Tigers v London Welsh

[RashTigerJ]

Short turnaround now with the focus back on the Premiership. Tigers will have a few more players available for Saturdays match at Welford Road. I think the team will probably be

1. Ayerza
2. Hawkins
3. Mulipola
4. L.Deacon (c)
5. Kitchener
6. Croft
7. Salvi
8. Crane
9. Harrison
10. Ford
11. Thompstone
12. Allen
13. Smith
14. Morris
15. Tait

16. Chuter
17. Stankovich
18. Balmain
19. Slater
20. B.Deacon
21. Young
22. Bowden
23. Murphy

[PM76]

IMO:

Ayerza, Chuter, Mullipola
Deacon (C), Kitchener
Croft (if fit, B. Deacon if not), Waldrom, Salvi
Harrison, Ford
Allen, Smith
Thompstone, Tait, Morris

Hawkins, Stankovich, Balmain, Slater, Crane/ B.Deacon, Young, Bowden, Murphy/ Goneva

It’s easy for me to say Ford should never play for Tigers again but the reality is he is the best 10 available, I would amazed if Cockers didn’t start Ford. There are tight calls at 2, 5, 6 (if Croft is out), and 8, but I think Hawkins offers more from the bench than Chutes so bringing him on after 45/50 minutes would be a good move. Kitchener/ Slater is very close, the Sarries coin toss could be an option here!! I’d start Kitchener but bring Slater on after 50 minutes. Goneva showed his problems vs. Scarlets and Thompstone played well before the LV so deserves to continue. Hopefully Logo and Boris are fit, but Castro will be back vs. Quins.

Getting the 5 points is crucial with such a tough two weeks afterwards.

[Ian Cant]

Getting an ugly win will do me for the next few weeks!!! Can't see us getting 5 points v Welsh as they will target this game as a chance for a famous victory. The crowd have to turn up as much as the players will need to or it could be a long day on Saturday. Welsh are no mugs.

[WiggoTiger]

Am worried, will RC be able to lift the lads............or was today a time for the GM dicussion on Moday at Oval Park?

[TTRITH]

15. Mathew Tait
14. Niall Morris
13. Matt Smith
12. Anthony Allen
11. Adam Thompstone
10. Dan Bowden
9. Sam Harrison
1. Marcos Ayerza
2. Rob Hawkins
3. Logo Mulipola
4. Louis Deacon (c)
5. Graham Kitchener
6. Tom Croft (if fit, if not Brett Deacon)
7. Julian Salvi
8. Jordan Crane

16. George Chuter
17. Boris Stankovich
18. Fraser Balmain
19. Ed Slater
20. Brett Deacon (If starting, Richard Thorpe)
21. Micky Young
22. George Ford
23. Geordan Murphy

Expecting TTTE to be in the England squad with the injury to Ben Morgan.

[MJ Chairman]

TTRUTH you must have missed the item that said Mafi was out for 6 weeks

[Smurphswillgetya]

Am worried, will RC be able to lift the lads............or was today a time for the GM dicussion on Moday at Oval Park?

Apart from Tait, Bubbles, Murphy and Bowden most of the team that finished the game today will not feature next week in the starting 15 so hopefully not too much to lift.

[Bill W (2)]

I too worry.

Need a big lift. A ground out win will not do.

Doom may descend!!

[sapajo]

A ground out win will not do.

Doom may descend!!

At this juncture I cannot see it being any other way. At the moment our scrum is our pre-eminent strength and majority supplier of points. Take it away and was shown today our wheels fall off. Our back line has only fired occasionally this season and is still yet to function efficiently and turn territory and possession into points.

This is a cause for concern because at this stage of the season we should be ramping up and delivering good performances but our backs play still remains disfunctional and flaky.

I am now hoping at last for some signs of greenshoots! Spring is coming its now finally time to start delivering where it matters most on the pitch Come on Tigerrrssss

[Bill W (2)]

A ground out win will not do.

Doom may descend!!

