Tigers v Quins (A) - Premiership - Friday 26th January 2024 - KO- 19:45

[KiwiTig]

Some more perspective.
During and after the game last night the Quins’s fans were full of praise for Tigers.
I had said we had the luck on the night! All their fans told me in no uncertain terms that we were the better team and reminded me that compared to their missing players ours had caused problems all season! I’ve always said Quins’ fans are the best.
I too thought Quins would win but credit to Tigers as they really did give their all and the last kick off by Pollard was pure class: I was at that end of the ground and it hung perfectly for the whole team to rush up and FOR THOSE ON THE PITCH AT THE END: awesome defence and discipline because we couldn’t really afford to give a penalty away. It reminded me of the time we won at The Stoop preCovid when we defended in the same manner to narrowly win: I thing Tom Youngs was immense that day! After a long journey down and awful one back due to the M1 being closed( hope no one was seriously hurt) I’m going to enjoy watching the game again today with a Guinness.
Proud of all the Tigers.

100%

[mol2]

One of our best performances this season.
Stripped of key players by England and injury (the two intertwined) a scratch side showed what a disciplined performance can achieve.

The response of our DOR as Cronin gave away a soft penalty said it all.

The interplay between OH-C and Brown was sublime. Why don’t we do that when the big guns are on the pitch?

[WhitecapTiger]

We deserved to win the game and win did. Just. Well done Dan McKellar.

We didn't so much 'win' it as Quins lost it.

we had some glimpses of brilliance to balance out the brainless today, but still got lucky at the end.

We were lucky with the kick but all the pundits agreed at the end we should have won on the balance of play and I agree. We controlled territory and defended very well for large periods.

Coulda, would, shoulda. Fact remains we spurned chances to turn pressure, territory and possession into points when it mattered. Had the conversion gone over we'd have been behind and unlikely, IMO, to reclaim the kickoff. It missed, we got lucky.

Only stat that ultimately matters is the final score, we were on the right side of it through pure chance in the end - maybe we 'deserved' more, maybe that swung lady luck our way at the end.

Wins a win, however they come, and that one was precious in the bigger scheme of things.

[longlivethecrumbie]

I've watched the game back a couple of times and thought that our scrum half play improved when Lenny came on. It does seem that we get inconsistency with our SH options and never that consistent high level.

[chris111]

According to BT sports Collier is the best scrummaging tight head in the league!

Is that when Cole and Heyes are away with England?

I might be wrong, but I thought the comment was “arguably” the best, and I think it’s a reasonable argument to make. I’m a long way short of being a front row expert, but when I’ve watched him he seems a pretty impressive scrummager - technically sound and very strong.

The problem I have with debates about the relative merits of props is that every scrum win/defeat is taken as evidence for an individual victory of one prop over another. The scrum is a unit of 8, and although Tigers have some high quality props, their current scrummaging success is not just down to this. Having the likes of Chessum, Martin and Wiese providing the heft behind them (not to mention a couple of very powerful hookers in Montoya and Clare) is just as crucial!

[Rugbygramps]

I've watched the game back a couple of times and thought that our scrum half play improved when Lenny came on. It does seem that we get inconsistency with our SH options and never that consistent high level.

I’m sure you’re right. Part of the issue maybe that the role changes as the game progresses and defences tire. Certainly think Lenny has quickened up the speed he gets the ball away from the ruck under Mckellar.
Whitely is a 3rd pick scrum half and as such I think he is doing well, with Lenny finishing. Be good to see JVP back

[Tiglon]

I've watched the game back a couple of times and thought that our scrum half play improved when Lenny came on. It does seem that we get inconsistency with our SH options and never that consistent high level.

I’m sure you’re right. Part of the issue maybe that the role changes as the game progresses and defences tire. Certainly think Lenny has quickened up the speed he gets the ball away from the ruck under Mckellar.
Whitely is a 3rd pick scrum half and as such I think he is doing well, with Lenny finishing. Be good to see JVP back

Agreed, I think it was a conscious change to up the pace when Youngs came on.

There's also the possibility that there's just extra zip from fresh legs who haven't been running around for 60 minutes.

I've been very impressed with Whiteley in recent weeks. I'd love to keep him around but I suspect he could find a number 2 spot at least, at another premiership club.

