Tigers vs Cardiff - 12th January 2020

[Mark62]

Underpowered and untried team. No idea what GM is playing at. Full strength side, this side goes to Pau after cementing top place while top players rest? Would've turned out best team as Cardiff are! Could be another mistake amongst many.

you’ve got England’s half backs

No Ben Youngs

My apologies I read Ben

[happywomble]

Match fitness shouldn't be the big worry for Manu a month off isn't that big considering he has been playing/training form July. Doubt it will be of concern for Eddie unfortunately.

What's happened to Jake Kerr? Seemed to be developing nicely last season but hardly seen in matchday squads so far this season? I thought they might rest Tom Youngs and start with TPN with Jake on the bench.

I agree, would have been nice to see Kerr.

Also, whats the fitness update on Liebenberg? I see Holmes is approaching return, which is very welcome, but would be good to have Liebenberg back for us as soon as possible!

February is the hope for Liebenberg

Thanks RB! Fingers crossed for earlier Feb!

[MCC1964]

Underpowered and untried team. No idea what GM is playing at. Full strength side, this side goes to Pau after cementing top place while top players rest? Would've turned out best team as Cardiff are! Could be another mistake amongst many.

Joe Batley is definitely under powered after all his is only 6 ft 7 in and a mere 19st 7lb !!!!

Sorry should have said untested, or unevidenced, and definitely untried in places. We've had big players before who turn out to be underpowered - you see the difference with Tuafua and Lavanini. And my argument stands over a mistake - this could be defensively costly initially and the team melds. It may well be that the front row crumples Cardiff and we profit thereafter, but don't bet against our defence being shredded initially by good backs patterns - something we've seen before (e.g. Dragons some seasons ago).

So you disagree with a player being selected because they are untested. How do they become tested then? What a bizarre point of view. I would have thought this is an ideal time to do just that.

[CitizenSmiff]

I'm a fan of this team personally, we need depth for the annual grim old slog that is the 6N so I'm looking forward to seeing what the fringe players can do. I'd have played Taufua myself as a sort of get out of jail card but otherwise yeah let's have it!

[WhitecapTiger]

Hopefully Clancy will officiate well enough, wasn’t he the ref for the home Racing fixture last year I remember him being quite poor?

They say Hope is the last to die.....and I fear you are hoping for the impossible. I know it's easy to 'bash' a ref but Clowncy really takes the biscuit, exceeded only by Lacey in the 'poor' stakes (neither are as high as 'quite poor')

Very happy to be proven wrong, win lose or draw, but I won't be holding my breath!

[Hot_Charlie]

Underpowered and untried team. No idea what GM is playing at. Full strength side, this side goes to Pau after cementing top place while top players rest? Would've turned out best team as Cardiff are! Could be another mistake amongst many.

Joe Batley is definitely under powered after all his is only 6 ft 7 in and a mere 19st 7lb !!!!

Joe Batley has also been very impressive in his two outings for the Dev XV too.

[Big Dai]

So I thought the accepted wisdom on here was that we'd pick a strong team, whoop Cardiff, qualify and relax a bit in Pau?

What do I know?

[Mark62]

So I thought the accepted wisdom on here was that we'd pick a strong team, whoop Cardiff, qualify and relax a bit in Pau?

What do I know?

Not sure anyone was advocating a strong team Dai, no one realistic anyway. There is still enough strength and it looks like Cardiff are experimenting in the 13 channel, supposedly the most difficult place to defendv

[OakhamTiger32]

So I thought the accepted wisdom on here was that we'd pick a strong team, whoop Cardiff, qualify and relax a bit in Pau?

What do I know?

Not sure anyone was advocating a strong team Dai, no one realistic anyway. There is still enough strength and it looks like Cardiff are experimenting in the 13 channel, supposedly the most difficult place to defendv

I don’t think anyone was suggesting a full strength team but there are plenty of posters that wanted to see us win this then rest key players away to Pau. Not sure if you class these people as unrealistic but surely everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Equally didn’t you say you ‘can’t see Cardiff sending up any more than a second team, they have nothing to gain’

Playing devils advocate one could argue you were the one being unrealistic as Cardiff have targeted this as a ‘must win’ game and have sent a fairly strong side, pretty much their best available.

[OakhamTiger32]

I guess after seeing Wells and Green start at 6 and May, Youngs, Ford, Manu and Cole all starting at home to Calvisano anything is within the realms of possibility at the moment!

[Mark62]

Fair point and I am surprised at the strength of the side they are sending. See I was wrong and I’ve got over it.

People seem to be looking on this as a weak Tigers side. I know it isn’t full strength but it’s hardly weak, premiership strength front row , flankers many people have been crying out to play along with a world class 10 and 15.
Add into the mix a hulk of a lock and a test capped winger who are basically on trial and will be wanting to impress.

People seem to complain about everything and I’m sure that it would be the same people saying why are we risking Lavanini, Taufua etc if they had been picked.

A weaker Tigers side beat a similar strength Cardiff side away and a win of any sort means we win the group

[jgriffin]

So I thought the accepted wisdom on here was that we'd pick a strong team, whoop Cardiff, qualify and relax a bit in Pau?

What do I know?

Same here.

[OakhamTiger32]

People seem to complain about everything and I’m sure that it would be the same people saying why are we risking Lavanini, Taufua etc if they had been picked.

A weaker Tigers side beat a similar strength Cardiff side away and a win of any sort means we win the group

Agreed... seems GM is criticised whatever team he selects and the youngsters put in a great showing away from home so here’s hoping.

I really like the look of the back row and any backs division with Ford and Veianu will cause teams problems as you say.

While I would have liked to have seen slightly more experience for this match I’m looking forward to seeing this exciting squad play.

[Mark62]

So I thought the accepted wisdom on here was that we'd pick a strong team, whoop Cardiff, qualify and relax a bit in Pau?

What do I know?

Same here.

A win and we top the group before the Pau trip , a weaker Tigers side won against a similar strength Cardiff side down there

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Tigers will have to play well to win & that is probably a good thing.
No Taute is interesting, if 2 games is all his body can put together, he won't be the best signing will he.
As for the Ref, he used to be ok, but seems to of got dreadful, still better than Allan Lewis ever was...now how many players in a rugby union team?