305

You're correct, it's not the same. Tackling a player as they score isn't against the laws, whereas sliding into someone on the ground is.

[Tigersman]

Saints fans trying to start a thing on social media that Burns gouged Mallinder using a still, Which watching it again I just don't see.

Mind saints fans calling Mallinder a true gent.

Despite him gobbing off to the touch judge every time he kicked to touch it seems.

[fivepointer]

"Talking" to the TJ seems to be a regular thing nowadays. Its not a good sight and something that could easily be clamped down upon.

Anyway, back to the rugby which was a terrific ding dong containing much that is really good about the Premiership.

A couple of players deserve a mention. Barrow has come on leaps and bounds this season and is surely going to go to SA with the Saxons. Waller should be joining him. I thought he got on top of Cole in the scrums and contributed an awful lot outside of that area of play. How this guy is playing week after week is something of a miracle.

[Banquo]

It quite obviously wasn't the same. Did Burns pull his hair? Something tells me you're not completely unbiased here. I just saw the thumbnail for the highlights and I can see why that might hurt a bit. http://sport.bt.com/rugby-union-01363810542305

You're correct, it's not the same. Tackling a player as they score isn't against the laws, whereas sliding into someone on the ground is.

which is why Croft was penalised. Mallinder's was a marginal cheap shot, and Burns' reaction was handbags. Both incidents were handled correctly. Unlike the refs random handling of the maul.

Good game for the neutral, Saints played with great heart, given they were missing a few players.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Saints fans trying to start a thing on social media that Burns gouged Mallinder using a still, Which watching it again I just don't see.

Mind saints fans calling Mallinder a true gent.

Despite him gobbing off to the touch judge every time he kicked to touch it seems.

Could always mention the Matfield knee to the head at 62:30 and see what they say

[Adam_P]

Saints fans trying to start a thing on social media that Burns gouged Mallinder using a still, Which watching it again I just don't see.

Mind saints fans calling Mallinder a true gent.

Despite him gobbing off to the touch judge every time he kicked to touch it seems.

Could always mention the Matfield knee to the head at 62:30 and see what they say

I'd say it'd be no great loss if he copped a ban!