[sapajo]

I've watched the game back a couple of times and thought that our scrum half play improved when Lenny came on. It does seem that we get inconsistency with our SH options and never that consistent high level.

I’m sure you’re right. Part of the issue maybe that the role changes as the game progresses and defences tire. Certainly think Lenny has quickened up the speed he gets the ball away from the ruck under Mckellar.
Whitely is a 3rd pick scrum half and as such I think he is doing well, with Lenny finishing. Be good to see JVP back

Agreed, I think it was a conscious change to up the pace when Youngs came on.

There's also the possibility that there's just extra zip from fresh legs who haven't been running around for 60 minutes.

I've been very impressed with Whiteley in recent weeks. I'd love to keep him around but I suspect he could find a number 2 spot at least, at another premiership club.

In my opinion Whiteley will always be at best a No2 Scrum half he has had a number of clubs now and not broken through as a starter. His box kicking is a liability, his passing is erratic and he looks to kick rather that move the ball when the option is available. That said he had some good moments against Leinster but fed them a lot of ball in space

[Tiglon]

I’m sure you’re right. Part of the issue maybe that the role changes as the game progresses and defences tire. Certainly think Lenny has quickened up the speed he gets the ball away from the ruck under Mckellar.
Whitely is a 3rd pick scrum half and as such I think he is doing well, with Lenny finishing. Be good to see JVP back

Agreed, I think it was a conscious change to up the pace when Youngs came on.

There's also the possibility that there's just extra zip from fresh legs who haven't been running around for 60 minutes.

I've been very impressed with Whiteley in recent weeks. I'd love to keep him around but I suspect he could find a number 2 spot at least, at another premiership club.

In my opinion Whiteley will always be at best a No2 Scrum half he has had a number of clubs now and not broken through as a starter. His box kicking is a liability, his passing is erratic and he looks to kick rather that move the ball when the option is available. That said he had some good moments against Leinster but fed them a lot of ball in space

So basically you think he's rubbish at pretty much every aspect of scrum half play?

But, despite not being good at kicking or passing, managed to have some good moments against one of the best teams in the world?

[KiwiTig]

According to BT sports Collier is the best scrummaging tight head in the league!

Is that when Cole and Heyes are away with England?

I might be wrong, but I thought the comment was “arguably” the best, and I think it’s a reasonable argument to make. I’m a long way short of being a front row expert, but when I’ve watched him he seems a pretty impressive scrummager - technically sound and very strong.

The problem I have with debates about the relative merits of props is that every scrum win/defeat is taken as evidence for an individual victory of one prop over another. The scrum is a unit of 8, and although Tigers have some high quality props, their current scrummaging success is not just down to this. Having the likes of Chessum, Martin and Wiese providing the heft behind them (not to mention a couple of very powerful hookers in Montoya and Clare) is just as crucial!

Fair and valid point …hence the selection of Hatherell and Cracknell behind Richardson v Quins …it was a collective success on Friday without a doubt

[sapajo]

Agreed, I think it was a conscious change to up the pace when Youngs came on.

There's also the possibility that there's just extra zip from fresh legs who haven't been running around for 60 minutes.

I've been very impressed with Whiteley in recent weeks. I'd love to keep him around but I suspect he could find a number 2 spot at least, at another premiership club.

In my opinion Whiteley will always be at best a No2 Scrum half he has had a number of clubs now and not broken through as a starter. His box kicking is a liability, his passing is erratic and he looks to kick rather that move the ball when the option is available. That said he had some good moments against Leinster but fed them a lot of ball in space

So basically you think he's rubbish at pretty much every aspect of scrum half play?

But, despite not being good at kicking or passing, managed to have some good moments against one of the best teams in the world?

Yep the good moments I referred to against Leinster was when he ran with the ball

[DeadlyDunc]

In my opinion Whiteley will always be at best a No2 Scrum half he has had a number of clubs now and not broken through as a starter. His box kicking is a liability, his passing is erratic and he looks to kick rather that move the ball when the option is available. That said he had some good moments against Leinster but fed them a lot of ball in space

So basically you think he's rubbish at pretty much every aspect of scrum half play?

But, despite not being good at kicking or passing, managed to have some good moments against one of the best teams in the world?

Yep the good moments I referred to against Leinster was when he ran with the ball

He was still better than the Quins 9 which is perhaps a reasonable comparison