Leicester Tigers

Given the absentees I think it's worth noting how well some of the younger players performed: especially Henderson and Heyes. To me they both now look good enough to be starters in even our strongest side.

Head injuries really are an issue. My daughters grew up with the game, but the two who have sons are fine with mini rugby, but are dead against full contact. And honestly I can't disagree - not that it would matter if I did, if course.

Huge improvement, and credit to all involved. It is the Sarries playbook really: really good SA players - plus islanders and Argentinians - and a limited game plan, based round fitness, defence and kicking. And, like Sarries, we do have home grown youngsters of international quality coming through: ...

Better in most respects, especially in the forwards. But we are still a mid table outfit I'd say, so lots to do. But there are some shining lights: a handful of really strong, committed overseas recruits who are available all season, and some really superb youngsters. JVP and Steward are going to be...

Quite a few positives - and not just Nadolo. Set piece looking stronger, and pack starting to compete around the park. They look good enough to keep us out of the relegation dogfight next season, but maybe not much more tha that - although we do have very handy reinforcements coming. A couple of the...

No doubt that there is a huge amount of work to do, but some positive signs. The pack is starting to win some collisions, the set piece is improving, and fitness already improving - Lavanini put in an excellent shift. And blooding the youngsters is really paying dividends - looks like 4 or 5 will be...

I think a lot depends on the attitude of the younger Wrays. Are they willing to continue to fund the business, in the face of mounting losses in the short term, especially given the likely substantial reduction in the value of the brand? FWIW I think they made a terrible mistake in not 'kitchen sink...

An old school rugby man. Showed his true colours when Wasps were teetering. Hope we see him back in the game.

My guess is that things will get worse for Sarries until the judgement is made public. The reason that many of us like sport is that it seems fair, and one aspect of our lives that isn't controlled by very rich men.... The financial implications are especially interesting. Will Allianz renew their s...

This and the partial sale of the game have, perhaps, broken the last real connection between the pro game and the grassroots sport that many of us grew up with. One of Wray's justifications for co investment etc seems to be that it's all about player welfare, and that any competitive advantage is si...

It's a matter of resources, that's for sure. So the key question for me is: is Tigers' spend, relative to the other top prem clubs, achieving a higher or lower league position than we might expect based on that spend? My guess - and it is a pure guess - is that we are a top 4 spender, but will RC et...

Our bench strength was absolutely crucial, and a few of those lads put their hands up as starters. Thompstone comes in for me, maybe it was the track but I thought he looked fast as well as hungry, and Tait drops out with Veianu at FB. But Kitch and the front row replacements were also outstanding. ...

Clearly they were different times, but from this distance a few things stand out. CW did settle on the side a long way out - arguably that side was 6 months or a year past its peak by RWC 2003. His back row balance was a thing of wonder (even though he picked two 7s and a six), and he moved heaven a...

[/quote] He also had two years in Leicester where we speak proper English, me duck[/quote] Yes, his English is great, and I thought I could hear just a trace of East Midlands in the vowel sounds. I'm old enough to remember the good old days, when only Rives had more than a few words of English, and ...

Manu grew up playing rugby here and is a part of our club, and fit he's a first choice player for us. Put it this way, I'd certainly like to see the lad who we develop and comes through to take his shirt! Will be quite a player. So I don't care how he rates internationally, because he's one of ours ...