Is O'connor up to the job??

[voice of the crumbie]

IMO we miss a TRUE leader on the pitch. Tom Youngs is a decent bloke but does not have the ability to get the ref onside nor implement any changes in tactics that are required during the game. I don't actually have a name to put forward which probably means we are going to continue to struggle at least for the foreseeable future!

At any point yesterday evening whilst the penalty count was increasing and the ref was in his ear, did TY ever pull the team together and read the riot act?

No, exactly my point! Cole was obviously getting the refs full attention (rightly or not), so after a couple of penalties surely the sensible thing to do would be get him standing off and someone else go into the breakdown!
It's been noted before the Tom is a good player (not faultless), but just doesn't seem able to provide the proper leadership on field.

This is the problem of playing a back row with no out and out ball stealer (I understand the thinking behind picking the back row players we did - to try and match the physicality of the Munster back row) - someone else has to try and fulfil that role and the task fell to Dan Cole. Unfortunately he was pinged (rightly or wrongly is debatable) for various breakdown offences. After he came back from his sin-binning he still tried to perform the role. I conclude 2 things from this:
1. that this must have been part of the game plan
2. that he can adapt to the ref as he managed it better (in terms of not giving away penalties) after he returned to the field.

[voice of the crumbie]

Incidentally I heard that Ged Glynn has ordered MOC to go to a fancy dress party with a Cinderella theme dressed as a pumpkin. The hope is that at midnight he'll turn into a coach.

[fentiger]

^^^ wishing for a 'like' button!

[TigerCam]

I know I'll be knocked for mentioning this but :

Have we made progress on this time last year?

What's happening to the forwards?

Why are we not competitive in big games anymore??

I worry for the rest of the season.

Why should you be knocked WT? Only those with 'rose-tinted' specs may utter discontent with your factual assessment.

[Tiglon]

Who said they wanted a quick fix? Just didnt expect to go backwards is all! Hasnt he been here before? Worked with a lot of these players? Worked with some of the coaching staff? He had a head start over a brand new coach so that doesnt fly with me. Check out the Leinster forums and speak to some fans and see what they think of him,they won the title in his first season in spite of him not because of him and it soon fell apart and they couldnt wait to get rid of him!
But look at all those tries we scored when he was here before i hear you say. Go and look at them again,the vast majority scored by walk ins after for2ard domination,im sure P.Try and R. Maul chipped in with a few too ☹ i just dont rate him but i sincerely hope im wrong because if im not it means hes broken another record this season!

I don't see that we've gone any further backwards this season - we were equally poor for most of last season, and in some matches far worse.

It's not about needing time to get the most out of these players, it's about needing time to get the right players in - the fact he's worked with these players before doesn't help much if half of the players aren't up to it.

Who cares what Leinster fans think? Make up your own mind. Is that really how you judge people? Good luck finding anyone who isn't disliked by someone.

I'm not sure when you heard me say "but look at all those tries we scored when he was here before". I haven't written anything of the sort

"I just don't rate him" sums up your argument. You have formed an opinion then looked for evidence to back it up, rather than looked objectively at the evidence and then come to a conclusion. The fact is, we don't yet have enough evidence as to whether O'Connor is the right man for the job. If we continue to be on the periphery of the playoffs (as, let's be honest, we have been for a good few years now) then we haven't really declined since he was appointed, and there's no reason he shouldn't get a couple of years to prove whether he can build a team capable of more.

Show me a head coach or director of rugby who has had success with a squad comparable to the current Tigers. Some dream of Plumtree, but I saw someone on another thread claims he's a great coach because he's worked with players like Ardie Savea - how difficult is it to look like a good coach with a squad full of players as talented as Ardie Savea?!

We all want Tigers to win the European Cup and the Premiership but I think most would agree, if being honest, that there are minimum half a dozen teams in Europe with a better playing squad (probably at least double that) and at least a few Premiership teams with equal or better playing squads. So why do we expect any coach is going to win stuff with this squad?

