Tigers Vs Quins

[JP14]

My Matchday Squad for Saturday is this
1. Genge
2. T Youngs
3. Cole
4. Wells
5. Mapapalangi
6. Williams
7. Evans
8. Hamilton
9. B Youngs
10. G Ford
11. May
12. Toomua
13. Smith
14. Malouf
15. Vieanu
16. Thacker
17. Bateman (we need Rizzo back)
18. Logo (Is Cilliers fit yet?)
19. Barrow
20. Kalamafoni
21. Harrison
22. J Ford
23. Owen (hopefully fit if not then Tait)

[Hot_Charlie]

17. Bateman (we need Rizzo back)

Why? Bateman and Rizzo were both available in pre-season and Bateman has said he's focussing on LH this year (he may soon become the first player to start Premiership matches in all front row positions). He's clearly there on merit.

Bateman offers a huge amount arount the pitch both in handling and carrying, and behind Genge is probably our most mobile prop and has a fair turn of speed.

[JP14]

i don't believe he is a good scrummager at loosehead or other that is just getting used to permanently scrumming at LH

[ABClub]

Rotation is the main reason that I want to see Rizzo back sooner rather than later.

Cole needs rotating and resting following the Lions tour. Logo is returning from injury and best rotated to keep him fresh.

Rizzo is excellent at set-piece and tidily gets on with his work around the field. I really hope the loan doesn't become permanent.

Like many I'd also be interested to see Bateman scrummaging at hooker at some point too.

[tigerburnie]

I doubt much will change from the last starting XV

[strawclearer]

I'm thinking...

15 Telusa Veainu
14 Nick Malouf
13 Matt Smith
12 Matt Toomua
11 Jonny May
10 George Ford
9 Ben Youngs
1 Ellis Genge
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Dan Cole
4 Harry Wells
5 Dom Barrow
6 Mike Williams
7 Luke Hamilton
8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Harry Thacker
17 Greg Bateman
18 Logovi’i Mulipola
19 Valentino Mapapalangi
20 Will Evans
21 Sam Harrison
22 Joe Ford
23 Gareth Owen

[Seal]

Interesting to see Malouf back in favour by posters on here. It would nice to have an update on Thompstone, Holmes, Catchpole etc soon though.

[Stephen18]

I'm thinking...

15 Telusa Veainu
14 Nick Malouf
13 Matt Smith
12 Matt Toomua
11 Jonny May
10 George Ford
9 Ben Youngs
1 Ellis Genge
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Dan Cole
4 Harry Wells
5 Dom Barrow
6 Mike Williams
7 Luke Hamilton
8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Harry Thacker
17 Greg Bateman
18 Logovi’i Mulipola
19 Valentino Mapapalangi
20 Will Evans
21 Sam Harrison
22 Joe Ford
23 Gareth Owen

That's about the same as I'd go with although I do think as much as I'd like to see Evans or croft, we need a second row on the bench and I think maksymiw earned the right to make the squad as did tait for Owen.

[ABClub]

1.Genge
2.Youngs
3.Cole
4.Williams
5.Wells
6.Croft
7.Evans
8.Kalamafoni

9.Youngs
10.G Ford

11.May
12.Toomua
13.Smith
14.Malouf
15.Veainu

16.Thacker
17.Bateman
18.Mulipola
19.Mapapalangi
20.Hamilton
21.Harrison
22.J Ford
23.Tait

If Tombstone is available I'd bring him onto the bench with Joe Ford making way.

Croft is the best line-out jumper at the club even with Kitch available. In current circumstances he could add a lot. That said I don't see MOC moving away from the powerful back row seen last week and given our complaints last season increasing physicality is fair enough.

Is Dom expected to be fit for this weekend?

[Roly]

I doubt much will change from the last starting XV

And neither should it really. It showed what it was capable of for the 1st 25 minutes - all they need to do is replicate it (with the exception that the lineout needs to be more accurate).

Is Toomua fit?

[tigerburnie]

If the team is to start to gel, continuity will be at the fore front I would have thought, minor adjustments maybe, but on the whole I thought, in parts, we were very good last weekend.

[Roly]

If the team is to start to gel, continuity will be at the fore front I would have thought, minor adjustments maybe, but on the whole I thought, in parts, we were very good last weekend.

On the whole in parts...... okay....

I think if you looked at it dispassionately, you'd have to say that on the whole, the team were poor. The forwards were out muscled and the lineout was garbage. The backs looked lost after Toomua went off. Ford's tactical kicking gave Glaws the only real opportunities they had to counter-attack. For 50 minutes, Tigers struggled to gain parity and failed to secure what should have been a nailed on BP.

In parts, they were very good and this is where the damage was done - in the 1st 25 minutes. Quins wont be so accommodating.

But the team showed what it could do and I agree, continuity is crucial.

[dpoc74]

I am going on Saturday and I can't wait.
First away game of the season.

One half of me is optimistic, but then the other half of me starts talking.........

I have no idea how we will do, which team will turn up but no doubt I will shout "Tigers" at the top of my voice and cheer on every point we score.

Speaking to my Quins mate, he is feeling optimistic. Lets hope he is wrong!

[Tomvarndell]

Matt Toomua is the key. Without him I fear the worst. We badly need him to be available to play. I'm not sure what the situation is regarding these head injury assessments and playing the next week.

[chewbacca]

Matt Toomua is the key. Without him I fear the worst. We badly need him to be available to play. I'm not sure what the situation is regarding these head injury assessments and playing the next week.

Agreed. I thought Matt was tactically aware and clearly enjoys tackling. Disappointed with our aimless kick-chase last Saturday, as a tactic employed over several seasons now one would have thought the negative outcome of giving the opposition the ball and lots of space to run it back would have been recognised.