Conversation: “Well, that went quickly.”
“Oh no, it didn’t. Those were the longest, most boring five weeks I’ve known.”
Take your choice, but Round 9 resumes on Friday evening, marking the halfway stage.
Fixtures:
Friday 30 January
Trailfinders v Quins, 19.30 (BBC iPlayer)
Sunday 1 February
Bears v Sharks, 13.00 Shaftesbury Park (YT)
Chiefs v Tigers, 13.00 (YT)
Glos-pury v Lightning, 15.00 Kingsholm (TNT)
Not a single game on Saturday!
It’s Sarries’ turn to take an unwanted rest.
While many eyes will concentrate on the battle at the top of the table (G-H and Sarries currently equal), there is an equally fascinating contest going on further down the line. Quins (3rd) lie a mere three points ahead of Trailfinders in 7th, and they meet under lights first up.
The recent clash between Lightning and TF (29-29) shows how close the fight is for the two other play-off places.
Quins have started playing closer to the standards they and their devoted fans expect. TF have found it easy scoring points; much harder defending well.
Chiefs v Tigers
We’ll get a surer idea of Tigers’ standing when Steve Salvin announces his Chiefs’ side. Head coaches have been giving their leading players the day off for a visit to Welford Road, but probably not this time at Sandy Park, after that five-week break. Five points in the bag.
Bears v Sharks
This is a vital game for the Bears, who have been the surprise disappointment of the season.
They are delighted at the news of a second pregnancy in their midst, but the absence of both Abbie Ward and Lark Atkin-Davies is a worrying loss for them for the rest of the season.
They have constantly striven to reach the heights, but this Sunday match gives Sharks the chance to register a rare away win.
They have failed thus far to live up to their own expectations and mine. My judgement is far from reliable, but they must surely have dreamt of better things, with all the new faces added to the squad.
Glos-pury v Lightning
Only one result is likely here, but the presumed absence of Fancy Bermudez from the visitors’ line-up is another indication that the trumpeted global calendar isn’t perfect.
She joined the Northampton club for Round Two, but now finds herself selected again for Canada’s 7s squad. They will be competing in the Singapore (31 Jan-1 Feb) and Perth (7-8 Feb) legs of the SVNS Series.
Lightning have managed without her in the past, but no doubt everyone, from Nathan Smith to supporters who have never been to Loughborough, would rather see her in action against the champs.
TNT
Another thought about the one TV Company to do a deal with the PWR. As far as I can gather, they are due to cover no fewer than three Gloucester-Hartpury matches in February alone.
That strikes me as a less than wholehearted support of the league. The champions, yes; but the rest?
Structures
That lengthy gap across Christmas and the New Year looks more puzzling the longer we stare at it.
It was put in place to safeguard player welfare. But the same players have been widely engaged in preparations for the Six Nations. Some have even appeared in the Celtic Challenge.
There are breaks still to come in the fixture list, not least to allow for any postponements. These underline how far the PWR still lies from its wished-for professional status. A pro-league would simply arrange midweek matches to catch up .
In the present set-up that’s quite impossible.
