Tigers vs. Saracens

[PM76]

Clearly this is a must win game for Tigers or the prospect of a home-semi start to fade away. 5 Points was the target most on here agreed on for the games vs. Quins and Sarries and that target is in sight.

Tigers look set to lose 7 to England (Youngs, Youngs, Cole, Parling, Flood, Manu and TTTE) while Sarries will be missing 6, 5 (Goode, Ashton, Barritt, Farrell and Vunipola) with England and Kelly Brown with Scotland, fortunately Sarries no longer visit WR with a virtually full strength side during the international windows!! If AA, Murphy and L. Deacon are injured/ unavailable then that is a big blow for Tigers but hopefully Crofty and Morris will be fit/ available. Therefore I’d like to see a side of:

Ayerza, Hawkins, Logo
Slater, Kitchener
Croft, Crane, Salvi
Harrison, Ford
Bowden, Smith
Thompstone, Murphy / Morris, Morris/ Tait

Chuter, Balmain, Stankovich, Jooste (he is fit according to the Merc), B.Deacon, Young, Cornwell, Tait/ Goneva

Obviously AA, Murphy and Louis start if they are fit.

If Smurph is unavailable I think it’s time to move Tait to the 14 role but give him freedom to roam in attack, I’m a little bit concerned that Hodgson will just turn up and bomb Tait with high balls, which he has struggled with, and ask him to kick it back, which he has struggled with. Morris seems like the natural successor and has shown some lovely touches in the midfield this season too, if Niall is injured Scotty can do a job from FB. Tait would be deadly on the wing too.

Hopefully Tigers will sneak through with a win but I think Sarries might just nick it.

Let’s not forget a scrappy win over Sarries after a disappointing defeat saw Tigers go on an outstanding run of 10 wins, 6 of them with bonus-points, last season. Surely the same thing will happen this year

[tigerburnie]

Lets hope our injured are not too serious,we need to be as strong as possible this weekend. Confident we can win at home,we just need to play to the ref and cut out the penalties.

COME ON YOU TIGERRRRrrrssssss

[kpj tiger]

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

16. Stanko
17. Chuter
18. Balmain
19. Slater (Andrew if Slater starts)
20. Thorpe/Jooste
21. Young
22. Bowden (Cornwell if Bowden starts)
23. Smith

[tigerburnie]

I'd expect Smith to start ahead of Goneva, as Smith seems the more steady in the defence. Goneva to come on in the last quarter and run a few mazey(sp) lines.

[sapajo]

Interestingly it would appear that Jooste Wessel is now fit to play


http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/M ... z2LL49w3un

[fentiger]

Ref is J P Doyle, how we gonna handle him?

[sapajo]

Ref is J P Doyle, how we gonna handle him?

Same as any other game we must not give away penalties as Hodgson will make us pay and that is what Sarries depend upon. My biggest concern is that JP is fair and consistent when it comes to penalty decisions.

[kingol22]

Really hope Murphy is fit for this game, his experience would be crucial. He can also help take the pressure off of Ford which Tait can not do as well so his presence is vital IMO. Tigers to win but it will be tight boring and scrappy giving plenty for people to moan about

[G.K]

Ref is J P Doyle, how we gonna handle him?

Same as any other game we must not give away penalties as Hodgson will make us pay and that is what Sarries depend upon. My biggest concern is that JP is fair and consistent when it comes to penalty decisions.

Unfortunately history suggests that neither of these will be the case.

[smalldell]

Like most I been impressed with Matthew Tait's return and I want to see him go on improving but there is something that keeps telling me that Niall Morris is the man for the 15 shirt. He is so secure under the high ball for one....what does anyone else think?

[tigerburnie]

I've only seen what's on the telly, but both look competant and both are settling in to the roles. I think wingers and full back are fairly interchangeable if both(all) of the players have the skill to do it.Bubbles used to drop back if Geordie joined the attacking line, so I think they both are assets for us.

[voice of the crumbie]

Ref is J P Doyle, how we gonna handle him?

By the throat

Joking aside I used to think he was completely useless as a ref but he seems to have improved recently. If we cut out the stupid penalties we should be ok.

[APJones]

I am just glad the Sarries won't have their commentator at WR on the microphone - I also hope that the Tigers stewards confiscate any Sarries drums or other musical instruments sneaking into the ground.

[WhitecapTiger]

If we cut out the stupid penalties we should be ok.

Or maybe he'll miss/ignore them and give us a penalty try

[Maximus66]

Like most I been impressed with Matthew Tait's return and I want to see him go on improving but there is something that keeps telling me that Niall Morris is the man for the 15 shirt. He is so secure under the high ball for one....what does anyone else think?

I've had exactly the same notion. Didn't Morris come to us as a full back?
He's been great on the wing, but I'd like to see a bit of role reversal.

The continual punting the ball back to the opposition is driving me potty.
I'd like to see what Tait can do on the wing. He's certainly got the gas.