Team for London Irish

[Rugbyflanker]

Which is my theory Rock in why AM was binned,Ackermann was turned down and MOC reappointed. The BoD believed the club was going in a new,fresh direction and completely bottled it! I said immediately when MOC came this would be the end of us and the Tigers way was drowning us and so far ive been proved right.

[WiggoTiger]

I think it's just a case of which is worst. We're currently playing badly under MOC and we were bad under AM.
I think it would be hard for any head coach under our current set up. We need a proper backroom team with quality experienced coaches not just a bunch of former players fresh out of retirement.

Some direction from BoD to the playing squad. We're just treading water at present and on the verge of drowning!!

[WhitecapTiger]

Two shocking performances Racing and Glasgow when it was still in January the month he took over!

Wasn't he part of the coaching setup before January then? Already nailed the coffin lid shut due to part in 'toxic' training environment if 'rumours' are to be believed, process to replace him had already begun.

destruction of Gloc at home

Only achieved the TBP with a last minute pushover (Mermoz) IIRC, scoreboard looked good but hardly a 'destruction' in my book.

destruction of Bris at home

Behave....no really, behave....that's as bad as bending dodgy stats to suit any point of view. That's like anyone saying a good win against L.Irish this weekend (in no way guaranteed) will prove that MOC is the solution.

Close loss at the Ricoh

Didn't we just have a close loss at the Ricoh under MOC? So MOC must be as good as Mauger, or vice-versa.

[Rugbyflanker]

He became number 1 in January,unless you really believe he was having final say over Cockers lol.
Still a BP win which shouldve been achieved earlier in the game,not many TBP for MOC with a much better back.l line!
Wuss at home ring a bell,not as bad as Bris but still an inexcusable TBP loss,first ever at Welford Road!
MOC has lost twice at The Ricoh
Conveniently forgetting the Quins and Saints wins? Although MOC did win at Quins. Worse run since 1965,first time weve ever lost the back to back Euro games,the top 4 record is going next,attaboy Matt!

[RagingBull]

But what was AM plan he was doing on the pitch?

[Tiglon]

It seems some people are forming an opinion, then trying to find or distort evidence to back it up. In that sort of situation it's a bit pointless trying to debate.

[JP14]

Ah we really missing McAffrey now, pathetic

[jgriffin]

Some really bizarre goings-on frankly, that we struggle to make sense of. We seemed to make do in the forwards for a long time, trying to buy/develop unknowns (McCaffrey was IMO an inspired buy, others less so) and then took off in the 'stellar backs' direction. No problem with that but seems to me once Cockers went the dam burst, and AM was revealed as not Head Coach material. He may well have developed with a new good forwards coach, but from what I gather the atmosphere was toxic. Great idea for a clearout once the Cockers sacking occurred, but IMO MOC is not a top-grade HC. What is going on in the BoD heads, can't fathom it. These are really cued-in ex-players in the main and business heads too....so :censored:?

[JP14]

It’s an interesting prospect as to what either AM or MOC could have done or could be doing with a top-notch forwards coach but let’s be clear at least we haven’t been thrashed at home in Europe unlike we did under Mauger. If anything else MOC has bought charity whereas Tigers under AM we’re at 6s and 7s

[voice of the crumbie]

Some really bizarre goings-on frankly, that we struggle to make sense of. We seemed to make do in the forwards for a long time, trying to buy/develop unknowns (McCaffrey was IMO an inspired buy, others less so) and then took off in the 'stellar backs' direction. No problem with that but seems to me once Cockers went the dam burst, and AM was revealed as not Head Coach material. He may well have developed with a new good forwards coach, but from what I gather the atmosphere was toxic. Great idea for a clearout once the Cockers sacking occurred, but IMO MOC is not a top-grade HC. What is going on in the BoD heads, can't fathom it. These are really cued-in ex-players in the main and business heads too....so ?

I agree with you jg bizarre. Here's my theory. They "bottled" it. Having gone through the Loffreda and Meyer debacles they fired the wrong man when Cockers went. Bad defeats after Cockers left caused them to lose confidence in Mauger. They couldn't ask Cockers back and were too scared on the basis of past experiences with Loffreda and Meyer to select someone who "didn't know the Tigers set up or the premiership" hence the likes of Ackerman being rejected. They also hung on to the flimsy notion that having won trophies last time with MOC that they would do so again if they re-hired him.

