Bristol vs Exter, Friday 19.45

[jimKRFC]

Bristol Bears team to face Exeter Chiefs at Ashton Gate on Friday night (7.45pm KO):

15. Charles Piutau, 14. Toby Fricker, 13. Piers O'Conor, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. RICH LANE!!! 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Harry Randall,
1. Ellis Genge, 2. Will Capon, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. John Hawkins, 5. Joe Joyce, 6. Chris Vui, 7. Jake Heenan (c), 8. Magnus Bradbury

Subs: 16. Jake Kerr, 17. Jake Woolmore, 18. Max Lahiff, 19. Ed Holmes, 20. Dan Thomas, 21. Tom Whiteley, 22. AJ MacGinty, 23. Jack Bates.

Unavailable: Harry Thacker, Steven Luatua, Sam Jeffries, Sam Lewis, Fitz Harding, Semi Radradra, Luke Morahan, Siva Naulago, Gabriel Ibitoye.

Exeter:
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Rory O’Loughlin, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Jack Yeandle (capt), 3 Harry Williams, 4 Jannes Kirsten, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 7 Christ Tshiunza, 8 Richard Capstick

Replacements: 16 Lukę Cowan-Dickie, 17 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Ruben Van Heerden, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Sam Maunder, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Solomone Kata

Bristol need a reaction after a massively under whelming effort at newcs, and they look a much better team with a few of those unavailables back...

Hard to see past Exeter for the win for me.

[Banquo]

Bristol Bears team to face Exeter Chiefs at Ashton Gate on Friday night (7.45pm KO):

15. Charles Piutau, 14. Toby Fricker, 13. Piers O'Conor, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. RICH LANE!!! 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Harry Randall,
1. Ellis Genge, 2. Will Capon, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. John Hawkins, 5. Joe Joyce, 6. Chris Vui, 7. Jake Heenan (c), 8. Magnus Bradbury

Subs: 16. Jake Kerr, 17. Jake Woolmore, 18. Max Lahiff, 19. Ed Holmes, 20. Dan Thomas, 21. Tom Whiteley, 22. AJ MacGinty, 23. Jack Bates.

Unavailable: Harry Thacker, Steven Luatua, Sam Jeffries, Sam Lewis, Fitz Harding, Semi Radradra, Luke Morahan, Siva Naulago, Gabriel Ibitoye.

Exeter:
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Rory O’Loughlin, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Jack Yeandle (capt), 3 Harry Williams, 4 Jannes Kirsten, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 7 Christ Tshiunza, 8 Richard Capstick

Replacements: 16 Lukę Cowan-Dickie, 17 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Ruben Van Heerden, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Sam Maunder, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Solomone Kata

Bristol need a reaction after a massively under whelming effort at newcs, and they look a much better team with a few of those unavailables back...

Hard to see past Exeter for the win for me.

Your prediction is almost always a Brizz loss to be fair

[fivepointer]

Bris very flat last week but i dont think Exe are in top gear so far this season. Difficult one to call, i reckon.

Can Sinckler show some form.

[jimKRFC]

Your prediction is almost always a Brizz loss to be fair

Ha ha..rumbled! To be honest I am a pessimist when it comes to Bristol.

[Mellsblue]

RICH LANE!!! playing and POC at 13… pinch me.

[Banquo]

RICH LANE!!! playing and POC at 13… pinch me.

doesn't he normally play 13 when Radrada isn't available?

[Peej]

I think Bedlow looks quite decent. Can carry in traffic, can kick, can defend against big runners. Useful player.

[FKAS]

Genge is back, Bristol will turn up. Bristol get a TBP win in a high scoring match.

[twitchy]

I forgot this was tonight. I really enjoy the friday evening fixtures.

[Mellsblue]

Class from Sheedy.

[FKAS]

Class from Sheedy.

Weaker foot and under a lot of pressure, yeah very classy.

Genge already leading from the front and Bristol following. Brutally physical game so far.

[Mikey Brown]

Very Lucky from Genge there. Some sympathy in that avoiding flailing arms without tucking a shoulder in that situation is difficult, but that could well have been red.

[FKAS]

Very Lucky from Genge there. Some sympathy in that avoiding flailing arms without tucking a shoulder in that situation is difficult, but that could well have been red.

I thought the ref got the decision spot on. There is head contact, but the height is lowered and he wraps his arms and it's the arm that makes contact not the shoulder. Genge's mistake was turning his head just as he commits, got to keep sight for as long as possible so when the player is moving like Gray was there you can adjust. Genge dips an extra inch there and it's a textbook clear out.

[Mikey Brown]

Very Lucky from Genge there. Some sympathy in that avoiding flailing arms without tucking a shoulder in that situation is difficult, but that could well have been red.

I thought the ref got the decision spot on. There is head contact, but the height is lowered and he wraps his arms and it's the arm that makes contact not the shoulder. Genge's mistake was turning his head just as he commits, got to keep sight for as long as possible so when the player is moving like Gray was there you can adjust. Genge dips an extra inch there and it's a textbook clear out.

Wasn't meaning to say "clearly a red" but I see why my post came across like that. It's more just the concern of so easily being in a position we could be looking at him banned heading in to the Autumn. It would be a shame. His introduction to the England team and development in the last couple of years is one of the big England success stories. Now offers many of the strong points of both Marler and Mako, just needs to keep his improved discipline where it is.

I've never particularly thought about Woodburn as an England potential, but I really enjoy watching him play.

