Shazam

[ABClub]

Understandably the most dominant Tigers headlines recently have been about terrible results, worse team performances, individuals far below their best, an incomplete and incompetently led coaching staff and a BOD unwilling to acknowledge issues let alone take responsibility for them.

Putting those to one side for a second I would like to say a word in defence of one of Tigers most loyal servants who is taking flack for being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sam Harrison.

Firstly I accept that Harrisons form has dropped. A few thoughts on it however having heard some very harsh assessments of his place in the squad both at Welford Road and online:

1. Lack of consistent game time in full strength sides.

The best in the league rotate their squad seemlessly to minimise injuries and keep form. At these clubs international windows and injuries are weathered by consistent squads who are familiar with one another game and capable of adapting game plans occuringly. For season after season at Tigers we have had three settings; full strength, injury crisis, international window. The former has shown promise for those in the starting XV and little exposure for those outside it. The latter 2 have more often than not seen scratch sides muddled together with academy graduates thrown to the wolves. Shazam has regularly had to drive and often skipper these sides and it has taken an effect on his form in my opinion.

2. His style of play.

He is a player who thrives from giving direction to a pack and excellent service to his 10. He isn't a sniping threat with winger pace, he does however have one of the best passes of any 9 in the league. Giving service to George Ford this should be a lethal partnership - see Stringer with George at Bath. Trying to create something from a static pack, terrible ruck ball - how often was Shazam himself trying to clear out forwards yesterday - and serving Joe Ford will never be conducive with his style of play.

3. The mental toll of knowing his performance hasn't been rewarded.

On many an occasion in his time at Tigers Shazam has sat on the bench behind YBY when form has deserted our starting 9. This was only ever going to worsen with a coach he knew as well as any doesn't rotate squads well, rarely utilises his bench well or punish poor form of his favourites.

9.Shazam 10.G Ford 11.May 12.Toomua 13.Manu 14.Tombstone 15.Veainu

Lets put Shazam in that backline behind a balanced pack and functioning set-piece then judge his form.

Similarly academy grads such as Charlie Thacker should be getting first XV exposure in a midfield of G Ford-Toomua-Thacker. George Worth should be getting chances at 15 with May and TV as his wingers to marshal. A talent like Will Evans should be getting rotated with a quality, experienced openside in a balanced back row.

Performances are dire, BOD culpability is non-existent and emotions are running high, especially at a club with survives and thrives on the passionate support of its fan base. When passion runs high it is easy to blur cause and effect in desire to find an immediate solution. In my opinion the form of Shazam - and some others - is very much the effect of our deeper problems rather than the cause.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Why should C Thacker get any game time, I’ve never seen him do anything that should merit any time on the pitch. Same with Harrison, he was poor yesterday so therefore White and Simmons should get game time.

Players should only get to play who deserve it. Bateman, Wells, Evans and Worth played well enough and therefore deserve another shot.

[Roly]

Any Scrum-Half playing behind a settled pack and a functioning set-piece is going to look good. The true test is when they're operating off the back foot.

Harrison has shown that he is average at best. He was one of the worst players on the pitch last night.

[drc_007]

I've never been convinced that Harrison was any more then a competent backup, and I've never heard of any other club wanting to recruit him.

He has a very good pass but too often he just fires the ball out to the first Tigers shirt he sees rather than trying to pick the player most likely to hit a gap.
As you say he offers little himself as an attacking threat which mean defences can concentrate further out.
His box kicking is nothing special but with Tigers lack of kick chase it probably does not matter.

[Tiglon]

Harrison is a decent backup 9, who probably works quite well for the salary cap since he's not really good enough for any other club to push the boat out to sign him and therefore up his wages. One argument is that he's been loyal despite limited game time, the other argument is that he stays because no one else is that interested in him. Probably only he will know the answer to that.

I agree Charlie Thacker hasn't done much to earn a starting place, but I also agree with the principle of younger prospects being given game time alongside more experienced and better quality player, rather than only thrown in all together in AWC or meaningless games.

[BFG]

Harrison looks tired, tired of being one of the few fighting to get out of a hole, and whilst others pick up the big bucks!
Like ABClub I also think he needed more game time to develop when younger, and probably should've gone and got it elsewhere if it was not happening here!
However I wouldn't liken him to the likes of the C. Thacker because in my opinion Harrison has always had several things that others do not, determination, commitment, pace and physicality!
Harrison is a scrum half and can be more physically committed than C.Thacker, that just shouldn't be the case!
Actually if you really consider everything, a scrum half more physically committed and physically competent than a centre is just not right, let alone more than several forwards which by Leicester's former standards is madness!

[Flash]

Lack of physicality at the breakdown meant Sam had to work hard just to secure the ball. Not that quick ball would have been that well utilised with Joe Ford somewhere behind him.

We need a decent back up fly half and should at least give Worth or Hardwick a try over Ford.

Above all else though we need a coach to inspire physicality and intensity in the whole team.

