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The one overwhelming hope as Prem 2022/23 kicks off - Andy Goode
The plight of Worcester has dominated a pre-season in England that has seen less transfer activity than I can remember for a long time but the Gallagher Premiership remains as intriguing and competitive as ever. The Warriors have been the ones in the limelight but we all know the whole league is feeling the pinch and just a handful of clubs have made splashy signings.
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Leicester, Bristol and Sale have been the big hitters in that regard and that will raise hopes that the Bears and Sharks can right the wrongs of the last campaign and return to the Premiership playoffs after a season away.
Sale have a real chance with Alex Sanderson having even more time to get his feet under the table and George Ford, Jonny Hill and Tom O’Flaherty all significant acquisitions. Faf de Klerk and Lood de Jager are among a quartet of South African departures but they look well-placed for a tilt at the top four.
Bristol are bringing the noise with Ellis Genge as stirring a signing as you can get given his local roots and playing style. Add in AJ MacGinty, Magnus Bradbury and Gabriel Ibitoye and they certainly look a stronger proposition.
Last season was such a fall from grace for the Bears, though, with issues off the field adding to a major hangover from the manner of their semi-final defeat to Harlequins in the previous campaign, and I just can’t see them going from tenth to challenging for the title.
The champions have made the most high-profile signing in World Cup-winning fly-half Handre Pollard, with England international Anthony Watson fairly high up on that list, too. They are shoo-ins for the top four again.
In the capital, Saracens and Harlequins have been very quiet in terms of recruitment but both still look very strong on paper and I can’t see them missing out on the end-of-season shake-up either.
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Gloucester exceeded everyone’s expectations last season and I may or may not have tipped them for a lowly finish before the season began before falling away in the final rounds of the regular season – I think it will be them or Sale to round off the top four.
The recent news of Ed Slater’s MND diagnosis shocked the rugby world, not just Gloucester, but that might just galvanise an already united group that bit more. George Skivington worked wonders last season and they could go one better this time around.
The transfer activity may have been understated and the squads may be trimmed down but the truism that anyone can beat anyone else on any given day still remains. Over the course of a long, arduous domestic campaign, though, I do think the Premiership has become something of a two-tier league in recent times.
I can’t see Bath, Newcastle, Worcester or Wasps breaking out of that bottom five and London Irish may be the ones to drop out of the top eight if Bristol pull themselves together. Exeter are the elephant in the room. A humbling seventh-place finish after six consecutive seasons finishing in the top two but it’s hard to make the case for a return to the playoffs.
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If you’d back anyone to turn it around it would be Rob Baxter but Jonny Hill, Sam Skinner, Don Armand, Will Witty, Sean Lonsdale and Tom O’Flaherty is a lengthy list of talented departures.
With no relegation still, all the focus is on the fight for the top four and there is more than enough quality across the league to ensure that battle goes down to the wire and we won’t lack for entertainment again.
The one intrigue we could do without is whether we will still have 13 clubs standing come May – or come October for that matter. The Premiership is here to entertain and I have no doubt it will deliver in spades once more but the overwhelming hope and aim as the 2022/23 season kicks off has to be simply that everyone makes it through to the end.
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
4 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.
4 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.
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