Tigers v Stade Team.

[wormus]

I ve just looked on the ERC and we still have players registered that are unfortunately out for the season, Morris, Mike Williams and others that have been on the naughty step for months or have no prospect of selection - eg Pasquali. If we can should we be adding Genge and Will Evans to the squad this week.
http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/lei ... section=3k?

Long may Stade's defeats continue.

[TomWeston]

Long may Stade's defeats continue.

Well at least until Monday. I bear them no longlasting ill-will!

[Noddy555]

To my mind we must field our best available team and I consider this to be:
Backs: Veianu, Thompstone, Betham, Tuilagi, Goneva, Burns, Youngs.

Forwards: Ayerza, Thacker, Cole, Barrow, Kitchener, O'Connor, McCaffrey,
and Slater. If Slater is injured I would have Croft at 6 O'Connor at 7 and McCaffrey at 8.

Subs: Bateman, Mullipola, Balmain, Croft, Crane or Pearce, Harrison, Williams, and Bell or Tait.

[northerntiger]

Just not sure about Slater at 8. He doesn't seem to have the mobility to be a top class 8.
Not Bell on the bench either

[richardssalex]

Burns over Williams... Wow. It's no coincidence that Manu had his best game with Williams playing at 10. He brings out the best in other players. For the first time in a while I didn't see the tight 5 playing first receiver on the blind side. He may have had an off day but as a whole he is more consistent off the tee as well and we are a much better side with him starting. He actually organises the team from 10.

[PAW]

Just not sure about Slater at 8. He doesn't seem to have the mobility to be a top class 8.
Not Bell on the bench either

Agree on Slater. If he plays, play him in position in the second row.
Don't see him as an eight.

Also, YBY looked tired on Saturday. Maybe Harrison with YBY on the bench

[Ze Stade Fan]

Long may Stade's defeats continue.

Well at least until Monday. I bear them no longlasting ill-will!

Now that is very kind, Tom for we are on the verge of bad surprises in our home league.OOoooooooh

[northerntiger]

Burns over Williams... Wow. It's no coincidence that Manu had his best game with Williams playing at 10. He brings out the best in other players. For the first time in a while I didn't see the tight 5 playing first receiver on the blind side. He may have had an off day but as a whole he is more consistent off the tee as well and we are a much better side with him starting. He actually organises the team from 10.

He had a pretty average kicking day on Saturday, and I didn't think he looked good at all. I think Freddy has kicked his last 15 on the trot, and he offers a better running game

[darganj]

A

To my mind we must field our best available team and I consider this to be:
Backs: Veianu, Thompstone, Betham, Tuilagi, Goneva, Burns, Youngs.

Forwards: Ayerza, Thacker, Cole, Barrow, Kitchener, O'Connor, McCaffrey,
and Slater. If Slater is injured I would have Croft at 6 O'Connor at 7 and McCaffrey at 8.

Subs: Bateman, Mullipola, Balmain, Croft, Crane or Pearce, Harrison, Williams, and Bell or Tait.

Agree on that team, except Slater to replace Kitchener and Croft starting with McCaffrey at 8 and Fonua if fit on the bench.

Honestly baffled people would pick Harrison over Youngs. He wasn't at his best last weekend but he is a sensational player who plays his best when the pressure is highest.

He has openly admitted especially post Lions tour 2013 that he struggles to inspire himself after major competitions internationally but for big games, he turns up.

Rate him so highly, mentally so so tough. Class operator

[Will S]

Burns over Williams... Wow. It's no coincidence that Manu had his best game with Williams playing at 10. He brings out the best in other players. For the first time in a while I didn't see the tight 5 playing first receiver on the blind side. He may have had an off day but as a whole he is more consistent off the tee as well and we are a much better side with him starting. He actually organises the team from 10.

He had a pretty average kicking day on Saturday, and I didn't think he looked good at all. I think Freddy has kicked his last 15 on the trot, and he offers a better running game

I agree. I think Williams was poor at the weekend.

[Bobmac]

I agree. I think Williams was poor at the weekend.[/quote]

Do you not think he was made to look poor by Ben Youngs being off his game?

[strawclearer]

1 Ayerza 2 Thacker 3 Cole
4 Barrow 5 Slater
6 Croft 7 O'Connor 8 McCaffrey
9 Youngs 10 Burns
11 Goneva 12 Tuilagi 13 Betham14 Thompstone 15 Veainu

Subs: Bateman, Mulipola, Balmain, Kitchener, Fonua, Harrison, Williams, Tait.

[Will S]

I agree. I think Williams was poor at the weekend.

Do you not think he was made to look poor by Ben Youngs being off his game?[/quote]

Not really. Williams didn't light it up going forward (like Burns has done) and even parts of his game that are usually his strengths he didn't do that great with such as kicking, defence (he left a big hole for the Trinder try) and decision making (the kick that went dead at the end wasn't great).

I didn't think Youngs played that badly - he did a nice reverse pass that set up one try and had good vision for a wide miss pass that created another try. A 9 shouldn't be looking to get it away quickly all the time. If the ball is not cleared properly or your own back line aren't set then quick ball is not always your friend. Mixing it up is the key and whilst Ben wasn't perfect at the weekend he wasn't bad at all.

[drc_007]

I agree. I think Williams was poor at the weekend.

Do you not think he was made to look poor by Ben Youngs being off his game?

Not really. Williams didn't light it up going forward (like Burns has done) and even parts of his game that are usually his strengths he didn't do that great with such as kicking, defence (he left a big hole for the Trinder try) and decision making (the kick that went dead at the end wasn't great).

I didn't think Youngs played that badly - he did a nice reverse pass that set up one try and had good vision for a wide miss pass that created another try. A 9 shouldn't be looking to get it away quickly all the time. If the ball is not cleared properly or your own back line aren't set then quick ball is not always your friend. Mixing it up is the key and whilst Ben wasn't perfect at the weekend he wasn't bad at all.[/quote]

Have to say Youngs looked better than I thought on seeing the TV replay the next day.

[mol2]

Williams has been playing out of position at centre and seemed not to be up to speed at fly half which wasn't helped by poor service from Youngs who wasted most of his time trying to con the ref into giving penalties and in the process allowed the opposition defence to re-organise.
I thought he had stopped this "Sir, Sir he's slowing it down" stuff. Sadly half of the time it's his own player and the interference from the opposition isn't enough to interest the ref. The ref isn't going to penalise the opposition when it's your own scrum half slowing it down even more!

The knock on effect is the runners have to check their rums and wait so easier to defend.

Youngs should start but has to have it spelled out that he must get the ball away much quicker - be that passing or running with it himself.