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

[sam16111986]

Since Aled went to England we have become a weak Team in the last 20.

Those will have a memory will recall how we were once a team who, if they were close in the last 20 we could expect to win,

Cockers didn't feel we needed a fitness coach and we became average...
Deja vu?

Our S&C coach has a MMA background dare you to tell him he's not up to it.

Bristol had a much stronger bench than us, mainly down to injuries but also some squad limitations. It showed but we also managed the end of the game poorly. Brown getting sent off put strain on the defence that had done well at a time it couldn't have been worse. It's a bit the same as last weekend, the opposition have a stacked bench and a great running game so going down a man for key periods is likely to hurt.

[sapajo]

Bristol were awful for 65 minutes, gave us so much attacking ball by trying to run from their own line, and we should have been 40 points up, not 19.

Discipline has cost us again, as has lack of accuracy in attack.

We managed to make Lahiff look like a good player. That's quite an astounding achievement.

Are we not fit enough? Is our bench too weak? Hard to know, but losing to Bristol at home, after being 19-0 up, just isn't really good enough.

In my opinion based upon who is leaving and who is rumoured to becoming in our squad depth will be weaker.

[Pellsey]

Maybe one reason why we have failed in the last 20 mins is that the opponents' benches were better. If you look at Leinster's, Saint's, and Bristol's they were considerably better than ours. We do, however, look knackered in the last 20 or so, so we are certainly missing Aled.

Is it wrong to blame the ref - yes. We certainly should have won yesterday despite this. Did Carley / Kitt have an influence on the game - obviously. It is frustrating to play with poor officiating. This is what caused Brown's first card IMHO. Of course, had he been better disciplined, then he would not have got the card, and yes, we need better discipline. We were camped in the Bristol 22 for large parts of the first half and sir only gave a yellow after what seemed to be about 15 penalties. Carley then binned Brown for a silly, petulant hand in the ruck. As for the head contact, I am still not convinced it was worth a yellow, but that is irrelavant now. This is not balanced IMHO.

I think in the last 3 games, we were the better team for the first 60 minutes, especially in terms of territory and possession. What we have certainly been missing is the killer instinct in the 22, in any case in terms of ball retention.

Hopefully this conversion into points of this possession and territory will come and we start to play for a full 80, then we could become a good team again. I, maybe, blindly believe that we have a better squad next year (and an attack coach!!), at least will full fitness, so hopefully the bench will be better next season so we can play well for the full 80...

[OakhamTiger32]

Regrettably I have seen nothing recently to suggest that under this coach we will improve. Witness the same comments by supporters after every game. I don't blame the players. The way they play is an indication of how they are being coached - not very well from what I can see.

I’m sorry but how can you not place some blame at the players?

Did Mike Brown get coached to give a dumbass penalty because he was off the ref missed a clear knock on that lead to the first YC?

Like it’s takes a team effort to lose a game in that style

Just watched it again on the highlights. I cannot believe that at this level none of the officials saw the knock on by Genge prior to the Brown yellow. It is clear as day. Brown was dumb doing what he did no question but it should never have got to that stage. Even when the discussion happens about the incident surely they should look to see if it was a knock on? But nothing..

[Tigersunited]

Regrettably I have seen nothing recently to suggest that under this coach we will improve. Witness the same comments by supporters after every game. I don't blame the players. The way they play is an indication of how they are being coached - not very well from what I can see.

I only agree! He talks the talk but that’s where it ends.

[CrumblingTerrace]

Away from our performance, what Bristol are doing is nothing short of revolutionary in the current English game.

Pretty much every other DoR in the land has their team box kicking between their try line and the 10m. Informed by data, so we're told. 30 kicks in 30mins in Bath v Sarries?

Bristol were hopeless with ball in hand for an hour, but they stuck with that approach, and once a bit of space opened up they ran from deep and tore us apart. It worked.

In a chastening defeat, I can respect an innovative approach from our opponents.

[OakhamTiger32]

Away from our performance, what Bristol are doing is nothing short of revolutionary in the current English game.

