Northampton vs Wasps

[Puja]

SAINTS

15 Ahsee Tuala
14 Ben Foden
13 Nafi Tuitavake
12 Luther Burrell
11 Tom Collins
10 Piers Francis
9 Nic Groom
1 Alex Waller
2 Dylan Hartley (capt)
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Courtney Lawes
5 Api Ratuniyarawa
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Tom Wood
8 Teimana Harrison

16 Mikey Haywood
17 Francois van Wyk
18 Paull Hill
19 Christian Day
20 Michael Paterson
21 Cobus Reinach
22 Harry Mallinder
23 Ken Pisi

WASPS

15 Willie Le Roux
14 Christian Wade
13 Elliot Daly
12 Juan de Jongh
11 Josh Bassett
10 Jimmy Gopperth
9 Dan Robson
1 Matt Mullan
2 Ashley Johnson
3 Jake Cooper-Woolley
4 Joe Launchbury (capt)
5 Will Rowlands
6 James Haskell
7 Thomas Young
8 Guy Thompson

16 Antonio (TJ) Harris
17 Simon McIntyre
18 Marty Moore
19. James Gaskell
20 Jack Willis
21 Matt Symons
22 Joe Simpson
23 Rob Miller

[Puja]

Lawes has played 6 all season, right up until the England squad is named and Eddie starts leaning on the clubs, and suddenly he's back at 4. Coincidence?

Puja

[Digby]

And Saints have two locks on the bench

[fivepointer]

Ha! I'm sure its due to the return of Tom Wood.

Tough game to call. Have Wasps turned a corner after last week?

[Beasties]

Wouldn't put money on it, WLR's still selected.

[Adam_P]

Would have liked to see Mallinder continue at 15, and move Tuala to the wing and Foden to the bench. We could really do with Horne back in the side.

[Mellsblue]

How Harris has made the Wasps bench is beyond my comprehension. Lovely bloke and diligent trainer at Bedford from what I heard. However, unless he's had a transformation as a player after 1/2 seasons at Nottingham, this is way beyond his abilities.
Happy to be (and quite hopeful that I'm) proved wrong.

[Puja]

How Harris has made the Wasps bench is beyond my comprehension. Lovely bloke and diligent trainer at Bedford from what I heard. However, unless he's had a transformation as a player after 1/2 seasons at Nottingham, this is way beyond his abilities.
Happy to be (and quite hopeful that I'm) proved wrong.

I believe the answer lies in the three injured hookers that Wasps currently have.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

How Harris has made the Wasps bench is beyond my comprehension. Lovely bloke and diligent trainer at Bedford from what I heard. However, unless he's had a transformation as a player after 1/2 seasons at Nottingham, this is way beyond his abilities.
Happy to be (and quite hopeful that I'm) proved wrong.

I believe the answer lies in the three injured hookers that Wasps currently have.

Puja

Yeah, I know but he wasn't even the best hooker at a part-time Bedford. Is there nobody in the academy.

[Raggs]

How Harris has made the Wasps bench is beyond my comprehension. Lovely bloke and diligent trainer at Bedford from what I heard. However, unless he's had a transformation as a player after 1/2 seasons at Nottingham, this is way beyond his abilities.
Happy to be (and quite hopeful that I'm) proved wrong.

I believe the answer lies in the three injured hookers that Wasps currently have.

Puja

Yeah, I know but he wasn't even the best hooker at a part-time Bedford. Is there nobody in the academy.

Broken, and technically TJ is in our academy. Taylor, Cruse and Oghre are all broken.

[Mellsblue]

I believe the answer lies in the three injured hookers that Wasps currently have.

Puja

Yeah, I know but he wasn't even the best hooker at a part-time Bedford. Is there nobody in the academy.

Broken, and technically TJ is in our academy. Taylor, Cruse and Oghre are all broken.

Technically......effing hell. I can see the sparkle in the eyes of the RFU's administrators when they realise their new academy structure can, in the future, be used by Wasps to fudge their salary cap calculations using a 23yo Kiwi who will never be good enough to even trouble the thoughts of the England head coach.

[Oakboy]

Wouldn't put money on it, WLR's still selected.

Plus, Gopperth's lost his spark.

