Pre-season friendly - Nottingham - 1st September 2023 KO: 7:30pm

[trendylfj]

I have to say that I agree with most posters in that Powell had a very good game. Moved the ball quickly from the ruck which cuts down the time that defences had to set. My one concern is that I was not convinced by his kicking - BY/JVP generally get it right in terms of length so as to enable chasers to get there and I don't think he was too successful in his attempts but time will tell over a longer period of time.

[TigerXV]

I prefer my interpretation to your assumed opposition winning ball back from lineout so easily.

How often do good teams get turned over at the lineout these days? If that's the tactics against the top end of the Premiership then we will be cut apart even with the leagues currently lower standards.

I agree few of the top teams will get turned over cleanly at the lineout. But if we can put on enough pressure with the likes of Henderson, Carter, Wells, Chessum/s, Liebenberg etc, then if forces more chaotic pressure for the opposition. Our high line of defence to rush up and then put pressure on the 9 and the 10 then gives us more of an opportunity, and if not we still have some good counter attack threat from the likes of Steward, OHC, Watson?, Shillcock, Basset etc to profit.

I’m not saying it’s the best tactic to use, and like some I’d like to see more attacking shape. But as LE18 has said, the winning years of Tigers teams have been founded with very good basics (defence, scrum, lineout, maul, kicking) and clinical backs play. As we found with SB in the first season, get the basics right and we can then add the attack on top. It’s a shame we seemed to stagnate following the prem win and the adding didn’t happen - but I think if DMK can get the basics sharp again, and start to add some of the flair that those who attended on Friday suggested was beginning to show, we will hopefully be in a decent place.

Time will tell as to whether it comes together and works against different opposition, but it sounds from all accounts as though the thinking is at least in the right place.

I was surprised by the kicking out from inside the 22 giving the Notts the throw in on or around the halfway line. Seemed to me to be a tactic for the warm up game to give our defensive lineout a work out (as they didn't really put any pressure on us in our own 22 in the first half to try it out there). I know McKellar is a big lineout man so we will be organised but i really can't see us dong that in a League game as it will be high risk.

To add my pennyworth to the Powell debate I though he looked v sharp and if we are going to play a bit more of a running game he looked a good fit for that type of game. Box kicks are an essential part of a 9 tool kit and his were variable with one absolute shocker but its early days so will give him the benefit of the doubt. I do think he'll be our first pick 9 until JVP and BY get back then we'll see. I think both would like to play more attacking rugby but play to the plan they are instructed to both under SB the RW at Tigers and now SB again for England

[johnthegriff]

If a team kicks long from the 22 and keeps the ball.in field then it is secured by the opposition who either kick back or run it back, the long kick risks a team mate being penalised for not retreating or the player catching the ball.making inroads into the kicking teams territory. An accurate kick for touch eliminates the possible offside penalty but basically hands possession to the opposition, although of course a set piece enables a team to disrupt that possession or organise defence. A third option of course is to.keep ball.in hand and run it out of the 22, it is about choices and what is the best option at the time, some players and teams will.look first for one option over another, success defines which is the correct choice. Personally, I enjoy seeing a p!ayer run with the ball, I enjoy the contest at a lineout or at the breakdown, I even take pleasure in a scrum and a mail but I get bored by some of the kick tennis diet we have been fed by club and country in recent years, that is not the rugby I played it enjoyed watching for so many years.

[wigworth]

The highlights are up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLS1-t8-WGo

[TigerXV]

If a team kicks long from the 22 and keeps the ball.in field then it is secured by the opposition who either kick back or run it back, the long kick risks a team mate being penalised for not retreating or the player catching the ball.making inroads into the kicking teams territory. An accurate kick for touch eliminates the possible offside penalty but basically hands possession to the opposition, although of course a set piece enables a team to disrupt that possession or organise defence. A third option of course is to.keep ball.in hand and run it out of the 22, it is about choices and what is the best option at the time, some players and teams will.look first for one option over another, success defines which is the correct choice. Personally, I enjoy seeing a p!ayer run with the ball, I enjoy the contest at a lineout or at the breakdown, I even take pleasure in a scrum and a mail but I get bored by some of the kick tennis diet we have been fed by club and country in recent years, that is not the rugby I played it enjoyed watching for so many years.

