Round 3 - Saracens (H) - Saturday 02nd October 2021

[anz3001]

https://amp.rugbypass.com/news/number-o ... ssion=true

[OakhamTiger32]

Yep looks like perhaps the players that hardly played might come back early but surely the Sarries lot will need the full 10 weeks rest

[RichieB]

I genuinely believe what the coach and players say about the impact the crowd will have on their performance. If we get a full house and if the crowd are really really vocal (perhaps more so than on occasions in the past) I believe it can be a significant factor in determining the performance and therefore the result.

I’m sickened that I can’t be there in person, but I urge everyone who can go to the game to do so and give it full wellie.

[mightymouse]

I have to agree with whole heartedly!
We have to treat this game as if we are the biggest underdogs the world has ever know and they are our fiercest rivals. We have to shout and chant ourselves hoarse both in attack and more importantly in Defence for 80 plus minutes. We must cheer every tiny win whether it’s a tackle or a scrum or a break! We have to question every decision against us and we have to ridicule every error they make! That’s what made away teams quake in front of the Crumbie Terrace (don’t know or care what they call it now .. it’ll always be the Crumbie to me) it’s been too easy for too long to visit Welford Road.. We need to make it a place of fear once more .. make The Shed look like a damn tea party!

[OakhamTiger32]

Referee: Christophe Ridley (44th Premiership game).

Assistant Referees: Adam Leal and Jack Makepeace. TMO: Claire Hodnett.

Citing Officer: Duncan Bell.

Disappointed with this. Ridley is ok but a very vocal and keen to chip in TMO. Let’s hope we can take them out of the game.. what does a Tiger have to do to get Barnes on the whistle?

At least it’s not Dickson I suppose!

[Coops]

Referee: Christophe Ridley (44th Premiership game).

Assistant Referees: Adam Leal and Jack Makepeace. TMO: Claire Hodnett.

Citing Officer: Duncan Bell.

Disappointed with this. Ridley is ok but a very vocal and keen to chip in TMO. Let’s hope we can take them out of the game.. what does a Tiger have to do to get Barnes on the whistle?

At least it’s not Dickson I suppose!

I believe that referees, assistants and TMOs are grouped together in pods now and will travel the country together, officiating together, and building those relationships together. Well that's the idea but the quick look didn't portray this for Rd 1:

Sat: Bristol vs Saracens: Ref: Barnes. AR: Dix & Leahy. TMO: Foley
Sun: Newcastle vs Quins: Ref: Foley. AR: Dix & Leahy. TMO: Jackson

Barnes and Foley then went onto Gloc vs Tigers Friday Rd 2 and Irish vs Sale on Sunday. So perhaps there is some logic.

[voice of the crumbie]

I have to agree with whole heartedly!
We have to treat this game as if we are the biggest underdogs the world has ever know and they are our fiercest rivals. We have to shout and chant ourselves hoarse both in attack and more importantly in Defence for 80 plus minutes. We must cheer every tiny win whether it’s a tackle or a scrum or a break! We have to question every decision against us and we have to ridicule every error they make! That’s what made away teams quake in front of the Crumbie Terrace (don’t know or care what they call it now .. it’ll always be the Crumbie to me) it’s been too easy for too long to visit Welford Road.. We need to make it a place of fear once more .. make The Shed look like a damn tea party!

With you all the way Mightymouse

Then again I always give it plenty of wellie. Let's hope everyone else joins in.

[bendy]

If we get a full house

I think that's a big "IF" at the moment. From a (very unscientific) quick scan of the ticketing website, I think there's a good 4 or 5k tickets still showing as available. Add in season ticket holders who don't turn up and I think we'll do well to get more there than for Exeter (c.17k).

I hope I'm wrong, and even if I'm not, I agree that just puts more emphasis on your second point - those of us who are there need to make some noise!

[JP14]

Could be a season-defining match, but only in the sense of how we react to the result. Sarries are there for the taking, but there’s no need to panic if we do indeed lose.

[loretta]

For longer than I care to remember, we seem to have started the season slowly. This year we’ve finally hit the ground running and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let that slip to this lot if there’s anything my support can do to help. I’ll be there. I’ll be shouting myself hoarse. Apologies to those around me if you don’t like it, but you could always join in!

[sam16111986]

Referee: Christophe Ridley (44th Premiership game).

Assistant Referees: Adam Leal and Jack Makepeace. TMO: Claire Hodnett.

Citing Officer: Duncan Bell.

Disappointed with this. Ridley is ok but a very vocal and keen to chip in TMO. Let’s hope we can take them out of the game.. what does a Tiger have to do to get Barnes on the whistle?

At least it’s not Dickson I suppose!

Shame to see Leal running the line he should be in the middle on a regular basis. Impressed me last year with his officiating.

[mightymouse]

I’d rather have 17,000 people who want to make their voices heard than 26000 who dont

[anz3001]

I’ve always thought the club should do more to get people going.
I remember a while back when we were in the doldrums, they provided flags and a big build up, against Exeter i think. The atmosphere made for a great game iirc. Otherwise, it’s really hit and miss, sometimes you can tell before the match starts that the fans aren’t ‘up for it’.

[Old Hob]

But that's part of what makes this club so great. The rabble rousing at other grounds is, frankly, embarrassing: ("C'mon you Oirish" when they were 20 points down with 5 mins to go). At Tigers, the score is announced in a even, neutral tone not bellowed in a partisan way. The fans (we) react to the team and there is a symbiosis that is not the unnatural, overhyped nonsense elsewhere.

[OakhamTiger32]

5 weeks rest is for non EPS Lions such as Smith and Simmonds. EPS members have a mandatory 10 week rest period so the Sarries cohort won't be available for a few weeks yet.

Just been reading about the Bristol lions, apparently they have applied to get back out.

I reckon we might see Billy, Mako and Owen in the Sarries squad based on McCalls comments earlier today:

Members of the Lions squad that toured South Africa were initially scheduled to be unavailable for domestic action until the middle of October due to an agreed 10-week rest period.

But, like rival clubs, Sarries have held discussions about the possibility of their contingent returning earlier.

McCall will assess his four Lions players - excluding the injured Elliot Daly, who is out for around two months with a shin issue - on an individual basis, and expects Itoje to return last due to his greater involvement in the three Tests against the Springboks.

"I think overall there's been a sensible approach to the whole thing, rather than having some kind of blanket arrangement for everybody," said McCall, whose club have been in contact with the Rugby Football Union about the situation.

"I think they're rightly going to make decisions based on common sense, logical reasons and, ultimately, what's in the best interest of the player, which should be front and centre.

"We want to bring them back at the right time for each one of them and in a sensible fashion. They've all had a good rest but it's just when they are ready to go and ready to play rugby.

"Over the next couple of weeks, you can expect to see a few of them come back in and then Maro probably a little bit later than that."