[Raggs]

Yeah, I know but he wasn't even the best hooker at a part-time Bedford. Is there nobody in the academy.

Broken, and technically TJ is in our academy. Taylor, Cruse and Oghre are all broken.

Technically......effing hell. I can see the sparkle in the eyes of the RFU's administrators when they realise their new academy structure can, in the future, be used by Wasps to fudge their salary cap calculations using a 23yo Kiwi who will never be good enough to even trouble the thoughts of the England head coach.

I think the age limit on academy is 24? Could be wrong. And academy wages still count towards the cap. I'd guess he's there because it means he can be offered a lower quality contract.

[Mellsblue]

Broken, and technically TJ is in our academy. Taylor, Cruse and Oghre are all broken.

Technically......effing hell. I can see the sparkle in the eyes of the RFU's administrators when they realise their new academy structure can, in the future, be used by Wasps to fudge their salary cap calculations using a 23yo Kiwi who will never be good enough to even trouble the thoughts of the England head coach.

I'd guess he's there because it means he can be offered a lower quality contract.

Good. Bloody foreigners, coming over here taking our jobs.

[Mikey Brown]

Wouldn't put money on it, WLR's still selected.

Plus, Gopperth's lost his spark.

I can't tell if he was always good or if he just found his place as a complimentary playmaker alongside Cipriani. I certainly didn't see him as a 12 but looked great there while allowing Cipriani to run wild.

[Beasties]

Surprised us all. But what it does show is that he's capable of more than we're currently seeing. Which you could also apply to most Wasps players at the mo.

[Raggs]

Technically......effing hell. I can see the sparkle in the eyes of the RFU's administrators when they realise their new academy structure can, in the future, be used by Wasps to fudge their salary cap calculations using a 23yo Kiwi who will never be good enough to even trouble the thoughts of the England head coach.

I'd guess he's there because it means he can be offered a lower quality contract.

Good. Bloody foreigners, coming over here taking our jobs.

Where exactly are you seeing that he's a kiwi? All the press around Antonio "TJ" Harris is that he's born and bred in Coventry...

[Mellsblue]

I'd guess he's there because it means he can be offered a lower quality contract.

Good. Bloody foreigners, coming over here taking our jobs.

Where exactly are you seeing that he's a kiwi? All the press around Antonio "TJ" Harris is that he's born and bred in Coventry...

Duplicate

[Mellsblue]

I'd guess he's there because it means he can be offered a lower quality contract.

Good. Bloody foreigners, coming over here taking our jobs.

Where exactly are you seeing that he's a kiwi? All the press around Antonio "TJ" Harris is that he's born and bred in Coventry...

Bedford signed him at 19ish from North Otago (I think) so I’ve always just assumed he was a Kiwi. How do I get drawn in to these pointless arguments.........I’m suprised Wasps signed him - his Cov roots may be a driver - I doubt this case is one that wouldve been envisaged as an exemplar example of the system working when the academy system was first devised, I doubt he’ll ever be Prem quality and I hope he proves me wrong.

[Raggs]

Good. Bloody foreigners, coming over here taking our jobs.

Where exactly are you seeing that he's a kiwi? All the press around Antonio "TJ" Harris is that he's born and bred in Coventry...

Bedford signed him at 19ish from North Otago (I think) so I’ve always just assumed he was a Kiwi. How do I get drawn in to these pointless arguments.........I’m suprised Wasps signed him - his Cov roots may be a driver - I doubt this case is one that wouldve been envisaged as an exemplar example of the system working when the academy system was first devised, I doubt he’ll ever be Prem quality and I hope he proves me wrong.

His accent certainly backs him being a Cov boy. Maybe he spent some time in NZ, but he's not a kiwi. You got drawn into it because you started it...

For a 4th choice hooker he's looked alright. Wasps tend to try not to play such signings in their first season, outside of A-league, preferring them to be in the gym to get more physically prepared. Some of our older signings who've come through less regular routes have become solid prem players, such as Reider, Thompson and Bassett. Harris didn't have the good rep those 3 came with, but still could do a job.

[Mellsblue]

Where exactly are you seeing that he's a kiwi? All the press around Antonio "TJ" Harris is that he's born and bred in Coventry...

