Today's game thread v Bath (Away)

[jgriffin]

Journos out in their true colours with sneering pieces, probably Rees in the Guardian the worst. Leicester should ban him. Snide bar steward.

Remember a couple of seasons ago we were 11th, was it? didn't end up that badly.

BUT I'm afraid we are not the force we were. A former player believed that the spine of Tigers was going, those who knew how to win against the odds, as told to me by a former Bath player (his pal) late last season. The same player predicted lean times for Tigers this season and said why (and it wasn't MOC, who he thought was poor, as I did). I'm dreading a text saying 'Mate - told you.' I am hoping he was badly wrong.

Mrs G asked me just now "When did we last see a brilliant Tigers performance?"
Well?
I could come up with one against Stains, Montpellier.......but I was digging.

[Downbathway]

RC said Bath were nearly at full strength?.

Agulla, Batty, Catt, Garvey, Henson, Louw, Orlandi, Shiells, Sisi, Spencer, Watson, Williams and Young all not involved today.

At least 8 of those guys would expect to be in a match day 23 if available.

[h's dad]

Well I thought i would wait until this thread reached 9 pages. Its nice that the Tigers have given WiggoT and a few others their chance to hit depression and doom and gloom so early in the season.

Let's look at the positives,
1) we didnt cheat and give away yellow cards
2) Sam Harrison played well when he came on.
3)Crane did well and possibly the only one in the pack who could hold his head up.
4)Give the lads credit - we didnt concede 50.

Negatives
1) We lost
2) We got nilled - but that is Barnes fault as we did score a try!
3) The pack were awful.

So the positives 4, negatives 3. Its only one game, bring on the next game.

You missed a positive; we're unlikely to lose many players to the Autumn Internationals or 6 Nations.

[Smudge]

Our director of rugby said today that, he coaches the team, he picks the team,
the fault lies with him.I couldn't agree more.
I would like to ask him Who's fault is it that we have a mass of injuries, yet again?

I don't suppose he will do the honourable thing and fall on his sword? No, of course not.
Cue the "only just started the season and the usual suspects want to sack the DOR" posts.

The trouble is, today was a watershed and birds are coming home to roost.

[Tomvarndell]

A good hiding early in the season is not the end of the world....

Let Bath peak early just like last season...

Today was horrid, especially the first half but after that it just wasn't our day...a perfect try disallowed and a red card that will be rescinded. Yes we were poor and deserved to lose but it's mid September. We will be in the play offs....

Personally I feel Tait is gone and needs a confidence booster minimum....he may well be finished but maybe not that serious and may return to his former self given time..unlikely I feel.

... Morris is the full back for me on current form

Losing the best centre partnership in Europe is a killer. Matt smith is a mere Championship player these days. Due to the wingers all being injured our second best 13 played wing. And why did Sam Harrison come on ahead of Pohe in the Centres?


Days like today in September mean little...we will finish ahead of Bath. 9 pts from one home and two away games is hardly the end of the World...God Help the Irish next week.

[BengalTiger]

It all starts with the props, we failed last year because the scum was weak for the last 10-15 mins of every important game. Cole played 80 mins every game and got crocked as a result, we need 4 top class fit props to compete, at present we have 1 reasonable, fit prop, and he will be crock as well soon if he keeps starting every match.
I know they do not grow on trees but we have had no decent prop recruited since Mulipola and he is not world class.
So RC should and has shouldered the blame but that does not really help, as for a decent No8 we had one but he now plays for Exeter.

[MrPartridge]

we will finish ahead of Bath

Can't see that this year. They are flying, have Sam Burgess to come and possibly Genia.

Have to agree with others: Pohe should have come on ahead of Harrison, Tait hasn't been good for 18 months etc.

Two points to add: who was the last decent player to come through our academy and Ben Youngs is getting an easy ride - poor again and not a motivating captain IMHO. Give it Salvi or Croft!

