Worcester vs Tigers

[sam16111986]

Now that Tom Hardwick has signed a contract to stay he surely has to start. He has shown in all the games he has had decent time on the pitch that he can make breaks, tackle and kick from hand.
No matter what team we play we have to do a lot less box kicking and please can all the players no say how well they are going to perform to the press: we have heard it all season to no avail.
Now is the time to man up because losing to Worcester will see us in a scrap with Newcastle to avoid the dreaded relegation.
Where are our fans sitting at Worcester. We need to make some serious noise.

I agree on Hardwick starting. Time for him to step up and show what he can do if he wants to be in the first team plans for the run in and its time we gave him game time to do it.

The box kicks aren't the problem. The kick chase is the problem.

[Jimmy Skitz]

isn't Spencer due back for this one?

[drc_007]

I agree on Hardwick starting. Time for him to step up and show what he can do if he wants to be in the first team plans for the run in and its time we gave him game time to do it.

The box kicks aren't the problem. The kick chase is the problem.

The kick chase has been a problem for years.

[jaguar]

isn't Spencer due back for this one?

Should be he was warming up last weekend

[BG01]

As I’ve said before I don’t think Eastmond is a 13, starting Evans is a good shout.

We're struggling for a 13. Owen seems to have had one too many injuries and we need someone to do a job.

I'd start Evans. Whether it's in place of Williams or BOC. Neither did anything of note Vs Sarries. BOC failing to reduce the gap to Cole in the kick chase gave Sarries their first try. Evans has been very good this season.

I'd be tempted to experiment with the midfield and go Toomua/Hardwick/Eastmond. The Toomua and Eastmond combination just didn't work and Owen was pretty much useless at 13. Hardwick would also give us a different kicking option off the tee and he's big enough to straighten the line if Toomua is under pressure. Eastmond is quick and can link with the wingers if we get on the outside. Sarto onto the wing as well, he's a powerful runner and will help with our options in attack.

There's a bit of a danger of throwing out the baby with the bathwater here. BOC I thought was one of our standout players and no way he should be dropped. Likewise Kitchener was a bit ineffective but our lineout was great and he did well there.

BOC was largely anonymous in a game where I hoped he'd have thrived. The opposition carried the ball into our forwards a lot for small gains. Should have been there for him to attack the breakdown and generally be a menace. Just didn't happen. Evans played well in the games before the break, BOC didn't impress to he moves to 6 or the bench for me. If he wants the shirt back he needs to pull up some trees. Ditto Evans he needs to know he needs to perform when back in the starting line up in order to stay there.

Anonymous is a slightly odd way to describe him when he made more tackles than anyone else in the team (and only Koch made more across the two teams), and had more carries, made more metres, and passed more times than any other forward except for Kalamafoni.

[ourla]

I would expect us to go with a different game plan to that we had at Sarries but I wouldn't expect too many changes. Would expect more opportunities for Eastmond and Varndell to shine.

I agree Wells should come in for Kitch. Hopefully Spencer will play too.

Quietly confident this week.

[Dangerous4]

I would certainly start with Hardwick.

[Spicer]

Worth; Sarto, Olowofela, Eastmond, Varndell; Toomua, Harrison; Bateman, Youngs, Cole, Wells, Spencer, Williams, O'Connor, Kalamafoni.

Kerr?, Gigena, Heyes, Fitzgerald, Evans, White, Hardwick, Aspland-Robinson

[trendylfj]

Finn Russell injured for this weeks six nations game.
Could mean Weir gets called up.

Has been called up but it still will be a hard game to win
"Russell's head injury that he suffered played for Racing on Sunday looks set to pave the way for Glasgow pivot Adam Hastings to get his chance, while Duncan Weir has also been called up to the squad"

[JP14]

We could do with Weir being with Scotland or at least on the bench for Wuss.

[Cardiff Tig]

I would expect us to go with a different game plan to that we had at Sarries but I wouldn't expect too many changes. Would expect more opportunities for Eastmond and Varndell to shine.

I agree Wells should come in for Kitch. Hopefully Spencer will play too.

Quietly confident this week.

Varndell hasn't shown anything for years. Still don't understand picking him over a promising academy player. GM stated that when we signed him it was as a favour to him to get him training again.

[BigDan50]

The signing of Varndell is what is wrong with our club, he was signed not because of his talent but because he is a Tigers old boy, we are so incestuous in hiring ex Tigers who plainly are not good enough. This saying of the Tigers way is ridiculous, it's a long time ago and now not relevant these days.
Other teams have moved on but Tigers are caught in a time warp living in the old days.
Time to get rid of the players who dictate tactics and selection to Murphy and let him build a squad in his own way.

[ourla]

Varndell hasn't shown anything for years.

Well he's not had much chance since he left Bristol. He's still good enough to fill the role he's filling.

Still don't understand picking him over a promising academy player.

Such as.

GM stated that when we signed him it was as a favour to him to get him training again.

Really? That's not whe he said here

[Cardiff Tig]

GM was interviewed on BT Sport shortly after the news broke, and stated that he would be training hereto put himself in the shop window, and might appear in some of the cup games.

He was pushed out of Bristol, he's 33, didn't set the Scarlets on fire for his brief stint there and failed in France. There is no advantage to playing a temporary, past it IMO, winger over any of the younger ones.

[Mark62]

Maxwell Keyes in charge

Maybe the water boys could try bribing him with lollipops