Saracens vs Tigers Saturday 15/09/12 3:30

[jgriffin]

Most of the locals here expected us to get tonked, so my 'won't be more than a point or two either way' turned out fine. Bragging rights at the the butchers will be worth it next week!

[tigerburnie]

We have a couple of new faces and Harrison is young and inexperienced,but as Tigerbeat says,it will get better.It just demonstrates that the gulf between the first team and our "A"/Accademy is quite a big step up.

[jgriffin]

This means that next weeks match is utterly crucial........

[DickyP]

Harrison's game awareness is his problem - it's improving but still a weakness. His service was quicker today but he got caught a number of times: a mixture of Sarrie's typical disregard of the offside law when they're allowed to get a way with it and some lack of protection by the forwards.

His defence, however, was excellent and he made a couple of excellent tackles at critical points in the game.

By the time Ben gets back he'll either have made the grade or failed completely. Anyway he's what we got so we need to use him properly and help him develop.

Players who did play well today:

TTE
Manu in defence
Scott Hamilton
Tom Youngs apart from his 'mandatory' one wild throw.

In reality all the pundits had Sarries winning this one so we should probably be happier than them at the result.

I'm certainly happier than this stage last year when we had just 7 points - and we didn't concede any tries today.

[kpj tiger]

Well that was a mixed bag to say the least, glad i didn't pay to go and see it though.

Good Points:
- Goneva was simply class
- Hamilton had a top notch game
- Waldrom, Crane, Castro, Lupo and Kitchener had a lot of go forward
- Youngs threw well in the line out and Mafi caught well
- Manu had a pretty good game, still needs to improve though

Bad points
- Flood had an absolute shocker, only eclipsed by how badly Farrell played, He played too flat and his out of hand kicking was poor at best, was OK kicking at goal and his drop goal attempt was pretty good from the distance it was taken from, he just doesn't seem to have it together at the moment and i was surprised ford wasn't on to put him out of his misery today
- Harrison was too slow and seemed a bit aimless at times, i know he is young and in-experienced but he just didn't seem to be on the ball today
- Allen + Smith both seemed very average today, Allen made too many school boy errors although he was better than barrit, Smith just did what smith does and ran into people ignoring the players outside him

And finally the referee, now i don't usually bash ref's but today there was some awful refereeing, mainly knock on advantages, at one point sarries had 4 long phases of advantage whereas tigers got pulled up just as goneva got the ball in the open after 2 short phases, also calling that knock on against Harrison when Kitchener foot pushed the ball forward was a joke.
On a final note i hope Geordan Murphy is OK as i didn't see why he went off

[Bill W (2)]

This means that next weeks match is utterly crucial........

Concur.

Poor day at the office today. Must not repeat at WR.

[Darc Tiger]

Dreadful game. Disappointed we didn't make more of it, pleased in the end to get 2 points away to Sarries. Sarries should have won it, and perhaps would have if they had started Hodgson.

Maybe it was all a cunning plan? Make a terrible game to watch in front of Sarries rent a crowd so they will be put off rugby. No new fans for Sarries, leaving their business model unsustainable. Killing them slowly?

[hugh.st]

9-9 it is,I'll take that, not a very good cricket score but a fair result away from home against a team that have been a thorn in our side recently.

England cricket score then?

[sapajo]

A dire and at times comical match, please hurry back BY we miss you badly! Surely its time to blood Bowden we need someone creative in the midfield and I look forward to Thompstone and Benjamin starting bringing an injection of pace and power.

[leic]

After today realised just how much we need Ben back. Dire game!

[Darc Tiger]

Could see Thompstone on the wing/bench if Smurf is crocked. Could see Phibbs and Bowden too as Shazam and Allen are looking a bit off.

[Big Dai]

....Just what are the backs coaches doing? Sarries build a wall, we run into it all game...no imagnation. The game was the original cure for insomnia.

Well, one bright point, my tenner on the draw was well placed! Wonder if g had a bet too?

[Bill W (2)]

...
Well, one bright point, my tenner on the draw was well placed! ?

What offd you get Big Dai?

[Big Dai]

25/1 (Placed on Wednesday!)Sad news is Mrs Big Dai has confiscated the proceedings......something to do with not setting a good example to the offspring.

[Smudge]

Flood's performance was a bit of a curate's egg, " good in parts"
Chief cause for concern was the number of times he kicked possession away
only for it to be run back at us with interest.
I was also very concerned with his inability to find touch. An England 10
should be able to find touch with his eyes shut!
Also, apart from the first kick-off (in touch" I don't think we ever got possession from a restart.
I was amazed that RC didn't turn to Ford, in the last 20 at least.

OK a couple of points but a far from convincing performance.