• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Rugby Union

UP13

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2018
Messages
373
So it's Exeter vs Saracens in the Premiership final.......who'd have guessed that? :lol:

Just hope Exeter can beat them as I can't stand Saracens

I like both clubs. I love the fact they are both outsiders who have knocked the establishment out of the way. I know Exeter are more romantic but I love the Saracens seige mentality regarding outsiders.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

The_Train

Established Member
Joined
2 Jun 2018
Messages
4,314
Exeter have shown yet again that their biggest opponent in the big matches is themselves. That last 20 minutes was an absolute embarrassment having gotten themselves 2 scores in front. They have shown time and time again in the big matches (both European and domestically) that they just don't have that cutting edge and that belief that they can actually be the best.

And so there we have it, we have to put up with the smug faces of the likes of McCall, Williams and George for another season
 

UP13

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2018
Messages
373
I'm a big fan of those last three names...

Exeter still have a lot to learn.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,270
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
BELATED MATCH REPORT

Premiership Rugby Cup...Pool A

Sale 39 ... Northampton Saints 18

Sale were surprisingly too strong for Northampton in the first pool match, leading 15-8 at half-time. The second half consolidated matters and in the end, Sale won the try count 6 to 2 (including a penalty try).

Sale's next pool match is going to be far more difficult, away at Saracens, who beat Wasps in their first pool match.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,270
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
Premiership Rugby Cup...Pool A

Saracens 17...Sale 36

Sale were well disciplined in this difficult away match and established a 22-10 half time lead. Matters were more even after the break, but Sale finished worthy winners, winning the try count 5 to 2.

 

Hadders

Veteran Member
Associate Staff
Senior Fares Advisor
Joined
27 Apr 2011
Messages
12,984
Sale look as though they’re making a serious attempt at winning this.

I was at the Saints match last week and Sale fielded practically a full strength side. Saints had a rather youthful look to it, due in part to World Cup call ups and long term injuries.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,270
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
Premiership Rugby Cup...Pool A

Sale 24 ... Wasps 20

In this final Pool A match, Wasps were full of good ideas and intent in the first half and were 20-10 up at the break, but Sale came back strongly with two more tries in the second half in which they did not concede a single point, ending worthy winners and kept their 100% Pool A record, winning the try count three to two.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,270
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
Gallagher English Premiership

London Irish 7 ... Sale 41

Sale were too strong for this season's newcomers to the Premiership and were 20-0 up at the break and kept up the pressure until the end. Sale won the try count 6-1. After only two matches played so far, the league table has a very even look to it, points-wise.
 

LOL The Irony

On Moderation
Joined
29 Jul 2017
Messages
5,335
Location
Chinatown, New York
Gallagher English Premiership

London Irish 7 ... Sale 41

Sale were too strong for this season's newcomers to the Premiership and were 20-0 up at the break and kept up the pressure until the end. Sale won the try count 6-1. After only two matches played so far, the league table has a very even look to it, points-wise.
Sale are doing pretty good this season then.
 

UP13

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2018
Messages
373
Saracens have been docked 35 points and have been fined around 5 million quid for salary cap infringements...
 

EbbwJunction1

Established Member
Joined
25 Mar 2010
Messages
1,565
Saracens have been docked 35 points and have been fined around 5 million quid for salary cap infringements...

Unsurprisingly, they're going to appeal against the decision. If they lose and the penalty isn't reduced, they'll almost certainly be relegated, as they'll be on -26 points, and 30 points behind the team in 11th place.
 

UP13

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2018
Messages
373
They won't get relegated. They normally get 70-80 points a season. 35-45 is definitely out of the relegation zone.

They definitely won't get in the top 4 and probably will miss out on European qualification.
 

JamesT

Established Member
Joined
25 Feb 2015
Messages
2,643
They won't get relegated. They normally get 70-80 points a season. 35-45 is definitely out of the relegation zone.

They definitely won't get in the top 4 and probably will miss out on European qualification.

It always seems a little odd to me to describe it as missing out on Europe, when all teams get into a European competition. It’s just a question of which one.
Assuming they don’t suddenly lose all their players, I wonder if they might try and concentrate on the Champions Cup as the winner gets a place in next season’s competition regardless of their league position.
 