[MrPartridge]

we will finish ahead of Bath

Can't see that this year. They are flying, have Sam Burgess to come and possibly Genia.

Have to agree with others: Pohe should have come on ahead of Harrison, Tait hasn't been good for 18 months etc.

Two points to add: who was the last decent player to come through our academy and Ben Youngs is getting an easy ride - poor again and not a motivating captain IMHO. Give it Salvi or Croft!

[GS]

BUT I'm afraid we are not the force we were. A former player believed that Twothe spine of Tigers was going, those who knew how to win against the odds, as told to me by a former Bath player (his pal) late last season. The same player predicted lean times for Tigers this season and said why (and it wasn't MOC, who he thought was poor, as I did). I'm dreading a text saying 'Mate - told you.' I am hoping he was badly wrong.

Mrs G asked me just now "When did we last see a brilliant Tigers performance?"
Well?
I could come up with one against Stains, Montpellier.......but I was digging.

I'm guessing the ex Bath player is Hipkiss or Vesty, don't think it's Moody - but I digress. I have two points in the answer to Mrs G's question. What about the semi final last year? First half we were putting Stains to the sword, second half never mind winning against the odds we couldn't win against a beaten team. That game showed what some of us had been saying for a while - there's nothing much wrong with the players or the team but there is something wrong at the club. Perhaps it is what that ex Bath player said and JG won't tell us. I'm sure we can all have a good guess.

[Phil B]

Embarrassing, but not the end.I suppose the disappointment was seeing how easily we were outplayed - we were never in it really, which for a team with such lofty ambitions, is a dismally unsatisfactory position to be in.

I trust the post match review/analysis will be brutally honest, and we will be stronger for it.

I just don't think we should start the total doom and gloom so early in the season.

[Big Dai]

Dai you are letting your heart rule your head. You love mixing Tigers and Remy!! Glad you had a good day at thr Dragons..........welsh beer I hope!!

Wish I was. I think it's heart over head for too long now. A long period of turning up on the day and standing on the terraces to watch a settled club side, followed by taking my kids and my parents to games as a "six" in the professional era.

Dad's too frail to go now, mum's minus a colon but hanging in there, big un plays bass in a band, little un plays 10 at club level round here. Then there's the merry go round of players, (I spoke about this the other day, still supporting Castro and TTE etc.)It's a 200 mile round trip when there's other stuff I would rather watch.

Things change. The club seems intent on changes, changes I don't like. The play offs invoke a spirit of "fourth is good enough" so you get performances like yesterday and something's wrong with a game or the training regime where soooooo many injuries abound. 90 quid for a shirt that's more of a billboard and ORANGE!????

No, enough is enough! I'll support my lad's band, my local team and have a pint with my workmates on a Saturday.

..............As for the beer Wiggo? Lancaster Bomber, Dirty Stop Out and Cornish Knocker!

[Downsouth]

Big Dai, just think what it will be like with cole and ayerza back, Thorn in the UK 2nd row, Croft back to his best and Manu banging holes so Benjamin can run rings around the opposition

[Smurphswillgetya]

Skivington and Lewington to score against us next week as Tigers lose to London Irish - anyone?

[Tyzot]

Hated what I saw yesterday, but with our first choice props missing and the centres out it was always going to be tough. As often happens when you are under the cosh a couple of key decisions went against us (climbing over a maul OK for them but not us and of course the try), which didn't help, but Bath did play well and would have won anyway.

Like many, I don't understand the injury situation but for the time being I will leave the loaded revolver in the top drawer and the sack everybody banner can stay in the cupboard for now and I won't be starting a sack the manager.com site.

I try to remember that it's a marathon not a sprint and that the world has changed from when we dominated, there are many clubs out there with deeper pockets.

Onwards and upwards.Already looking forward to the return fixture

[sapajo]

The gloating has begun

https://twitter.com/massonboy/status/51 ... 84/photo/1