Saracens vs Wasps - Saturday

[Banquo]

Game over, great effort Wasps. Pretty miserable day for Sarries- that’s not far from first choice, and their discipline and breakdown accuracy were both dire.

[Raggs]

This is a big game for Wasps, and they've got something to play for. Also if they take something from this it'll really help them against other sides

Thing is, almost all the remaining games are big ones. I'd rather we focused on the other 4 than this one. Quins and Bristol are basically 8-10 point swings. Tigers is an easier game to target too. Considering our run in, this was the one I was expecting to see a 2nds team for.

Win this one and Quins and Brizzle will be influenced by that win. Also if Wasps are going to step up and do something you almost might as well set them the task of stepping up and doing something, as a wise (angry) man once observed, you've got to want it.

Will that do?

[Mikey Brown]

Farrell lives on the edge, just like all the great open-sides before him.

[francoisfou]

Farrell will certainly miss the trip to Leinster but will Eddie have second thoughts about his in undroppable captain? “Nah, mate, he sets a good example to his teammates”.

[fivepointer]

Only a matter of time before Farrell did something like this and got a red card. It was an appalling, reckless challenge that could have done serious damage. Hope Atkinson is OK and will get further opportunities soon. Farrell should get 4-6 week ban i'd have thought.
Wasps thoroughly deserved the win. They hung in when their scrum was under pressure and took every point going.
T Willis very good.

[Peej]

Turned over to Quins v Bath. What happened?

Farrell took off Charlie Atkinson's head with a high swing arm. Atkinson dipping very slightly, but no mitigation, straight red, didn't even go to TMO, it was unquestionable, Farrell had his arms in the air whilst he was still rolling on the floor from the tackle, he knew he'd fucked up too.

Honestly, he's lucky he didn't get absolutely filled in on the deck too.

Fuck Sarries, and their cheap shot, Championship bound cunts of players. This game just showed what horrendously shirt cunts their team are

[Which Tyler]

Don't hold back Peej - tell us what you really think

[Digby]

Thing is, almost all the remaining games are big ones. I'd rather we focused on the other 4 than this one. Quins and Bristol are basically 8-10 point swings. Tigers is an easier game to target too. Considering our run in, this was the one I was expecting to see a 2nds team for.

Win this one and Quins and Brizzle will be influenced by that win. Also if Wasps are going to step up and do something you almost might as well set them the task of stepping up and doing something, as a wise (angry) man once observed, you've got to want it.

Will that do?

I thought you might do it tbh looking at the team sheets. So much harder for Sarries to motivate themselves than a side with something to play for, and I figured you might as well say dammit we should be winning this just to see what you're about and because why not put pressure on a side that looks like they might do something, and Wasps somehow look like they might almost out of nothing. Not seen the game yet, I've been flicking between Quins and the Tour

[Beasties]

Turned over to Quins v Bath. What happened?

Farrell took off Charlie Atkinson's head with a high swing arm. Atkinson dipping very slightly, but no mitigation, straight red, didn't even go to TMO, it was unquestionable, Farrell had his arms in the air whilst he was still rolling on the floor from the tackle, he knew he'd fucked up too.

Honestly, he's lucky he didn't get absolutely filled in on the deck too.

Fuck Sarries, and their cheap shot, Championship bound cunts of players. This game just showed what horrendously shirt cunts their team are

That disgusting assault wasn't even vintage Farrell, it was more like textbook Hala'ufia. He needs a proper ban for this but I'll be surprised if it happens. Atkinson dipped very slightly if you're measuring in mm, mitigation my arse.

[Timbo]

He needs a ban that is consistent with the laws, guidelines and previous punishments for similar offences. Probably 6 weeks (games) mitigated by contrition down to 3 or 4.

[jimKRFC]

The Farrell tackle was bad but glad to see the ref didn't bottle it.

There were a few head shots in the Worcs v Bris game and Barnes didn't even look them (Radradra & Earl got arms straight to the head).

