TEENKICKS by Ben Mcintosh

A new blog written by teenage Rugby World reader Ben Mcintosh

☺ Autumn Internationals – My Dream Team
☺ New Rugby Game?
☺ Joke of the week!
☺ Junior tip of the week!
☺ Coming up in next month’s edition – Exclusive interview with Leicester Tigers prop “Julian White”!
☺ A little something for Christmas!

Autumn Internationals – My Dream Team
The autumn internationals mostly went the way of the southern hemisphere countries as usual. Although only New Zealand were unbeaten at the end of the tour. Their most amazing offloading out of the tackle and their immense lines of running made them superior in this autumn series. I also think that many English players stood out as well.
My Dream Team of the Autumn would be:-
1. Tendai Mtawarira – Power and scrummaging
2. Dylan Hartley – Decision making at the break down
3. Adam Jones – Great maul work
4. Courtney Lawes – Awesome tackling
5. Victor Matfield – Amazing lineouts
6. Stephen Ferris – Superb attacking running
7. Richie Mccaw – All round leadership
8. Kieran Read – Power Machine
9. Ben Youngs – Quick thinking ability
10. Dan Carter – Brilliant kicking
11. Hosea Gear – Speed and strength
12. Sonny Bill Williams – Speedy offloading
13. Mike Tindall – Solid
14. Chris Ashton – The whole package
15. Mils Muliaina – Counter running

New Rugby Game?
The last rugby game was unveiled in 2008 but will there be another? There has been talk of a World Cup 2011 game, but will it happen? I personally love the Rugby 08 game as it has great graphics and is easy to use. I hope there will be another one in the coming years. Would you like to see another rugby Game?

Joke Of The Week
“Waiter, waiter, why are there ears in my soup”?
“It’s ok sir, they’re cauliflower ears”!

Junior Tip Of The Week!
Support the ball carrier!

A little something for Christmas!
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/wSzldYrMkpA4svA88iN5

Leicester v Wasps – The Verdict

By Paul Morgan, Editor of Rugby World Magazine

Leicester 34 Wasps 8

Wasps have problems, big problems up front as for the second time in a week they have been undone by a far more powerful front row.
This time – against Leicester – it was the turn of Dan Cole (who’ll find himself in the Saxons squad this week), the 22-year-old local lad from Leicester to turn the screw and send Wasps on the retreat. He was quite rightly named man of the match as Newcastle’s Jon Golding was last week, when the Falcons beat Wasps.
Leicester are however motoring nicely and with a hard core of young English players it is easy to see how they just might be heading for a period of English/European dominance they enjoyed at the start of the last decade.
Wasps took a shock third-minute lead when Danny Cipriani opened up the Leicester defence but after the first scrum (in the 23rd minute!) when Cole was penalised for dropping a scrum, against Tim Payne, it was all one-way traffic at the set piece.
The Leicester pressure finally cracked the Wasps rearguard in the 38th minute when Payne was yellow-carded for dropping yet another scrum and while he was off the field the 8-3 Wasps lead turned into a 17-8 Leicester advantage. Game set and match.
In fairness to Wasps they do have some big injury problems in the front row, missing both Phil Vickery and Jason Hobson, but then Leicester were missing their first-choice tightheads too in Julian White and Martin Castrogivanni.
On the bright side Sakaria Taulafo is looking to be a good signing, from Samoa. He has played on both sides of the front row in the last two weekends.

Louis Deacon: Great captaincy from the second row ensured this comfortable win. He kept going for the corner, keeping the pressure on when a kick at goal would have been the normal Leicester-way. When he did this at the end of the first half it led to Payne’s yellow card and the match was won.
Danny Cipriani: Another classy display from a young man running right into form. His pace off the mark will worry any defence and his passing is simply world-class.
Lote Tuqiri: Leicester need to do all they can to hold on to this guy when his contract runs out in the summer. I know it is tough to balance the books inside the salary cap but his effect on and off the field could be decisive. Who would you rather have in your side in a Heineken Cup final or Guinness Premiership final?
Geoff Parling: Another young English lock who should cheer Martin Johnson up. Should find his way into the Saxons this season and then the world’s his oyster.

But what do you think? Were you at the game? Do you agree with me making Dan Cole man of the match? Perhaps you would have picked someone else?

Guinness Premiership Previews

By Rugby World reader, Kate Bamber

London Wasps vs Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle have never won in eight previous visits to Adams Park, whilst the Falcons only previous win on Wasps soil was 33-30 at Loftus Road on 11 November 2001. London Wasps have won their last four encounters in all competitions since losing 6-22 at Saracens in the Guinness Premiership on 22 November. Wasps’ only defeat in their last 18 home games was 9-15 against Leeds on 1 November. Newcastle Falcons have slipped to three successive defeats in the Guinness Premiership since their 15-11 victory at London Irish on 22 November, most notably against basement boys Leeds at home in the last round. Wasps have won their last six encounters with Newcastle in all competitions since the Falcons were victorious 37-11 at Kingston Park on 23 February 2007. With Wasps’ coming to the boil nicely I predict a home win.
My prediction: Wasps by 8.

