Joe returns, fly-half is To Be Confirmed...

[www.london-irish.com]

Our strongest side to date?

Our A league side

Away

At Exeter

What could possibly go wrong?

Exeter could be on the recieving end of a right pasting. I hear we're pretty solid in this competition 😂

Good news on the returnees.

The Braves side has been announced.

Unlike us they've named a couple of internationals, a few experienced names, talented academy players, and quite a few using the contest as an opportunity to get much needed game minutes under their belts, whereas our lot consists of a couple of internationals, a few experienced names, talented academy players, and quite a few using the contest as an opportunity to get much needed game minutes under their belts.

15 Max Bodilly
14 Harry Strong
13 Tom Hendrickson
12 Harvey Skinner
11 Tom O'Flaherty
10 Joe Simmonds
9 Jack Maunder
1 Moray Low
2 Shaun Malton
3 Greg Holmes
4 Ollie Atkins
5 Wilhelm van der Sluys
6 Ed Holmes
7 James Freeman
8 Kai Horstmann

16 Dan Frost
17 Alec Hepburn
18 Jack Owlett
19 Sean Lonsdale
20 James McRae
21 Will Chudley
22 Joe Elderkin
23 AJ Cant

Could the fact that both McLean and hearn are starting mean that Williams is fit for Saturday or at the very least that tonks will be starting at 12.
Great to see TBC and big Joe

Nice one GHA...

4 mins on the clock, 7-0. Goes without saying as to who.

Need to make Ex feel that they have a chance...

9 minutes on the clock, braves knock on inches from the line, by the line I refer to our line of the try variety

TRY TIME!

The lead extends to 12.

19 minutes on the clock.

Come on you Irish! Stronger Together. We're all in this together. Safety in Numbers.

19-0

There's still time to come back or some such

Don't worry lads. We've got this

If you need a try, lob it to Lewi!

Alright, we're off and Exeter are in trouble ... 19-5

Have Exeter got a big enough lead going in to the break? Will they regret the knock on over our try line? Tune in, some minutes from now to find out.

Sweet monkey Tuesdays! Stop your grinning and drop your linen, we're right back in this!

19-12

Or... Maybe not, 26-12

Don't fret! Exeter claw back another try 33-12

I love that whoever is manning the LI twitter feed is obviously not at the game. They just paraphrase the Exeter Twitter feed a few minutes behind.

About as far behind the game as we obviously are here.

I prefer my delayed paraphrasing, although I may be slightly biased

Make em walk back,they wouldn't loose again.

Quote:

Steelman
Make em walk back,they wouldn't loose again.

Because they probably wouldn't find their way back?

I feel for the likes of Ransom who have just been dropped essentially. He's part of a team getting hammered every week when he was an integral part of last years side. Hard to motivate players when they lose heavily week after week. It's great for players getting match fitness, for the others, i don't see much of a silver lining.

Quote:

jimbo800
I feel for the likes of Ransom who have just been dropped essentially. He's part of a team getting hammered every week when he was an integral part of last years side. Hard to motivate players when they lose heavily week after week. It's great for players getting match fitness, for the others, i don't see much of a silver lining.

It's fine, Ransom is just being prepared to make the step up to getting hammered in the premiership week after week.

Before the game the offy treated us with this quote

Academy manager Patrick O’Grady said: “We’ve made huge improvements game after game and we’re looking forward to taking on a strong Exeter side."

If anyone knows what these huge improvements are can you let us know? All I'm seeing is successive losses and embarrassing scorelines.

Was there anyone at the game who could tell us how the ref was and if there was anything he did that could explain the latest stuffing?

Glady. If you watched the first couple of games, especially the first one at home to Gloucester, there was a huge lack of cohesion and structure. The defence was very unorganised and we struggled to break the gainline going forward.

Tonight and last week in Bristol especially, were much better team performances. Far more organised, the defensive line was set up much better and was a far more dynamic attack. Last week individual handling errors cost us big. They were in both these games for large parts of it, unlike the first couple games where they were never in it. From where they started its a marked improvement, it's a far better side than started the season, I think that's what Patrick O'Grady is referring to.

Was a difficult scoreline to take tonight but they had a substantially stronger side. We defended for 80% of the game and were down to 13 men for 10 mins, so naturally tired in the last 10 mins and Exeter scored a bucket load in the end. We were completely bullied up front by several internationals in the Exeter pack and didn't see the ball enough to show too much. Great to see TBC & Joe coming back from injury. Ben Loader had a very good game when he came on, as did our frequently borrowed hooker/back row Tom Woolstencroft & Lasha had his best game in an Irish shirt so far.

The squad will get a break now with no more A-League till November and several of them have done enough to be hoping to play in the Challenge Cup & LV. Special credit should go to Irish (& Exeter) for actually fielding a side, as we were the ONLY A-League game that went ahead today. Every other game was called off (Wasps v Saints at the last minute because they couldn't find an ambulance &#128527

GHA, I'm glad you asked. The referee was abysmal. Was desperate to ping every possible offence he spotted, whether it affected play or not. Maybe he got a new whistle for his birthday. Either way, he tried his best to make sure a game of rugby didn't break out. But I'm sure the dominant Exeter forwards pack loved it!

