The good news is that the Premiership restart will almost be like the beginning of a new season, because the weather will be pretty good, the grounds firm, and the players keen and energetic. That suggests to me that we will see some high-scoring, open, entertaining games.
I’m going to watch Exeter against Leicester on Saturday, so I will get to see the Tigers for the first time under Steve Borthwick as head coach. Leicester were a club with a great forward tradition and reputation, until they were overtaken by Exeter and Saracens.
Now the Tigers have become ‘the team that were’ and it would be some miracle by Borthwick if they suddenly reasserted themselves very quickly, and climbed the table. My feeling is that Borthwick will need the matches at the end of this season, and then a further short preseason between the end of October and the new Premiership 2020-21 season starting on November 21, to get his team in shape.
In the meantime, it is hard to see Leicester, or anyone else, getting in the way of Exeter’s route to the Premiership final.
At the same time as looking forward to watching some live rugby again, including an array of current internationals, I’m also curious to experience how strange and eerie it is being at a ground like Sandy Park, which is usually jumping and buzzing.
It will be interesting seeing how the players adapt when there is no interaction with the crowd. There will be no fans to throw the ball back to hookers – usually accompanied with a bit of free ‘advice’ – and I’m sure that those wisecracks on the touchline will be missed.
Denne historien er fra August 09, 2020-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 09, 2020-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