Saracens vs Leicester Tigers
Another week, another juicy fixture for Saracens, however after last week’s away loss to London Irish, this week they have home advantage over the Tigers. Leicester have won their last three matches against Saracens but the Fez heads continue to be the pacesetters in the Guinness Premiership despite losing their unbeaten record at London Irish on Sunday. Sarries only home defeat in any competition since November 2008 came when today’s opponents Leicester visited Vicarage Road in the Premiership in April!
Leicester Tigers have won just once on the road in the Guinness Premiership this season: 15-9 at Harlequins on 12 September but have picked up at least one league point from every Premiership game since they visited Sale in November 2008.
My prediction: It’s going to be close, but Sarries to edge it by 5 points.

Northampton Saints vs London Irish
This round of the Guinness Premiership is certainly throwing up some tasty treats, and this game between second place Irish and third place Northampon is no exception. The last six encounters between the two clubs have all been won by the home team on the day, whilst London Irish’s last win at Franklin’s Gardens was 21-20 in the Guinness Premiership on 13 November 2004. Northampton Saints are the best team in the Guinness Premiership on current form, having secured 20 league points from their last six matches. The Saints have won their last eight matches in all competitions, and have suffered only one defeat at Franklin’s Gardens since March 2007. London Irish are unbeaten in their last five encounters in all competitions and handed current Guinness Premiership leaders Saracens their first defeat of the season on Sunday. The Exiles are the Premiership’s best away side and amazingly have not lost a game on “opposing” soil since their most recent visit to Northampton in April.
My prediction: Probably the first humdinger of a game for 2010. London Irish to win by 6.

Leeds Carnegie vs Bath Rugby
Bath did the Premiership double over Leeds when they last met in season 2007/08 but how fortunes have changed for the West Country boys since then. Currently languishing in a lowly 11th place, Steve Meehan’s men are slowly getting their Guinness Premiership campaign on track. Leeds Carnegie are the only team in the Guinness Premiership yet to win at home this season but they have won their last three games in all competitions and are out to record a second successive Premiership victory for the first time since November 2005. Bath Rugby’s 24-8 defeat of Gloucester on Sunday brought to an end a seven game winless run in the Guinness Premiership. Bath have not won away from home in the Premiership since a trip to Sale on 18 September.
My prediction: An early relegation dogfight with Leeds coming out on top by 3.

Gloucester Rugby vs Worcester Warriors
Worcester have won their last three clashes against Gloucester. Gloucester’s last seven matches have all been won by the home side on the day. Gloucester have won their last three encounters at Kingsholm since Cardiff Blues won there, 26-25, in the LV= Cup on 8 November. Worcester Warriors are winless in their last seven games in all competitions, whilst their most recent victory in the Guinness Premiership was 24-18 at home to Sale on 26 September. The Warriors are the only side in the Premiership yet to record an away win this season.
My prediction: A home win with Gloucester starting to pick up some form. Gloucester by 7.

Sale Sharks vs Harlequins
This game will be the third between the two sides in the last 20 days, with Sale winning both clashes in the Heineken Cup in December. Quins have won just once at Edgeley Park: 19-13 in the Guinness Premiership on 19 November 2004. Sale Sharks have slipped to back to back defeats in the Guinness Premiership, but at Edgeley Park the Sharks have won their last four matches in all competitions.
Harlequins have lost their last three games in all competitions since their 30-27 victory at Leeds in the Guinness Premiership on 4 December.
My prediction: Looking at their Heineken Cup clashes, it’s got to be Sale by 8.

So what do you think? Am I going to beat last week’s five out of six correct predictions or have I indulged in too much festive cheer?

Guinness Premiership Predictions – what do you think?

By Kate Bamber, Rugby World reader

With the Heineken Cup behind us after two weekends of great rugby, it’s time to don our Santa hats and jingle those bells for the festive round of Guinness Premiership games. Which teams will be on Santa’s winning list and which teams will be banished back to their training grounds with neither a satsuma nor a losing bonus point? Here are my previews and predictions for this weekend’s games:

Newcastle Falcons vs Leeds Carnegie
Newcastle and Leeds are both targeting a win from this game, and the men from Yorkshire will be staring relegation firmly in the face if they fail to get anything from this game and next weekend’s home fixture against Bath. Round 1 of the Guinness Premiership saw these sides battle it out in a rather dull 9-9 draw at Headingley Carnegie, and Leeds have only won once at Kingston Park which was way back on 15 February 2004. Newcastle have only claimed a solitary 17-6 home win against Montauban in their last four games, and their only win in their last six Guinness Premiership appearances was the 14-3 victory over Worcester on 1 November. The return of club captain Carl Hayman is therefore a welcome boost for the Falcons. Leeds have only notched up a single win in this competition which also came on 1 November in their 15-9 victory away to Wasps. Since then, Leeds ran Harlequins close in a 27-30 thriller and they have been using the Amlin Challenge Cup as a tool to prepare for these all important Premiership clashes.

