RugbyRebels

The two best sides, both in excellent form. Very difficult to call...

Exeter: Turner; Nowell, Slade, Hill, Woodburn; J Simmonds, White; Hepburn, Cowan-Dickie, Francis, Lees, Hill, Ewers, Armand (capt), S Simmonds.

Replacements: Yeandle, Moon, Holmes, Skinner, Waldrom, Townsend, Steenson, Whitten.

Saracens: Goode; Maitland, Lozowski, Barritt (capt), Wyles; Farrell, Wigglesworth; M Vunipola, George, Koch, Itoje, Kruis, Isiekwe, Wray, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Brits, Barrington, Figallo, Skelton, Rhodes, Spencer, Bosch, Earle.

Big game for LCD. Well all of them really .

If Sarries bring last weeks physicality, they should edge it.

Seems so odd after all the time Baxter has stuck with Steenson/Whitten at 10/12 that this pair are starting the final. Brilliant for Simmonds, who looks a serious player.

I thought Hill had really dropped out of the reckoning after being touted for England a few years ago but must be doing something right. Seems very limited (though Whitten is too I guess) but maybe that's all you need with Simmonds/Slade either side.

If Exeter have enough to beat Saracens I'll be very happy for them but I'm not so sure they will.

How is Lozowski's conversion (filling in the gaps?) to 13 going?

Mikey Brown wrote:Seems so odd after all the time Baxter has stuck with Steenson/Whitten at 10/12 that this pair are starting the final. Brilliant for Simmonds, who looks a serious player.

I thought Hill had really dropped out of the reckoning after being touted for England a few years ago but must be doing something right. Seems very limited (though Whitten is too I guess) but maybe that's all you need with Simmonds/Slade either side.

If Exeter have enough to beat Saracens I'll be very happy for them but I'm not so sure they will.

How is Lozowski's conversion (filling in the gaps?) to 13 going?

Hill straightens the line and gives the forwards a great target, I know its not appreciated in a 12 much on this board, but its very handy, and he's a good foil for Simmonds running skills.

Loz- mixed, he looks vulnerable in defence. Who'd have thought it- 13 is an easy position to defend in as we all know, especially with Faz and Baz blitzing it up.

Mikey Brown wrote:Seems so odd after all the time Baxter has stuck with Steenson/Whitten at 10/12 that this pair are starting the final. Brilliant for Simmonds, who looks a serious player.

I thought Hill had really dropped out of the reckoning after being touted for England a few years ago but must be doing something right. Seems very limited (though Whitten is too I guess) but maybe that's all you need with Simmonds/Slade either side.

If Exeter have enough to beat Saracens I'll be very happy for them but I'm not so sure they will.

How is Lozowski's conversion (filling in the gaps?) to 13 going?

I think Lozowski has been MOTM at 13. The supporters are very happy with his performance at that position, and think he is better there than at 10 or 15.

Well there's an open slot in the England team at 13. If Lozowski can turn in a good performance, then he could be starting there vs South Africa. I'd be happier with that than with Te'o or Slade - he's more skillful than the former and more direct in his running than the latter.

Puja

CONVEX HULL wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote:Seems so odd after all the time Baxter has stuck with Steenson/Whitten at 10/12 that this pair are starting the final. Brilliant for Simmonds, who looks a serious player.

I thought Hill had really dropped out of the reckoning after being touted for England a few years ago but must be doing something right. Seems very limited (though Whitten is too I guess) but maybe that's all you need with Simmonds/Slade either side.

If Exeter have enough to beat Saracens I'll be very happy for them but I'm not so sure they will.

How is Lozowski's conversion (filling in the gaps?) to 13 going?

I think Lozowski has been MOTM at 13. The supporters are very happy with his performance at that position, and think he is better there than at 10 or 15.

He was heavily exposed by Wasps (5 missed tackles out of 7 attempted). He's a bloody good player, but needs to get used to the position.

Puja wrote:Well there's an open slot in the England team at 13. If Lozowski can turn in a good performance, then he could be starting there vs South Africa. I'd be happier with that than with Te'o or Slade - he's more skillful than the former and more direct in his running than the latter.

