Gloucester away Sat 13th March

[Traveller]

I thought Henry had a decent game yesterday, and is clearly improving, but his kicking from the T really doesn't engender much confidence. It bemuses me in this age of props handling, 2nd rows sidestepping people, fly halves tackling, that rugby is still so absolutely wedded to the idea of 10's being the place kicker. There is no reason for that being the case. John Eales used to do a pretty good job. I bet if Kelly, Steward, JVP were to devote a bit of time to it they'd be a match for Henry. That is not meant to be a criticism of Henry. He has obvious strengths and should be freed to develop them.

[TigerFeetSteve]

I thought Henry had a decent game yesterday, and is clearly improving, but his kicking from the T really doesn't engender much confidence. It bemuses me in this age of props handling, 2nd rows sidestepping people, fly halves tackling, that rugby is still so absolutely wedded to the idea of 10's being the place kicker. There is no reason for that being the case. John Eales used to do a pretty good job. I bet if Kelly, Steward, JVP were to devote a bit of time to it they'd be a match for Henry. That is not meant to be a criticism of Henry. He has obvious strengths and should be freed to develop them.

Henry seems to either be absolute gold dust off the tee or has a few struggles, I'd be surprised if most backs don't spend some time practicing place kicking. Steward is definitely one who practices as he takes long range ones.

[Traveller]

I thought Henry had a decent game yesterday, and is clearly improving, but his kicking from the T really doesn't engender much confidence. It bemuses me in this age of props handling, 2nd rows sidestepping people, fly halves tackling, that rugby is still so absolutely wedded to the idea of 10's being the place kicker. There is no reason for that being the case. John Eales used to do a pretty good job. I bet if Kelly, Steward, JVP were to devote a bit of time to it they'd be a match for Henry. That is not meant to be a criticism of Henry. He has obvious strengths and should be freed to develop them.

Henry seems to either be absolute gold dust off the tee or has a few struggles, I'd be surprised if most backs don't spend some time practicing place kicking. Steward is definitely one who practices as he takes long range ones.

Agreed. It was more the general point that it just seems to go with the Job Description, but I can't see why that is the case. On the contrary 10 is such a pivotal position that every second spent improving handling skills, decision making skills, as opposed to the closed skill of goal kicking, might benefit a team more.

[CrumblingTerrace]

Very pleasing to get an away win, particularly as we hobbled over the line in the last 5mins.

Next priority, get the backs playing. There's little threat and we can't rely on the forwards doing it all against the top sides. Murimurivalu and van Wyk rarely saw the ball.

[fortysix]

Thought Henry is pretty reliable off the T, but would definitely train up two or three others to stand by.

Freddie S could become a Stimmo Replica.

[h's dad]

Ref was excellent. Decisions accurate. Manner confident.
Our forwards are dogging it out for us. Bit boring at times, but we have the characters to do the graft. No individual glory. Nothing fancy. Just consistent hard work.
Hope is that when Nadolo, Ford and Youngs return we start to do a bit more in the backs.

I actually think we're starting to show a bit more in the backs, today not so much inthe opposition 22, but they made some good progress in terms of meters made. Now our attack is progressing we're also varying, yes we normally kick, but we no longer only kick, which for me is always going to ask questions of an opposition if they don't know what's coming.

Agreed at times I thought Henry particularly mixed it up really well, even if he did made the odd error.

Zack showed some dazzling footwork. Smithesque.

[JP14]

With this win we have already beaten the 19/20 points total. I know that, one, this is an extremely low benchmark, and two, we shouldn't really take much into account of that season because of midweek games and so forth, but with around 10 or more rounds to go that does offer an exciting prospect of where we will finish this season. I know that Borthwick won't sit on this and say the job is done so I'm looking forward to see where we are going to finish, still only predicting a top 6 finish though.

[Robespierre]

I actually think we're starting to show a bit more in the backs, today not so much inthe opposition 22, but they made some good progress in terms of meters made. Now our attack is progressing we're also varying, yes we normally kick, but we no longer only kick, which for me is always going to ask questions of an opposition if they don't know what's coming.

Agreed at times I thought Henry particularly mixed it up really well, even if he did made the odd error.

Zack showed some dazzling footwork. Smithesque.

Dosser ?

[Robespierre]

With this win we have already beaten the 19/20 points total. I know that, one, this is an extremely low benchmark, and two, we shouldn't really take much into account of that season because of midweek games and so forth, but with around 10 or more rounds to go that does offer an exciting prospect of where we will finish this season. I know that Borthwick won't sit on this and say the job is done so I'm looking forward to see where we are going to finish, still only predicting a top 6 finish though.

Only top 6!! Most Tigers’ supporters would be chuffed to bits with the chance of finishing 6th - or even higher!

[Traveller]

With this win we have already beaten the 19/20 points total. I know that, one, this is an extremely low benchmark, and two, we shouldn't really take much into account of that season because of midweek games and so forth, but with around 10 or more rounds to go that does offer an exciting prospect of where we will finish this season. I know that Borthwick won't sit on this and say the job is done so I'm looking forward to see where we are going to finish, still only predicting a top 6 finish though.

Agreed. What I am looking forward to is knowing that he is able to just focus on the dull stuff of working with a far more settled, talented, well balanced squad without all the headlines of CEO's, Heads of Recruitment, coaches and players coming and going and legal action (or not) etc. Just getting back to a Tigers team going on the field and knowing as a supporter that they will be fit, hard, well organised, with a crop of genuinely talented local lads (rather than possibly talented) I can identify with playing alongside some other really fine players from father afield. Ultimately knowing that every team will have to play well to beat us.

[tigerburnie]

Winning is a habit we had lost, they won't come easy in our first year, but I seriously think we can take Exeter with this squad at the weekend, they are growing in stature. That does of course depend on how we approach it, if we rotate and rest players, then maybe it will be a taller order, but we definitely have the talent to do well.

[mightymouse]

Re the Eales kicking point, I have to agree, where have all the kicking forwards gone?
We need more like Eales , Allan Martin, John Taylor, Peter Brown and dare I say Jordan Crane
Big lads should have big heafty boots I think all should be encouraged at a young age to try for the posts in training and see who shows and develops the required skills

[Crofty]

Re the Eales kicking point, I have to agree, where have all the kicking forwards gone?
We need more like Eales , Allan Martin, John Taylor, Peter Brown and dare I say Jordan Crane
Big lads should have big heafty boots I think all should be encouraged at a young age to try for the posts in training and see who shows and develops the required skills

How can you list goal kicking forwards and not include the legend Logovi'i Mulipola!?

[JP14]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_wguSzEhM

Maybe James Whitecombe is the answer.

[voice of the crumbie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_wguSzEhM

Maybe James Whitecombe is the answer.

On that showing certainly better than JvP