At this juncture I cannot see it being any other way. At the moment our scrum is our pre-eminent strength and majority supplier of points. Take it away and was shown today our wheels fall off. Our back line has only fired occasionally this season and is still yet to function efficiently and turn territory and possession into points.

This is a cause for concern because at this stage of the season we should be ramping up and delivering good performances but our backs play still remains disfunctional and flaky.

I am now hoping at last for some signs of greenshoots! Spring is coming its now finally time to start delivering where it matters most on the pitch Come on Tigerrrssss

Definitely time for a Geordan pep talk them!!

[Smurphswillgetya]

At this juncture I cannot see it being any other way. At the moment our scrum is our pre-eminent strength and majority supplier of points. Take it away and was shown today our wheels fall off. Our back line has only fired occasionally this season and is still yet to function efficiently and turn territory and possession into points.

This is a cause for concern because at this stage of the season we should be ramping up and delivering good performances but our backs play still remains disfunctional and flaky.

I am now hoping at last for some signs of greenshoots! Spring is coming its now finally time to start delivering where it matters most on the pitch Come on Tigerrrssss

I would be inclined to agree with some of your comments but as far as the back line is concerned, due to various reasons we have not been able to field a settled back line. If we could field a back line of Youngs, Flood, Allen, Tuilagi, Tait, Murphy and Morris for several games in a row we could be devastating with the amount of ball our forwards give us. I don't see this happening until after the 6 nations and possibly not until after the HC quarter finals. Until then I am going to reserve judgement on the back line.

[TTRITH]

TTRUTH you must have missed the item that said Mafi was out for 6 weeks

Ah.

Whoops.

[TigerLad]

15.Murphy (C)
14.Morris
13.Smith
12.Allen
11.Thompstone
10.Bowden
9.Harrison
1.Ayerza
2.Chuter
3.Logo
4.Deacon
5.Kitchener
6.B.Deacon
7.Salvi
8.Waldrom

16.Hawkins
17.Stankovich
18.Balmain
19.Slater
20.Crane
21.Young
22.Ford
23.Tait

We don't know the extent of Croft's injury but I would rather be safe and give him half an hour off the bench. Brett has also been playing very well lately. Tough call on Slater or Kitchener because I think you need a mobile lock (Kitchener) and a tough enforcer (Deacon, Slater) in your lock pairing. I would be tempted to bring on Slater for Deacon if we are winning by a margin. I don't believe Waldrom will be called up as I expect the messiah will choose Haskell at 8 instead of Waldrom. I have put Bowden at 10 because Ford has been abysmal in recent games and Bowden was good against Wasps. Ford has lost the benefit of doubt from me. He is no longer the young player we need to develop he is now just another player who isn't playing well and so doesn't deserve to start.If the margin is high enough I would also like to see Tait on the wing or at 13 off the bench.

[kpj tiger]

I would pick
1. Ayerza
2. Hawkins
3. Mulipola
4. Slater
5. Kitchener
6. Croft (B deacon if unfit)
7. Salvi
8. Crane (C)
9. Young
10. Bowden
11. Morris
12. Allen
13. Goneva
14. Thompestone
15. Tait

16. Stanko
17. Chuter
18. Balmain
19. L Deacon
20. B Deacon (Thorpe if starting) When will Jooste be back??
21. Harrison
22. Ford
23. Murphy

I think we should give bowden another game at 10 as against Wasps+Scarlets he didn't have much help from the players around him, I would also give the Touch kicking duties to Tait or Morris as they have a longer range than Bowden. I would bring L Deacon, Harrison, Ford and Murphy on at 60 mins for Crane (move Slater to 8 if all going well), Young, Allen (if going well, if not Bowden) and Tait

[LE18]

Who is your kicker then, Bowden didnt place kick well in Wasps game, although he got backs moving, Harrison is a good kicker, alternatively will cockers have to play Ford, it does sound like Bowden played poorly at Scarlets, but i did not see game?