Tigers vs Cardiff - 12th January 2020

[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?

Same here.

Thanks

[sam16111986]

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?

There's a massive game Vs Bath before the internationals go for the 6N. Give them a week off then spend two weeks in hard preparation.

Spend these next two games looking at what we have for the 6N period. Are the loan signings going to push into the reckoning? Are Lewis and Reffell forcing their way ahead of some of the more experienced players? Get some game time into Bateman and Heyes who will likely be the starting props. Owolfela, Simmons and Spencer need game time following injury.

[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?

There's a massive game Vs Bath before the internationals go for the 6N. Give them a week off then spend two weeks in hard preparation.

Spend these next two games looking at what we have for the 6N period. Are the loan signings going to push into the reckoning? Are Lewis and Reffell forcing their way ahead of some of the more experienced players? Get some game time into Bateman and Heyes who will likely be the starting props. Owolfela, Simmons and Spencer need game time following injury.

I get all that. Absolutely need to gell a team for the 6N period. I had just imagined a "stronger" selection for this game. That's all. Especially after the Calvisano at home team selection.

[biffer]

Really want Tigers to win this. Obviously I want them to win normally, but a win tomorrow means that Edinburgh only need a win v Agen next week at home that get to the QFs. And that QF may well be at Welford Road....

[Cardiff Tig]

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?

There's a massive game Vs Bath before the internationals go for the 6N. Give them a week off then spend two weeks in hard preparation.

Spend these next two games looking at what we have for the 6N period. Are the loan signings going to push into the reckoning? Are Lewis and Reffell forcing their way ahead of some of the more experienced players? Get some game time into Bateman and Heyes who will likely be the starting props. Owolfela, Simmons and Spencer need game time following injury.

Why not guarantee a win at home and give the big hitters a rest afterwards.

Also, this is a chance to guarantee knock out rugby experience for the squad. Does anyone actually think that if we make it to a knock out game next season we'll do well...

[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?

There's a massive game Vs Bath before the internationals go for the 6N. Give them a week off then spend two weeks in hard preparation.

Spend these next two games looking at what we have for the 6N period. Are the loan signings going to push into the reckoning? Are Lewis and Reffell forcing their way ahead of some of the more experienced players? Get some game time into Bateman and Heyes who will likely be the starting props. Owolfela, Simmons and Spencer need game time following injury.

Why not guarantee a win at home and give the big hitters a rest afterwards.

Also, this is a chance to guarantee knock out rugby experience for the squad. Does anyone actually think that if we make it to a knock out game next season we'll do well...

The likes of Lavanini and Taufua played a full season in the Southern Hemisphere before coming here. 2 weeks rest is a good thing.
We win on Sunday and we’ll have a knock,out game this season, likely at home. That’s the game to be putting the big hitters out.

[Big Dai]

There's a massive game Vs Bath before the internationals go for the 6N. Give them a week off then spend two weeks in hard preparation.

Spend these next two games looking at what we have for the 6N period. Are the loan signings going to push into the reckoning? Are Lewis and Reffell forcing their way ahead of some of the more experienced players? Get some game time into Bateman and Heyes who will likely be the starting props. Owolfela, Simmons and Spencer need game time following injury.

Why not guarantee a win at home and give the big hitters a rest afterwards.

Also, this is a chance to guarantee knock out rugby experience for the squad. Does anyone actually think that if we make it to a knock out game next season we'll do well...

The likes of Lavanini and Taufua played a full season in the Southern Hemisphere before coming here. 2 weeks rest is a good thing.
We win on Sunday and we’ll have a knock,out game this season, likely at home. That’s the game to be putting the big hitters out.

You've got to get there first!

[Mark62]

This isn’t aimed at anyone in particular but the negativity on this forum astounds me.
The coaches have picked a team to do a job on Sunday, and that is get a win.
IMHO the team they have picked is more than good enough to do that. Others are not so sure, which is their opinion.
The problem is that until around 5 pm on Sunday we don’t know what is going to happen.

