Egg chasers of the SMB



As risky as it is to draw too many conclusions from the first two matches, it seems a relatively safe bet that three of last year's top 4 will be there again, and that Bath look most likely to be the other contender in the playoffs. They have looked a good all-round side with other players to come in and add depth and competition. Ironically it is them who seem to have more options behind the scrum, now that Priestland has made a big claim for the 10 shirt and Burns is still waiting his turn, and both of them will be available on all the international weekends barring injuries. Losing Ford doesn't seem to have phased them at all, whereas Leicester have put all their very expensive eggs in one fragile basket. Big names who for various reasons won't be available for significant parts of the season, less cover than last season and they're not firing even with most players available.

Lower down it looks like anyone wanting to hang on to a top six place will be looking over their shoulders at Newcastle. Whether they also see Gloucester bearing down on them when they turn round, we probably need a few more matches to go on.

As for the others: Sale nailed on for the bottom half but probably not in relegation trouble, Worcester probably up to their necks in relegation trouble, with the added pressure of more to lose than their main rivals for that spot, London Irish. Quins and Saints hoping for 7th and a playoff lifeline, but probably needing others to fail for them to have a chance.

See how dumb these predictions look in a few months' time.
 
I don't think it's as clear cut that Worcester are on their way, London Irish looked very good on the opening weekend but much more like relegation material this week, promotion bounce last week perhaps?

I'm inclined to agree about the top 4, a very encouraging start from Bath, and the other 3 definitely haven't dropped back from that level. Newcastle also look like they're continuing their general improvement and should be targeting the top 6.

As for Leicester :lol:
 
Genuine question because I don't know what I think about it:

The biggest 12 clubs on England and with the potential to win trophies in the medium term are the 12 current premiership clubs minus London Irish, plus Bristol.

If London Irish and Bristol swap places again, would the game be better off doing away with relegation?

Worcester and Bristol are trying to make a go of it and have the resources and long term potential, and are trying by signing players like Piutau and Teo. Big gamble though with the threat of relegation always present.

The flip side is of course someone like Exeter who won the league last year only a few years after being promoted.

I suppose you could always account for that by expanding the league when a club comes along showing the potential and resources to be a genuine force, or kicking out someone who has become uncompetitive.
 
Genuine question because I don't know what I think about it:

The biggest 12 clubs on England and with the potential to win trophies in the medium term are the 12 current premiership clubs minus London Irish, plus Bristol.

If London Irish and Bristol swap places again, would the game be better off doing away with relegation?

Worcester and Bristol are trying to make a go of it and have the resources and long term potential, and are trying by signing players like Piutau and Teo. Big gamble though with the threat of relegation always present.

The flip side is of course someone like Exeter who won the league last year only a few years after being promoted.

I suppose you could always account for that by expanding the league when a club comes along showing the potential and resources to be a genuine force, or kicking out someone who has become uncompetitive.

I guess the problems they would worry about would be too many meaningless games with no relegation to avoid, and loss of interest in the league which has been hampering the Pro12/14 and Super Rugby
 
I guess the problems they would worry about would be too many meaningless games with no relegation to avoid, and loss of interest in the league which has been hampering the Pro12/14 and Super Rugby
This would be the risk, at least by having relegation, even when it's the same teams battling against it, you stop having teams doing what the likes of Zebre are doing in the Pro 14. If the NotNots, Bristol or Worcester do come good, there will be someone else ready to take their place in the relegation battle and needing to do something about it.
 
This would be the risk, at least by having relegation, even when it's the same teams battling against it, you stop having teams doing what the likes of Zebre are doing in the Pro 14. If the NotNots, Bristol or Worcester do come good, there will be someone else ready to take their place in the relegation battle and needing to do something about it.

Maybe they could mitigate the yo-yo problem by the RFU subsidising some loan deals or contracts for young talent who are on the fringes at other clubs, to play for the promoted team
 
Maybe they could mitigate the yo-yo problem by the RFU subsidising some loan deals or contracts for young talent who are on the fringes at other clubs, to play for the promoted team
I like the idea, but could you see the league agreeing to that? Especially that group of lower mid table teams, Quins, Sale, Gloucester etc when it could put them at a disadvantage in the battle at the bottom while widening the gap to the teams at the top with huge squads.

There's just no quick fix really.
 
I like the idea, but could you see the league agreeing to that? Especially that group of lower mid table teams, Quins, Sale, Gloucester etc when it could put them at a disadvantage in the battle at the bottom while widening the gap to the teams at the top with huge squads.

There's just no quick fix really.

Maybe increase the scope to teams who are giving a lot of players to internationals?

Agreed no quick fix. Tbh I can live with it just not changing, and the RFU giving funding/development players to Championship clubs instead
 
I like the idea, but could you see the league agreeing to that? Especially that group of lower mid table teams, Quins, Sale, Gloucester etc when it could put them at a disadvantage in the battle at the bottom while widening the gap to the teams at the top with huge squads.

There's just no quick fix really.

In other news, that was a really off-colour performance by Bath this weekend. But of a mediocre round of fixtures overall actually
 
In other news, that was a really off-colour performance by Bath this weekend. But of a mediocre round of fixtures overall actually
There weren't any stand out games really. Bath's performance was utter crap, completely lacking in the intensity we saw in the first 2 games, but really not helped by the constant injuries to key players, what were the chances of losing Garvey, Fotuali'i, Underhill, Banahan and effectively Watson all in one game?

Still, with the league so competitive, there will be weekends of turgid games. Hopefully we'll have better next week, especially as I'm going to the Rec :cool:
 

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