By Lawrence Aggleton
September 15 2008

Second week down, and a messy one. While everyone was focussed on how the ELVs would be interpreted, officiated and innovated, the refs have suddenly massively tightened up on being off your feet at the breakdown – especially against attacking teams. In my view that's good for the medium and long term health of the game – but it will cause some pretty disjointed play to begin with.

As for the ELVs, even the seemingly harmless ones (e.g. not being able to pass back into the 22 and kick straight out) seem to be having a huge and unconsidered effect (lots of aerial ping-pong). If something this small can have such an bad effect, it shows up the whole mass-experiment up for the ill-considered mess that it is.

Tadpoles vs Sorries

Prediction: Sale 4 Sarries 0

Actual: Sale 4 Sarries 1

Well, Sale actually only just snatched this on a last minute drop-goal by Hodgson. One try in two games for them (and that only due to abysmal defence and tackling by the Falcons) doesn't bode well for what had previously been one of the Premiership's most exciting attacks. Still, they've won both games, so it's probably a bit early to judge too much. Similarly Sarries have had two tight games, but lost both. They'll need to pull a win out next week mind.

Brilliance vs Glaaaaawster

Prediction: Bath 4 Glaws 1

Actual: Bath 1 Glaws 4

Well, blooey (this is the polite version). To be honest, Bath played the best rugby in this game... but they only played it for 7 minutes. Gloucester dominated the rest of a scrappy game and deservedly broke their Rec hoodoo. Butch James had by a country mile his worst in the Blue, Black and White... but so too did Tom Cheeseman and Stuart Hooper (albeit out of position and only out of two).  Bath were irresistible when spreading the ball wide and running at pace in the last ten, so why were they so tight and conservative earlier? Good win for Glaws who probably played better last week and lost. Both teams will be there or thereabout at the end of the season, but both are riddled with flaws.

Sequins vs Brizzle

Prediction: Quins 5 Bris 0

Actual: Quins 5 Bris 0

Well... yeah. Even with Nick Evans out, Quins walked this. This was always a hiding to nothing for Bris, but with Newcastle winning this week, they'll really need to sort themselves out, and soon.

Tigers vs Irish

Prediction: Tigers 4 Irish 0

Actual: Tigers 4 Irish 1

A much tighter game than many expected and I reckon I'm gonna have to stop underestimating Irish. Except for next week, obviously. Anyway, Tigers actually got away with this (Hewat missed a conversion attempt that would have drawn it at the death) and they'll face an interesting test in Worcester next week.

Newcastle Relegateds vs Sinners

Prediction: Newcastle 4 Saints 1

Actual: Newcastle 4 Saints 0

Jonny was back. Jonny kicked well. Falcons won. Jonny was, miraculously, not re-injured. They'll lose at Sarries. They'll still be relegated. Saints, well, not every game's a sunny day at Franklin's Gardens. They were clearly outplayed by a not great Falcons team and are gonna have to really pull themselves together for Wasps visit next week. And speaking of Wasps...

Pests vs Wuss

Prediction: Wasps 4 Worcester 0

Actual: Wasps 1 Worcester 4

A convicing and predictible win for Was... wait, what?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

Nice one Wuss. By the looks of it they were hard done by on a try for Latham too. Wuss have a real challenge at home to Tigers next weekend, but they should go into that full of belief. Wasps get to pop up to Saints and try to take out their worries on them, but should be very careful...