Guinness Premiership Run In !

[merseyboy]

Things are getting serious for the playoffs now with 3 games left;

1) Harlequins 57
2) Leicester Tigers 57
3) Bath 57
4) Gloucester 56
5) London Irish 55
6) Sale Sharks 51

Remaining Fixtures;

Hairy Queens - Bath (A) Sale (A) Newcastle (H)
Leicester - Sale (H) Saracens (A) Bristol (H)
Bath - Queens (H) Newcastle (A) Saracens (H)
Glouc - Northampton (A) Warriors (H) Wasps (A)
Irish - Bristol (H) Northampton (A) Warriors (A)
Sale - Leicester (A) Queens (H) Northampton (H)


Quins have two very hard away games which could see the move down the table. Very hard at Bath and Sale. 6 Point
As far as i can see Leicester have the best run in and are now probably the team to beat. 10 points for them
Bath - two home games, Tight win vs Queens, narrow loss at Newcastle and a bonus win vs Sarries - 10 points for them
Glouc - hard to call this team. BP Loss to Northampton, BP win vs Warriors and BP loss to Wasps - 7 points for them
Irish - Two tough away games. BP win vs Bristol, BP loss at Saints and narrow BP win at Warriors - 10 points for them
Sale - we are in good form. Too tough at Tigers, hope for a BP loss but doubt it, wins vs Queens and Northampton - 8 points for us
(if we beat Tigers then Wasps cannot qualify for the HC next year)

So my final table;

1) Leicester 67
2) Bath 67
3) Irish 65
4) Quins 63
5) Glouc 63
6) Sale 59

So its going to be very tight and 1+2 and 4+5 will be decided on points. As it is in my table, we have
Leicester vs Queens
Bath vs Irish

Leicester vs Bath final

I will be at Welford Rd on Sat for the game. Any Tigers fans on the board or other Sale fans heading to the game, let me know.

[Jinx]

I'd be happy with that as long as the Exiles get through the semi-finals (I've had a prem final ticket booked since Christmas)

[prand]

+1 for me too. I've got my fingers crossed for a Bath/LI final at Twickers on a glorious sunny day in May. That would really make my season. (BTW 50k tickets already sold))

Come on you Irish!

[Bit of a Unit]

Another Sale fan here! Not travelling this weekend though.

I fear for Sale in the run in, with Saint-Andre and a significant part of the squad depearting at the seasons end, will they pull together or just peeter out over the coming weeks?

Really looking forward to tomorrows' match up it will be an great indication as to how we will finish and the Tigers games are always battles

[ewenm]

Would be good to see Bath in the final but they're not very good at winning in the playoffs, hence I hate the end of the season!

[merseyboy]

Bit of a Unit said:

Another Sale fan here! Not travelling this weekend though.

I fear for Sale in the run in, with Saint-Andre and a significant part of the squad depearting at the seasons end, will they pull together or just peeter out over the coming weeks?

Really looking forward to tomorrows' match up it will be an great indication as to how we will finish and the Tigers games are always battles

Do you go to Edgeley Park often. This is my second season ticket and really enjoying it. I sit in the west stand, upper tier as i like to watch from behind the posts.

I don't fear for our run in, i think we are already out of contention. I do fear for us next season though, we will lose a few players and the head coach. I'm glad Jason Robinson has been given his chance and Ben Cohen will be an interesting player for us but i think we won't be as good next season without some good signings

Have you seen England are playing Argentina at old Trafford in June - should be good i hope.
Also just seen Hadden has resigned as Scotland boss

Edited by merseyboy on Friday 3rd April 16:37

[BigMans197]

Jinx said:

I'd be happy with that as long as the Exiles get through the semi-finals (I've had a prem final ticket booked since Christmas)

I didn't want to tempt fate with that one, so I'll book mine in a few weeks time! Armitage, Kennedy and Hewat back in the 22 for Bristol tomorrow. I would have gone if I wasn't working until midday tomorrow. Having said that, Shrewsbury to Reading in 2 and half hours..............

Closest season ever, must be?

[merseyboy]

Leicester vs Sale was a brilliant game. Did anyone see it on tv? 37-31 to Leicester. We got the losing bonus point but i don't think it will be enough. Julian White was red carded for punching Andy Sheridan, so Tigers had to play 2/3 of the game with 14 men.

Cueto was superb and took two trys well. He must be a Lions player for sure. Mathew Tait in at 13 looked good and more games here will eventually force Eng's hand. I thought Charlie Hodgsons passing was superb as usual.
Tom Croft was very good for Tigers and i think he will be involved in the Lions test squad.

Tigers fans were great overall but why they boo'd Sheridan when he was replaced i don't know.

I saw that Quins had a great win at Bath. All very interesting.

[DJC]

merseyboy said:

Leicester vs Sale was a brilliant game. Did anyone see it on tv? 37-31 to Leicester. We got the losing bonus point but i don't think it will be enough. Julian White was red carded for punching Andy Sheridan, so Tigers had to play 2/3 of the game with 14 men.

Cueto was superb and took two trys well. He must be a Lions player for sure. Mathew Tait in at 13 looked good and more games here will eventually force Eng's hand. I thought Charlie Hodgsons passing was superb as usual.
Tom Croft was very good for Tigers and i think he will be involved in the Lions test squad.

Tigers fans were great overall but why they boo'd Sheridan when he was replaced i don't know.

I saw that Quins had a great win at Bath. All very interesting.

