Tigers v Saints (H) - Premiership - Saturday 18th November 2023 - KO: 15:05

[TigerFeetSteve]

We are 10 points off top 4.

2 TBP wins....

Like I'm not being funny we could close that gap with bonus points alone in the remaining games...

Some of our STAR players only met our head coach in a professional capacity last Monday.

Look I'm disappointed in how we started.

Both Quins and Sale may have gone the other way on a different day, despite being VERY poor, we even stayed in touch with Bristol.

Against the strongest team in the league our 2nd team did well.


Yet here we are calling for a head coach to go.
For reference here's two recent examples of what people consider a very successful Head Coach:

Sanderson's 1st season HC : Sale 6th
Sanderson's 2nd season HC: Sale Finalist

Borthwick's 1st season HC: Tigers 6th
Borthwick's 2nd season HC: Tigers Champions

[Jimmy Skitz]

I'm certainly not calling for his head but I am calling for action from him, over these first few games players not performing are keeping their place when we have other options, young lads that stood up well and performed in preseason were blocked from chances in one case by a player that would be gone before the 4th game of the season.

This "new" attack we saw in the prem cup vanished from the start of the league, where has that gone?

[Tiglon]

Who knows, maybe playing kids and attacking with freedom is easier to do successfully in meaningless Cup games against weak opposition.

I'm disappointed with the Quins result, the others were generally no worse than we did last season. Based on what I've seen I'm happy to be patient and see what McKellar can build.

[Greenwhiteandred]

TBF it feels like Tigers have been shafted a lot for nothing really. Missing 11 players is too much but clubs get punished for having good enough players for the RWC.
I wished Wigglesworth had stayed on really.

The prem in general has felt off so far this season.

Yes,doesn’t seem at it for me. I can’t get up for it so far sadly

.......And just to add to the woes we'll have the 6N to look forward to with the international set up raiding the camp again. It's complete and utter pants.

About time there was proper compensation, especially now there are fewer teams in the league. Fewer opportunities to make up places.

A rearrangement of league fixtures to remove clashes, central contracts, exclusions from the salary cap, draft picks to even international contributions accross teams. Let's face it the days of a team made up of locals are well andxtruly gone. Something has to be done or else further collapse beckons.

Glass half empty because the wife drank it!

We only lose the England players for one league game this year - Quins away - training camp the week prior to the start of the 6 nations. There are no clashes between the league and 6 nations from this point on

[Chobbsy]

Our Younger daughter has ex Saints player as partner, she is now full on Saints, how am I going to cope with them next week?

Easy disown her now !!!

[Big Dai]

Yes,doesn’t seem at it for me. I can’t get up for it so far sadly

.......And just to add to the woes we'll have the 6N to look forward to with the international set up raiding the camp again. It's complete and utter pants.

About time there was proper compensation, especially now there are fewer teams in the league. Fewer opportunities to make up places.

A rearrangement of league fixtures to remove clashes, central contracts, exclusions from the salary cap, draft picks to even international contributions accross teams. Let's face it the days of a team made up of locals are well andxtruly gone. Something has to be done or else further collapse beckons.

Glass half empty because the wife drank it!

We only lose the England players for one league game this year - Quins away - training camp the week prior to the start of the 6 nations. There are no clashes between the league and 6 nations from this point on

Didn't realise it was just the one game this year for the England boys....what a game to lose them for though......but what of the others? The Celts?? Plus it remains an excellent opportunity for our players to get broken.

Plus that's only this year. If the game is to continue then a better model needs to be created. One that gives a fairer crack of the whip for those supplying and developing and retaining home grown international talent. Plus allows fair(er) competition with les Frogs.

I don't know if the financial results issued today are considered good, bad or indifferent but the Wilkins McCawber in me says in the red is bad and we are not the only ones.

Sports audiences are fickle. Success pulls the crowds, success pulls the best players, Success pulls money.

I'm concerned that continued poor form could have a more drastic effect than just league position. Yes, I'm a worry guts, but I don't see that English professional rugby, never mind the Tigers, is in a healthy place.

[Soggypitch]

Our biggest game of the season thus far, against our "nearest and dearest" and nobody has posted since Monday evening.......it's not like the old days when there could be 20 pages in advance of a Saints game. Mind you much of that was discussing who would win the inevitable fight

It's all changed now, but I'm keen to know our injury situation, any news on Martin, Montoya, Dolly, JVP et al??

First time at Welford Rd this season (the train and the curry house both booked), really looking forward to it!!

[Pellsey]

Our biggest game of the season thus far, against our "nearest and dearest" and nobody has posted since Monday evening.......it's not like the old days when there could be 20 pages in advance of a Saints game. Mind you much of that was discussing who would win the inevitable fight

It's all changed now, but I'm keen to know our injury situation, any news on Martin, Montoya, Dolly, JVP et al??

First time at Welford Rd this season (the train and the curry house both booked), really looking forward to it!!

I think it has something to do with the Sinners being on form, and us not... !

[TigerFeetSteve]

Our biggest game of the season thus far, against our "nearest and dearest" and nobody has posted since Monday evening.......it's not like the old days when there could be 20 pages in advance of a Saints game. Mind you much of that was discussing who would win the inevitable fight

It's all changed now, but I'm keen to know our injury situation, any news on Martin, Montoya, Dolly, JVP et al??

First time at Welford Rd this season (the train and the curry house both booked), really looking forward to it!!

https://twitter.com/BBCRLSport/status/1 ... KL_kw&s=19

[sapajo]

Our biggest game of the season thus far, against our "nearest and dearest" and nobody has posted since Monday evening.......it's not like the old days when there could be 20 pages in advance of a Saints game. Mind you much of that was discussing who would win the inevitable fight

It's all changed now, but I'm keen to know our injury situation, any news on Martin, Montoya, Dolly, JVP et al??

