Does it matter to you where our players come from?

[POSTIGER]

There's no right or wrong answer to this, i'm just interested to hear other people's opinions.

I know Tigers are one of the best for developing our own but we are increasingly looking abroad for talent and i feel the club will lose out that way. To me personally it is very important that the majority of the team is English and preferably local(ish). I'd rather the team promoted youngsters from the academy than brought in foreign talent.

For example, when we signed Owen Finnegan - why not give a young guy that opportunity instead? Ok, he might not have 50 caps for Aus but he'll give you 110% commitment and he will have gained valuable experience by the time the WC players had returned.

I'm actually quite a liberally-minded guy but for some reason I would rather see a side that somehow represents the local community than i side packed with imports that wins loads of trophies.

What do you think? Am I delusional!?

[POSTIGER]

p.s. just want to point out that i'm not criticising Tigers or suggesting we have too many foreign players. I'm saying there is a possibility that this might happen in the future. It's more the principle that I want your opinion on!

[sjwoodman]

I think you need a mix of local homegrown talent and also players that have experience of playing in different environments at the top level. Bringing in top quality foreign players allows our homegrown talent to learn skills and ideas that the otherwise would not have been subjected to. I think that the value in these players is the presence they have on the coaching park as well as on the pitch on a Saturday.

[Dave Angel]

I think it is great that Tigers do still retain a lot of local links & that a fair percentage of our club is still "local" but to be honest as long as the player is 100% committed to the club I don't care if they come from Coalville or Cape Town, Wigston or Wollagong, Great Glen or Lower Hutt.


As long as they want to play for Tigers & fit in with everyone else at the club (players, supporters & officials) then I'm not fussed where they were born.


Though having an EU passport is of course a bonus in terms of quotas!

[Cliffeclimber]

If you're serious about wanting to watch a team full of home-grown, local players then you ought to follow your local club as well as Tigers. After all, there are enough junior clubs around the county and they are more in need of support - both to encourage the players and to raise finances - than the Tigers.

For every player who is good enough to be taken up by Tigers, there have to be hundreds or thousands of others who are competing for places in their local sides. It's at this level that we need to make sure that English players are being encouraged as without this vast pool to select from, we really would have to become a club forced to import from abroad.

As it is, I think Tigers already do a great job of promoting English players and encouraging youngsters to get involved in the sport. In fact, I'd perhaps go so far as to say I don't think there's a player in any club in the county who hasn't had contact from the Tigers or their players. They help coach teams, they visit schools, they hand out the awards at the end of the season, they visit rugby players who are unfortunate enough to be in hospital, they donate kit and equipment, they do a thousand other things in the commmunity to ensure that rugby is played and enjoyed by local boys and girls.

I certainly see Tigers getting more foreign players, but I think they're certainly doing their bit in these other ways to ensure that English rugby is in good heart.

[Iain]

One thing you can't teach in the Academy is experience. Hence you have to bring in outsiders.

I can honestly say I barely give a second thought to where our players come from. Would Alesana be more popular if he was English? Would Seru? Doubt it...

[kevf]

my view is to take a mix... promote the homegrown talent or it will effect the country but as has been said you also benefit from having foreign players as well...

the experience an all black like mauger can bring to a squad of young guys like DH or OS is invaluable...

[smalldell]

Definately need to develop local talent as it is essential for the future of the club.

It is necessary from a finacial point of view and the fact that even those who do not make it gain expereince and will hopefully put something back into rugby.

[BenWL]

More English players will surely mean more disruption during the International periods. It's all about a balance surely, foreign stars bring different skills with them but the supporters will always love a local boy done good.

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

I don't see the point in bringing people in on such short term contracts (Finnegan, Davies), they can provide experience but if they're only here for a year it doesn't help much

I have mixed feelings about Mauger signing for 3 years WC interim. he will provide excellence for 3 years and can help the younger players develope but I find it galling that so many southern hemisphere players have come to the northern hemisphere for 3 years high pay, and then will all go back trying to get back into the national squad for the next world cup, taking with them more experience of English and French rugby which can only help their national squads beat us in the WC.

Foreign players that come over and play because they have family ties (Tuilagi), or because they want game time and to be coached by one of the greatest players in relevent position (Herring) is great, they can only bring in fresh ideas (Tigers do have a habit of looking inwards for the solution which can become stagnent)

[Rizzo]

If they have the desire and passion to play for Tigers and they play well, I don't care if they come from Mars!

[Hoorah_Henry]

Tigers have a rich tradition of providing England players and captains and may it evermore continue the day we become like a premiership football team and snaffle all other countries emerging talent will be a day not only the England Rugby fan will mourn but Tigers will lose their spirit! The balance we have at present is pretty much perfect i would say i only hope the laws are kept in place for the good of our sport and country

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

Haev gone through the squad trying to make an all England 22 and an all non-english 22 (without breaking the 1 overseas player rule, but I might have missed something). Feel free to fill in gaps or change

Foreign

1. Moreno
2. Kayser
3. Castro
4. Hamilton
5. Wentzel
6.
7. Herring (overseas)
8. Finnegan
9. Lussucq
10. I. Humphries
11. Alex
12. Mauger
13. Rambo
14. J. Murphy
15. G. Murphy

16. Stankovich
17. Davies
18.
19.
20. F. Murphy
21. Burke
22.

UNUSED: Ayerza(overseas), Hickie, Dave Young

English
1. Matt Parr
2. Chuter
3. White
4. Kay
5. L. Deacon
6. Croft
7. Moody
8. Corry
9. Ellis
10. Goode
11. Varndell
12. Cornwell
13. Hipkiss
14. Erinle
15. Vesty

16. Dan Cole (TH)
17.
18. Blaze
19. Crane
20. Ben Youngs (SH/HF, Goodey to FB if needed)
21. O. Smith (Wing/Centre)
22. M. Smith (generic back)

UNUSED: B. Deacon, Dodge, Abraham, Pienaar, Tom Youngs

Front row is dominated by foreign players and the back row is dominated by Enlgish players. The rest seems pretty much split, but the match day squad would normally include more 'foreign' backs than English

[Kinoulton]

I think that says it all. We need a good balance and we've got one.

Should the moderators delete this thread for being far too positiver about Tigers?

[Crivvens]

Mauger and Herring can be in the same team as Mauger has a French passport so doesn't count as a 'Foreigner' as such.

Ayerza will soon have one when he gets married this summer too so hopefully we won't be in this pickle again (depending on who we sign in the summer).