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| Rugby union: talking points from the weekend’s action | Rugby union: talking points from the weekend’s action |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| 1) Spatial awareness puts Bath duo centre stage | |
| It is still perfectly possible that Bath will not win the grand final; Saracens will be a tougher nut to crack than Leicester ultimately proved to be. What is certain is that the club’s first Premiership final since 2004 will see no dilution of the attacking ambition that produced such a memorable spectacle at The Rec. Give Bath’s backs an inch and they will run for miles; to score seven outstanding tries from eight visits to their opponents’ 22 also demonstrated a precision matched by few sides bar the All Blacks. The Bath captain, Stuart Hooper, was fascinating afterwards on the subject of Kyle Eastmond and Jonathan Joseph and what, in his view, makes them so good. “They see the game very differently to anyone I’ve ever played with. I think that gives them a very fresh approach. And when they see space it makes them a nightmare to play against.” With Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, Alex Goode, David Strettle and Chris Ashton lining up against Eastmond, Joseph, George Ford, Anthony Watson, Semesa Rokoduguni and Matt Banahan, Saturday also promises to be a highly instructive day for the England management. Robert Kitson | It is still perfectly possible that Bath will not win the grand final; Saracens will be a tougher nut to crack than Leicester ultimately proved to be. What is certain is that the club’s first Premiership final since 2004 will see no dilution of the attacking ambition that produced such a memorable spectacle at The Rec. Give Bath’s backs an inch and they will run for miles; to score seven outstanding tries from eight visits to their opponents’ 22 also demonstrated a precision matched by few sides bar the All Blacks. The Bath captain, Stuart Hooper, was fascinating afterwards on the subject of Kyle Eastmond and Jonathan Joseph and what, in his view, makes them so good. “They see the game very differently to anyone I’ve ever played with. I think that gives them a very fresh approach. And when they see space it makes them a nightmare to play against.” With Brad Barritt, Owen Farrell, Alex Goode, David Strettle and Chris Ashton lining up against Eastmond, Joseph, George Ford, Anthony Watson, Semesa Rokoduguni and Matt Banahan, Saturday also promises to be a highly instructive day for the England management. Robert Kitson |
| • Match report: Bath 47-10 Leicester | • Match report: Bath 47-10 Leicester |
| 2) Mauger overhaul needed to restore life to Leicester’s backline | 2) Mauger overhaul needed to restore life to Leicester’s backline |
| The rugby world stands still for no one, Leicester included. As Richard Cockerill again ran down the long list of injured players – Allen, Tuilagi, Croft, Ghiraldini, Benjamin, Williams, Mulipola, Parling – who might have made life tougher for Bath he knew in his heart of hearts it is not that simple. Where are the backline players – Tuilagi included – with the pace, subtlety, craft and dexterity of Bath’s outstanding midfield? Where is a full-back to rival Anthony Watson’s promise? How on earth did the Tigers allow George Ford to slip from their clutches? Over the course of the regular season Bath scored 72 tries compared with Leicester’s 37 and the gap was equally marked in Saturday’s 47-10 semi-final masterclass. “We know we have to play differently but it’s very difficult when you have so much disruption through injury,” suggested Cockerill. “We need to improve and evolve as a club and we’re going to but we’re doing that from third in the table, not seventh or ninth.” True, but simply seeking to dominate possession and territory is no longer enough if the Tigers, under their incoming coach Aaron Mauger, wish to make the play-offs next year, never mind win the title. RK | The rugby world stands still for no one, Leicester included. As Richard Cockerill again ran down the long list of injured players – Allen, Tuilagi, Croft, Ghiraldini, Benjamin, Williams, Mulipola, Parling – who might have made life tougher for Bath he knew in his heart of hearts it is not that simple. Where are the backline players – Tuilagi included – with the pace, subtlety, craft and dexterity of Bath’s outstanding midfield? Where is a full-back to rival Anthony Watson’s promise? How on earth did the Tigers allow George Ford to slip from their clutches? Over the course of the regular season Bath scored 72 tries compared with Leicester’s 37 and the gap was equally marked in Saturday’s 47-10 semi-final masterclass. “We know we have to play differently but it’s very difficult when you have so much disruption through injury,” suggested Cockerill. “We need to improve and evolve as a club and we’re going to but we’re doing that from third in the table, not seventh or ninth.” True, but simply seeking to dominate possession and territory is no longer enough if the Tigers, under their incoming coach Aaron Mauger, wish to make the play-offs next year, never mind win the title. RK |
| • Bath v Leicester – as it happened | • Bath v Leicester – as it happened |
| 3) Saints seem to have paid the price for standing still | 3) Saints seem to have paid the price for standing still |
