BRISTOL vs TIGERS - Sat 27 Feb 21 (1300)

[Tigers86asw]

You cannot play nine games in successive weekends without breaks. Makes sense in the circumstances. Sure it is not helped by the bans to HL and JW.

[teds]

I am not sure I fully understand these selections but very pleased to see JVP restored and Kelly, Porter and Simmonds in the backs. As for forwards, even without Liebenberg, the 6’4” Leatigaga is still only the fifth tallest player in the pack. Let’s call him shorty!

I love that the replacement props have respectively 1 and 251 appearances.

This is a selection that should play without fear against a depleted Bristol. Nothing to lose and a lot to play for. Well selected Borthwick.

[ay2oh]

It seems to me that we are targeting all of our home games which is no bad thing

[MCC1964]

I’m sorry but to me this just makes no sense. I completely understand we are on a ‘journey’ and i do have faith in Borthwick, but only us would make 11 changes. What happened to building relationships which Steve has said himself. Making the changes we have against the side Bristol have put out could be dangerous. It’s like a repeat of the covid games last season, Just change it’s about, throw a few young guns in there and hope for the best. I hoped we had turned a corner when it comes to team selection.

Ok two of those changes were enforced by bans.

We don't know if any others were, for example if Henry has picked up a knock then we had to make another change (Montoya) to bring in Bonilla.

So lets look at the changes:
9. JVP has done enough to earn a start fullstop. He's been outstanding this season. Wigglesworth also went off last weekend holding his shoulder, so this is very possibly a enforced change.

10. Bonilla, lets have a look at this T1 international fly half who's only really been out of the side due to Montoya arriving early. (Henry out of the 23 suggests either clear rotation or injury)

11. Porter, done really well for us deserves a run out. Steward who he's come in for has played all our matches bar 1 so far this year needs managing his gametime atm and Murimurivalu is an international fullback.

12. Kelly, he's really impressed so far in his appearances, I like this option especially as up against a changed centre partnership for the Bears, Scott has also played a lot of minutes for us.

1. Leatigaga again prop is high impact position so needs some rotation, with Wiese missing we've brought in a bigger ball carrying option.

2. Youngs, ok Montoya is a huge miss but the position is tough to play every game rotating in our club captain isn't bad and we needed him or Moroni out to play Bonilla so makes sense to me.

3. Heyes and Cole have been rotating a bit this season, he's plenty experienced at this level so no issues.

4. Henderson a lot have been calling for him to get gametime and with Green having played a lot and Wells supporting the back row this game makes sense.

6. Wells enforced due to a ban, played here a lot, we've put a lot of muscle in our pack with 4 potential 2nd rows here expect us to use the weapons of lineout and mauls.

7. Reffell has been most fans pick for our starting 7 all year, so he's come in to the team.

8. Chessum, I'd have liked him at 6 and Brink to move to 8, but again we don't know injuries etc and he's not long come back from a VERY MAJOR injury so probably needs gametime managed.

Oy you! What do you mean coming on here and talking sense?
Away with you.

[anz3001]

Here’s a thought, Much is being made, by the coaches, of competition for places. Wigglesworth said recently, the ‘second’ team, if you like, were the better team in training. Is this the second team picked off the back of that.

[Chobbsy]

I am not sure I fully understand these selections but very pleased to see JVP restored and Kelly, Porter and Simmonds in the backs. As for forwards, even without Liebenberg, the 6’4” Leatigaga is still only the fifth tallest player in the pack. Let’s call him shorty!

I love that the replacement props have respectively 1 and 251 appearances.

This is a selection that should play without fear against a depleted Bristol. Nothing to lose and a lot to play for. Well selected Borthwick.

Depleted? have you sen the Bristol team? Very strong, I accept it isn't as strong as it could be, but still extremely strong side

[OakhamTiger32]

Lots of comments about this team selection, perhaps unsurprisingly. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion clearly. Mine for what it's worth is it's just not possible to 'target' every single game in what is a very packed season. We have some key players missing due to suspension, injury and International call ups and Bristol are the best team in the league at the moment on form and points. Away to Bristol, even with their injuries is still a big challenge.. look at the team they have selected!

I am extremely excited to see how this half back pairing gets on; could be an absolutely fantastic combination. I'm really pleased to see Wallace back after COVID and Porter, Henderson and Simmons back in the squad.

As somebody mentioned above Montoya, Steward, Brink and a few others deserve a well earned rest. I would sooner see this selection followed up by as strong as possible selections for the next 2 matches rather than risk Nadolo if he's not fully fit and play a few other big names who quite honestly deserve a break.

Underdogs for sure, but it's a strange old season so who knows, maybe the lads can give Bristol a run for their money. Nobody expected the young lads to go over to Cardiff and come back with the win last season but they did...

[MurphysLaw]

Well, this looks 'interesting'. Comparing the two line-ups looks very scary - especially the backs, where the starting player with the most Tigers appearances is... JVP.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

The resting & targeting games only works as a tactic if you win them...

Would prefer the 9's the other way round, thought Smith would get a look in the back row especially with Brink not involved.

Would of been nice to see Freddie v Charles in the 15 shirts.

Hope Whitcombe gets some meaningful game time, could be vital for our recruitment in the front row.

