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
Ireland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
43 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
43 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
43 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
43 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
43 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
43 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
43 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
43 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
43 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
43 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
7 Go to comments