Oh, that's OK then...It's all the fault of the ref....zzzzzzzz

Cheers Sam. That's great to read, it's nice to get a little information and context about some of these games and quotes.

Selective reading Waltham? Exeter were substantially the better side on paper and on grass and fully deserved the win. The squad did not look like winning the game. I explained all of that, but GHA asked how sir was. I didn't say he cost us the game.

Good grief

Groundhog day

Are you home yet Sam?

A mere 1hr40 to go. Lot longer for the boys coming back on the coach tonight after another loss.

They should be used to it, didn't someone say it's been six years or something?

Very worrying that 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are all pushing for a first team place yet have been battered again.

Not convinced 47-12 shows much improvement.

Apart from the front rows the teams looked pretty even on paper...

The teams always look even on paper

Could someone remind me the penalty for now fielding a side? Seems no-one else bothered this evening, we could've saved on petrol costs

Also worrying that our 6ft 8, 25 stone giant winger wasn't able to run over anyone and score - yet some are calling for him to start on Saturday vs Leicester Tigers.

Ps drive carefully Sam

Quote:

Ajax Treesdown
Also worrying that our 6ft 8, 25 stone giant winger wasn't able to run over anyone and score - yet some are calling for him to start on Saturday vs Leicester Tigers.

So what is worrying? Is it that people are hoping that a player who is playing his first game since April should play on Saturday or that a player who is playing his first game since April didn't run over anyone.

Quote:

LI Bohemian

Quote:

Ajax Treesdown
Also worrying that our 6ft 8, 25 stone giant winger wasn't able to run over anyone and score - yet some are calling for him to start on Saturday vs Leicester Tigers.

So what is worrying? Is it that people are hoping that a player who is playing his first game since April should play on Saturday or that a player who is playing his first game since April didn't run over anyone.

[m.youtube.com]

Quote:

Ajax Treesdown

Quote:

LI Bohemian

Quote:

Ajax Treesdown
Also worrying that our 6ft 8, 25 stone giant winger wasn't able to run over anyone and score - yet some are calling for him to start on Saturday vs Leicester Tigers.

So what is worrying? Is it that people are hoping that a player who is playing his first game since April should play on Saturday or that a player who is playing his first game since April didn't run over anyone.

[m.youtube.com]

I must concede you are right, yet again, in your comparison of a 28 year old, former international rugby league player, who is not coming out of injury but is debuting 10 years ago against Leeds Carnegie, compared with a 19 year old former academy players coming out of injury.
Are you politician by any chance as regards to initial my question.

Quote:

LI Bohemian

Quote:

Ajax Treesdown

Quote:

LI Bohemian

Quote:

Ajax Treesdown
Also worrying that our 6ft 8, 25 stone giant winger wasn't able to run over anyone and score - yet some are calling for him to start on Saturday vs Leicester Tigers.

So what is worrying? Is it that people are hoping that a player who is playing his first game since April should play on Saturday or that a player who is playing his first game since April didn't run over anyone.

[m.youtube.com]

I must concede you are right, yet again, in your comparison of a 28 year old, former international rugby league player, who is not coming out of injury but is debuting 10 years ago against Leeds Carnegie, compared with a 19 year old former academy players coming out of injury.
Are you politician by any chance as regards to initial my question.

I think you missed the point, LIBo

Ajax Treesdown - ever thought of finding another club to "support". I hope if Big Joe plays on Saturday and plays well you will acknowledge that in your next week contribtions.

I thought the ref had a good game. Our scrum was very dominant which meant you were always on the back foot. Irish players that stood out for me were your number 9 good feet and a bit of a hand full. Hooker very good defensively and especially your number 8 Lasha who looks a very good prospect.

Cheers. Doesn't surprise me that the scrum was in difficulty. Would guess it may have as much to do with the locks as the props. Lloyd's a bit of a beanpole and Basham's an 18yo lock/back row. Good experience for him but he's not going to put the kind of power through the scrum many seasoned locks would.

Good to see Lomidze have a decent game. May be required if Trev continues to struggle with niggles

Don't worry bnw, the refs are always bad when we lose

You can't criticise the style of any official's because people may interpret this to mean your criticising their decisions.
I put this down to smugness.

Quote:

LI Bohemian
You can't criticise the style of any official's because people may interpret this to mean your criticising their decisions.
I put this down to smugness.

How smug of you to say

Scrum issues not helped by losing Smallbone to a bang to the head early.

Lasha was OK but I don’t think the current people have to much to worry about just yet!

Cheers Jon

Quote:

GHA

Quote:

LI Bohemian
You can't criticise the style of any official's because people may interpret this to mean your criticising their decisions.
I put this down to smugness.

How smug of you to say

I think you missed the point GHA