London Irish v Tigers

[Mark62]

Should probably been a 5 pointer, but Sarries didn’t get the tbp at Worcester who sit below Irish in the table.
No easy away games this season

True - but then how many TBP have Sarries dropped this season? The Worcester game was the exception, not the rule.

Against Newcastle in Philadelphia. From a possible 30 points they have 23

[Roly]

Should probably been a 5 pointer, but Sarries didn’t get the tbp at Worcester who sit below Irish in the table.
No easy away games this season

True - but then how many TBP have Sarries dropped this season? The Worcester game was the exception, not the rule.

Against Newcastle in Philadelphia. From a possible 30 points they have 23

I know, shocking isn't it. How will they cope.

[ourla]

I am not concerned about the BP on Saturday because there were mitigating circs. Other games we've had better opportunities. But that is fine. I don't think anybody is saying we are "world beaters" yet. But going from 0 and 2 to 4 & 2 is pretty positive. Now for Europe.

[Red Boots]

If the yellow carded go to the sin bin would the red carded have to go to Poo Corner?

[Grimlish]

Sarries only have two more bonus points than we do, but 23 points in total to our 17. The difference lies in number of wins - it’s always wins over TBPs - it’s simple really, a win gains 4 points and a TBP is just that, a single bonus.

[Flash]

Sarries only have two more bonus points than we do, but 23 points in total to our 17. The difference lies in number of wins - it’s always wins over TBPs - it’s simple really, a win gains 4 points and a TBP is just that, a single bonus.

But they soon add up. Aren't Exeter a TBP victory worth of points ahead of us with the same number of wins?

You need the BP to finish top 2.

[Grimlish]

But Exeter aren’t top, Sarries are.

[Roly]

But Exeter aren’t top, Sarries are.

Semantics, there is very little between them.

The fact is, with the try bonus points that Tigers 'should' have taken so far this season, they too would already be in the top four and those bonus points would have almost nullified one of Tigers' early season losses (if you accept that Tigers would only have got 4 points from either of those matches). To say bonus points don't really matter is rubbish - they absolutely do matter and can be the difference between a home and an away semi-final for example.

LI were there for the taking on Saturday.

[Tiglon]

Points matter. It really doesn't matter if they come from scoring five tries or winning a match.

For now, winning games regardless of TBP's is the priority. More wins = more confidence = more tries = more bonus points = more total points.

If you assume the winning will happen regardless and aim for TBP's from the first minute of games, you may find that you don't have enough wins for the bonus points to make any difference at all. Clearly it would be better if we had won a TBP against LI as well, but if we had pushed too hard for it perhaps we wouldn't have got the win at all.

It looks set to be a close race for the playoffs, and for home semis, and Tigers are well in the mix after more than a quarter of the season.

[Roly]

If you assume the winning will happen regardless and aim for TBP's from the first minute of games, you may find that you don't have enough wins for the bonus points to make any difference at all. Clearly it would be better if we had won a TBP against LI as well, but if we had pushed too hard for it perhaps we wouldn't have got the win at all.

Tigers had LI on toast for the majority of the first half at least. The general consensus amongst LI supporters (and I'm in LI country here) is that Tigers 'butchered' at least four try scoring opportunities in the match. Previous accusations that Tigers 'should' have taken the try bonus points but didn't are debateable - but this match was a nailed on 5 points, Tigers just didn't take the opportunity. For the first twenty minutes, Tigers ran riot, and LI's defence was non-existent for the first half, so I don't buy that pre-match disruption reduced their ability to take maximum points. Poor finishing, poor decision making and complacency cost them the try bonus point.

If Tigers are this careless and error strewn in at Racing they'll get slaughtered. Tigers should get a few big names back but they were so sloppy ball in hand. They have to stop missing out on the bonus points, the top sides amass these and Tigers keep spurning them.

[TomWeston]

Previous accusations that Tigers 'should' have taken the try bonus points but didn't are debateable - but this match was a nailed on 5 points, Tigers just didn't take the opportunity. [\quote]

'Opportunity' says it all. We didn't take it and so 5 points was not 'nailed on'.

Move on!

If Tigers are this careless and error strewn in at Racing they'll get slaughtered. Tigers should get a few big names back but they were so sloppy ball in hand. They have to stop missing out on the bonus points, the top sides amass these and Tigers keep spurning them.

Not 'spurning them', failing to get them.

[Grimlish]

Look at it another way - when did Tigers most significantly fail to score League points? Forget Saints away - a Derby game we seemed not to turn up for. Bath at home we gave away two tries on a plate and still managed to throw away a match winning opportunity with the lineout at the end of the game. Take that opportunity and we would have been four League points better off. Not one, but four.

PS I know we would have got a TBP but we also wouldn’t have got a LBP.

[L Smith]

Semantics, there is very little between them.

Statistics: yes, mathematics: yes, Facts, yes...
Semantics: no



[/quote]LI were there for the taking on Saturday.
[/quote]

Yep: should have got 5 in the first half. We need to find our killer instinct from somewhere.

[ourla]

I think everyone is getting a bit fixated with something that is secondary right now. Hear me out. We were all salivating at the start of the season at the prospect of Manu, Toomua, Ford, May cutting up defences across the land. Feeling fairly confident are forwards were a match. And we had our bubble burst a bit those first couple of matches. So I think what is more important is that that we are as it were back on track. Our forwards I have recaptured much of their mojo and the backs have started to show what they can do. And us fans weren't completely living in cloud cuckoo land. We've still quite a bit to work on to "trouble the judge" but as we get better I would expect the BP tally to rise.

[Roly]

I think everyone is getting a bit fixated with something that is secondary right now. Hear me out. We were all salivating at the start of the season at the prospect of Manu, Toomua, Ford, May cutting up defences across the land. Feeling fairly confident are forwards were a match. And we had our bubble burst a bit those first couple of matches. So I think what is more important is that that we are as it were back on track. Our forwards I have recaptured much of their mojo and the backs have started to show what they can do. And us fans weren't completely living in cloud cuckoo land. We've still quite a bit to work on to "trouble the judge" but as we get better I would expect the BP tally to rise.

I absolutely agree - but that try bonus point was there for the taking on Saturday, and it should have been taken. Come the end of the season, points (can make the job of) making prizes a whole lot easier. Its all relative, if Tigers begin to pick up bonus points that's great, but their nearest rivals are already a match win ahead in terms of the bonuses they've picked up.