Tigers v Worcester

[JP14]

Tuilagi would be nowhere near my 23!

Against Worcester I think Tigers could give him a shot on the bench

[Roly]

Tuilagi would be nowhere near my 23!

Against Worcester I think Tigers could give him a shot on the bench

I'm not so sure. Worcester is a potential banana skin and Tigers don't want to be at home to Mister Cock-Up.

[ourla]

Officials for the game:

Referee: Greg Macdonald
Assistant referees: Jack Makepeace, Simon McConnell
TMO: Mark Lewis

[Chobbsy]

1 Bateman
2 Youngs
3 Cilliers (hopefully)
4 Fitzgerald
5 Barrow/Kitchener
6 Williams
7 Evans
8 Mapapalangi/O’Connor/Tuilagi
9 Simmons
10 J Ford
11 Thompstone
12 Owen
13 Smith
14 Malouf
15 Holmes/Veainu

If Mapapalangi isn’t available I would have Tuilagi or O’Connor at 8 and if he is available have Barrow and Fitzgerald together because Mapapalangi is a good line out forward and we won’t need Kitchener. I think Simmons deserved his chance, I thought that Harrison was a bit slower than usual with his passing and his box-kicking was too short.

We need the strongest team available, we don't want to end up like Saints, plus if we can we want a win with a bonus point

Just because it is Worcester we cannot be complacent.

[DeadlyDunc]

I see "Sir" is Greg McDonald who performed so well in the Anglo Welsh game against Bath.

Make of that what you will

[Tigerbeat]

Leicester Tigers v Worcester Warriors (Welford Road, 3pm)
Referee: Greg Macdonald (5th Premiership game).
Assistant Referees: Jack Makepeace & Simon McConnell.
TMO: Keith Lewis.
Citing Officer: John Byett

Leicester Tigers have won their last six Aviva Premiership Rugby fixtures – their best run in the tournament since season 2013-14. Tigers have lost only one of their six home games in all competitions this season: 23-27 to Bath in round 1 of Premiership Rugby.

Worcester Warriors climbed off the bottom of the Aviva Premiership Rugby table for the first time since round 1 with their 30-15 victory at home to Northampton Saints on Saturday. The Warriors have not won away from home in Premiership Rugby since a trip to Harlequins in March 2016.

Worcester have beaten Leicester just twice in their history, both at Sixways, in Premiership Rugby in 2005 and 2008. The Warriors have visited Welford Road on fourteen previous occasions since their first in the Midland Counties Cup in 1895, and have lost them all.

[Mark62]

Tuilagi would be nowhere near my 23!

Against Worcester I think Tigers could give him a shot on the bench

Sorry JP he is no where near good enough for premiership rugby. It’s all very well saying put him on the bench but if there was a match ending injury 5 minutes in to one of the starting back row, that could potentially cost the match

[JP14]

Sorry JP he is no where near good enough for premiership rugby. It’s all very well saying put him on the bench but if there was a match ending injury 5 minutes in to one of the starting back row, that could potentially cost the match

I wouldn't called Baumann premiership standard either but injury and international unavailability will mean that he is probably on the bench this Saturday.

I respect your opinion but I do believe that Tuilagi Jr deserves his chance, maybe not against Worcester but at some point during this premiership season

[Mark62]

Sorry JP he is no where near good enough for premiership rugby. It’s all very well saying put him on the bench but if there was a match ending injury 5 minutes in to one of the starting back row, that could potentially cost the match

I wouldn't called Baumann premiership standard either but injury and international unavailability will mean that he is probably on the bench this Saturday.

I respect your opinion but I do believe that Tuilagi Jr deserves his chance, maybe not against Worcester but at some point during this premiership season

I respect your opinion too and that is what forums are about, I just feel he is so far off other back rowers of his age it’s scary

[JP14]

I respect your opinion too and that is what forums are about, I just feel he is so far off other back rowers of his age it’s scary

Nick Easter was a slow developer didn't really hit the spotlight till 26 and he was one of England's best Number 8s and was unfortunate to be dropped by Lancaster. The only other back-rower I can think of that is the same age is Zach Mercer who has had loads of exposure with the England U20s and the premiership whereas Tuilagi is a recent convert to the back-row from prop

[FrontRowUnionMember]

Why wasn't Veaniu playing for Tonga? Surely they don't have better full backs/wingers. Unless they're trailing people.

Sorry if this has already been done.

Ironically last few weekends it was another Tiger at fullback, Pakalani.

[strawclearer]

All 5 retained by Eddie Jones so - congrats to them but no Genge for the Warriors game.

[Mark62]

JP, Simmons at Exeter, Wills at Wasps, the Curry boys, Underhill, that’s without thinking too hard.
Take you point about Easter, but these days late developers are unusual, the u20s is almost a proving ground now.

[Tiglon]

I respect your opinion too and that is what forums are about, I just feel he is so far off other back rowers of his age it’s scary

Nick Easter was a slow developer didn't really hit the spotlight till 26 and he was one of England's best Number 8s and was unfortunate to be dropped by Lancaster. The only other back-rower I can think of that is the same age is Zach Mercer who has had loads of exposure with the England U20s and the premiership whereas Tuilagi is a recent convert to the back-row from prop

Tom Youngs was a latecomer too, also due to switching positions. If his surname wasn't Tuilagi we wouldn't even be discussing him, he'd just be another academy player who will fail or succeed. As it is, his surname draws extra attention - both criticism and praise.

Time will tell. Plenty of Tuilagi's have come through Tigers, some make it (Henry, Freddie, Alesana, Manu) and stay, and others are shipped off when it's clear they weren't quite good enough (Anitelea, Vavae). I don't see any reason to worry that the latest one will be treated any different.

I agree with those who think he's not ready for the Premiership yet, but he's worth a couple of years more of investment.

[jgriffin]

Think the jury will be out on Fred T for a year or so - frankly think it takes a while to fill out into a blunderbuss role, not as long for a BOC type.
We have to throw the kitchen sink at Wuss, a 5 pointer would be set against the big boys over the Xmas period where we might only pick up 2 LBPs and a 4 pointer.