Team Vs London Irish

[Jimmy Skitz]

may as well start this and try and move on from today's shambles, I'm going to assume OTY, Parling (possible concussion?) & Mele are unavailable and that Ant Allen and Manu will be available

15 Tait
14 Morris
13 Manu
12 Allen
11 Goneva
10 Birns
9 B. Youngs
1 Brugnara
2 Briggs
3 Mulipola
4 De Chaves
5 Kitchener
6 Croft
7 Salvi
8 Barbieri

Ghiraldini
Bristow
Balmain
Thorn
Gibson
Harrison
Williams
Pohe/Bai/Scully

[RagingBull]

Would start Gibson @ 6 also Crane help us out a fair amount of times at the back of the scrum.

If thorn is fit I would consider starting him Kitch and Parling are to similar styles we need a enforcer to help out either Balmain or brugnara.

[TigerLad]

Martin Crowson says Morris is on crutches and TY does have a shoulder injury so it looks like you can rule them out for next week. I'd go for

15.Tait
14.Smith
13.Manu
12. Allen
11. Goneva
10. Burns
9. Youngs
1. Logo
2. Ghiraldini
3. Balmain
4. Kitch
5. Parling
6. Croft
7. Salvi
8. Crane

16. Briggs
17. Brugnara
18. Pasquali
19. Thorn
20. Gibson
21. Harrison (assuming Mele will be suspended as he plays for us)
22. Williams
23. Loamanu/Scully/ Bai/ Pohe ( whoevers fit)

If Manu and Allen are both still injured I suppose we could shift Williams to 12 and Pohe to 13. When is this luck with injuries going to turn?

[RagingBull]

Would start scully or Loamanu on the wing instead of smith if fit.

Hell would look at Harrison as a option played very well against some of the most attacking players in the league.

[RagingBull]

Sounds like Burns may be injured.

[TigerLad]

Sounds like Burns may be injured.

What's your source mate?

[RagingBull]

Sounds like Burns may be injured.

What's your source mate?

On twitter burns tweets Ford Good game and Ford says thanks hope the injury isn't to bad.

[Downsouth]

The forwards were collectively disappointing at Bath, considering their quality. We did miss having an enforcer lock so thorn or de chaves should start. If manu and allen are out again then surely pohe and goneva would make more sense. I wonder if after the injury nightmares last season we are just being extra cautious and not taking any risks. I would like to see Morris at full back, but that would leave us short of wingers. Can anyone tell me why Manu was fit enough for bt sport on monday, when they said he was sore but not for the game, very different I know, but he would have been better giving the tv a miss.

So bring in an enforcer lock, Williams at 10, and hope some of the injuries clear up and let's have centres at centre, and sorry but I don't see Smith as a centre.

[TTRITH]

Hoping, more like praying, that Manu and Allen will be fit. In the forwards I would consider putting Croft at lock, allowing us to get Gibsons grunt in the side. Scully needs to be involved this weekend, we need fight in the side. Parling will be unavailable due to concussion laws and can't see Mele getting off without a ban either. Anyone know when Rizzo is going to be fit, need his experience in the front row.

On the assumption that the unavailable list is as follows: Ayerza, Bai, Benjamin, Camacho, Cole, Deacon, Hamilton, Hepetema, Matera, Mele, Morris, Parling, Pearce, Price, Rizzo, Slater, Thompstone, Thorn and T. Youngs

My lineup would be:

15. Mat Tait
14. Blaine Scully
13. Manu Tuilagi
12. Anthony Allen
11. Niki Goneva
10. Freddie Burns
9. Ben Youngs
1. Tom Bristow
2. Leonardo Ghiraldini
3. Logo Mulipola
4. Tom Croft
5. Graham Kitchener
6. Jamie Gibson
7. Julian Salvi
8. Jordan Crane

16. Neil Briggs
17. Riccardo Brugnara
18. Fraser Balmain
19. Seb De Chaves
20. Robert Barberi
21. Sam Harrison
22. Owen Williams
23. Christian Loamanu

Just for comparison matters, by fully fit Tigers 23 would be:

15. Mat Tait
14. Miles Benajamin
13. Manu Tuilagi
12. Anthony Allen
11. Niki Goneva
10. Freddie Burns
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

16. Leonardo Ghiraldini
17. Michele Rizzo
18. Logo Mulipola
19. Graham Kitchener
20. Jamie George
21. David Mele
22. Owen Williams
23. Christian Loamanu

So on that argument we are missing 6 of my first choice XV.

[Smurphswillgetya]

Word of caution guys, LI won't be a pushover, they have run Sarries and Quins close and arguably won those games!

[sapajo]

Word of caution guys, LI won't be a pushover, they have run Sarries and Quins close and arguably won those games!

I cannot remember when Tigers last pushed over anyone

[Jimmy Skitz]

it would be harsh to bench Burns after his first poor game, especially when so many others were far worse then him

[G.K]

I'd like to drop a good number of those that 'played' yesterday but with the injury list that won't be possible. So it will be more or less the same team but with Manu and Allen in, if fit, and probably T Youngs, Parling and Burns also out to injury.

I'd like to see Harrison in the squad even if it means dropping B. Youngs or Mele as he seemed to be one of the few to give it a go. Briggs also needs to be in.

[RagingBull]

Williams we be given a go @ 10 imo.

I would start De cheves @ second row ahead of Croft, he is to lightweight to play there and it would just be risking injury imo.

[Big Dai]

I'd go with,
B Stankovich, R Thomas, L Fairbrother, C Hill, R Landman (capt), L Evans , T Faletau, N Cudd, H Amos; T Prydie, B John, D Jones , A Brew, A O'Brien, R Rees,

Ha ha ha! Remy Time!