Championship Rugby

[CitizenSmiff]

No. Wasps are awful too and they've had their squad together longer. My prediction is based on getting a bit of a dead cat bounce from Borthwick arriving, if Geordan stays all season then we are 100% going down.

[Dr H Flashman MBE]

We are getting relegated if we continue to produce the sort of aimless rugby as demonstrated on Saturday. We can chat about other teams being just as bad, which they are clearly not as we are 11th. Those teams mentioned have more points than us already and we can wax lyrical about our England players etc, but they all came back on Saturday and there was no improvement on the London Irish game.

I am always optimistic about our chances but the reality is, we are going down unless something is sorted or the players start to play for the team, the shirt, the club, the fans and most importantly each other.

Sorry to put a downer on it, but we are getting relegated as things stand.

[RichieB]

No.

I'm an optimist and believe things will change. Having just read Taute's comments on the Saints game, I still believe there is a massive reality check needed. He is quoted as saying:

'If you play against a team that are top of the league and you’re five per cent off here and there, that quickly turns into a result you don’t want.'

If the performance was only 5% off here and there, I'd be less worried.

[mol2]

If it's not us who will it be?

Sarries can be discounted - they will have overtaken us by the end of Jan.

London Irish stuffed us.
Wasps are struggling and perhaps our only stepping stone.

[JP14]

Nobody is too big to go down, so I think it’s definitely possible we will be relegated, but perhaps the Challenge Cup can pick us up, granted not much can be gained by thrashing Italian minnows but it gives the platform for players to play confident rugby, Northampton had Ensei-TSM last season and dismantled them by 100 or so points.

[OakhamTiger32]

No. Wasps are awful too and they've had their squad together longer. My prediction is based on getting a bit of a dead cat bounce from Borthwick arriving, if Geordan stays all season then we are 100% going down.

Spot on imho. Unless things change then sadly I think it's us. New leadership hopefully might be enough to steer the team we have back in the right direction. We undoubtedly have a class group of experienced players and some exciting young talent and perhaps we might see them performing to their true potential under a proven coaching setup... here's hoping anyway although if the report that Borthwick won't be available for 6 months is true then I fear it will be too late waiting for him.. other options in the pipeline perhaps?

[anz3001]

No - I don’t think we’ll go down. I’m fully aware that it’s possible, and we’re certainly not too big to go down but I’m hoping we’ll manage mid table.

[Robespierre]

The way that Tigers are currently playing means that relegation is highly likely, unless the changes that we supporters have been clamouring for are brought about, and pretty damned quick! Talking about other clubs who are in similar straits to Tigers is totally irrelevant. There are only three wheels on Tigers’ wagon at the moment and it’s rolling inexorably towards Jersey, Rotherham and Nottingham!

[ABClub]

No but largely because Wasps and Bath look just as poor as us. I think that London Irish will tail off as the season goes on as well.

We will be in mix with those 4 though in 9-12 unless something changes very quickly. I think that Sarries will overtake all 4 of those sides as well despite the points deduction.

[JGT57]

I bet Bath, Wasps and L Irish are saying exactly the same thing but probably with more confidence.

[POSTIGER]

Yes. We may not be the weakest team on paper but we're the most dysfunctional and the least organised.

[Mark62]

The way that Tigers are currently playing means that relegation is highly likely, unless the changes that we supporters have been clamouring for are brought about, and pretty damned quick! Talking about other clubs who are in similar straits to Tigers is totally irrelevant. There are only three wheels on Tigers’ wagon at the moment and it’s rolling inexorably towards Jersey, Rotherham and Nottingham!

Don’t forget Ampthill

[fentiger]

The way that Tigers are currently playing means that relegation is highly likely, unless the changes that we supporters have been clamouring for are brought about, and pretty damned quick! Talking about other clubs who are in similar straits to Tigers is totally irrelevant. There are only three wheels on Tigers’ wagon at the moment and it’s rolling inexorably towards Jersey, Rotherham and Nottingham!

Don’t forget Ampthill

And if we go right downhill Bedford (Goldington Road ).

[aslongaswebeatsaints]

No.

1. The Insects are worse.
2. Baaaaarth are the same standard as us.
3. Our youngsters are getting better. And in some ways showing the way.
4. Our pack will be a different beast when (if) our new boys are all fit.
5. The England guys need time. The whole system changed while they were away.
6. Kalamafoni has come back from the World Cup an even better player.
7. Lavanini will learn English and the line out calls. In fact, some of our English speaking forwards will also learn the line out calls.
8. The Board might persuade the Premiership to have no demotion this season.
9. Tom Youngs always has at least one game when he throws the ball straight in to the line out.
10. We always play better with Veainu.
11. Any new coach will provide a bounce for at least a few games.
12. Saints, in my opinion, are a serious contender this season. We are not the only team they will tear apart. But Saints at WR is a different game.
13. The team will realise that it may be beneficial to pass the ball to Manu and May occasionally.
14. Confidence shoots up because Austin Healey unexpectedly says something complementary about Tigers in his commentary.
15. Thompson always pulls off at least one match saving turnover.
16. George Ford will save us again (Hallelujah!).
17. Quins always have a shocker at Welford Road.
18. Genge will get rid of the ‘baby’ part and go full Rhino.
19. Warren Gatland and Makazole Mapimpi will get an unexpected urge to live in Leicestershire (before you get excited this is pure wishful thinking - it would be nice though wouldn’t it.....)

In summary we have improved from unfit and terrible last season to fit and average.

[CitizenSmiff]

No.

1. The Insects are worse.
2. Baaaaarth are the same standard as us.
3. Our youngsters are getting better. And in some ways showing the way.
4. Our pack will be a different beast when (if) our new boys are all fit.
5. The England guys need time. The whole system changed while they were away.
6. Kalamafoni has come back from the World Cup an even better player.
7. Lavanini will learn English and the line out calls. In fact, some of our English speaking forwards will also learn the line out calls.
8. The Board might persuade the Premiership to have no demotion this season.
9. Tom Youngs always has at least one game when he throws the ball straight in to the line out.
10. We always play better with Veainu.
11. Any new coach will provide a bounce for at least a few games.
12. Saints, in my opinion, are a serious contender this season. We are not the only team they will tear apart. But Saints at WR is a different game.
13. The team will realise that it may be beneficial to pass the ball to Manu and May occasionally.
14. Confidence shoots up because Austin Healey unexpectedly says something complementary about Tigers in his commentary.
15. Thompson always pulls off at least one match saving turnover.
16. George Ford will save us again (Hallelujah!).
17. Quins always have a shocker at Welford Road.
18. Genge will get rid of the ‘baby’ part and go full Rhino.
19. Warren Gatland and Makazole Mapimpi will get an unexpected urge to live in Leicestershire (before you get excited this is pure wishful thinking - it would be nice though wouldn’t it.....)

In summary we have improved from unfit and terrible last season to fit and average.

Some valid points but I'd dispute that last part, after 5 games last season we'd won two and scored a lot more points. We're markedly worse this year.