'Heady mix': Five of the biggest 2022/23 Premiership talking points
The 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season kicks off on Friday with a west country derby between Bristol and Bath at Ashton Gate. Less than three months after Leicester won a first Premiership title since 2013, the race for silverware will be off and running. Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the talking points heading into a new campaign.
Worcester’s fight for survival
The big pre-season story has been about Worcester and their financial strife. HM Revenue and Customs has frozen the club’s finances in its pursuit of unpaid tax, while players and staff have seen delays in wages being paid.
Four Worcestershire MPs have called for Warriors to be placed in administration and on the field, they face a Premiership opener at London Irish this Saturday after playing no pre-season friendlies. It looks like Worcester will kick off the league campaign on schedule, but their troubles are far from over amid continued uncertainty.
Tigers on the prowl
It took head coach Steve Borthwick just two years to transform Leicester from Premiership relegation contenders into league champions as the Tigers triumphed by beating Saracens in a pulsating Twickenham final.
Leicester were at the wrong end of the table before Borthwick arrived in mid-2020, but alongside key individuals like Kevin Sinfield, George Ford and Ellis Genge, a stunning transformation was completed. Ford and Genge have now moved elsewhere, yet Borthwick has brought in the likes of international stars Anthony Watson and Handre Pollard, so expect another big season.
Hot or cold Bath?
It is difficult to imagine how Bath can be any worse than last term when they finished bottom of the Premiership after winning just five of 24 league games and conceding more than 760 points. They suffered some humiliating defeats – notably 71-17 at home to Saracens and 64-0 at Gloucester – and a summer shake-up has seen former Munster boss Johann van Graan arrive as the club’s new head of rugby.
Player-wise, the likes of Watson, Taulupe Faletau, Semesa Rokoduguni and Danny Cipriani have departed, but notable new arrivals include Chris Cloete, Quinn Roux and Piers Francis. The only way is up, surely.
Bristol’s Genge factor
Genge is on the back of a season to savour, captaining Leicester to the title and starring for England as their international schedule ended with a Test series triumph against Australia down under. The prop’s performances were consistently outstanding, and his hometown club Bristol can now reap the benefit of recruiting a player in the form of his life.
He offers a huge presence on and off the field and while a squad is about way more than just one player, Genge could make the biggest impact of any player in the Premiership this term.
Can Gloucester be the big cheese?
Gloucester are among only four clubs – Leicester, Bath and Wasps are the others – to have enjoyed unbroken top-flight status since leagues began in English rugby 35 years ago. They have yet to lift the title, though. They made Premiership final appearances in 2003 and 2007 and were crushed by Wasps and Leicester.
But under head coach George Skivington, a sleeping giant is stirring with the Cherry and Whites finishing only two points outside the playoff zone last season. The pack looks capable of mixing it with any rival, while stardust is provided by players such as Louis Rees-Zammit, Jonny May and Chris Harris. It could prove a heady mix.
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments