Bath vs Tigers

[4071]

Using ages puts a huge hole in your analysis straight away, experience is a far,far better reference to work from.

Either way...

1. Auterac 25 - 31 Traynor*
2. Van Vuuren 26 - 23 Thacker
3. Andrews* 28 - 30 Baumann*
4. Douglas 22 - 24 Wells
5. Phillips 30 - 32 Tuohy*
6. Garvey 30 - 19 Lewis
7. Bayliss 20 - 18 Reffell
8. Grant 30 - 20 Tuilagi

9. Green 21 - 19 White
10. Burns* 27 - 18 Hardwick
11. Davis 19 - 30 Thompstone
12. Banahan* 31 - 21 Thacker
13. Clark 22 - 19 Olowofela
14. Wilson 28 - 24 Holmes
15. Homer 27 - 19 Simmons

Three international starters each, but outside the tight five an absolute gulf in both age and experience. And that was before Tigers offloaded a bench with six players aged 21 or under. Whilst there was some to criticize about how Tigers played, the youngsters generally exceeded expectation and 2 points is a fine return for such a young side.

The three internationals in the tight five were a bit of a let down, though. They were supposed to be the age and experience keeping the kids afloat and they were really lacking.

[trendylfj]

Still not convinced about Freddie - but agree it was a better performance - still don't like him stopping pushing in the scrum to pick the ball out particularly on our own line but understand what he is trying to do. I was really pleased with the efforts of the youngsters as most people were and just sorry they were not able to close the game out. The last score was almost inevitable after the sin bin decision. They will have learnt a lot from this experience.

[BFG]

Using ages puts a huge hole in your analysis straight away, experience is a far,far better reference to work from.

Either way...

1. Auterac 25 - 31 Traynor*
2. Van Vuuren 26 - 23 Thacker
3. Andrews* 28 - 30 Baumann*
4. Douglas 22 - 24 Wells
5. Phillips 30 - 32 Tuohy*
6. Garvey 30 - 19 Lewis
7. Bayliss 20 - 18 Reffell
8. Grant 30 - 20 Tuilagi

9. Green 21 - 19 White
10. Burns* 27 - 18 Hardwick
11. Davis 19 - 30 Thompstone
12. Banahan* 31 - 21 Thacker
13. Clark 22 - 19 Olowofela
14. Wilson 28 - 24 Holmes
15. Homer 27 - 19 Simmons

Three international starters each, but outside the tight five an absolute gulf in both age and experience. And that was before Tigers offloaded a bench with six players aged 21 or under. Whilst there was some to criticize about how Tigers played, the youngsters generally exceeded expectation and 2 points is a fine return for such a young side.

The three internationals in the tight five were a bit of a let down, though. They were supposed to be the age and experience keeping the kids afloat and they were really lacking.

I believe the age argument is highly debatable, Simmons at 19 was better for me than 27 year old Homer, the experience argument is quite valid sometimes though and especially at prop.
I don't discount others just because I thought that he was very good but I did think he was a cut above.
They didn't exceed my expectations but I suppose they are high and it depends how highly you rate the opposition.
I don't really rate the likes of Banahan that highly, a winger at 12 and always a bit flaky IMO, Garvey is their skipper but I wouldn't swap him for any Leicester back row player to be honest.
Burns has got talent but is a loose cannon IMO, he got MoM, he won them the game, he also nearly lost them the game, probably why he plays a lot in this competition!
Many youngsters were better than the experienced players on the park IMO!
It's all opinion and not fact, Hardwick can be better than Burns IMO, I don't think he can be better than Ford though, just my opinion, he currently goal kicks better than both and I think that is possibly a fact!

[Scott11]

So Burns has gone from an international and AP and RCC virtual ever present to an AWC level player lol? Nothing to do with his injury or ban? Nonsense again. Players don't half get forgotten about quickly when they dare leave WR!

[BFG]

Burns is a rather selfish player IMO and the more I see him the more I think it's all about him, there are 14 other players on the park!
I don't doubt that he has talent and a lot of it, but from a team perspective he is as liable to lose a game as win it!

[TheRock]

So Burns has gone from an international and AP and RCC virtual ever present to an AWC level player lol? Nothing to do with his injury or ban? Nonsense again. Players don't half get forgotten about quickly when they dare leave WR!

He's certainly better than just an AWC player but he isn't anywhere near as good as many on here were making him out last season and definitely not on the same level as Ford

[JP14]

Garvey is their skipper but I wouldn't swap him for any Leicester back row player to be honest.

I hate Garvey as a player in my opinion, didn’t do one thing legally in the game at WR

[BigDan50]

I hate people who hurt children, I hate terrorist who harm innocent people, I do not hate any rugby player who plays for any other team.
Without other teams to play we wouldn't have this wonderful game of rugby to follow and support.
I say again the word hate should never be used in connection with an opposing team player.

[BFG]

I hate people who hurt children, I hate terrorist who harm innocent people, I do not hate any rugby player who plays for any other team.
Without other teams to play we wouldn't have this wonderful game of rugby to follow and support.
I say again the word hate should never be used in connection with an opposing team player.

I just read it as an intense dislike of his play!

[fentiger]

I hate people who hurt children, I hate terrorist who harm innocent people, I do not hate any rugby player who plays for any other team.
Without other teams to play we wouldn't have this wonderful game of rugby to follow and support.
I say again the word hate should never be used in connection with an opposing team player.

I just read it as an intense dislike of his play!

... and JP did say... in his opinion! We’re all entitled to those (even on this forum)

[BFG]

I hate people who hurt children, I hate terrorist who harm innocent people, I do not hate any rugby player who plays for any other team.
Without other teams to play we wouldn't have this wonderful game of rugby to follow and support.
I say again the word hate should never be used in connection with an opposing team player.

I just read it as an intense dislike of his play!

... and JP did say... in his opinion! We’re all entitled to those (even on this forum)

Spot on, in my opinion!

I think forum retirement is looming for me, maybe stock up on Marmite and invite some friends round for tea, see how many I can upset!

[WhitecapTiger]

Garvey is their skipper but I wouldn't swap him for any Leicester back row player to be honest.

I hate Garvey as a player in my opinion, didn’t do one thing legally in the game at WR

But is that the player's fault? Not in my book, if he wasn't legal and got away with it persistently then it was weak officiating.

[johnthegriff]

I hope BFG is not serious about retiring from the forum, I don't agree with his opinion of Harry Thacker and a few other subjects but I do agree with much of what he says. Whether I agree or not he always explains his thinking and I think this forum will be poorer if he is not contributing to it, even if what he says is wrong!

[Mark62]

I hope BFG is not serious about retiring from the forum, I don't agree with his opinion of Harry Thacker and a few other subjects but I do agree with much of what he says. Whether I agree or not he always explains his thinking and I think this forum will be poorer if he is not contributing to it, even if what he says is wrong!

Unfortunately I think that BFG is not alone in feeling this way, there are too many people who aren’t able to draw a distinction between debating and mud slinging

[Scott11]

Anyone know what Maksimmyw yellow was for at that lineout maul? I can't see an infringement. Should've been turnover scrum for us,which probably wouldn't have made a difference anyway .