Pretty much every other DoR in the land has their team box kicking between their try line and the 10m. Informed by data, so we're told. 30 kicks in 30mins in Bath v Sarries?

Bristol were hopeless with ball in hand for an hour, but they stuck with that approach, and once a bit of space opened up they ran from deep and tore us apart. It worked.

In a chastening defeat, I can respect an innovative approach from our opponents.

I am not sure I completely agree. Bristol's approach saw them scoreless after 65 minutes. Yes they finally got the first try but it took the second yellow for Brown for them to actually open us up. If Brown hadn't made head contact there we keep 15 on the field, they are still camped in their own 22 and we win the game. Simple as that. So while I do admire much of what Bristol are trying to do (and I do hate endless box kicks and kicking the ball back to the opposition in the final few minutes), yesterday we would have walked away with that game if we had better discipline. 2 stupid yellow cards for Brown cost us the game. Simple as that.

As an aside, some people are very quick to say how bad we are but for me it is fine margins and poor discipline. We have narrowly lost numerous games this season that easily could have gone either way. Win even just a few of those and we are top 4. I often read about how clueless we are and how bad our attacking structure is but for me it is just not being clinical enough in the red zone and players not backing their own abilities (confidence is low and hopefully that winning mentality will see a boost in confidence across the team). We put OHC over twice yesterday and have shown glimpses of how we can play when it all clicks. I think with an attack coach we might get this sorted and will be looking good next season. I'm not sure of the stats but I doubt we have fielded the same backline more than a few times all season so getting a backline playing regularly together will help. This was epitomised last week with the butchered tries by the backs. Getting JvP, Pollard, OHC, Kelly, Parese, Watson, Steward playing together and all firing and we would have a cracking back division.

Discipline is the key for me. Keep 15 on the field and we would have won a few of the games we have lost. 15 vs 15 and I say we would have beaten Saints and Bristol. Just IMHO of course but the games both unravelled quickly when Kata and Brown got their respective cards. 7 yellow cards and 2 reds in 3 games is not good enough. End of. A yellow is usually worth 7 points but against a tired team that has put in a massive defensive shift for 60 odd minutes it's clearly worth more. Saints and Bristol can open most teams up at will so it's hardly surprising we left them back in once our discipline wavered. This is the biggest area of concern for me. We HAVE to get this sorted or we don't stand a chance. We looked very very good first half against Saints and for 60 odd minutes against Bristol we kept them scoreless so we are clearly doing something right.. keep the faith!

[Scuttle]

All I can do today to reflect on the season, and particularly yesterday, is quote Charles Dickens...it is as if he was there in the crowd:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

I am ever hopeful things will be better next season.

[OakhamTiger32]

All I can do today to reflect on the season, and particularly yesterday, is quote Charles Dickens...it is as if he was there in the crowd:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

I am ever hopeful things will be better next season.

I think you missed the final bit Mr Dickens said Scuttle.. I believe the quote is:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, and try and keep 15 players on the field!”

[Scuttle]

All I can do today to reflect on the season, and particularly yesterday, is quote Charles Dickens...it is as if he was there in the crowd:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

I am ever hopeful things will be better next season.

I think you missed the final bit Mr Dickens said Scuttle.. I believe the quote is:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, and try and keep 15 players on the field!”

Haha. Love it!

[Big Dai]

All I can do today to reflect on the season, and particularly yesterday, is quote Charles Dickens...it is as if he was there in the crowd:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

I am ever hopeful things will be better next season.

I think you missed the final bit Mr Dickens said Scuttle.. I believe the quote is:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, and try and keep 15 players on the field!”

I doff my cap. Brilliant.

[Tiglon]

Away from our performance, what Bristol are doing is nothing short of revolutionary in the current English game.

Pretty much every other DoR in the land has their team box kicking between their try line and the 10m. Informed by data, so we're told. 30 kicks in 30mins in Bath v Sarries?

Bristol were hopeless with ball in hand for an hour, but they stuck with that approach, and once a bit of space opened up they ran from deep and tore us apart. It worked.

