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The Morning After - Week One
By Lawrence Aggleton September 7 2008
The first week of the Premiership and the talking point for me is less the ELVs and more the referees strict adherence to the pre-existing tackle and ruck laws. The number of penalties conceded by attacking teams for going off their feet into the ruck was phenomenal, a clear indication of the wish to clean-up the ruck.

This is what the IRB should have been focussing on for the past year and a half, not some half-baked, fiddly technicalities only applicable to hard-ground rugby. It will take the premiership teams a few weeks to get used to this, but God only knows what's going to happen in the international games. With 3 different sets of laws being played in professional rugby in different parts of the world, this has been a catastrophic mess when all that was required was some minor tinkering and application of the existing laws. The IRB should be thoroughly ashamed of their misconduct in this area.

Anyway, the Premiership threw up 4 away wins this weekend (albeit one only technical), something unlikely to happen again soon. Let's have a look:

SortofLondon SortofIrish vs SortofLondon Wasps

Predicted: Irish 0, Wasps 4

Actual: Irish 4, Wasps 0 (26-14)

Well, I predicted this would be rusty for both, but Irish certainly came up trumps. Wasps seem to delight in trying to make things difficult for themselves, they usually have the ability to pull it back. A 20-point deficit against any premiership team with 20 minutes left is pretty much unrescuable. Good win for Irish, it'll be a challenge to keep it up at Leicester though. Wasps get to try and bounce back at home to Worcester. The worry is that they lack a decent fly-half with Cipriani out.

Sorries vs Gin'n'Tonics

Predicted: Sarries 1, Quins 4

Actual: Sarries 1, Quins 4 (21-24)

Saracens signed Borthwick into an area of strength, so much so that they decided to try playing three locks. Yeah, anyway, it didn't work. Should have signed a centre. Quins scored two good tries and will benefit from having Nick Evans at 10 rather than the more pedestrian talents of Jarvis or Malone. Next week, Sarries have a shout up at Sale, Quins should get a nice home game vs Bristol.

Brizzle vs Brilliance

Predicted: Bristol 0, Bath 5

Actual: Bristol 0, Bath 4 (20-33)

One of Bath's problems last year (and ultimately the reason they missed out on a home premiership semi-final) was an inability to pick up bonus points. With a bunch of injuries and an away derby, I'm sure they'll not be too fussed with the missed one here, but later in the season (and especially in a tough Heineken Cup group) they're gonna need to convert these opportunities. Anyway, an easy win against a limited Bristol side who are gonna be in real trouble if they don't sort their tight five out soon. Bath have a banker at home to Glaws next week, Bris a tough trip to Quins.

Glaws vs Meeeeeeat

Predicted: Gloucester 1, Tigers 4

Actual: Gloucester 0, Tigers 4 (8-20)

Well, I'd like to say I saw this one coming, but... oh, wait. I totally saw this coming. Same old Gloucester - actually, maybe even worse. Two or three glorious walk-in try opportunities absolutely butchered. I'd make a comparison to our semi-final vs Tigers, but that would be unfair even to the oft-maligned, oft-pie-eating Andy Goode. Just awful. Next week vs Bath is almost a must-win game for Glaws, although it's at The Rec, so obviously they won't. Good result for Tigers and you'd expect to see them follow it up at home to Irish next week.

Relegated vs Tadpoles

Predicted: Falcons 0, Sale 5

Actual: Falcons 1, Sale 4 (9-14)

Well, I got the winner right here, but almost a moral victory for the Falcons picking up a losing bonus point. They'll still be relegated though, reports indicate they've taken their average pack and decided to base their backs around the, ahem, silky skills of Jamie Noon. Sale, well they usually lose up here, so I imagine they'll take the win in the first week. Work to do ahead of Sarries visit next weekend, Newcastle have to beat Saints.

Bootboys vs Boilers

Predicted: Saints 1, Worcester 4

Actual: Saints 4, Worcester 0 (21-13)

Fair play to Saints, I thought they'd struggle in this game, but they looked consistently the better side in this scrappy game. Worcester looked poor in the back row and at scrum-half. New signing Chris Latham looked sharp, but Rico Gear still looks like he's up north for a pay day and can't be bothered. As for Saints, they've signed a good core of players (ex-Bath Scott Gray played very well in the back row), although I still think they'll struggle against the top teams. Still next week they get to go to Newcastle while Wuss have to somehow pull themselves together for a trip to Wasps.

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