RugbyRebels

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs GLOUCESTER RUGBY
Gallagher Premiership, Round 7
Saturday 30 November, 2024
cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 3pm

15 George Furbank (c)
14 George Hendy
13 Tom Litchfield
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Ollie Sleightholme
10 Fin Smith
9 Tom James

1 Tom West
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Trevor Davison
4 Chunya Munga
5 Alex Coles
6 Angus Scott-Young
7 Tom Pearson
8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements:
16 Craig Wright
17 Emmanuel Iyogun
18 Luke Green
19 Tom Lockett
20 Henry Pollock
21 Alex Mitchell
22 Fraser Dingwall
23 James Ramm

Not available for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Sam Graham, Callum Hunter-Hill, Josh Kemeny, Burger Odendaal, Toby Thame and Robbie Smith.

GLOUCESTER TEAM TO FACE SAINTS:
15 Santi Carreras, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Caolan Englefield; 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin, 2 Jack Singleton, 3 Afo Fasogbon, 4 Arthur Clark, 5 Freddie Thomas, 6 Jack Clement, 7 Lewis Ludlow (c), 8 Zach Mercer.
Replacements: 16 Seb Blake, 17 Ciaran Knight, 18 Kirill Gotovtsev, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Charlie Chapman, 22 Chris Harris, 23 Josh Hathaway.

Well this one looks like it'll be fun. I suspect the Saints bench will make the difference.

Pleased to see Mitchell back.

Excellent for Saints and England to see Mitchell back. Cracking back 3 for Saints, and Glos! Hopefully a try fest.

Non stop first ten minutes

Weird HIA scenario stopping Fin Smith returning because the medics pissed about and exceeded the 10 minutes allowed.

Yeah that's very annoying for both Saints and my fantasy team. Scrap that stupid rule - what does it achieve other than potentially rushing through HIAs?

I've not seen much of James. Seems a bit dithery and mistake-prone today. Is he usually better than this?

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 3:45 pm I've not seen much of James. Seems a bit dithery and mistake-prone today. Is he usually better than this?

Has looked good previously as a back up, given the starting job whilst Mitchell has been injured and not done himself any favours.

Adam_P wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 3:29 pm Yeah that's very annoying for both Saints and my fantasy team. Scrap that stupid rule - what does it achieve other than potentially rushing through HIAs?

Presumably to stop teams playing silly buggers and subbing every player with a "HIA" and then being able to bring them back on later if they feel like it. Seems a bit over the top though. You don't want the medics rushing the process.

TBH, if you can't get sure that the HIA has been passed after 10 minutes, then you can't trust that the pass is conclusive

Sleightholme’s defence feels problematic at the moment.

Which Tyler wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 3:53 pm TBH, if you can't get sure that the HIA has been passed after 10 minutes, then you can't trust that the pass is conclusive

WT, what can vary so much in the process? We have seen other players ready after 5 or 6 minutes.

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 4:03 pm Sleightholme’s defence feels problematic at the moment.

He seems to be slow getting to contact - oddly, considering his pace. Is he just indecisive?

Oakboy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 4:03 pm WT, what can vary so much in the process? We have seen other players ready after 5 or 6 minutes.

6 is about the lower limit.
Different people take different times to answer questions, simple as that.

But theres a good argument that if you're taking double that,then it's either a fail, or equivocal, and if equivocal, you're better off treating it as a fail

Can someone help me with the rules re that sleightholme non try. Is Mercer allowing to just go with a two handed push rather than a proper tackle with a wrap?

Which Tyler wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 3:53 pm TBH, if you can't get sure that the HIA has been passed after 10 minutes, then you can't trust that the pass is conclusive

Depends whether the technology is working, whether the independent doctor is in place to do their bits etc. If everything is good to go and the tests are started instantly then yes I'd agree.

If the tech isn't working, then yeah, though I do t see why there wouldn't be a paper copy backup.
Independent Dr not being there has no excuse.
There's still a good 4 minutes of leeway from the time it can take to do the tests. Seems plenty to me, though I wouldn't argue if it was 11 minutes instead of 10, but if there's going to be a cut-off, then there's going to be a cut-off. There needs to be space cut-off

If only we kicked the 3 at sixty-something mins right in front of the posts. Awful discipline in the first half cost us that

As a neutral that was good fun. Gloucester almost punched themselves out but managed to hang on. They played some lovely stuff in there too.

Smith was a big loss for Saints!

Atkinson again impressed. His hands and ability to draw the defender in before taking his option is bloody lovely!

Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 5:24 pm Atkinson again impressed. His hands and ability to draw the defender in before taking his option is bloody lovely!

This is one of those comments that will make me seek out a game I missed. He's just so good to watch. Dare I say it, he has that Will Greenwood thing where he just sees the space and the timings of those around him so clearly.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 6:02 pm

Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 5:24 pm Atkinson again impressed. His hands and ability to draw the defender in before taking his option is bloody lovely!

This is one of those comments that will make me seek out a game I missed. He's just so good to watch. Dare I say it, he has that Will Greenwood thing where he just sees the space and the timings of those around him so clearly.

You mocking MB?

No? I think he looks incredible with the ball. I thought you had the same opinion?

We're talking about Seb and not Charlie, right?

Fasogbon was good again.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2024 7:15 pm No? I think he looks incredible with the ball. I thought you had the same opinion?

We're talking about Seb and not Charlie, right?

Oh yes, I’m on the hill with EP!!! Been banging on about him for, well, dingers of seasons. I just thought your post might have been tongue in cheek