Sale v Tigers

[Bill W]

Following a splendid climax to their friendlies when they defeated Munster at Welford Road Tigers now start the season with their first Premiership match of the season against Sale at Edgeley Park.

What selection dilemmas does Cockers face?

[London Tiger]

Castrogiovanni, Chuter, White, Deacon, Kay, Newby, Woods, Crane all start in the pack. Can't see anybody coming in to that pack as they looked good tonight. Cole, Davis, Stankovich, Parling and Moody on the bench.

After tonight, and assuming Mauger isn't ready yet: Youngs, Staunton, Smith, Allen, Hipkiss, J.Murphy and Hamilton with Grindal, 12trees and Jeanjean on the bench. If Mauger is fit, I'd drop Jeanjean and move Allen to the bench.

[Bill W]

Think I would have Ellis on bench rather than Grindall. Ellis needs game time.

[Darc Tiger]

Id be tempted to have 12T at 13 as Allen and Hipkiss struggled to make it work tonight and Hipkiss went down with a worrying bang to his arm. But then we are risking our only other 10.

[London Tiger]

Aren't Croft and Ellis unavaliable because of them being Lions and the madatory rest period under the EPS......?

[Bill W]

Aren't Croft and Ellis unavaliable because of them being Lions and the madatory rest period under the EPS......?

Good point! OK!

ps it is mandatory

[London Tiger]

Aren't Croft and Ellis unavaliable because of them being Lions and the madatory rest period under the EPS......?

Good point! OK!

ps it is mandatory

apologies!! Although I was certain before tonight, how can they not be allowed to play next week, having played tonight....... firstly I thought maybe if they were on for less than 20mins, then it wouldn't count, but (I may well be wrong) Croft was on before the 60min mark......

Slightly confused as to how 'rest' is defined

[Bill W]

I think "friendlies" are allowed but "competitive games" not!

[Darc Tiger]

Merc has Cockers saying that Hipkiss, Mauger and Geordy all have a good chance of being fit for the Sale game.

[Bill W]

If Mauger fit he must play IC

If Geordie fit play him at full back and move Hamilton to wing.

If Hipkiss fit play him at OC

[tigermad]

Less than a week to go before Sale and Leicester kick off the new Guinness Premeirship season on Friday night. Richard Cockerill has a few tough choices to make this week but expect a mixture of old and new in the starting XV for this game. Bring it on.

[TnA]

Is anyone else really excited about this and going to wish the week away? Can't wait!

I think we'll start with Ayerza, Chutes, Castro, Kay, Blaze, Newby, Woods, Crane up front. Then Grindal, Staunton, Smith, Mauger (if fit), Hipkiss (if fit), Hamilton, Murphy (again if fit - all three based on Cockers assertion that they stand a good chance of being fit).

[tigermad]

Is anyone else really excited about this and going to wish the week away? Can't wait!

I think we'll start with Ayerza, Chutes, Castro, Kay, Blaze, Newby, Woods, Crane up front. Then Grindal, Staunton, Smith, Mauger (if fit), Hipkiss (if fit), Hamilton, Murphy (again if fit - all three based on Cockers assertion that they stand a good chance of being fit).

That is a pretty good lineup TnA and it will give Sale something to think about if correct. It was really buzzing against Munster last weekend and Friday will be the mother of all games. Come on Leicester.

[dailywaffle]

Is anyone else really excited about this and going to wish the week away? Can't wait!

I think we'll start with Ayerza, Chutes, Castro, Kay, Blaze, Newby, Woods, Crane up front. Then Grindal, Staunton, Smith, Mauger (if fit), Hipkiss (if fit), Hamilton, Murphy (again if fit - all three based on Cockers assertion that they stand a good chance of being fit).

Deacon will start in the second row.
Cockers public utterances regarding injury matters are notoriously misleading. I'm of a mind that Mauger, Hipkiss and Geordan are all struggling and that their inclusion would be a bonus.

A back line of:
Youngs, Staunton, J Murphy, Allen, Twelvetrees, Smith, Hamilton
Reps: Grindal plus two Academy / Loanees
is a very real possibility. Concerning.

[johns]

It would be plain daft to play Grindal ahead of Youngs.