Captain for 2021/22 Season

[TigerFeetSteve]

OTY is a great club servant and 100% should be given a "club captain" role however I think the primary "match captain" has to be someone that is a regular starter and with Montoya we have one of, if not the best, hookers in the world.

Therefore I think we need a new match captain.
Options as I see it:

OTY, no longer a starter most weeks but can he remain skipper and just have a week by week basis when he doesn't start?

Ford is currently the VC and has also captained England, decent choice but is also away with England, do we want a skipper away with England parts of the season (if Smith does well is Ford still in EJ's plan)

Wigglesworth has been heavily used as VC & C with Ford and Youngs absent, but like OTY doesn’t make the starting team when full strength IMO especially not going forward as JVP gets more gametime.

Genge yesterday led fantastically, built a good rapport with the ref, but like Ford will be away with England.

YBY - for me not really a contender, love the guy to bits but when he was skipper this year we didn't seem to communicate too well with the ref, leadership group YES but not captain (also may be away with England.

Taute has also captained the team this year, but see him more leading the Premiership Cup team and guiding them, not a starter at full strength.

Liebenberg good leadership by example in the Exeter game one of the leading candidates IMO.

Montoya not captained us but will captain the Pumas this summer. Possibly a decent outside shout but think it's a bit early in his Tigers career to give him the top on field job.


Any other candidates I've missed. For me it's between Liebenberg and Genge, after yesterday I'd lean towards Genge so long as Ford not put out of joint as him being away with England was maybe used as a reason in the past for him not getting the job and it is not worth alienating Ford over the decision.

[Scott1]

If it alienates Ford I don’t care,that’s on him! We do what’s best for us,Genge and Liebenbeg to share the role depending on when Genges away with England. Ford can concentrate on leading the backs then. Keep TY as club captain and I’d like to see Wells used when need be if we are rotating.

[trendylfj]

I have said for a while to my friends that Genge really understands how to talk to a ref and get him on side and think he is our best choice but I would go for co-captains - Genge and Ford. Yes, I understand they would both be away with England at the same time but when available are our best choices. I would also have co-vice captains - Liebenberg and Moroni - both are certain to play and must be well respected by the squad. We then get the best people on the field to make the decisions throughout the season which is surely what we want. In my day we had a pack leader or captain in the forwards and a captain/backs leader to make decisions for them.

[longlivethecrumbie]

Agreed that OTY should be captain of the club but I also feel that if he starts then he will skipper the side.

What's important is having a nucleus of good candidates, which I believe we have in Genge, Hanro, Ben Youngs, Ford, Wiggy and I'd even go as far as Martin and Wells. That's a decent pool of players who can take the armband when needed. So long as they are all clear on the game plan, the way that we want to play and communicate well with Sir and his team, then I'm happy

[JP14]

A telling factor in our climb back up the Premiership table is that we now have a clear, leadership group in our squad, something really lacking in previous seasons that put more burdens on T. Youngs’ shoulders, especially when his brother and Ford were away with England. Also good to see the development in players like Wells and Genge that has also seen them become leaders too within the squad.

[Longshanks]

Interesting debate which also featured in the BT Rugby Tonight feature with Eddie Jones yesterday evening. Dallaglio expressed the view that too few candidates for the national captaincy lead their club sides; Jones, dodging the question somewhat, felt things have moved on and that today's captains tend not to challenge referees and generally capitulate on the field.

Very few international sides have leaders which tick all of the necessary boxes, let alone club level - inspiring and extracting the best from the players, adept with the media, effective engagement with officials and first choice in their own position. The key ingredient in each of these facets is respect, an intangible quality which must surely be earned over a period of time. For that reason, I wouldn't advocate much chopping and changing of the captain, a policy which could inadvertently diminish the status and importance of this crucial role. Similarly, I'm not a fan of the Co Captain philosophy which smacks of indecision and compromise rather than clarity of selection and focussed leadership.

First and foremost, Borthwick needs to make a choice he is comfortable with and that the other influential players will support (respect).

[tigerburnie]

Difficult choice, but I would go for a second row, Harry Wells would make a great skipper I think.

[Downsouth]

We need a captain who makes sound decisions, leads by example, motivates the team, can communicate effectively with the referee and won't antagonise them. For me that must be Genge. Liebenberg or Moroni would be good shouts for vice captain as that should be someone likely to be around most of the season. What is clear is that we now have many more players taking a leadership role on the pitch.

[Ian Cant]

Both Ford and Genge could be the captain but Genge showed yesterday he is respected by us and the opposition: Ford is too but he has to worry about the backs and his kicking.
Montoya could do it in place of our England boys: apart from his early throwing( could have been the fault of the jumpers) he was immense: the way he kept getting up front being on the floor to get back in defence and attacked looked very impressive from where I sat: not seen the game on TV highlights but he also looked to help the youngsters with their work.
Moroni too could be a very good captain.
Outsider: George Martin: could be another Johnno!
Nice to be spoilt for choice.

[Hot_Charlie]

Ford.

And if and when he’s away with England there’s a decent team over leaders to do the job too.

[OakhamTiger32]

Liebenberg for me with Genge and Ford vc

[kk20gb30]

Ironic really , it was not too long ago that we were seemingly all bemoaning a lack of on-field leadership.We are perhaps now fortunate that a group is emerging - a core that much like in times past is strong enough to take us forward and accept nothing less than total dedication from those who wear our shirt.
Hanro Liebenberg for me - respected by his peers , has captaincy experience and no international call ups or commitments thus far.Backed , of course by a series of Vice Captains.

[rugbym4dmike]

It's Genge for me, the way he very respectfully got in the ear of the ref straight after the first scrum was what we have been missing for so long. The armband appears to keep him calm whilst retaining that aggression, when he is away with Englang we have Liebenberg who also did a good job when captain. We are all agreed it's great to have so many options

[Cardiff Tig]

Might be an old-fashioned view but I don't think 10s make good captains.

They need to be exceptional to manage the game, place kicking (normally), deal with the ref, and make the decision that they need to hand over kicking duties when they are having a mediocre day.

[Chobbsy]

OTY is a great club servant and 100% should be given a "club captain" role however I think the primary "match captain" has to be someone that is a regular starter and with Montoya we have one of, if not the best, hookers in the world.

Therefore I think we need a new match captain.
Options as I see it:

OTY, no longer a starter most weeks but can he remain skipper and just have a week by week basis when he doesn't start?

Ford is currently the VC and has also captained England, decent choice but is also away with England, do we want a skipper away with England parts of the season (if Smith does well is Ford still in EJ's plan)

Wigglesworth has been heavily used as VC & C with Ford and Youngs absent, but like OTY doesn’t make the starting team when full strength IMO especially not going forward as JVP gets more gametime.

Genge yesterday led fantastically, built a good rapport with the ref, but like Ford will be away with England.

YBY - for me not really a contender, love the guy to bits but when he was skipper this year we didn't seem to communicate too well with the ref, leadership group YES but not captain (also may be away with England.

Taute has also captained the team this year, but see him more leading the Premiership Cup team and guiding them, not a starter at full strength.

Liebenberg good leadership by example in the Exeter game one of the leading candidates IMO.

Montoya not captained us but will captain the Pumas this summer. Possibly a decent outside shout but think it's a bit early in his Tigers career to give him the top on field job.


Any other candidates I've missed. For me it's between Liebenberg and Genge, after yesterday I'd lean towards Genge so long as Ford not put out of joint as him being away with England was maybe used as a reason in the past for him not getting the job and it is not worth alienating Ford over the decision.

Liebenberg for me, a starteer, no (current) international commitments