Bedford signed him at 19ish from North Otago (I think) so I’ve always just assumed he was a Kiwi. How do I get drawn in to these pointless arguments.........I’m suprised Wasps signed him - his Cov roots may be a driver - I doubt this case is one that wouldve been envisaged as an exemplar example of the system working when the academy system was first devised, I doubt he’ll ever be Prem quality and I hope he proves me wrong.

His accent certainly backs him being a Cov boy. Maybe he spent some time in NZ, but he's not a kiwi. You got drawn into it because you started it...

For a 4th choice hooker he's looked alright. Wasps tend to try not to play such signings in their first season, outside of A-league, preferring them to be in the gym to get more physically prepared. Some of our older signings who've come through less regular routes have become solid prem players, such as Reider, Thompson and Bassett. Harris didn't have the good rep those 3 came with, but still could do a job.

I simply pointed out I don’t think he’s good enough and probably never will be. You did your usual and took umbrage at any slight aimed at a Wasps player.

Anyway, I hope you are correct and he makes the grade. If he wasn’t a Wasps player I think you’d have a different opinion.

[Raggs]

Bedford signed him at 19ish from North Otago (I think) so I’ve always just assumed he was a Kiwi. How do I get drawn in to these pointless arguments.........I’m suprised Wasps signed him - his Cov roots may be a driver - I doubt this case is one that wouldve been envisaged as an exemplar example of the system working when the academy system was first devised, I doubt he’ll ever be Prem quality and I hope he proves me wrong.

His accent certainly backs him being a Cov boy. Maybe he spent some time in NZ, but he's not a kiwi. You got drawn into it because you started it...

For a 4th choice hooker he's looked alright. Wasps tend to try not to play such signings in their first season, outside of A-league, preferring them to be in the gym to get more physically prepared. Some of our older signings who've come through less regular routes have become solid prem players, such as Reider, Thompson and Bassett. Harris didn't have the good rep those 3 came with, but still could do a job.

I simply pointed out I don’t think he’s good enough and probably never will be. You did your usual and took umbrage at any slight aimed at a Wasps player.

Anyway, I hope you are correct and he makes the grade. If he wasn’t a Wasps player I think you’d have a different opinion.

Umbrage? I pointed out that everyone else was broken, and he is in our academy. The only person to mention his ability for several posts was yourself, that and the fact you thought he was a kiwi. My "usual" then came later, suggesting that for a 4th choice, he looks OK, which hardly seems a ridiculous statement or an instant defence of a slight. Can I suggest if you don't want people pointing out your repeated errors, and dragging you into pointless conversations, you perhaps don't start them?

[Mellsblue]

His accent certainly backs him being a Cov boy. Maybe he spent some time in NZ, but he's not a kiwi. You got drawn into it because you started it...

For a 4th choice hooker he's looked alright. Wasps tend to try not to play such signings in their first season, outside of A-league, preferring them to be in the gym to get more physically prepared. Some of our older signings who've come through less regular routes have become solid prem players, such as Reider, Thompson and Bassett. Harris didn't have the good rep those 3 came with, but still could do a job.

I simply pointed out I don’t think he’s good enough and probably never will be. You did your usual and took umbrage at any slight aimed at a Wasps player.

Anyway, I hope you are correct and he makes the grade. If he wasn’t a Wasps player I think you’d have a different opinion.

Umbrage? I pointed out that everyone else was broken, and he is in our academy. The only person to mention his ability for several posts was yourself, that and the fact you thought he was a kiwi. My "usual" then came later, suggesting that for a 4th choice, he looks OK, which hardly seems a ridiculous statement or an instant defence of a slight. Can I suggest if you don't want people pointing out your repeated errors, and dragging you into pointless conversations, you perhaps don't start them?

Fair enough. The only error I made was thinking he’s a Kiwi, which at least seems to have educated you slightly on the background of the player. I’ll also go back to ignoring your severe Wasps bias. One of the joys of this site is that there are very few posters who let club and/or country bias get in their way.

[Adam_P]

Shall we discuss the match?

[Adam_P]

Collins very nearly put away from a good carry and offload from Ratuniyarawa. I like the power he brings to the 2nd row.