Tetchytyke

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Sep 2013
Messages
13,305
Location
Isle of Man
If the decision was made on irrefutable evidence of salary cap infringements, then surely this is a matter upon which no appeal can be lodged

Saracens gave their top players ownership of "business investments", mainly property controlled by Saracens' owner, for free in addition to their basic pay.

Saracens claim a "business investment" cannot be a salary, just about everyone else thinks it's a blatant attempt to evade the cap, so we'll see.
 
Last edited:

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,270
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
Gallagher Premiership

Sale 28 ...Wasps 18

Both sides were missing key players recovering from the World Cup and Sale held a narrow 13-10 half-time lead. The du Preez brothers played a notable part for Sale, Dan scoring their only try and Rob kicking 17 of their points.
 

UP13

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2018
Messages
373
Out of interest, how many South African players are on the Sale books?
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,270
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
Out of interest, how many South African players are on the Sale books?

Besides the two named ones in my posting, the Sale squad contains the following:-
Faf de Clerk
Jean-Luc du Preez (twin brother of one of the two in my report)
Akker van der Merwe
Coenle Oosthuizen
Rohan Janse van Rensburg
Lood de Jager (he was not yet fit enough yet after injury to play in that last match against Wasps).
 

richw

Veteran Member
Joined
10 Jun 2010
Messages
11,213
Location
Liskeard
Unsurprisingly, they're going to appeal against the decision. If they lose and the penalty isn't reduced, they'll almost certainly be relegated, as they'll be on -26 points, and 30 points behind the team in 11th place.

They won't get relegated. They normally get 70-80 points a season. 35-45 is definitely out of the relegation zone.

They definitely won't get in the top 4 and probably will miss out on European qualification.

the same deduction in any of the last 4 seasons would have left them in 10th place.
 

UP13

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2018
Messages
373
I think Harlequins are doing their part to keep Saracens safe...
 

UP13

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2018
Messages
373
Despite the recent scandal, he has been a big part of dragging English rugby union into the professional era.

Always struck me as a true fan and not somebody using rugby to fuel their ego.
 

EbbwJunction1

Established Member
Joined
25 Mar 2010
Messages
1,565
I'm not sure that he was a fan when he bought into Saracens, but he became one very quickly.

One of the comments he made very early in his time there is that he pointed out that rugby supporters were creatures of habit, and as such they wanted to know that they had a home match every two weeks, so they could work to a pattern. He couldn't understand why the RFU made clubs play a couple of home matches, then a couple of away matches etc., thus acting as a deterrent to regular watching. His comments obviously worked, because that's what does happen now (for the most part at least).

He's also got an enormous memorabilia collection with lots of rare things in it. Friends of mine have seen it, and they're very complimentary about it. I (and they) realise that he's got them money to buy things, but they're displayed properly. Some of it is on display at Saracens, so it's on my list of things to do!
 

UP13

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2018
Messages
373
He must have been a fan. There is no logical reason he'd have ploughed all that money in from the off.

It was nearly 15 years before they won a major trophy.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

Veteran Member
Joined
17 Apr 2011
Messages
32,270
Location
A semi-rural part of north-west England
Gallagher English Premiership

Sale Sharks 48 ... Harlequins 10

On paper, this eighth league match of the season looked to be an evenly fought match between two sides with similar records and Harlequins opened the scoring with a try, but Sale responded with a try of their own within minutes and then began to gain the upper hand, leading 24-10 at half time. However, the second half was one where Sale scored 24 unanswered points, winning the match try score by six to one, to gain yet another bonus point win.

Sale move up to third place in the league table, with Harlequins in eighth place.

 

EbbwJunction1

Established Member
Joined
25 Mar 2010
Messages
1,565
maybe not of Saracens specifically but a definite rugby fan.

Ah, I wasn't aware of that; thanks.

He must have been a fan. There is no logical reason he'd have ploughed all that money in from the off. It was nearly 15 years before they won a major trophy.

If anything is true, it's that logic doesn't have anything to do with investment into sporting clubs! As the saying goes: "How do you get a small fortune? Start off with a large one, and buy a football club!".
 

Top