Tigers vs. Chiefs

[Hinckley Bob]

Been saying that for yonks, dissing MOC and getting routinely insulted by some. There is certainly something missing.

I'm your ally on this JG, been smashed for honesty on this thread already by the usual suspects!

Lets face it we were coached poorly all round the park yesterday. Castro looked very off the pace. Marler today was pummeled in the scrum again!!

You are surely not blaming Tigers' coaches for Marler's performance!

[tigerburnie]

Things haven't been right for months. The Tigers are getting found out at nearly every game - no plan B it would appear. As other side are cranking it up the Tigers seem to be plodding along scraping through to a win or tow here and there.

You really think we are scraping a win here and there and lie second in the premiership and in the quarter finals of the Heineken by plodding?

[Smudge]

Whatever you think of Cockers ( most regulars know my views)we will see in the next few weeks, what will be will be.
Much has been said about the lack of flare and entertainment and TB, (rightly) chips in with a reminder of where we are in the league.
While acknowledging this I was enlightened by a comment in one of the papers quoting RC.
If these are indeed his own words it fully identifies why his playing ideas are so contrary to mine.

For me, every sport is for the participants first and foremost, and if you want entertainment then go to the theatre. I played rugby because I enjoyed playing rugby, not because I wanted to entertain the person stood on the touchline.

I think that says it all. Don't expect to be entertained by RCs Teams.

[sapajo]

Whatever you think of Cockers ( most regulars know my views)we will see in the next few weeks, what will be will be.
Much has been said about the lack of flare and entertainment and TB, (rightly) chips in with a reminder of where we are in the league.
While acknowledging this I was enlightened by a comment in one of the papers quoting RC.
If these are indeed his own words it fully identifies why his playing ideas are so contrary to mine.

For me, every sport is for the participants first and foremost, and if you want entertainment then go to the theatre. I played rugby because I enjoyed playing rugby, not because I wanted to entertain the person stood on the touchline.

I think that says it all. Don't expect to be entertained by RCs Teams.

I think RC needs to remember who pays his wages and funds Tigers its us the supporters! I do not like paying my hard earned season ticket money to watch under performing dross. That said he knows that for everyone who votes with their feet there will always be someone else clambering for their seat and he can carry on regardless!

[h's dad]

Whatever you think of Cockers ( most regulars know my views)we will see in the next few weeks, what will be will be.
Much has been said about the lack of flare and entertainment and TB, (rightly) chips in with a reminder of where we are in the league.
While acknowledging this I was enlightened by a comment in one of the papers quoting RC.
If these are indeed his own words it fully identifies why his playing ideas are so contrary to mine.

For me, every sport is for the participants first and foremost, and if you want entertainment then go to the theatre. I played rugby because I enjoyed playing rugby, not because I wanted to entertain the person stood on the touchline.

I think that says it all. Don't expect to be entertained by RCs Teams.

It’s a fair comment if you’re playing for boot money but when you’re taking a six figure salary funded one way or another by the viewing public you’re in the entertainment industry. Mind you, I do like to see grinding rugby rather than 80 yard champagne runs.

Smudge I agree wholeheartedly with a lot of what you have said recently.

[JerryGas]

Any chance of having the source for the Cocker's quote?

He joined the ESPN panel after the game at Exeter and was asked about scrums. He replied that the scrums are about the participants and that the contest should be refereed accordingly. I did not hear anything regarding theatre's etc. Cockers also suggested that there should be more clock control at scrum time - something I think most of us would agree with as we are spending a lot of time paying to watch scrums reset or kickers prepare for penalties/conversions!

The quote needs the context in which it was given.

[sapajo]

Any chance of having the source for the Cocker's quote?

He joined the ESPN panel after the game at Exeter and was asked about scrums. He replied that the scrums are about the participants and that the contest should be refereed accordingly. I did not hear anything regarding theatre's etc. Cockers also suggested that there should be more clock control at scrum time - something I think most of us would agree with as we are spending a lot of time paying to watch scrums reset or kickers prepare for penalties/conversions!

The quote needs the context in which it was given.

Martin Crowson tweeted this post game "PRESS CONF: Richard Cockerill - "It was a massive win for us. If you want entertainment, go to the theatre!"

