Tigers v Saints AWC Saturday 28th Jan.

[ourla]

Anyone who thinks that is a really strong Saints team doesn't know much.

Teams are evenly matched.

[BFG]

I agree with ourla!
I'd say Leicester have more regular 1st team players included.
For Saints no Hartley, Haywood, Lawes, Craig, Wood, Harrison, Clark, Picamoles, Myler, Hanrahan, Foden, Burrell, Collins and George Pisi, and that is just off the top of my head.
The usual worries about the scrum but that has been so for nearly two years now so nothing unexpected in that, Saints only have the younger Waller starting so not as bad as it could've been, and Leicester have two props with international caps starting anyway.
It'll either be fine or it won't!

[MikeR]

Didn't realise Balmain was an International - must have missed that !

[RagingBull]

I agree with ourla!
I'd say Leicester have more regular 1st team players included.
For Saints no Hartley, Haywood, Lawes, Craig, Wood, Harrison, Clark, Picamoles, Myler, Hanrahan, Foden, Burrell, Collins and George Pisi, and that is just off the top of my head.
The usual worries about the scrum but that has been so for nearly two years now so nothing unexpected in that, Saints only have the younger Waller starting so not as bad as it could've been, and Leicester have two props with international caps starting anyway.
It'll either be fine or it won't!

Balmain has no international caps....

[Noddy555]

True to the spirit of this competition I'm glad to see that both sides are playing a lot of youngsters and players who are not first team regulars.

[DC1989]

Agreed Noddy- important to enter in to the spirit of the cup.
Thought this weekend might be a good week to give a bit of game time to Jordan Crane though - disappointed not to see him get 80mins under his belt. Think he could really add some grunt in this East Midlands derby.

[BFG]

Didn't realise Balmain was an International - must have missed that !

Only in his own mind!
Ooops, I didn't look at 3 at all, just assumed Cilliers was playing.

[LE18]

DC1989

[Lammy]

Agreed Noddy- important to enter in to the spirit of the cup.
Thought this weekend might be a good week to give a bit of game time to Jordan Crane though - disappointed not to see him get 80mins under his belt. Think he could really add some grunt in this East Midlands derby.

Agreed. I was hoping for Matt Poole and Steve Hackney too.

[jgriffin]

I agree with ourla!
I'd say Leicester have more regular 1st team players included.
For Saints no Hartley, Haywood, Lawes, Craig, Wood, Harrison, Clark, Picamoles, Myler, Hanrahan, Foden, Burrell, Collins and George Pisi, and that is just off the top of my head.
The usual worries about the scrum but that has been so for nearly two years now so nothing unexpected in that, Saints only have the younger Waller starting so not as bad as it could've been, and Leicester have two props with international caps starting anyway.
It'll either be fine or it won't!

Balmain has no international caps....

They have some on duty and some who would not be a strengthening. HoweverI will suspend judgement and we shall see. I hold out no great hope.

[BFG]

I agree with ourla!
I'd say Leicester have more regular 1st team players included.
For Saints no Hartley, Haywood, Lawes, Craig, Wood, Harrison, Clark, Picamoles, Myler, Hanrahan, Foden, Burrell, Collins and George Pisi, and that is just off the top of my head.
The usual worries about the scrum but that has been so for nearly two years now so nothing unexpected in that, Saints only have the younger Waller starting so not as bad as it could've been, and Leicester have two props with international caps starting anyway.
It'll either be fine or it won't!

Balmain has no international caps....

They have some on duty and some who would not be a strengthening. HoweverI will suspend judgement and we shall see. I hold out no great hope.

I know what you mean and it's probably a measure of where we are currently.
Lots of good players but at the same time very beatable.
I would've liked to have seen a slightly different mix as I believe we are flogging a dead horse with a few!

[Norfolk & Goode]

Squad strength is less important than squad cohesion at the moment, last week saw a strong side play as individuals so why not mix up the Academy /2nd XV and 1st teamers to get some form of cohesion one way or another.

FYI Saints have an ex-Tigers Academy Captain hooking against us tomorrow, another missed opportunity let go!

[Hot_Charlie]

FYI Saints have an ex-Tigers Academy Captain hooking against us tomorrow, another missed opportunity let go!

Not really. He's only just come into the Premiership at the age of 24/25 and is very much their third choice (apart from when Dullan is banned).

Good to see some "2nd line" players getting game time tomorrow, and nice to see Croft, Catchpole and Rizzo back. Hopefully the junior bench players will get plenty of game time.

[Doghashadhisday]

With Glos drawing tonight a bonus point win tomorrow sees us through to knockout stage.

Come on Tigers!

[grobyman]

Agreed Noddy- important to enter in to the spirit of the cup.
Thought this weekend might be a good week to give a bit of game time to Jordan Crane though - disappointed not to see him get 80mins under his belt. Think he could really add some grunt in this East Midlands derby.

Obviously some sort of strange parallel universe