Leicester v Bath

[JerryGas]

Flood at 12 with Williams at 10 maybe???

[JerryGas]

Team's up - with Flood at 12!
Good to see Hawkins back from injury.

[tigerburnie]

Good side with a good bench, confident we can win at home

COME ON YOU TIGERRRRrrrrrrrssssss

[kpj tiger]

Leicester Tigers (v Bath Rugby, Welford Road, Sunday 2pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Niall Morris
13 Vereniki Goneva
12 Toby Flood (c)
11 Miles Benjamin
10 Owen Williams
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs
3 Dan Cole
4 Louis Deacon
5 Ed Slater
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Julian Salvi
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Fraser Balmain
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Thomas Waldrom
21 David Mélé
22 Scott Hamilton
23 Matt Smith

[Big Dai]

Very very nervous about this one. Forwards settled and working well as a unit but the backs? Yet another new combination to deal with against a team in form.

Honest opinion? Bath by 7.

[sapajo]

Totally wrong priority it should always be the Premiership before the Heineken especially as we are the defending champions. Sadly I fear its a tactical gamble that will backfire

[Guinness&Nuts]

I don't think Cockers had any other realistic option other than to start with Williams at 10 and Flood at 12. Sensible in the long term to give AA another week in training. Flood offers far more than Smith in attack and defence IMO. If Williams struggles with the expectation of running the show in such an important game then plan B (Flood moves to 10 & Smith come on at IC) can be implemented.
One disappointment for me is the inclusion of Deacon ahead of Kitchener.

[kornboy130]

Totally wrong priority it should always be the Premiership before the Heineken especially as we are the defending champions. Sadly I fear its a tactical gamble that will backfire

Tactical?

What's tactical about having no fit alternative?

[sapajo]

Totally wrong priority it should always be the Premiership before the Heineken especially as we are the defending champions. Sadly I fear its a tactical gamble that will backfire

Tactical?

What's tactical about having no fit alternative?

Cockerill has said Allen is fit (not my words)and now chooses to save him for next week so how is that not tactical

[kpj tiger]

Totally wrong priority it should always be the Premiership before the Heineken especially as we are the defending champions. Sadly I fear its a tactical gamble that will backfire

Tactical?

What's tactical about having no fit alternative?

Cockerill has said Allen is fit (not my words)and now chooses to save him for next week so how is that not tactical

Cockerill is known to have said a lot of players have been fit yet they have been unready to play

[APM16]

whatever happens this weekend we'll still be in contention for the Premiership - unlike the following 2 weeks when our Heineken Cup hopes are on the line - hopefully 2 wins are sufficient to earn a Home quarter final - I know which matches I'd priortise

[RagingBull]

Totally wrong priority it should always be the Premiership before the Heineken especially as we are the defending champions. Sadly I fear its a tactical gamble that will backfire

What tactical if we rush Allen then he could be out for longer, having Flood in at 12 isn't a major weekness, Bowden out, Heptema out, who else who you have in.

the only other is Pohe.

That imo is the strongest team we have that is 100% fit.


Also cockers like to play mind games with oppo, remember the premiership final when Flood was 100% fit to play then had to pull out;)

[TigerLad]

I don't think Cockers had any other realistic option other than to start with Williams at 10 and Flood at 12. Sensible in the long term to give AA another week in training. Flood offers far more than Smith in attack and defence IMO. If Williams struggles with the expectation of running the show in such an important game then plan B (Flood moves to 10 & Smith come on at IC) can be implemented.
One disappointment for me is the inclusion of Deacon ahead of Kitchener.

Agree with you about Flood at 12, although I have to worry about how our defense will cope. Forwards look good and it's nice to see Hawkins back. I have to disagree with you about Deacon and Kitchener. If the grounds were hard I would pick Kitch but it isn't, on a cold, wet day against a big pack Deacons grunt in the scrum is useful.

[Rykard]

fit, available but not match fit or maybe williams and flood have practised well and maybe flood will be a calming influence?

[GT1]

Who knows how fit Flood is?
It's going to be a long hard afternoon if the weather forecast is correct & the pack reflects that! Expect fresh legs to be used this w/e especially pleased to see Hawkins back in the mix