Tigers vs Quins - 04 Oct 20 15:00

[POSTIGER]

Scott, yet again you go looking for the negatives....this season cannot be compared to last seasons. The fight to stay up this season was not an issue given Saracens transgressions. If it had been, I expect the team selections would have been different.
Scrum, maul, lineouts, fitness and defence (in part) has improved.
Players have been given opportunities for the new Head Coach to see them in action and has started the rebuilding.
Rome was not built overnight. Judge it on next season and I personally believe that we will be in a better position.

It’s not negative,it’s the truth! And if there wasn’t a danger of going down why persevere with a turgid gameplan like that instead of taking the shackles off?!

I could not agree more, we have no invention going forward, we get tackled behind the gainline 80% of the time, then we hoof it back too long or out on the full, this has been Tigers for the past few seasons, nothing has changed. This season has been an unmitigated disaster IMHO, selection all over the place, sound thrashings from all and sundry, very few positive points but they are far outweighed by the negatives.
I am a very long term and very disappointed fan, I have not been able to watch any of our games this season all the way through, such has been the dire nature of our play.

Totally agree. I don't see many positives at all. Sorry.

[Downsouth]

Frustrated as that was very winnable and but for small margins we would have. Not sure if its a positive right now but we may see more of Youngs and Ford next season than was expected. I also fully expect us to finish above at least 2 of Irish, Worcester and Newcastle. We need to remember how to win. On paper I think the side today and coaches are the best for a few years. Next season they need to deliver.

[RagingBull]

I do agree about the game line.
But we are also missing
Lavanini, Taufua (Who seems like he was off pace for a while), Brink and Wiese (who was both calculated in the caps).
That's 4 forwards who really signed because of their carrying ability/general physicality.

I do think though that even if the forwards are struggling for it, we should've brought Nadolo and Murimurivalu right down either Herron channel or Lang more.
Even doing that once before kicking.

[westwinds31]

Really frustrating. What do they say that you’re vulnerable when you’ve scored....running into our own players, stupid penalties. The one that got me most frustrated was when we had a couple of decent phases...made some metres. Quick ball would have continued that but Cole, picks the ball up as he arrives at the ruck and takes it on...on his own. Only Ford there to try and clear out...penalty Quins. We know they target every breakdown so don’t take it on yourself....mindless...clueless.

If I had to pick out 3 players I’ve been impressed with...Liebenburg, Nadolo and Steward.

We are rebuilding, yes we know that but this could be longer than 3 years to get anywhere near back into the mix. We have no real penetration, physicality yes but you watch, for example Willis, Simmonds, Cowan-Dickie, Vui, Earl....just a selection of forwards...we are light years away from their physicality, skill set and game management. It’s frightening. Ok some of those are internationals...but what about Stooke, Rowlands, Gaskell even .....these are club players who are 8/10 every week. We have a long way to go.

[Crofty]

We also won one more game last season so technically if you were to simplify it,if anything we have gone backwards!

Scott, yet again you go looking for the negatives....this season cannot be compared to last seasons. The fight to stay up this season was not an issue given Saracens transgressions. If it had been, I expect the team selections would have been different.
Scrum, maul, lineouts, fitness and defence (in part) has improved.
Players have been given opportunities for the new Head Coach to see them in action and has started the rebuilding.
Rome was not built overnight. Judge it on next season and I personally believe that we will be in a better position.

You keep saying this, however we played pretty much consistently a 1st XV and a 2nd XV with the 1sts aimed at the "winnable" games and the seconds being sent out to take midweek shellacings like th 40-3 defeat at Ashton Gate on Wednesday. The experimental, shackles free, relegation is not a worry approach would have been to mix up the youth and experience, for example, pair YBY with Henry outside him and Ford with White inside him. Today our 1st XV were beaten by Harlequins' 2nds pretty much, Harlequins being a pretty much mid-table side. Yes, Rome wasn't built in a day but if things don't improve quickly we are in big trouble.

Let's not kid ourselves, in 2020 Leicester tigers were relegated and only by quirk of fate will be playing Premiership and European rugby in 2021. With only 6 weeks to the start of next season (three of which the DoR has said will be holidays for the playing side) the outlook for next season is bleak, unless the team was sandbagging to lull the competition into a false sense of security. If we reserve judgement until Easter we'll potentially be in the bottom of a very big hole. I don't want to be there, but I'll still be supporting the club should it happen, and because I don't want it to happen I am compelled to warn any who will listen that the hole is there and we need to stop digging...

[sapajo]

Excellent post but I fear to many folks are content to remain in denial than accept the precarious reality of just how poor we still are.

[Dokie]

Bit harsh on van Wyk only been with us for a couple of weeks, I don’t know how many other wingers would have finished that, especially since the pass from Steward was poor and he had to check his run. van Wyk was one of the best finishers in Super Rugby/SR Aotearoa this year so I’m excited about what he can do for us next year.

