1
All eyes on Saracens but Quins will miss out on top four - Andy Goode
All eyes will be on the return of Saracens as the new Premiership season kicks off this weekend but I think it’s the reigning champions Harlequins who might struggle.
ADVERTISEMENT
They shocked everyone at the end of last season and dug deeper than anyone outside of their own environment thought possible to come back from 28-0 down against Bristol in the semi-final and see off Exeter in the final to lift the title but now they’re there to be shot at.
Wasps reached the final the season before last but struggled to hit the same heights last time around, finishing eighth in the end, and I can see a similar thing happening to Quins. The league looks more competitive than ever now and I don’t see them making the top four.
Their fellow Londoners Sarries will still get some stick from fans, hopefully all good natured, after their off-field indiscretions but they’ll utilise the perception that ‘everybody hates us’ to motivate them and I think they’ll just sneak into the play-offs.
Some people are talking them up as favourites to win the league and they may well do so if they can put a run together at the back end of the season but their big stars such as Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Elliot Daly, Mako Vunipola and co aren’t going to be able to play too much in the league before we get to the home straight.
For obvious reasons, their squad depth looks a lot thinner than it did the last time they were in the Premiership and the league has improved since they’ve been away so they’ll find it hard going early on but I still think they’ll be in the shake up when we get to June.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Bears and the Chiefs were head and shoulders above the rest last season and I expect that pair to occupy the top two spots again but I’m backing my old club Leicester to finish as their closest challengers this time around.
They have already rediscovered the hard-nosed edge that the club has historically been renowned for under Steve Borthwick and I think the return of Freddie Burns will make a big difference. George Ford only played in five Premiership games last season and now they have someone who is more than able to fill his boots when he’s away.
Plus, it might have raised some eyebrows but Ellis Genge is a smart choice as captain if he has the right brains trust around him. Nobody puts more in than him, people will follow him into battle and having the armband might just help keep him on the straight and narrow.
ADVERTISEMENT
Marco van Staden is an excellent signing as well and South Africans don’t miss too much of the Premiership season because of international duty, so he and Jasper Wiese in the back row will be a frightening proposition for opposition defences.
It’s almost a three tier league now with a whole host of teams in the middle certainly starting out feeling like they have a shot at the top four and Sale, Wasps, Harlequins, Northampton and Bath will all be pushing hard to make the play-offs.
Sale, in particular, will be really close after making major strides already under Alex Sanderson and with some of the size and physicality in their ranks and I think Wasps will be much improved as well.
Francois Hougaard, Vaea Fifita and Elliot Stooke are all good additions and they lost a lot of close games last season so you only have to turn a few of those around and they’ll be knocking on the door but a lot is resting on the shoulders of Jacob Umaga.
London Irish tailed off badly in the second half of last season and I have them finishing ninth again but I think we’ll see a big improvement from Worcester, who only won one game on the field last time around and that was on the opening day.
A pair of British & Irish Lions in Duhan van der Merwe and Rory Sutherland would improve any team but Owen Williams is a massive signing as well and Willi Heinz is a shrewd addition to give them the kind of nous and leadership they’ve been missing at times.
I can’t see them finishing bottom again and another one of my old clubs Newcastle will be in that bottom three again I think but my money is on Gloucester to finish bottom of the pile.
Of course, there isn’t the threat of relegation now and they are in a complete rebuilding phase. Adam Hastings is a great signing but you look at their other transfer business and there hasn’t been much investment apart from that.
Hastings could well be absent for much of the season as well because of his Scotland commitments and I just don’t see the same strength in depth in the Cherry and Whites squad that there is elsewhere in the league.
More so than most seasons, this is one where predictions can make you look a bit daft with big name international players set to miss so much Premiership rugby and a lot of other factors making some teams difficult to judge.
One thing isn’t in doubt though, it’ll be another hugely competitive campaign and I’m happy to stick my neck out and pick Gloucester to finish bottom for the first time ever and the reigning champions to be all the way down in seventh. We’ll see how daft that sounds in June!
My predicted Premiership table
- Bristol
- Exeter
- Leicester
- Saracens
- Sale
- Wasps
- Harlequins
- Northampton
- Bath
- London Irish
- Worcester
- Newcastle
- Gloucester
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
3 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
11 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
11 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
3 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
3 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
11 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
11 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
3 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
3 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
11 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
11 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
11 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
11 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
11 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
11 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to comments