Tigers Vs Gloucester

[JP14]

I think we should play Hamilton at 7 and Will Evans at 6, at 7 Hamilton can help Ford with tackling an on rushing Ben Morgan/Ruan Ackermann from the scrum. With Evans at 6 he still gives the breakdown quality we need. The Lions deployed a similar tactic with Sean O'Brien at 7 and Sam Warburton at 6 to help Sexton with tackling Luamape (I think that's his name)

[Scott11]

No good mate,SW altbough a 7 is very physical and abrasive player and has lots of experience on the blindside Will wpuld be the most underpowered blindside ever,he is the definition of a true openside.

[Jimmy Skitz]

Why is Bateman not considered at hooker anymore. Powerful scrummager, better ball carrier than TY and throwing in was fine when I last saw it.

because he's needed at Prop right now?

don't quite get what people are going for on here when mentioning our lack of power then advocating to bring in both Croft and Evans at 6 & 7?

because the lineout has been a complete mess and Croft is outstanding in the lineout, O'Connor is injured and Evans is a true 7

[Mark62]

With the changes in tackle/ ruck law the days of the out and out 7 are numbered imho. Big is beautiful as has been proved by the 2 big back rows that have blitzed us so far, Garvey, Lowe and Faletau followed by Lawes Gibson and Harrison. If anything I think the ball playing smaller player is more likely to be used at 8 now, such as BOC.
Personally I would go for a back row of Williams, Hamilton, Khalamafoni, and if Williams is used in the row, put Mapalanga at 6.

[Chobbsy]

With the changes in tackle/ ruck law the days of the out and out 7 are numbered imho. Big is beautiful as has been proved by the 2 big back rows that have blitzed us so far, Garvey, Lowe and Faletau followed by Lawes Gibson and Harrison. If anything I think the ball playing smaller player is more likely to be used at 8 now, such as BOC.
Personally I would go for a back row of Williams, Hamilton, Khalamafoni, and if Williams is used in the row, put Mapalanga at 6.

Why did we bring Mapalanga in if we are not going to give him a chance, he will stand out in the A league of course, throw in him in, if he swims, happy days, if he sinks, the A league it is

[strawclearer]

TigersFans on Fb reporting Owen Williams and Fraser Balmain ruled out this weekend. Ben Morgan and Mark Atkinson still out.

[Noddy555]

Sorry I disagree about swapping around flankers. O'Connor should stay at 7 and Tom Croft should play at 6. I saw
Crofty just before the Bath game when he called into the Try Line club and I asked him are you injured? He replied
No! It was inexplicable of Matt O'Connor not to include him in that game and even more despicable not to play him last Saturday given the fact that we struggled mightily in the line outs throughout the whole game, Should he not be included in Saturday's team then I can only come to the conclusion that the coach has a personal issue with this player. His prowess in the line out is beyond question and he brings something to the back line that has been sorely missing in the first two games of the season i.e. Pure Skill in ball carrying.

[Mark62]

Shame he doesn't play in the back line Noddy.

[Tiglon]

Shame he doesn't play in the back line Noddy.

To be fair, he does spend a lot of his time on the wing.

[LE18]

With our failing lineout I think Croft must be selected, also with BOC out we need to make a change there.
I would suggest a completely different set up as follows,
Genge, Bateman, Cole, Williams, Barrow, Croft, Kalamafoni, and wait for it, if he must be picked then Thacker at 7. We would match them 1-5 +8, with Croft to steal lineouts for us, and if everone wants Harry in the side, play him here and not at hooker!
I expect many will not agree but I think that 8 might give us some ball to play with!

[strawclearer]

Making assumptions for injuries:

1. Genge
2. Bateman
3. Cole
4. Williams
5. Barrow
6. Croft
7. Evans
8. Hamilton
9. Youngs
10.G.Ford
11.May
12.Toomua
13.Smith
14.Veainu
15.Tait

16.Mahoney
17.Thacker
18.Mulipola
19.Wells
20.Kalamafoni
21.Harrison
22.J.Ford
23.Holmes

[JP14]

No good mate,SW altbough a 7 is very physical and abrasive player and has lots of experience on the blindside Will wpuld be the most underpowered blindside ever,he is the definition of a true openside.

Yh good point but do u see my idea of helping George Ford against an on rushing back rower

[JP14]

In the Mercury it seemed to me O'Connor rated Owen and I think we will see him more when he returns from a back niggle which is y we didn't see him in preseason

[BFG]

don't quite get what people are going for on here when mentioning our lack of power then advocating to bring in both Croft and Evans at 6 & 7?

I went for Evans because BOC is out and I thought Evans was the best direct replacement, he has a good engine and I'd like to see how he could positively affect securing attacking ball in phase play as well as the odd potential turnover in defence, and if he does't start playing he will not develop or be off elsewhere to play.
I'd go for Locky were he still here!
Croft would be very useful at the line out, but more so I thought Leicester's best attacking strategy at present is getting it out wide to the likes of May, and Croft has always been a huge added threat in the outside channels.
I'd go as physical as possible front five.

[Chobbsy]

Making assumptions for injuries:

1. Genge
2. Bateman
3. Cole
4. Williams
5. Barrow
6. Croft
7. Evans
8. Hamilton
9. Youngs
10.G.Ford
11.May
12.Toomua
13.Smith
14.Veainu
15.Tait

16.Mahoney
17.Thacker
18.Mulipola
19.Wells
20.Kalamafoni
21.Harrison
22.J.Ford
23.Holmes

I agree with the swap around of centres inside to out and vice versa but for me the back row is far too lightweight