The problem is the game and the squad has moved on and MOC inherited a group of players who, in part, had been recruited to put the Mauger game plan in to action. To be fair MOC has ditched some of these (Pietersen, Betham, McCafferey) but is still left with others (e.g. Fitzgerald, Williams, O'Connor, Toomua, Hamilton, Veainu). He was also presented with a fait accompli with signings like the Ford brothers, Kalamafoni, Owen, Holmes etc. He has attempted to bring in some of his own choices like Dom Ryan and Pakalani (unfortunately both injured) Mapapalangi, Malouf, May and Polota-Nau. He also has a residue of of what I call Tigers stalwarts (Youngs brothers, Tuilagi Cole, Logo, Tait, Smith, the Thackers, Kitchener, Genge, Harrison, Bateman, Thompstone etc) Finally there are a number of "squad" players (Brady, Cilliers, McGuigan,Traynor, Baumann, Rizzo) and young "prospects" (Worth, Evans, Hardwick, White etc). I don't wish to comment on the merits of the players - that has been repeatedly done on other threads. So he has the job of trying to put together a decent matchday squad from all of these. As far as the backs are concerned the 1st choice backline picks itself when all are fit / available. Where he struggles is trying to establish the best forward combinations behind the front row which like the backs more or less picks itself when all are fit / available. Again this is a topic which has been covered elsewhere so I won't dwell on it. Also much has been intimated about the need to strengthen / refresh the coaching team which I agree with but, again, won't dwell on that either. The unanswered questions are can MOC sort this out and how long do we give him? And following on from this how much of what has been unaccpetable to Tigers in the past (not making play-offs, not qualifying for the champions cup) are we prepared to endure while the sorting out is done? I'm very uncertain as to whether MOC can do this but don't want the club to go through another round of coach sacking and recruitment and the uncertainty that brings. I guess we just have to wait and see whether he can start to turn things around. If consistent signs emerge that he is starting to do so then we have to give hiim more time.

[drc_007]

Can we stay on topic, plenty of other threads to talk about coaches, squad etc.

[drc_007]

I'd like to see

15. Worth
14. Malouf
13. Tuilagi
12. Toomua
11. May
10. Ford
9. Youngs
1. Logo
2. Polota-Nau
3. Cole
4. Fitzgerald
5. Kitchener
6. Wells
7. Evans
8. Kalamafoni

The second row looks underpowered but I don't think we have any alternatives, I still think Kalamafoni looks like a great 6 but we have no natural No8 in the squad. If Worth is fit we need to give him more first team rugby, the little I've seen he looks safe under the high ball and is a good kicking option. Thompstone just does not look the same player since he came back from injury and Malouf looks like he is up for the fight.

[Tigerbeat]

DirectionsHomeSettings
BACK
NEWS
Rugby News
Team news: Tigers versus London Irish
5 January 2018 12:00

Manu Tuilagi will make his 100th appearance for Leicester Tigers on Saturday as part of the team named to face London Irish at Welford Road.

International centre Tuilagi starts alongside Matt Toomua in midfield as he reaches a landmark appearance in the opening game of the new year.

While Matt O’Connor retains the backline that started at Exeter Chiefs in Round 12 on New Year’s Eve, there is one change among the forwards as Brendon O’Connor returns in the number seven shirt.

Australia international hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau starts for the first time at Welford Road.

Fit-again front-rower Greg Bateman returns with a place among the replacements and hooker Harry Thacker receives a call-up following injury to club captain Tom Youngs at Exeter.

Head coach Matt O’Connor said: “We have been on a disappointing run and it has been frustrating that we have done an enormous amount of positive things in games that we have lost recently. But we know we have to be better.

“We have to produce a performance that does justice to the quality and talent we have in the group.”

Tickets for Saturday’s game are available now. Book in person at the ticket office or at the club store in Highcross Shopping Centre, phone 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or online at leicestertigers.com.

Leicester Tigers (v London Irish, Welford Road, Saturday 3.00pm)

15 Jonny May

14 Nick Malouf

13 Manu Tuilagi

12 Matt Toomua

11 Adam Thompstone

10 George Ford (c)

9 Ben Youngs

1 Logovi’i Mulipola

2 Tatafu Polota-Nau

3 Dan Cole

4 Mike Fitzgerald

5 Graham Kitchener

6 Mike Williams

7 Brendon O’Connor

8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Harry Thacker

17 Kyle Traynor

18 Greg Bateman

19 Harry Wells

20 Valentino Mapapalangi

21 Sam Harrison

22 Joe Ford

23 Mathew Tait



BUY MATCH TICKETS FIND OUT MORE

[strawclearer]

London Irish are unchanged for tomorrow’s Aviva Premiership trip to Leicester Tigers.

New signings Arno Botha and Piet van Zyl, who both jetted into London yesterday, have not been named in the squad but will be watching their new teammates from the stand.

London Irish: 15 Greig Tonks, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Tom Fowlie, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 James Marshall, 9 Scott Steele, 1 Gordon Reid, 2 Saia Fainga’a, 3 Petrus du Plessis, 4 Franco van der Merwe, 5 Teofilo Paulo, 6 Mike Coman (c), 7 Max Northcote-Green, 8 Ofisa Treviranus

Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Sebastian De Chaves, 20 Blair Cowan, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Theo Brophy Clews, 23 Aseli Tikoirotuma

[WhitecapTiger]

Good to see Bateman back in the mix on the bench, light at the end of that particular tunnel it seems. Think Thacker off the bench late on could be good too.

Also good to see BOC back and starting but the only change in the starting lineup? Bit if a surprise for me, but then, I don't have insider knowledge of players fitness etc.

Hope Thommo has his head straight so he can deal with Cockanasiga, could be fun - big lad and powerful runner.

Putting pressure on themselves in my opinion, not always a bad thing though. These players need to deliver a convincing performance and a big win, for themselves as much as anyone else, had lots of opportunity and not fired properly....they're overdue it.

C'Mon Tigers.