I watched both games on tv yesterday...this weekend has to be the sporting weekend of the year so far...and they were cracking games.

Quins were superb defensively and David Strettle looks to be getting back to form.

I love our match against Sale, thought we were awesome, the defensive structure and forward effort in particular and brilliant to see Tuigy back to his form, fitness and impact of a cpl of seasons ago. I thought Cueto had an excellent game, he isnt as quick has he used to be, but got so much finishing instinct, he runs better lines these days and he must be one of the hardest working wings in the Prem, he goes looking for the ball. Very much brought on by the Captaincy I think, he knows he cant just be a lurking wing as Captain, he has to be in the game.

[BigMans197]

merseyboy said:

Tigers fans were great overall but why they boo'd Sheridan when he was replaced i don't know.

nothing to do with the red card White saw after Sheridan's initial gesture then..............

[merseyboy]

BigMans197 said:

merseyboy said:

Tigers fans were great overall but why they boo'd Sheridan when he was replaced i don't know.

nothing to do with the red card White saw after Sheridan's initial gesture then..............

They boo'd Sheridan because he got punched in the face by Julian White? I can't see what Sheridan does wrong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XJX5CloAxg&eur...

[prand]

merseyboy said:

BigMans197 said:

merseyboy said:

Tigers fans were great overall but why they boo'd Sheridan when he was replaced i don't know.

nothing to do with the red card White saw after Sheridan's initial gesture then..............

They boo'd Sheridan because he got punched in the face by Julian White? I can't see what Sheridan does wrong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XJX5CloAxg&eur...

I was watching the scores for this game coming through on my phone and was amazed how this game went (I wanted Leiceter to come away with no points from this game). What were Sale doing allowing Leicester to score 5 tries with 14 men?

At least London Irish got 5 points. Sad, as ever to see Bristol going down.

[The Walrus]

I think you will find it was because Sheridan also connected with Julian White and should have been red carded also ?

Either that or you are being sarcastic ?

[merseyboy]

The Walrus said:

I think you will find it was because Sheridan also connected with Julian White and should have been red carded also ?

Either that or you are being sarcastic ?

Just watched it about 5 times in a row and can see the bit your talking about, but it's hardly a punch. It's more of a push and there is certainly no power or momentum behind it. If Sheridan deserves a red card for that then every Prem game would have 4 or 5 sendings off.

Julian White swings his arm for the punch and lands it straight in the face of Sheridan (who gets back up very quickly), the two incidents are totally different.

Honestly i can't see what others are seeing about Sheridan

[The Walrus]

Personally I think it is more down to the fact that regardless of how little or how much contact he makes, he still makes contact and it was an intentional punch, that would be what I imagine the crowd got there knickers in a twist about.

I agree that not much contact was made by sheridan but it was still contact, as a complete oposite I played a game at the weekend inter-club and the flanker from our side and the centre from there's traded blows for a good 30 seconds or so and no card, although both of them went off due to loose skin and blood for want of a better description.

[BigMans197]

Sheridan starts the little scuffle, and its a natural reaction to punch. Yes he didn't connect in the way White did, but still deserved a yellow if White was to get a red.

Well done Quins, impressive defence, but Bath were poor, seem to have no idea what to do with the ball.

[Bit of a Unit]

merseyboy said:

Bit of a Unit said:

Another Sale fan here! Not travelling this weekend though.

I fear for Sale in the run in, with Saint-Andre and a significant part of the squad depearting at the seasons end, will they pull together or just peeter out over the coming weeks?

Really looking forward to tomorrows' match up it will be an great indication as to how we will finish and the Tigers games are always battles

Do you go to Edgeley Park often. This is my second season ticket and really enjoying it. I sit in the west stand, upper tier as i like to watch from behind the posts.

I don't fear for our run in, i think we are already out of contention. I do fear for us next season though, we will lose a few players and the head coach. I'm glad Jason Robinson has been given his chance and Ben Cohen will be an interesting player for us but i think we won't be as good next season without some good signings

Have you seen England are playing Argentina at old Trafford in June - should be good i hope.
Also just seen Hadden has resigned as Scotland boss

Edited by merseyboy on Friday 3rd April 16:37

Used to go alot more before they switched the matches to Friday, and with having a season ticket at Old trafford means Sales have to come a close second in priorities. Only get to 3 or 4 games a season at the mo.

[merseyboy]

Shane Geraghty has signed for Northampton

[BigMans197]

Well, its certainly tight at the top.

Tigers 66
Quins 61
Bath 61
Irish 61

Gloucester can also join the 'Club 61' if they have a big win of Tuesday.

Looking forward to next weekend, I'l be at the Walkers for the Leicester game.

[merseyboy]

merseyboy said:

So my final table;

1) Leicester 67
2) Bath 67
3) Irish 65
4) Quins 63
5) Glouc 63
6) Sale 59

So its going to be very tight and 1+2 and 4+5 will be decided on points. As it is in my table, we have
Leicester vs Queens
Bath vs Irish

Leicester vs Bath final

So Tigers ran out easy winners of the League in the end. Great 2nd half season form and credit must go to Cockerill. Tigers will take some stopping but maybe the HC will get in the way. I'm very excited about the both HC semi's at the weekend.

1) Leciester 71
2) Quins 66
3) London Irish 66
4) Bath 65

So home advantage for Tigers and Quins. I think this might prove to be the difference for these two teams. So im going for a Tigers vs Quins final
Leicester vs Bath
Quins vs London Irish