SALE (A) - Sunday 30th January 2022 - 3-00pm

[westwinds31]

Meh

3 out of 4 in February are home games against teams that are all dangerous but equally if we get it right could win all 3. And Bath away.

Let's just regroup and go again. The wheels haven't fallen off or anything.

You wouldn't have thought so judging by the comments on here mind ! I keep going back to Borthwick's statement of...was it a year and a half ago. <Leicester Tigers are used to losing games, we need to turn that around so the fans are proud of the team. It's going to take time. We're going to take each game as it comes, try and improve and not look too far ahead. > - we're only 18 months down that road. We've won 11 lost 2. We're top. We're in the top tier of Europe and have a home 2-leg round of 16 tie against one of the iconic teams in European rugby. We have players that are getting international recognition. Pollard is coming. Blimey, it's not all bad is it.

[Rugbygramps]

I am amazed by some of the comments on this thread, Freddie Burns had an injury and received treatment to his calf for a few minutes at the side of the pitch (directly in front of me) during a stoppage in play. He trotted back to take position behind the posts as Sale had a kick at goal. Freddie's sock was still rolled down and he was clearly limping as he moved back to the halfway line. It was no surprise that he was substituted although I admit to not understanding why JVP came on at fullback, I thought their were better options available.
Some on here made adverse comment about Burns as soon as he was selected, in fact he was having a very good game prior to his injury, with the exception of one match Freddie has played well for us on his previous appearances and is a very good back-up stand off. Hegarty had been doing ok at 15 and as he was in the opinion of some posters a preferred option to Burns at 10 moving him to that role was possibly logical, a scrum half to fullback was a bit more surprising. Many have said others should have been included in our matchday 23 but I assume that they like me have no idea if their alternative suggestions for the bench or starting team were actually fit and available for selection.

A lot of people, including myself didn’t see Freddie Treatment and expressed their comments based on the players reaction.
As it turns out those comments were in correct and I’m sure Borthwick prepared the team as best as he could with the resources available. As it turns out a bad day at the office for some

[Dangerous4]

Ouch!

[Big Dai]

Overall conclusions:-

1) Faz and Eddie have thrown a right spanner in the works!

2) Internationals are a PITA.

I guess Posh Richard is still basking in the Gloucester glory and more confident of the trip to Welford Road at the end of February when Glaws come to town ?

Regrettably........yes

[Tiglon]

Lineout was a problem today, and of course the much discussed issues at fly half. The score looks bad, particularly second half, but I would say it was a case of 2 or 3 key moments not being executed correctly (charged down kick, short kick off) rather than a poor performance overall. Away to Sale, that's how it is, a couple errors can cost you the match.

I didn't see anything to be overly concerned by and I don't feel any less positive about the remainder of the season. Whitcombe looked solid, Porter was powerful, Liebenberg returned, Martin was everywhere... plenty of positives.

Bring on Worcester

[Leicestertinytiger]

When I saw the lineups I thought we’d be in trouble. I’m actual fact we played much better in parts than I expected. Think it’s fair to say earlier in the season we definitely had moments go our way, yesterday things went against us and it happens.

Overall nothing too concerning. Maybe lacking something in the second row department, but Martin and Chessum are the future in that respect.

[Red Boots]

Is the medic who treated Anthony Allen still with us?

[Ian Cant]

At the game I never felt the players looked comfortable in the way they were playing and personally, along with a few others at the AJ Bell felt the real difference was Sale had played the week before and we hadn’t.
SB is the best coach to decide how to manage the squad but it did seem strange to leave out Kini after a very good performance in Europe. He has the ability to break through defences and can win turnovers at the right time so with Nadalo out he’d be in my squad every time.
The other thing the team need to learn is the Pat Howard Way: he instilled in the team the importance of getting a win but if the team were losing then at least a bonus point should be gained. I can understand why Hegarty went for a competitive drop out but to risk such a short one was just naive and hopefully, being a talented player, he will learn from.
Against Worcester, therefore, I’d play most of the same team with just maybe making room for JVP and Nadalo to start,to ensure some continuity. Of course, Burns and Scott could be out injured.
Time to move on. Time to raise the roof when we all get to Welford Road on Saturday. Come on Tigers.

[voice of the crumbie]

The way I see it is this. We were going along comfortably until half time and then came out too relaxed in the 2nd half. We perhaps showed Sale a lack of respect or were naive in thinking they wouldn't be able to come back at us. Overconfidence maybe?

Then we lost our fly half who, (apart from the odd error) seemed to be controlling the game well. Unfortunately our replacement Bryce Hegarty didn't have his best game - it happens. Sale came back at us with their bench players providing much needed impact. We then realised things were slipping away and took hold of the game again and scored our 3rd try. No doubt the mindset was, as it has been throughout the season, we will score a late winner. However a couple of unnecessary errors caused by poor execution gifted Sale more points. By then the game was gone and we looked too far adrift to get a losing bonus point with the time remaining.

I'm not going to dwell on the JVP to fullback substitution other than to say if SB and the coaching team felt it was the right call I trust them. However I'm sure SB would be the first to admit he is not infallible.

Take the lessons, regroup, move on and bounce back by beating Worcester this Saturday.

[Bge3095]

At the game I never felt the players looked comfortable in the way they were playing and personally, along with a few others at the AJ Bell felt the real difference was Sale had played the week before and we hadn’t.
SB is the best coach to decide how to manage the squad but it did seem strange to leave out Kini after a very good performance in Europe. He has the ability to break through defences and can win turnovers at the right time so with Nadalo
out he’d be in my squad every time.

The other thing the team need to learn is the Pat Howard Way: he instilled in the team the importance of getting a win but if the team were losing then at least a bonus point should be gained. I can understand why Hegarty went for a competitive drop out but to risk such a short one was just naive and hopefully, being a talented player, he will learn from.
Against Worcester, therefore, I’d play most of the same team with just maybe making room for JVP and Nadalo to start,to ensure some continuity. Of course, Burns and Scott could be out injured.
Time to move on. Time to raise the roof when we all get to Welford Road on Saturday. Come on Tigers.

I felt the same the players didn’t seem full of confidence and we didn’t exit our half after scoring a couple of times in the first half which gave Sale an easy way in, thought Scott played well in the backs but also just felt like a lack of cohesion at 10/12 a few times. Bring on Worcester! COYT

[Old Hob]

And, I don't think we should underestimate how much being like the Tigers of old, the top of the tree in all competitions, means that opposition teams are doubly well motivated.

[Tiglon]

And, I don't think we should underestimate how much being like the Tigers of old, the top of the tree in all competitions, means that opposition teams are doubly well motivated.

Also worth remembering that as well as Tigers have played this season, there are some other pretty hands teams out there. Even the greatest Premiership teams have never gone through a season without losing, and Tigers 21/22 are far from being one of the greatest teams in Premiership history so they are inevitably going to lose some matches.

The great Wasps & Saracens teams lost matches (Saracens often didn't even finish top before winning the playoffs, IIRC?), and the great Tigers team at the start of the century lost 3/4 matches each season despite dominating Europe.

[trendylfj]

Sale is history now and SB will have had the debrief with the squad - Worcs at Sixways were truly awful and their fans around me could not believe what they saw. They have got much better of late but anything less than 5pts will be a great disappointment but not a disaster.