In a chastening defeat, I can respect an innovative approach from our opponents.

I am not sure I completely agree. Bristol's approach saw them scoreless after 65 minutes. Yes they finally got the first try but it took the second yellow for Brown for them to actually open us up. If Brown hadn't made head contact there we keep 15 on the field, they are still camped in their own 22 and we win the game. Simple as that. So while I do admire much of what Bristol are trying to do (and I do hate endless box kicks and kicking the ball back to the opposition in the final few minutes), yesterday we would have walked away with that game if we had better discipline. 2 stupid yellow cards for Brown cost us the game. Simple as that.

As an aside, some people are very quick to say how bad we are but for me it is fine margins and poor discipline. We have narrowly lost numerous games this season that easily could have gone either way. Win even just a few of those and we are top 4. I often read about how clueless we are and how bad our attacking structure is but for me it is just not being clinical enough in the red zone and players not backing their own abilities (confidence is low and hopefully that winning mentality will see a boost in confidence across the team). We put OHC over twice yesterday and have shown glimpses of how we can play when it all clicks. I think with an attack coach we might get this sorted and will be looking good next season. I'm not sure of the stats but I doubt we have fielded the same backline more than a few times all season so getting a backline playing regularly together will help. This was epitomised last week with the butchered tries by the backs. Getting JvP, Pollard, OHC, Kelly, Parese, Watson, Steward playing together and all firing and we would have a cracking back division.

Discipline is the key for me. Keep 15 on the field and we would have won a few of the games we have lost. 15 vs 15 and I say we would have beaten Saints and Bristol. Just IMHO of course but the games both unravelled quickly when Kata and Brown got their respective cards. 7 yellow cards and 2 reds in 3 games is not good enough. End of. A yellow is usually worth 7 points but against a tired team that has put in a massive defensive shift for 60 odd minutes it's clearly worth more. Saints and Bristol can open most teams up at will so it's hardly surprising we left them back in once our discipline wavered. This is the biggest area of concern for me. We HAVE to get this sorted or we don't stand a chance. We looked very very good first half against Saints and for 60 odd minutes against Bristol we kept them scoreless so we are clearly doing something right.. keep the faith!

Agree OakhamTiger, Bristol game plan was moronic - the amount of times they gifted possession to us in their own 22 was genuinely worthy of ridicule. A better team would have been 40 up at half time.

It works after 70 minutes when legs are tired and the opponents are down to 14, and it works against Newcastle, but that's about it - and that's why they never win anything.

With the amount of money pumped into that club, you can only blame their style of play for such consistently average results.

All the above is what makes the result so hard to take. Bristol were very bad yesterday as, to be honest, they usually are. To let them win that game is hard to comprehend.

[CrumblingTerrace]

Bristol fans seem to be viewing it differently... their forum is talking about the confidence to stick with the strategy in adversity, about their resilience, about their fitness levels, about their ability to win the last 14mins of the game 21-0.

[Tigerbeat]

Bristol are not a bad side and when there game clicks, they are a danger to any team….ask Saints and Newcastle….they now sit in 4th place with 10 wins.
Tigers did not allow them time to get the ball away and were very good defensively. The Bristol bench was stronger and the introduction of Lahiff and Thacker along with the red card for Brown opened up the game. Three tries from close range drives coming off the back of penalties.

[OakhamTiger32]

Bristol fans seem to be viewing it differently... their forum is talking about the confidence to stick with the strategy in adversity, about their resilience, about their fitness levels, about their ability to win the last 14mins of the game 21-0.

Of course they will see it like that. Same narrative I read from Lam. Fact of the matter is they had made very little progress all game and looked thoroughly average until that second Brown yellow when they finally cut loose. Was it their resilience? Fitness? Strategy? Or simply the fact they were playing a tired side who were down a player. For me it’s the latter but then again I am a Tigers fan not a Bristol fan.. each to their own but I don’t think you can rely on a game plan that is nullified when the opposition have 15 on the field.. unless perhaps they knew we would have some ill discipline that would see us down a man last 10 and then they would score.. a cunning plan!