| Two defeats defined Northampton’s season: at Clermont Auvergne in the Champions Cup quarter-final when they were washed away in a deluge and on Saturday against the side that narrowly lost to Clermont in the European semi-final, Saracens. The Saints chose not to materially strengthen their squad after winning the Premiership last season and if it seemed understandable given the way they had stealthily developed strength in depth, but they have missed a rival to Stephen Myler at outside-half and their options in the back five have been restricted. Injuries have not helped, but the lack of a tactical option outside Myler against Sarries hurt them as they too often played from deep rather than for position. A team that finished at the top of the table does not need a lot of fixing, but standing still in the current market is to go backwards. Paul Rees | Two defeats defined Northampton’s season: at Clermont Auvergne in the Champions Cup quarter-final when they were washed away in a deluge and on Saturday against the side that narrowly lost to Clermont in the European semi-final, Saracens. The Saints chose not to materially strengthen their squad after winning the Premiership last season and if it seemed understandable given the way they had stealthily developed strength in depth, but they have missed a rival to Stephen Myler at outside-half and their options in the back five have been restricted. Injuries have not helped, but the lack of a tactical option outside Myler against Sarries hurt them as they too often played from deep rather than for position. A team that finished at the top of the table does not need a lot of fixing, but standing still in the current market is to go backwards. Paul Rees |
| • Match report: Northampton 24-29 Saracens | • Match report: Northampton 24-29 Saracens |
| 4) Bogey men have timed their run just right this season | 4) Bogey men have timed their run just right this season |
| The wolf pack snarled at Franklin’s Gardens, but Bath will be different to Northampton. Wolf spelt backwards is flow and Bath have more footballing skill and pace than the Saints, although a Premiership final will be a step into the unknown. Sarries won at Northampton despite struggling at times in the lineout and scrum and conceding a rash of penalties. They were at their most effective when not in possession, playing to a pattern that eliminated risk in their own half, but they are not a one-dimensional side. They tailor their game to their opponents, and while they were out on their feet this time last year, competing on two fronts through to the last day of the campaign, they have paced themselves this time. It has taken away their consistency, but made them more dangerous on the one-off occasion. They will be the bogey men again, but they thrive on that. PR | The wolf pack snarled at Franklin’s Gardens, but Bath will be different to Northampton. Wolf spelt backwards is flow and Bath have more footballing skill and pace than the Saints, although a Premiership final will be a step into the unknown. Sarries won at Northampton despite struggling at times in the lineout and scrum and conceding a rash of penalties. They were at their most effective when not in possession, playing to a pattern that eliminated risk in their own half, but they are not a one-dimensional side. They tailor their game to their opponents, and while they were out on their feet this time last year, competing on two fronts through to the last day of the campaign, they have paced themselves this time. It has taken away their consistency, but made them more dangerous on the one-off occasion. They will be the bogey men again, but they thrive on that. PR |
| • Northampton v Saracens – as it happened | • Northampton v Saracens – as it happened |
| 5) No place for theatrical diving | 5) No place for theatrical diving |
| Glasgow showed admirable composure in the final 10 minutes of a game they had spent largely on the back foot, but they owed the position from which they scored the winning try to a controversial penalty. This must go down as another game turned by the new mechanics of TMO protocol and the big screen. Not too mention the influence of the theatrical dive, which is creeping insidiously into rugby. To deal with the latter first, Niko Matawalu threw his arms up and fell to the floor, where he stayed a while to milk things further, after the hapless Ricky Lutton had thrown out an arm across his chest as Matawalu chased a loose ball. The referee had just awarded a scrum to Ulster for a Glasgow knock-on, from which they might have closed out the match, but when he watched Matawalu’s histrionics replayed from a variety of angles on the big screen, he decided to ask the TMO to check for foul play. There looked as if there had been some foul play, sort of, even though it happened in the blink of an eye in real time, even though it happened right in front of the referee who thought nothing of it first time round. On the advice of the TMO, the referee awarded Glasgow the penalty, from which they scored the winning try, but the “offence” would have gone unnoticed without the dive. | Glasgow showed admirable composure in the final 10 minutes of a game they had spent largely on the back foot, but they owed the position from which they scored the winning try to a controversial penalty. This must go down as another game turned by the new