Challenge Cup Quarter final 2021 v Newcastle

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Another game that showcased some bits that are good about Tigers at present & other bits that certainly aren't, we struggle to adapt to the opposition on occasion, the 12 shirt really is the most open at present & is Martin going to be a 2nd row or a 6?
WW just gets worse every game, he is now more an obstruction to the teams development.

[Jacko27]

WW?

[RagingBull]

WW?

I'm sure he's not talking about Wigglesworth, as he's always been a big supporter of him.

[Snoopydog68]

Another game that showcased some bits that are good about Tigers at present & other bits that certainly aren't, we struggle to adapt to the opposition on occasion, the 12 shirt really is the most open at present & is Martin going to be a 2nd row or a 6?
WW just gets worse every game, he is now more an obstruction to the teams development.

Agree entirely - improvement is showing but blimey we are making it hard for ourselves. George Martin should be a lock - stop putting him at 6 - this obsession with huge no.6's is ridiculous. Who is WW?

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Yes WW is Wigglesworth, any influence he has should be off field now.

[sam16111986]

Another game that showcased some bits that are good about Tigers at present & other bits that certainly aren't, we struggle to adapt to the opposition on occasion, the 12 shirt really is the most open at present & is Martin going to be a 2nd row or a 6?
WW just gets worse every game, he is now more an obstruction to the teams development.

Agree entirely - improvement is showing but blimey we are making it hard for ourselves. George Martin should be a lock - stop putting him at 6 - this obsession with huge no.6's is ridiculous. Who is WW?

You mean George Martin capped by England at blindside and man of the match at blindside yesterday?

A six with his height is particularly useful as it gives us three high quality lineout jumpers. Just like when Liebenburg plays there or should he play lock as well? We used to have a nice chap called Tom Croft play 6 for us as well, he was handy like that as well.

If we are going to keep playing Borthwick's physical forwards game and keep using the rolling maul as a real weapon then we are likely to keep using a big option at 6.

[RichieB]

I think this seems to be the way things are going. I’ve been thinking for a few weeks now about the relative merits of really competing at rucks. If the opportunity to jackel is there, fair enough, but otherwise it seems like too much of a risk in terms of attracting penalties against.
M Ford mentioned in his post match interview about not conceding as many penalties and there were times when it was obvious we were not sending players in to contest a ruck thereby enabling our defensive line to be more robust.
That being the case, a tall hardworking 6 may be seen as better value for what they can add in the line out and in defence. Bodes well for G Martin and others like him.

[Tigers86asw]

Another game that showcased some bits that are good about Tigers at present & other bits that certainly aren't, we struggle to adapt to the opposition on occasion, the 12 shirt really is the most open at present & is Martin going to be a 2nd row or a 6?
WW just gets worse every game, he is now more an obstruction to the teams development.

Agree entirely - improvement is showing but blimey we are making it hard for ourselves. George Martin should be a lock - stop putting him at 6 - this obsession with huge no.6's is ridiculous. Who is WW?

You mean George Martin capped by England at blindside and man of the match at blindside yesterday?

A six with his height is particularly useful as it gives us three high quality lineout jumpers. Just like when Liebenburg plays there or should he play lock as well? We used to have a nice chap called Tom Croft play 6 for us as well, he was handy like that as well.

If we are going to keep playing Borthwick's physical forwards game and keep using the rolling maul as a real weapon then we are likely to keep using a big option at 6.

Agree with this. It’s about how you want to play. Why can a player not be able to do both? Long term
Martin may well play second row more but six works for the team and his development and he clearly is ruddy good at it. Lawes, Itoje, Henderson at Ulster, Du Toit have all played both to a degree. Having flexibility in a players position is so important with smaller squads. Maybe trust Borthwick on this? He is regarded as one of the best forwards coaches in the world.

We attack better when Wigg is not having playing but his experience and control is what tigers need at the moment. Bashing him after we win by 24 points seems harsh.

Baffled that some are still more negative than positive about Tigers progress but your cannot please everyone. Guess I just prefer a half full perspective after yesterday’s win.

[Dangerous4]

Our forwards are a battering ram atm. Long may it last.

[sam16111986]

I think this seems to be the way things are going. I’ve been thinking for a few weeks now about the relative merits of really competing at rucks. If the opportunity to jackel is there, fair enough, but otherwise it seems like too much of a risk in terms of attracting penalties against.
M Ford mentioned in his post match interview about not conceding as many penalties and there were times when it was obvious we were not sending players in to contest a ruck thereby enabling our defensive line to be more robust.
That being the case, a tall hardworking 6 may be seen as better value for what they can add in the line out and in defence. Bodes well for G Martin and others like him.

