RugbyRebels

Sale Sharks: Addison (capt); Solomona, James, Jennings, Charnley; MacGinty, De Klerk; Harrison, Jones, Tarus, Evans, Beaumont, Ross, B Curry, Strauss.

Replacements: Webber, Flynn, Aulika, Ostrikov, T Curry, Ioane, Cliff, Haley.

London Irish: Bell; Lewington, Tikoirotuma, McLean, Ojo; Marshall, McKibbin; Hobbs-Awoyemi, Porecki, Franks (capt); van der Merwe, De Chaves; Coman, Cowan, Treviranus.

Replacements: Paice, Elrington, Du Plessis, McNally, Gilsenan, Tonks, Tonks, Nalaga.

Most interesting selection there is Addison at 15. He's undeniably talented and his work ethic is excellent. However for England, he's not dangerous enough for wing and at 13 he's always going to struggle behind Joseph, Marchant and Daly. However, there's not a big queue at 15 and he has got the skills necessary. I'll be really interested to see if he can make a go of that.

Puja

Yeah - I'm curious to see how he goes. Haley hasn't shone so far this season.

James starting gives me a dilemma for my fantasy team. I was all set to release him and buy a replacement/two but I'm almost certain that he'll have a storming game if I do that.

Addison at 15 is a very interesting selection. I think he's a really good player, probably just short of international class at wing or centre but if he can develop at 15 he could be an option. I'm afraid Haley hasnt been the same since he went to SA with the Saxons and got badly crocked.

Expect Sale to get a win, but this is the sort of game Irish will be looking at to at least get a BP.

Definitely. Sale's set piece was awful last week (particularly the lineout) and while Bryn Evans' return to the side will help, London Irish' strong by comparison.

I'm going for a narrow home win, but I can totally see Irish picking up a losing BP.

fivepointer wrote:Addison at 15 is a very interesting selection. I think he's a really good player, probably just short of international class at wing or centre but if he can develop at 15 he could be an option. I'm afraid Haley hasnt been the same since he went to SA with the Saxons and got badly crocked.

Expect Sale to get a win, but this is the sort of game Irish will be looking at to at least get a BP.

To be honest, I never really got the Haley hype. I think he had a decent enough season and he was built up into a great hope by the board because of the waning of Mike Brown. He might still blossom, but I don't see him as international quality at present.

Puja

Puja wrote: Acceleration is massively overrated in a fullback

Puja

Agreed, I mean whatever happened to Miller?

Mikey Brown wrote:

Puja wrote: Acceleration is massively overrated in a fullback

Puja

Agreed, I mean whatever happened to Miller?

Yet another wasted English talent. We're he a Kiwi he'd be a Mitre 10 winner by now.

Mikey Brown wrote:

Puja wrote: Acceleration is massively overrated in a fullback

Puja

Agreed, I mean whatever happened to Miller?

Is he (Haley, that is) even that quick? I mean, he was nippy enough and obviously much faster than you, but that's not a high bar to trip over. It's not like he was May or anything.

God, I wish Watson played full-back. I think he'd be really good at it, but he'd have to play there for Bath first.

Puja

Mellsblue wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote:Agreed, I mean whatever happened to Miller?

Yet another wasted English talent. We're he a Kiwi he'd be a Mitre 10 winner by now.

And probably have still signed for Wasps, just on double the salary.

Puja

I must have missed something somewhere but what has happened to James O'Connor? Injured?

it looks like sticking with Denny S for one more match may have paid off. Hopefully this will cause a jump in value and I can dump him next week.

Balls, benched Solomona.

onlynameleft wrote:I must have missed something somewhere but what has happened to James O'Connor? Injured?

Yes. I think it was looking like next week for him to be back.

16th man wrote:

onlynameleft wrote:I must have missed something somewhere but what has happened to James O'Connor? Injured?

Yes. I think it was looking like next week for him to be back.

Was he injured, or did they think the delay in starting him would really build up the anticipation and make his inevitable mediocrity all that more excruciating to watch?

bitts wrote:

16th man wrote:

onlynameleft wrote:I must have missed something somewhere but what has happened to James O'Connor? Injured?

Yes. I think it was looking like next week for him to be back.

Was he injured, or did they think the delay in starting him would really build up the anticipation and make his inevitable mediocrity all that more excruciating to watch?

Depends on if people are going to deem anything short of a debut hat-trick a failure or not.

bitts wrote:it looks like sticking with Denny S for one more match may have paid off.

I was within a whisker of dropping him but like you, I thought, I'll give him one more week ...

Sale: (24) 36
Tries: Harrison, Solomona 2, Charnley, Jennings Cons: MacGinty 4 Pens: MacGinty
London Irish: (0) 7
Try: Penalty

Thought it might be closer than that. Good win for Sale, just what they needed.

How did Charnley play? Obviously last season was very underwhelming, but I'm curious to see if he can make a bigger/better impact this season.