Teams up v Gloucester

[darganj]

Thompstone on the wing and Veainu at fullback for me.

Tait will take the Crane role of being past it but still picked this year. Lost his pace and just not the same player anymore.

Thompstone is just as solid and offers more and allows Veainu to get into the game more.

Interested to see how much JPP contributes, I'm hoping him and Ben Youngs can tear up a few blindsides this year

[MrPartridge]

I think that 23 tells us a lot:

Manu is fit, front row competition is intense, no place for Thacker, not sure we have a natural 8, Tait still favoured at 15, perhaps competition at last for Ben Youngs...

If the forwards can get any momentum our backs could be frightening with quick ball from SH. I just hope we've realised the game is more expansive in 2016. And that is the best Tigers bench I've seen for a long time.

Odds are interesting: 5/6 Tigers, 13/10 Gloucester, 20/1 Draw. Handicap for 10/11 each varies between Tigers -1 and -2...

[darganj]

Just putting it out there now, I find it mental that we aren't starting Youngs and Cole this week.

Newcastle, Worcester and Bristol are the weeks to rest those two and I probably wouldnt rest them on bench for Newcastle away either.

A loss which should be a win can be catastrophic look at effect in had on Saints last year with that last minute Heathcote 3 pointer against Worcester.

Hopefully Manu tears up

[tigerburnie]

[quote][/quote]Leicester Tigers (v Gloucester Rugby, away, Friday September 2, 7.45pm)
15 Mathew Tait
14 Telusa Veainu
13 Peter Betham
12 Manusamoa Tuilagi
11 JP Pietersen
10 Freddie Burns
9 Sam Harrison
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Greg Bateman
4 Ed Slater
5 Dom Barrow
6 Luke Hamilton
7 Brendon O'Connor
8 Lachlan McCaffrey

Replacements
16 George McGuigan
17 Ellis Genge
18 Dan Cole
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Will Evans
21 Ben Youngs
22 Matt Smith
23 Adam Thompstone

[tigerburnie]

Gloucester Rugby:

15. Tom Marshall; 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Matt Scott, 12, Billy Twelvetrees, 11. Henry Purdy; 10. Billy Burns, 9. Greig Laidlaw (capt); 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. John Afoa; 4. Tom Savage, 5. Mariano Galarza; 6. Ross Moriarty, 7. Matt Kvesic, 8. Ben Morgan

Replacements:

16. Darren Dawidiuk, 17. Paddy McAllister, 18. Paul Doran-Jones, 19. Joe Latta, 20. Jacob Rowan, 21. Willi Heinz, 22. James Hook, 23. Gareth Evans

[ourla]

That is a proper bench!

GO

[Hot_Charlie]

Good starting XV, good bench!

[sapajo]

Just putting it out there now, I find it mental that we aren't starting Youngs and Cole this week.

They have had plenty of game time and need more rest

[tigerburnie]

An exciting looking side with plenty more to come, Glaws won't lay down, but I fancy an eagerness to this years side that has been missing in the past. With a lot of quality in the squad, there's genuine competition for places rather than the feeling I might have to go looking for my boots in case they were short.

[drc_007]

I'm guessing either Burns or Harrison will playing 80 mins since no fly-half on the bench.

[Maidman]

Did we need a new thread? This is already covered under the 23 for Glaws thread!

[Maidman]

Well played moderators!

I'm intrigued that we have left some quality on the bench, maybe they will be big impact subs?

[iceman_19]

Like many I might have leaned towards TV ahead of Tait at 15, and Thommo on the wing, but I expect that we might finish that way in any event. Other than that, Kitto and Thacker can feel hard done by but I'm sure we'll need them at various points in the season.

Can't wait to see Manu get back to it after a full pre-season under his belt. There's potentially a defensive weakness at 10-12 but it will rely on either first phase ball or quick ball...or targeting the likes of Kvesic first up with another runner so that he's tied up for the next phase.

To be fair as well, that is the best Gloucester pack I've seen in a fair few years. Lads will need to front up first and foremost.

Also very excited about seeing Genge this year - I think he'll have a big season.

[Spicer]

Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys has said he wants to win the Premiership this season ahead of the curtain-raiser against Leicester.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37221618

[ellis9]

Quote from Tom Youngs:

"It comes down to winning, if we win ugly I don't care, I just want the four points."

I'm happy with that- always!

I don't suppose those that want entertaining, Harlem Globe Trotters style rugby will be happy but who cares! Win must always be priority, however ugly and boring it may be!