Chill

[ourla]

That's all.

[fentiger]

Well said, and remember this team is still in it's infancy redevelopment
I'm as disappointed as anyone over yesterday, it's what happens next that defines us!

[fleabane]

Chill describes the weather, not the correct reaction to a poor, uncommitted performance!

[L Smith]

To be fair, Ourla, I think most posters are reacting: not over reacting. After a mild vent yesterday, I felt more able to look at the bigger picture.
Having seen Quins and Chiefs lose and having seen underwhelming performances throughout the AP over the weekend, I am a lot more chilled. As another poster said, it's a missed opportunity, not a crisis.

[TigerCam]

It could have been worse

[sapajo]

It could have been better

[mike]

Joke performance - chill is the last thing in mind .

[Ian Cant]

Like it or not yesterday was a woeful performance. Yes the conditions were awful but Cips should have put Sale out of reach by half time. Fans will chill if we beat Newcastle then Quins. If not then the same concerns as last season will arise. Forget resting players next week. A win is vital but with Andy Goode pulling the strings at Newcastle it could be another difficult 80'! Not the time to chill. Sarries the team to replicate and target every game as a W.

[fleabane]

^+1

[Soggypitch]

We looked rudderless yesterday - really missing Slater. Unfortunately I seriously doubt he will play next week, forget the 13 stitches, he has made it clear that a plastic pitch is not good news for his dodgy knees!!

We are desperate for the return of Mike Williams as well.

[voice of the crumbie]

Sarries the team to replicate

Agreed. But don't forget that Sarries have taken several seasons with the same core group of players to get to where they are now. Tigers are in the early stages of the same sort of development and whilst I'm disappointed at yesterday's result I'm pleasantly surprised at how far we have come in a relatively short time given the new game plan and a number of new players to integrate.

The key to keep moving forward is to keep a core of players together. For Tigers I would suggest that core has emerged as:

Forwards: Ayerza, Logo, Cole, Balmain, Tom Youngs, Thacker, Bateman, Slater, Kitchener, Barrow, Fitzgerald, Williams, De Chaves, O'Connor, Croft, McCaffrey, Crane, Fonua, Pearce. Ideally I would like to have another international quality prop to support Cole, Ayerza and Logo though if Rizzo stays once he has recovered from injury he may fit the bill.

Backs: Ben Youngs, Harrison, Kitto, Burns, Williams, Toomua, Smith, Tuilagi, Veainu, Betham, Thompstone, Tait, Roberts, Catchpole, Comacho, Benjamin, Bai, Goneva, Morris, Pietersen.

I have assumed that Bell,Ghiraldini and Loamanu will leave. Other possible leavers include Goneva, Aguero, De Villiers, Bai. Of these I would only consider Bell and Goneva as part of the core. If we can keep De Villiers for another season that's an added bonus.

If we can keep the core together for a while and either add a few signings of the calibre we have made this season or bring through the likes of Tressider, Umaga, Odogwu, Brugnara, Pasquale etc then I see no reason we can't evolve as Sarries have.

I view yesterday as a hiccup - all teams have them, even the best. Given the disruption to the team from withdrawals, the loss of Bell, the fact that we played poorly and as ever with Mr W as ref some enigmatic decisions, I have come to the conclusion that it was just not our day.

I look forward to a reaction and improvement over the course of the next few games.

[mike]

I'm not sure that a number of the players you say are the 'Core' are really of an adequate standard - how many would get into the Sarries 2nd team that won at Exeter yesterday ? . Sarries have reached their present level by introducing young English players into their squad over several seasons with the result that their 2nd team can beat anyone else - home or away . Having watched just about all of our Dev Team Matches over the past couple of Seasons I simply cannot see any real promise at the lower levels - only Harry Thacker has really come on . Also I would suggest that the consistently weak teams selected at dev level demonstrate a lack of desire to win and to introduce that winning culture that Sarries so obviously have .

[Iain]

mike's back!!!!

We must have lost a game...

[The Boy Dave]

Exeter were robbed against Sarries, a shocking error from the official and a perfectly good Exeter try not given, Sarries are beatable!
Tigers pack from the weekend could change in every position.
Late changes caused disruption and it just didn't work, perhaps if they had a crystal ball they may have rotated slightly different personnel.
The weather can be a leveller also IMO, same for both sides but made it a physical contest when perhaps a lesser one would've suited Leicester better in the circumstances.
That pack can and will change greatly!

[ourla]

Chill describes the weather, not the correct reaction to a poor, uncommitted performance!

I haven't seen the game and have no intention of watching it. But with Slater, Tom Youngs, Ayerza and TV out of the 23 among the already injured and missing, plus the conditions it was set up for a poor performance. I understand that for those unfortunate enough to present it was no fun to watch and losing to Sale at home hurts but it's going to happen occasionally. Sure it makes next week a bigger match so let's see what happens there.