it does more than offer a lineout to the opposition. Yes, we could attack their line out but this itself is risky as if they get clean ball we have players up in the air (possibly the wrong ones) which gives the opposition the opportunity to drive up field with the potential for a penalty against us for offside/collapsing etc leading to 3 points or they kick to corner with throw in. Not only this but if they pass off the top we have to keep at least 2 players back to cover potential 50/22 kicks leaving midfield defensively thin on the ground. I like running rugby as much as the next man but at Prem level a box kick generally pins the opposition back with limited opportunity to attack but a real possibility (if the kick chase if good) of forcing a mistake. I do agree that teams have now wised up to box kicks (see Ireland) and work hard to block the chasers making the catch easy so alternative plays are needed - this may be one but I am not convinced

[TigerXV]

The highlights are up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLS1-t8-WGo

would have liked a longer highlights reel but there you go. Atkinson's performance seems to have gone mostly unnoticed - he played really well - e.g. lovely miss pass for Ilione's try which I didn't appreciate at the time on the terrace. Also Liebenberg/Claire's tip passes to put Kelly through for his try - I'd like to see much more of this. However some poor tackling on display for Notts first try that needs addressing - Josh Basset also missed a tackle in front of the Terrace which isn't on the highlights but was poor

[Hot_Charlie]

Powell's box kicks weren't good, but he did have good zip around the park.

I wondered if the ball was deflating on some of them! Ultimately, he brings something else though, and maybe we'll need to tactically adapt our game a little.

On the positive side, Atkinson's left foot does bring a nice element of (disguised) crossfield kick potential when playing from left to right and another option, and this was used nicely I thought.

[johnthegriff]

Great to be having these discussions again, basically we had two halves of different styles of play now whether that was caused by changes of personnel on both teams of whether that was the plan I have no idea but the first half was more enjoyable for me. In neither half did we see the.majority of both teams stationary in the middle of the park as the ball.is going backwards and forwards over their heads from 22 to 22.
Good point about Atkinson, he played well as did the whole back line in the first half. I expect some changes for Saturday and it maybe another week or two before we can say this is our basic style of play for this season with maybe a slight.modification depending on the strength of the opposition.

[TigerXV]

Great to be having these discussions again, basically we had two halves of different styles of play now whether that was caused by changes of personnel on both teams of whether that was the plan I have no idea but the first half was more enjoyable for me. In neither half did we see the.majority of both teams stationary in the middle of the park as the ball.is going backwards and forwards over their heads from 22 to 22.
Good point about Atkinson, he played well as did the whole back line in the first half. I expect some changes for Saturday and it maybe another week or two before we can say this is our basic style of play for this season with maybe a slight.modification depending on the strength of the opposition.

absolutely agree its great to be talking rugby again especially so as we're all trying to spot new styles of play !! if the basic first half display is anything to go by it will be an exciting season ahead

[sam16111986]

The highlights are up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLS1-t8-WGo

would have liked a longer highlights reel but there you go. Atkinson's performance seems to have gone mostly unnoticed - he played really well - e.g. lovely miss pass for Ilione's try which I didn't appreciate at the time on the terrace. Also Liebenberg/Claire's tip passes to put Kelly through for his try - I'd like to see much more of this. However some poor tackling on display for Notts first try that needs addressing - Josh Basset also missed a tackle in front of the Terrace which isn't on the highlights but was poor

Always likely to be some rusty elements to the play first game back.

The pass from Atkinson for the Ilione was try was very good and the finish from Ilione showed some some skills from him as well. I thought that was a real highlight, the interplay from two young guys we're likely to need this season.

[TigerMac3]

Was pretty impressed with the Nottingham set up and execution to be fair. Higher quality than I expected, their winger (11-Graham?) looked really useful, as did David Williams. Hope they go well this season

[Dokie]

The highlights are up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLS1-t8-WGo

would have liked a longer highlights reel but there you go. Atkinson's performance seems to have gone mostly unnoticed - he played really well - e.g. lovely miss pass for Ilione's try which I didn't appreciate at the time on the terrace. Also Liebenberg/Claire's tip passes to put Kelly through for his try - I'd like to see much more of this. However some poor tackling on display for Notts first try that needs addressing - Josh Basset also missed a tackle in front of the Terrace which isn't on the highlights but was poor

First half forwards went really well but the lack of a Nottingham scrum made things tricky to judge. Agree about Atkinson. Powell also impressed, apart from his box kicking. Still seem to be largely lacking pace across the backs. I think you’re being a bit harsh with the tackling as sometimes you just have to applaud great attacking play. Williams showed pace, balance and strength in the hand offs. Wish we’d kept him as I think he and Nems would have offered real threats with different attributes. Hopefully, combinations will develop more next week before we have a real test at Sale.

[mightymouse]

One assumes with our partnership we could always get Williams back if we needed him, dues to injuries etc