LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Lord of the Mauls

[OakhamTiger32]

Should we be worried about his knee? Genuine question, really don't know the answer.

His track record with injuries isn’t great sadly so could well be another Manu but I really do think that Aled will manage him well and with Burns, Hegarty and Lancaster as really solid back up options we can manage his game time appropriately

[Tigers86asw]

Read in some quarters that his kicking from the floor has not been as consistent since his injury, ends up kicking less straight that he used to, but I don’t have the stats to support that.

He is a great running threat than Ford and tackles like a centre so will have more injuries- Farrell for example- but Waters will know how to manage his game time as well as anyone.

It is likely that he will not play for us until November (at the earliest) next year but will be available for the rest of the season, unlike current England players.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Aled knows him from his time with the Springboks, so I’m sure he’ll know how to best manage his game time. Hegarty looked good at 10 in the cup games, plus Burns and Lancaster so it’s not like we haven’t got good depth.

[OakhamTiger32]

Read in some quarters that his kicking from the floor has not been as consistent since his injury, ends up kicking less straight that he used to, but I don’t have the stats to support that.

He is a great running threat than Ford and tackles like a centre so will have more injuries- Farrell for example- but Waters will know how to manage his game time as well as anyone.

It is likely that he will not play for us until November (at the earliest) next year but will be available for the rest of the season, unlike current England players.

His kicking against England recently looked pretty much spot on

[Offside]

Should we be worried about his knee? Genuine question, really don't know the answer.

That depends on specifically what the injuries have been, the quality of the repair and other damage done to cartilage at the same time. Some players, such as Antony Allen, have cartilage damage that causes recurrent problems after the ligaments have been surgically repaired. I would expect a medical assessment of his records and potentially a clinical exam from a specialist before signing such an expensive contract but the risk of knee injury is there regardless. Matt Tomua had no history of problems as far as I am aware and had an ACL injury from a double tackle that kept him out for half of his first year with Tigers. There are some good preventative training programmes to avoid further injury after reconstruction that Pollard could be helped to follow when he is here. I have no ACL in one knee and am waiting for a scan so have an interest in the subject!

[JGT57]

I thought we had quite a good record of managing players’ injuries. With our squad I’m sure we can get the best out of him over at least 2 years.

Sorry, didn’t mean to sound like S. Diamond, esq.

[Old Hob]

It is reported that having Aled on the staff was one of the factors that convinced him as he had worked with him in the SA national side

[TigerFeetSteve]

It is reported that having Aled on the staff was one of the factors that convinced him as he had worked with him in the SA national side

We do owe a lot to Jan McGinity who was one assumes one of the key drivers behind bringing in the likes of Borthwick and Walters. Yes it didn't work out in a post pandemic world with him and Borthwick, but his arrival was when our recruitment started to have a plan rather than looking for the next sticking plaster.

The fact that now we have the foundations right, we can be losing our star player, yet have the ability to attract one of the worlds best to replace him without any feeling of panic.

[Tigersunited]

Why give JM credit for this? Bizarre

[Rutlandtiger]

I think we are going to have an unwrapping of an early Christmas present on the pitch before the Quins game.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Why give JM credit for this? Bizarre

Because that's when our recruitment took an upturn
That's when we brought in Borthwick
That's when we brought in Aled (who everyone is saying was vital to this)

Without his period here I think we may well have a very different looking squad, staff and recruitment policy

[RagingBull]

Cohen was the big driving factor with Borthwick TBF
Borthwick was the big driving factor with Walters. Pretty clear that Walters was Borthwicks choice of number 2 from the off.


I do think our recruitment was better when McGinity came in, and I reckon he and Murphy played a big part in getting the likes of Steward and Martin tied up for long term, but I think the staff as it is would've been the same regardless.
Under McGinty we signed Liebenberg,

[RagingBull]

Thom Smith off to Doncaster till end of season
Also leaves Tigers.

[TigerFeetSteve]

https://twitter.com/LeicesterTigers/sta ... c8jSg&s=19

[kpj tiger]

Thom Smith off to Doncaster till end of season
Also leaves Tigers.

Interesting that Lavin and Smith both got released as soon as they recovered from long term injury