Tigers v Gloucester (A) - Premiership - Saturday 25th November 2023 - KO: 14:30

[tigerburnie]

For those travelling to Castle Grim, this info from the shedweb forum.
A number of city centre roads will be closed on Saturday between 1.30 & 3.30. The reason for this is protest march for the Palestinians. To add to congestion there is the Xmas Market at the Quays.
For full details look at Gloucestershire Live, Gloucester section.

[kk20gb30]

Money is getting tight everywhere and in response to this companies(not just rugby) put the prices up even higher, driving more punters away, bonkers. An empty seat will earn you nothing, get someone sat in it and as well the ticket sale, you might just get a beer/food/clothing sale along with it.

Too much like common sense ,I'm afraid.

[Tiglon]

It baffles me how people who are fully aware of the cost of living crisis don't realise that there is also a cost of doing business crisis.

I'm pretty sure the price of rugby tickets has increased less than inflation and less than wage rises.

Sell everything for peanuts and be busy all the time is rarely a sustainable way of doing business. You usually end up being busy fools...

[tigerburnie]

Not quite so easily cut though, if people don't turn up/buy, business will go under, it is up to businesses to make the product attractive or they wither, ask anyone formerly at Wasps how it works.

[Ian Cant]

I hope we really turn up at Gloucester.
I too am giving this a miss this season.
Just got Quins’ tickets for £36 and have to say the cheapest match this season has been Saracens: I had a seat for £22 but actually stood ( wanted to be closer to the action)which would have cost me £18! Saracens, Quins, Sale, Newcastle all good prices: Bristol too, will go to Saints as usual and expect to pay about £35-48 depending whether we decide to sit or stand. I usually apply about a month before the away game as you get good offers.
I’ve thought our away support has dramatically fallen off since covid whereas City’s away support continues to flourish,but as my City friends tell me,” unlike your lot we never have our internationals missing because if we did we wouldn’t go!”
We all want the Premiership rugby clubs to survive but unless something changes I’m not sure the remaining ten clubs can survive!
At the moment I therefore support the idea of a couple more seasons of no relegation!
As for the match: it’s another tricky one.
Gloucester should have easily beaten Exeter but, like us v Quins, they kept spilling the ball in the red zone. Their backs looked pretty good but similar to us they might have a few of the pack missing. Any result therefore possible.

[KiwiTig]

I have been critical of Heyes but thought he was very good against Saints and deserves another start.
It appears that he is rotating Cronin and Van Wyk starting so may do the same with Cole and Heyes which over the season could be a good thing

It’s important to remember that players like Wells, Hayes, Reffell, Whitcombe etc etc.had to go to places like Cardiff, Clermont, Pau, Bordeaux, Connaught and Leinster and in most cases boss the games in squads that were written off by many ! It’s much easier to play in a full strength squad… I think we should appreciate the extent of our squad when it’s weakened far more than we do Hanro is so unsung !

[Rugbygramps]

Exeter v Gloucester was 2 very average sides and while Gloucester had their purple patch they were also dreadful in places.

If w consider ourselves top 4 contenders this is the sort of away game we should be winning. They are missing some big hitters, Mercer, Ackerman, Tuissue VPR, and of the 2 predicted sides you would only swap LRZ, Harris and possibly Alemanno for their Tigers counterparts.
I understand it doesn’t always work that way but this is a game we should win

[westwinds31]

The return of the Emperor !

[Rugbygramps]

The return of the Emperor !

McKellar being very clever saying he wasn’t available. Strongest team this season good to see Kelly and Scott in the centre

[trendylfj]

Really pleased with that team - certainly going for the win and I expect us to win comfortably - not really but am confident

[MCC1964]

Oooooo. Noice.

[Knightonian]

Any one travelling to Gloucester where are you sitting /standing

[ourla]

Leicester Tigers have named their team for Saturday’s Slater Cup against Gloucester at Kingsholm Stadium at 2:30pm live on TNT Sports.

