Could he be the new Neil Back

[Noddy555]

I hope not Iain. He is far too lightweight to be a number 8, a 7 maybe after all Julian Salvi was at that position and he's no giant in stature but he put in some gigantic performances.

[Iain]

I hope not Iain. He is far too lightweight to be a number 8, a 7 maybe after all Julian Salvi was at that position and he's no giant in stature but he put in some gigantic performances.

Salvi is 6 foot 1 and almost 16 stone Noddy...

[kornboy130]

kornboy130
You quite clearly have an axe to grind here because this post along with your assertion that no one bothered to challenge you on earlier ("I know but won't say") are ridiculous.

Bear in mind our current first choice hooker with 2 Lions test caps was given time to convert to hooker from Centre. Giving a player an opportunity to move positions where their skill set might be better placed wouldn't send out a bad message to the squad and other players have been afforded this here and at other clubs in order to further themselves and the ambition of their team so your seeming passion to have him removed from the squad is farcical.


I hasten to add I'm not advocating his move to scrum half personally as I think around the park in his carrying, tackling, passing and offloading he offers enough to be a serviceable premiership player - his size will, I suspect, hold him back from playing Test rugby in either the back row or at hooker.

Damn right I have an axe to grind, seeing the team I follow physically smashed off the park and then arguably the physically weakest player up front hailed as the future, that is ridiculous!
Has nothing been learned from the beatings because there is only one outcome.
Leicester need to become bigger and stronger not smaller and weaker.
Tom Youngs converted to hooker when we needed a hooker as Davies and Chuter were nearing the end of their careers and he has the mentality for front row play, it was suggested the front row could be a place for him after he had a fight in a match.
From the very beginning I never thought that HT had the mentality for front row play!
We don't currently need another 7 and we don't need another 9 and he'd surely only be 4th choice in that position anyway.
He obviously isn't strong enough for test rugby and I don't think it's debatable one bit that he isn't strong enough for European club level and top four Premiership either.

So your line is that he doesn't have it physically or mentally and shouldn't be afforded an opportunity to move positions or indeed be in the team.

Must be quite some conspiracy to you he's put together several man of the match performances for Tigers then.

There's weaknesses to his game as with any young player - but not unworkable ones and he brings a rounded game which makes him well worth keeping. "I never thought he had the mentality for it" despite him being a professional doesn't really cut it as a legitimate line of argument.

[Scott1]

Thacker hasn't the mentality for front row play? Hahahahaha go and have your dinner!

[strawclearer]

Playing 7 against Sarries

[BFG]

kornboy130
So your line is that he doesn't have it physically or mentally and shouldn't be afforded an opportunity to move positions or indeed be in the team.

Must be quite some conspiracy to you he's put together several man of the match performances for Tigers then.

There's weaknesses to his game as with any young player - but not unworkable ones and he brings a rounded game which makes him well worth keeping. "I never thought he had the mentality for it" despite him being a professional doesn't really cut it as a legitimate line of argument.

We obviously disagree, it happens and is fine!
Leicester are where they are and they are not going to improve what they need to improve with smaller and weaker players.
I know many people who are anti-Leicester who are very happy that we are where we are and would enjoy seeing it continue.
He is a good player but good enough, no, and IMO he is unworkable, personalities don't change now and he isn't getting bigger!
He will do alright at a lower level against lesser players as has been shown by his MOM performances to date.
He is more than welcome to prove me wrong and be a prominent player in winning the Premiership and Champions Cup for Leicester but neither will happen together!

[BFG]

Thacker hasn't the mentality for front row play? Hahahahaha go and have your dinner!

Is that the same Scott1 who reckons Fitzgerald is the best 6 at the club!

[Scott1]

Yeah the same Fitzy who was our best forward last season from 6 and was voted PPOTS from 6 and who has been nowhere near as good this season not playing at 6,now that's funny

[sam16111986]

No Spicer unless he grows another 15 inches, No. 8's these days are used as the 3rd option to throw to in a line out unless you have a tall flanker such as Crofty, come to think of it the more options you have in a line out the better, a team with 6 or 7 options could leave the opposition confused as long as communication lines are clear.

Yep because Big Billy V at Sarries and Nathan Hughes at Wasps are crucial lineout options for their clubs and England. As long as there is a member of the backrow that can jump in addition to the locks then three jumpers should be fine. Communication is as you say the most crucial aspect of the lineout.