First time at Welford Rd this season (the train and the curry house both booked), really looking forward to it!!

It may be its because its another season where we do not know what sort of performance we shall see from Tigers game to game. Its the hope that kills you

[Big Dai]

I just thought it was because I bored everyone witless.....the Mrs said it rhymed with witless.

[KiwiTig]

I just thought it was because I bored everyone witless.....the Mrs said it rhymed with witless.

Funny

[ourla]

In some ways there isn't much to discuss in regard of the team and this particular game.

It's a shame we didn't execute and get a win last week. I think the feeling coming into this one would be much different. But we are where we are.

I seem to recall that is several recent performances (especially at home) we've started strongly against Saints and had them having to chase the game a little bit which we've then exploited later on. We could definitely do with that tomorrow - getting the crowd excited and noisy.

[Tigerbeat]

Phil Dowson has named his side for the East Midlands Derby this Saturday, with Northampton Saints travelling to Leicester Tigers in Round 6 of the Gallagher Premiership.

As the league’s Derby Weekend rolls around, Saints make the short trip to Mattioli Woods Welford Road sitting in fourth place in the table after winning their last three league matches – including a 34-19 win over Exeter Chiefs last time out.

Both away sides prevailed in the clashes between Northampton and Leicester last season, with Saints defeating their Midlands rivals 19-18 when they last met in Leicester back in January.

The men in Black, Green and Gold will be going for back-to-back victories at Welford Road – a feat they have not achieved in the Premiership since 2019 – as Dowson makes six changes to the side that defeated Exeter Chiefs last time out.

Club captain Lewis Ludlam returns to lead the side out in Leicester, joining Tom Pearson and Alex Coles in the back row, while Chunya Munga partners Alex Moon in the engine room.

Trevor Davison starts at tighthead for Saints this weekend; he packs down alongside in-form duo Alex Waller and Curtis Langdon in Northampton’s front row.

Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith – who has scored more points than any other player across the Premiership so far this term – will look to pull the strings for Saints from the half-back berths, while Tommy Freeman is preferred in Northampton’s centres alongside Fraser Dingwall.

James Ramm returns from illness to start on the wing with George Hendy opposite him in the back three, while George Furbank completes the starting XV at fullback.

There is space on Saints’ bench for the likes of Sam Matavesi, Elliot Millar Mills, Tom James and Ollie Sleightholme – who will all hope to make an impact from amongst the replacements – while Rory Hutchinson is also set to notch up his 100th Premiership appearance, and Henry Pollock could also make his league debut if he enters the action.

LEICESTER TIGERS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Gallagher Premiership, Round 6
Saturday 18 November
Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Kick-off: 3.05pm

15 George Furbank
14 George Hendy
13 Tommy Freeman
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 James Ramm
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell

1 Alex Waller
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Trevor Davison
4 Alex Moon
5 Chunya Munga
6 Alex Coles
7 Tom Pearson
8 Lewis Ludlam (c)

Replacements:
16 Sam Matavesi
17 Ethan Waller
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Tom Lockett
20 Henry Pollock – Premiership debut
21 Tom James
22 Rory Hutchinson – 100th Premiership appearance
23 Ollie Sleightholme

Not available for selection:
Juarno Augustus, Sam Graham, Emmanuel Iyogun, Courtney Lawes, Temo Mayanavanua, Burger Odendaal, Tom Seabrook and Robbie Smith.

Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referee: Jack Makepeace and Paul Dix
No. 4: Richard Gordon
TMO: Hamish Smales

[Tigerbeat]

Leicester Tigers have named their team for Saturday’s East Midlands Derby against Northampton Saints at 3:05pm at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

Tigers scrum-half Ben Youngs will make history in the round six clash, making his 28th appearance in an East Midlands Derby, the most of any player, for either club.

Centre Guy Porter comes back into Tigers’ team for his 50th Premiership cap, with Ollie Hassell-Collins on the left wing and Freddie Steward at fullback.

Joe Heyes and James Cronin rotate into the starting prop roles, and Jamie Shillcock comes onto the bench.

Leicester Tigers head coach, Dan McKellar said: “We’ve built well into what is obviously a special week for our club and I’m certainly excited to experience my first East Midlands derby in front of 24,000 of our people on Saturday.”

“For Ben to make a bit of history this weekend, it’s a testament to him and his commitment to the club and his leadership this week has been outstanding, with guys like Brett Deacon and Matt Smith, making sure we’re all aware of what this game means to our community but also how to prepare for it in the right way as well.

“Results so far have not been where they need to be, but our players and staff trust we’re on the right path and our job as a collective is to perform on Saturday to the level, we know we can.”

STARTING XV

15 Freddie Steward [73]
14 Josh Bassett [7]
13 Guy Porter [67]
12 Solomone Kata [2]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [7]
10 Handré Pollard [16]
9 Ben Youngs [303]

1 James Cronin [19]
2 Charlie Clare [85]
3 Joe Heyes [128]
4 Cameron Henderson [44]
5 Ollie Chessum [44]
6 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [92]
7 Tommy Reffell [102]
8 Jasper Wiese [62]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Archie Vanes [9]
17 Francois van Wyk [38]
18 Dan Cole [311]
19 Sam Carter [7]
20 Matt Rogerson [7]
21 Tom Whiteley [12]
22 Jamie Shillcock [8]
23 Matt Scott [67]