I think we are becoming better at judging the opposition and the ref. How tight on the breakdown is the ref? Is the opposition scrum half setting a high tempo?

If you are winning the physical collision and forcing errors then don't go into the breakdown and risk giving those penalties away. Yesterday we monstered Falcons. Why go into the breakdown of they are only going backwards, as Ford Snr says stay in your feet and get everyone in the defensive line.

I'm not sure we can do that every week but that's when Tommy Reffell can get the nod and start to be a menace and not just make tackles. It's what I'm liking about these coaches working under Steve we are looking at different ways to play in both attack and defence.

[fentiger]

I think we are becoming better at judging the opposition and the ref. How tight on the breakdown is the ref? Is the opposition scrum half setting a high tempo?

If you are winning the physical collision and forcing errors then don't go into the breakdown and risk giving those penalties away. Yesterday we monstered Falcons. Why go into the breakdown of they are only going backwards, as Ford Snr says stay in your feet and get everyone in the defensive line.

I'm not sure we can do that every week but that's when Tommy Reffell can get the nod and start to be a menace and not just make tackles. It's what I'm liking about these coaches working under Steve we are looking at different ways to play in both attack and defence.

For how many years have we gone into games with plan A..... and that's it? Now we are seeing that we do actually have players with acumen, adapting to the ref is the most crucial thing these days. It does help, of course, when the team is mainly on the front foot!

[Jimmy Skitz]

Hartley summed it up best, we simply aren't taking any risks in our own half, after that we look to create and play what's in front of us, if we can't make a line break the kick then comes to compete and pin them in their corner

[Snoopydog68]

Another game that showcased some bits that are good about Tigers at present & other bits that certainly aren't, we struggle to adapt to the opposition on occasion, the 12 shirt really is the most open at present & is Martin going to be a 2nd row or a 6?
WW just gets worse every game, he is now more an obstruction to the teams development.

Agree entirely - improvement is showing but blimey we are making it hard for ourselves. George Martin should be a lock - stop putting him at 6 - this obsession with huge no.6's is ridiculous. Who is WW?

You mean George Martin capped by England at blindside and man of the match at blindside yesterday?

A six with his height is particularly useful as it gives us three high quality lineout jumpers. Just like when Liebenburg plays there or should he play lock as well? We used to have a nice chap called Tom Croft play 6 for us as well, he was handy like that as well.

If we are going to keep playing Borthwick's physical forwards game and keep using the rolling maul as a real weapon then we are likely to keep using a big option at 6.

I have no issue with George Martin - he's an amazing player and hopefully will be with us for many years. It would be nice to see Martin play second row occasionally. Would Tom Croft get in the Tigers squad now looking at how heavy the back row has become? Probably not. Tigers have just loaned out a Tom Croft style player (Sam Lewis) to Coventry so I think there's your answer.

[OakhamTiger32]

Agree entirely - improvement is showing but blimey we are making it hard for ourselves. George Martin should be a lock - stop putting him at 6 - this obsession with huge no.6's is ridiculous. Who is WW?

You mean George Martin capped by England at blindside and man of the match at blindside yesterday?

A six with his height is particularly useful as it gives us three high quality lineout jumpers. Just like when Liebenburg plays there or should he play lock as well? We used to have a nice chap called Tom Croft play 6 for us as well, he was handy like that as well.

If we are going to keep playing Borthwick's physical forwards game and keep using the rolling maul as a real weapon then we are likely to keep using a big option at 6.

I have no issue with George Martin - he's an amazing player and hopefully will be with us for many years. It would be nice to see Martin play second row occasionally. Would Tom Croft get in the Tigers squad now looking at how heavy the back row has become? Probably not. Tigers have just loaned out a Tom Croft style player (Sam Lewis) to Coventry so I think there's your answer.

I guess if Liebenberg is a nailed on starter at 6 then it massively limits Martin’s opportunities so I would be keen to see him at lock more too. That said he’s great at 6 and Liebenberg can’t play every game so it’s great having 2 quality back rows:

Liebenberg Van Staden Wiese
Martin Reffell Brink

Not suggesting wholesale rotation but we have great options ahead of us next season and if required Martin can always play lock if required

[LE18]

Trouble with Wigglesworth, in my opinion is, he is getting old and is now so slow in everything he does, his service is so slow, his box kicking is so telegraphed and recently been charged down. His steadiness now seems contra to our younger elements style. Yesterday he box kicked 3 times very poorly and they scored 2 tries from them, albeit the defence could have been better, but he put us under pressure and we lost impetus for quite some time.
I fear the same with the return of Burns.
Anyway, very well done Tigers, we certainly killed Falcons up front. Who have we got in Semi?