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A much more balanced side with players playing in the correct positions. A big plus to have a proper back row set, Francis back, Grayson back and Reinach back. Hopefully of a good home result.

The continued non-selection of Andrew Kellaway is perplexing, maybe he's just not a Chris Boyd type of player? The 8 changes from last weekend make for a significantly stronger looking side, fingers crossed for 5 points!

COME ON YOU SAINTS!
Church's Stand season ticket holder
EMRU Referee

Eadie's first start of the season - against his old team!

And looking at the injury list - all leg injuries.

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shendy
Eadie's first start of the season - against his old team!

And JFR!... and Barrow was picked against Tigers?

Boyd must like giving guys games against there old teams, knowing they will be up for it!

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Abington Adam
The continued non-selection of Andrew Kellaway is perplexing, maybe he's just not a Chris Boyd type of player? The 8 changes from last weekend make for a significantly stronger looking side, fingers crossed for 5 points!

Why is that?.. he currently is just off a back 3 slot. we have Big T, TC, Ace & George F all performing pretty well. his opportunity will come

Eadie selection is a curious one as is J Ford-Rob having just sent him to Coventry

Indeed a better balance and great to have Cobus,Piers,and James back and starting. Strong bench too with the likes of Jamie G Tom Collins Luther and Alex Mitchell to bring on. Looking forwrad to this COYS!

2018 The fightback begins COYS!

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Abington Adam
The continued non-selection of Andrew Kellaway is perplexing, maybe he's just not a Chris Boyd type of player? The 8 changes from last weekend make for a significantly stronger looking side, fingers crossed for 5 points!

Out of interest, who would you swap Kellaway for?

As already mentioned, a more balanced side, and strong bench to boot. Fingers crossed for no last minute changes again this week.

As there is a good amount of rotation elsewhere I can certainly see an argument for Kellaway getting a shot on the wing or on the bench at least. This could be done by taking out Tuala and starting TC or Kellaway with the other on the bench. I was impressed with him early on and seems a shame not to have seen more. Of course, the coaches will see far more than we could hope to and I'm sure he'll be granted opportunities under the current management.

I’d be tempted to leave Big T out until his defence sharpens up. Collins and Pisi or Ace works for me.

And the Bristol side visiting the Gardens is:

15. Charles Piutau; 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Piers O’Conor, 12. Siale Piutau (co-capt), 11. Luke Daniels; 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Andy Uren; 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. John Afoa, 4. Joe Batley, 5. Chris Vui, 6. Steve Luatua, 7. Jake Heenan, 8. Jordan Crane (co-capt).

Replacements: 16. Sam Parry, 17. Jake Woolmore, 18. Lewis Thiede, 19. George Smith, 20. Jack Lam, 21. Harry Randall, 22. Ian Madigan, 23. Mat Protheroe

So Big T marks Luke Morahan who is one of the quickest, smartest wingers in the Premiership!

According to a Bristol-supporting friend, those are the only 2 second rows that they've got left.

depends how you want to look at it...

Luke Morahan has to mark Big T, one of the most destructive ball carriers in the Premiership.

According to RugbyPass' rankings, Big T is the 29th best winger in the Premiership whereas Morahan is in 49th. I must admit that i don't know how these are calculated, but assuming all players @#$%& subject to the same criteria, it can't be all bad for Big T.

If only there was an experienced second row around potentially wanting a short term contract to get game time.....

I am a little worried about big T's defence, especially against quick steppers, just hope our midfield can work well together and give him the smallest channel to cover possible.

The co-captain thing is definitely looking like a SH option.

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Saint Ted

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Abington Adam
The continued non-selection of Andrew Kellaway is perplexing, maybe he's just not a Chris Boyd type of player? The 8 changes from last weekend make for a significantly stronger looking side, fingers crossed for 5 points!

Out of interest, who would you swap Kellaway for?

Ace for me. Don’t understand how Ace is kept in ahead of TC and Kellaway.

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Dragonboy

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Saint Ted

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Abington Adam
The continued non-selection of Andrew Kellaway is perplexing, maybe he's just not a Chris Boyd type of player? The 8 changes from last weekend make for a significantly stronger looking side, fingers crossed for 5 points!

Out of interest, who would you swap Kellaway for?

Ace for me. Don’t understand how Ace is kept in ahead of TC and Kellaway.

Because he is quality and has been for a number of seasons. He seems to come in for an unfair amount of criticism. He can cover full back and wing which makes him an asset to have in the back 3 with a young full back and Big T. He is one of the best off loaders in our team, admittedly he does try them just as much in outlets 22 as the oppositions but isn’t this the fearless style that we all admire under Boyd. He is also very skillful, I remember him coming in as a second receiver under Gaffney from full back. Rant over back to the team.

Very exciting and well balanced. Let’s hope for a win.

Just as someone marks Thacker, he scored against us from breaks, not just a back of the maul hooker.

Big T is at the top of the stats if not has the most clean breaks. Strong Bristol pack with soft hands and dynamism

I'm quite happy with the handling of our pack.

