European Challenge Cup - Cardiff vs Tigers

[Jimmy Skitz]

Blimey, Happy Clappers, have a bit of common sense !!!!!!

We have a squad, that if it was coached by virtually any of the other Premiership DOR's, would certainly not be bottom, for two years now.
A ''win'' against Cardiff does not constitute a season saving probability, just a mere two wins together
Lose next week, and we will be back to square one.

The only saving grace yesterday was that our lads sniped and battled for 83 minutes, and that is a sea change from 30+ of Murphys offerings. Get real, if we are in the Top 6 by the 3rd Quarter, and safe from relegation, then you can restart the happy clapping...

Love it. Some people celebrate a win, while acknowledging a pretty dire game (a lot of thud and blunder) and out comes the Happy Clappers "insult". There again, to be expected from a doom monger unless we are double champions again

but that isn't what happened certain posters decided to have a dig at those of us that were very unhappy and concerned with the team, that was picked, labelling us doom mongers, so the name calling started by those that apparently just want to celebrate a win

[Big Dai]

Simple things make an old man happy. Just to sit in me red green and white and get some appreciative nods whilst I sup me lunchtime pint in the "One Eyed Turk" was great.

"You got some good young uns there Dai Boy."

[ashleytiger]

Simple things make an old man happy. Just to sit in me red green and white and get some appreciative nods whilst I sup me lunchtime pint in the "One Eyed Turk" was great.

"You got some good young uns there Dai Boy."

Now that IS the point .... we have got some promising youngsters ........

although I remain a tad wary of a pub called "The One Eyed Turk" Sounds a bit Saracen like to me

[JP14]

I am neither a happy clapper nor a doommonger. Such polarisation and ding donging doesn’t really help anyone, certainly not the players.

I was aware before the season started that it was likely to be a difficult one. It is. I hope a last gasp win away will give our predominantly young and new-to-the-Club players an injection of self confidence.

Watching the whole game on BT catch up, there was [still] a lot to wince about, but there were also some good individual moments. As my example, I will single out 18yo Sam Costelow’s excellent Try-saving tackle about 5 secs after coming on.

Any club is only as good as the next game. Let’s not lose it in our minds before the KO whistle is even blown.

You make an excellent point.

I’m of the belief that this might not be completely helpful in the short term, in the long term for the young lads especially Costelow, Lewis, White and Hardwick (who’s two match-winning kicks have long tarnished that memory of the shocker vs Sale last season in the PRC).

[jgriffin]

As a well-known Naysayer since end of 2011 (my MOC obsession) I feel I have enough doomy posts in my archive to be able to say Saturday was a definite step up, with a part 2nd XV on a hard track where we have come to grief before. I could only watch the first half live, but the energy, commitment in defence and solid tactics gave me optimism. The age of some major contributors bodes well.
Looking at the rest of the Prem, I think we are midtable material so not going overboard, but the only heads I'd like to see roll are the Board's.

[fentiger]

As a well-known Naysayer since end of 2011 (my MOC obsession) I feel I have enough doomy posts in my archive to be able to say Saturday was a definite step up, with a part 2nd XV on a hard track where we have come to grief before. I could only watch the first half live, but the energy, commitment in defence and solid tactics gave me optimism. The age of some major contributors bodes well.
Looking at the rest of the Prem, I think we are midtable material so not going overboard, but the only heads I'd like to see roll are the Board's.

I agree with you. We were there and were frustrated with the kicking! However that was obviously the game plan and fair play the team stuck to their task. In the end the result was just reward!
Onward and upward, let's get the winning habit back, even if the method needs to be ugly in the short term!

[Cagey Tiger]

Blimey, Happy Clappers, have a bit of common sense !!!!!!

We have a squad, that if it was coached by virtually any of the other Premiership DOR's, would certainly not be bottom, for two years now.
A ''win'' against Cardiff does not constitute a season saving probability, just a mere two wins together
Lose next week, and we will be back to square one.

The only saving grace yesterday was that our lads sniped and battled for 83 minutes, and that is a sea change from 30+ of Murphys offerings. Get real, if we are in the Top 6 by the 3rd Quarter, and safe from relegation, then you can restart the happy clapping...

Love it. Some people celebrate a win, while acknowledging a pretty dire game (a lot of thud and blunder) and out comes the Happy Clappers "insult". There again, to be expected from a doom monger unless we are double champions again

but that isn't what happened certain posters decided to have a dig at those of us that were very unhappy and concerned with the team, that was picked, labelling us doom mongers, so the name calling started by those that apparently just want to celebrate a win

Are we in two wrongs making a right territory then?

[johnthegriff]

Not actually amazed by the negative comments of some after our victory even if they do think they are being realistic, they should realise that others have a different realism.
I was in Cardiff and have not yet seen the TV recording so I am not influenced by pundits opinion. I was not surprised that team selection left out most of the World Cup guys and some regular starters, but we did kick off with a few international players in the team, it was a squad pick and far from the Academy side that some dismissed it as. I don't understand how some can blame the club for not playing young guys and then complain when they do.
I regard this competition as important, frankly in our group the team that goes through will beat Calvisano twice, win their home matches and do better away to Pau and Cardiff than they do at Welford Road. With that in mind if I had been pressed before the match I might have said that I would not be disappointed with a losing bonus point. A Cardiff supporter before the game told me that their side was pretty much the best they could put out from those available and he did not understand why we had picked such a second team.
The game itself was a poor match, hard fought but conditions and a few strange referee decisions affected both sides, our guys stuck to their task right to the end, they did not fade after 70 minutes as so often seemed to happen last season and we won the second half six nil. Apart from a couple of occasions when we let the ball bounce I thought we played the artificial surface well, training in our dome possibly paid off.
Frankly it was not a good came for the purist but it was exciting at the end and I finished happy and clapping.
As for the Premiership we had a poor performance against Worcester which we should have won, we have been handicapped by the absence of our international backs, we did well against Gloucester and were not good enough against Irish, the season has a long way to go, our squad is I believe stronger than last years and the younger men will improve as the season goes on. My realism is tinged by optimism others see only the darker side, I will see improvement is we make top six, delight if we make the play-offs and be really chuffed if we nab a trophy, the others will be worrying about next season!