Argentinian international hooker Julián Montoya starts and captains Leicester in his first game of the 23/24 season having led his country at the Rugby World Cup.

Matt Scott also earns his first start of the season, the former Gloucester centre starting in the midfield beside Dan Kelly.

Tigers run-on side is otherwise unchanged with backrow Jasper Wiese named for his 50th Gallagher Premiership appearance and fullback Freddie Steward wearing the 15 jersey for his 50th start in the league.

Prop James Whitcombe and lock Harry Wells come onto the bench, Whitcombe likely to come on for his first Premiership outing of the season.

Leicester Tigers head coach, Dan McKellar said: “Last week was an important result for us off the back of strong Set Piece and Defence. Both components will be really important again this week against Gloucester.

“Julian’s a world class player and a real leader on and off the field so it’s great to have him back in the team.

“Gloucester away, Saturday afternoon, playing for Ed Slater, who means so much to both clubs: these games always have a bit of extra feeling in them so we’re excited for the challenge.”

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Steward [74]
14 Josh Bassett [8]
13 Matt Scott [68]
12 Dan Kelly [64]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [8]
10 Handré Pollard [17]
9 Ben Youngs [304]

1 James Cronin [20]
2 Julián Montoya (c) [44]
3 Joe Heyes [129]
4 Cameron Henderson [45]
5 Ollie Chessum [45]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [93]
7 Tommy Reffell [103]
8 Jasper Wiese [63]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [86]
17 James Whitcombe [41]
18 Dan Cole [312]
19 Harry Wells [181]
20 Matt Rogerson [8]
21 Tom Whiteley [13]
22 Jamie Shillcock [9]
23 Solomone Kata [3]

[ourla]

Director of Rugby, George Skivington, has named his Cherry & Whites side to tale on Leicester Tigers in The Slater Cup tomorrow.

Gloucester Rugby are looking to claim the trophy, named after former Cherry & White & Tiger Ed Slater, for the first time.

For the first time, Gloucester-Hartpury will also be contesting for The Slater Cup, following the men's fixture. Click here to see the Gloucester-Hartpury team.

There is one enforced change to the forwards pack that were defeated by Exeter Chiefs last week, as Academy graduate, Freddie Thomas, replaces the injured Albert Tuisue.

The front row trio of Mayco Vivas, George McGuigan and Fraser Balmain continue, with Freddie Clarke set to make his 150th appearance alongside Matias Alemanno in the second-row.

Thomas joins Club Captain, Lewis Ludlow and the in-form, Jack Clement in the back row.

Stephen Varney replaces Micky Young in the singular change in the back line. He partners George Barton in the half-backs.

Seb Atkinson and Chris Harris continue their partnership in the centres with Ollie Thorley, Louis Rees-Zammit and Santi Carreras completing the side.

On the bench, Santi Socino, Harry Elrington, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Arthur Clark and Ben Donnell cover the forwards positions, with Micky Young, Mark Atkinson and Louis Hillman-Cooper waiting in the wings for the backs.

15. Santi Carreras
14. Louis Rees-Zammit*
13. Chris Harris
12. Seb Atkinson*
11. Ollie Thorley*
10. George Barton*
9. Stephen Varney*
1. Mayco Vivas
2. George McGuigan
3. Fraser Balmain
4. Freddie Clarke*
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Freddie Thomas*
7. Lewis Ludlow* (C)
8. Jack Clement*

Replacements
16. Santi Socino
17. Harry Elrington
18. Jamal Ford-Robinson
19. Arthur Clark*
20. Ben Donnell
21. Micky Young
22. Mark Atkinson
23. Louis Hillman-Cooper*

*Denotes academy player or graduate.

[LE18]

It baffles me how people who are fully aware of the cost of living crisis don't realise that there is also a cost of doing business crisis.

I'm pretty sure the price of rugby tickets has increased less than inflation and less than wage rises.

Sell everything for peanuts and be busy all the time is rarely a sustainable way of doing business. You usually end up being busy fools...

There is a happy medium Tiglon.