Well done the Vest!

Forum to discuss everything that is Tigers related

Moderators: Tigerbeat, Rizzo, Tigers Press Office, Tigers Webmaster

Bill W (2)
Super User
Super User
Posts: 14868
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2009 6:23 pm
Location: Essex

Well done the Vest!

Post by Bill W (2) »

Still keeping the faith!
captain_insaino
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 778
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:23 pm
Location: Lichfield

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by captain_insaino »

You played well in one game and have the whole season ahead of you, well done ! :smt003
TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!
Col_B
Bronze Member
Bronze Member
Posts: 452
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:12 pm
Location: Barford (Leicester born n bred)

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by Col_B »

Was great to see him in action again. Would be great to see him in the internationals. I'm sure he'll get a warm welcome when Bath come up to Leicester.

Good luck Sam.
Daveyboy
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1740
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 6:51 pm
Location: On the fosse

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by Daveyboy »

Indeed.

It's pleasing to see the paucity of "We should never have let him go" posts.

Best wishes Sam.
Today is yesterday's tomorrow.
G.K
Super User
Super User
Posts: 5787
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2005 10:19 am
Location: See SatNav

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by G.K »

We should never have let him go.
Nowadays referees decide matches, players by how much.
Pete
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2509
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2004 9:18 pm
Location: Wigston

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by Pete »

It's good to see Vesty displaying for Bath the rugby gifts which I always perceived. He was never just a skilled player, but also very determined, positive and motivational, a leader by example.

He must count himself fortunate to be now playing for a team that considers such gifts to be important.
Will S
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1531
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:21 pm
Location: Leicester

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by Will S »

Firstly, I am glad Sam is playing well and receiving the relevant praise. I don't think we can start claiming however that Bath are the answer to where Tigers failed him. He always came in to the Tigers team and did a great job when first team players were injured and that is all he is pretty much doing at Bath. When Butch is back from injury Sam will be relegated to the bench and with Barks at 12 he won't get a look in there unless there is an injury. In a fit squad for either Tigers or Bath Sam would not make the starting line up. What he does offer is extremley reliable cover from the bench. I still think Sam would have been better going to more of a mid table team where he would have been a regular starter.
Crumblies
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 749
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:20 am

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by Crumblies »

WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE LET HIM GO! How's that.

However completely agree with Will S's assessment.

Don't see him as a regular starter for Bath, Leicester, Northampton, Saracens etc. Leeds on the other hand.

Extremely valuable on the replacements bench, and IMHO much better option than Staunton.
tb1
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1169
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:50 pm

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by tb1 »

Staunton is rarely broken and plays even when he is.
bluntiger
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2649
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:58 pm
Location: Huntingdon

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by bluntiger »

Pete wrote:He must count himself fortunate to be now playing for a team that considers such gifts to be important.
Until Butch James returns and he is once again thrown into a familiar position .... on the bench.
Always a Tiger
bluntiger
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2649
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:58 pm
Location: Huntingdon

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by bluntiger »

bluntiger wrote:
Pete wrote:He must count himself fortunate to be now playing for a team that considers such gifts to be important.
Until Butch James returns and he is once again thrown into a familiar position .... on the bench.
Looks like Sam will get an extended run as Butch James is crocked.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 89,00.html
Always a Tiger
POSTIGER
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2988
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:48 am
Location: In the office pretending to work

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by POSTIGER »

Will S wrote:Firstly, I am glad Sam is playing well and receiving the relevant praise. I don't think we can start claiming however that Bath are the answer to where Tigers failed him. He always came in to the Tigers team and did a great job when first team players were injured and that is all he is pretty much doing at Bath. When Butch is back from injury Sam will be relegated to the bench and with Barks at 12 he won't get a look in there unless there is an injury. In a fit squad for either Tigers or Bath Sam would not make the starting line up. What he does offer is extremley reliable cover from the bench. I still think Sam would have been better going to more of a mid table team where he would have been a regular starter.

Well said Will, spot on.

I think Sam has suffered in his career from being very, very good in a number of positions but not truly outstanding in any one. I played with him for Market Bosworth High School and then JCC and I thought he (and Ollie Smith too) was miles ahead of everyone else - Ollie played at 12 or 13 and Sam played more-or-less every game at 10 (sometimes 15). When they made the step up to playing professionally Ollie was allowed to settle in as a regular centre and was pumped up to the max whereas as Sam was deployed across the back line and never consistently in one position.

Perhaps if he's been a bit more selfish and said 'I'm a 10, play me at 10' then he would have made the Tigers FH jersey his own; however he was never the sort of personality to do that and perhaps Tigers would have given him short shrift if he had.
I saw Marika Vunibaka play
Goffer3404
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1366
Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:19 pm

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by Goffer3404 »

So Postiger you will know the Whitton.
Taught Vesty RE and coached the team.
Anecdotally: not a lot of RE in the front of the book, lots of rugby moves in the back.
Good luck to him. :smt023
DickyP
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2815
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:14 pm
Location: Newark

Re: Well done the Vest!

Post by DickyP »

Crumblies wrote:WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE LET HIM GO! How's that.

However completely agree with Will S's assessment.

Don't see him as a regular starter for Bath, Leicester, Northampton, Saracens etc. Leeds on the other hand.

Extremely valuable on the replacements bench, and IMHO much better option than Staunton.
I agree with everything said about his career, but what people miss and what he showed time and again - he has a very, very good rugby brain: I'd rather have his level of skills (merely very good) and a real brain than excellent skills and no nouse (a certain Mr Cipriani for instance).
For when the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name,
He marks - not that you won or lost - but how you played the Game."
Post Reply