Teams for saturday

[Skin_and_Muscle]

Ospreys have published theirs:

15 Lee Byrne
14 Tommy Bowe
13 Andrew Bishop
12 James Hook
11 Shane Williams
10 Dan Biggar
9 Ricky Januarie

1 Paul James
2 Richard Hibbard
3 Adam Jones
4 Alun-Wyn Jones
5 Jonathan Thomas
6 Jerry Collins
7 Marty Holah
8 Ryan Jones (Capt)

Replacements:
16 Huw Bennett
17 Ryan Bevington
18 Cai Griffiths
19 Ian Gough
20 Filo Tiatia
21 Jamie Nutbrown
22 Sonny Parker
23 Nikki Walker

As have Leicester now:

15 Scott Hamilton
14 Johne Murphy
13 Dan Hipkiss
12 Jeremy Staunton
11 Lote Tuqiri
10 Toby Flood
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Mefin Davies
3 Dan Cole
4 Louis Deacon (c)
5 Geoff Parling
6 Craig Newby
7 Lewis Moody
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Martin Castrogiovanni
19 Ben Kay
20 Ben Woods
21 James Grindal
22 Aaron Mauger
23 Alesana Tuilagi

[tb1]

Key points:
1) Hook and Shane Williams, looks like they will be coming out to score trys. Parker and Walker would have been the more defensive option.

2) John Thomas in the second row, they need him for their line out but not as much grunt in the scrums as Gough.

[Rizzo]

And here's our team (news page item just posted):

"Head coach Richard Cockerill welcomes back internationals Martin Castrogiovanni and Ben Kay to his matchday squad for Saturday's Heineken Cup tie against the Ospreys in Swansea (1.35pm).
Craig Newby starts in the back row after injury to Tom Croft in the win over Viadana last weekend, and Lewis Moody returns at openside.

Castrogiovanni and Kay are named among the replacements alongside fellow internationals George Chuter, Aaron Mauger and Alesana Tuilagi.

Tigers currently top Pool 3, just a point ahead of the Ospreys and French side Clermont Auvergne, with everything to play for as the group stages reach a climax this weekend.

"It's a massive game, both sides know they can go through with a win or go out in defeat," said Cockerill.

"We are under pressure every week to perform. The difference this week is that if you lose you are out.

"Ospreys have got dangers all over the field, they have individuals that can break you down, so we have to make sure we are on top of our game.

"We've been playing well, we've had some decent results in recent weeks and we go there knowing what we have to do."

Leicester Tigers (v Ospreys, Liberty Stadium, Saturday 1.35pm)
15 Scott Hamilton
14 Johne Murphy
13 Dan Hipkiss
12 Jeremy Staunton
11 Lote Tuqiri
10 Toby Flood
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Mefin Davies
3 Dan Cole
4 Louis Deacon (c)
5 Geoff Parling
6 Craig Newby
7 Lewis Moody
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Martin Castrogiovanni
19 Ben Kay
20 Ben Woods
21 James Grindal
22 Aaron Mauger
23 Alesana Tuilagi

[chinnjamie]

Well it looks like were going for the defensive option in the backs with Staunton playing instead of the not so match fit Mauger or Vesty. We shall see how it works out tomorrow.

[tb1]

Castro ahead of Whitey on the bench. The selection of Staunton surely will entice some angry comments .

[Skin_and_Muscle]

Castro ahead of Whitey on the bench. The selection of Staunton surely will entice some angry comments .

In terms of England selection, maybe if White is out of sight he's out of mind and that can only be a good thing for us!

After last week, I think Staunton deserves to be there, he was taking a leaf out of Flood's book and breaking the gainline. I hold my hands up and say I was apprehensive before Wasps but he has earned his place.

[RobGale]

Not far off what I expected.

Think it's a strong side and if Flood and Youngs play well (assuming the forwards get them enough ball) then think we have a good chance

Roll on 1:35 tomorrow

[tb1]

It will be interesting to see if Mauger is a planned substution, or will only be used as injury cover. Likewise the front row.

[bluntiger]

It is a pragmatic selection and in my opinion, spot on.

A strong and confident pack, strong midfield defense and a bench full of impact.

It will be a tight game throughout and provided we stay close going into the final 20-25 mins , then as they tire, we bring on Castro, Woods, Mauger and Tuilagi to get us over the line.

[voice of the crumbie]

It is a pragmatic selection and in my opinion, spot on.

A strong and confident pack, strong midfield defense and a bench full of impact.

It will be a tight game throughout and provided we stay close going into the final 20-25 mins , then as they tire, we bring on Castro, Woods, Mauger and Tuilagi to get us over the line.
It is a pragmatic selection and in my opinion, spot on.

A strong and confident pack, strong midfield defense and a bench full of impact.

It will be a tight game throughout and provided we stay close going into the final 20-25 mins , then as they tire, we bring on Castro, Woods, Mauger and Tuilagi to get us over the line.

Agree with you, Bluntiger.

For those who doubt the Flood / Staunton midfield I refer to the game against the insects.

[smalldell]

There is clearly no plan B and that could well encourage the Ospreys...

Nothing on the subs bench from a backs point of view that will begin to worry Ospreys in terms of pace.....

Their attack looks very dangerous and containing them oculd well prove to be our undoing..

Hope I am way off the mark and more than ready to eat huge amounts of humble pie....

[soggytiger]

Smalldell, agree our backs may not look the best but where is their Plan B in the forwards?

[Purebob]

well I for one am naive enough to get goosebumps when I look at our team selection. Close to our best team, playing well recently but yet to peak ?

They have the capability to destroy any team in the world. Whether they gel on the day is the big question.

I can't think of another GP club first squad that would stand a better chance against Ospreys than us.

[Daveyboy]

This game will be won from 1 to 8 and I think we have the capability to do that.

Can't wait.