Wasn’t commenting upon the finish. Just his overall demeanour. When you pay big money for players, you expect them to turn up from day 1.

He did a lot of good things, he did some things I think he should have done better. He looked a bit rusty but having not played for a few weeks (5?) and only been in the country for a couple of weeks with a new team that's not massively surprising. I'm sure we'll see more from him next season.

Please enlighten me on the 'lot of good things'. He took one good high ball. I could add that he nearly scored a try but he caught a forward pass, put a foot in touch and didn't ground the ball, so that's not really nearly. Then I'm struggling to come up with any other positive impacts. My comments had nothing to do with rustiness, everything to do with commitment. How many kicks did he contest? How much did he come off his wing and look to get involved? The supposed attempted tackle when Lang scored? The stupidity of playing the 9 at a ruck in our 22? MCC says he seemed laid back in his interview. I've just watched it back and one man's laid back is another man's arrogant. Those of us who watched him play in NZ will know that apart from one exceptional finish, most of his tries were walk ins. And again, how often did he come off his wing looking for work?

Some of my post looks quite negative but there's too much blind loyalty on here and I'm just saying it as it is. Many recent contributions on here simply assume that recruiting overseas names will be the answer to all of our dreams. That simply won't happen unless those names perform with pride, passion and skill week in week out. Of those who have arrived, Scott and Wallace have impressed, For Van Wyk see above. Muri has disappointed so far and whilst Nadolo will always score tries from certain situations, he is clearly not properly fit.
Of those who are yet to arrive, I don't care what Brink, Wiese and Moroni have previously done but I do care about what they do in a Tigers shirt. My biggest fear is that our track record in recruiting the De Villiers and Pietersons of this world might be repeated.

[Dokie]

Wasn’t commenting upon the finish. Just his overall demeanour. When you pay big money for players, you expect them to turn up from day 1.

He did a lot of good things, he did some things I think he should have done better. He looked a bit rusty but having not played for a few weeks (5?) and only been in the country for a couple of weeks with a new team that's not massively surprising. I'm sure we'll see more from him next season.

Please enlighten me on the 'lot of good things'. He took one good high ball. I could add that he nearly scored a try but he caught a forward pass, put a foot in touch and didn't ground the ball, so that's not really nearly. Then I'm struggling to come up with any other positive impacts. My comments had nothing to do with rustiness, everything to do with commitment. How many kicks did he contest? How much did he come off his wing and look to get involved? The supposed attempted tackle when Lang scored? The stupidity of playing the 9 at a ruck in our 22? MCC says he seemed laid back in his interview. I've just watched it back and one man's laid back is another man's arrogant. Those of us who watched him play in NZ will know that apart from one exceptional finish, most of his tries were walk ins. And again, how often did he come off his wing looking for work?

Some of my post looks quite negative but there's too much blind loyalty on here and I'm just saying it as it is. Many recent contributions on here simply assume that recruiting overseas names will be the answer to all of our dreams. That simply won't happen unless those names perform with pride, passion and skill week in week out. Of those who have arrived, Scott and Wallace have impressed, For Van Wyk see above. Muri has disappointed so far and whilst Nadolo will always score tries from certain situations, he is clearly not properly fit.
Of those who are yet to arrive, I don't care what Brink, Wiese and Moroni have previously done but I do care about what they do in a Tigers shirt. My biggest fear is that our track record in recruiting the De Villiers and Pietersons of this world might be repeated.

Left out the Aussies! Porter and Potter look like decent works in progress; Enever not so sure.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

Back row balance will be interesting. I think we missed a hard carrier today, having two sevens added breakdown presence, but we missed a destructive presence in the way Dombrandt was for Quins.
6. Taufua/Brink
7. Wallace/Reffell
8. Liebenberg/Wiesse

I’ve actually been impressed by Murimurivalu, not sure where the disappointment is coming from. Think he’s looked physical in defence and attack, decent footwork, and willing to take players on and promote the ball.

[MCC1964]

He did a lot of good things, he did some things I think he should have done better. He looked a bit rusty but having not played for a few weeks (5?) and only been in the country for a couple of weeks with a new team that's not massively surprising. I'm sure we'll see more from him next season.

Please enlighten me on the 'lot of good things'. He took one good high ball. I could add that he nearly scored a try but he caught a forward pass, put a foot in touch and didn't ground the ball, so that's not really nearly. Then I'm struggling to come up with any other positive impacts. My comments had nothing to do with rustiness, everything to do with commitment. How many kicks did he contest? How much did he come off his wing and look to get involved? The supposed attempted tackle when Lang scored? The stupidity of playing the 9 at a ruck in our 22? MCC says he seemed laid back in his interview. I've just watched it back and one man's laid back is another man's arrogant. Those of us who watched him play in NZ will know that apart from one exceptional finish, most of his tries were walk ins. And again, how often did he come off his wing looking for work?

