Dead rubber v Ulster

[Scott1]

Scarlets were on a run of 1 win in 6,had a decimated BR with a hooker at 8 and European debutants in their pack as well as resting some players. GM was perfectly entitled to play that side already being out,at home unforgivable but I expect a much stronger side to face Ulster and he will have learned a lot about his second tier players

[DingDong]

So despite their run of losses, their hooker at 8 (scored twice), youngsters, a decimated BR yet they still absolutely schooled us and you defend Murphy's selection process? These games are an opportunity to rebuild a club in crisis not to run a way from the fight.

[DingDong]

...oh, and what do you expect he could learn from a squad that barely had any possession, then kicked aimlessly away what possession they did have? As I said, start strong and drip feed the weaker players into your expected level, not the reverse way round.

[Scott1]

You do realise that we are going to lose a few players to the 6N? You really think one game v Saints kids would've been enough to prepare for Sarries away?! We were already out of Europe,it was absolutely the right decision to try and bed some combinations before reverting back to our strongest team to help respect the competition with Ulster still in it and other teams playing for runners up spots. It didnt work out but 100% the right decision! Especially the front row and 9/10/2/13.

[Mark62]

You do realise that we are going to lose a few players to the 6N? You really think one game v Saints kids would've been enough to prepare for Sarries away?! We were already out of Europe,it was absolutely the right decision to try and bed some combinations before reverting back to our strongest team to help respect the competition with Ulster still in it and other teams playing for runners up spots. It didnt work out but 100% the right decision! Especially the front row and 9/10/2/13.

I don’t think we will be without anymore than Youngs, Ford and May for the whole 6 nations, with Genge Tuilagi and possibly Cole and Holmes missing for some of the time. Ford is likely to be on the bench so could well need game time on the 6 nations gap weekends

[Scott1]

Genge should be released and maybe Cole doesn't even get picked but I've a hunch he will keep Manu the whole time even if he uses him sparingly and it's a shootout between Evans and Holmes. After what Sexton and co did to Evans I doubt very much he gets in the 23 for that game so they could be picked game by game.

[Hot_Charlie]

It might be a dead rubber to us but is it a dead rubber to Ulster? I think they need points from this game whereas the Scarlets game was dead for both sides?
That being the case we should make the Irish beggars fight for the points and show some respect to the Parisians.

This is indeed the case. A "weakened" side may be viewed dimly by ERCC against Ulster, whereas of course yesterday's result had no effect on any other clubs so was indeed a "dead rubber".

I don't think the match was a total dead rubber, not until approx 5.00pm on the day, so begs the question was it already given up before the game, or was it a bit of crystal ball gazing that prompted so many selection changes?

It was a dead rubber barring miracles and it was unlikely that even had Ulster lost, Tigers would have affected the final group standings.

[wellstiger]

Lets talk FRANK.....

Momentum is supposed to be the new Buzz word....
Along with Aspiring to be better.......
So why are we talking dead rubbers.
Yes we have failed to progress in this competition. But to be the best you have to beat the best of the rest.
No we don't want injuries going into the final stretch of Prem, but, I would field the best team I could. upset the apple cart and put the fear of the be'Jeasus into teams left to play us.

[ourla]

So why are we talking dead rubbers.

I think it can be miscontrued as we don't care, it doesn't matter and isn't useful. I don't think people mean that. The result certainly doesn't matter in the context it won't be progress us in the competition. But I think it can be very useful for players and coaches. You can also learn from it. In some ways being out of the compy can help because there is no pressure on the result. You can try things you wouldn't do if you needed a certain outcome to progress.

[fleabane]

What’s happened to the old Tigers « never lose a match » ethos?

The one thing the team needs is to learn to win again, or at least to stand up to the opposition. Resting players is not necessary with the 6N coming up - we should not be considering England at the moment!

We need to learn to play as a team, in attack and defence, and to develop leaders on the field. We won’t do that by putting out a weakened squad.

[rich1576]

This game is a matter of pride. We don't want to finish bottom of our group for the second year running.

[mol2]

A bit of juggling needed:

1)Keep players from injury.
2)Keep them match fit.
3)Experience for the youngsters.
4)Maintain a structure.

In the last match we went for 1 and 3 and lost to a side that we could and should have beaten if we were realistically still in with a chance of qualifying. Losing to Racing put paid to that.

Is the Ulster game any different? Certainly there are the home fans to consider.

[strawclearer]

From the Merc:

"Head coach Geordan Murphy said that Eastmond would not feature against Ulster with backs Telusa Veainu (foot), Mat Tait (ankle), Adam Thompstone (knee), Matt Smith (shoulder) and Tom Hardwick (concussion) also on the injured list.

A clutch of key forwards are still working their way to full fitness, too, and won't be rushed back into action.

Hookers Tom Youngs and Tatafu Polota-Nau are both recovering from medial knee ligament injuries, while lock forward Will Spencer also has a knee problem.

Guy Thompson is recovering from a broken finger sustained against Harlequins and his fellow back-rower David Denton continues to work his way back from the head injury he suffered against Northampton Saints at Twickenham in October."

[jgriffin]

Basically a whole side out. Again.

[Scott1]

So could be
Genge
Kerr
Cole
Williams
Wells
Fitzgerald
BoC
Kalamafoni
Youngs
Ford
May
Toomua
Tuilagi
Olowefella
Holmes

Gigena,Stevens,Heyes, Kitchener,Evans,Whyte,Worth,Owen