Team v Wasps

[G.K]

Here it is:

Leicester Tigers (v London Wasps, away, Sunday 3pm)
15 Scott Hamilton
14 Johne Murphy
13 Anthony Allen
12 Aaron Mauger (c)
11 Lote Tuqiri
10 Toby Flood
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Mefin Davies
3 Dan Cole
4 Louis Deacon
5 Geoff Parling
6 Brett Deacon
7 Lewis Moody
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Robbie Harris
19 Ben Kay
20 Craig Newby
21 James Grindal
22 Jeremy Staunton
23 Alesana Tuilagi

As expected Ellis, Vesty and 12t will be in the A game next week.

[Chobbsy]

[quote="barson"]Here it is:

Leicester Tigers (v London Wasps, away, Sunday 3pm)
15 Scott Hamilton
14 Johne Murphy
13 Anthony Allen
12 Aaron Mauger (c)
11 Lote Tuqiri
10 Toby Flood
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Mefin Davies
3 Dan Cole
4 Louis Deacon
5 Geoff Parling
6 Brett Deacon
7 Lewis Moody
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Robbie Harris
19 Ben Kay
20 Craig Newby
21 James Grindal
22 Jeremy Staunton
23 Alesana Tuilagi

As expected Ellis, Vesty and 12t will be in the A game next week.[/quote]

A weaker front row than I would have liked to have seen and would like to see an early introduction of Newby for Deacon

[tigermad]

What is the latest on Castrogiovanni? as he munched the Boks pack last month and would have done the same againt the Wasps.

[G.K]

Talking about Wasps here they are:

15. Mark Van Gisbergen
14. Paul Sackey
13. Dominic Waldouck
12. Steve Kefu
11. Tom Varndell
10. Dave Walder
9. Joe Simpson
1. Tim Payne
2. Rob Webber
3. Ben Broster
4. Simon Shaw
5. Richard Birkett
6. John Hart
7. Serge Betsen (C)
8. Dan Ward-Smith,

16. Joe Ward
17. Gabriel Bocca
18. Bob Baker
19. Dan Leo
20. Will Matthews
21. James Honeyben
22. David Lemi
23. Ben Jacobs

Strong looking Wycombe team, looks like they will be expecting to actually play this time.

Surprised Varndell hasn't thrown a "sicky" though.

[tigermad]

Just read on Planet Rugby that a certain Chris White is referee for this game. This should make for an interesting afternoon at Adams Park.

[g]

Does this mean now that Castro isn't playing Wimps will actually go ahead with the game. With Cole being the weak link they will probably play because they will think they have the advantage in the front row.

[Darc Tiger]

A great looking side! Both backlines have some real venom in them. I think we just about have the edge in the pack as well provided we keep Betsen and DWS quiet. Hope Ayerza minces 'um!

Scare Tommy with Lote for a while, then unleash the beast on him! I like it!

[Tyler]

So Castro is currently broken too? Or just a rest? AIs a lot to answer for.

Good team, just a pity about Crofty. Glad to see Newby back.

Perhaps Mr. Cockerill is giving young Mr.Cole an introduction into beating international props (sigh) and keeping Martin fresh to unleash hell upon the french?

[voice of the crumbie]

g wrote

With Cole being the weak link

I think calling Dan Cole the weak link is a little unfair. Not as destructive as Castro I grant you but then few are.

Dan is still developing at this level but I more than expect him to hold his own. Obviously Cockers does too or he wouldn't have picked him to start.

[voice of the crumbie]

I should add that with Chris (I don't understand what goes on in the front row) White as ref Castro's power would be wasted. All he seems to do is reset the scrum or penalise the Tigers even when the opposition front row pops up.

[GS]

I used to think C White was incompetent, but now think that he is just one of the referees who don't think that a dominant scrum should decide who wins a game and that rugby should be a running game. A scrum is supposed to be a quick way of restarting a game and not the chance for a major 'arm wrestle' between 16 burley blokes. it was a remark in Steven Jones' report on the Northampton game that made me realise this when Jones referred to a namelss group of referees who think this way.

Sadly, there is a growing band of officials who revel in their 'celebrity' status and use their position on the pitch to promote their views on the way a game should be played. We all know there is a knack to playing the referee as much as the opposition 15 but I feel its getting out of hand with the refs assuming a responsibility beyond that of ensuring the teams abided by the laws. The most obvious manifestation of this is the put-in at the scrum. The IRB have asked (yet again) that the put-in be straight but the referees are quite happy when the ball almost completely by-passes the front row, ignoring the instructions of the game's governing body.

Tigers have done just enough to lock horns with the Wasps scrum without wasting a key player. Indeed I'm a little surprised at the inclusion of Ayerza. Any more of an effort would be a complete waste and a risk of injury.

God, I hope we stuff it up'em.

[mike]

Just a bit worried about Varndell - he will be keen to do well against us and hamilton will need to improve on his last few displays .

[westwinds31]

Cole will more than hold his own so I've got no worries there. It's time for Tuqiri to start showing his class and what better game than at Adams Park. Brett Deacon has done really well this season when he's played, I've been impressed with him......shame about Tom Croft, but I don't think Tigers or England use him that well. It's like buying a Ferrari and leaving it in the garage - ho hum !