Maybe a better way of saying it is that Ben needs resting. He is having a dip in form and probably needs to freshen up and get over a few niggles.
But lets give great credit to all the players, and particularly those who came back from the WC and have had very little summer break. They have gone 9 wins and a draw from 11 games, beaten some very decent teams, and have had to contend with continuous injury disruption to the squad.
I think when Tigers had lost 5 out of the first 6 league games and were bottom of the heap more or less, its an incredible effort to be back in fourth place and in contention to qualify for the HC quarters.
I dont think anybody would claim Tigers are playing vintage rugby, but the effort to pull the club up from where it was in mid-October is to be greatly admired. Any other club i think would have given the season up as dead.
Disappointing not to get the TBP after 2 tries so early, but it was still another win against a more than decent side. With the weather conditions this weekend, we can see from other scorelines how difficult it was for teams to score points, especially through the backs.
A couple of months ago the question was "can we make the top 6?" with many posters declaring that we had no chance. Six unbeaten matches later and Tigers are already in 4th spot, with little under half the season remaining.
The continued refusal by some to give the team or coaching staff any credit baffles me. If you're only happy with absolute perfection, you will lead a miserable life.
Just remember, it could be worse, we could be Wasps fans! Well done to the players and coaches for getting Tigers back up the table, hopefully we'll still be there in May and we can enjoy the playoffs yet again.
Top four and actually only 3 missed last kicks of the game away from being 2nd on 40 points. Ford's missed DG against the chiefs, Staunton's penalty against Barf, and Toby's DG against Irish. Strange old game Rugby!
For when the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name,
He marks - not that you won or lost - but how you played the Game."
WiggoTiger wrote:If that was the case WHY PLAY HIM??
Lets accept the obvious he was woeful and needs dropping!!
Mickey Young please or Harrison if fit!
Also it can't do Mickey Young's confidence any good to know that Ben on one leg is still the preferred 9. I hope this is not a recurrence of the RWC injury and Cockerill in denial.
smalldell wrote:
15. Murphy
14. Agulla
13. 12Ts
12. AA
11. AT
10. Flood
9. Young (Youngs needs a rest)
8. Waldrom
7. Salvi
6. Croft
5. Skivington
4. Slater
3. Cole
2. Chuter
1. Ayrzea
Parling among subs
No Matt Smith! been our best player in defence all season and most improved player by a country mile this season, never has a bad game always 100% committed,also Good offload today to Alex took two player into the tackle and got the ball moved on out of the tackle.
[quote="kingol22] I dont think Castro got a bind first time in any scrum. To me it looked like the opposition number 3 was binding on Castro's arm stopping him from getting a bind so the touch judges should have stepped in to tell the ref that sale tight head was binding on the arm.[/quote]
No, Thomas just out-scrummaged Castro at every scrum (bar maybe 1). The penalties we gained at the scrum today were ridiculous. I can think of only one or 2 that we deserved. It's just more proof that referees haven't got a clue how to ref the front row, the touch judges even less of a clue. Most of the time I'm sure they guess. It's so frustrating.
OK So I got put to bed last night! (Must have been the Old pec / Remy mixture. Grape and grain and all that!)
Looking at it this morning (but knowing the result, always a downer!)We bombed chances again BUT we were playing a team close to us in the league, so a close result was expected? We were never headed...they were always coming from behind. And even knowing we'd won I didn't feel we'd lose it.
36 supplied good ball from 12. Something I feel we've been lacking (Just the view of an "expert" hiding behind the anonimity of the keyboard, hey, burnie!)TTE was imense, huge, just don't pick him England. And just on times we avoided the lottery of the breakdown by keeping the ruddy pill alive.
No BP....but for a long time I felt better about the performance. Maybe the anaesthetic worked.......maybe it's better player confidence. Would still like to see more of the "keep it alive" tactic. Even when the ref isn't a Nellie!
Ah well........Wasps next week! (Hide the old pec!)
Exile Wigstonite living in Wales.
Poet laureate of the "One Eyed Turk".
Bar stool philosopher in the "Wilted Daffodil"
..........And thanks, Mr Youngs for your show of sportsmanship!
As for the "Youngs bashing" if the lad's having to play on one leg don't slag him off. Blame the coaches. There was an adequate sub available who could, should have been used earlier. (IMNSHO and as an ersatz pundit!)
Exile Wigstonite living in Wales.
Poet laureate of the "One Eyed Turk".
Bar stool philosopher in the "Wilted Daffodil"
Why is it referred to as Ben bashing when a comment is made about the poor quality of his box kicking. Are you saying that it was up to standard? He needs to improve this aspect of his game. It seems its ok for some of you to slag-off players like Matt Smith and he is often referred to as Cockers 'love-child' but woe betide anyone who says anything about Ben Youngs or Billy.
Credit to Ben Youngs, Flood, Castro etc for stopping play for the injuries to Sale's 3 and 7.
Of course this is my own opinion and other posters may have a different perceived factual viewpoint.
Ze Stade Fan wrote:I find most of you Tigers supporters a bit harsh with your own team : you were 11th of the table not that far ago now you are 4th of the table. Today was a hard fought win against a valiant team, if it was my poor Stade Français, I'd take it as a good win. What.
But this is Tigers. Hard fought win? Yes, but could have been better, could have been a bonus point win. Don't forget, for a Tiger a win is the minimum. 11th in the table? Yes, disgraceful and we should never forget it and never, ever repeat it.
Ben is a very gifted scrum half and I rate him highly. That said, his box kicking is simply not good enough at this level. What, worries me is why has this weakness in his game not been addressed and rectified by now? Or is it a more insepid and worrying issue like carrying an injury as I noticed he winced and then hobbled after a box kick in our own 22 in the second half?
Without hope we are nothing, keep the faith, a Tiger for eternity
Youngs does NOT PAY ATTENTION. He is sloppy and assumes that the ruck will take care of itself. There have been numerous occasions when the ball has come under pressure at our ruck and the simple and obvious answer is for the 9 to pick it up and do something with it but Youngs spends ages looking round and appears to be in the hard of thinking group. When our pack is dominant both tight and loose, fine but when we start going backwards he struggles - not the sign of an A1 9. Dodgy legs have nothing to do with speed of thought or rugby thinking.