[sam16111986]

At any point yesterday evening whilst the penalty count was increasing and the ref was in his ear, did TY ever pull the team together and read the riot act?

No, exactly my point! Cole was obviously getting the refs full attention (rightly or not), so after a couple of penalties surely the sensible thing to do would be get him standing off and someone else go into the breakdown!
It's been noted before the Tom is a good player (not faultless), but just doesn't seem able to provide the proper leadership on field.

This is the problem of playing a back row with no out and out ball stealer (I understand the thinking behind picking the back row players we did - to try and match the physicality of the Munster back row) - someone else has to try and fulfil that role and the task fell to Dan Cole. Unfortunately he was pinged (rightly or wrongly is debatable) for various breakdown offences. After he came back from his sin-binning he still tried to perform the role. I conclude 2 things from this:
1. that this must have been part of the game plan
2. that he can adapt to the ref as he managed it better (in terms of not giving away penalties) after he returned to the field.

Good summary. That's the area where we lost the game. We didn't really learn from the first game that it wasn't physically where the Munster backrow had the edge it was in their mobility and savvy at the breakdown. Our failure to grasp that and adjust cost us and that is something you have to lay at the coaches door.

[milesanderson]

I don't think that our present Director of Rugby is the right man for the job. Let's look at the England team since EJ took over; what's he's done is infuse England with humor and let the lads enjoy playing rugby. And that's the key, so long as we continue with this dour coach at the top we'll play dour rugby and we'll never reach the heights again. Why do we look at the Southern hemisphere for coaches anyway? Exeter Chiefs are playing exciting fun rugby with a great enjoyment and they're at the top and they're coached by a man born in Tavistock! And he's always got a smile on his face. So my answer is get rid of O'Connor and get someone who infuses the squad with humour not another whining Aussie!

[WhitecapTiger]

they're coached by a man born in Tavistock! And he's always got a smile on his face.

That's not strictly true, seen Baxter rather dour himself. Easy to smile when you win.

So my answer is get rid of O'Connor and get someone who infuses the squad with humour not another whining Aussie!

So, my question is, who do you suggest we 'get'?

After we've paid off MOC's contract of course.

[ellis9]

I don't think that our present Director of Rugby is the right man for the job. Let's look at the England team since EJ took over; what's he's done is infuse England with humor and let the lads enjoy playing rugby. And that's the key, so long as we continue with this dour coach at the top we'll play dour rugby and we'll never reach the heights again. Why do we look at the Southern hemisphere for coaches anyway? Exeter Chiefs are playing exciting fun rugby with a great enjoyment and they're at the top and they're coached by a man born in Tavistock! And he's always got a smile on his face. So my answer is get rid of O'Connor and get someone who infuses the squad with humour not another whining Aussie!

We don't have a Director of Rugby.

[L Smith]

they're coached by a man born in Tavistock! And he's always got a smile on his face.

That's not strictly true, seen Baxter rather dour himself. Easy to smile when you win.

So my answer is get rid of O'Connor and get someone who infuses the squad with humour not another whining Aussie!

So, my question is, who do you suggest we 'get'?

After we've paid off MOC's contract of course.

Best get looking on the stand-up circuit. Who knew?

[WiggoTiger]

After tonight no.

No idea at restarts, poor line outs, port tactics and Manu the passenger all game.

Thanks for the great Christmas present matt

[Big Dai]

After tonight no.

No idea at restarts, poor line outs, port tactics and Manu the passenger all game.

Thanks for the great Christmas present matt

Agreed. Plus Remy Martin may go bust at this rate.

[G.K]

If we scoured the world and MoC was the answer then what the hell was the question

[Scott11]

Was the question who is cheap and has worked at Tigers before?

[HantsTiger]

Interesting to hear him say in the week (in the RL Tigers Podcast) that all positions including the coaches are being reviewed. Maybe he realises that the other coaches aren't delivering?