Teams up v Saracens

[strawclearer]

Jack Nowells work-rate today was brilliant.

Always thought Mike Slemen was the best defensive wing I ever saw but the Cornish Surfer excelled today!

[tigercaspian]

Yup, and with grateful thanks to Qbec, here they are :--

Injuries BACKS (6)
---------------------------
Matt Toomua - Centre - Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament - (23rd Oct) - 6 Months

Mat Tait - Full Back - Broken Jaw - (20th Nov) - 6-8 Weeks - 15th Jan

Telusa Veainu - Wing/Full Back - Head Injury - (23rd Oct) - Possible Lengthy Spell - Post Xmas ???

George Catchpole - Centre - Posterior Cruciate Ligament (Knee) - (4th Nov) - ???

Matt Smith - Centre - Ankle Injury - (15th Nov) - 4 Weeks - ???

J P Pietersen - Wing - Torn Pectoral Muscle (Surgery) - (28th Dec) - 6-8 Weeks - 25th Feb

Injuries FORWARDS (6)
--------------------------------
Fraser Balmain - THP - ???? - ???

Michele Rizzo - LHP - Torn Calf - (29th Nov Mercury Cockers) Still 2-3 weeks away

Don Barrow - 2nd Row - Head Injury - (23rd Oct) - Upto 12 Weeks - 28th Jan?

Tom Croft - 2nd Row - Food Poisoning (3rd Dec) - ???

Logovi'i Mulipola - LHP - Twisted Knee - ???

Marcos Ayerza - LHP - Pulled Calf Muscle - (20th Nov) - 2 Weeks - 3rd Jan?

[h's dad]

They are a team of professional sports men. Not a team of 11 year olds who need a cuddle. We are a business, not a club.

They're human, not machines. They are really not that much different to us.

Assertion, what assertion? Negative comments can inspire performance. Many an opposition coach has made that error. Data? No hard data. Then neither have you.

It works differently depending on whether it comes from the opposition or your mother (or your own fans). You have no facts, What I am saying is backed up by a wealth or research. Not mine. I am not making stuff up but I was smart enough to see the light when it was shone in my eyes.

Tell it how it is. You do it your way, I'll do it mine.

I'm sure you will.

Tigers will need to give better than their best tomorrow. That means acting as a team. Something that will be difficult given the enforced changes.

They need to run out believing that their best will be good enough and that that is what they are going to deliver.

[h's dad]

As a matter of interest does anybody know who was dropped by SCW after the Royal Marines commented on his attitude?

[fentiger]

As a matter of interest does anybody know who was dropped by SCW after the Royal Marines commented on his attitude?

Go on then, I dare you

[Big Dai]

They are actually very different from us. It's what makes them professionals. Try playing against one.......in any sport.

Wealth of research? I think that light blinded you. After action review. What we think went not so well balances what went well. There's a wealth of research on this as well. Some of which I participated in.

Sings "I'll do it my way!"

I think you miss my point. Individually any one in that team will know where he stands in the great pecking order of life against his opposite number. Therefore, individually he knows he may be weaker. The only way forward is to act as a team to cover these deficiencies. That is better done with a recognition of where poor performance is and with a settled team around you.

Finally never wrestle with a pig. You'll only end up covered in mud and after a while you realise the pig actually likes it! I

[Noddy555]

One sticking point tomprrow may be the choice of the match referee Mr J P Doyle. His performances are patchy with 1 good match followed by 3 or 4 pathetic ones.

[Big Dai]

One sticking point tomprrow may be the choice of the match referee Mr J P Doyle. His performances are patchy with 1 good match followed by 3 or 4 pathetic ones.

Plus the weather looks iffy?

[TigerCam]

One sticking point tomprrow may be the choice of the match referee Mr J P Doyle. His performances are patchy with 1 good match followed by 3 or 4 pathetic ones.

Same for both sides - the side that works that out will do the best.

[fleabane]

I get fed up with the "look at our injury list" argument. All teams have injuries. What I cannot accept is the players not turning up, being disorganised, dropping off tackles, not being committed and giving away needless possession and penalties. That doesn't make me a doom monger.

[Tigerbeat]

I get fed up with the "look at our injury list" argument. All teams have injuries. What I cannot accept is the players not turning up, being disorganised, dropping off tackles, not being committed and giving away needless possession and penalties. That doesn't make me a doom monger.

The problem us that the reality of it is that the injury list is causing problems. If it was players Worth, Thacker, Roberts etc it could be understandable. But to have all your big star backs injured and key forwards it is very disruptive.

