Gallagher Premiership XV of the Week - Round 20
A 31-17 loss at home on Friday night wasn’t quite enough to relegate Newcastle Falcons, thanks to fellow strugglers Leicester Tigers also tasting defeat, but with just two games left and the side from the north-east nine points adrift, it looks as though the writing is on the wall.
Harlequins were unfortunate not to see off Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park in a hard-fought 17-15 loss, whilst Bristol Bears’ downing of Tigers keeps Pat Lam’s side in the hunt for Heineken Championship Cup rugby next season. Meanwhile, Worcester Warriors‘ 27-20 win over Gloucester delivered Premiership survival for Alan Solomon’s side, and Gloucester’s losing bonus point secured them a spot in the playoffs.
We have rounded up the top performers from a busy weekend of club rugby below.
- Mike Brown, Harlequins
Brown was excellent against Exeter on Saturday, not only diffusing bombs and controlling things from the back, but also launching incisive counter-attacks and raking kicks for touch that allowed Quins to dictate the game territorially. He was unlucky to be on the losing side at Sandy Park.
A nod here to Marcus Watson, who was in threatening form for Wasps in their home loss to Saracens, but Collins’ hat-trick at Kingston Park was a masterclass in finishing and support play. He went looking for work off of his wing and often had joy tracking play in the midfield or on the other side of the pitch.
- Piers O’Conor, Bristol Bears
O’Conor has made the most of injuries in the Bristol back line this season and has taken the opportunity they have prevented with both hands. His ability to break the line, keep his head on a swivel and find teammates once he was in behind the defensive line on Saturday are a fair reflection of what he has brought to the Bristol team throughout the season. He made some nice defensive reads, too, that were critical in the tight game at Welford Road.
Saracens will always miss Brad Barritt when he’s not available, but Tompkins did a very good job on Saturday of providing value in the 12 jersey, albeit in a rather different way to the 32-year-old. Alongside Owen Farrell and Alex Lozowski, Tompkins played his part in a more fluid and pacey Saracens back line, where he was still able to straighten the line in attack, as well as holding up well in his side’s aggressive defence.
- Taqele Naiyravoro, Northampton Saints
As with Collins, Naiyaravoro tormented Newcastle on Friday night and where his wing partner was on hand with speed and support play, the Australian was using his physicality and offloading to bust holes in the defence and then keep the phases alive to stretch his opponents. Falcons just had no answer for the contrasting threats of Naiyaravoro and Collins.
- Duncan Weir, Worcester Warriors
It wasn’t a flawless performance from Weir, who missed touch and kicked out on the full on occasion with his tactical kicking, but his playmaking with the ball in hand was superb on Sunday. His tackling and carrying was also very robust and he contributed 17 of Worcester’s 27 points at Sixways.
- Cobus Reinach, Northampton Saints
Yet another classy and incisive performance from Reinach, who had to be at his best to see off the challenge of his opposite number on Friday night, Sonatane Takulua, not to mention noteworthy efforts from Francois Hougaard and Ben Spencer. Takulua, in particular, was excellent at Kingston Park, but Reinach just managed to facilitate a few more scoring opportunities for his side with his darting carries, support-running and link play beyond the gain-line.
- Joe Marler, Harlequins
Marler tore into Harry Williams at Sandy Park on Saturday, in a performance that will have Eddie Jones likely hoping that the loosehead decides to make a u-turn on his early international retirement. The Quins scrum was on top from the word go and it consistently provided a platform not only for the Londoners to attack off of, but also to generate penalties and control the territorial battle.
- Harry Thacker, Bristol Bears
The Bristol lineout went well on Thacker’s return to Welford Road, whilst his influence in the loose was typically significant. There is no hooker in the country playing with the freedom and ambition in the loose that Thacker currently is and, critically, he keeps composedly executing. His performance on Saturday will have been a painful reminder to Tigers as to what could have been.
- Kyle Sinckler, Harlequins
Just like Marler, Sinckler was part of a dominant scrum in the south-west, with struggles like this few and far between for Ben Moon this season. If Jones and England were concerned at all by the challenges Williams faced in this game, they will have been buoyed by the set-piece destruction that Sinckler helped wrought.
- Will Skelton, Saracens
Michael Cheika must be looking on at Skelton’s performances this season with envious eyes. The slimmed-down lock was once again a dynamic force with the ball in hand on Saturday, powering his way through the Wasps defensive line at the Ricoh. It was another example of his improved conditioning, with the 26-year-old influential right up until his second half substitution.
One silver lining to Bath’s forgettable night in the north-west was Ewels’ showing, with the lock showing the carrying ability and lineout nous that saw him explode onto the scene a few seasons ago. His energy in defence was also impressive and belied the size of the man, as he repeatedly shot up from rucks and prepared himself to repel the next carrier.
- Dave Ewers, Exeter Chiefs
Mentions here for Jamie Gibson and Brad Shields, both of whom were impressive in their respective games. That said, Ewers was one of, if not the decisive difference in Exeter’s 17-15 win over Quins. The side from south-west London looked, for large swathes of the game at Sandy Park, the better side and the more likely to make something happen, but in the clutch defensive and pressure-reliving moments, Ewers and his physicality were consistently on hand to save the day.
It was a game that not even the purists would have enjoyed up at the AJ Bell on Friday evening, but that didn’t detract from a match-winning level performance from Curry. The England international was a thorn in Bath’s side at the breakdown and won multiple crucial turnovers when the side from the south-west were looking to exert pressure in the Sale half.
- Sione Kalamafoni, Leicester Tigers
The result is not what Kalamafoni would have wanted on his return from a three-match ban, but the effort he put out on the pitch had all the hallmarks of a man seeking immediate redemption. He carried powerfully and effectively throughout the contest and was seemingly always on hand in the defensive line to make a momentum-switching tackle or at least deny Bristol clean and quick front-foot ball.
Watch: Jordi Murphy sits down with RugbyPass to discuss his move north
Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
7 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
7 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
7 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
19 Go to comments