Tigers vs Wasps - 15th Feb

[JP14]

From my perspective we should have had a penalty try in the first half for a collapsed maul that ex-scrumhalf and obviously maul expert Karl Dickson gave as a scrum. Spencer very good, if he keeps playing that Eddie will be knocking on the door again. I thought Taute carried very well, don’t agree with the poster who said otherwise, shame to lose Kalamafoni but Wells again was very good off the bench. White was excellent, climatized superbly to the conditions with a stunner of a try-saving tackle*.

*Actually jog on Dallaglio, , tackle was on the shoulder and wasn’t seatbelt at all, utterly pedantic.

A win is a win but I’m not confident about Sale away.

[CJ]

Another good thing about this afternoon - no stupid marriage proposal at half time.

Loved there big boot with the people moving so far to the left ( as I viewed it)

[OakhamTiger32]

Second half was better. Real intensity.
First atrocious. Why do we go with long throws in awful weather when Youngs has struggled with the throws for some time?

Looked a bit odd that we kept trying to run the ball out of our own 22 when the wind was with us, although the kicking in the first half was poor.

Forwards woke up in the second half.

Ref was woeful. Ignored Wasps off side nearly all the game. How many penalties would they have to concede before getting a card out?

You say that the ref was woeful but, invariably, his eyes are on the breakdown and the assistants should be assisting with the offisdes and they don't.

For what it's worth I thought that Sir was consistent in terms of penalising both sides for the same offences

Agreed. I thought he was consistent for the most part but I would have liked to have seen a card for the constant bringing down of the maul.. I think it happened about 4 or 5 times which is pushing it slightly!

[OakhamTiger32]

A win is a win but I’m not confident about Sale away.

Agreed. And how about Exeter and Sarries away a few weeks later! tough run for us that’s for sure! Need to keep the momentum going at home to Worcester next week

[BFG]

To be fair to Sir today he was possibly distracted from officiating the maul by trying not to laugh at Brookes!

[LE18]

Ben White having a really good game I feel

Agreed, that try saving tackle was really something!

[Ian Cant]

Came away from Welford Road and the first thing that hit us was the swirling win. Both teams did well to play any reasonable rugby in conditions that were probably far worse than in Edinburgh last week end!
The reffing today was, for both sides, inept at times. Wasps lying all over the place and then , quite often, holding our players down so they were penalised for not rolling away. We seemed to get away with a bit of foul play from Youngs and a couple of knock ons but nothing that really affected the result.
First half we were woeful but luckily we hung in there then the forwards took control with some intelligent kicking from Reid, TV and White.
TV remains our most important back due to his finishing ability and grittiness. The back row were terrific although it took a while to adjust to Kalamafoni going off in the first half. Hardwick will learn from his woes today and come back stronger.
Sale will be a severe test- if, and it’s a huge if, we can come close on Friday then we will have done well. Target the Worcester game, so anyone not 100% fit shouldn’t play on Friday. Sale will be huge favourites so treat it as a free shot at an upset. Look what Irish did today! It’s a strange league this year.
Well done to all the fans who went today. Keeping the support going.

[Tiglon]

I didn't see the game today, but great to hear some praise for White, he must have been really good.

Shame for Hardwick to have a tough day, but with the experience and brilliance of Gopperth on the other side we were never likely to win the game management battle.

A really important win today to build on in the future. Any losing bonus points against Sale, Sarries and Exeter will be a good return but we have to get a win against Worcester even though they will be at near full strength. A difficult few weeks ahead, we just need to do well enough to keep the confidence growing and look for a strong run towards the end of the season.

[mol2]

White had a good game.
Try saving tackle. Contact was with their players arm. To be fair he tried to reach over the shoulder but luckily didn’t make contact.

Ref let them get away with offside time after time and penalised them just once for swimming then ignored it from then onwards.

Penalised us for hands in the ruck when it was one of theirs who actually knocked on. Touch judge a couple of yards away and did nothing!

I was surprised he didn’t call Vianu back for a scrum when he scored.

[Hot_Charlie]

Taute offers nothing,

Didn’t watch the game then?

[wellstiger]

It is apparent that certain teams are penalised for off side at maul and breakdown - others aint.
Its one area that refs are inclined to overlook to "Let the game grow" Unless you wear green red and white.
Some say we got lucky - but you make your own luck. Today it worked for us ,some parts of this season and the most of last season it aint.
White is developing into a good player. He is taking his chances the try saving tackle ( Dayglo aside ) was Class.
Hardwick likewise is developing with first team time. Yes he made a couple of judgement errors which were Dennis affective,
but he is heading in the right direction.
Tigers DNA won us that tight game. Borthwicks injection and Internationals returning should give us a better platform.
Please keep the Tigers DNA and develop the game around it.Keep GM in the back room amd away from the team.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

If nothing else over recent games some backbone seems to of returned to the side.

The constant carping at GM is now rather tiresome, he is moving on when Borthwick finally arrives, the board are the most culpable for where we are followed by some of the senior players.

[tigerssteve]

My concern about White, is that it seems he is already getting himself a reputation for gobbing off at referees. That won't help him, or us as a team. Several times the ref had words with him to calm himself and these things spread around the relatively small circle of officials. Youngs yet again covered himself in glory and will be sanctioned for foul play. Another yellow card. Woeful lineout with TY overestimating his ability to hit his man time after time. Had the pests chosen the right pass we were wide open but they didn't and so TV did his stuff to give us a lucky lead. When are the forwards going to stop chatting about Eastenders in the rucks and concentrate so they don't consistently get cleared out and cough up possession.

Just a few thoughts on a win which still leaves us bottom.

[TigerMac3]

Tom Hardwick with possibly the worst first half performance by a professional rugby player. Should of dragged him after his second unchallenged knock on. Whilst Reid is not an out and out 10, he has to start whilst the 6N is on.

Agree with comments on Spencer. Had his best game that I can remember, even more impressive given that each time he received the ball he (and all the forwards) were standing still. Liked what I saw of Hughes too. Looks to have real physicality.

[DingDong]

Good win due mainly to Tigers tenacity for the full 80 mins. Jordan Taufua has to be the most impactful signing in recent times, a cut above anyone else.

Ben Whites try saving tackle WAS by law a seatbelt tackle therefore we were lucky not to concede a penalty try. White grabbed on top of the shoulder when Kibirige was still in possession, the slo mo replay clearly shows that. Overall Dickson had yet another inept performance relying far too much on his AR’s and overlooking the blatant offences.