Team for London Irish

[WiggoTiger]

Same rhetoric from moc everytime. Absolutely embarrassing today, Irish looked far more dangerous in attack than we did. Too many luong floaty miss passes allowed the defence to drift easily. Half backs today very poor.

[Bootface]

The fact that we are regularly scoring 3 try’s despite having little or no decent front foot ball from the forwards gives me some confidence that we at least have quality well coached backs with the ability to make something from very little. That said there is only so much that can be done when you’re consistently loosing collisions & your forwards struggle to get parity or provide good ball at the set piece. It’s no wonder the bonus point try has been so elusive. For me a good forwards coach is essential & needs to be in ASAP.

[JP14]

"Disappointing", says M O'C, "Things to work on - Need to work harder, blah blah - out of Europe so chance to rest England players and try new combinations blah blah". "Don't listen to the critics la la la".
At least he acknowledged there are problems with the back five.

It was a really bad question tho from BBc Leicester, why couldn’t they just ask, are you looking to make signings in the pack and should, apart from Gigena, there be any new signings announced this January? Steve Johnson reckons we can get someone from the Southern Hemisphere, highly doubt it SupeRugby will kick in soon.

[sam16111986]

"Disappointing", says M O'C, "Things to work on - Need to work harder, blah blah - out of Europe so chance to rest England players and try new combinations blah blah". "Don't listen to the critics la la la".
At least he acknowledged there are problems with the back five.

It was a really bad question tho from BBc Leicester, why couldn’t they just ask, are you looking to make signings in the pack and should, apart from Gigena, there be any new signings announced this January? Steve Johnson reckons we can get someone from the Southern Hemisphere, highly doubt it SupeRugby will kick in soon.

Doesn't matter which players we sign until we ditch the awful tactics we've adopted. A new forwards coach has to be a priority, Exeter are the perfect example of what a supremely well coached team can achieve. We've definitely got more big name players than they have.

[JP14]

"Disappointing", says M O'C, "Things to work on - Need to work harder, blah blah - out of Europe so chance to rest England players and try new combinations blah blah". "Don't listen to the critics la la la".
At least he acknowledged there are problems with the back five.

It was a really bad question tho from BBc Leicester, why couldn’t they just ask, are you looking to make signings in the pack and should, apart from Gigena, there be any new signings announced this January? Steve Johnson reckons we can get someone from the Southern Hemisphere, highly doubt it SupeRugby will kick in soon.

Doesn't matter which players we sign until we ditch the awful tactics we've adopted. A new forwards coach has to be a priority, Exeter are the perfect example of what a supremely well coached team can achieve. We've definitely got more big name players than they have.

The pack for me is still underpowered in the back 5 even with a top Forwards Coach

[TigerCam]

MOC: ""What we have demonstrated, in bits and pieces, is that we can compete. We will be back there again. You'd think, if we can get it right for 80 minutes, we're as good as anyone." Delusional! Could it be that MOC is actually Trump in disguise?

[strawclearer]

Just got back and I'm too cold and dispirited to make any judgement on what we saw today.

Except to say.......that was truly awful. We struggled at home to beat a Championship side.

[trendylfj]

Can someone please tell me if my memory is wrong cos I have a memory of someone near the top of our organisation saying we have spent or are spend up to the limit of our salary cap? If that is correct SC, how can we bring anyone else in? I know there is wriggle room with the injury dispensation but can't see how that would apply here.

[Tigerbeat]

Croft retiring will have released some funds for players.

[sam16111986]

It was a really bad question tho from BBc Leicester, why couldn’t they just ask, are you looking to make signings in the pack and should, apart from Gigena, there be any new signings announced this January? Steve Johnson reckons we can get someone from the Southern Hemisphere, highly doubt it SupeRugby will kick in soon.

Doesn't matter which players we sign until we ditch the awful tactics we've adopted. A new forwards coach has to be a priority, Exeter are the perfect example of what a supremely well coached team can achieve. We've definitely got more big name players than they have.

The pack for me is still underpowered in the back 5 even with a top Forwards Coach

The second row combination doesn't work but we have so many options in the backrow, they aren't small either, so that we can't use that as an excuse. Replace Fitzgerald with Barrow once fit or Wells and that combination will work well enough until Spencer signs in the summer.

We need to ditch the one off runners with our forwards strung across the pitch with us throwing the ball side to side. It's not working.

[JP14]

yes true Sam

[Soggypitch]

Well that performance was just the same as the last few weeks, we only won (just) because we were playing the worst team in the league.
I honestly believe that we would have lost to any other team but Irish today.

No noticeable improvement anywhere, except BOC played well and did help the back row/continuity a bit.

Can't wait for Castres next week.....really dare not add up how much that trip has cost me!!

[NONAME]

A rather disappointing performance but looking on the positive side, MT looked World Class, Manu is looking better every game, we got a win and some other results have worked for us. On the downside, we did not get a bonus point, the worse halfback performance I've seen at the Tigers for a long time and it looked like some players were playing for their paychecks. Looks like we need a sort out showing those less motivated players the door. Hope Dom isn't leaving he for me is the Captain in waiting and someone to build a team around.

We need to get new players in but have we got the money? I note a previous question, what has happened to the money? How much do you think it cost to pay off RC and AM? Think RC was on a 5 year contracted...7 figure sum? However, I still expect some major signings to be announced soon.

Talking to a top coach after the game he was astounded that we were losing ground by constantly throwing the ball around in the backs instead of pick and go up the middle making a few yards at a time, pulling the defence in and then moving the ball to the backs. Those at the Wasp game saw exactly that for 20 minutes which resulted in a great Tigers try. Bad call by the half backs to throw it around all the time?

Im not a big SH fan but he did look good when he came on and HT looked very sharp. If only he was 6 inches taller I firmly believe he would start many more games for the Tigers and probably be in the England set up too. (Not taking anything away from Tom Youngs but he needs a rest as every game he puts in 110%)

Returning to today's game, I might be wrong but didn't we use to score loads of tries from 5m line outs. How many 5m line outs did we have today? Found that very disappointing but not unexpected. Shows the need for a Top Class forwards coach.

Finally, thought Ref was really good.

[BFG]

Well what can be said about this game, it was a much needed win and that's about it!
Clearly confidence is not good!
I'm afraid the half backs are not good value currently, no idea how much cap they take up combined but no club can afford such luxuries!
At 600k per annum surely more than a confidence player is expected!
I've lost count of the amount of goal kicks been refused in recent months that could've kept the scoreboard ticking over to build a lead, instead they throw the ball around loosely whilst the scoreboard is still tight and add to their own pressure, the opposition stay tight, our mistakes look far more costly when the score is close, it gets into players heads, they tense up and start playing with fear!
Our goal kicker needs to grow a pair and do his job properly!

[wellstiger]

The humiliation is complete. I've said it before senior players are not performing. Stagnant players used to come into the Tiger family and and their careers were rejuvenated.
Now the migration is in the opposite direction a la Lewington, Slater,Waldron Gibson and a whole kettle of others.
Unless we get the necessary coaches on board and a root and branches clear out of the underachievers the rot will continue.
The the boast of Tigers never being relegated from top tier rugby will come back to bite.
Clarity from the board please on our intentions to bring in support coaches ,at least we could see light at the end of the tunnel and know its not another train.