My prediction: This game is as tough to call as the race for the Christmas number 1, but I think Leeds have enough rage to clinch the win. Leeds by 6.

Harlequins vs London Wasps
This fixture is also known as Big Game 2 if you love all the marketing hype. Harlequins take on Wasps at what looks like what will be a packed to the rafters Twickenham on Sunday. Wasps won 26-15 when the two sides met in Round 1, in a game that was also played at HQ. Harlequins seem to be hotting up after a stuttering start to the season, and their recent Guinness Premiership form shows only one loss from four. Contrast this to the back to back defeats against Sale in the Heineken Cup and the Quins’ consistency has to be questioned. Wasps have won five of their last six matches in all competitions and have also won on three of their last four visits to Twickenham. With a morale boosting closely fought 24-22 home win against Leicester in their last Premiership outing before beating Bayonne twice in the Amlin Challenge Cup, I think Wasps will have the edge.

My prediction: A post-Christmas cracker filled with plenty of goodies, with Wasps winning by 7.

London Irish vs Saracens
Undoubtedly this game is the fixture of the festive round, as first place Saracens take on second placed Irish at the Madejski Stadium. Saracens remain the only unbeaten side in the Guinness Premiership and London Irish will be hoping to give their fans the gift of a win, having not won at the Madejski Stadium in this competition since their 18-12 victory over Leicester on 24th October. The recent form of both teams has been strong, with both completing back to back wins in their respective European competitions in the last fortnight. Saracens’ last loss was in the LV=Cup game against Northampton on 14th November and since this defeat they have strung together an unbeaten run of six games across all competitions. Irish were last defeated at home to Newcastle Falcons by 11-15 on the 22nd November and have lost one game from their last six. With all previous meetings between these two being won by the home side this is a close one to call.

My prediction: Like a pair of jeans that are too tight after a large Christmas dinner – something has to give. London Irish to win by 5.

Bath vs Gloucester
Bath, one of the early contenders for relegation, host their West Country rivals in this crucial game before their visit to bottom of the table Leeds next weekend. Bath’s failure to notch up a win in any of their last seven Guinness Premiership matches equals their worst ever run in the Premiership since 2002/2003, and Steve Meehan’s men are looking to get their awful season on track after being all but out of the Heineken Cup. Gloucester have won their last four meetings with Bath, but their only away win this season came against Leeds back on 4 October. Neither of these sides has shown much of the quality usually expected of them this season, but a battle between these local rivals always has that extra dash of spice.

My prediction: Gloucester to glide their way to a 9 point win on their cherry and white sleigh.

Leicester Tigers vs Sale Sharks
With the fortress that is Welford Road and the form of both teams going into this game, I can only realistically see there being one winner – and that isn’t Sale. The Tigers are unbeaten in their last 23 matches at Welford Road since Wasps turned them over 28-19 in the Guinness Premiership way back in September of 2008. Sale did beat the East Midlands outfit in round one in a close 15-12 encounter at Edgeley Park, however despite their back to back wins over Harlequins in the Heineken Cup over the past fortnight, Sale’s away form in the Guinness Premiership is nothing short of woeful as they have only won one out of their last ten games on the road. After two tough clashes against Clermont Auvergne, the Tigers might rest some of their big name stars, but I still think they’ll have enough to beat Sale, especially now that their head coach Richard Cockerill is allowed to get up off the naughty step.

My prediction: A tinsel-wrapped 12 point winning margin for Leicester.

Worcester Warriors vs Northampton Saints
Worcester have drawn their last three Guinness Premiership matches and their last win in any competition came in the 32-6 victory at home to Newcastle in the LV= Cup on 7th November. The Warrior’s home record against the Saints is hardly glittering, as they have only won one game of their five previous encounters which was way back in 2005. Northampton’s array of stars will confidently stride into this game having won their last seven matches across all competitions, including a tough trip to snowy Treviso in the Heineken Cup last weekend. Worcester will have to watch out for dangerman Chris Ashton who has already bagged seven tries so far this season, and will look to their top points scorer, fly-half Willie Walker, to try and take control of the game.

My prediction: Northampton to give Worcester a good old festive stuffing by 15.

So what do you think? Are my predictions as spot on as the perfect Christmas dinner, or have I been overdosing on egg-nog? Please let me know what you think!