Saracens (Away) - Saturday 05th March 2022 - KO 3-00pm

[TigerFeetSteve]

The players also carry accelerometers I believe. That info is fed through to the medics.
There was a clash of heads with some, but not a huge impact. I am sure both players felt it but neither looked stunned or remotely wobbly.

Presumably that’s why there was no HIA.

In the shirts I believe although there were teams that were trialing them on their ears.

Newcastle trialled them last season.

[DingDong]

You wonder if we have stopped learning new moves as Ford is off next season.
There are a few comparisons of some of the more wooden headed Cockers tactics at times.

Its taken me a while to warm to Burns but in the last couple of games he varied the attack, some short kicks which he followed up and made breaks, I don't remember Ford making breaks, he kicks the ball away and retreats to catch the returned kick, very negative in my opinion, but if that's what floats his boat then so be it, I like running sensible rugby, not constantly kicking the ball away, somehow I cant see Sale allowing him to play like that.

Burns often goes off script sometimes it works and sometimes it fails. Ford sticks firmly to the script. The script is written by Borthwick. Ultimately players are paid to do what is demanded of them. When Ford plays for Sale he will play to their script. He who pays the piper decides upon the tune.

Ford was at the helm for all of Tigers record breaking Premiership wins in a row this season until called up by Jones. Fordys two Player of the Month awards so far this season are testament to his 'in form' consistency.

If he kicks its because it works, if he chooses to manipulate the defence to put players into gaps rather than make the break himself then that has worked, results prove it.

Basically Fordy has been steering our pack and back line to be the winning side it is, for which Freddie stepped into and kept going in his absence. My concern is how erratic Freddie can be, all those failed chip and chases which so often lose us possession and territory, or the long passes that get intercepted, the missed tackles and the grubber kicks which get blocked. These risks that Freddie takes may well be our downfall long term IMO.

Rusty or not, if Fordy is available we should always be playing our most reliable player.

[Tiglon]

I'm in the same camp as you on this one, look at replay, he lands short of player, slides into him, no arms or knees, I think he was hard done to.

I'm pretty sure you are supposed to use arms...

Flying off your feet, shoulder first and no attempt to wrap arms or bind on to something is generally not allowed.

I agree the inconsistency is annoying, and 9/10 he gets away with it, but it's something that I've always felt should be penalised more.

Tiglon I think you are missing my point, he didn't use his shoulder, he landed short of the player, slid into him and kept his arms down cushioning any impact, there was no intent to land on him with his shoulder, arm or knees, he was late and in my view took action to cushion/pull out of any tackle. The try was scored, ref could have spoken to him but double punished the incident.

He was late, as you say, and used no arms. So it's a late, no arms, tackle? I have no idea what his intent was (only he knows) so you can only really judge his actions.

In any other part of the pitch that would be foul play, so why do we want to allow cheap shots after a try is scored?

[ourla]

Mike Brown interview

https://www.bt.com/sport/watch/video/cl ... ch-viewing

Yes he was surprisingly emotional but I think he just takes it to heart being junked. And yes he has a plan for post career.

Hope he finds somewhere to have a good final year or two. Falcons are pretty poor at the minute.

[Dangerous4]

Sad we let them turn us over, but it was pretty close.

[westwinds31]

I'm pretty sure you are supposed to use arms...

Flying off your feet, shoulder first and no attempt to wrap arms or bind on to something is generally not allowed.

I agree the inconsistency is annoying, and 9/10 he gets away with it, but it's something that I've always felt should be penalised more.

Tiglon I think you are missing my point, he didn't use his shoulder, he landed short of the player, slid into him and kept his arms down cushioning any impact, there was no intent to land on him with his shoulder, arm or knees, he was late and in my view took action to cushion/pull out of any tackle. The try was scored, ref could have spoken to him but double punished the incident.

He was late, as you say, and used no arms. So it's a late, no arms, tackle? I have no idea what his intent was (only he knows) so you can only really judge his actions.

In any other part of the pitch that would be foul play, so why do we want to allow cheap shots after a try is scored?

His intent was what most other players who are chasing back a lost cause when a try is caused are doing - a token effort to try and dislodge the ball or put the playing off during the act of scoring. Like I said before, look at it in real time and it's a millisecond between Lewington touching the ball down and Murimurivalu sliding into him, or whatever you want to call it. Why did Lewington dive, if Kini wasn't anywhere near him ? Surely he could have put the ball down, ran off to celebrate and he'd have stayed on the pitch - the answer is he had to dive because Kini was very close to him. I stand by the fact that it was no way a yellow card offence and that you'll see more of these that go unpunished next week, the week after and the week after that.

The other view of course is who cares, because it's all done and dusted now.

[Tiglon]

Tiglon I think you are missing my point, he didn't use his shoulder, he landed short of the player, slid into him and kept his arms down cushioning any impact, there was no intent to land on him with his shoulder, arm or knees, he was late and in my view took action to cushion/pull out of any tackle. The try was scored, ref could have spoken to him but double punished the incident.

He was late, as you say, and used no arms. So it's a late, no arms, tackle? I have no idea what his intent was (only he knows) so you can only really judge his actions.

In any other part of the pitch that would be foul play, so why do we want to allow cheap shots after a try is scored?

His intent was what most other players who are chasing back a lost cause when a try is caused are doing - a token effort to try and dislodge the ball or put the playing off during the act of scoring. Like I said before, look at it in real time and it's a millisecond between Lewington touching the ball down and Murimurivalu sliding into him, or whatever you want to call it. Why did Lewington dive, if Kini wasn't anywhere near him ? Surely he could have put the ball down, ran off to celebrate and he'd have stayed on the pitch - the answer is he had to dive because Kini was very close to him. I stand by the fact that it was no way a yellow card offence and that you'll see more of these that go unpunished next week, the week after and the week after that.

The other view of course is who cares, because it's all done and dusted now.

As I said before, I completely agree that we will see many go unpunished every week. Personally I'd like to see more punished.

If it's a "lost cause" then there is zero chance of achieving anything by diving into the opponent, other than hurting him. You talk about "the fact that it was in no way a yellow card offence", but the only fact here is that it was a yellow card - everything else is just a difference of opinion

[ay2oh]

It’s very difficult to escape the thought that we have far more decisions go against us than go for us or s it just my imagination .

[westwinds31]

It wasn’t a cheap shot and he didn’t hurt him, so as you say, it’s my view vs the wrong view …..sorry, someone else’s view

[Rugbygramps]

It’s very difficult to escape the thought that we have far more decisions go against us than go for us or s it just my imagination .

I think if you supported any of the other 12 sides you would have exactly the same opinion

[Crofty]

It’s very difficult to escape the thought that we have far more decisions go against us than go for us or s it just my imagination .

I think if you supported any of the other 12 sides you would have exactly the same opinion

That Tigers end up on the rough end of poor refereeing more than anyone else? Magnanimous of them to admit it