It's all about decision making

[fleabane]

Watching Sarries at the weekend it struck me that

1). Decisions on when and how to recycle were almost faultless - no suicide "intercept" passes
2). Pass or kick decisions were also made sharply
3). Run the ball back or kick for touch/ field position decisions demonstrated the ability to read the game
4). Support runners were also reading the game.
5). No great attempts to rush out of the defensive line.
6). Forwards knew where to be for the next phase, and got there quickly (except when they knew that running down the clock was required.
7). Players attacked the line, picking their targets, instead of just rolling into it.

Apart from also showing basic skills, Sarries dominance was a result of their mental agility, decision making and approach to the game.

Tigers traditional slow starts alone demonstrate that the mental approach is not good enough or intelligent enough. Lack of organisation, awareness of positioning and slowness of movement also indicate a lack of mental preparedness. Do we have the players available with the mental capacity to play like Sarries? If we do, it is an area of training that is neglected, and if we don't we have a recruitment problem.

Blood and guts are not enough in today's game, it is too fast, and physical speed has to be matched by mental agility and decision making, on and off the field.

[Bowden Tiger]

Totally agree, they seemed to keep it so simple. They had a belief that they would win each contact, never committing too many to the breakdown.
We have a lot of catching up to do!

[Spicer]

Great post completely agree. The modern game is so focused on physical size that the brain is ignored. Even some our best players seem pretty dumb.

[G.K]

Watching Sarries at the weekend it struck me that

1). Decisions on when and how to recycle were almost faultless - no suicide "intercept" passes
2). Pass or kick decisions were also made sharply
3). Run the ball back or kick for touch/ field position decisions demonstrated the ability to read the game
4). Support runners were also reading the game.
5). No great attempts to rush out of the defensive line.
6). Forwards knew where to be for the next phase, and got there quickly (except when they knew that running down the clock was required.
7). Players attacked the line, picking their targets, instead of just rolling into it.

Apart from also showing basic skills, Sarries dominance was a result of their mental agility, decision making and approach to the game.

Tigers traditional slow starts alone demonstrate that the mental approach is not good enough or intelligent enough. Lack of organisation, awareness of positioning and slowness of movement also indicate a lack of mental preparedness. Do we have the players available with the mental capacity to play like Sarries? If we do, it is an area of training that is neglected, and if we don't we have a recruitment problem.

Blood and guts are not enough in today's game, it is too fast, and physical speed has to be matched by mental agility and decision making, on and off the field.

Ouch - may be too near the truth for some!

[TigerCam]

Watching Sarries at the weekend it struck me that

1). Decisions on when and how to recycle were almost faultless - no suicide "intercept" passes
2). Pass or kick decisions were also made sharply
3). Run the ball back or kick for touch/ field position decisions demonstrated the ability to read the game
4). Support runners were also reading the game.
5). No great attempts to rush out of the defensive line.
6). Forwards knew where to be for the next phase, and got there quickly (except when they knew that running down the clock was required.
7). Players attacked the line, picking their targets, instead of just rolling into it.

Apart from also showing basic skills, Sarries dominance was a result of their mental agility, decision making and approach to the game.

Tigers traditional slow starts alone demonstrate that the mental approach is not good enough or intelligent enough. Lack of organisation, awareness of positioning and slowness of movement also indicate a lack of mental preparedness. Do we have the players available with the mental capacity to play like Sarries? If we do, it is an area of training that is neglected, and if we don't we have a recruitment problem.

Blood and guts are not enough in today's game, it is too fast, and physical speed has to be matched by mental agility and decision making, on and off the field.

They are quite good aren't they

[jgriffin]

Our game management was poor, but no more so with 10 to go. Toomua, I hope, will fill the gap at 12 and I would suggest developing OW's game there so we have a 5/8 NZ set of combinations.

[Roly]

Watching Sarries at the weekend it struck me that

1). Decisions on when and how to recycle were almost faultless - no suicide "intercept" passes
2). Pass or kick decisions were also made sharply
3). Run the ball back or kick for touch/ field position decisions demonstrated the ability to read the game
4). Support runners were also reading the game.
5). No great attempts to rush out of the defensive line.
6). Forwards knew where to be for the next phase, and got there quickly (except when they knew that running down the clock was required.
7). Players attacked the line, picking their targets, instead of just rolling into it.

Apart from also showing basic skills, Sarries dominance was a result of their mental agility, decision making and approach to the game.

Tigers traditional slow starts alone demonstrate that the mental approach is not good enough or intelligent enough. Lack of organisation, awareness of positioning and slowness of movement also indicate a lack of mental preparedness. Do we have the players available with the mental capacity to play like Sarries? If we do, it is an area of training that is neglected, and if we don't we have a recruitment problem.

Blood and guts are not enough in today's game, it is too fast, and physical speed has to be matched by mental agility and decision making, on and off the field.

