Newcastle away is a game when we always seem to struggle, so any idea of this being a good game to rest players is way off the truth, however i fully understand we have to rest players at some point. The problem is whenever we play Grindal and Staunton together we just look completely short of attacking ideas, where as if we played Grindal with 12Trees or even Harrison with Staunton i feel we would just look more attacking, or the other option would be to rest Youngs and Flood on different occasions. I know 12Trees main position is 12 but im sure the lad would accept a couple of games anywhere right now.
I also think Chuter has been completely out of sorts lately, and therefore agree with the majority on Hawkins being unlucky not to have had some kind of run in the team. We havn't won in the last 2 so i would take any form of winning result at a difficult Kingston park, but sadly i can't see it happening. Newcastle are desperate for the points and will come out firing. Neil Back would have no doubt felt a little dissapointed looking at that Tigers team .
Anyway i hope im wrong, and we have something to cheer about this weekend because the weathers lovely and a couple of celebratory ales in the beer garden will be nice .
[quote="Scuba Steve"]I think Hawkins is a little unlucky not to start after last week. I also think Chuter has done a good job for Tigers this season, and after a short turnaround, it isn't that surprising that there is rotation. It is doubtful, hopefully, that when Hawkins comes on against Newcastle, he will be in a pack that has a lock that has been replaced by a back; that has two tight-head props; and is facing a fresh set of forwards the calibre of Dorran-Jones, Azam and Alex Brown.[/quote]
Yes Chute's has done a good job for us this season, i dont think any os us would say otherwise, but the first 3 lineouts we lost after he came on (2 if i remember were inside the Glaws 22) were his fault. Plus what little game time Cockers has actualy given Hawkins he has always played well, if not better at times than Chute's so deserved more game time this season i think. I would have liked a bit more rotation at hooker this season as has been the case at prop (i.e Castro, Cole).[/quote]
No mention of the other factors in the Glaws game! Nor of the fact that Hawkins played over 60 mins of high paced rugby in v.warm conditions a few days ago.
It amazes me that there are so many on this forum who criticise, when they should be backing the players and coaches, especially at this stage of the season. Don't you think that Cockerill, a former test hooker, knows which hooker to play in his team? Or is he just being perverse and picking who you clearly class as our second hooker ahead of our first?
Jay C - You may well be right reference better options in our squad, my point is that Cockers has gone for a steady selection to do a steady job.
I don't underestimate Newcastle, but they are second from bottom after 19 games for a reason. That reason is that most sides that play them beat them. If we have aspirations to be the best team in the league we should expect to beat the team second from bottom whethe we have our 1st or 2nd choice backs.
Clearly, Newcastle are capable of beating us if we play badly or they play exceptionally well and we all know shocks happen. It may well prove to be a tough game; our visits to Exeter, Sale and Leeds all were, but we should enter all games against Newcastle confident of victory.
Hull Fan wrote:Don't mean to be negative.
Just a bit disappointed with half back selection.
Forwards look good though. C'mon Tigers lets have the win!
Hopefully,as during the 6 nations period this half back pairing will prove to be just enough to scrape the win that we need.Personally i would have liked to see Billy at 10,still i think that the team is good enough to win,just hope JS sticks to what he does best and no crazy match losing passes!!!
My point on there being more effective players does not mean they should start every match. Hopefully we have another 3 matches after this in what has been a very long, hard season - players need a rest (i.e. rotation). I would personally have made this game a must win and rested players if needs be for the LI match, however Cockerill sees it differently.
Re: Hawkins, I agree he will be first choice next season if he carries on his form. However, it is to do a massive disservice to Chuter to drop him on the basis of one poor (albeit very poor) substitute appearence. The man has stood up for Leicester time and again, and as I have said before, to get a team to play any form of cohesive rugby, they need to play without the fear of knee jerk reactions.
My point was players have earnt their right to be in the squad not the team. That means you'll start some matches, you'll be rested some matches. I would rather have 36 on the bench than Staunton, but that's not to say Staunton hasn't earnt the right to play in matches for Leicester - the man has won more games for us in the past than he has lost.
At this stage of the season, we need everyone fit for the crunch games...Cockerill know the fitness of the best players better than us.
Amazing how many people know the Tigers lineout calls by heart so they can say for certain it was the hookers fault rather than the jumper or lifter or opposition having a good lineout of their own. Amazing how quicky people forget which hooker cost us a game with two yellow cards Equally amazing is the number of people aware of the fact the Eng Squad players are limited in number of minutes they can play in this period would have nothing to do with some selections
Youngs needs to be dropped for his increasingly wayward performances. He is AWOL in tackles and at the base of rucks and mauls; his kicking out of hand is increasingly aimless and his crabbing sideways for 20/30 seconds squeezes the midfield options. He needs to get off the gameboy and get back to thinking "I'm a Leicester Tiger".
Some absolute drivel here ! Tigers are no different to the other teams in the Top 4 at the moment, Gloucester are scoring tries, but leaking over 30+ points per game over the last 3 games, Northampton have a great pack, but worries at 10, 12 and 13 and Sarries aren't scoring enough tries. It's easy to knock this player or that player...in his defence, Staunton has won us several games this season, so I can forgive his pass that led to the Gloucester try to draw the game. Youngs is a quality scrum half, he's still however very raw and learning the game (by his own admission)..this time last season he wasn't a regular in the England team and it's only since the Australia tour that he's come of age, so to speak. I don't know him personally, but what I do know is that he's totally dedicated to Tigers and loves playing for us. He'll get better and better...fatigue must be an issue, as well as these players are looked after, it's been a huge season of internationals for him, and Flood for that matter. I know they would never use that as an excuse...all I'm saying is that you can't expect a top drawer performance every week by these guys.
Brookes and Young have been used from the bench in alot of games recently. Their front 5, especially with Murray in it, is as good as any in the premiership as Sky sats show they are the best scrummaging side in the league! It could be a long drive home for me and my wife tonight if Tigers don't turn up!! Come on Tigers!!
People are talking about the need to rest players....i agree that Youngs and Flood need a rest they've played alot of rugby but Hawkins & 36 can hardly be tired as they've hardly played any rugby in 2011.
Agulla has only just come into the team following GM injury, we need some pace in the back 3, we won't have any tonight.
Pick form players rather than players that have in the PAST performed. Im not writing Chuter or others off but you have to pick form players otherwise the team will struggle.
The East Yorkshire Branch
Coalville RFC - "It's in the blood"
Hull fan, I agree with your statement about picking form players rather then those that in the past have performed.
Why Cockerill will not give more game time to Rob Hawkins or Billy Twelvetrees is perplexing and it could cause those players to leave to get more game time potentially. Certainly in Billy Twelvetrees case. He hasn't been given enough time in his best position.
I don't always agree with Barnes but I agree with him about BillTwelveT and he is very perplexed about him not being picked more.
Rob Hawkins had the best game of the hookers last week, but is on the bench, in favour of Chutes who cannot throw properly half the time and was one of those culpabIe for last week's muck up at the end imo. I can't get my head round Cockers selections at times. Is he all there?
I am afraid Cockerill's largely conservative selection policies, may cost us not only tonight but later on in the season. I would rather give myself the best chance of winning tonight, obviously he doesn't think of this game as important.
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Amazing how quicky people forget which hooker cost us a game with two yellow cards 