Howe on Earl, anoen should have at least beem yellow-

[Epaminondas Pules]

He needs a ban that is consistent with the laws, guidelines and previous punishments for similar offences. Probably 6 weeks (games) mitigated by contrition down to 3 or 4.

Yep. Admit guilt, show contrition, good disciplinary record, likely to get half reduction on a 6 week ban. Expect it’ll end up as 3 weeks.

[twitchy]

Completely brainless getting banned for the only meaningful club game for months.

[Oakboy]

Turned over to Quins v Bath. What happened?

Farrell took off Charlie Atkinson's head with a high swing arm. Atkinson dipping very slightly, but no mitigation, straight red, didn't even go to TMO, it was unquestionable, Farrell had his arms in the air whilst he was still rolling on the floor from the tackle, he knew he'd fucked up too.

Second red card I've missed this weekend. Hope the young lad is ok but maybe this will force Farrell to re-evaluate his tackle technique because it's not like this is the first time there's been questions raised.

Did not see the game so I cannot comment on the incident. However, I wss surprised by McCall's comment, reported in the paper this morning, that they HAVE been working on reducing Farrell's high tackles. If it's an accepted issue to that extent and he still does it, he is lower in my estimation - thick or what?. Now, he is even more a 'red card waiting to happen' every time he plays.

[Epaminondas Pules]

I thought the problem was that Farrell didn’t use his arms?

[Banquo]

I thought the problem was that Farrell didn’t use his arms?

Think it’s possible to have more than one problem, and defensively he certainly does have more than one issue. One of his usps is that he puts himself about more than most 10s- however it’s oft done somewhat thoughtlessly to be kind.

[Cameo]

It's going to be funny when he gets his ban reduced for a good disciplinary record.

This one wasn't quite the typical Farrell tackle (that would be the front on whole body effort) but did have similarities in that he is flying in aiming just below head height and going for the big hit with no thought for technique

[Raggs]

Similar to how he took out Dan Robson and i think Anthony Watson too. Though neither of those were as bad.

[Mellsblue]

Barnes, in the times, calling it inevitable and proof/clarification that he should lose the Eng captaincy.

[switchskier]

Farrell took off Charlie Atkinson's head with a high swing arm. Atkinson dipping very slightly, but no mitigation, straight red, didn't even go to TMO, it was unquestionable, Farrell had his arms in the air whilst he was still rolling on the floor from the tackle, he knew he'd fucked up too.

Second red card I've missed this weekend. Hope the young lad is ok but maybe this will force Farrell to re-evaluate his tackle technique because it's not like this is the first time there's been questions raised.

Did not see the game so I cannot comment on the incident. However, I wss surprised by McCall's comment, reported in the paper this morning, that they HAVE been working on reducing Farrell's high tackles. If it's an accepted issue to that extent and he still does it, he is lower in my estimation - thick or what?. Now, he is even more a 'red card waiting to happen' every time he plays.

One of this rare tackles that looks worse at full speed than in slow mo, the wasps ten just dropped. No idea what he was trying to do with that attempted tackle, there's no way or circumstance under which it was ever going to be legal. There can't be any mitigation surely?

[Raggs]

Slo-mo doesn't do it justice as to how little was going on around Atkinson, and how long Farrell had to line him up (and how blindsided he was).

[Scrumhead]

He lined him up and never made any effort to drop his height. It was always going to be high and with significant force.

This ‘playing on the edge’ BS isn’t an excuse. At a time when player welfare is high on the radar, you’d expect the England captain to lead by example.

[Banquo]

Barnes, in the times, calling it inevitable and proof/clarification that he should lose the Eng captaincy.

annoys me that Faz's tackling has been a problem for ages and virtually no pundits have called it out previously.

[Puja]

Barnes, in the times, calling it inevitable and proof/clarification that he should lose the Eng captaincy.

Wow. Barnes is plagiarising an article from someone that I agree with for once.

Puja

[Stom]

So I’ve just watched it. Surely that’s worthy of more than 6 weeks. Utter filth, Jesus. He could have taken his head right off.