[voice of the crumbie]

Understandably the most dominant Tigers headlines recently have been about terrible results, worse team performances, individuals far below their best, an incomplete and incompetently led coaching staff and a BOD unwilling to acknowledge issues let alone take responsibility for them.

Putting those to one side for a second I would like to say a word in defence of one of Tigers most loyal servants who is taking flack for being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sam Harrison.

Firstly I accept that Harrisons form has dropped. A few thoughts on it however having heard some very harsh assessments of his place in the squad both at Welford Road and online:

1. Lack of consistent game time in full strength sides.

The best in the league rotate their squad seemlessly to minimise injuries and keep form. At these clubs international windows and injuries are weathered by consistent squads who are familiar with one another game and capable of adapting game plans occuringly. For season after season at Tigers we have had three settings; full strength, injury crisis, international window. The former has shown promise for those in the starting XV and little exposure for those outside it. The latter 2 have more often than not seen scratch sides muddled together with academy graduates thrown to the wolves. Shazam has regularly had to drive and often skipper these sides and it has taken an effect on his form in my opinion.

2. His style of play.

He is a player who thrives from giving direction to a pack and excellent service to his 10. He isn't a sniping threat with winger pace, he does however have one of the best passes of any 9 in the league. Giving service to George Ford this should be a lethal partnership - see Stringer with George at Bath. Trying to create something from a static pack, terrible ruck ball - how often was Shazam himself trying to clear out forwards yesterday - and serving Joe Ford will never be conducive with his style of play.

3. The mental toll of knowing his performance hasn't been rewarded.

On many an occasion in his time at Tigers Shazam has sat on the bench behind YBY when form has deserted our starting 9. This was only ever going to worsen with a coach he knew as well as any doesn't rotate squads well, rarely utilises his bench well or punish poor form of his favourites.

9.Shazam 10.G Ford 11.May 12.Toomua 13.Manu 14.Tombstone 15.Veainu

Lets put Shazam in that backline behind a balanced pack and functioning set-piece then judge his form.

Similarly academy grads such as Charlie Thacker should be getting first XV exposure in a midfield of G Ford-Toomua-Thacker. George Worth should be getting chances at 15 with May and TV as his wingers to marshal. A talent like Will Evans should be getting rotated with a quality, experienced openside in a balanced back row.

Performances are dire, BOD culpability is non-existent and emotions are running high, especially at a club with survives and thrives on the passionate support of its fan base. When passion runs high it is easy to blur cause and effect in desire to find an immediate solution. In my opinion the form of Shazam - and some others - is very much the effect of our deeper problems rather than the cause.

Couldn't have put it better myself!

[NONAME]

I think you have missed the point, the game has changed it is a lot faster so the 9 needs to have the pace not only to get to the breakdown but also to cover behind the defensive line when we get turned over. Afraid Sam no longer as that pace and we need to look to our younger players.

I don't believe he would be upset sitting on the bench behind BY the number one 9 in England. I think he would be very proud to be on that bench and wear the Tigers shirt. That has always been a real positive. I also think Cockers knew which buttons to push and he was able to get the very best out of Sam as he did many other players. All players go through periods when their form drops so I am not concerned with that aspect its purely his lack of pace.

It has already been said its a lot easier to play behind a fully functional pack but thats true for any 9 so I don't accept that as an excuse and I'm sure Sam wouldn't. He is a honest player, a player that does give his all but sometimes thats just not enough. I really do hope that like MT he is carrying a slight injury and his pace and form will return but in the meantime lets give our youngsters some game time.

[BFG]

Just wondering, if Sam's time has gone because he did not play well in one match does the same apply to Ben who has been poor in many?

[ancientmariner]

[[/quote]

Couldn't have put it better myself!
[/quote]

Then why do you feel it necessary to re-quote the entire OP ?

[jgriffin]

Shazam has missed the boat, if he had gone to play in France as a competent 9/10 he could have probably earned a lot more. I agree with comment about RC pressing the right buttons, think that is what he was excellent at.

[Crumblies]

Nice bloke & tries hard but IMHO not good enough, same thing applies to Matt Smith.

Neither are going to get any better right now they are both blocking the route to the first team of other players and hence hindering their development.

[Jimmy Skitz]

There were several time over the past couple of years where form demanded Harrison start, but YBY always got the nod because of his name, I think this has removed some of the edge from Sam as he knows he’ll never be first choice

[Tigerbeat]

I find this quite an amazing thread. Many have been calling for Ben Youngs to be dropped and Sam to be given a chance. He is given a chance and it was not a great day at the office....it was not a great day at the office for the team. Picking on Sam seems to be a bit unfair. The team, players and coaches could be held more responsible for the result yesterday rather than one individual. Play as a team, lose as a team and take full responsibility for the result.
Sam has always given his all and is a local lad that has progressed from the Academy. The team that played yesterday was a scratch side who had hardly played together....they created chances, had possession but failed.
Rugby is a TEAM game.