[twitchy]

Good half. Both teams have had good passages of play. Decently poised.

[Mellsblue]

“If you’ve got any corners that need dusting”

[FKAS]

Very Lucky from Genge there. Some sympathy in that avoiding flailing arms without tucking a shoulder in that situation is difficult, but that could well have been red.

I thought the ref got the decision spot on. There is head contact, but the height is lowered and he wraps his arms and it's the arm that makes contact not the shoulder. Genge's mistake was turning his head just as he commits, got to keep sight for as long as possible so when the player is moving like Gray was there you can adjust. Genge dips an extra inch there and it's a textbook clear out.

Wasn't meaning to say "clearly a red" but I see why my post came across like that. It's more just the concern of so easily being in a position we could be looking at him banned heading in to the Autumn. It would be a shame. His introduction to the England team and development in the last couple of years is one of the big England success stories. Now offers many of the strong points of both Marler and Mako, just needs to keep his improved discipline where it is.

I've never particularly thought about Woodburn as an England potential, but I really enjoy watching him play.

When the TMO said "foul play Blue 1" my immediate thought was "oh shit hope he isn't banned for the AIs". Sinckler is playing a damn sight better with Genge alongside him he, Bristol and England need Genge to stay available.

Woodburn is one of those really good club players that's probably just a bit below international level. Much like O'Flaherty.

Chiefs were very lucky at the end of that half. Maunder's knock on could have had another look and there really should have been another scrum penalty there. Randall really unlucky to be an inch short. Bristol are very slow at the breakdown tonight, really don't get that with the team they have. It much be a tactical choice as well.

[twitchy]

Exe playing some really nice stuff.

[Mikey Brown]

Exe playing some really nice stuff.

I've read a couple of people on here say the exact opposite on here this season, but I thought they look to have a bit of their old edge back too. Not back to where they were, but there seems to be more of that ominous/inevitable Saracens thing.

[Mellsblue]

Depends what you mean by nice. Brutally efficient yes but the one out, pick and go gameplay bores me. The fact Dallaglio won’t shut up and BOD is very quiet says it all.

[Puja]

Very Lucky from Genge there. Some sympathy in that avoiding flailing arms without tucking a shoulder in that situation is difficult, but that could well have been red.

I thought the ref got the decision spot on. There is head contact, but the height is lowered and he wraps his arms and it's the arm that makes contact not the shoulder. Genge's mistake was turning his head just as he commits, got to keep sight for as long as possible so when the player is moving like Gray was there you can adjust. Genge dips an extra inch there and it's a textbook clear out.

Wasn't meaning to say "clearly a red" but I see why my post came across like that. It's more just the concern of so easily being in a position we could be looking at him banned heading in to the Autumn. It would be a shame. His introduction to the England team and development in the last couple of years is one of the big England success stories. Now offers many of the strong points of both Marler and Mako, just needs to keep his improved discipline where it is.

I've never particularly thought about Woodburn as an England potential, but I really enjoy watching him play.

I have to say that I thought the Genge decision was rubbish and shouldn't have even been a penalty. It's not an upright or high contact - he's bent at the hips, he's using his arms, he's showing the technique that is what the head contact protocols are trying to encourage players to do.

Ridley missed a step in the head contact protocols. He went "Did it make contact, yes," then straight onto degree of danger, missing out "Was it foul play?", which it's not. He's performing a legal action with good technique and is unlucky that the Exeter player's head happens to be very low.

Puja

[FKAS]

Depends what you mean by nice. Brutally efficient yes but the one out, pick and go gameplay bores me. The fact Dallaglio won’t shut up and BOD is very quiet says it all.

When does Dayglo ever shut up? I wouldn't mind so much if he had a clue what he was gibbering about but for someone who played the game for so long he shows a surprising lack of insight. I get the impression he's one of those that's naturally good at sport and who took to rugby and has never really had to go away and analyse his own game.

[Banquo]

Depends what you mean by nice. Brutally efficient yes but the one out, pick and go gameplay bores me. The fact Dallaglio won’t shut up and BOD is very quiet says it all.

When does Dayglo ever shut up? I wouldn't mind so much if he had a clue what he was gibbering about but for someone who played the game for so long he shows a surprising lack of insight. I get the impression he's one of those that's naturally good at sport and who took to rugby and has never really had to go away and analyse his own game.

Terrible pundit, but a great rugby player who was smart enough and worked hard enough to reinvent himself twice as a player, and was also a terrific skipper on the pitch. Just don't think he is super bright, but I'd think he spent a lot of time working on his own game tbh.

[Spiffy]

Depends what you mean by nice. Brutally efficient yes but the one out, pick and go gameplay bores me. The fact Dallaglio won’t shut up and BOD is very quiet says it all.

When does Dayglo ever shut up? I wouldn't mind so much if he had a clue what he was gibbering about but for someone who played the game for so long he shows a surprising lack of insight. I get the impression he's one of those that's naturally good at sport and who took to rugby and has never really had to go away and analyse his own game.

Terrible pundit, but a great rugby player who was smart enough and worked hard enough to reinvent himself twice as a player, and was also a terrific skipper on the pitch. Just don't think he is super bright, but I'd think he spent a lot of time working on his own game tbh.

Yes. Big Lol is just a bit fick, innit. Despite being a great player, the subtleties of the game tend to bypass him, and quite often, so does the bleedin obvious. I've often wondered how he manages to hang on to that plum job with his rambling, meaningless comments and wooden delivery.

[twitchy]