Coaching. Coaching. Coaching.

Of course, its easy if you have the right coaches.

Saracens players are not all world class ability, MENSA members with their human frailties surgically removed. They're a good set of players, who are superbly coached and well drilled.

Its really rather simple, Tigers are a good set of players who are being poorly coached. Or if you prefer, a good set of players who are being coached by people who've reached their ceiling in terms of ability.

[Maidman]

Whilst I'm no fan of Sarries they are playing incredibly well at the moment and have been for months. They are clearly well drilled and play with an incredible intensity. Whatever the coaches are doing it is working!

I'm afraid I have my doubts about the Tigers coaches and coaching, but I think they probably need a bit longer to see if they can make it work. For me, this season is kinda make or break.

[Roly]

Whilst I'm no fan of Sarries they are playing incredibly well at the moment and have been for months. They are clearly well drilled and play with an incredible intensity. Whatever the coaches are doing it is working!

I'm afraid I have my doubts about the Tigers coaches and coaching, but I think they probably need a bit longer to see if they can make it work. For me, this season is kinda make or break.

How many seasons are people going to give the coaching staff time to 'bed in', before they decide actually, it isn't working.

Great coaches have an immediate effect.

Witness Eddie Jones now in charge of what was ostensibly, Lancaster's team.

[Maidman]

Whilst I'm no fan of Sarries they are playing incredibly well at the moment and have been for months. They are clearly well drilled and play with an incredible intensity. Whatever the coaches are doing it is working!

I'm afraid I have my doubts about the Tigers coaches and coaching, but I think they probably need a bit longer to see if they can make it work. For me, this season is kinda make or break.

How many seasons are people going to give the coaching staff time to 'bed in', before they decide actually, it isn't working.

Great coaches have an immediate effect.

Witness Eddie Jones now in charge of what was ostensibly, Lancaster's team.

Well, I guess I'd give them two seasons (last season and this season). I would agree that good coaches will have an immediate effect, but to have maximum effect requires consistency and persistency. I for one don't want rugby to get like wendyball with all the managerial comings and goings that they have.

[tigercaspian]

I actually stopped watching Chiefs v Sarries on Sunday just because there was an inevitability about it that made it almost a joyless experience. You knew Sarries would make the right decisions time and time again and that Chiefs would just be left trying to grasp raindrops, so to speak.
It reminds me of driving the Audi A3 I have now : it's brilliant, does everything faultlessly, quick, got plenty of kit (no pun intended) but somehow soulless??
Perhaps I prefer our team with a few faults and human frailties just so as I can have my emotions tugged at every weekend...........
I certainly agree with the OP on point 5,not running out of the line :we do it regularly and are dreadful at it, invariably missing the tackle and leaving a nice big hole for the oppo.

[Roly]

Whilst I'm no fan of Sarries they are playing incredibly well at the moment and have been for months. They are clearly well drilled and play with an incredible intensity. Whatever the coaches are doing it is working!

I'm afraid I have my doubts about the Tigers coaches and coaching, but I think they probably need a bit longer to see if they can make it work. For me, this season is kinda make or break.

How many seasons are people going to give the coaching staff time to 'bed in', before they decide actually, it isn't working.

Great coaches have an immediate effect.

Witness Eddie Jones now in charge of what was ostensibly, Lancaster's team.

Well, I guess I'd give them two seasons (last season and this season). I would agree that good coaches will have an immediate effect, but to have maximum effect requires consistency and persistency. I for one don't want rugby to get like wendyball with all the managerial comings and goings that they have.

Actually, I agree with that in principle. However, I think if Tigers lose the next two matches, the coaches should begin thinking about doing the honourable thing. I concede that ultimately, that may be of determent to the club. I cannot honestly see how with the group of players available and the coaching staff on hand that anything more than another disappointing season beckons.

People may ask, "who else is available?". I don't really know. The skill is there at player level, the potential is obvious. But it is not being effectively exploited. You almost get the feeling that the players are being shoe-horned into Mauger's plan, but that bizarrely, even he doesn't know what that is.

[ellis9]

Yet again a statement is made where it's said that Cockerill should go but you have no idea who could come in to replace him and who is available and would actually do a better job!

[Noddy555]

Yes I'm afraid that quite a lot of the Tigers players and not only the younger ones have got to man up or should that be Manu up to their often repeated errors. Perhaps one day soon we will get a mature performance where 90per cent of the tackles are performed correctly and no airy fairy passes are splayed around but if I were you I wouldn't hold my breath.

[chewbacca]

Only 2 games gone so still time for improvement. If there isnt improvement by November then I guess coaches will come under further pressure. Lack of form can be attributed to a failure to execute (players) or a failure in tactics and strategy (coaches). Others have insisted that cash is not a problem so as the coaches select the players we give contracts to then the conclusion is obvious.