By WellSaint
September 9 2005

Week two of the season and already I'm getting a feeling of deja-vu. It certainly was NOT the start we were looking for. Mind you I did enjoy the helicopter before the game. Then, unfortunately, the teams came out - Leicester to the strains of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" and Saints to Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" - or so it would seem....

As they always say, "Cheer up - it could be worse." And I fully expect that it will be worse by 4pm on Saturday when we're comprehensively stuffed again and go 0-2 for the season.



The weekend's matches.


Bath Rugby v Northampton Saints (2.15 kick off)

Both teams lost last weekend - Bath because Olly Barkley failed to nail a
sufficient number of kicks (although if anyone thought Bristol were going to roll over this season, a quick watch of the video of this game should dissuade you of that theory PDQ) and Saints because... well, do we really want to go over this again? It wasn't the same as last year - no - I would argue it's actually worse. Quite where Saints are going to win the requisite number of games to stay in the Premiership, yet alone come close to challenging for honours, I am not sure.

I'm also baffled by the team selection - just exactly HOW far off his game does Ben Cohen have to be to be sitting on the bench? And if everyone else is telling the RFU where they can go in respect of the Lions tour and the rest period, why are we starting a 19 year old rookie (sorry, but I'm calling this as I see it) instead of a proven international class player?

Bath will be extremely annoyed to have lost such a close game last week, and
I think that they will beat Saints convincingly. If we lose by less than two
scores, I'll be amazed. This is a damage limitation exercise - we must ensure that we are ready to win next week at Franklin's - failure to win on the 17th is not an option.

Regarding this game - Bath by eighteen.


Wasps v Leicester - LIVE ON SKY (2.45 kick off)

These teams met five times last season and there were some classics amongst
them. Both eams won well last weekend, so something has to give. For Leicester, the issue of Lions becoming Tigers continues; it remains to be seen if/when the RFU
decide to take any action. Lewis Moody is out of the game having been suspended by
Leicester for four weeks in advance of the disciplinary panel meeting next Tuesday. This game is likely to be a close one, and I take Wasps to just edge it by four.


Gloucester v Sale

Take away Ludovic Mercier's kicking, and there wasn't a whole lot going for
Gloucester last week against a Worcester scrum that looks even more impressive than it did last season. Sale, as ever, managed to run it very, very close against Newcastle - indeed, had JW converted the late Falcons score, then they would have lost by one point. A difficult game to assess - I take Sale to edge this by six points.


London Irish v Worcester

Irish looked impressive in beating Leeds whilst Worcester's grit gave them a
draw against Gloucester. Another hard one to call, but Irish's form last week
suggests that they will prevail by seven points.


Newcastle v Bristol

Bristol pulled off the shock of round one by downing Bath 19-16 whilst
Newcastle took Sale close. With home advantage, I take Newcastle to win by nine.


Saracens v Leeds

Both teams lost in their part of the London double-header last week. Who
achieved the most in losing? I would say Saracens, based on what I saw, and I take them to win by ten points.





.