Some of my post looks quite negative but there's too much blind loyalty on here and I'm just saying it as it is. Many recent contributions on here simply assume that recruiting overseas names will be the answer to all of our dreams. That simply won't happen unless those names perform with pride, passion and skill week in week out. Of those who have arrived, Scott and Wallace have impressed, For Van Wyk see above. Muri has disappointed so far and whilst Nadolo will always score tries from certain situations, he is clearly not properly fit.
Of those who are yet to arrive, I don't care what Brink, Wiese and Moroni have previously done but I do care about what they do in a Tigers shirt. My biggest fear is that our track record in recruiting the De Villiers and Pietersons of this world might be repeated.

Left out the Aussies! Porter and Potter look like decent works in progress; Enever not so sure.

My point being you are trashing a player after one game for us. One game. Ridiculous. You may well prove to be right in the longer term, but geeze, give a bloke a fair crack.

[Jimmy Skitz]

we have the individual parts to make a decent midtable side at least so long as the coaches can get out of their own way and fit the tactics around the squad we have rather then forcing the squad to fit the tactics.

If there is a power struggle, Borthwick HAS to win not Murphy

[Old Hob]

Sorry to add to the gloom, but let's not forget the other teams will use the off season to improve too. Quins seconds looked useful and will, presumably, be better. Unless they catch the virus that has been weakening Tigers for 6 years with no sign of a cure.

[wellstiger]

Except for Nadolo's runs we have no attack. Pieces of shear mindedness and individual flair,
How many times did the support players over run the ball carrier or take the same space.
Yes we are getting new pairings but I see,as yet, no attack plan. If we are waiting for our newbies to arrive before we get a plan together it may be a bridge too far to rebuild.
Sorry but G,Ford and B Youngs need resting they are not adding anything at present, only predictability.G F is a confidence player and he looks off.
The only constant has been Mike Ford as defensive coach. Except for the defensive line position improving, the one on one tackling in defence has got worse.If this is due to rotation of players OK but there is a lack of unity at the back.
I predicted in another post we will keep kicking aimlessly for Squints to run back at us.Job done.
It proves we cannot kick for field position effectively and without the above said attack plan, box kicking or kick chase is ineffective. We can see with Henry and White the future is more of the same. Drop the dead donkey for next season.

[sam16111986]

Wasn’t commenting upon the finish. Just his overall demeanour. When you pay big money for players, you expect them to turn up from day 1.

He did a lot of good things, he did some things I think he should have done better. He looked a bit rusty but having not played for a few weeks (5?) and only been in the country for a couple of weeks with a new team that's not massively surprising. I'm sure we'll see more from him next season.

Please enlighten me on the 'lot of good things'. He took one good high ball. I could add that he nearly scored a try but he caught a forward pass, put a foot in touch and didn't ground the ball, so that's not really nearly. Then I'm struggling to come up with any other positive impacts. My comments had nothing to do with rustiness, everything to do with commitment. How many kicks did he contest? How much did he come off his wing and look to get involved? The supposed attempted tackle when Lang scored? The stupidity of playing the 9 at a ruck in our 22? MCC says he seemed laid back in his interview. I've just watched it back and one man's laid back is another man's arrogant. Those of us who watched him play in NZ will know that apart from one exceptional finish, most of his tries were walk ins. And again, how often did he come off his wing looking for work?

Some of my post looks quite negative but there's too much blind loyalty on here and I'm just saying it as it is. Many recent contributions on here simply assume that recruiting overseas names will be the answer to all of our dreams. That simply won't happen unless those names perform with pride, passion and skill week in week out. Of those who have arrived, Scott and Wallace have impressed, For Van Wyk see above. Muri has disappointed so far and whilst Nadolo will always score tries from certain situations, he is clearly not properly fit.

Van Wyk's positioning was good. His defence for the most part good. He will no doubt get more involved as a) our attacking game plan evolves and b) he gets to know his teammates. It wasn't a great debut but I'm not writing him off, there's no blind loyalty it's taking a view of the situation and drawing a logical conclusion. By the next time we play I'll expect a bit more from him.

[JP14]

Back row balance will be interesting. I think we missed a hard carrier today, having two sevens added breakdown presence, but we missed a destructive presence in the way Dombrandt was for Quins.
6. Taufua/Brink
7. Wallace/Reffell
8. Liebenberg/Wiesse

I’ve actually been impressed by Murimurivalu, not sure where the disappointment is coming from. Think he’s looked physical in defence and attack, decent footwork, and willing to take players on and promote the ball.

Because he hasn’t scored a 75 metre wonder try yet I presume?