Tigers v Wasps

[PM76]

Rest week for the England players, so it’s pretty much certain Youngs.T, Cole and Parling will be available. Youngs. B and Flood might be available. According to last week’s Mercury Ayerza and Mafi should be available, while Matera’s paperwork might have come through! Presumably Niki will be out, the pack should be strong enough to get the better of Wasps but I’m concerned about our backs. I’d go for:

Ayerza/ Logo, Briggs, Balmain (Logo needs a rest and asking him to swap straight to TH might be a struggle)
Deacon, Kitchener
Slater, Waldrom, Salvi
Mele (even if YBY is available), Flood/ Williams
Bowden, Hepetema
Thompstone, Morris, Scully

Chuter, Logo/ Boris, Schuster, Mafi/ Gibson, Matera/ Crane, Youngs/ Harrison, Williams/ A.N.other- if Flood is called up presumably Mele will cover 10, Benjamin/ Purdy

Selection certainly a case of last man standing in the backs but the pack should be strong enough to get the win. Mele vs. Youngs is a tough one, but YBY is simply not playing well and Mele is and if Williams is at 10 I would feel more confident given Mele’s simpler and more effective passing. Have a nasty feeling we could slip up but still think a win is the most likely result due to the forwards.

[kpj tiger]

I would go for: (assuming all our England contingent are rested)
1. Ayerza
2. Briggs
3. Balmain
4. Slater (C)
5. Kitchener
6. Matera/Gibson
7. Salvi
8. Waldrom
9. Mele
10. Williams
11. Benjamin
12. Bowden
13. Hepetema (Although i could see cockers playing Thompstone at 13)
14. Thompstone
15. Scully

16. Stankovich
17. Hawkins/Chuter
18. Mulipola
19. Deacon
20. Crane
21. Harrison
22. Morris
23. Purdy

[TigerLad]

I hope Matera plays, he should be used to the calls by now as he has been here for almost two weeks now. Hopefully Marcos should be back as his baby was due last week, although I imagine he will stay to be with us child and I'm sure Cockers wouldn't have any issues with that. Assuming Ayerza isn't here yet I would go for a team of

15. Morris
14. Scully
13. Hepetema
12. Bowden
11. Thompstone
10. Williams
9. Mele
1. Stankovich
2. Briggs
3. Logo
4. Deacon (C)
5. Slater
6. Matera
7. Salvi
8. Waldrom

16. Chuter
17. Bristow
18. Balmain
19. Kitchener
20. Crane
21. Harrison (if ready to play after partner giving birth)
22. Dunn/Pohe/Purdy
23. Benjamin

That will hopefully be enough to win at Adams Park as we haven't won there in a long time. Our pack need to dominate theirs and if we can do that we should win. Wasps aren't in great form and without their only star players in Launchbury, Wade and Masi they are ready to be beaten. Is Varndell back for them yet? I seem to remember that he was injured a while ago but I'm not sure if he still is. If Varndell isn't playing then I think they lack the threats that they rely on. This is a perfect opportunity to get a win at Adams park.

[tigerburnie]

Whilst Wasps are not the side they were, we still need to watch them, they will raise their game against us more than anyone else.
Having said that we should have enough to take a win down there.

COME ON YOU TIGERRRRrrrrsssssss

[amazing tiger]

i would pick
1 ayerza
2 briggs
3 belmain {cole has had a few 80 minutes}
4 deacon
5 kitchner
6 matrea/slater
7 salvi
8 waldrom
9 youngs
10 williams { flood had a shocker against trevisio}
11 thompstone
12 bowden
13 heptema
14 scully { looking quite good}
15 morris

16 hawkins
17 logo
18 cole
19 slater
20 crane
21 mele
22 flood
23 hamilton
abit short in the backs!!!!

[amazing tiger]

i know it was benjamens first game back after 13 months and ulster isnt an easy place to go to making your debut but he did have a shocker so i dont think he should be picked.

[WhitecapTiger]

i know it was benjamens first game back after 13 months and ulster isnt an easy place to go to making your debut but he did have a shocker so i dont think he should be picked.

Horses for courses I guess, but Benjamin didn't have a shocker IMO, at least not as much of a shocker as Thompstone did, yet he is given a reprieve?

I think we'll see Benjamin given a run again, week on week off to ensure his neck injury is fully rehabilitated, as per Tom Croft last season. Benjamin will come good for us.

[GT1]

[quote] { flood had a shocker against trevisio}
Flood wasn't at his best but he didn't have a shocker as you say AT against Treviso!!
Saying that Williams to start v Waspies

[the stig]

Eps call up means English players aren't available but they usually let players who arent in the squad head back to their respected clubs so dont expect many players back

[WhitecapTiger]

all 5 of ours retained by Lancaster, Wade released back to wasps

http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/180 ... mavzRZM4mg

Slightly surprised that Danny Care has been released, maybe it's an indicator that he's nailed on for 6N and Lancaster is giving the others chances to prove themselves......or maybe he's just messing us around

[Smurphswillgetya]

all 5 of ours retained by Lancaster, Wade released back to wasps

http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/180 ... mavzRZM4mg

Slightly surprised that Danny Care has been released, maybe it's an indicator that he's nailed on for 6N and Lancaster is giving the others chances to prove themselves......or maybe he's just messing us around

If you read it carefully it seems to suggest the released players have a chance to challenge for a place in the squad but the one's retained are ahead and presumably being put in cotton wool. Does this mean that the Flood-slayers the Ben busters are wrong?

[DickyP]

Let's be realistic about Benjamin - he looked exactly what he is - out of practice. Running was OK, tackling OK, passing not really tested, game sense/awareness barely adequate, and kicking woeful.

The game sense/awareness is what you expect to be missing at this stage and lots of back can't kick!

He will get better with more game time - let's hope it's fast!

[northerntiger]

On a more positive note, Goode has been sent back :

[Smurphswillgetya]

On a more positive note, Goode has been sent back :

How is this relevant to this thread?

[WhitecapTiger]

If you read it carefully it seems to suggest the released players have a chance to challenge for a place in the squad but the one's retained are ahead and presumably being put in cotton wool. Does this mean that the Flood-slayers the Ben busters are wrong?

But that's not anywhere near a conspiracy theory Smurphs!!!

Maybe Lancaster is carrying on his routine of going for out of form players