[tigerburnie]

I watched some southern hemisphere games at the weekend and have to say I wasn't that impressed with their performances either. There seems to be a prevalance for all playing the same sort of game right across the spectrum. We are unfortunate to keep losing players for international duty,then we had a rest period as we weren't involved in the LV this year,it looked to me like we were rusty and trying things that were not quite there.
Well we have next weekend to put it right, a win at the Gardens will set us up perfectly. If the unthinkable happens and we don't win(can't say as I think that will happen)then we will have a tough trip to France ahead of us.We have a couple of players whose form has dipped , but we are still in there winning.
Entertainment is a bit like any art form,beauty is in the eye of the beholder.Now I'm not for a minute saying we are beautiful,or even playing beautiful rugby, but I'm entertained by the effort and results we are getting from our team.
Being a Tiger is for life,not just when we are winning everything.

[Hull Fan]

We are currently IMHO the dullest most boring team in the premiership.
We have no attacking ability, yet have a backline full of internationals.
We play the percentage all the time, sport especially rugby you need to play what you see. We often kick away turn over ball, the only team in rugby that do this, rather than attack from it.

In general play we kick to often and poorly, you can't now wait for the opposition to make a mistake you need to make something happen.

Ben Youngs passing was poor against Exeter, his kicking was far to long in the 2nd half (i know the wind was blowing behind him, we need to use the ball not give it back to the opposition.

As mentioned elsewhere Floody is standing to far away from BY, allowing the opposition to get off the line quickly and close him down. Flood has 50 odd caps so he must realise this so he must be being told where to stand by the coaches. This still doesn't exclude him from criticism as he should just think sod it and stand closer.

We will win nothing at present but will make the percentages look good. At the moment i really don't enjoy watching Leicester as nothing changes, we make the same mistakes and take the wrong options every week.

God knows the point in signing two attacking fly halfves when we won't need them, may be coach them to kick the percentages and kick hard earned ball away.

[kend]

I don't understand why some posters are so downbeat. Unless my memory is poor, Exeter have beaten both Quins and Sarries at home this season, so I would have thought any kind of win is a good result at Sandy Park. Conditions weren't great and Exeter are good at making themselves difficult to play - it was never going to be a feast of running rugby!

You play the conditions and the opposition tactics - I think I heard the ESPN commentary team mention that Exeter only spent about 10% of the second half in Tigers 22.

If you are looking to criticise - then whoever gave away the needless penalty deep in Exeter's half in the last few minutes (which led to field position for the attempted last kick), is perhaps a more legitimate target!

[The Boy Dave]

I watched some southern hemisphere games at the weekend and have to say I wasn't that impressed with their performances either. There seems to be a prevalance for all playing the same sort of game right across the spectrum

Agree, I watched Crusaders v Southern Kings and some commentators were raving about the Crusaders skill and style of play but others did see the fact that the Kings were way off the pace in defence and just stood watching the Crusaders play. It just looked like rugby league without the five tackle rule. It looked good on the surface but it did become a little boring after a while.

[retsilnai]

I'm at a loss to understand some of the moaning.
This was never a day for thrill a minute stuff. Freezing cold , an end to end wind, players coming back into the team, against a side unbeaten at home.I was hoping for a point, we came away with four....job done.
Really in with a shout of a home semi now.
Can't be bad, can it!!!
Ian.

[Smudge]

Any chance of having the source for the Cocker's quote?

It is from today's Daily Telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... bored.html

The reaction is well worth a read too.
I think that Cockers is going to rue that comment for the rest of his career.However long that may be.

Personally I support as I played. We are the Man United of rugby.They refer to Old Trafford as "the theatre of dreams"!

While I don't want the American style razamataz so favoured by Sarries, I most certainly want to be entertained by our play, even if it is occasionally "stuff it up the jumper.".
Like it or not, pro sport is firmly in the entertainment business. If we forget that, we are lost.

[Phil B]

I am surprised (very) at his comment that Professional Rugby is, first and foremost, for the participants with the fans coming second. I would accept the comment almost as a definition of amateur status, but I think it shows a surprising lack of intelligence on his part as the DOR of a top English Professional Rugby club. I had him down as a class act,(based on first hand experience of hearing him speak) but have to have a re-think now!

[JerryGas]

Thanks for the clarification - can only agree that there is a responsibility to entertain if you are going to attract the paying public - however Saturday evening was played in freezing conditions on a bog against a hard and well organized side.
Was it 5 try bonus points on the bounce this time last year? I will be at FG on Saturday hoping for a win first and foremost.