Tigers v the Sinners (Northampton Saints)

[WhitecapTiger]

Teams are up:

Leicester Tigers (v Northampton Saints, Franklin's Gardens, Saturday 3pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Niall Morris
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi
12 Anthony Allen
11 Adam Thompstone
10 Toby Flood (c)
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs
3 Dan Cole
4 Ed Slater
5 Geoff Parling
6 Tom Croft
7 Julian Salvi
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins
17 Logovi'i Mulipola
18 Martin Castrogiovanni
19 Thomas Waldrom
20 Graham Kitchener
21 Sam Harrison
22 George Ford
23 Matt Smith

Northampton Saints
15 Ben Foden
14 James Wilson
13 George Pisi
12 Tom May
11 Jamie Elliott
10 Stephen Myler
9 Lee Dickson
1 Soane Tonga'uiha
2 Dylan Hartley (c)
3 Tom Mercey
4 Courtney Lawes
5 Christian Day
6 Samu Manoa
7 Phil Dowson
8 Tom Wood

Replacements
16 Ross McMillan
17 Alex Waller
18 Brian Mujati
19 GJ Van Velze
20 Ben Nutley
21 Martin Roberts
22 Ryan Lamb
23 Luther Burrell

Murphy still struggling with injury??. Mafi not included after injury recovery - could well be the right call.

Other than that I've got to say we should be confident, hopefully we will click this weekend.....

[tigerburnie]

Great looking team,pity no Mafi, but good enough to win at the gardens

COME ON YOU TIGERRRRrrrrsssss

[Off Piste Tiger]

You can see Richard's thinking. Slater / Crane starting and Kitch /TTTE on the bench.
Try to win the physical battle early on then open it up a bit.
Never thought he would start Ford.
It is going to be fun down The Garden tomorrow.
Tigers win !

[iceman_19]

Good record over Saints, plus the fact that Saints' backline isn't exactly sparkling should see us through with a win - but it will be tight!

Previews and videos of the game up here:

www.ruckedover.blogspot.com

[TigerLad]

If our forwards can match or better theirs I think we will win, if not I think it could be a long afternoon.

[Smurphswillgetya]

Priority tomorrow IMHO should be
1) Prevent them getting a try bonus
2) if we lose we need a losing bonus point.
3) any sort of win
4) bonus point win for us

[loretta]

If our forwards can match or better theirs I think we will win, if not I think it could be a long afternoon.

Pretty much sums up every game I've ever seen...

Priority tomorrow IMHO should be
1) Prevent them getting a try bonus
2) if we lose we need a losing bonus point.
3) any sort of win
4) bonus point win for us

Ditto.

[WhitecapTiger]

Tigers winning 12-3 at Halftime.

lawes in the bin for another 7.5 minutes or so after halftime.

Good first half from us but just lacked that final incisiveness....dare I say again. we are leaving ourselves short and open at the breakdown.

manu looking hungry at last. Tait had, in general, a good first half but why oh why did he 'blow' that last chance for the try? maybe a little harsh but it appeared we had players spare again and he tried a grubber kick through and we lost the ball.

I am a fan of Tait, and am willing to give him time but that was (seemed - without a review so far) crazy!

Hope Tom Youngs is OK because barring an awry lineout throw (or maybe two) he's been fantastic.

niall Morris looking dangerous and has found his kicking boots!! Great clearance down the 5m channel.

[GS]

Now I'm waiting for the second half wake up by Saints and snooze by us. Other than that we've looked OK. Still on the Valium and everything crossed.

[Darc Tiger]

Please let us keep this up for another 40...

[biffer]

Personally I'm losing patience with Tait is starting to annoy me with his completely lugnut decision making.

[Darc Tiger]

Personally I'm losing patience with Tait is starting to annoy me with his completely lugnut decision making.

He has been solid today though. But still think Morris should be fullback, and he has had a blinder that half.

[tigerburnie]

Try Manu, conversion missed

[tigerburnie]

Tigers are hitting the line with pace , Lawes comes back from the sin bin.
Tigers dominating the lineout

[tigerburnie]

Mujati on for Mercey, line out stolen by Tigers.