Tigers v Newcastle (A) - Premiership - Friday 29th March 2024 - KO: 19-45

[Pellsey]

I agree with most of the criticism of the team, however, it's worth acknowledging...

In all my years watching rugby I can't ever recall a team holding out when 15 vs. 12. But we did! Miraculous! And for young Finn to come up with the ball at the end was a wonderful moment.

Recently I have tried to be as positive as possible... every cloud etc... but after last night I have no more tether left. Something needs to be done and done fast. I am not talking about replacing DMK, but he needs help, especially in attack. That said, if, in a years' time with that extra help Tigers are playing this way, then this should certainly be a discussion. SB was not good in his first year really, then all went well (for a season.)

Pollard recently has not been as bad as some had made out IMHO - he was certainly better than Shillcock last week at 10. He just needs players around him who make runs etc. We are just passing then bashing at the moment. There is no concept of making gaps or even looking for them. Shillcock at 15 this week, in terms of attack, was great to watch - like a completely different player.

I don't think Dickson was wrong at the end. The way the rules currently are made this... if a scrum goes down too often, yellow card, lose player, therefore a weaker scrum... and repeat. This just causes the farce of the last 20 minutes. Dickson is now not a bad sir, but he did seem to follow the crowd, so to speak, and as was pointed out, very pally towards the Newcastle team. Not impressed.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Newcastle actually thought Montoya was an injury replacement. When they call for the scrum in their half you can hear discussion with the ref about us going to 13 & uncontrsted. It's what started them on taking the scrum penalties.

[Postiger2]

By the way, nice to have Jamie Lyall on comms for a change. Might be my favourite current commentator.

Very much agree. Should be on more often. Really good commentator.

[TigerReggie]

Looking back over Newcastle's season they've played 23 games in all comps so far and only 10 games have their opponents scored more than 25 points, two of those 10 were Tigers at home 60-7 and the other was Tigers at home 47-3. So majority of their games have been close and around 10 points or so between them at a glance.

[Ellie]

It’s a little disappointing when the Tigers match report states “A try and conversion in the 90th minute of play won Falcons the game, Tigers down to 12 players at fulltime” looks like the reporter thought they would be defeated at the final whistle again!

Also the article “Reaction: McKellar reflects on courageous Tigers victory” is blank obviously not much reflection then!

Whilst the score line and performance for the most part was disappointing and much improvement is needed we did win and we did hold off a spirited Newcastle with the ref on their side for all that additional time! Steve Diamond said they just couldn’t find a play to score at then end, for me that was Tigers stopped them finding a play to score.

On to the next game.

[sam16111986]

Really liked the commitment of the lads to hold out at the end.

If Charlie Clare hadn't been so lazy in rolling away then Ilione had a turnover penalty and we kick to the corner and rolling maul a TBP.

We were so inaccurate it was painful. McKellar will be bold soon with so many weekends of pulling his hair out. Hopefully an attack coach is incoming soon because in a game we largely dominated we didn't manage to get the scoreboard to reflect what we needed it to.

Falcons are looking a better side with Diamond in charge. I reckon they'll take a scalp or two before the end of the season.

[ay2oh]

Same old negative posters again spouting their I’ll informed comments almost wanting us to lose.

[Scott1]

Same old negative posters again spouting their I’ll informed comments almost wanting us to lose.

Excuse people for telling the truth! It was dire,bar the heroic holding out and end result

[longlivethecrumbie]

Same old negative posters again spouting their I’ll informed comments almost wanting us to lose.

Excuse people for telling the truth! It was dire,bar the heroic holding out and end result

It wasn't all dire.

The third try was well worked and having Shilcock at full back working in space is very, very different to him being at 10 with the defence in his face.

The defence was good, insomuch as we kept Newcastle to one try, which was very well worked, and they had plenty of opportunities to score.

Our tighthead depth is probably a bit deeper than we thought. Hurd did well in his spell on the field and Richardson was ok - especially when they changed Wiese to packing down at lock instead of flanker.

JvP's score was great opportunism and him being back and fit is going to be huge for us down the stretch.

[fentiger]

We won, be happy
Harry Wells had his best game for a while, JVP looks like a man on a mission, Wiese - say no more, Hanro - Mr consistent, Shilcock great at fullback, both front rows were good against a pack that was at best 'going early' or, more often, just getting away with murder. Carnduff - to the manor born? There were other positives as well, let's focus on those!
It was far from perfect, and, as per last week, we really should have been out of sight over the horizon, BUT we still won

[OakhamTiger32]

Really liked the commitment of the lads to hold out at the end.

If Charlie Clare hadn't been so lazy in rolling away then Ilione had a turnover penalty and we kick to the corner and rolling maul a TBP.

Completely agree with this.. I was fuming at the time.. no excuse and could have been very costly..

[Postiger2]

On a separate note; I'd personally like to see more of Ilione at 7. I just feel he potentially has more facets to his game than Cracknell.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

On a separate note; I'd personally like to see more of Ilione at 7. I just feel he potentially has more facets to his game than Cracknell.

Cracknell's best position is probably the 20 shirt.

[RichardB]

I think we were lucky Dickson didn’t give them a penalty try for so many repeated infringements

[trendylfj]

Well done to all of the guys who held out at the end - I really don't know how we did it but we did. As far as the penalty count is concerned - we were under a bit of pressure in the scrum before the penalties began to lead to yellow cards and after that, I think we were somewhat lucky to only have 2 forwards in the bin given the current laws and consequently down to 12 players on the pitch. The ref did not have much choice but to keep issuing the cards but at least we stopped them from getting a penalty try which a really good set of scrummaging forwards would have done.

The worrying thing for me is that our starting backs, with the exception of Kata, showed nothing in attack at all. No good running lines, no penetration, and no real spark. Both wingers hardly touched the ball by hand. Many have said it before, we need an attack coach of the highest quality asap. I was never a Bassett fan in the first place - a good steady winger but not one who would scare me, OHC should be contributing more, and has the ability to create but is not. I loved the Renshaw try, a preplanned move of beauty. It took Shilcock to show some invention which lead to OHC's try.