[fentiger]

^^ This +1

[Mark62]

^^ This +1

Plus another 1

[Scuttle]

Johnthegriff pretty much sums up where I stand on the match and on future prospects so I will not repeat (much of) what he wrote. I watched the game on TV live and again yesterday and it seemed better second time around, mainly because I understood by then what Tigers tactics were. Whilst there were some mistakes the tactics were spot on for me and the proof is in the result; it wasn't the pitch, conditions or team to play anything different and on the latter, again the result showed the selection to be good; the popular selection isn't always right, and the right selection isnt always popular. I do think we as supporters need to reflect on the benefit our posts here or elsewhere have on the coaches and players. Being constructive in a supportive way can be helpful; unconstructive criticism can't help anyone and the coaches and players pick up on it as evidenced in the GM and Genge interviews. Some may think their outpourings will actually change the coaches decisions or the players attitude and committment; I think they are deluding themselves and will only influence in a negative way. I think GM and the squad have enough on their plates battling the opposition without having to battle against the ill-thought out comments from fans. I too am hopeful we will see improvement this season and have a tenner on it to boot.

[Cardiff Tig]

I regard this competition as important, frankly in our group the team that goes through will beat Calvisano twice, win their home matches and do better away to Pau and Cardiff than they do at Welford Road. With that in mind if I had been pressed before the match I might have said that I would not be disappointed with a losing bonus point. A Cardiff supporter before the game told me that their side was pretty much the best they could put out from those available and he did not understand why we had picked such a second team.

This was my point pre-match. I'm very happy with the win, and the comments about the quality of the game are a nothing comments really as you can only play what is in front of you. But everyone thought this was a weak team (whether they agreed or disagreed with the selection) and IMO it's an important competition and could (and indeed did) go a long way to wrapping up qualification for the knock out stages this weekend.

Frankly, I think the coaches got lucky. And I'd argue getting experience of knock-out rugby is definitely needed for the whole team if and when we ever get back to the top end of the table.

[JP14]

You didn’t miss much in terms of TV Punditry, same Scottish commentator we had for the PRC game versus Exeter and Toby Flood who was useless for this kind of game because of all the scrums, no offence Floody.

[BFG]

I regard this competition as important, frankly in our group the team that goes through will beat Calvisano twice, win their home matches and do better away to Pau and Cardiff than they do at Welford Road. With that in mind if I had been pressed before the match I might have said that I would not be disappointed with a losing bonus point. A Cardiff supporter before the game told me that their side was pretty much the best they could put out from those available and he did not understand why we had picked such a second team.

This was my point pre-match. I'm very happy with the win, and the comments about the quality of the game are a nothing comments really as you can only play what is in front of you. But everyone thought this was a weak team (whether they agreed or disagreed with the selection) and IMO it's an important competition and could (and indeed did) go a long way to wrapping up qualification for the knock out stages this weekend.

Frankly, I think the coaches got lucky. And I'd argue getting experience of knock-out rugby is definitely needed for the whole team if and when we ever get back to the top end of the table.

Did they get lucky, or were there large amounts of intelligent planning involved such as for example did they study the referee's style beforehand and play with a plan to suit him etc?
These are always interesting questions to which only those involved really know the answers!

[Tiglon]

Johnthegriff pretty much sums up where I stand on the match and on future prospects so I will not repeat (much of) what he wrote. I watched the game on TV live and again yesterday and it seemed better second time around, mainly because I understood by then what Tigers tactics were. Whilst there were some mistakes the tactics were spot on for me and the proof is in the result; it wasn't the pitch, conditions or team to play anything different and on the latter, again the result showed the selection to be good; the popular selection isn't always right, and the right selection isnt always popular. I do think we as supporters need to reflect on the benefit our posts here or elsewhere have on the coaches and players. Being constructive in a supportive way can be helpful; unconstructive criticism can't help anyone and the coaches and players pick up on it as evidenced in the GM and Genge interviews. Some may think their outpourings will actually change the coaches decisions or the players attitude and committment; I think they are deluding themselves and will only influence in a negative way. I think GM and the squad have enough on their plates battling the opposition without having to battle against the ill-thought out comments from fans. I too am hopeful we will see improvement this season and have a tenner on it to boot.

I agree, but people like GM and Genge need to accept the reality that whatever you do in life someone is going to think you're doing it wrong - particularly in a line of work that evokes as much passion and emotion as professional sport.

Looking at Genge's performance, it's hard to argue that any criticism has affected him negatively in any way whatsoever. It might **** him off, but it's not going to make him play badly. When someone tells me I'm ****, it motivates me to prove them wrong. I hardly think that you make it to near the top of your profession by breaking down in tears and giving up every time someone says you're not good enough - quite the opposite.

There have been some people on the Tigers payroll in recent years who haven't put in 100% and I'm not surprised there has been vocal criticism of that, but I'm not sure who would put Genge or GM in that category.