Recap: Gloucester vs Saracens LIVE | Gallagher Premiership
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Gallagher Premiership match between Gloucester versus Saracens at Kingsholm.
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Gloucester are facing the Londoners just four days after the club that has dominated English club rugby in recent times learned they have been fined £5.3million and deducted 35 points.
Having lost last Saturday at Leicester, who were winless after the two opening rounds, Johan Ackermann knows emotion opposition are trouble.
“It’s almost like with Leicester, you play them after two losses you know you are going to get a side that is going to be bang on it, and I think it is the same thing with Saracens,” Ackermann told RugbyPass ahead of the intriguing Saturday afternoon showdown (kick-off 3.0pm).
(Continue reading below…)
“In that sense, it is unfortunate that were play Saracens now because they are going to be quite emotional and well-motivated. Saying that, we have to control our standard.
“We didn’t play well in the first three weeks consistently so for us, if we really want to compete in this competition or in any competition, we have to be able to play well on a weekly basis and it starts on Saturday against Sarries. Even though we know they are going to be quite like a bear with a sore head, we have to match that.”
Gloucester make a half dozen changes to the side that started at Tigers. Freddie Clarke replaces Ed Slater in the second row, Slater having picked up a foot injury early on at Welford Road. In the back row, Jaco Kriel and Lewis Ludlow return to the starting line-up.
'It’s almost like with Leicester, you play them after two losses you know you are going to get a side that is going to be bang on it, and it is the same thing with Saracens'
– Johan Ackermann tells @heagneyl what Gloucester expect to face on Saturday https://t.co/QvnxlLESHl— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 8, 2019
There are also three changes to the backs. Callum Braley gets the nod at scrum-half, Chris Harris will make his first start for the club at outside centre and Jason Woodward returns at full-back with Tom Marshall moving back on to the wing.
Meanwhile, Saracens’ Joe Gray will start for the first time this season in the Premiership. The 31-year-old has appeared twice as a replacement so far in 2018/19 and takes the No2 jersey for the trip to Kingsholm.
Flanker Calum Clark also features in the pack after missing the last-gasp victory over London Irish, meaning academy graduate Nick Isiekwe switches back to the second row.
“People lose their jobs because they’re not performing well enough because everyone’s saying ‘why aren’t we as good as Saracens?’ https://t.co/dqAgnJLfcy
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 7, 2019
Last Saturday’s match was decided by Manu Vunipola’s boot and the young fly-half continues at No10 and will have a centre partnership of Nick Tompkins and Duncan Taylor outside him.
Hooker Jack Singleton, who began his career in the club’s academy, is named on the bench upon his return from World Cup duty with England and could make his first outing for his boyhood club after his summer signing from Worcester.
Having featured in the tournament’s final against South Africa, Ben Spencer is also back in club action after selection on the bench.
GLOUCESTER: Jason Woodward; Tom Marshall, Chris Harris, Mark Atkinson, Ollie Thorley; Danny Cipriani, Callum Braley; Josh Hohneck, Franco Marais, Fraser Balmain, Freddie Clarke, Gerbrandt Grobler, Jaco Kriel, Lewis Ludlow, Ben Morgan (capt). Reps: Corne Fourie, Val Rapava Ruskin, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Ruan Ackermann, Jake Polledri, Joe Simpson, Billy Twelvetrees, Matt Banahan.
SARACENS: Matt Gallagher; Sean Maitland, Duncan Taylor, Nick Tompkins, Alex Lewington; Manu Vunipola, Richard Wigglesworth; Ralph Adams-Hale, Joe Gray, Titi Lamositele, Will Skelton, Nick Isiekwe, Calum Clark, Ben Earl, Jackson Wray (capt). Reps: Jack Singleton, Richard Barrington, Sam Wainwright, Joel Kpoku, Callum Hunter-Hill, Ben Spencer, Alex Lozowski, Rotimi Segun.
WATCH: Former Saracens player Jim Hamilton discusses the salary cap scandal surrounding his former club
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments