PRC Round 4 - Tigers vs Saints

[Scuttle]

Clearly we are better going forward than defending. I still have concerns at 12 & 13. Ok when Manu is fit at 13 but options otherwise seem somewhat limited.

Taute, Reid, Viljoen, Eastmond, Manu, Worth, Hardwick all cover 12/13, which isn't bad in terms of volume. I can see a 10/12 axis of Ford & Reid with Manu outside of them when the World Cup is done and dusted

I agree about those options going forward. Reid seems to have good vision. Whilst there was alot of good stuff from Tigers yesterday I am left a little worried about the defence in midfield. Without the replay available I was left wondering what had happened when I blinked because Saints seemed to open up our midfield easily and scored 3 of their 4 tries through that route. I am not sure whether it was fundamental defensive weaknesses of individuals or a defensive system breakdown. Other options still to come in may sort the problem.

[sam16111986]

12,000 at best . Very mixed display from Tigers - some players very good , some very poor indeed .

Crowd was the smallest I’ve seen in many years for a local derby. I was particularly surprised to see relatively few Saints fans. I can only think they expected a loss and didn’t bother making the trip. Saints had shipped 129 points in their previous three games (all losses), and at times this showed. Despite some excellent individual performances, Tigers should have done better at home against that opposition, and we need to significantly improve come the start of the season proper. Otherwise it’s going to be another long season...

It's the strongest side Saints have put out mind. Think their backline for the first game had an average age of 19 or something crazy like that.

Clearly we are better going forward than defending. I still have concerns at 12 & 13. Ok when Manu is fit at 13 but options otherwise seem somewhat limited.

Taute, Reid, Viljoen, Eastmond, Manu, Worth, Hardwick all cover 12/13, which isn't bad in terms of volume. I can see a 10/12 axis of Ford & Reid with Manu outside of them when the World Cup is done and dusted

Welsh lad Thomas as well. He plays 12/13.

[Cardiff Tig]

It was never going to be a big crowd for a PRC game during the WC, no matter who we were playing.

[longlivethecrumbie]

12,000 at best . Very mixed display from Tigers - some players very good , some very poor indeed .

Crowd was the smallest I’ve seen in many years for a local derby. I was particularly surprised to see relatively few Saints fans. I can only think they expected a loss and didn’t bother making the trip. Saints had shipped 129 points in their previous three games (all losses), and at times this showed. Despite some excellent individual performances, Tigers should have done better at home against that opposition, and we need to significantly improve come the start of the season proper. Otherwise it’s going to be another long season...

It's the strongest side Saints have put out mind. Think their backline for the first game had an average age of 19 or something crazy like that.

Clearly we are better going forward than defending. I still have concerns at 12 & 13. Ok when Manu is fit at 13 but options otherwise seem somewhat limited.

Taute, Reid, Viljoen, Eastmond, Manu, Worth, Hardwick all cover 12/13, which isn't bad in terms of volume. I can see a 10/12 axis of Ford & Reid with Manu outside of them when the World Cup is done and dusted

Welsh lad Thomas as well. He plays 12/13.

Yes, thank you - I'd forgotten about him.

[chewbacca]

Ah yes I'd forgotten about Taute, Viljoen and Thomas as well. Hopefully all are fit soon.

[longlivethecrumbie]

In terms of the busted coverage through the middle - I may be proved wrong but weren't the two first half scores down Eastmond's channel? I'm still to.be convinced about him defensively

[MikeR]

Well I'm convinced - his defense is non existent . No proper tackle technique and frightened of contact .Simply not good enough.
OTY played well, Front Row good 1st half ( weaker Saints FR starters ). Worth very good , the rest very average . Need Hardwick in the side - you have to have one player who can kick properly . Hardwick 10 , Reid 12

[thebearisstilldeano]

Answers on a postcard please...

Phil Blake - Why?

[JP14]

Dingwall try was a forward pass.

[Tigerbeat]

The tries that were scored by Saints were the result of good lines and were well executed. Other teams would have also conceded most of them ....defence has certainly improved. Last season Tigers would have conceded tries from lineouts and mauls close to the line. Discipline has also been better in defensive mode.

[longlivethecrumbie]

The tries that were scored by Saints were the result of good lines and were well executed. Other teams would have also conceded most of them ....defence has certainly improved. Last season Tigers would have conceded tries from lineouts and mauls close to the line. Discipline has also been better in defensive mode.

Agreed

[wellstiger]

Handling errors are and have recently killed us.

I agree about Eastmond - well passed his best. Ok he has had one decent game in a Tigers shirt, but defensively he has and was week even by Barffs standard.I have a feeling teams have already game planned around this. In my opinion not a great purchase.

Some good stuff in attack and spread the game well. Not so route one this season.
Reids game management was good and I would like to see if Ford and Reid could do a Ford and Farrell England combo for Tigers.
Should be prepared now for Worc. The gloves are now off.

[CrumblingTerrace]

After the turnover of the squad, I've had the feeling that centre is our weakest position.

Manu is the obvious stand-out.

After that, we have a group of guys who haven't been first XV picks in their previous clubs and have something to prove to be that for us: Reid; Taute, and Eastmond...

... and some guys that are back-ups or have potential for the future: Forsyth; Thomas, and; Viljoen.

Hopefully we find a good partner for Manu when he's here and a good combo for when he's not.

[chewbacca]

For me 12 and 13 have been a problem since Dan Hipkiss and then Ant Allen retired largely due to Manu having so unfortunately suffered a number of long term injuries and 12 only being successfully filled by Toomua for one season.

[JP14]

Taute was first-choice at Munster for quite some time before he got injured.