Leicester Tigers

Probably the most interesting season finish for a long time, although I'd struggle to imagine us making top 4 now. Still hope though... If Saints and us win (5-0) today (or we get 5 and Bristol and Quins get 0). Our route to the top 4 is as follows: Us get 5 points vs Sale & Exeter One of eithe...

But if Saints don't do them a favour today, it's very likely that Saints won't have the home semi tied up. If we don't do them a favour today, Quins and Sale could realistically both win their last 3 matches, Bristol could very easily win 2 of their last 3 as well and then it's very much around 56/...

For all Bath's plaudits this season, they really need us and Saints to do them a favour tomorrow or they could very easily not even make the playoffs. Top 4 is likely in the 53-57 points range. That means if they beat Newcastle they are just about there. Plus they have Northampton last week of the ...

For all Bath's plaudits this season, they really need us and Saints to do them a favour tomorrow or they could very easily not even make the playoffs. Top 4 is likely in the 53-57 points range. That means if they beat Newcastle they are just about there. Plus they have Northampton last week of the ...

Strong XV bar Brown on the wing, he's going to need all his experience for this one. The bench looks weaker than I'd have liked. No impact from the front row subs, Wells and Cracknell are in squad filler form (I'd have preferred Hatherall and Carnduff). No Benny means we're hoping JvP plays the ful...

Was the salary cap not reduced? Ultimately to make like for like swaps was always going to be unlikely. For me loose head is our biggest weakness. Cronin is a decent bench option but rarely injury free and looks unfit. Behind him the others are even weaker. We have effectively failed to replace Gen...

That 21/22 winning squad also had insane strength in depth. Mainly because academy players were breaking through so were probably paid below their worth. Plus we picked up Moroni etc after Covid who again were probably on reduced contracts. I would be hard to get that sort of quality under the sala...

Strong XV bar Brown on the wing, he's going to need all his experience for this one. The bench looks weaker than I'd have liked. No impact from the front row subs, Wells and Cracknell are in squad filler form (I'd have preferred Hatherall and Carnduff). No Benny means we're hoping JvP plays the ful...

There will always be what ifs with academy leavers Look at Lavin and Smith both where gonna be big losses, and honestly could have been great for us we will never know but they also could’ve been at their ceiling already Smith seemed to hit his ceiling. He's was mobile and aggressive but didn't qui...

I think when 3 games from the end of the season is the first time we've had our first choice pack on a pitch together it says something.

Cronin Montoya Cole
Martin Chessum
Liebenberg Wiese Reffell

Bristol Bears team to face Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday (3pm KO): 15. Max Malins (31 apps), 14. Siva Naulago (32 apps), 13. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (22 apps), 12. James Williams (39 apps), 11. Gabriel Ibitoye (38 apps), 10. AJ MacGinty (35 apps), 9. Harry Randall (...

This is the first time we've had our best combination of pack out together this season!

The only other two who can argue to be in there are Heyes or Henderson.

https://twitter.com/premrugby/status/17 ... nCS7A&s=19

After winning last weekend, Bristols odds of reaching the top 4 have dropped from 47% to 42%

Quins after taking a loss have risen from 39% to 45%.

Well he's in the England Students team so seems a fairly consensus best 10 at that level. Given that's the level of rugby we arranged for him this season it does seem reasonable to ask what more he could have done to get another year. The best players in BUCS do have a decent record of stepping up....

Interesting point on wingers and Watson. According to the salary cap report, not a single winger last season was over 300k. So we know Watson wasn't on more than that last season. This season we have paid I expect considerably less. Now I'm not saying this season he has been value for money but he's...