Marshall, Hill, Moon, Ribbans, Wood, Ludlam and Eadie are all capable of decent handling.

Waller, Fish and Gibson are also more than capable.

Barring injuries and those available, this appears to be our most form 23.

Fingers crossed for an nice dry day, lots of attacking ball for Big T, no injuries and a well earned win.

with the exception of the injured Dan Thomas it is the same Bristol team that beat Gloucester last week .

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Saint Ted

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Abington Adam
The continued non-selection of Andrew Kellaway is perplexing, maybe he's just not a Chris Boyd type of player? The 8 changes from last weekend make for a significantly stronger looking side, fingers crossed for 5 points!

Out of interest, who would you swap Kellaway for?

I expected to see him included in the rotation we've seen elsewhere in the squad, especially as Taqele's form is patchy and TC hasn't got back to his best yet. We obviously have a lot of competition in the back 3 but when Kellaway performed well early on in the season I'm just slightly surprised that he's not been given much game time at all since then.

COME ON YOU SAINTS!
Church's Stand season ticket holder
EMRU Referee

Andrew Kellaway did play last Saturday

Great opportunity for Eadie lets hope he makes a name for himself.
If he does then that is a good back row
Forwards need to be on the front foot and far more aggressive than last week. Hopefully Tom Wood will add some bite at the breakdown
A must win

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Chris Hoddle
Andrew Kellaway did play last Saturday

This is true. He wasn't selected to originally though. He came in as an enforced last minute injury replacement. Not exactly a rotation move.

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Saint Ted

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Abington Adam
The continued non-selection of Andrew Kellaway is perplexing, maybe he's just not a Chris Boyd type of player? The 8 changes from last weekend make for a significantly stronger looking side, fingers crossed for 5 points!

Out of interest, who would you swap Kellaway for?

Tuala, no doubt about it in my mind. Better all round footballer and more reliable for me.
But... Tuala has been better on the wing than at full back.
and seems more committed too his defence than in recent weeks. So if he is being rewarded for his form that is understandable.

I like the look of this team. Got a nice balance too it.
Shame no Tei too add some firepower, but a good chance for Eadie.

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ElySaint

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Chris Hoddle
Andrew Kellaway did play last Saturday

This is true. He wasn't selected to originally though. He came in as an enforced last minute injury replacement. Not exactly a rotation move.

Agree and he looked really good again when he came on, as he did when he had game time earlier in the season and was even being thought as our possible 13 until Dingwall and Hutch showed how good they are.

I'd have him on the bench instead of Burrell offers more cover and far more in pace, ball handling and finishing skills and defensively has looked better in the outside centre channel. Appreciate that Burrell was needed last week against Saracens but think against Bristol we have to try and play our preferred style and Burrell doesn't fit with that and is leaving. Kellaway is highly talented and young and without knowing what the coaches are thinking it is a little hard to understand.

Other than that team looks really good and great to see rotation continuing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019:03:08:18:48:50 by Saintfanh.

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Nath-coys

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Saint Ted

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Abington Adam
The continued non-selection of Andrew Kellaway is perplexing, maybe he's just not a Chris Boyd type of player? The 8 changes from last weekend make for a significantly stronger looking side, fingers crossed for 5 points!

Out of interest, who would you swap Kellaway for?

Tuala, no doubt about it in my mind. Better all round footballer and more reliable for me.
But... Tuala has been better on the wing than at full back.
and seems more committed too his defence than in recent weeks. So if he is being rewarded for his form that is understandable.

I like the look of this team. Got a nice balance too it.
Shame no Tei too add some firepower, but a good chance for Eadie.

Agree, though as you say Tuala has been on form the past few weeks on the wing. As a full back he's normally missing in action.

I haven't posted hardly at all this season simply because I haven't been to any of the home games. My serious grump about the previous management is only now easing.
But.... does our giant wing deserve any game time. From tv viewing he seems to be absent where defence is concerned. Totally.
When attacking he seems to want to run through people all the time and has failed on many one to ones, the scenario wings dream of.
I'm quite happy for someone to say that he does much good stuff that isn't on the tv highlights.

i think our big problem is on the wings teams are working out our weak link which is both wings.tuala does not cover and leaves big holes for people to run into and big t does not tackle with Andrew kellaway and Collins we have 2 players who give nothing less than 100% every game I feel we are missing out defensively and in attack.

Have to agree that Big T is good at times going forward in making yards and at times he has a really good offload but his defensive capabilities are shockingly slow at times and his positional play when defending gives us problems and every try scored around his area where he has been involved that I have seen has been as a result of his slow reaction or ability to turn when attackers with some pace square up to him.

The contribution Big T makes to a game is massively influenced by how much he comes in off his wing. If he's on the wing all the time I'm not sure his attack brings more than his defensive weakness detracts, but when he's popping up at pace from rucks etc. he's just so dangerous. Let's hope it's more of the latter today rather than being pulled all over by Monahan and Piutau.

Ribbans out with ankle injury. Just seen him in a boot.

Api to start and Craig to bench.