[Soggypitch]

I can see a big game coming today from "England's forgotten man" Alex Goode....let's hope for equally good performances from our own "forgotten men" Genge, OTY and Burns!!

[h's dad]

They are actually very different from us. It's what makes them professionals. Try playing against one.......in any sport.

Well, not me obviously. Full time training and coaching makes a big difference. I know a number of amateurs who have previously played against players now in the AP and there is a consensus about certain players having made the grade for achievements that aren't on the pitch.

Wealth of research? I think that light blinded you. After action review. What we think went not so well balances what went well. There's a wealth of research on this as well. Some of which I participated in.

I think we're agreed on this. Perhaps you could have taken a little more in? They say it's the top two inches that makes the difference, but you have to use both inches.

Sings "I'll do it my way!"

I think you miss my point. Individually any one in that team will know where he stands in the great pecking order of life against his opposite number. Therefore, individually he knows he may be weaker. The only way forward is to act as a team to cover these deficiencies. That is better done with a recognition of where poor performance is and with a settled team around you.

Finally never wrestle with a pig. You'll only end up covered in mud and after a while you realise the pig actually likes it! I

You also do what you can to close the gap. Your team talk of; 'you're going to get stuffed but the tv and fans are here so get out there for 80 minutes' really doesn't cut it.
Rugby is a really easy game, all you have to do is dot the ball down over the line. No hoops or nets to aim for. It's incredible that scores are so low and, where there is perceived to be a mismatch, often so close. Is it because the differences between the teams aren't that great?

Oink Oink.

[MrPartridge]

Happy New Year to all! Looking forward to today's game. I'm hoping 2017 will see the end of our patchy performances and we couldn't have a greater incentive than the opportunity to beat the European and domestic champions at home at a time when we need a big game to keep or coach in a job and Top 4/6 aspirations alive. If you think Top 6 is nailed on watch out for Quins, Saints and Glos!

Bookies don't give us a prayer: 9/4 for the outright win, 3/1 for a Tigers win by 1-12 points. If you fancy a flutter on Tigers I like 4/1 with Paddy Power that we win in a game where there are less than 41.5 total points. I can see us winning 18-15 but not 27-24.

One hope for today: full house and an atmosphere as crackling as Munster the other week. Thereafter it is up to the team and coaches. Final thought in Lions year: looking forward to seeing Itoje close up!

[Big Dai]

"Well, not me obviously. Full time training and coaching makes a big difference. I know a number of amateurs who have previously played against players now in the AP and there is a consensus about certain players having made the grade for achievements that aren't on the pitch."

There's a focus in the professional not there in the amateur. A mental strength. That strength has to cope with bad news as well as good. difficult conversations maybe. But it has to be done.


"Perhaps you could have taken a little more in?" Don't be a patronising boar! (Oink Oink!)

"They say it's the top two inches that makes the difference, but you have to use both inches."

I prefer the six inches between the ears as being the most important distance in any sport. The problem is keeping it switched on and not reverting to instinct at the first sign of stress. When the opposition is better than you these brain fades come all to frequently. Have we seen this at the Tigers recently?

"You also do what you can to close the gap. Your team talk of; 'you're going to get stuffed but the tv and fans are here so get out there for 80 minutes' really doesn't cut it."

Provocative but inaccurate. How do you know what my team talk would be? I don't think I ever proposed that? I've coached kids playing cricket who have had to go up against really good sides laden with county class players. There's not a gap, there's a gulf. The kids know there's little hope as there are at least four blokes in the opposition team who can score 50s and also bowl quickly, accurately and "at you." There's that difference in class and focus again.

How do you pick a team up? Concentrate on doing the basics well. Bowling, they miss we hit. Fielding drill, drill, drill so the right thing becomes natural and we work as a team. Put best fielders in key positions. batting? Defend and run hard. If we all score 20 we'll make a game of it.

In this position I honestly "Can't see a win," to quote myself, but that doesn't mean I give up.

As for rugby being an easy game..........yeah all you have to do is dot the ball down........but there's skill effort and competence required to get there. The Scrum! If you can't get clean ball from the set piece you are doomed. One prop is better than yours? Then work tactics to minimise that difference by using strengths elsewhere. A fast strike rather than a pushing contest.

On paper Sarries have a better, more settled side than us. I can't see a win. I hope Cockers and co have worked out where we can make up for these perceived deficiencies. I hope the six inches between the ears is switched on (x23). And I hope that even in defeat, should that happen, we put in Tigerish effort.