Saints Away

[Spicer]

What a joke. Not so much the front row but the rest of the pack get bossed around. It's not hard to see why, our two summer signings in the pack that have played were average players at their respective clubs, why would they be better here? It doesn't matter that our backs are good players if the forwards lose the battle.

To put it into perspective we just got battered to a team that last week got murdered by Sarries. We are a long way off.

Matt O'Connor needs to drop a load of players.

[RagingBull]

wonder how the A league will go.

Mapapalangi and Wells should they play could have a big chance to make a 23 statement.

Charlie Thacker and Holmes might have a chance.

[Scott11]

7 points down on the same fixtures last season. We will have to claw them back vs the top 3 or Sale or Bath away just to stand still at 4th...gulp!

[Big Dai]

True but we've not lost against Sale at home..........................yet

[Downsouth]

I can't disagree with Ragin Bull's suggestion for next week. I don't like to point the finger at individual players but was O'Connor fit at the start and whilst I am sure Malouf will come good, surely Holmes is a better bet now. Many of our signings need front foot ball - I for one would rather press the gamble button for a chance of silverware rather than think 4th place is good enough.

[Stephen18]

I have to be honest I wasn't sold on I moc as the new director of rugby when announced his only success was as a coach here, I know there's a lot of the season left, and he could turn it round but I'm struggling to see how with what has looked like very average recruitment and coaching which has to fall onto the board and maybe tigers need to completely restructure from the top to the bottom and rebuild a squad rather than trying to buy success as it isn't working for us.

[drc_007]

I'm not sure it matters which players are selected, if they are poorly coached they will fall apart under pressure. The standard of forward play has declined over several seasons and all the institutional knowledge that formed the Tigers DNA seems to have been lost. Unfortunately that will take a while to recover, and only once a great forwards coach is in place.

[Scott11]

I never wanted MOC! Cohen deceived us all,it went from a world class coach,let's scour the world,money isn't an option to he has to have the Tigers culture and has to have AP experience, I will never forgive Cohen for that!

[Mark62]

Agree with the comments about the back 5 of the scrum. You can have the best backs in the world but if no go forward too easy to defend.
Also I would look at having a footballer at 15 and moving Veianu to the other wing.

Scrum next week injuries allowing has to be Genge Mcguigan Cole Barrow Wells Williams Owens Hamilton

[RagingBull]

Would like to see us look at David Wessels to help the defence and the aggression at the maul.

Ain't happening but may be an option considering what has happened to the force.

[RagingBull]

Agree with the comments about the back 5 of the scrum. You can have the best backs in the world but if no go forward too easy to defend.
Also I would look at having a footballer at 15 and moving Veianu to the other wing.

Scrum next week injuries allowing has to be Genge Mcguigan Cole Barrow Wells Williams Owens Hamilton

Owens?

[Mark62]

My mistake Will Evans

[Pellsey]

One of the things worrying me the most is MoC saying things like "early days" and "nothing is won in September". I cannot stand what seems to be not far from apothy. I miss Cockers telling the truth. This was absolute borvial stools. No cohesion. No pride. The whole team need to become Tigers again. They are playing like pussy cats. COYT!

[drc_007]

Kalamafoni made 20 tackles missed none, Hamilton was just behind on 19 missed 1. They also made significant yardage (20 m) carrying the ball.

In contrast none of the tight-five made it into double figures ball carrying. Kitchener 1m, Barrow 2m, T Youngs 1m, Cole 2m.

In contrast 6 members of Saints pack made it into double figures, even Brookes managed 9m.

[Stephen18]

Another issue I see is a lot of players not living up to their promise as has been said on here Kitchener just hasn't moved on, I know we've not seen much of him and it hard to judge with the current pack but not seen much to say tamooas is going to be the rock like Allen O'Connor although good is not the international quality flanker that was talked about, and still don't know if the the money and burns for ford was worth it (hope I'm proven wrong on that) but burns made things happen on the back foot. We just seem to wait to long to bring young players in waiting till there 25 as where other clubs bring them in at 19-21 like maro, curry, so by 25 their premiership player if not international players, not just learning the premiership.