Puja

....just hope he's learned to defend there by the time he's parachuted into the position internationally....

Seems as fitting a place as any.

Mikey Brown wrote:Seems as fitting a place as any.

Impressive. Obviously a luxury hobbit.

When I win tonight’s Euromillions, he’s the first player I’m signing for Bedford. Proper ledge, innit.

Turns out I didn’t win the Euromillions. Goodnes knows how Bedford will fund Flanagan’s wage now.

A composite team of these two would make a pretty good England team.

Mako
George
Williams
Kruis
Itoje
Ewers
Simmonds
Billy

Wigglesworth
Farrell
Woodburn
Loz
Slade
Woodburn
Goode

LCD
Hepburn
?
Isiekwe
Armand
Spencer
Simmonds
Barritt

For a moment there, I thought you meant a composite team between Bedford and Sarries...

If you insist:
15. Rich Lane
14. Nathan Earle
13. Duncan Taylor
12. Michael LeBourgeois (c)
11. Dean Adamson
10. Will Hooley
9. Richard Wigglesworth

1. Sean McCarthy
2. Jamie George
3. Ben Cooper
4. Mark Flanagan
5. Will Carrick-Smith
6. Maro Itoje
7. Jackson Wray
8. Jared Williams

Replacements:
16. Schalk Brit
17. Mako
18. Alex Penny
19. George Kruis
20. Billy
21. Ben Spencer
22. Owen Farrell

Mellsblue wrote:Turns out I didn’t win the Euromillions. Goodnes knows how Bedford will fund Flanagan’s wage now.

A composite team of these two would make a pretty good England team.

Mako
George
Williams
Kruis
Itoje
Ewers
Simmonds
Billy

Wigglesworth
Farrell
Woodburn
Loz
Slade
Woodburn
Goode

LCD
Hepburn
?
Isiekwe
Armand
Spencer
Simmonds
Barritt

You rate Woodburn then, do you?

Puja

Mellsblue wrote:Turns out I didn’t win the Euromillions. Goodnes knows how Bedford will fund Flanagan’s wage now.

A composite team of these two would make a pretty good England team.

Mako
George
Williams
Kruis
Itoje
Ewers
Simmonds
Billy

Wigglesworth
Farrell
Woodburn
Loz
Slade
Woodburn
Goode

LCD
Hepburn
?
Isiekwe
Armand
Spencer
Simmonds
Barritt

That Woodburn is a busy fella.

Banquo wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Turns out I didn’t win the Euromillions. Goodnes knows how Bedford will fund Flanagan’s wage now.

A composite team of these two would make a pretty good England team.

Mako
George
Williams
Kruis
Itoje
Ewers
Simmonds
Billy

Wigglesworth
Farrell
Woodburn
Loz
Slade
Woodburn
Goode

LCD
Hepburn
?
Isiekwe
Armand
Spencer
Simmonds
Barritt

That Woodburn is a busy fella.

Ben Moon for ?

Woodburn is easily twice as quick as Nowell, hence he is on both wings. To be fair, even Mako is twice as quick as Nowell.
Good to see there are no issues with the composite Bedford-Saracens team.

Mellsblue wrote:Woodburn is easily twice as quick as Nowell, hence he is on both wings. To be fair, even Mako is twice as quick as Nowell.
Good to see there are no issues with the composite Bedford-Saracens team.

didn't get that far

Nice from Faz there

bu55er, billy off

loving sarries ball in hand, very inventive

Can't watch - in the Auvergne. BBC reports try-saving intervention by Nowell involving his 'lightning pace'. Is that right? What's up with Billy?

Oakboy wrote:Can't watch - in the Auvergne. BBC reports try-saving intervention by Nowell involving his 'lightning pace'. Is that right? What's up with Billy?

Billy actually stayed on and is playing well. Nowell turned well but was up against the less than quick Wyles.

Sarries very good.

Nowell did shift to save that try, had to turn and beat Wyles to a ball kicked through.

Billy was OK, but has been down on a knee a few times.

Sarries looking very very good. Loving how Farrell is still improving as a player, he's running often, committing the defence, putting in nice chip over kicks etc. If he can bring that to the 12 shirt for England, that'll be handy.