If they don’t win I for one will be happy to come on here and say I was wrong and question what the coaches were doing.
I wonder just how many of the critics will be prepared to do the same thing if we win.

And before we get the normal, well we’ve been rubbish fit the past season and a half blah blah, some sort of momentum has built up since Exeter, and the team aren’t going to want to loose it now.

[Tiglon]

I love to complain.

But I quite like this selection. To be honest, I couldn't care less about this competition, so giving a trial run to a lot of the players whom we'll need during the 6N to guarantee premiership survival seems a very sensible thing to do.

No one is going to be happy if we win the Challenge Cup but get relegated because our team during the 6N had hardly played together and weren't match sharp.

Besides, this team is more than strong enough to be capable of beating Cardiff. Capable of losing too, but so what if they do? Still learnt a lot and we'll still be better off in the 6N.

"Give youngsters a chance!" I hear everyone cry. "But not in an actual match, we might not win!" If you're too scared to risk your less experienced players in the second tier Euro competition, where are they going to gain experience? We might as well cancel their contracts and tell them to go find a club where they might get a chance. Which is basically what MOC would have done and none of you liked that very much, if I remember correctly...

Win or lose, I think it's the right call and will benefit us in the bigger picture.

[kk20gb30]

The side selected is more than capable of beating Cardiff.

[OakhamTiger32]

Lots of good points above.

Of course we want/need to win this game and a bit like the Wells at 6 selection, GM has come under further scrutiny for his choices. I expected to see a slightly stronger side selection to guarantee the win but I agree that the priorities this season must be with the GP. For that reason, it makes complete sense to try and give some game time to those players that will likely be facing Wasps, Sale, Worcester and Sarries in the not too distant future.

Makes sense so here’s hoping the lads can get the job done and avoid a tricky away trip to France.

[chewbacca]

I love to complain.

But I quite like this selection. To be honest, I couldn't care less about this competition, so giving a trial run to a lot of the players whom we'll need during the 6N to guarantee premiership survival seems a very sensible thing to do.

No one is going to be happy if we win the Challenge Cup but get relegated because our team during the 6N had hardly played together and weren't match sharp.

Besides, this team is more than strong enough to be capable of beating Cardiff. Capable of losing too, but so what if they do? Still learnt a lot and we'll still be better off in the 6N.

"Give youngsters a chance!" I hear everyone cry. "But not in an actual match, we might not win!" If you're too scared to risk your less experienced players in the second tier Euro competition, where are they going to gain experience? We might as well cancel their contracts and tell them to go find a club where they might get a chance. Which is basically what MOC would have done and none of you liked that very much, if I remember correctly...

Win or lose, I think it's the right call and will benefit us in the bigger picture.

Absolutely. Premiership survival must be the priority.

[JP14]

I guess we will find out tomorrow afternoon as to whether the selection was right or not, I’m personally backing Murphy on this one although I would have liked to have seen Thompson at 8 and Taute at 13 but that might be down to injury.

Give Simmons at least 15 minutes as well, that will be good.

[JGT57]

Pleased to see him on team sheet, but I thought we had let Boladau go? I think he will be useful body during the 6N

[Big Dai]

This isn’t aimed at anyone in particular but the negativity on this forum astounds me.
The coaches have picked a team to do a job on Sunday, and that is get a win.
IMHO the team they have picked is more than good enough to do that. Others are not so sure, which is their opinion.
The problem is that until around 5 pm on Sunday we don’t know what is going to happen.

If they don’t win I for one will be happy to come on here and say I was wrong and question what the coaches were doing.
I wonder just how many of the critics will be prepared to do the same thing if we win.

And before we get the normal, well we’ve been rubbish fit the past season and a half blah blah, some sort of momentum has built up since Exeter, and the team aren’t going to want to loose it now.

Don't mistake surprise for negativity.