mechanics of TMO protocol and the big screen. Not too mention the influence of the theatrical dive, which is creeping insidiously into rugby. To deal with the latter first, Niko Matawalu threw his arms up and fell to the floor, where he stayed a while to milk things further, after the hapless Ricky Lutton had thrown out an arm across his chest as Matawalu chased a loose ball. The referee had just awarded a scrum to Ulster for a Glasgow knock-on, from which they might have closed out the match, but when he watched Matawalu’s histrionics replayed from a variety of angles on the big screen, he decided to ask the TMO to check for foul play. There looked as if there had been some foul play, sort of, even though it happened in the blink of an eye in real time, even though it happened right in front of the referee who thought nothing of it first time round. On the advice of the TMO, the referee awarded Glasgow the penalty, from which they scored the winning try, but the “offence” would have gone unnoticed without the dive. |
| This gamesmanship of Matawalu’s will only become more common unless it is stamped out. Assuming we don’t want players going down at the slightest contact, as in another sport much criticised for it, there needs to be a new directive covering simulation. But further controversy in this case is that the incident occurred after the referee had blown his whistle for a knock-on. In other words, the ball was dead. The TMO described the offence to the referee as taking “a player down without the ball” – but if play has stopped already that’s no offence, unless it’s dangerous. The referee, though, deemed it a high tackle, which can be penalised after the whistle has gone. Was it a high tackle? It was more of a tug to the v of Matawalu’s collar. Certainly, it was nothing without the dive or the big screen. It all just feels very wrong. Two suggestions, then. Penalties should be awarded or reversed for acts of simulation. And referees should not be allowed to act on replays on the big screen, which are too easily taken out of context and owe much to the whim of the television director. Michael Aylwin | This gamesmanship of Matawalu’s will only become more common unless it is stamped out. Assuming we don’t want players going down at the slightest contact, as in another sport much criticised for it, there needs to be a new directive covering simulation. But further controversy in this case is that the incident occurred after the referee had blown his whistle for a knock-on. In other words, the ball was dead. The TMO described the offence to the referee as taking “a player down without the ball” – but if play has stopped already that’s no offence, unless it’s dangerous. The referee, though, deemed it a high tackle, which can be penalised after the whistle has gone. Was it a high tackle? It was more of a tug to the v of Matawalu’s collar. Certainly, it was nothing without the dive or the big screen. It all just feels very wrong. Two suggestions, then. Penalties should be awarded or reversed for acts of simulation. And referees should not be allowed to act on replays on the big screen, which are too easily taken out of context and owe much to the whim of the television director. Michael Aylwin |
| 6) O’Connell’s Limerick farewell | 6) O’Connell’s Limerick farewell |
| So he has basically admitted it. Paul O’Connell said after Munster’s victory over the Ospreys that it had been probably his last match at Thomond Park. He will play in the World Cup, and then, probably (maybe it is all a ruse to stoke up emotion for the final on Saturday), call it a day. What a career. There is a temptation to burst into a eulogy now, but it has all been said before and it will be again when he officially hangs up his boots. Who knows how inspirational he will have to be in Belfast when Munster take on Glasgow in the Pro12 final, because the three players who might have been hand-picked as Munster’s next most inspirational all went down with injuries. Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Simon Zebo will this week be nursing knee ligament, hip flexor and sore head issues respectively. Murray’s seems to be the most worrying – and, let’s face it, he is the hardest of the trio to replace. So, they will be needing one last big game in the red shirt from Paulie. MA | So he has basically admitted it. Paul O’Connell said after Munster’s victory over the Ospreys that it had been probably his last match at Thomond Park. He will play in the World Cup, and then, probably (maybe it is all a ruse to stoke up emotion for the final on Saturday), call it a day. What a career. There is a temptation to burst into a eulogy now, but it has all been said before and it will be again when he officially hangs up his boots. Who knows how inspirational he will have to be in Belfast when Munster take on Glasgow in the Pro12 final, because the three players who might have been hand-picked as Munster’s next most inspirational all went down with injuries. Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Simon Zebo will this week be nursing knee ligament, hip flexor and sore head issues respectively. Murray’s seems to be the most worrying – and, let’s face it, he is the hardest of the trio to replace. So, they will be needing one last big game in the red shirt from Paulie. MA |
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