[TigerCam]

With no "relly" this season the pressure is off for all teams and therefore pride and passion is to be played for With the need to rotate players, this game is a really good opportunity for SB to see whom is up for it against a side that can kill you off in a flash. That said, on paper Briss should "walk it", but as in the LI game if you don't give up and keep focus then you may, if all tired passes stick, actually win.

[tigercub21]

I’m sorry but to me this just makes no sense. I completely understand we are on a ‘journey’ and i do have faith in Borthwick, but only us would make 11 changes. What happened to building relationships which Steve has said himself. Making the changes we have against the side Bristol have put out could be dangerous. It’s like a repeat of the covid games last season, Just change it’s about, throw a few young guns in there and hope for the best. I hoped we had turned a corner when it comes to team selection.

Ok two of those changes were enforced by bans.

We don't know if any others were, for example if Henry has picked up a knock then we had to make another change (Montoya) to bring in Bonilla.

So lets look at the changes:
9. JVP has done enough to earn a start fullstop. He's been outstanding this season. Wigglesworth also went off last weekend holding his shoulder, so this is very possibly a enforced change.

10. Bonilla, lets have a look at this T1 international fly half who's only really been out of the side due to Montoya arriving early. (Henry out of the 23 suggests either clear rotation or injury)

11. Porter, done really well for us deserves a run out. Steward who he's come in for has played all our matches bar 1 so far this year needs managing his gametime atm and Murimurivalu is an international fullback.

12. Kelly, he's really impressed so far in his appearances, I like this option especially as up against a changed centre partnership for the Bears, Scott has also played a lot of minutes for us.

1. Leatigaga again prop is high impact position so needs some rotation, with Wiese missing we've brought in a bigger ball carrying option.

2. Youngs, ok Montoya is a huge miss but the position is tough to play every game rotating in our club captain isn't bad and we needed him or Moroni out to play Bonilla so makes sense to me.

3. Heyes and Cole have been rotating a bit this season, he's plenty experienced at this level so no issues.

4. Henderson a lot have been calling for him to get gametime and with Green having played a lot and Wells supporting the back row this game makes sense.

6. Wells enforced due to a ban, played here a lot, we've put a lot of muscle in our pack with 4 potential 2nd rows here expect us to use the weapons of lineout and mauls.

7. Reffell has been most fans pick for our starting 7 all year, so he's come in to the team.

8. Chessum, I'd have liked him at 6 and Brink to move to 8, but again we don't know injuries etc and he's not long come back from a VERY MAJOR injury so probably needs gametime managed.

Firstly i’d like to say wow! that has really made it clear as to why players have changed with great analysis of each player.
But here are my personal thoughts, I completely understand that players cannot play in every game all season and yes so changes are clearly enforced. But my argument to this and when we played Quins was that why do we have to make massive changes across the board all at once that disrupt the teams cohesion. I would like to see players blood into the team on a gradual basis so we can still keep a core number of starters. It just reminds me of the lockdown games where one week we would play a first team and the next week a second. I know that week had two games in 5 days then and we had nothing to play for, but we do now. We should put the strongest team out we can and aim to win most games, regardless of weather it is home or away.

[dunc]

To be fair this is a pretty different looking team to those picked last summer. All of those picked for tomorrow have shown up well when given the chance. The team has also some real international experience in Youngs, Leatigaga, Lavanini, Bonilla, Murimurivalu, Van Wyk and Moroni. The other half of the team are hopefully going to grow to be the core of the squad for the next decade. Heyes, Henderson, Reffell, JVP, Chessum and Kelly all have bright futures. Wells and Porter also deserve a mention as valuable members of the squad. In the summer we rarely picked any experience in the weaker selections and many of those involved haven't been seen since.

If you look at the next 3 games then 10 points is probably a good return and keeps us in the fight for Top 6 and probably in touch with top 4. Borthwick is clearly trying to restore a playing style and culture that served us very well in the past. This was built on an uncompromising forward pack, a gritty defence and a stadium where teams did not come and win. I remember the 4 years we went unbeaten at Welford Road and we have to restore the fortress mentality.

Whilst I am surprised by this selection, I think it makes sense. I'm excited because pretty soon on this journey we're going to learn how to win in adversity again. Not saying it will be this weekend but this game wouldn't have fazed the tigers sides of old that Borthwick seems to want to emulate.

[KiwiTig]

I think Tiger Feet has made a very fair and accurate summary regarding playing selection and in the main I agree with him ...I can see the justifications in most, if not all of his comments...let’s move on and take this one on now

[JP14]

Our front five is no slack though, I have predicted a Bristol win but it's no certain win for the Bears. The back row is certainly the most mobile we have selected under Borthwick, which looking at Bristol's also mobile back row probably indicates that this is a deliberate choice.

Last week we had Leatigaga carrying up the middle of the lineout and used it to good effect, I know this was done after Wiese was carded however. Will this be used again tomorrow? We know Borthwick likes to take off the front row early in the second half so maybe but with Whitcombe on the bench I can see Leatigaga playing for 65 rather than under 50 minutes.

[wormus]

When you put AR I was thinking of Arnold Ridley!

I can certainly think that Arnold Ridley would be better than some of those officials with Pike on the whistle too!