Newsgroups: rec.sport.rugby


Pilkington Cup Final (English Club K.O. competition)

So, it will be a Bath v Harlequins final at Twickenham.  Neither side has 
lost at Twickenham and 'Quins are the current cup holders. 


Semi-Final Matches on Saturday.

Bath beat Gloucester (score around 25-19)

I missed the Bath/Glos. game on Rugby Special as I bodged the VCR 
settings (too technical ;-) so I only saw snippets whilst I was out.  I 
did manage to read a couple of reports and by all accounts it appears 
that Bath were on top, although the game went into extra time.  They won 
it through using Swift (right wing) coming round and joining the 
attacking back line on the left, a la Campese.  One article I read said 
that Bath had been impressed with Campese's running lines and had used 
them in their own way.  However, for much of the game Bath used their 
forwards and did not release their backs.  It was only when they 
started to let their backs go - in extra time - that they took the game 
away from Glos. reach.  Glos. had been leading with minutes to go when 
Bath leveled the points.

One of the highlights I did see; Glos. had kicked into Bath 
territory.  There was a ruck/maul from which the ball emerged quickly 
but untidily, Clark(e), Bath No.8, came up from an off-side position 
and dropped on the ball.  Penalty to Glos., which was kickable although 
I can't remember whether Smith did.   Clark(e) will probably be touring 
with the England B to NZ this summer.


Harlequins beat Leicester (score 15-9, if I remember rightly)

This I did see.  David Pears had an outstanding game at fly-half 
scoring all of 'Quins points, he has played most of this season as 
full-back for 'Quins.  He picked up a pass from the tail of the line, 
dummied and went in under the posts and converted the points.  Liley 
was also kicking well, or at least getting them over - one kick from 
the touchline hardly left the ground but made it.  IMHO, Liley does not 
look like an international player and when he replaced Dusty Hare there 
was a lot of talk about him getting in the England team, I hope not.  
Hunter, Thresher or Pears would be better and there's probably others.

At the flank; Neil Back had a good game for Leic. and so too did 
Winterbottom for Quins.  The 'Quins pack did not seem to last the pace 
too well and near the end they didn't look as sharp as Leic.  Compared 
with Bath it seems they may struggle, although it will be an 
interesting contest at Twickers.  Dean Richards and Troy Coker had a 
little scuffle whilst the game carried on - nothing serious.  Richards 
left the field late in the 2nd half after an achilles injury he picked 
up earlier in the game forced him off.  

Underwood (Rory) made a couple of attacks when he had the chance and 
gained a lot of ground for Leic. but he was cut off by the Quins wing 
who had him well covered.  

Late in the 2nd half when Leic were trying to save the game, Underwood 
(Tony) made a break down the right wing.  Took a couple of tackles and 
stayed on his feet for the support, which came.  Halliday had tackled 
him and was on the ground as the ruck went slightly past him.  The ball 
popped out and Halliday dropped on it from an off-side position and 
stayed there - IMHO quite intentionally to kill it.  Leic. still got 
the ball but the ref gave the penalty rather than allow advantage first.  
That was effectively the end of a Leic. recovery, especially as Liley 
missed the goal kick attempt.



In the final, I think (hope) that Bath will beat Quins by a narrow margin but 
I am not putting any money on it.  At least there will be some decent 
TV coverage of the game, it will be live on the day.  
There will be quite a few England and England B players (as well as 
Scottish and Aus) so it should be a good game.

Usually, in England, we get the Sunday 1 hour slot of English, 
Welsh and occasionally Scots highlights, with News Updates and 
sometimes highlights of overseas games, Eg.  Transvaal v S.A. 
Barbarians.  All in an hour!  

Cheers,
Graham
Newsgroups: rec.sport.rugby