PRC Round 2 - Tigers vs Exeter

[Mark62]

The scrum was poor all game to me, which was a shame as everything else was pretty spot on. Liebenberg and Green both looked handy, and Reid is already an obvious upgrade on Joe Ford as the swing/backup fly half (bar the duff kickoff). It does worry how reliant we are on Thompson to turn the ball over though.

At the moment yes, Cole, Taufua excellent in that area, and it’s early doors

[Jimmy Skitz]

See,some are saying the scrum was better who is right?!

Sir didn’t have a clue, even Austin Healey had a better understanding of who was doing what

[Mark62]

See,some are saying the scrum was better who is right?!

Sir didn’t have a clue, even Austin Healey had a better understanding of who was doing what

Agreed and the front rows knew he was guessing so they were all trying something including a lot of not taking the hit

[mol2]

I thought Reid had a good game up until he was hit late after which he was clearly struggling. Some of his passes set the wingers into space.
Quite why the ref didn't even penalise the late challenge on him (irrespective of whether or not it was high) wss bewildering.
(As were any number of the refereeing decisions) As ever the touch judges failed to police the Exeter defensive line which was offside at pretty well every breakdown.

We had a better defensive structure in spite of all the players out for the world cup that we showed all of last season. Two up tackles were noteworthy in comparison to last season where too many times players would run between tacklers with neither attempting to tackle.

Second row was a significant area of improvement - a bit more steel than shown over past years.

The number 8 looked a solid unit.

Both sides entered into the spirit of things by picking developmental sides (Tigers by world cup demands) unlike Worcester last week who turned out a near full strength side.

[longlivethecrumbie]

The scrum was poor all game to me, which was a shame as everything else was pretty spot on. Liebenberg and Green both looked handy, and Reid is already an obvious upgrade on Joe Ford as the swing/backup fly half (bar the duff kickoff). It does worry how reliant we are on Thompson to turn the ball over though.

Liebenberg was competing at a lot of breakdowns too and I'm sure he'll come up with turnovers during the season. He also looked very competitive in the air and put more pressure on the Chiefs lineout in one game than I think we did in all of last season.

[Mark62]

Calumn Green also nicked at least a couple of their line outs

[JP14]

Green, Spencer and Wells were all excellent in my opinion, a lineout was flawless really (long time since that has been said).

[strawclearer]

Green, Spencer and Wells were all excellent in my opinion, a lineout was flawless really (long time since that has been said).

...and all the better for 6'6" Liebenberg standing at 2.

[sam16111986]

Green, Spencer and Wells were all excellent in my opinion, a lineout was flawless really (long time since that has been said).

...and all the better for 6'6" Liebenberg standing at 2.

Last season we have Fitzgerald or Williams (sometimes both) helping the lineout and still couldn't retain our own ball, especially in the opposition 22. Hopefully Green is the man to sort our lineout and bring it back to a strength.

[aslongaswebeatsaints]

Fitter, Meaner, Leaner, impressive defensive shape and grit, new guys seem upgrades, full of ideas, good basics. And that’s with most of the First XV away. Exeter will improve. But so will we. We looked like a team again.

A few more performances like that and the thought of adding back in Genge, GF, Manu, Taufau, Cole, Lavanini, etc etc on this foundation makes me positively drool.

Damn you Tigers. Having just got used to watching mediocrity and taking jibes from Glaws and Saint mates, you get your mojo back and make us all optimistic again...

[BFG]

See,some are saying the scrum was better who is right?!

Sir didn’t have a clue, even Austin Healey had a better understanding of who was doing what

Think opposite to what Healey spouts and you'll be right more than not!

[Jimmy Skitz]

See,some are saying the scrum was better who is right?!

Sir didn’t have a clue, even Austin Healey had a better understanding of who was doing what

Think opposite to what Healey spouts and you'll be right more than not!

I usually do but Sir was certainly clueless when it came to the scrum penalties

[BFG]

Sir didn’t have a clue, even Austin Healey had a better understanding of who was doing what

Think opposite to what Healey spouts and you'll be right more than not!

I usually do but Sir was certainly clueless when it came to the scrum penalties

I thought Sir got it about right.
Forget what you see and hear on the telly as the angles can lie.
I was there and Leicester were under pressure but it's nothing that Genge, Cole and possibly Leatigaga won't sort out.
It's something that Exeter are pretty good at to be fair so it was a good test in my opinion.

[DingDong]

I thought the coaches had the right mix of players this time ie approx a third starting XV, a third benchers and a third development. Keeps the structure more stable and depth in squad experience ticking over. Hope its the same sort of mix for Bath. Greens work ethic is a great example to set for the rest of the pack IMO.

[BG01]

One thing that hasn't got enough attention is how good Tom Youngs was. Made a lot of tackles, flew out of the line, and the lineout was very good. I think the scrum is a bit more worrying than people have suggested - this was a premiership frontrow we put out - but I'm sure the issues will get sorted.

For the next game I'd want to see a start for those that haven't yet, injury allowing - leatigaga, kerr, jordan, simmons (fitness allowing), mcphillips, taute, viljoen, SAR, browning, bungaroo (fitness). And maybe a young backrower eg gough, ashworth, lavin, smith but I don't know about their fitness.

It's a hard balance but I'd be targeting the Saints game as a big game to win and would select for the Bath game with this in mind. I think that ends up with a squad that's a little better than the team vs Worcester, a little worse than vs Exeter.

My XV would be:
1. Gigena
2. TPN
3. Leatigaga
4. Wells
5. Jordan
6. Lewis
7. Reffell
8. Couglan
9. White
10. McPhillips
11. Browning
12. Taute
13. Viljoen
14. SAR
15. Bungaroo
16. Kerr
17. Bateman
18. Heyes
19. Martin
20. Boladau
21. Simmons/Law/JvP
22. Costelow
23. Steward