Tigers v Bristol (H) - Premiership - Saturday 27th April 2024 - KO: 15-00

[CrumblingTerrace]

I was sat in the Mattioli Woods Stand and watching us spend most of the first half in their 22, I began to pity our players. So much ball, so much territory, so many phases, but quite frankly they looked like they could've played all day and still wouldn't figure out how to deconstruct a defence.

This new attack coach has got a list as long as his arm of issues to fix. It could be another season until we fix it.

[speedski]

Why did JvP come off????

He didn’t look tired we have played Youngs for 70-80 mins before

I don’t why we made so many subs earlier than Bristol?

Front row could have stayed an extra 10 mins

JvP was knackered - just before he's swapped out he's hands on head and completely done. It was clear his fitness isnt yet at a 80min level (but today boy do I wish it was...)

[westwinds31]

Wasn’t at the game and didn’t catch it on tv so can’t comment on referee or decisions, all I know is I checked at 19-7 and thought “we’ve won this”. Story of our season. I expected a 20 point Bristol win, but this feels worse given the position we were in.

[speedski]

The biggest problem for me was sat in the stands with 20 minutes to go you could FEEL it was going to happen - to the point I was praying for a kickable penalty to settle nerves.

The number of penalties we gave away in the last 20 is inexcusable.

[sam16111986]

I was sat in the Mattioli Woods Stand and watching us spend most of the first half in their 22, I began to pity our players. So much ball, so much territory, so many phases, but quite frankly they looked like they could've played all day and still wouldn't figure out how to deconstruct a defence.

This new attack coach has got a list as long as his arm of issues to fix. It could be another season until we fix it.

Not really, I think the issue was that the players lacked confidence in themselves and the system. There's plenty of quality there and a new attack coach has a great chance to change a few things to his liking and breath new life into the players confidence.

Normally the problem with teams not scoring is that they struggle for either possession or territory. We don't struggle for either.

[Baz]

Couldn't believe what I was seeing! It was criminal to kick the ball back to them with less than two minutes to go. Everyone around me thought the same. Inexcusable!

[Scuttle]

I know Whitely is not a popular player here but that was not his fault, its gameplan to kick in that position and the kick was good, Steward got the ball back and it was the bounce of the ball that put Bristol in that position

Disagree, how many teams in the prem would kick the ball away from there? Regardless of the scoreline

I think there's a fair few that would, time wasting for two minutes is very difficult nowadays because the refs will give a sealing off penalty at the first opportunity

I'm sorry, there was sealing off happening all through the game, both sides, and a response from the ref seemed optional. I have noticed the same in many matches through the season irrespective of the teams that were playing.

[markharbtiger]

Can I just say

Whiteley, rightly is getting some criticism on his performance.

He is (not on here ) getting abuse to go with criticism. That is NOT acceptable.

He got in a shouting match with someone post match and invited the person to come say it to his face.

I'm sorry as gutted as we are in the result we cannot and must not abuse our players!

I agree with this. Players are only doing their best and I doubt any of us can do any better. Obviously fans (and players too)are v disappointed but abuse isn’t acceptable.

[Scuttle]

Disagree, how many teams in the prem would kick the ball away from there? Regardless of the scoreline

I think there's a fair few that would, time wasting for two minutes is very difficult nowadays because the refs will give a sealing off penalty at the first opportunity

Bristol weren’t even kicking from their own 22, let alone ours. And they’ve just beaten us, so there’s probably something we should take from that

The takeaway is they have invested in players who can play that way, we of course have invested in "the Tigers DNA" players.

[TigerFeetSteve]

https://twitter.com/LeicesterTigers/sta ... B3smw&s=19

Terrible result...

Even worse that the club has had to put this statement out there...

[Ellie]

https://twitter.com/LeicesterTigers/sta ... B3smw&s=19

Terrible result...

Even worse that the club has had to put this statement out there...

Agreed, very sad they have to make this statement, but sadly with social media it’s the way the world operates now.

[markharbtiger]

In retrospect I actually thought the first 68 or so minutes was pretty good bar poor red zone efficiency. Performance falling off seems to be a problem.

[Scuttle]

What was better?
Handling - fewer passes went behind/ over/ into touch.
Cohesion - The defensive structure held together really well for 70 minutes

What was worse/the same?
We were mauling them to bits on their 5m line while they were playing 7s scoring opportunities going amiss
Decision making. Yes, 5 points would have been ideal but 4 would have done. All those penalties and not one popped over for 3 to make them really chase the game and give us a better cushion - this was more relevant given the missed conversion. And so it proved.

We are so fixated on our rolling maul so e very time we get a penalty in the 22 or just outside we kick to touch rather than taking the 3

.....but you forget, it is Tigers DNA so must be right

[Tigerbeat]

Given that a bonus point win was needed, I guess that was the intention…keep the pressure on an hope for the tries.

[Ellie]

Just back from the game, very disappointed, there simply is no excuse for loosing a game from 19-0 up with 12 minutes to go.

Replacements just not up to the task, especially Whitely, kicking possession away with two minutes to go, unforgivable.

What should we have done? Well in the olden days the forwards would have ‘stuck it up their jumper’ for the last two minutes and we’d have won the game! It used to work back then and it would have today.

On top of that the same old issues haunt us: red zone efficiency (or lack thereof), failing to keep fifteen on the field for the whole game, running out of gas with a substandard bench.

Agree with every word. Needed to keep the front row on for another 10, taking us to 68 mins. The Brown tackle was a wrap, and tbh even with replays, couldn't see the card. What got me shouting Noooooo along with everyone around me was the stupid box kick. In Cockers era Whiteley would never played another game and been released at the end of the season Have none of these modern players played at lower levels or ever heard how to last out 90 secs? UP THE JUMPER!

Agreed we shouldn’t have replaced front row until Bristol did it gave them the upper hand. I thought Brown tackle was a card initially until I saw the replays and agree it wasn’t (in my opinion). Whitely kick - I can’t believe that kick at that stage of the game was in the game plan. Let’s hope they find cohesion and confidence in the game plan for next season.